Discover Your Family History with Matt's Family Research
Bourbon Balls
Yield 2 dozen
4 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1 oz instant coffee
1 oz corn syrup
3 oz Rum or alcohol of choice
If desired: 1/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or your favorite)
powdered sugar for rolling
Mix dry ingredients together then add corn syrup and rum. Mix should be slightly tacky but hold it's shape. You can add wet and dry ingredients to taste in order to achieve the consistency for rolling into balls. Once formed roll the balls in a bowl of powdered sugar to coat them and then lay them on cookie sheet to chill in the fridge. Once chilled they can be stored in a tin.
Bread Pudding
Serves 8
Bread Pudding
6 large eggs
⅔ cups granulated sugar
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large loaf of french bread cut into 1 inch pieces
Sauce
1 stick butter
1 cup powder sugar
¼ cup rum or bourbon
Preheat oven to 350°F and generously an 8" x 8" baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Place a layer of French bread pieces in the bottom of the ramekins and spoon ⅓ cup of the egg mixture over the bread and let it soak in. Repeat this process until the baking dishes are full.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes. Make sure a knife inserted in the middle comes out "sticky", not runny with the egg mixture and the tops are golden brown. Extra cooking time may be required depending on the oven.
Remove from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes before serving. Don't skip this step, this gives it time to set up.
Melt butter in microwave, mix in powdered sugar and liquor, pour over dish.
I made this recipe for years at home, but my recipe card just had "add rum to taste" without an amount. Freshman year at Spring Hill I get a call from my mom a little after lunch laughing. Granny had made the recipe, but add 2 cups of rum. When she tasted it tasted strong. She remembered I would cook liquor to reduce the alcohol in recipes, so she microwaved it and poured it on top of the pudding, that just made hot alcohol!. Everyone basically had a shot after lunch and enjoyed their afternoon. - JMKC
Photo: Matt's College Graduation 2000
Candy Balls
Yield 6 dozen
2 sticks of margarine
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. coconut (fine)
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
1 12 oz. jar crunchy peanut
1 box of powdered sugar
butter
16 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
Wax Paper
Melt margarine in large container. Stir in crumbs, pecans, coconuts, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix.
Add peanut butter. Mix well. Roll into balls. Cool.
Melt chocolate and wax in double boiler. Dip candy balls into melted chocolate. Let cool on waxpaper.
Photo: Matt's Great Uncle CJ and Great Aunt Donith with their children CJ, Timmy, Randy, Lora, and Larry.
This recipe is accredited to her and in the St. Johns Catholic Church Cookbook.
Chocolate Fudge
Yield 16
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts (Optional)
1 cup miniature marshmallows
Grease an 8x8-inch square pan.
Place chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Stir in vanilla, then fold in walnuts and marshmallows. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Chill in the refrigerator until firm before slicing.
I remember this being one of the first things I cooked in Granny's kitchen. While the fudge was setting in the fridge, we left for something. Upon returning we found one of our funniest cousins Reggie Furlow stopped and had eaten the whole pan. We quickly got the nickname "Fudge" from me. -JMKC
Photo: Reggie in Granny's kitchen making a stupid face.
Divinity
Yield 2.5 - 3 dozen
2 c sugar
½ c light corn syrup
⅓ c water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup pecans, if desired
1. In 3-quart glass casserole, combine sugar, sorn syrup, and water. Stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes or until mixture is clear.
3. Microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes or until small amount dropped in very cold water forms a hard ball
(260°F). DO NOT USE CANDY THERMOMETER IN THE MICROWAVE
4. While syrup is cooking, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. When syrup is ready, beat egg whites with electric mixer while slowly pouring in thin stream of hot syrup. Add vanilla. Beat until candy loses its gloss, about 6-8 minutes
5. Drop by buttered tsps onto buttered wax paper. Top with pecans
* Do not make candy when humidity is high, as it will not set.
My Grandpa was an early adapter to technology and I always remember a microwave in the house with a set of red and white microwave cookbooks that would come put around the holidays. Occasionally we made candy on the stove top, but mostly in the microwave with much of the kitchen covered in wax paper to spoon it out on.
Photo: Matt's Grandfather George Furlow taking a business call in his kitchen before the office was built next door.
Dump Cake
Serves 8
1 yellow cake mix
about 32 oz canned fruit with juice (peach, apple, pear, pineapple, your choice)
1 stick of butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ½ the cake mix and fruit with juice until well incorporated. Pour into greased 9 x 13 dish. Sprinkle remaining cake mix on top. Cut butter into slices and lay on top of cake mix. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a golden color. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Can be topped with ice cream.
This was a go to recipe growing up. Best made with canned pears from Aunt Rita and Uncle Whitney’s garden. . - JMKC
Photo: Matt's Great Aunt Rita and uncle Whitney Hernandez's wedding photo with their parents 27 Dec 1949
Ginger Bread
Yield about 30 cookies
3 c all-purpose flour
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup sugar
½ cup molasses
1 egg
Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and cloves together in a medium bowl. Beat the shortening and sugar together in a separate bowl. Add the molasses and egg and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until fully combined. Shape the dough into a ball and divide it into 2 portions. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it for 30 minutes or until ready to use. *To make cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out the dough to ¼”. Lightly dip the cookie cutter in flour and cut out cookies. Use a spatula to move the cookies onto a Cookie Sheet. Bake for 11-13 min. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven to a cooling rack and cool for 3 minutes
This also works great for Pampered Chef Gingerbread Molds
Photo: Steve's nephew Raymond McElveen sneaking a taste of the gingerbread, his Aunt Kiley may of had something to do with this.
Lemon Ice Box Pie
Yield about 30 cookies
1 9" graham cracker crust
2 egg yolks
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
4 teaspoons fresh lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)
½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)
pinch of salt
Frozen Whipped Topping or Whipped Cream
Whisk together the egg yolks, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pinch of salt. Pour into pie shell and chill in ice box for at-least 4 hours. Serve topped with whipped topping.
An absolute go to holiday choice for me, or just a light pie for a summer dessert.
-JMKC
Photo: Matt's first Christmas 1978
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Yield about 30 cookies
1 c butter, softened
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
½ c granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1½ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 c peanut butter
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy.
Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt mix well. Add oats& peanut butter; mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crisp cookie.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
Store tightly covered.
I always remember these being in Aunt Rita's kitchen in a red cookie tin.
-Matt
Photo: Matt's Grandmother Catherine Kling with Great Aunts Lydia, Lena, and Rita at the ordination of their cousin Edmond Braud.
Pecan Pralines
Yield 2-3 dozen
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
⅓ c light corn syrup
¼ c water
2 c pecans, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. In 5-quart casserole, combine sugar, brown sugar, syrup, and water. Mix well.
2. Microwave on HIGH for 7 to 9 minutes. or until mixture reaches soft ball stage (238°F on candy thermometer) DO NOT USE CANDY THERMOMETER IN THE MICROWAVE OVEN.
3. Stir in pecans, butter, and Vanilla. Drop by tablespoonfull onto WELL buttered wax paper. Chill until set.
* Do not make pralines when humidity is high, as it will not set.
Christmas time reminds me of Granny's counters covered in wax paper, the "big corningware" casserole dish coming out, and sugar on everything by the end of it. Delicious! -Matt
Photo: For the Christmas Paw Paw George gt Matt a train set his Uncles and Cousin seemed to have as much fun putting it together as he did.
