Seems like all I'm doing on here lately is good recipes collected through the years from friends & family & especially from places we've visited. Here in Florida (fish country) I dug out some of the recipes we have enjoyed in fresh fish area's especially, and things grown here like the huge beautiful Florida Avacoda's, etc. Today we ate Florida Salmon with Chutney, the influence of the English at Victoria Island across the Bay from Port Angeles, WA.
Make Chutney 1st - Peel 1 large or 2 small Pears finely chopped. Do the same with a large Mango that is slightly soft when pressing with your fingers. Sprinkle the two fruits with 1/8th tsp. ginger, pinch of cayenne pepper, 1/4 cup sugar. Mix together & serve over cooked Salmon.
Now to cook the salmon. Fry 2 nice size, but not real thick. Fresh Salmon Fillet's in a skillet, on the stove. in butter/olive oil (2 Tab. each). Brush the meat side of the fillet's lightly with chili powder. It takes away the fishy smell & taste yet you do not taste it when you eat it. One of the boys we worked with at Olympic Natl. Park shared the way his mother fixes fresh salmon. 1st his mother (after salting) brushes the meat side with brown sugar against the the way the meat lays. (if I was sewing corduoy I'd say against the grain). Coat it well and fry with the skin side UP with lid on skillet about 5 minutes on med. heat till brown on the under side. Turn over and easily peel off the skin with a fork, brushing that side with brown sugar & turn back over to brown on that side. It does not take long to cook fish. Over cooking it will make it dry. Serve this delicious salmon with the chutney on top. It is SOoooo good!! Lunch today for two.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Another Seasonal "Local Ingredients" Recipes
I didn't get this recipe here. It's an old, old recipe I & another lady figured out the ingredients when we ate it at a restaurant in Missouri. Our husband's were Dairy Board Members for their areas and they all met in KC for a monthly meeting. Sometimes they met with other area board members from differnt areas which was this meeting. Well, now that I got that over here it is.
Lake of the Ozarks Shrimp Salad
Line a large dinner plate with lettuce. Through the years I've discovered I like the good old cut lettuce (like the kind I raised in the garden) that is much taller than I ever let mine get but it is a beautiful dark green and delicious. I cut out the hard lighter part in the middle of the leaf.which allows you to open the leaf up and will line the plate nicely. Now take 2 dinner knives and make a (+) plus, laying them across each other. Now you have 4 equal sections. Fill in each with the
Following:
1. orange sections, or Mandarin Orange slices, drained are very good. [11 oz.]
2. Crushed pineapple, drained [small can]
3. English Walnut, pieces [amout desired]
4. Small shrimp or cut up into pieces.[amount desired] You can remove the knives now.
1 [8.75 oz.] can of Fruit Cocktail, juice and all, blend till mush
add: 4 Tab. Miracle Whip
4 tsp. Marashino Cherry Juice
I add 2 tsp. Splenda because when I grew up all canned fruit was in a heavy sweet syrup & now they are in their own juice, which is great but just not as sweet as I am used to. Blend all together with a hand whip. A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR MAKES ANYTHING GO DOWN BETTER.
Serve the dressing poured over the 4 sections. I love it, and cover each of the 4 fruits VERY well.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I just did for my evening meal. This amount serves 2 very well.
Lake of the Ozarks Shrimp Salad
Line a large dinner plate with lettuce. Through the years I've discovered I like the good old cut lettuce (like the kind I raised in the garden) that is much taller than I ever let mine get but it is a beautiful dark green and delicious. I cut out the hard lighter part in the middle of the leaf.which allows you to open the leaf up and will line the plate nicely. Now take 2 dinner knives and make a (+) plus, laying them across each other. Now you have 4 equal sections. Fill in each with the
Following:
1. orange sections, or Mandarin Orange slices, drained are very good. [11 oz.]
2. Crushed pineapple, drained [small can]
3. English Walnut, pieces [amout desired]
4. Small shrimp or cut up into pieces.[amount desired] You can remove the knives now.
1 [8.75 oz.] can of Fruit Cocktail, juice and all, blend till mush
add: 4 Tab. Miracle Whip
4 tsp. Marashino Cherry Juice
I add 2 tsp. Splenda because when I grew up all canned fruit was in a heavy sweet syrup & now they are in their own juice, which is great but just not as sweet as I am used to. Blend all together with a hand whip. A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR MAKES ANYTHING GO DOWN BETTER.
Serve the dressing poured over the 4 sections. I love it, and cover each of the 4 fruits VERY well.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I just did for my evening meal. This amount serves 2 very well.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
DECEMBER - BACK IN FLORIDA
It's almost hot today 80 degrees high. Wonderful breeze so we don't need to use the air-conditioner. DisneyWorld at MGM (now Hollywood) Studios Park Sunset Blvd. (one of the 4 parks in DisneyWORLD). We worked there 3 days a week Jan., Feb., & Mar. 1998 & 1999 after retirement. After 14 years we came down for the winter last year to see it again & how much it had changed. It was so nice to be in this beautiful weather all winter while Kansas is freezing, snowing, raining, etc. we came back again this winter. This time we are not visiting Disney except for FREE Downtown Disney. It has a wonderful restaurant, Fulton's Crab House and we have reservations to eat there at noon on Christmas Day. I've ate Ham or Turkey for Christmas in Kansas my whole life. We are spending our time (after I spent hours & hours on Google & picking up brochures, maps, etc. at the Visitor's Center as we crossed the border coming down. We have already seen some great places here in Central Florida we hadn't seen before. We didn't plan to get out on the highway this week before Christmas but I found a couple things close by that we had to see before Christmas and one was only on that day. We go to church on Sunday at Haines City (15 min. south of our campground) and after church last Sunday at 2pm was "Music in the park" & the 1st Calvary church had a "Walk through Bethlem" at 6:30pm.
