500 Treasured Country Recipes from Martha Storey and Friends: Mouthwatering, Time-Honored, Tried-And-True, Handed-Down, Soul-Satisfying Dishes

by Martha Storey

Overview

Bring farmhouse favorites to your kitchen with this heirloom cookbook, featuring more than 500 recipes for mouthwatering country classics. Martha Storey presents easy-to-follow recipes for comforting family favorites like apple pie, roast chicken, blueberry pancakes, strawberry shortcake, sourdough bread, and hand-churned ice cream. Storey also provides simple instructions for the old-fashioned arts of making your own cheese, yogurt, pickles, and cordials. You’re sure to hear calls for seconds when serving these time-tested crowd-pleasers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580172912
Publisher:	Storey Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	09/13/2000
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	8.05(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Martha Storey lent her party-planning advice to Keeping Entertaining Simple. She has mastered the art of relaxed hostessing, whether giving small dinner parties for close friends or large corporate picnics, and she shares her secrets and inspiring ideas with readers. Country-living publisher for more than 17 years, Martha also draws on her country roots to bring you the time-honored classics of the American country kitchen in her book, Treasured Country Recipes from Martha Storey and Friends. Martha founded Storey Communications, Inc. with her husband John in 1983. She has three children and eight grandchildren. She lives in western Massachusetts and farm in Westport, New York.

Read an Excerpt

PART ONE - WELL-STOCKED COUNTRY KITCHEN

Chapter 1

Kitchen Know-How

My mother was a good cook but an even better teacher. She was so patient with me as I experimented in her country kitchen, learning the basics of cooking: baking bread, frying chicken, mashing potatoes, and making meat loaf. I also had an inspiring teacher for high-school home economics, a course that one doesn't easily find these days. Cooking came naturally to me, but learning some of the science behind what makes food taste good was illuminating. I hope that this chapter will become dog-eared, a sign that it has become a trusted reference in your kitchen - almost like having your mom at your elbow.

Measurements & Metrics

Many early recipe collections relied on the cook's experience to judge quantities in the kitchen. Such terms as

"a pinch," "a wineglass," "a goodly handful," "until just right," and "a lump the size of a walnut" were as specific as it got. For some recipes you can "eyeball" amounts - do you know anyone who measures how many cups of tomato or lettuce go into the salad bowl? But in many recipes, measuring accurately is essential to ensure consistent quality and reliable results.

To Measure Accurately and Easily

Dry ingredients. Use a metal or plastic measuring cup that fills to the top. Dip the cup into the dry ingredient (but not if you're measuring flour) or fill the cup by using a spoon. You should not dip the cup into flour, because you could pack it down and get too much flour, which could affect the success of a recipe. Spoon the flour lightly into the cup instead. Do not pack unless the recipe specifies that you should. Set the cup on a level surface and smooth off the excess with a knife so that the top is level. For measuring out less than

1 cup, use the size of cup appropriate to the amount specified or fill to the correct mark in a larger cup and shake slightly to level.

Liquid ingredients. Use a glass measuring cup with a pouring spout and clearly marked lines indicating cup increments. Check measurements at eye level; ideally, you should set the cup on a flat surface and bend down so that your eye is level with the mark.

Solid ingredients. To measure solid ingredients in a liquid measuring cup, fill the cup with an amount of water equal to the amount of the solid ingredient your recipe calls for. Then add the dry ingredient until the water measures twice the amount. For example, to measure 1/2 cup shortening, pour in 1/2 cup water, then add shortening until the water reaches the 1-cup mark.

Using an Oven

The following chart tells you what recipes mean when they specify a "slow,""moderate," or "hot" oven.

very slow oven250-275*F

slow oven300-325*F

moderate oven350-375*F

hot oven400-450*F

very hot oven475*F and up

Check the thermostat of an oven that you are using for the first time. Buy an inexpensive portable oven thermometer (available in hardware and department stores) and set it on the middle oven rack. Turn your oven on to 350*F. When your oven indicator tells you it's preheated (some ovens have an indicator light that turns off; some make a beeping sound - check the manufacturer's instructions), quickly check the reading on the portable thermometer. It should read 350*F. If it does not, make a note of the discrepancy and adjust your oven setting accordingly whenever you cook in it. Many perfectly good ovens are about 50*F off their thermostat settings. If your oven is temperamental, use an oven thermometer regularly instead of relying on the thermostat.

For cooking roasts, a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer gives you the most reliable temperature control; inserted into the thickest part of the meat (but not touching bone), it gives an accurate reading of the internal temperature, no matter what size and shape your roast is.

The placement of the oven rack can affect the way your food cooks. Unless specified otherwise, place the rack in the middle of the oven for the greatest circulation of heat. If you have several pans in the oven at once, you may need to increase the cooking time; rotating the pans helps ensure even cooking.

Using a Microwave Oven

Microwave ovens can be a great time-saver in everything from defrosting to cooking to reheating. Because models vary widely in power, it is advisable to follow the instructions that come with your appliance. Here are some general tips for all microwave ovens.

