Diva's Rhubarb Jam

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

⬗⬗   Rhubarb Jam  ⬖⬖

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Inspiration from: Grandma Margaret always had a bowl of this mixed in the fridge.  Grandad Dale always grew huge rows of rhubarb he perfected over the years from his horticulture knowledge. 

Ingredients
4 cups rhubarb 2 cups white sugar 1 TB water	1/2 tsp lemon juice 1-1 1/2 oz box of strawberry jello

Directions

Cut rhubarb into 1 inch cuts.  Bring water and rhubarb to a boil. Add sugar and let boil til rhubarb is stringy and tender.  (about 15 mins)  Remove from heat and add lemon juice and jello.

Variations

The jello adds color to the rhubarb if it is green and also helps it to gel.

Yields:  2 cups

Diva's Grandma Z's Rhubarb Cake or any Fruit

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Grandma Z's Rhubarb Cake
Inspiration: We made this on the farm all the time.  You can use any fruit for a variety.  I even use it to make carrot cake.  The cinnamon & sugar on the top makes it require no icing.
Ingredients: 1~1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup melted butter 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups chopped rhubarb 1 cup sour milk (if you don't have sour milk, add 1 TB vinegar to milk) 1/2 cup sugar 1~1/2 tsp cinnamon	Instructions: Cream brown sugar and butter slightly, add egg and vanilla and beat.  Sift together soda and flour and add to cream mixture. Stir in rhubarb and sour milk til creamy.  Put in a 9x13 greased baking dish and Bake @ 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
Variation: refrigerate and can be topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Diva's Grandma Sarah's Blackberry dumplings

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Grandma's little helper, I would help her pick the berries.  One day I ate them all and brought her a bucket full of kittens instead:) Good thing she loved me Grandma Sarah's Blackberry dumplings
Inspiration: My German Grandma Sarah Rutz always had wild blackberries growing in her yard near Scottsbluff, NE.  It was an awesome treat for her to make her dumplings.
Ingredients: 1 quart Blackberries 2 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 2 TB butter ________ Dumplings: 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp salt 1~1/2 baking powder 1/2 cup milk 3 TB sugar 2 TB oil or melted butter	Instructions: Wash and cook berries until tender in a large heavy kettle.  May need to adjust sugar if not sweet enough. Cover and bring to a boil. Drop tsp's of dumplings into boiling mixture.  Cook 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
Variation:  Serve warm with cream me and Grandma Sarah at her house on E in Scottsbluff, NE in the 70's.  Right through that backdoor was where she did her magical cooking and teaching. her kitchen was 6x6, but the most awesome cooking came from her little space in the world.  Grandma has been gone since 1996, but every now and then when I cook her recipes, I smile and say hi Grandma:)

Diva's Cabbage Burger's

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

  

Cabbage Burger's

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Inspiration from: This recipe was created by German immigrants. It is one of our favorite family recipes and found in the Nebraska region, where I was born and raised.  My Grandma's taught me how to make these before I could walk. lol The cabbage mixture is encased in a nice little bread package and was easy for the guys to carry them into the sugar beet and corn fields for the day.

	Ingredients
3 lbs of ground beef 1 head of cabbage, cut into bite sizes 1 extra large onions 2 cups of water Bread dough, enough for 2 loaves Cheese slices are optional  Recipe for dough is below	salt to taste pepper (lots of pepper) PEPPER is the key

Directions

Crumble the ground beef into an extra large pot over medium heat. Cook with onion and stir until evenly browned. Drain off grease. Add cabbage and cook over medium-low heat, stirring as needed, until the cabbage is soft and wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste while cooking. I like to use more pepper than salt. Us German/Czech woman love pepper, lots of it. Drain off any excess liquids, and set aside.

While you cook the cabbage mixture, make the bread dough.  Some people thaw 2 frozen loafs of bread dough or Frozen dinner rolls.  I and Grandma always used Potato Bread dough recipe.

For this recipe, you can use leftover mashed potatoes or mix up a cup’s worth of instant mashed potatoes. This easy potato bread recipe makes 2 loaves.  Grandma grew up in the depreciation and nothing went to waste.

