The Nelson Family Cookbook

[Table of Contents | Dedication | Breads | Soups | Vegetables | Salads ]
[Main Dishes | Cake & Frostings | Cookies, Bars, & Lefse | Pies & Desserts ]
[ Beverages, Snacks, Jam, & Pickles | Get a printable copy | Index ]

BEVERAGES, SNACKS, JAM, & PICKLES

Scandinavian Egg Coffee

Harriet Stanley


In large coffee pot, bring 4 1/2 quarts water to boil. Combine 1 1/2 cups coffee (you can use less) and 1 egg white, reserving shell. Stir the coffee-egg mixture into the boiling water. Return to boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 2 minutes. Pour in just enough cold water to settle grounds. Strain and serve.

Orange Spice Tea

Joan Nelson


1 cup instant tea
2 cups sugar
2 cups Tang
1 package lemonade mix (unsweetened)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Red hots (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Garnish with red hots, if desired. Store in an airtight container. To serve, stir 1 tablespoon per 6 oz. glass of hot water. Makes 44 oz. of mix. Makes great gifts in winter!

Peach Slush

Greta Jacobson


1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade
2 pitted, peeled peaches
1/4 cup sugar
2 (6 oz.) cans water
crushed ice

Blend in the blender until the consistency of slush.

Irish Cream

Kathryn Stanley


1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whiskey (real smooth/good whiskey)
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup light cream
1 cup heavy cream

A food processor works great for this. Mix everything but the cream; slowly add the cream while the processor is running. This is a very strong recipe. I usually add more cream or less whiskey. I put this in fancy bottles and give as gifts during the holidays.

Herbed Cheese

Deb Stanley


8 oz. cream cheese
1 tablespoon garlic
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dill weed
dash tobasco

Combine all ingredients. Can be placed in decorative bowl or placed on hors d'oeuvre plate with pastry tube.

Ham Pretzel Pleasers

Eunice Nelson


3 oz. cream cheese
1 cup ground ham
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Onion juice or grated onion, to taste
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Pretzel sticks
1/2 cup snipped parsley

Combine cream cheese, ground ham, pecans, Worcestershire sauce, and onion. Form into balls. Roll in crushed parsley and stick pretzels in each ball to serve. Note: do not put pretzels in until ready to serve as they will become soggy. Can omit parsley and pretzels and serve on crackers.

Mexican Cheese Dip

Deb Stanley

Basic Recipe:
1/2 box Velveeta cheese, cubed (1 pound)
1 can cheddar cheese soup 		1/2 can diced mild chili peppers
Can melt in microwave for quick sauce or stove or crockpot. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Variations: Put in a jar of salsa with cheeses instead of diced peppers. (Use hotter salsa if you like it spicy.)
For large crowds:   Hearty Cheese Dip--brown 1 pound ground beef; drain. Add 1 package taco seasoning mix, full can diced mild chili peppers, 2 pound box Velveeta (cubed), and 2 cans cheddar cheese soup.

Sausage Dip

DoLores Kounovsky


1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 (12 oz.) package sour cream
1 pound ground pork sausage
diced green pepper
stewed tomatoes (1 can + a little of the juice)
1 (4 oz.) chopped green chili
salt to taste

Brown sausage and put everything else in Crock Pot. Add sausage. Stir to mix as it warms. When warm, serve with crackers and tortilla chips for dipping.

Cheese Dip

Deb Stanley


2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1/4 pound shredded colby or cheddar
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons grated onion
1/4 cup finely diced peppers

Soften cheese. Beat all ingredients until blended. Chill 8 hours.

Smoked Fish

Gary Nelson

1/2 gallon water
1 cup salt (uniodized)
1 pound dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 		1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Wright's liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
4 tablespoons molasses
Soak fish in mixture of above ingredients for approximately 6 hours if fish is fresh. (2-3 hours if fish has been previously frozen.) Do not use a metal container. Pat dry with towel. Let stand on racks 1 hour. Season with lemon pepper. Soak wood chips (apple, cherry, hickory, mesquite) in water for about 1/2 hour before you put on grill. Use about 3 sets of chips. Then continue to dry at very low heat until desired moistness. Let cool for 12 hours.
Trout: 1 1/2 - 2 hours
Salmon: 1" - 1 1/2" - 3 - 3 1/2 hours
Have used for turkey breast. Brine overnight.
Can also use to make jerky.

