Not Just a Recipe: Celebrating People, Places, & Food

By Pat Jackman Altomare

For over ten years, Pat Jackman Altomare shared beloved recipes from her vast inherited collection through over five hundred newspaper columns that highlighted a sense of home, family, and traditions created by strong women in her past.

In Not Just a Recipe, Altomare not only shares traditional recipes from her family as well as other home cooks from around the world, but also provides proven kitchen tips and homemade gift ideas, recipe reviews and comments, and food memories. Featured recipes include cinnamon roll-ups that utilize leftover pie dough, pulled pork sliders, buttermilk fried chicken, Columbian ajiaco, Texas caviar, fried green tomato BLT sandwiches, Australian lamingtons, and snickers candy. Included is advice on how to make rubs, spices, and marinades, grow fresh herbs, and create an annual to do list for the kitchen.

Not Just a Recipe shares entertaining stories, proven recipes, and time-tested wisdom sure to please home cooks passionate about creating memories and delicious meals in their own kitchens.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Apr 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781480828506

Pat Jackman Altomare

Pat Jackman Altomare was a newspaper food columnist from 2003 to 2014. In her columns, she shared many recipes from her vast inherited collection. Pat is a past member of the Association of Food Journalists and currently resides in Douglas, Massachusetts. Not Just a Recipe is her first book.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 Pat Jackman Altomare.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-2849-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-2850-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016904177

Archway Publishing rev. date: 07/12/2016

CONTENTS

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 MOST POPULAR

Bowtie Pasta with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, and Spinach

Scallion Buttermilk Biscuits

Sweet Potato Minestrone with Turkey Sausage

My First Macaroni and Cheese Bake Off

Second place Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Responses to macaroni and cheese

Make a Big Batch of Marinara

Basic Marinara

Thickening the Sauce

More uses with Marinara

Spinach and Ricotta-Stuffed Shells

Coconut Curry Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Common ingredients in Thai cooking:

Rhubarb; Tips & Growing

Caramel Rhubarb Cobbler

Grow Your Own

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Comments from Rhubarb fans:

Apples and an Orchard Wedding

The Wedding Cake; Apple Spice Cake

Pastry; Cinnamon Roll-Ups

Just a Minutes

Stella Jackman’s pastry recipe; double-crust pie:

Make Cinnamon Roll-Ups

Pastry Tips:

A Special Letter; Children and Leftover Pie Dough

I Got It! THE Famous Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

CHAPTER 2 FAMILY

Family

Real Men Do Eat this Pie!

Rhubarb-Custard Pie (lovingly called sissy pie)

Peaches & Cream Cheese-Cake-Pie

High on a Hill Picking Sweet Blueberries

Blueberry Cream Pie, Recipe courtesy April’s Mom

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Driving Thru Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Low Country Shrimp Boil

Cape Cod Fisherman Makes a Great Pot of Baked Beans.

Yellow Eye Baked Beans; Recipe Courtesy of Bud Jackman

My family and I cherish our memories of Cape Cod;

Spicy Clams with Portuguese Chourico

Shortcut Focaccia:

Country Style Corn Pudding

Summer Parties

Lime Sherbet Punch, Original Recipe 1980’s

Family Reunions

Mike’s Sweet and White Potato Salad

Beloved Neighbor of 50 Years; A Fifth Generation Recipe

Martha’s Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

CHAPTER 3 HOLIDAYS & EVENTS, NEW YEAR’S TO CHRISTMAS

January: New Years — Favorite Way to Spend New Year’s Day

Cider Glazed Ham

Glazed Fruit

Jack’s Story: ATTACK 6 War Winning Chili

ATTACK 6 War-Winning Chili

Happy Jack’s Mexican Cornbread

Have a Party; Game Day Snacking

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Bill Jackman’s Layered Bean Dip

Hot & Honeyed Chicken Wings

Valentine’s Day: I Have Always Loved It

Ideas and Tips

White Chocolate-Dipped Heart Cookies

Triple Chocolate Kisses

Molded RED HOT Hearts (Fun for children.)

