Eggs PortugalJackie made this breakfast dish for us a few times. I asked her for the recipe. As she got a little older Jon took over the kitchen and always made great scrambled eggs and of course, lots of bacon. I don’t know how Portugal got into it…who know. We have great memories of our visit to Via Marina. The girls were almost always with us and they too have wonderful memories of Gramma Jackie. From Carol
Eggs Portugal
8 slices bread
3/4 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 lbs. sausage
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 t. mustard
1 can mushroom soup
1/4 cup vermouth (think I would use something else….more milk, cream, dash of sherry)
1 can sliced mushrooms
Brown sausage and crumble up
Cube bread and put into a 9 x 13 casserole
Mix eggs, milk, mustard and a dash of salt.
Pour mixture over casserole
Let stand over night in the frig
Pour soup, mushrooms and vermouth over all
Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300′
Not too long ago, I put out the word that I wanted the recipes or the favorite foods that everyone remembered growing up. My husband’s brother Jon asked if I had the recipe for his mom’s Apricot
jam and he remembered it having pineapple and walnuts in it.
I didn’t have the original recipe, but this one I am making to give to him to see how close it is to his memory. I remember Jacque did like her jam with a few nuts, a conserve.
Ingredients
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3 cups apricots ; pitted and chopped
20 ounces crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 package pectin
1/2 teaspoon butter
8 cups sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Method:
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Measure apricots into 6-8 qt. saucepot.
Add pineapple and lemon juice.
Stir pectin into fruit mixture.
Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Add butter.
Stir in sugar quickly.
Bring back to a rolling boil and boil exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Add 1/8 cup walnuts to each jar.
Ladle hot jam mixture into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops.
Wipe jar rims and threads.
Cover with two piece lids. Screw bands tightly.
Invert onto a clean towel.
After 5 minutes, turn upright, check for seals.
Makes about 9 cups of jam.
I didn’t eat much coleslaw as a kid, just didn’t. But upon getting married, my mother-in-law Jacque loved coleslaw.Â
Her coleslaw was the creamy style without the red cabbage, but right before serving, she would add peanuts, toss and serve.Â
Jacque's Coleslaw with Peanuts
Good! That was a little over 20 years ago, and now I am a full addict. I will not recover in my lifetime. I do love coleslaw so much I can eat it straight up on a piece of bread for lunch. I know, I know, be gentle…you are talking to an addict. My favorite slaw is without the mayo and more on the vinegar side, but if you are going to have a baked potato the creamy stuff is great. Tacos, Sandwiches all benefit from coleslaw. Hold the lettuce and go for the ‘slaw!
1 large head green cabbage, shredded
1/8 head of red cabbage (optional)
 2 carrots shredded
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1 1/2 cup unsalted raw peanuts (optional – but Jacque loved her coleslaw this way!)
1 tsp salt
1 T Dijon mustard
2/3 cup olive oil
Combine cabbage and carrots in a large glass bowl. Toss.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Whisk together. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.
If you like creamy dressing, use the same amounts of vinegar, sugar and salt. Substitute cream for oil. Eliminate the mustard.
Awesome Slaw!
BBQ Beef and Coleslaw Sandwich
 Â
Variations:Â
Jalapeno Lime Coleslaw
1/2 cup Lime Juice
1 basket of tiny cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instead of Vinegar in above recipe use 1/2Â cup lime juice.Â
In a skillet or oven (350F) roast the peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice along the way, until golden and toasted.
Just before serving fold in the peanuts (add them too early and they lose some of their crunch). Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt if needed.
My mother-in-law’s favorite “Company’s coming dinner” was German Hot Potato Salad and Roast Beef served with a green side salad. Jacque loved bacon probably since it was rationed or hard to come by during World War II. When she died at age 83, she had about 20 pounds of bacon in her freezer. She never wanted to run out! This is her recipe, and as simple as it is, it is always delicious. Chunk potatoes, bacon bits, scallions. Perfect combination.Â
6 Cups boiled potatoes, then either dice or slice potatoes (about 6 medium potatoes)
2 T chopped chives or parsley
2 T finely chopped scallions
4 slices of bacon, fried crispy and crumbled
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup french salad dressing (Kraft is the type she used)
1/4 cup cider or wine vinegar or white balsalmic vinegar
Mix potatoes, chives, scallions, and bacon. Combine mayonnaise, dressing and vinegar: blend. Pour over potato mixture. Reheat in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 225 degree oven.