Spiced Nuts

Richard Jacobson


1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups nut meats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar, and water. Boil to 246°. (Firm ball in cold water.) Add nut meats. Add vanilla. Stir until the mixture sugars. Separate nuts on waxed paper. Let cool and store in tight container.

Peanut Brittle

Deb Stanley


1 cup white syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 package raw peanuts
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Bring syrup, water, and sugar to 230°. Remove from heat. Add peanuts and cook to 300°. Add butter, soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir quickly and pour into buttered jelly roll pan. Break when cool.

Peanut Brittle

Kathryn Stanley


2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2 cups raw peanuts
1 teaspoon baking soda

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat together sugar, corn syrup, and water, stirring until sugar dissolves. When syrup boils, blend in butter. Stir frequently after temperature reaches 230°. Add peanuts when temperature reaches 280°. Stir constantly to hard crack stage (305°). Remove from heat; quickly stir in soda, mixing well. Pour onto two buttered cookie sheets. Loosen from pans when candy hardens. Break into pieces. Makes 2 1/2 pounds. Note: Be sure to have sheets buttered ahead of time and on a towel or something as this is hot! Marty's Mom found this recipe when she came and stayed at our home this last Christmas. I never had Peanut Brittle turn out, so she told me to give it a try. I did and IT TURNED OUT! So if it works for me, it will work for anyone!

English Toffee

Richard Jacobson


1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8 oz.) chocolate bar
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Combine sugar, butter, and water in saucepan and cook to hard crack stage or 300° on candy thermometer, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and pour into a buttered 9 x 9 pan. Place chocolate bar on top and spread evenly when melted. Sprinkle pecans over top. Cool thoroughly and break into pieces. 3/4 cup of chopped pecans can be put on bottom of 9 x 9 pan and hot mixture poured over them.

Glass Candy

Stacy Mueller


2 cups sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup white syrup
1 teaspoon anise, lemon, or peppermint extract
food coloring

Grease a jelly roll pan and set aside. Boil sugar, water, and syrup to 280° or hard ball stage in a large saucepan. Add flavoring and appropriate color food coloring, stirring in quickly. Pour into greased pan. Spread quickly. Allow mixture to cool at room temperature--it will harden quickly. Crack into pieces and remove from pan when hardened. Candy is clear and resembles panes of colored glass. This could be used to make lollipops. Be sure to use a larger pan than you think you'll need--this bubbles up and isn't something you want all over your stovetop. (I speak from experience.) Put a towel under jelly roll pan to protect surface from heat.

Quick Caramel Corn

Joan Nelson


5 quarts pop corn
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light Karo syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pop corn and place in brown paper grocery sack. Combine sugar, salt, butter, and syrup in microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir halfway through. When finished, add baking soda and mix well. (Will turn to caramel.) Pour topping over popcorn in bag. Fold top of bag over 2 or 3 times and shake to mix well. Place in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes and shake well, take out and shake. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, then shake. Microwave for 45 seconds, then take out and shake. Microwave for 30 seconds, then shake. Pour onto waxed paper or cookie sheets to cool and throw away the bag.

Caramel Corn

Sara Mueller


8 cups popped corn
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn. Put popcorn into a 17 x 12 x 2 baking pan. I use the bottom part of our broiler pan. In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts and mixture comes to boiling. Cook, stirring occasionally, to 255° (hard ball stage), about 4 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat. Bake in a 300° oven for 15 minutes; stir. Bake 5 minutes more. Transfer to large bowl; cool. Good for giving as gifts.