We found a wonderful place here in the past, on the way back home from church on Sunday to our campground (Mouse Mt.). The wonderful place called Manny's owner is an old timer like us but always at the door to greet everyone lined up on both sides of the entrance door to the end of his bldg. I've tryed to get him to open one up in Topeka, KS but haven't got the job done yet. Not only is the steak exactly how you want it. Medium is really pink but no blood running & TENDER. But what keeps us all flocking back Sunday after Sunday is his wonderful dinner rolls & butter which (I think) has cinnamon & brown sugar in it. REAL BUTTER!!! Our church gets out at 11am & he doesn't open till 12pm but usually (with those long lines waiting) he opens about 10 min. till. 12pm all of us that have been sitting in the car in the parking lot start for the line about 15 min. . I walked up last Sunday and (of course) started talking to the couple next to me. When we were let in, the couple of us were seated almost across the aisle from us. Half way through our meal he came over and invited us to follow them when we finished eating and come to their house just down the road about 4 miles out of the city. There we were in 10 acres of beautiful fruit trees filled to overflowing with fruit. They looked like oranges but are really Murcott - Honey Tangerines. They peel like a tangerine but look and tast like an orange. Delicious orange!!!! His wife went and got the golf cart and we drove out into the beautiful fruit grove of trees. He pulled out 3 - bushel mesh fruit bags and started picking. I got to pick some, too. When he told us he was giving them to us and started filling the second bushel bag we pleaded with him to stop because we can't eat that many before they might go bad. He said,"Then past them out to your neighbors & friends at the park." Then he grabbed the 3rd bag and we drove back to their driveway where he has planted a few pink grapefruit trees & yes, we got a bushel of grapefruit, too. He would absolutely not hear to it that we pay for them. They are a gift. So we tryed to send some to our family back home but Florida will not let us mail them out. Post Office said, NO NO. So we started doing what he told us and pass them out to neighbors & friends we've made in the park since we got here Dec. 1. There just isn't anything like a fresh tree picked fruit.. Not gased at the Orange Plant so they are a beautiful orange color for the public. When I gave them out to people from Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Up-State New York, etc. I tell them next year at this time start bugging their grocery store to get some wonderful Murcott Honey-Tangerines. I am trying to help out Jerry's price for his fruit Marketing Marketing --Supply & Demand. As farmers in Kansas we know how we have no control over what we will get paid for our products. Two men that grew up as kids on farms, one in Florida in Orange Groves & one in Kansas -corn, wheat, alfalfa, dairy, beef, pigs, chickens, etc. had such a wonderful time comparing experiences. We learned so much from each other. Why doesn't everyone talk to strangers? I have learned & seen so much in my life because I talk to strangers. Next page I'm going to tell you some of the places we have gone to and plan to go to while we are here. Tourist stuff.
We found a wonderful place here in the past, on the way back home from church on Sunday to our campground (Mouse Mt.). The wonderful place called Manny's owner is an old timer like us but always at the door to greet everyone lined up on both sides of the entrance door to the end of his bldg. I've tryed to get him to open one up in Topeka, KS but haven't got the job done yet. Not only is the steak exactly how you want it. Medium is really pink but no blood running & TENDER. But what keeps us all flocking back Sunday after Sunday is his wonderful dinner rolls & butter which (I think) has cinnamon & brown sugar in it. REAL BUTTER!!! Our church gets out at 11am & he doesn't open till 12pm but usually (with those long lines waiting) he opens about 10 min. till. 12pm all of us that have been sitting in the car in the parking lot start for the line about 15 min. . I walked up last Sunday and (of course) started talking to the couple next to me. When we were let in, the couple of us were seated almost across the aisle from us. Half way through our meal he came over and invited us to follow them when we finished eating and come to their house just down the road about 4 miles out of the city. There we were in 10 acres of beautiful fruit trees filled to overflowing with fruit. They looked like oranges but are really Murcott - Honey Tangerines. They peel like a tangerine but look and tast like an orange. Delicious orange!!!! His wife went and got the golf cart and we drove out into the beautiful fruit grove of trees. He pulled out 3 - bushel mesh fruit bags and started picking. I got to pick some, too. When he told us he was giving them to us and started filling the second bushel bag we pleaded with him to stop because we can't eat that many before they might go bad. He said,"Then past them out to your neighbors & friends at the park." Then he grabbed the 3rd bag and we drove back to their driveway where he has planted a few pink grapefruit trees & yes, we got a bushel of grapefruit, too. He would absolutely not hear to it that we pay for them. They are a gift. So we tryed to send some to our family back home but Florida will not let us mail them out. Post Office said, NO NO. So we started doing what he told us and pass them out to neighbors & friends we've made in the park since we got here Dec. 1. There just isn't anything like a fresh tree picked fruit.. Not gased at the Orange Plant so they are a beautiful orange color for the public. When I gave them out to people from Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Up-State New York, etc. I tell them next year at this time start bugging their grocery store to get some wonderful Murcott Honey-Tangerines. I am trying to help out Jerry's price for his fruit Marketing Marketing --Supply & Demand. As farmers in Kansas we know how we have no control over what we will get paid for our products. Two men that grew up as kids on farms, one in Florida in Orange Groves & one in Kansas -corn, wheat, alfalfa, dairy, beef, pigs, chickens, etc. had such a wonderful time comparing experiences. We learned so much from each other. Why doesn't everyone talk to strangers? I have learned & seen so much in my life because I talk to strangers. Next page I'm going to tell you some of the places we have gone to and plan to go to while we are here. Tourist stuff.
Monday, November 21, 2011
PEPPERNUTS - German cookie but our spelling
CHRISTMAS TRADITION: I was given this recipe in 1965 and it has been made every year since. My 4 children grew up with it every December. You make it after Thanksgiving and whenever you use the oven in December you get out the cookie sheet (saving on electricity or gas) & your dough from the refrigerator, bake a few to keep the bowl full till Christmas. Place the bowl where everyone can grab a handful as they go by and eat them like a handful of nuts. The original recipe was double (14 cups flour) the amount I am giving you. I found by making 1/2 the recipe I could make it in my Electric Mixer large bowl, using the dough hooks, it sure beat doing it by hand!! Of course I still had to make it twice (the full recipe) to keep that bowl full till Christmas.
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 cup butter (I mean BUTTER not that other stuff)
1 cup honey
1 cup Dark Syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. Oil of Anise, flavoring
pinch of salt
7 cups of all purpose flour, 1 cup at a time
Cream your butter and sugar together in the mixing bowl with beaters. Then put in the dough hooks and add all the rest of the ingredients mixing well. If you do not have dough hooks for your mixer you have to stir it all together by hand. It gets really tough the last couple cups of flour. It's a very stiff dough. But it must be to make the crispy, hard, delicious, tiny cookies.