When using the microwave, make sure that all items put inside are microwave safe. Never use any metal, including aluminum foil or twist ties.

It is preferable to use paper, glass, or microwave-safe ceramics in the microwave. Plastic containers

may melt slightly, pick up stains, or (some believe)

release toxic substances into the food.

Cover food with a microwave-safe paper towel, paper plates, or plastic wrap. Poke a tiny hole in the plastic to vent steam.

A sheet of wax paper on the microwave tray makes cleaning up easier.

Because microwaves cook food from the inside out, food will not brown attractively; basting or saucing food can compensate for this.

Microwaves are great for precooking meats for the grill. The insides will cook first, so the grilling time will be shorter. This means less chance of burned or dried-out foods or underdone centers.

Microwaves are ideal for melting small amounts of butter or chocolate.

Foods cooked in the microwave without a carousel should be stirred or rotated for uniform cooking.

Chapter 4

Great Starts: Breakfasts

We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I'm sure that my mother was the first to discover that fact. We never missed breakfast, and Daddy was her trusted partner in the early-morning feast. "Time to wake up - breakfast is ready!" he'd holler at 6 a.m. without fail. We'd roll sleepily out of bed and scramble down the stairs to a table of warm baking-powder biscuits, homemade strawberry jam, crispy bacon, and eggs scrambled to perfection. Breakfast was hot, hearty, and happy .. . a great start to our day.

Apple Sausage Bake

This is the perfect choice for Sunday morning breakfast when you've taken your weekend guests apple picking on Saturday.

Tools

- Spatula

- Egg beater

- Grinder

- Food mill

- Cast-iron pans of different sizes

- Cutting board

- Chef's knife

1 pound sausage links, cut in half (use turkey breakfast sausage if you find one you like)

6 tart apples, cored and sliced but not peeled

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Coat a 2-quart casserole with vegetable cooking spray.

2. In a skillet, brown the sausage; drain off grease. Toss apples and sausage pieces together and transfer to a casserole. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and brown sugar.

3. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

Maple-Nut Oatmeal

Loaded with vitamins, high in fiber, and naturally sweet, thanks to the pure maple syrup, oatmeal is a "stick-to-your-ribs" way to start the day.

3 1/2cups skim milk

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 tablespoon butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped, unpeeled apple

1. Bring milk to a low boil; stir in oats. Add butter and salt and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from heat and add maple syrup, raisins, walnuts, and apple. Mix well. Serve in individual bowls with warm milk and a tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar on top.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Table of Contents

Part One: The Well-Stocked Country Kitchen

Kitchen Know-How

Tools for the Country Cook

In the Pantry

 

Part Two: Country Cooking

Great Starts: Breakfasts

Soups and Starters

Breads and Muffins

Salads

Entrees

Vegetable Dishes

Flavorful Fruits

Sweets and Treats

Sauces and Condiments

Beverages

Herbs and Spices

 

Part Three: Country Occasions

Country Carryouts

Country Holidays

Entertaining

 

Part Four: Arts of the Country Kitchen

From the Milk Pail

Preserving the Harvest

All About Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Sausage

Barrel, Bottle, and Jug

From Field and Forest

Gifts from Your Country Kitchen

 

Part Five: Arts of the Country Home

Home Sweet Home

Crafts from Your Country Home

Your Kitchen Garden

 

Contributors

Bibliography

Credits

Index

Editorial Reviews

“Altogether, it’s a treasure chest of down-home cooking.” – The Times-Picayune

“The very volume of recipes to inspire cooks to continue lavishing loved ones with the fruits of their kitchen labors is Martha Storey in her latest masterpiece.” — Grand Rapids, MI Press

“…gives us a connection to our food and our homes that can sometimes get lost in 21st-century life.”

– The Gourmet Retailer

“Storey’s table is always rich and teeming with delights…This book will win over many fans, whether they are from town or country.” – Nation’s Restaurant News

“It’s like having your grandmother in the kitchen with you.” — Columbia, SC State

“ … richly detailed with illustrations and peppered with informational boxes on storing greens, Halloween decorating, apple varieties, and many other topics.” — Spokane, WA Spokesman-Review

“Good, old-fashioned country recipes from America’s past come to life in this collection of heirloom food from yesteryear.” — Country Almanac

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From the Publisher

Storey is the cofounder of Storey Books, which publishes "country cooking" books, gardening guides, and other practical titles, and she's also the mother of three and the grandmother of eight. Many of these 500 recipes are family favorites, while others come from popular Storey authors. Time-honored, as the subtitle says, or dated, depending on your point of view, they include such old standards as Seafood Newburg (with Velveeta) and Frosted Lettuce Wedges; and many of the recipes are available in other standard sources. Perhaps the most useful parts of the book are the introduction and the sections on "Arts of the Country Kitchen" and "Arts of the Country Home," which include illustrated guides to techniques and terms, equipment and ingredients, preserving, cheese making, crafts, gardening, and more. For larger cookery and crafts collections. Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

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