Fanny Farmer Fudge

Joyce Mueller


4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can evaporated milk
3 (6 oz.) packages chocolate chips
1/4 pound margarine
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chopped nuts

Bring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, margarine, and nuts. Put into buttered 9 x 13 pan and cool.

Rhubarb Jam

Harriet Stanley


5 cups rhubarb
4 cups sugar (I use less.)
1 small box raspberry jello

Mix rhubarb and sugar. Let stand overnight. In morning, boil mixture 5 minutes. Add jello. Put in sterile jars. I freeze this.

Slicer Refrigerator Pickles

Olive Jacobson--recipe from Frances Edholm


1 cup onion rings
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cups white sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon celery seed

Slice into bowl. Mix well. Leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. Refrigerate. Ready to eat in a day.

Frozen Cucumbers

Deb Stanley


2 quarts peeled and sliced cucumbers (1/8 - 1/4" thick)
2 onions, sliced
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup dark vinegar

Sprinkle salt over cucumbers and onions. Let stand 2 hours. Do not drain. Add sugar and vinegar. Let stand 1 hour. Put in containers and freeze. Great when you have extra slicers and you like that fresh taste in January!!

Dill Pickles

Joyce Mueller--recipe from her mom, Gladys Nelson


Cucumbers
Dill
Sugar (1 teaspoon per jar)
Garlic
Alum
Water (see chart for water, vinegar, & salt)
Vinegar (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water)
Pickling Salt (1 cup salt to 20 cups liquid)

Put cucumbers and dill in quart jars. In each jar, add sugar, garlic, and alum. Boil together water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Refer to chart below. Using city water may not give you good results. Pour hot liquid over cukes. Seal and cover jars with boiling water. Let cool (overnight).

Liquid

Water

Vinegar

Pickling Salt

5 cups 3 1/3 cups 1 2/3 cups 1/4 cup
6 cups 4 cups 2 cups 3/10 cup (4 4/5 Tbsp.)
8 cups 5 1/3 cups 2 2/3 cups 2/5 cup (6 2/5 Tbsp.)
10 cups 6 2/3 cups 3 1/3 cups 1/2 cup
34 cups 22 2/3 cups 11 1/3 cups 1 7/10 cups

Dill Pickles

Deb Stanley


1 tablespoon pickling salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pickling spice
Dill
Garlic

Can be made by the quart or pint. No brine sitting around till the next batch!! Cut in half for pints. Measure for each jar individually. Pack pickles; use amounts above for each quart. Fill jars to neck with water. (Do not use soft water.) Put lids on jars and put in canner; cover with water. Bring to boil; remove from heat. I use a pressure cooker. 15 pounds pressure for 10 minutes.

Mustard Pickles

Olive Jacobson--recipe from her mom, Gladys Nelson


1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons sugar
Cucumbers
Scant cup vinegar
Water

Mix together salt, mustard, and sugar. Put in quart jar. Fill with cucumbers. Add scant cup of vinegar, then fill with water.

Beet Pickles

Deb Stanley


2 cups white sugar
2 cups water
2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Cooked, peeled beets

Put spices in cloth in liquid. Simmer 15 minutes. Pour over beets in jars and seal.

Dilly Beans

Gary Nelson


2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic
4 heads dill
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups vinegar
1/4 cup salt

Pack beans lengthwise into hot jars leaving 1/4" head space. To each pint, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic, and one head of dill. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour boiling hot mixture over beans, leaving 1/4" of head space. Adjust caps, process pints 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Let stand about 2 weeks before testing to allow the flavor to develop.

Large volume: 40 pounds beans = 75 jars
3 gallons vinegar, 2-3 boxes salt, lots of dill, 1-2 heads garlic (1 clove per jar)

The Nelson Family Cookbook

[Table of Contents | Dedication | Breads | Soups | Vegetables | Salads ]
[Main Dishes | Cake & Frostings | Cookies, Bars, & Lefse | Pies & Desserts ]
[ Beverages, Snacks, Jam, & Pickles | Get a printable copy | Index ]