Put the dough into a large bowl with lid in the refrigerator (where you will keep it) overnight before using. Very lightly dust your hands with flour and rub across the counter where you will roll the cookie dough. Too much flour will not let it roll gently under your fingers. Take out 1 heaping Tablespoon of dough and rubbing hands together start the dough into a rope but to get it the size of a lead pencil put down on counter and using your fingers rolling along making the rope get longer and smaller. With a sharp knife cut the rope into little pieces approx. 1/2 inch long. Lay on a heavy greased baking pan about 1/2 inch apart. It may take a few times doing it to get the cookies the right size that they are not soft inside. You want them hard all the way through so they are crunchy like a nut. Don't be surprised if you have 100 on your cookie sheet. I use my old heavy thick aluminum grill pan that came with the oven years ago so mine will bake and be the same color top and bottom. Bake (depending on oven) 325 to 350 degrees 13 to 14 minutes on the rack at center of oven. Do not wait till they look brown in oven or they are too brown. Take out when the color has turned a little browner but not brown. Experiment - you will get on to it after doing several pans full. If baking several pans at once I usually set my pan out in the cold a few minutes to cool between batches. You can be rolling & cutting while it cools. In December it should be cold enough to cool it down pretty fast. Good luck. It may sound like alot of trouble but it really gets to be fun and I look forward to it once a year. Keeping the dough in the refrigerator and just baking a sheet or so once in awhile. SLIDE SHOW IS NOT MINE
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 cup butter (I mean BUTTER not that other stuff)
1 cup honey
1 cup Dark Syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. soda
1/8 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. Oil of Anise, flavoring
pinch of salt
7 cups of all purpose flour, 1 cup at a time
Cream your butter and sugar together in the mixing bowl with beaters. Then put in the dough hooks and add all the rest of the ingredients mixing well. If you do not have dough hooks for your mixer you have to stir it all together by hand. It gets really tough the last couple cups of flour. It's a very stiff dough. But it must be to make the crispy, hard, delicious, tiny cookies.
Put the dough into a large bowl with lid in the refrigerator (where you will keep it) overnight before using. Very lightly dust your hands with flour and rub across the counter where you will roll the cookie dough. Too much flour will not let it roll gently under your fingers. Take out 1 heaping Tablespoon of dough and rubbing hands together start the dough into a rope but to get it the size of a lead pencil put down on counter and using your fingers rolling along making the rope get longer and smaller. With a sharp knife cut the rope into little pieces approx. 1/2 inch long. Lay on a heavy greased baking pan about 1/2 inch apart. It may take a few times doing it to get the cookies the right size that they are not soft inside. You want them hard all the way through so they are crunchy like a nut. Don't be surprised if you have 100 on your cookie sheet. I use my old heavy thick aluminum grill pan that came with the oven years ago so mine will bake and be the same color top and bottom. Bake (depending on oven) 325 to 350 degrees 13 to 14 minutes on the rack at center of oven. Do not wait till they look brown in oven or they are too brown. Take out when the color has turned a little browner but not brown. Experiment - you will get on to it after doing several pans full. If baking several pans at once I usually set my pan out in the cold a few minutes to cool between batches. You can be rolling & cutting while it cools. In December it should be cold enough to cool it down pretty fast. Good luck. It may sound like alot of trouble but it really gets to be fun and I look forward to it once a year. Keeping the dough in the refrigerator and just baking a sheet or so once in awhile. SLIDE SHOW IS NOT MINE
Friday, November 18, 2011
HAM & APPLE PIE
I mentioned in the last entry about my ole' southern cookbooks I have. I counted and in the 3 books are 207 recipes and so far I have only tryed 13. First of all being born in the free state of Kansas and my great grandfather coming here from Kentucky in the Civil War, era. I feel like some of my language is a little southern and friends say as I read these cook books it's getting more so. I don't want to offend anyone if I said, "I've always thought the southerner's took life easy, maybe a little slower than Northerner's." I've found several recipes that taste ALOT better 4 hrs., a night, or day & night later. You kinda have to read between the lines on some of the recipes. I found one that I don't think my granddaughters could cook when it says put in Ice Box they would think they have to get a box and put ice in it. The first "refrigerators" were called "Ice Boxes." Just think if you had lived your life and never had anything to keep things cold except straw and a hole in the ground, a well, or dug a "cave" and someone invented a box [appliance] that would MAKE ICE! Laudy what a thing!!
Well, I made this the other day for lunch and the daughter-in-love dropped in so I sent some home with her. I didn't like it too well at lunch, my husband thought it was OK [that's about all you ever get out of him], BUT 4 hours later my sweet daughter-in-law called and wanted the recipe because she thinks it was DELICIOUS. I thought she was teasing but finally convinced me she REALLY did like it so here's the recipe.
HAM AND APPLE PIE Each time you see ( ) it is the 1/4 amount I made.
2 lbs cooked ham, cubed small, I used (8 oz.) sliced & I chopped; it was on sale.
4 or 5 tart apples, pared & sliced I used (2) small Gala
1/4 cup brown sugar I used (1 Tab.)
1/2 tsp. salt I used (1/8th tsp.)
1/2 tsp. pepper I used (1/8th tsp.)
1 tsp. cinnamon I used (1/4th tsp.)
2 Tab. butter I used (1/2 Tab.)
2 Tab. lemon juice I used (1/2 Tab.)
1/4 cup apple cider I didn't have any,what is 1 Tab. gonna do anyway?)
[later]
1 egg, slightly beaten I use large eggs so beat one up and it measured 1/4th cup I used (1 Tab.)
1/2 cup milk cup I used (2 Tab.) since there's 8 Tab. in 1/2 cup
2 Tablespoons shortening melted I used (1/2 Tab) I lived on a farm with milking cows all my life so my recipes say BUTTER. They'll find out how good it is for you one of these days!!!
Arrange 1/3 of the ham in a deep greased baking dish; (I used a 5'X9" bread pan for my 1/4th) cover with 1/3 of the apple slices and sprinkle with 1/2 the brown sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Dot with 1 Tab. (?) butter. Repeat the process with another layer of ham, apple, brown sugar seasonings and butter, then continue until ham and apple slices are all used, leaving a layer of apple on top. Pour over all 2 Tablespoons (?) of lemon juice & ?apple cider. Cook covered, in a moderate oven 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Uncover and pour batter {below} over the top.