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2-1/4 tsp (1 pkg) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

5 cups bread flour, about

Preparation:

In large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, eggs, and butter.  Stir in sugar, salt, yeast, and warm water.  Mix in enough flour to make a dough that can be kneaded by hand.  Turn dough out onto floured board and knead it until smooth and elastic.  Put dough in a greased bowl. Flip dough over inside bowl so that the dough top is also lightly greased. Cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours, until double in bulk. Punch down dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board and briefly knead out bubbles. 

Assembly:

Method 1:  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough balls into 5 inch (approximate) squares. Place about 3/4 cup of the cabbage burger into the center, fold the dough over, and pinch to seal. Place on a greased cookie baking sheet with the seam side down. Let rise 1 hour. 

Method 2:  Thaw freezer dinner rolls and let rise for 1 hour.  Roll out 2 on a floured surface to desired shape and size.  Place a heap of filling on bottom roll, then add other rolled out roll on top.  Seal shut and place on greased cookie sheet.  Let rise 1 hour.

*A trick for method 1, when you roll out the dough, put it a cereal bowl.  Add filling and fold.  Can make folding easier.

Variations

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated 375 degrees oven, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and brush with melted butter. Serve hot.

My kids love them with ketchup...

Yields: apprx 18 cabbage burgers

I also wrap them individually in foil and freeze any left overs to enjoy at a later time.  You can unwrap them from the foil and nuke them for 3 mins.

YUMMY!

Diva's Mexican Casserole

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

 Mexican Casserole 

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Inspiration from:  Made by my mother when I was a kid.  We all have perfected it  and I passed it on to my children.  This is my variation.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 16 oz jar of picante sauce 1/4 cup jalepeno's from a jar, drained 3 cups ground cheddar cheese of your choice	salt pepper 2 pinches of ground cumin small pkg corn tortilla's 8 large flour tortilla's

Directions

Brown ground ground beef in large skillet (salt and pepper to taste). Drain.  On medium heat, add ground beef soups, picante sauce, jalepeno's and cumin and cook to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer 5 mins.  In a 9x13 pan, Layer 6 corn tortilla's, 1/3 rd of meat sauce, and 1 cup cheese.  Make 3 layers of each.  


Bake 350 degrees 45 mins.
Let cool 5 mins and add a scoop to a flour tortillas and roll up.
Enjoy!

Variations

Will Serve 4 people

Diva's Egg Noodles

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

⬗⬗   Egg Noodles  ⬖⬖

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Inspiration from:  My kids love home made noodles in the soups. My Grandma Sarah taught me how to make these.

Directions

Homemade Noodles 3 1/2 cup flour, 6 beaten eggs, 'Stir with fork till doughy, Knead in flour 1 minute.  Cut in 3rd's and make a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge for 30 mins.  Cut each ball in half and  roll out till very thin and let air-dry 1/2 hour. Sprinkle a little flour over noodles so they don't stick.  (You can also use the dough hook on a mixer)

 ( Great with German Butterballs.)  

NOTE: you don't want to add salt as it will make the noodles tough and take longer to dry.)

Variations

Once all the noodles are made, Boil in soup for 8 mins.  If you want to make other recipes, you can boil in water for the same amount of time and drain.

Will Serve 6 people

Diva's Sausage Gravy

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

⬗⬗   Sausage Gravy  ⬖⬖

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Inspiration from:  Both of my Grandma's made the most awesome Gravy.  They were great teacher's.  This is also how I make my Fried Chicken Gravy too.  My kids and my best friend can't get enough of this:)

Ingredients
1 lb of ground sausage 3 tb flour 3 cups of milk	salt pepper

Directions

Brown ground sausage in large skillet.  Leave drippings in skillet from sausage.  Add flour til paste is made.  Add salt, pepper to taste and milk stirring constantly to a boil as gravy thickens.  Make to desired consistency.

Variations

You may need to add more milk if gravy is too thick.  My daughter adds garlic to her's as the sausage is cooking.

