Like all the cousins, the scrapblog editor comes home after a hard day of work (which, in her case, consists of bothering strangers until they give her something -- no, she's not a panhandler, she's a NEWSPAPER REPORTER), kicks off her shoes, takes in the junk mail, flips on "Seinfeld," listens to the voice-mail message from her offspring's school saying that he's skipped out of "Independent Living" class again, and wonders what to make for dinner. It occurred to her that a dive into the family trunk might yield some mouth-watering, wholesome, quick 'n' easy recipes for us all to share on those busy, stressful days. She was right!
Research associate Uncle Joe provided the first one, which, unbelievably, has been premiered on ANOTHER website before this one got to it. (For fun sometime, google "Elmer Sprick" -- he's famous, cousins.) We suggest this one for lunch, perhaps with a side of couscous or macaroni and cheese. Vegetarians can leave out the fish, though the results are dubious:
UNCLE ED'S PICKLED SUCKER
Fillet 5-6 quarts of sucker fillets, freeze them at 0 degrees for 48 hours. After 48 hours, thaw the fillets and cut them into bite-size chunks. Put them in a large crock or plastic pail and cover them with a solution of 2 quarts of dark vinegar, 2 1/2 cups of pickling salt, and let stand for six days, stirring them daily. After six days, rinse the chunked fillets in fresh water. Next, make a pickling solution of 2 quarts of white vinegar, 7 cups of sugar, add 1 1/2 ounces of pickling spices, 1/2 teaspoon of crush red peppers, 1 spoon of cooking oil, two finely sliced lemons and heat this mixture to a boil. After the solution cools, add 2 pounds of finely sliced white onions. and pour it over the fish chunks. Refrigerate and let stand for four days. After four days, put the chunks into jars with rust-proof non-leaking lids, add some of the pickling solution containing onions and lemons and keep the sealed containers refrigerated until ready to serve.
(The scrapblog editor adds: If you put a pretty bow on each jar, you have quick 'n' easy Christmas gifts for all of our male relatives!)
But what's for SUPPER? We found it in the "Memoriam" section of the cookbook published by Bethany Lutheran Church in Lake City:
BILL MILLER'S HAM HOCKS 'N' PINTO BEANS
Soak 2 cups of dry pinto beans in water overnight. Drain and add 6-8 cups fresh water. Boil gently for two hours. Add large ham hock, chopped up onion, salt and pepper. Serve with cornbread.
(The scrapblog editor adds: Variations on this recipe could also include Bill Miller cooking specialties such as injecting the ham hock with barbecue sauce using a hypodermic needle or simply setting the whole concoction on fire and calling the fire department, after which one would have to resort to eating ice cream for supper.)
Like all the cousins, the scrapblog editor comes home after a hard day of work (which, in her case, consists of bothering strangers until they give her something -- no, she's not a panhandler, she's a NEWSPAPER REPORTER), kicks off her shoes, takes in the junk mail, flips on "Seinfeld," listens to the voice-mail message from her offspring's school saying that he's skipped out of "Independent Living" class again, and wonders what to make for dinner. It occurred to her that a dive into the family trunk might yield some mouth-watering, wholesome, quick 'n' easy recipes for us all to share on those busy, stressful days. She was right!
Research associate Uncle Joe provided the first one, which, unbelievably, has been premiered on ANOTHER website before this one got to it. (For fun sometime, google "Elmer Sprick" -- he's famous, cousins.) We suggest this one for lunch, perhaps with a side of couscous or macaroni and cheese. Vegetarians can leave out the fish, though the results are dubious:
UNCLE ED'S PICKLED SUCKER
Fillet 5-6 quarts of sucker fillets, freeze them at 0 degrees for 48 hours. After 48 hours, thaw the fillets and cut them into bite-size chunks. Put them in a large crock or plastic pail and cover them with a solution of 2 quarts of dark vinegar, 2 1/2 cups of pickling salt, and let stand for six days, stirring them daily. After six days, rinse the chunked fillets in fresh water. Next, make a pickling solution of 2 quarts of white vinegar, 7 cups of sugar, add 1 1/2 ounces of pickling spices, 1/2 teaspoon of crush red peppers, 1 spoon of cooking oil, two finely sliced lemons and heat this mixture to a boil. After the solution cools, add 2 pounds of finely sliced white onions. and pour it over the fish chunks. Refrigerate and let stand for four days. After four days, put the chunks into jars with rust-proof non-leaking lids, add some of the pickling solution containing onions and lemons and keep the sealed containers refrigerated until ready to serve. (The scrapblog editor adds: If you put a pretty bow on each jar, you have quick 'n' easy Christmas gifts for all of our male relatives!)
But what's for SUPPER? We found it in the "Memoriam" section of the cookbook published by Bethany Lutheran Church in Lake City:
BILL MILLER'S HAM HOCKS 'N' PINTO BEANS
Soak 2 cups of dry pinto beans in water overnight. Drain and add 6-8 cups fresh water. Boil gently for two hours. Add large ham hock, chopped up onion, salt and pepper. Serve with cornbread. (The scrapblog editor adds: Variations on this recipe could also include Bill Miller cooking specialties such as injecting the ham hock with barbecue sauce using a hypodermic needle or simply setting the whole concoction on fire and calling the fire department, after which one would have to resort to eating ice cream for supper.)
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