Batter: the last 4 items in the list of ingredients- egg, milk, butter & flour.
Bake uncovered in a modern oven 325 degrees about 25 minutes until crust is nicely browned.
Well, I made this the other day for lunch and the daughter-in-love dropped in so I sent some home with her. I didn't like it too well at lunch, my husband thought it was OK [that's about all you ever get out of him], BUT 4 hours later my sweet daughter-in-law called and wanted the recipe because she thinks it was DELICIOUS. I thought she was teasing but finally convinced me she REALLY did like it so here's the recipe.
HAM AND APPLE PIE Each time you see ( ) it is the 1/4 amount I made.
2 lbs cooked ham, cubed small, I used (8 oz.) sliced & I chopped; it was on sale.
4 or 5 tart apples, pared & sliced I used (2) small Gala
1/4 cup brown sugar I used (1 Tab.)
1/2 tsp. salt I used (1/8th tsp.)
1/2 tsp. pepper I used (1/8th tsp.)
1 tsp. cinnamon I used (1/4th tsp.)
2 Tab. butter I used (1/2 Tab.)
2 Tab. lemon juice I used (1/2 Tab.)
1/4 cup apple cider I didn't have any,what is 1 Tab. gonna do anyway?)
[later]
1 egg, slightly beaten I use large eggs so beat one up and it measured 1/4th cup I used (1 Tab.)
1/2 cup milk cup I used (2 Tab.) since there's 8 Tab. in 1/2 cup
2 Tablespoons shortening melted I used (1/2 Tab) I lived on a farm with milking cows all my life so my recipes say BUTTER. They'll find out how good it is for you one of these days!!!
Arrange 1/3 of the ham in a deep greased baking dish; (I used a 5'X9" bread pan for my 1/4th) cover with 1/3 of the apple slices and sprinkle with 1/2 the brown sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Dot with 1 Tab. (?) butter. Repeat the process with another layer of ham, apple, brown sugar seasonings and butter, then continue until ham and apple slices are all used, leaving a layer of apple on top. Pour over all 2 Tablespoons (?) of lemon juice & ?apple cider. Cook covered, in a moderate oven 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Uncover and pour batter {below} over the top.
Batter: the last 4 items in the list of ingredients- egg, milk, butter & flour.
Bake uncovered in a modern oven 325 degrees about 25 minutes until crust is nicely browned.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Another recipe especially for anyone that ever had little ones that helped you cook and I think even the ones that didn't would enjoy this OLD Southern recipe. Have a good day and remember to speak to strangers, they may speak back and when you look into each other's eyes, one of you might recognize a long lost classmate or someone you worked with years ago.
Or they may say more and you end up making "conversation" remember what we used to do before COMPUTER'S - Facebook, Ipods, etc??? Anyway SMILE at everyone you meet!!!!
HOW TO MAKE A LOAF OF BREAD
Chop wood, carry into house n' build fire in stove. Get out bowl, spoons n' necessary ingredients. . . grease pan n' empty yeast in warm water. . . take doll n' toys off table n' give little Lydia a spoon n' let her help. Measure out 2 1/4 cups of flour, take Lydia's hands out of flour sack n' clean. . .dust flour off her clothes. Measure flour again to make up for what was knocked off on floor! Put flour, sugar n' salt in sifter. . .take greased pan away from Lydia n' put out of reach on chair. . .pick up broken bowl 'n get another. . .run chickens out of garden. Return to kitchen, clean flour off Lydia again. . .pore 8 cups of sugar from bowl back in sack. Put eggs on table n' get greased pan away from dog. . .put outside. . . (dog that is) wash 'n regrease pan. Pick eggshells out of flour n' scoop eggs off table into a bowl. . .wash Lydia 'n change her dress. Return cheerfully to job n' remeasure ingredients. . .pick cat off table 'n put outside. . .pore 1 cup of milk out 'n replace with another. Remove greased pan from under Lydia in chair n' wash table, scrub floor 'n wipe wall. Open Package of bought bread for supper!! If you would like more wonderful "real" recipes get TATERS 'N MATERS 'N BLACK-EYED PEAS A country Cookbook by nick'n wilann powers mary powers and illutrated by nick powers. untechnical advisors. . . .the hoggs 'n halls. It's got lots of recipes but I especially like Quick Applesauce dessert, Coconut cake (yes, there really are real coconuts (hard as a brick) out there that fall of their trees and you can take a sharp ax and break apart carefully so you don't spill any of the milk inside (you need it). However, if you can't find one I found out a bag of boughten coconut and a can of real Coconut cream (in the area in the grocery store that carries things to put in liquor drinks like Grenadine, etc.) will work, Carrott cake, Pineapple Sherbert and scads of other recipes, you will be cooking like an 'olden days' Southerner soon and if 'n your great grandpa came to Kansas(Free State) from Kentucky in the Civil War days you might start talking like a true ol' Southerner. Buy the book & Have a great day!!!! Sometime when you have LOTS of time go over to the right side of the 1st entry you see here, and you will see a BUNCH of dates. Go down to Jan. 09 & to at the bottom of it and start with the 1st page on Yellowstone Natl. Park and read up page by page about the summer we spent working part time in Yellowstone after retiring in 1997 and keep reading UP that's how Blogs work ( last is 1st) and you might still be alive by the time you read all the other National Parks we worked, hints for travelers & retiree's & good old family recipes (mine).
Or they may say more and you end up making "conversation" remember what we used to do before COMPUTER'S - Facebook, Ipods, etc??? Anyway SMILE at everyone you meet!!!!
