I came across a great 3 ring binder in with my mother-in-law's cookbook. The binder itself looks pretty ragged - taped together across the spine many times. There is a large red circle on the front of the book with "Try It You'll Like It" written inside. There are some wonderful sounding recipes to be found inside. I have decided to share a few of them with you.
Please know that she was born in 1909 and has collected recipes from many different places. She grew up in Baltimore, MD; married and moved to New Jersey; moved her family to Key West, FL during WWII; lived in Central America (Honduras & Costa Rica) for 24 years; moved to Boston MA where they lived for at least 5 years; finally retiring to San Antonio, TX in the late '70's. She lived in San Antonio until she passed away in 2007. Her recipe collection reflects this time period. They have a wide variety of origins from the shores of the Northeast to recipes from South Texas to classic Latin American dishes. During the twentieth century many of us saw recipes evolving into something a little more nutritious and healthy. There are several recipes that call for browning an item in bacon grease. You might prefer to use olive oil - feel free to make a few substitutions.
I am including only recipes that are in my mother-in-law's handwriting. None from newspaper and magazine clippings. I will attempt to be as accurate as possible though her handwriting is sometimes difficult to decipher.
Soup bowls are perfect for serving these dishes. They include gumbos, stews, soups and dumplings.
Shrimp Gumbo
¾ cup chopped onions 1 clove garlic, minced
Saute in bacon grease (you might want to use olive oil). Stir in:
¾ cup chopped green pepper ¼ cup parsley
2 lbs (about) shrimp (cooked) ¼ teaspoon red pepper
½ teaspoon thyme oregano
Italian seasoning 2 bay leaves
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes 1 lb. sliced okra
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
Simmer about 2 hours or more. Just before serving sprinkle file. Serve with cooked rice.
Note: I put the rice in the bottom of the bowl and spoon gumbo over it.
