Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans

Hope y'all had a nice three day weekend. As many of you know, I recently acquired my great-grandmother's recipe box. It has been so much fun going through all the cool recipes for "pickled this-and-that" and "ice box cookies." I have been trying to scan each recipe into my computer so that I can put together a cookbook for our next family reunion. This baby is loaded with recipes, so I know it's going to take me awhile.

Found this little gem this morning as I was perusing the box. It's in my great-grandmother's handwriting, and as you can see on the top of the recipe card she has marked it as "good." So it must have been one that she liked. Always a good sign.

So try it out and let me know what you think.

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans

3 Strips of bacon (fried and crumbled)

1 small onion sliced (use whatever type you have: white, yellow or red)

2 teaspoons of corn starch
1/4teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1 lb. can of green beans (fresh is always better, but you need to substitute the bean liquid for water when it gets to that point)

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 hard cooked egg sliced (hard-boiled)

Fry up the bacon.

Take one tablespoon of drippings from bacon. Add onion and fry to light brown.

Stir in cornstarch, salt and dry mustard.

Drain beans and reserve 1/2 cup of liquid. Stir (liquid) into mixture in frying pan. Cook and stir until it boils.

Blend in brown sugar and vinegar.

Add beans and heat thoroughly.

Put into serving dish and garnish with egg and crumbled bacon

Cranberry Salad

I come from a long line of great cooks and bakers. The best of the best! Every family reunion is just chuck full of good dishes and desserts that would satisfy even the pickiest of sorts.

I just recently came into temporary possession of my Great Grandma's recipe box. I was so excited to get ahold of this wooden pea green wonder and delve into all of my Grandma's good cooking. Let me tell you, this thing is stuffed to the gills! I will only share the recipes that have been handwritten by her. I will keep it just as she has written it and try to define anything that is unclear. This is the first recipe that I found in Great Grandma's recipe box and one that reminds me of Fall. I remember eating this on several occasions, and it was delish....

Cranberry Salad

1 - 1lb. can whole cranberry sauce (save 3/4 cup of liquid)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 - 3oz. pkg strawberry jello

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 apple diced

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Heat cranberry sauce: mix liquid, boiling water, and Jello, stirring until completely dissolved. Add lemon juice and salt. Chill mixture until slightly thickened, add mayonnaise. Beat with rotary beater (hand held egg beater) until fluffy. Fold in reserved cranberries, apple and nuts. Stir and chill until slightly thickened and pour in mold. Makes six servings.