HOW TO MAKE A LOAF OF BREAD
Chop wood, carry into house n' build fire in stove. Get out bowl, spoons n' necessary ingredients. . . grease pan n' empty yeast in warm water. . . take doll n' toys off table n' give little Lydia a spoon n' let her help. Measure out 2 1/4 cups of flour, take Lydia's hands out of flour sack n' clean. . .dust flour off her clothes. Measure flour again to make up for what was knocked off on floor! Put flour, sugar n' salt in sifter. . .take greased pan away from Lydia n' put out of reach on chair. . .pick up broken bowl 'n get another. . .run chickens out of garden. Return to kitchen, clean flour off Lydia again. . .pore 8 cups of sugar from bowl back in sack. Put eggs on table n' get greased pan away from dog. . .put outside. . . (dog that is) wash 'n regrease pan. Pick eggshells out of flour n' scoop eggs off table into a bowl. . .wash Lydia 'n change her dress. Return cheerfully to job n' remeasure ingredients. . .pick cat off table 'n put outside. . .pore 1 cup of milk out 'n replace with another. Remove greased pan from under Lydia in chair n' wash table, scrub floor 'n wipe wall. Open Package of bought bread for supper!! If you would like more wonderful "real" recipes get TATERS 'N MATERS 'N BLACK-EYED PEAS A country Cookbook by nick'n wilann powers mary powers and illutrated by nick powers. untechnical advisors. . . .the hoggs 'n halls. It's got lots of recipes but I especially like Quick Applesauce dessert, Coconut cake (yes, there really are real coconuts (hard as a brick) out there that fall of their trees and you can take a sharp ax and break apart carefully so you don't spill any of the milk inside (you need it). However, if you can't find one I found out a bag of boughten coconut and a can of real Coconut cream (in the area in the grocery store that carries things to put in liquor drinks like Grenadine, etc.) will work, Carrott cake, Pineapple Sherbert and scads of other recipes, you will be cooking like an 'olden days' Southerner soon and if 'n your great grandpa came to Kansas(Free State) from Kentucky in the Civil War days you might start talking like a true ol' Southerner. Buy the book & Have a great day!!!! Sometime when you have LOTS of time go over to the right side of the 1st entry you see here, and you will see a BUNCH of dates. Go down to Jan. 09 & to at the bottom of it and start with the 1st page on Yellowstone Natl. Park and read up page by page about the summer we spent working part time in Yellowstone after retiring in 1997 and keep reading UP that's how Blogs work ( last is 1st) and you might still be alive by the time you read all the other National Parks we worked, hints for travelers & retiree's & good old family recipes (mine).
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My Version of "Monte Cristo" sandwich from Benningan's (closed) Restaurant by White Lakes Shopping Center (south Topeka Blvd)
After making the batter for the sweet banana peppers I thought of dear old Benningan's rest. and their Monte Cristo sandwiches that I ALWAYS ate there. I'm sure they had other good food but the 1st time I ate there it was their specialty and I tryed it and never ate anything else whenever we ate there. Well, I found some very cheap little (2.5) oz. bags of Kroger thin sliced meats Ham, turkey, chicken, pastrami, etc. Those were the ones I chose to see if I could try to make something like their sandwich.
Two slices of bread - I used Dillon's Cracked Wheat Bread large 20 oz loaf because they had a whole grocery cart full of them by the front door last week when I stopped in and they were "best used by 9/8" and 39 cents each. Wow! That was what we paid for good old white bread 60 years ago. anyway
Here it is:
Using up the rest of the batter from the pepper or make new.
Get that peanut oil out that you strained through cheesecloth after frying your peppers and threw away all the crumbs etc. in it & poured you nice peanut oil in something & put in refrigerator. Take it out and put in that pan you used and heat it up again. Two inches deep is still enough. Medium or Med. High heat is best.
(Or Deep Fryer if you have one) When you can drop a drop of water in the oil and it sizzles you know it is hot enough. Dip your sandwich that you have already put 2 thin slices of Ham or Smoked Turkery, 1 thin slice of cheese, 2 slices of chicken, 1 thin slice cheese, 2 slices of pastrami and put the other slice of bread on top. Now hold the sandwich together tightly and dip each side and all the edges an gently lay in your hot peanut oil and fry till lightly browned turn over and fry on other side. Serve with LOTS of good old Red Raspberry Preserves spread on top or dip in as you eat. AWESOME!!!! If you want to make it for breakfast make the batter the night before, I like the batter better after it's been in the refrigerator a day or night. Sprinke lightly with powdered sugar. And ENJOY!!!!!
Two slices of bread - I used Dillon's Cracked Wheat Bread large 20 oz loaf because they had a whole grocery cart full of them by the front door last week when I stopped in and they were "best used by 9/8" and 39 cents each. Wow! That was what we paid for good old white bread 60 years ago. anyway
Here it is:
Using up the rest of the batter from the pepper or make new.
Get that peanut oil out that you strained through cheesecloth after frying your peppers and threw away all the crumbs etc. in it & poured you nice peanut oil in something & put in refrigerator. Take it out and put in that pan you used and heat it up again. Two inches deep is still enough. Medium or Med. High heat is best.
(Or Deep Fryer if you have one) When you can drop a drop of water in the oil and it sizzles you know it is hot enough. Dip your sandwich that you have already put 2 thin slices of Ham or Smoked Turkery, 1 thin slice of cheese, 2 slices of chicken, 1 thin slice cheese, 2 slices of pastrami and put the other slice of bread on top. Now hold the sandwich together tightly and dip each side and all the edges an gently lay in your hot peanut oil and fry till lightly browned turn over and fry on other side. Serve with LOTS of good old Red Raspberry Preserves spread on top or dip in as you eat. AWESOME!!!! If you want to make it for breakfast make the batter the night before, I like the batter better after it's been in the refrigerator a day or night. Sprinke lightly with powdered sugar. And ENJOY!!!!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Ending of the Summer Garden & RECIPES
Son-in-law has taken up gardening as a hobby not an occupation raising 4 kids in the 50's & 60's and all the planting, hoeing, picking, {peas, beans, etc. -popping}-cleaning, canning or freezing them. Fun!! Fun!! Anyway, he is loaded with Tomatoes & Sweet Banana Peppers, etc. He makes his own HOT Salsa and I'll compare his effort to do that, to mine any day!!! Anyway after I helped peel them (after scalding) he gave me some. I went out on the Internet to find recipes and found 100's and the 4 I found I thought I'd like best and are good so I'll share the recipes, with a little Jeanette's touch. Now don't go begging him for vegetables because he'll put you to work. If you didn't raise them yourself go to the Farmer's Market. Here in Topeka the BIG one is on Saturday 7:30am to 11:00am in the parking lot behind the Judicial Bldg. on 10th st. between Kansas Ave. and Topeka Blvd. Parking in the State Office Building parking lot south on 10th and the Blvd. Park and walk east across the street and there it all is. Have fun!!
