My mother, Susan Dillard, was a fantastic cook and my family was spoiled by her talent and creativity. As a child, she gave my brother and me a passion for cooking and had the patience to teach us. She passed away after a long battle with breast cancer in 2002. Almost 8 years later, I'm sharing her recipe box full of her most treasured recipes and her friend's best recipes. Enjoy and Bon Appetite!
2/3lb ground smoked ham
1 1/3 lb ground fresh pork
2 eggs (Beaten)
1 cup milk
1 cup fine cracker crumbs
Mix well and shape into a loaf.
Topping:
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup vinegar
1 Tablespoon mustard
Boil 10 minutes and pour over loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
I LOVE Ham loaf!!! Growing up ham loaf was a regular staple in our home and often my Mom would have my Grandma go to her small town butcher to get pre-made ham loafs. To tell you the truth until I came across this recipe card I had no idea how ham loaf was made!! Now that I’ve found this card I can’t stop thinking about ham loaf!!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grind pecan pieces in hand grinder or in food processor until finely ground but not pasty. Place ground nuts in small shallow dish, such as a pie plate, and mix in the cornflake crumbs. Combine all seasonings and the flour in another small shallow dish. Place buttermilk in a third dish. Place margarine in a jellyroll pan or baking sheet with sides. Place in oven until margarine is melted. Remove from oven. Dip chicken pieces first in flour mixture, then in buttermilk, then in pecan mixture, turning so that chicken is well-coated on all sides. Allow excess buttermilk to drain before placing chicken in pecans. Place chicken in baking pan with melted margarine, turning to coat both sides. Bake about 50 minutes, until chicken is brown, crisp and tender, turning once halfway through the baking time. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature or cool, cover and refrigerate then serve cold. Makes 6-8 servings.
1 lb bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained
¼ lb slice mushrooms
½ cup sliced green onions
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups mozzarella
1 ¼ cup bisquick baking mix
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 baking dish. Layer sausage, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and cheese in dish. Beat remaining ingredients and pour over sausage mixture. Bake until golden brown about 30-34 minutes. Makes 12 Servings.
I can tell this one is my handwriting around elementary school.
Bring water to boil. Add rice, salt and butter. Cook over low for 40-45 minutes. Sauté celery, onion, parsley, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add rice. Season with salt, marjoram and thyme. Stuff hens. Lay slice of bacon over birds. Roast uncovered for 1 ½ hours or until tender. Note-Roasting bags can be used.
6 8oz filets
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons shallots
½ cup beef bouillon
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablesppon mustard
2 cups mushrooms
¼ cup cognac
Pound steaks ¼” thick. Dredge with mixed flour, salt and pepper. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter. Brown steaks-1 minute or so on each side. Spread both side with mustard and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce. Set aside. Melt remaining butter in skillet and add mushrooms and shallots. Sauté 2 minutes. Add cognac and flame. Stir in bouillon and remaining Worcestershire. Stir till hot. Return steaks to skillet and reheat 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
This is a recipe from Sue Woods. It includes the following note, “Sue- I always double the amount of sauce & mushrooms mixture. It’s a little dry otherwise. Also-I just spread both sides with Dijon mustard and sprinkle with Worcestershire-I don’t measure it. I don’t always make the filets ¼” thickIt just depends on the filet. Enjoy!”
Combine cottage cheese, eggs, cheese & butter. While frozen, grate spinach and add salt and flour. Stir thoroughly and place in 1 ½ quart casserole. Bake 350 degrees for one hour uncovered. (Spinach can be put out ½ hour before serving.)
This is a recipe from Jane Dillard, my Dad’s Mother.
Brown veal. Add celery and onion, cook until tender crisp. Add tomato sauce, water, sugar, paprika and salt. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Serve over noodles and sprinkle with parsley.
1lb ground beef, salt & pepper-browned
Sauce:
1 cup Catsup
1 ½ Tablespoons vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons worstershire
1 finely chopped onion
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
Mix together ingredients for the sauce and add to the browned meat. Heat sauce but not enough to cook celery and onion.
This a recipe Mom got from my Grandma, Marie Allison.
Melt butter and then sauté mushrooms, onion, green pepper in butter until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken soup, milk and basil. Arrange 4 noodles in greased 13x9x2 pan (glass). Top with layers of ½ sauce, ½ cottage cheese ½ chicken, ½ cheddar cheese and ½ parmesan cheese. Add remaining layers. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Yield 6 servings
1lb Market Day Halibut Steak
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
1tsp salt
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1-3/4 cup water
1 (10 ¾ oz) can of cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz) jar pasteurized process cheese spread
1 (6 oz) jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
Rinse Market Day Halibut Steak and drain. Place in skillet with water, wine and salt. Bright to a boil; simmer, covered, until Halibut flakes easily with fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Flake fish, combine with remaining ingredients in a 2 quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven until bubbly in the center, about 50 to 55 minutes.
