The Mailbox
Layers from the past
I’m looking for a recipe that was in The Bee in the late 1990s. It was for lasagna made with Morant’s Italian sausage and buffalo mozzarella among many other ingredients. I lost my copy; can someone help?
– Charlotte Branson, Sacramento
Bus stop chili
I am looking for a recipe for the chili served at Fresh Pond, a bus stop between Tahoe and Placerville. The business was run by George and Maxine Birch. Thank you.
– Betty Cordle, Carson City
Brittle, but soft
I have a very nice recipe for “hard” peanut brittle that I share at work every holiday. I swap samples of my brittle with a co-worker’s “soft” brittle made by his wife from an old family recipe. He is sworn to secrecy. It is a much softer brittle, made with a lot of butter, and is not cooked like mine is. Does anyone know how to make this softer-styled brittle? Thank you.
– Rodney Arnold, Galt
Dumplings to remember
My mother and grandmother used to make “spoachkees” (I’m not sure of the spelling) from an old Czechoslovakian recipe. These are dumplings served in a very light cream or milk with butter sauce. The dumplings have the texture of an egg dumpling and are fairly firm, not mushy. They included salt, pepper and herbs. Does anyone have this recipe?
I also wanted to know if there is a Czechoslovakian restaurant anywhere in the Sacramento area. Thank you.
– Bob Shebesta, Folsom
Mushrooms in coffee broth
I saw a recipe in a magazine for mushrooms cooked in a coffee bean broth. I forgot to cut it out. Does anyone have this recipe?
– Don Lutz, Carmichael
A delicious eclair
In the late 1960s, my aunt sent me a recipe that she cut out of the Parade magazine (Sunday supplement) for éclairs. It included the recipe for the pastry shell, filling and the most delicious chocolate topping. I have since lost the recipe and am wondering if anyone has it. Thank you.
– Kathy Scheidegger, Sacramento
Seeking a certain cornbread
I am looking for a recipe for Southwest Texas cornbread. It appeared in Better Homes and Gardens several years ago. Can someone help?
– Jim Jackson, Citrus Heights
Golden onion ring loaf
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes plus 5 minutes per batch to fry the onion rings
Serves 6
Drew Carrigan of Camden, S.C., was visiting Vacaville when she saw Virginia Forsyth’s request for fried onion rings in the Mailbox. It made her think of this recipe, which takes onion rings to the next level.
Carrigan says the batter is like the batter used for tempura. You can use her recipe for the onion rings when making this loaf, or you can try the fried onion ring recipe that appeared in the March 18 Mailbox.
Note: The prep time does not include the 30-minute standing time for the onion rings in the ice water.
INGREDIENTS
Beer batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup beer
Onions:
3 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Ice water
Vegetable oil for frying
For loaf:
Butter to coat loaf pan
Fried onion rings (see recipe)
Black pepper, to taste
1½ cups (or more or less, to taste) Monterey jack cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, dry mustard, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
Combine 4 egg yolks with Dijon mustard and beer. Add to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate onion slices into rings and cover them in ice water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain onions and pat dry.
Just before using batter, beat 4 egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
In a skillet, add vegetable oil to reach 2 inches up sides of pan. Heat to 375 degrees (check with a deep frying thermometer). Dip onion rings in beer batter. Shake off excess and fry in oil until golden brown. Drain rings on paper towels.
Butter a 9-inch loaf pan. Line bottom with a layer of fried onion rings. Sprinkle with pepper and a layer of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat these layers until ingredients reach top of pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm.
Per serving, approximately: 404 cal.; 15 g pro.; 28 g carb.; 24 g fat (9 sat., 7 monounsat., 8 polyunsat.); 167 mg chol.; 435 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 55 percent calories from fat.
7 Up cake
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves 12
Years ago, Sharon Issertell of Roseville had a recipe for 7 Up cake made from scratch. She said it was the best cake ever. She has since lost the recipe and was hoping someone would be willing to share theirs.
7 Up was first sold under the name Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda in 1929. In 1936 it was renamed 7 Up. Cakes made with a cake mix and 7 Up first started showing up in the early 1950s; scratch versions in the early 1960s.
This recipe comes from Marge Barnes of Sacramento.
Note: The prep time does not include the cool times after cake is baked.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup 7 Up
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon water
INSTRUCTIONS
For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or Bundt pan. Whisk the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the 7 Up, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter, shortening and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture and the 7 Up mixture alternately, in 2 batches, beating after each addition until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
For the glaze: Whisk all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled cake. Serve.
Per serving: 585 cal.; 6 g pro.; 83 g carb.; 26 g fat (13 sat., 8 monounsat., 5 polyunsat.); 130 mg chol.; 127 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 57 g sugar; 40 percent calories from fat.
HOW TO CONTACT THE MAILBOX
If you have recipes in replyto Mailbox reader requests, or questions or comments, write to: Mailbox, c/o Taste, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. You also can e-mail twason@ sacbee.com or fax (916-556-5625). Please include your full name, your city and phone number.