THE BEST CHUNKY HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE
3 1/2 cups {28 ounces} or 9 tomatoes 2" the size of golf balls
5 Tab. melted BUTTER (not substitute)
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste
Put the tomatoes, (dropped in boiling water removed from heat, till a crack shows on a tomato skin) remove carefully and put them in cold water and slide the skins off) cut into chunks, add onion, and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fits fine in a 3 quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow steady simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir, occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, take out onion and keep, add salt to taste and set aside while you prepare your Marinara sauce. Can store the unused in refrigerator or freeze for later use.
CHUNKY MARINARA SAUCE
1 Tab. olive oil
1 onion (chopped) {I used the one I took out of the sauce}
1 clove (or 1/8 tsp. powder) Garlic
14 1/2 oz (1 3/4 cups) diced tomatoes (peeled)
8 oz. (1 cup) your new Tomato Sauce
1 tsp. white sugar or (1/4 cup white wine) I used both.
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Heat olive oil in the saucepan over med. heat. Add onion & garlic. cook 2 to 4 minutes until crisp and tender. Stirring frequently (don't we always?)
Mix in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Use on pasta. I fried 1/2 lb. hamburger yesterday, added it to the Marinara Sauce and poured over my cooked spagetti and it was good. I like a little grated Parmesan cheese on it when I eat it. Good eating!!! If you like mild food like I do. (No Jalepeno for me)
I'll be back. Gotta go fix breakfast. Beef Steak Cornbread and gravy. Of course, I found my Cornbread for $1.49 -16oz. on the day old area of Dillon's in the back of the store. The beef steak was a thin slice of top round steak I found in the raw meat dept. Dad hung a beef on a hook that they butchered in the back yard when it got cold enough. Remember we didn't have a freezer at each house in those days. Mom would go out in the back porch where the beef hung and slice off a big thin slice and bring it in and fry it in the old iron skillet. Then make gravy in the drippings. We put the gravy on the cornbread and Dad and I would put a drop of Catsup on each bite we were going to eat. Now you would cut a piece of steak & eat with your bite of cornbread gravy. Yum!!! Dad ate catsup on about everything. Especially green beans which he didn't like and when you had a row in the garden you would have beans all summer. Not like peas, radishes. carrotts . They would only produce once.
When I grew up my mom fixed about 25 different breakfasts always different (never the same old thing everyday). I remember waking up to her frying something and in my mind trying to guess what she was fixing today. Sometimes I thought it was one of my favorites and I got out to the kitchen and it wasn't. But whatever it was it was always good. My mom was an excellent cook. Dad said, he had salesmen & local farmers that would always come to our house right before lunch time (in those days there was no lunch it was dinner & supper) because they knew Dad always invited anyone arriving at meal time to eat. Mom could always open another canned jar of something to stretch the meal. When I would give a recipe to someone in my married life I suppose they think it's a Brose recipe. I don't remember many recipes I got from my mother-in-law so I think most of what I cook were things I grew up eating which would be my mother's (Oswald) and if it was her mother's it would be Salfrank. I hadn't thought much about it but I bet most cooks, cook like their mother. What they grew up eating. With a history of Great Grandpa Oswald coming from Germany to America as a teenager leaving his mom & dad and 11 siblings & know he will probably never see them again. Getting on a boat for America not knowing what was going to happen. Courage!!! I'm German/English and we eat blan {no HOT spicy food for me}.
DEEP FRIED SWEET BANANA PEPPERS RECIPE
1 cup self-rising flour (checking with the computer for a substitue) I used 1 cup All-Purpose.
1 egg, well beaten 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk 1/2 tsp. salt
Sweet Banana Peppers, washed, dried, seeded with pulp removed, sliced in half lengthwise.
2 inches of cooking oil in pan on stove or deep fryer. I use Peanut Oil. Nothing better to fry in, my southern friend taught me in 1958 when the men were all in the Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base - Sumter, South Carolina.
In a large bowl combine flour, egg, milk& vegetable oil. Stir completely or mix with mixer. Have your banana peppers dry and prepared for cooking. Heat the oil for frying somewhere between 345 and 375 (medium on stove in pan). With tongs, dip pepper halves in batter allowing excess batter to drip in the bowl, then transfer to hot oil. You can fry several pieces at the same time, fry till golden brown on bothsides. Remove and place on paper toweling to drain.
The recipe says," you may dip in cocktail sauce". I just like the wonderful crisp fried pepper chips with salt on them like onion rings & french fries. These are really good. I have served to 7 people so far and they loved them. Happy Cooking.
THE BEST CHUNKY HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE
3 1/2 cups {28 ounces} or 9 tomatoes 2" the size of golf balls
5 Tab. melted BUTTER (not substitute)
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste
Put the tomatoes, (dropped in boiling water removed from heat, till a crack shows on a tomato skin) remove carefully and put them in cold water and slide the skins off) cut into chunks, add onion, and butter in a heavy saucepan (it fits fine in a 3 quart) over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow steady simmer for about 45 minutes. Stir, occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, take out onion and keep, add salt to taste and set aside while you prepare your Marinara sauce. Can store the unused in refrigerator or freeze for later use.
CHUNKY MARINARA SAUCE
1 Tab. olive oil
1 onion (chopped) {I used the one I took out of the sauce}
1 clove (or 1/8 tsp. powder) Garlic
14 1/2 oz (1 3/4 cups) diced tomatoes (peeled)
8 oz. (1 cup) your new Tomato Sauce
1 tsp. white sugar or (1/4 cup white wine) I used both.
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Heat olive oil in the saucepan over med. heat. Add onion & garlic. cook 2 to 4 minutes until crisp and tender. Stirring frequently (don't we always?)