Market Day was a fundraiser through our elementary school that had “bulk” items and pre-cooked or family size portions of food to purchase. Market Day was always exciting because we would go after school to pick up the food items and Mom would always get something sweet in her order. My favorite Market Day order was for a frozen chicken stir fry that my brother hated.
2lbs peeled red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 6
cups)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
½ cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
1 small green pepper, diced
½ cup tiny diced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Steam potatoes until very tender, 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile,
in a large bowl, make dressing by whisking together vinegar, olive oil,
mustard, oregano, salt and pepper. While potatoes still are warm, toss them
with dressing and set aside until cool. Stir in olives, cucumber, red and green
peppers, onion, cheese and parsley. Makes 8 cups.
This is a recipe cut out of the Columbus Dispatch on
Wednesday, May 26, 1999. My mother loved to cut recipes out of the newspaper . In 1999 I was 15 years old and my brother was
18 years old and on the verge of graduating from high school. We were busy teenagers but my Mom made sure we
still found time to sit down around the family dinner table for meals (if not
as often) and sharing about our days. My Mom would constantly talk about how
most people hate their teenagers but that Brian and I were some of her favorite
people to be around.
Chop Veggies and add salt, oregano, minced garlic and salad oil. Refrigerate.
This recipe doesn’t include any quantities and I imagine it’s a recipe from my Great Grandmother. My brother and I grew up loving black olives and Mom would have to always have extra black olives on hand because we would inevitably have our grubby hands in the black olive can and could quickly polish off a large can on our own.
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, water, parsley, basil, salt, pepper. Simmer 30 minutes.
Combine filling ingredients.
Cook Manicotti shells until just tender. Pour ½ meat sauce into 12”x7” baking dish. Stuff Manicotti shells with filling. Arrange stuffed shells on top of meat sauce. Cover w/ remaining ½ of sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
1 can of beer
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (Canned)
½ cup catsup Combine above ingredients.
2 Tbs. oil
4.5 lbs brisket
1 large onion, sliced
Brown brisket in oil in dutch oven. Transfer brisket to plate. Brown onions in same pot. Place brisket in onions. Pour beer mixture over brisket. Bring liquids to boil. Cover pot tightly. Bake 350 degrees about 3 hours until tender. Let brisket cool 30 minutes before serving. Slice brisket. Reduce sauce before serving and thicken with a little cornstarch if needed. Place meat in sauce. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)
This recipe I don’t remember specifically but I can see the splatters on the recipe card and well worn edges of the card as signs of a well loved recipe.
Salad:
8 Tbs. slivered almonds
8 Tbs sesame seeds
1 medium head cabbage finely chopped
8 green onions, chopped
2 pkg. Romen noodles, crushed
Dressing:
4 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup salad oil
6 Tbs rice vinegar
Saute almonds and sesame seeds until toasted and set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together. Add dressing to cabbage, onions and romen noodles. Add almonds and sesame seeds. If not enough dressing make more and add.
The recipe provider is unknown, however there is a note to my mother that says:
"Susan, I would make half this for yourself. The dressing soaks into the noodles so don't need to cook them."
1 German Chocolate Cake Mix (with pudding)
1 bag caramels
2 sticks butter
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cup broken pecan pieces
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour 13"x9" cake pan. Mix cake according to directions on box. Divide in half. Mix 1/2 cake mix with 1/2 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and 1 stick melted butter. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 45 min. or until done. Melt caramels with other stick of butter and beat. Add remaining milk and beat. Pour over cake and spread. Sprinkle with nuts. Pour remaining batter over top and spread. Bake 30 minutes or until done.
This recipe says "Mom" in the top corner so I'm assuming it's Grandma's recipe. I don't have any specific memories of this recipe but I've made very similar recipes and loved them.
Update March 17, 2010: I was making this recipe for a baking competition at work and had a major meltdown that the caramel was not melting and becoming a giant wad of taffy. I decided it must be the bag of caramel chips I purchased instead of the bag of individually wrapped square caramels that Mom used to use. After a meltdown that it was ruined, I called Grandma for help on her recipe on my way to the grocery store. Grandma then coached me through the melting of the caramel (add a little condensed milk to get the caramel to combine with the butter). She stayed on the phone with me until the recipe was completed. This won't be the memory about the baking competition for work (although if we win it will be a highlight) but instead it will be the time Grandma and I made Turtle Cake together from 1,600 miles away.
6 cups sliced apples (approx 6)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Place apples in 7x10 greased pan. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and egg with fork until crumbly. Spread over the apples. Drizzle with butter. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake 30-40 min at 350 degrees.
This recipe is from a local orchard around the corner from our house that we would pick apples from each fall. My mother would always load up on apples and come home and bake this recipe. She also made sure that my brother and I burned off some extra energy by picking the apples and helping stir a giant pot of apple butter. The orchard has since been replaced with a housing development but the memories are still fresh.