Serve hot or chilled, although my preference is straight from the oven. Makes 8 servings.
My children always remembered Jacque Nickerson, Grandma and differentiated her from everyone else in their lives because of these cookies. These cookies have immortalized Jacque. They are flat, crispy and nutty. Perfect flavor and wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea.
As Jacque needed a bit of help as she aged, she would still bake cookies and hide them in ziplock bags in her closet so the help would not touch them, they were for her grandchildren. Â
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups of quick rolled oats
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Cream together shortening and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Sift together all dry ingredients. Add to dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Add oats and nuts. Chill 1 hour. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten with glass dipped in sugar. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
Split Pea Soup. You either love it or hate it. My daughter and husband love it, my oldest son hates peas!  I think it is comfort food at its best.  Jacque, husband’s mom made split pea soup. It has become a regular on the menu here at Sandy’s Kitchen.Â
Split Pea with Chunks of Ham and Carrots
Ham Bone
10 cups water or broth
1 bag Split Peas
1 stalk celery
2 onions diced
finely chopped carrots
nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 can of peas and carrots (or you can use fresh or frozen)
Boil in pressure cooker for 40 minutes at pressure.
Remove bones and puree in blender or food mill. Finely chop any ham left on bone and add back to pureed soup. Season to taste. I like to add a can of peas and carrots to my pureed mixture giving the mixture some texture along with the finely chopped ham.
Andersen's famous for their Split Pea Soup, Santa Nella & Buelton California
Daughter Denny and I are hamming it up at Andersen’s; famous for their split pea soup in Santa Nella and Buelton California. We love to stop here and have a cup of their soup.
I think my husband grew up on these. His mom continued to make them for my kids. Always a hit. You can kick them up by adding chocolate chips or
warming the chocolate and drizzling it over the top.Â
 Kellogg’s® prints the recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® on every box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies®. The basic recipe for Rice Krispies Treats® has changed very little over the years. Oh, some of us now prefer to use butter, in place of margarine, and we may tinker a little with the ingredients, but its original flavor and texture are still there. Some prefer to use miniature marshmallows, large ones are fine, or you can even use a 7 ounce jar of marshmallow creme. But it is important to use fresh marshmallows as they melt so nicely, and make sure to butter or spray, with a non stick vegetable spray, the baking pan, the saucepan, the bowl, and all utensils, as this mixture is very sticky. These treats are definitely at their best when freshly made, although they can be stored for a few days at room temperature.
Rice Krispies Treats®: Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan.
Place the Rice Krispies® in a large bowl that has been buttered.
Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a heavy medium sized saucepan. Melt the butter and salt in the saucepan over medium low heat. Add the marshmallows and constantly stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Add the vanilla extract and then pour the mixture over the Rice Krispies® cereal and stir until all the cereal has been coated.
Immediately pour the mixture into your prepared pan and lightly pat until even. Cool at room temperature until the Rice Krispies Treats® have set. Cut into squares. Can store at room temperature for a few days if well wrapped
Makes about 16 squares.
Sources:
Rice Krispies Treats, Rice Krispies and Kellogg’s are trademarks of Kellogg’s NA Co.
finely chopped walnuts (optional – but, Jacque always used them!)
Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat yold and add to mixture along with vanilla. Add flour. Drop by tsp on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in flour. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts if desired. Bake 350 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before moving otherwise you will break them!
Add nuts and dates. Add baking powder and flour, then mix with date mixture. Add sugar, stir in egg yokds. Fold in beaten whites and add vanilla. Bake in slow over abuot 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Cut in squares, and wehn nearly cold, roll in powdered sugar.Â
Jacque Nickerson’s sister Florence is responsible for this recipe.