Mix in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Use on pasta. I fried 1/2 lb. hamburger yesterday, added it to the Marinara Sauce and poured over my cooked spagetti and it was good. I like a little grated Parmesan cheese on it when I eat it. Good eating!!! If you like mild food like I do. (No Jalepeno for me)
I'll be back. Gotta go fix breakfast. Beef Steak Cornbread and gravy. Of course, I found my Cornbread for $1.49 -16oz. on the day old area of Dillon's in the back of the store. The beef steak was a thin slice of top round steak I found in the raw meat dept. Dad hung a beef on a hook that they butchered in the back yard when it got cold enough. Remember we didn't have a freezer at each house in those days. Mom would go out in the back porch where the beef hung and slice off a big thin slice and bring it in and fry it in the old iron skillet. Then make gravy in the drippings. We put the gravy on the cornbread and Dad and I would put a drop of Catsup on each bite we were going to eat. Now you would cut a piece of steak & eat with your bite of cornbread gravy. Yum!!! Dad ate catsup on about everything. Especially green beans which he didn't like and when you had a row in the garden you would have beans all summer. Not like peas, radishes. carrotts . They would only produce once.
When I grew up my mom fixed about 25 different breakfasts always different (never the same old thing everyday). I remember waking up to her frying something and in my mind trying to guess what she was fixing today. Sometimes I thought it was one of my favorites and I got out to the kitchen and it wasn't. But whatever it was it was always good. My mom was an excellent cook. Dad said, he had salesmen & local farmers that would always come to our house right before lunch time (in those days there was no lunch it was dinner & supper) because they knew Dad always invited anyone arriving at meal time to eat. Mom could always open another canned jar of something to stretch the meal. When I would give a recipe to someone in my married life I suppose they think it's a Brose recipe. I don't remember many recipes I got from my mother-in-law so I think most of what I cook were things I grew up eating which would be my mother's (Oswald) and if it was her mother's it would be Salfrank. I hadn't thought much about it but I bet most cooks, cook like their mother. What they grew up eating. With a history of Great Grandpa Oswald coming from Germany to America as a teenager leaving his mom & dad and 11 siblings & know he will probably never see them again. Getting on a boat for America not knowing what was going to happen. Courage!!! I'm German/English and we eat blan {no HOT spicy food for me}.
DEEP FRIED SWEET BANANA PEPPERS RECIPE
1 cup self-rising flour (checking with the computer for a substitue) I used 1 cup All-Purpose.
1 egg, well beaten 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk 1/2 tsp. salt
Sweet Banana Peppers, washed, dried, seeded with pulp removed, sliced in half lengthwise.
2 inches of cooking oil in pan on stove or deep fryer. I use Peanut Oil. Nothing better to fry in, my southern friend taught me in 1958 when the men were all in the Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base - Sumter, South Carolina.
In a large bowl combine flour, egg, milk& vegetable oil. Stir completely or mix with mixer. Have your banana peppers dry and prepared for cooking. Heat the oil for frying somewhere between 345 and 375 (medium on stove in pan). With tongs, dip pepper halves in batter allowing excess batter to drip in the bowl, then transfer to hot oil. You can fry several pieces at the same time, fry till golden brown on bothsides. Remove and place on paper toweling to drain.
The recipe says," you may dip in cocktail sauce". I just like the wonderful crisp fried pepper chips with salt on them like onion rings & french fries. These are really good. I have served to 7 people so far and they loved them. Happy Cooking.
Monday, May 30, 2011
SWEET ONIONS -Vidalia is best.
I just fixed the most delicious onions a friend from Georgia gave me years ago. I started with 5 large white onions. I cut through the onions making approx. 1/4 to 1/2" wide rings and use the largest one for my Onion Rings and the smaller ones for his sweet onion mix. So let's start with my Onion Rings keeping the smaller ones in a zip lock bag in refrigerator till ready for the others - or vica versa. Each recipe makes my husband and I enough for one meal.
ONION RINGS - MY FAVORITE
Cover the rings with milk (I use a plastic bag) & soak for at least 30 minutes. Drain rings. Beat 1 egg, dip rings and let excess drip off. Dredge in flour seasoned with salt & pepper. Deep Fry in Peanut Oil (preferably) till onion rings are crispy brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. If must make ahead = place in paper sacks then into 300 degree oven till dinner's ready.
SWEET ONIONS
Use left over centers from your large onions Put in skillet w/2 Tab. butter. Saute till cooked through. I cook at lower temp. with lid on to do this without burning. Add: Brown Sugar & Pecan pieces 1/4 cup each. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Stir altogether and eat.
Hope you like them as well as we do. Let me know here or at jbrose35@cox.net
ONION RINGS - MY FAVORITE
Cover the rings with milk (I use a plastic bag) & soak for at least 30 minutes. Drain rings. Beat 1 egg, dip rings and let excess drip off. Dredge in flour seasoned with salt & pepper. Deep Fry in Peanut Oil (preferably) till onion rings are crispy brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. If must make ahead = place in paper sacks then into 300 degree oven till dinner's ready.
SWEET ONIONS
Use left over centers from your large onions Put in skillet w/2 Tab. butter. Saute till cooked through. I cook at lower temp. with lid on to do this without burning. Add: Brown Sugar & Pecan pieces 1/4 cup each. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Stir altogether and eat.
Hope you like them as well as we do. Let me know here or at jbrose35@cox.net
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
DisneyWorld (more information)
I told you the least crowded time here is January & February but we went over yesterday forgetting this is President's Day (3 day weekend) plus Daytona 500 Race this last weekend so yesterday was one of those "busy" days. We had been here all winter but had not spent time at the Castle in Magic Kindom. When you come in the gate, grab a Magic Kingdom Guide Map & New Information card with them to tell you the times for everything in that park that day . You are now looking down Main Street (stop inside the gate at Guest Relations to get your FREE large Disney button to wear that is in the cart on the porch). At 3 0'clock on Main Street we enjoyed the wonderful "Celebrate a Dream come True" afternoon parade, if you can plan it right which we just luckily did. After the parade and a little shopping in the shops along Main Street we went to the front of the castle for the great 4:15pm 'Dream along with Mickey'(they do it 6 times a day starting a 10:35am so don't think you have to follow our schedule, it just worked so great for us & I wanted to share). Live characters put on the show on the front steps and stage of the Castle. After the show we went behind the castle for the indoor adventure rides/shows. They are very close together so go pick up the "Fast Passes" for each one. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Mickey's PhilharMagic & Peter Pan's Flight. You can plan and go from one to the other without standing in line for 30 or 40 minutes if it's crowded. We were lucky and a couple of them were starting so we didn't need to get a fast past we just got in line and in 5 to 10 minutes were inside riding & seeing the show. It's a Small World - is just across from them so check it 1st (they don't give fast passes for it). If the lines are long, go do the other things and keep checking. It's a boat ride worth the wait!! BUT I warn you will have -It's a Small World song in your head the rest of the day. SO CUTE! They also have wonderful outdoor rides such as Mad Tea Party, Dumbo the Flying Elephant & Prince Charming Regal Carrousel if you have time (you may have to come back). Check your daily schedule sheet and see when they light up the castle in colors. Absolutely Gorgeous!! By now it was almost dark 6?pm and a MUST is the ""Main Street Electrical Parade."" AWESOME!!! So get around to the front of the Castle back on Main Street. After this stay on Main Street, walk towards the front gate where you started down main street when you came. At 8pm is the greatest fireworks you have ever seen over the castle and the further back you are the better you see it all. I do believe we saw & did more in this short time than any other park. Now you want to leave? We did. Just turn around and go thru the gate where you get on the MonoRail to get to the Trams that take you back to your parking lot where your car is located. You did remember where you were parked didn't you? Minnie, row 2? Goofy, 36? Dinasours, 21? etc. Very important when there are at least 2,000 cars out there and it's kinda dark. PLEASE! PLEASE! Go. If you do, you'll want to go back. There just isn't anything else to keep the kid alive in you like this adventure and you DO want to do that. I met 80 year old men wearing Goofy caps and Mickey shirts. The most fun I had was watching the little (2 -4 year olds) enjoying the park and they really did enjoy it. That age is so cute because they do and say what ever they think. So honest! Thats why Walt built it.