Will Serve 4 people

Diva's Sweet and Sour Meat Loaf

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Sweet & Sour Meat Loaf
Inspiration:  My Grandma Z gave me a cookbook in 1979 that I have been using all these years.  This is one of those recipes that is stained and tattered from wear and tear:) It's delish!!!
Ingredients: 1~1/2 lb ground beef 1 cup bread crumbs 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 2 TB vinegar 1 15oz can tomato sauce 1 small onion, chopped 2 TB brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tsp prepared mustard 1 tsp parsley	Instructions: Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, onion and 1/2 of the tomato sauce.  Form into loaf, wrap in foil and put into loaf pan.   Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 50 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil and all is dissolved. Pour over meatloaf after the 50 mins and bake another 30 minutes.
Variation:  I always drain the surplus grease before adding the sauce if any is present.  I also cook this with cut up potatoes, onion and carrots.  The sauce gives the veggies a wonderful flavor.

Diva's Rhubarb Crisp

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

⬗⬗   Rhubarb Crisp  ⬖⬖

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Inspiration from: Rhubarb was always plentiful at every family member I had including myself.  It grew like wildfire in our yards.  Excellent topped with Grandad's home made ice cream.

Ingredients
2 eggs 1 1/2 Cup sugar 4 TB flour 6 cups diced rhubarb	Topping: 8 TB butter 2/3 Cups brown sugar 1 1/3 Cup Flour

Directions

Beat eggs well in a large bowl.  Stir in sugar and flour and mix.  Add rhubarb and pour into a 9x13 baking pan.
In a medium size bowl, combine topping until crumbly and sprinkle over rhubarb mixture

Variations

Bake 40 mins at 350 degrees F

Will Serve 10 people

Diva's Neiman Marcus Brownies

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

Neiman Marcus Brownies  

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Inspiration from:  This was my Grandma Sarah's recipe... It was one of those holiday recipes everyone passed around.  Absolutely Divine!!!

Ingredients
1 cake mix - Butter Pecan 2 sticks of butter or margarine 4 cups powdered sugar	1 cup chopped pecans 4 eggs 1 oz cream cheese

Directions

Mix 2 eggs, 1 stick melted butter, and cake mix.  Line bottom of 9x13 pan with mixture.


Mix 1 stick melted butter, cream cheese and other 2 eggs - beat well.  Layer of the cake mixture and top with the chopped pecans.

Variations

Bake 1 hour at 300 degrees,

Guaranteed Good!

Diva's Strawberry Salad

Diva’s Memories of Recipes

This was painted by Mr Kepart for my Dad, Glen Zemanek
This was the old location on East Overland by the sugar factory

⬗   Strawberry Salad ⬖

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Inspiration from:  This was made in my father's Deli at his grocery store, Alexander's Super Market, in Scottsbluff, NE.  The store is no longer there.  It closed in the early 90's.  My Grandma Margaret and I perfected the recipe.  My kids request Strawberry Sh**. LOL

Ingredients
16 oz tub of Cool Whip 1 8 oz of cream cheese, room temp 1 3 oz of strawberry jello	2 cups strawberries

Directions

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese til its broke up into curds with a mixer.  Add strawberries and mix a together.  Fold in cool whip and jello.  

Variations

This is a very simple recipe.  You can use a bag of frozen strawberries, drained.

Will Serve 8 people

Old Alexander's Super Market is now a car lot...Memories

Diva's Grandma Sarah's Cheesy hash brown's

Diva’s Memories of Recipes Diva's Grandma Sarah's  Cheesy hash brown's
Inspiration:  Grandma Sarah liked to make these for big family gatherings or carry in's.  We would have our family gatherings in Grandma's basement which she always had a dinning table all set up; and fyi: She always had a decorated Christmas tree down there that she kept up all year long.  I love to watch the lights and I would spend the night on the couch and she would turn them on for me.
Ingredients: 2 lb shredded hash brown potato's, thawed salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup minced onions, optional 2 cups shredded cheese of your choice 1 cup milk	Instructions: Put thawed hash brown potato's in a large bowl.  Add salt, pepper and onions.  Add shredded cheese and milk and stir. Put in 9x13 very well greased baking dish and Bake approx 1 hour in a 350 degree F oven.
Variation: Serves 8