HINT: A week vacation would let you take a day getting there & 1 getting home leaving 5 days at Disney. I would recommend 1 day each at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom & 2 days at Magic Kingdom. It's the 1st park he built & will always be the best as far as me & little kids are concerned. Food & shopping is expensive so if you are on a limited budget (aren't we all?) there are ways to get around it like not eating much in the park. Most of the places to eat are hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. Things you could get for 1/4th of the price at a Fast Food place or pick up something at a grocery store & take with you. You're here to have fun, you can eat at home. BUT while there you just have to have one of those Mickey Ice Cream Bars $4.95 each, a little Caramel/chocolate bag of popcorn $4.95 , & other things you can't get anywhere, else. Now, if you are loaded with money or really saved for this trip and want to "splurge" eat in the restaurant IN the Castle. $65 a meal.
HINT: A week vacation would let you take a day getting there & 1 getting home leaving 5 days at Disney. I would recommend 1 day each at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom & 2 days at Magic Kingdom. It's the 1st park he built & will always be the best as far as me & little kids are concerned. Food & shopping is expensive so if you are on a limited budget (aren't we all?) there are ways to get around it like not eating much in the park. Most of the places to eat are hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. Things you could get for 1/4th of the price at a Fast Food place or pick up something at a grocery store & take with you. You're here to have fun, you can eat at home. BUT while there you just have to have one of those Mickey Ice Cream Bars $4.95 each, a little Caramel/chocolate bag of popcorn $4.95 , & other things you can't get anywhere, else. Now, if you are loaded with money or really saved for this trip and want to "splurge" eat in the restaurant IN the Castle. $65 a meal.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
February in Florida
Thanks Austin for making a comment in December. Sorry, to be so long getting back on here but we've been having so much fun at DisneyWorld this winter. It's been fun seeing all the changes since we worked here part-time after retirement the winter's (Jan.-March) of 1998 & 1999 staying in our RV in Mouse Mountian Campground about 5 miles from the parks. It's in the 80's today, all the windows open, and air conditioning would have felt good but by 4 o'clock it starts cooling down very nice. We are getting ready to leave for Disney's park - Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios when we worked there) for "Fantasmic" the 7 o'clock Lazer Water Show with Mickey fighting the Villians, boats with Disney characters, etc. We worked there the winter of 1999 and looking forward to going to see what they show on that BIG sheet of water now. We are always amazed how many people come here from other countries. This wonderful FUN for all place, was started by one middle class man (Walt Disney) that could draw wonderful as a kid. As he grew and used his talent he had a dream. A place little kids could go and have a wonderful fantasy day - thus DisneyLand. With more ideas and needing more room. Florida, because of some freezing weather & trees died in Orange groves, masses of land was for sale. They still get some freezing at night in the winter but have learned how to control the damage. It seems expensive to get in but once you do you go to many wonderful rides, shows, everything for free. As American's it should be a must for every American child growing up to come here, allowing enough time (at least a day each) to see all four parks - Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom then Magic Kingdom. I recommend seeing them with small kids in that order. The 1st being not as interesting for small children and by the time they are getting tired you are at "their" parks which perks them right up with the animals, disney characters, princesses, castle, etc. The things they know about and love. I made the mistake years ago of taking 3 little grandkids (5, 7 & 8) to Magic Kingdom 1st and all I heard at the other parks was, "When are we going back to the FUN park?" Animal Kingdom wasn't built yet then. They have really added fun things to the other parks now so everyone has fun at them. It's just very tiring for old people like me, little kids and parents of little kids to see all the shows & ride all the rides in one day at each park. The new things "Fast Passes" I find annoying! As you get to a show or ride, you just missed and it won't be on again for 30 or 40 minutes; you can get a ticket that lets you go do something else instead of standing there that long. When you come back the Fast Pass people all get in 1st while the people that have been standing there waiting have to watch them all get right in. The worst part is: while you are gone with your fast pass doing something else instead of standing in line, you have to get back there at the right time the show starts. When we were there, there was a side entrance that people with disablities like wheel chair people and their family, etc. could go to and not have to wait which made the lines shorter for regular guests. However, like everything else it was abused by people using wheel chairs that really didn't need them. Why does some people have to ruin a good thing for the rest of us? That probably the reason for the change. MY RECOMMENDATION!! Take a year and don't do so many things all year that you spend money on including birthdays, christmas, etc. Can you go a whole year without buying any new clothes you don't really need to do something you will remember all your life? Tell the kids you are saving to spend a wonderful time at DisneyWorld, with that to look forward to, I bet they won't mind. I met one family in January that was spending their Christmas there and the kids loved it. I suggest, if possible, to schedule your vacation for sometime in January or February. The weather is cool (might need a jacket) which doesn't wear you out like heat!! Those months are the least amount of crowds of the year. It gets crazy again like Christmas in March (spring break).
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