Heartfelt Cakes for your Sweetheart

Strawberry Heart Cake

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Malted Hot Chocolate

March: Maple Syrup Season in New England

Maple-Glazed Parsnips

Maple Bran Muffins

St. Patrick’s Day: Classic Dessert from the 1970s

Watergate Salad

A Bit O’ Green Cake and Irish Happy

Shamrock Green Cake

April: Passover — Lavish Meals and Beautiful Traditions

Beef Brisket

Swiss Chard Matzo Torte

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Passover Candy Treats

Easter Memories

Homemade Chocolate-Covered Eggs

Favorite Easter Cake

Festive Bunny Cake for Children

Mary’s Cinnamon Buns

Easter and Greek Easter; Both Celebrate with Lamb

Roast Leg of Lamb with a Rosemary Garlic Rub

May First Saturday; Kentucky Derby Festivities

Henry Bain Sauce (present day version)

Roast Beef Tenderloin

Spoon Bread (soufflé-like corn bread)

Mother’s Day

Shrimp and Pea Risotto

French Toast, Croissant Style

Memorial Day Weekend over the Years

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Pizza

Cashew Chicken Salad

Brownie Shortcake with Sour Cream Topping

June: Father’s Day — Honoring the Many Fathers in My Life

Mike’s Pulled Pork Sliders; Courtesy Mike of Conway NH

Mike’s Coleslaw; Courtesy Mike of Conway NH

My Dad‘s Rhubarb had Roots

For Dad, Rhubarb Pie

Stella Jackman’s Never Fail Pie Crust

July 4th: Independence Day

Grilled Turkey Breast

Pretty Poppy Strawberry Pie

September: Labor Day — National Holiday since 1894

An Old Fashioned Picnic

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Texas Caviar

Whoopie Pies; aka Devil Dogs

Rosh Hashanah: Symbolic Food Facts

Honey-Raisin Baked Apples

Apple-Honey Cake

October: Halloween — Enjoying As Much As the Kids

Cozy, Critter-Filled Pumpkin:

Create A Spooky Table:

Favorite Goodies: Jiggle Pumpkins

Pumpkin Pancakes

Cool, Dessert is in the Pumpkin!

Bread Pudding Baked in Pumpkin Shell

A Thanksgiving Wish for You,

Treasure Family Traditions

Candied Sweet Potatoes

My mother’s favorite, Baked Indian Pudding

Durgin-Park’s Indian Pudding

Pumpkin Soup with Curry and Mushrooms

Cranberry Chutney

Jackman’s Carry on Stuffing Tradition

Oyster Stuffing – Courtesy of Jane Jackman

Turkey Terrific Pita Sandwich

December: Christmas — Most Meaningful

Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Potatoes

Shitake Mushroom Gravy comes Highly Recommended

Shitake Mushroom Gravy – Recipe courtesy of Janine D. Allen, my eldest Jackman niece

Peppermint Bark

Gingerbread Cookie Cutouts

Pecan Pie Cookie-Bars

HANUKKAH

Sweet Potato and Scallion Latkes

CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TRAVELING, BRINGING HOME THE RECIPES

Traveling & Bringing Home the Recipes, Thank You Family

Fish Wheels, Family, and Salmon; I’m in Alaska

Salmon Chowder – Courtesy Jane Jackman, Copper Center, AK

Bogota, Colombia and a Grand Wedding

Ajiaco (pronounced ah-hee-ah-ko), A Chicken, Corn and Potato stew native to Columbia

Fascinating LaPaz, Bolivia

Chantilly (Lemon Whip)

Buenos Aires! Yes, I’m in Argentina

Fillet of Beef Argentine

Munich, Germany and Neighboring Salzburg, Austria

German Beer Coffee Cake

Mike J’s Pizza (Will make one large or two small pizzas)

Christmas in Telluride CO

Vegetarian Pad Thai – Recipe Courtesy of Lisa Horlick, owner of Picaya in Telluride CO

Make Pad Thai:

Myrtle Beach and Charleston in March

Fried Green Tomato BLT Sandwich

A June Wedding in Kansas

Vanilla Crème Brulee’

CHAPTER 5 ALL ABOUT THE COOKS AND FOOD CHAT

Recipe Disclaimer

Finding Lost Recipes

A Veteran, Italian Pasta, and a Memory:

Pasta Carbonara

Joanne T. recalls Italian food and lamb recipe enjoyed in Boston 1951-52

Lamb & Green Beans

Josephine’s Shrimp Rossini for Two

FL to MA, 50th High School Reunion and Tomato Sausage

My Response to Alan,

Sun-Dried Tomato Sausage(Not Thwaites Market secret recipe)

A Mother’s Food Memory; Salad Made Famous at Mama Leone’s in New York

Mama Leone’s Antipasto Supreme with Shrimp

Memories Sparked by Long-ago Restaurant

Zena, Arthur and Red Kidney Bean Dip

Italian Dodos

Sharing Favorite Recipes

Family Favorite Recipe from Sue

Celebrating Autumn with Pumpkin Bars

Zucchini Casserole

Zucchini Relish

A Simply Yummy Dessert

Lemon Lush

From Stan, Best Thing I Cook

Curry-Honey Chicken

Favorite Rhubarb Recipe

Rhubarb Crunch Dessert

You Will be Surprised What a Lamington is!

Australian Lamingtons

Blueberry Cake with a History

Blueberry Cake

Best Ever Banana Bread (or muffins)

Dede’s Christmas Tradition; French Canadian Pork Pie, Tourtiere (pronounced took-kay)

Who is Auntie Mimo? What is Chatterline? Daisy’s Letter Explains;

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Delicious Salad from Talented Home Cook

Newburyport Rice Salad

CHAPTER 6 TRIED & TRUE

Recipes:

Slow Cooker Recipes:

Wisconsin Layered Salad

Sophisticated Cole Slaw

Family Recipe for Jam now in Son and Daughter-in-Law’s Hands

Spiced Peach Jam

Coconut Scones a Winner, Literally

Coconut-Pecan Scones with Coconut Glaze

Fall Baking; Start with Pear Caramel Pie

Pear Caramel Pie

A Tuna Noodle Casserole to Love? Believe it.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ice Cream Cake Brings ooh’s and aahs

Chocolate Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Apricot Sauce

Creamy Trifle

TO PREPARE:

Lemon Goodness

Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Ways with Lemon:

Juice & Zest

All about Mangoes

Mango Rice

Wrap it up with Homemade Hummus

Hummus

Grilled Chicken Wrap with Hummus

Slow Cooker a Kitchen Necessity

Mediterranean Roast Turkey

Italian Bread Soup

Yankee Pot Roast withVegetables

Old-Fashioned Applesauce

Apple Streusel Dessert

CHAPTER 7 JUST SALADS

Gone are the Days of a Boring Salad

Enjoy Dinner Salads Year-Round:

Chicken Caesar Salad

White Bean, Tuna, and Avocado Salad

Curry Salmon Salad

Cobb Salad; Right from Hollywood

Cobb Salad

Creamy Vinaigrette

Tropical Chicken Salad

A Selection of Lunch & Side Salads

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Leeks; Enjoy their delicate flavor.

Warm Leek, Asparagus and Potato Salad

Sugar Snap Pea and Cherry Tomato Pasta Salad

Asparagus & Pasta Salad with Orange and Mint

Fruit Highlight these Side Salads

Apple-Walnut Salad

Creamy Tarragon Dressing

Avocado Salad with Honeydew & Fontina Makes 4 individual salads

Salad Greens with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Citrus Salad

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Vinaigrette with cumin and fresh mint

Basic Lemon Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic-Rosemary Vinaigrette

CHAPTER 8 INTRODUCTION; FOOD GIFT IDEAS

Gifts from Your Kitchen

Food Gift Ideas for Homemade Presents

Pecan-Date Cheese Ball

Fruit & Nut Brittle

Make Fudge Three Ways for your Gift Giving

Basic Fudge recipe

Chinese Fried Walnuts

Peppermint Snowballs

Homemade Snickers Candy

Reader’s Comment:

Spiced Pecans

Fruit & Nut Granola

More Ideas When Gifts are Food

CHAPTER 9 HELP IN THE KITCHEN

Benefits of Making Your Own…..and more

New Orleans Rub

Basic Seasoning Salt

Italian Seasoning

Honey-Thyme Marinade;

Zesty Marinade for Beef

Maple Mustard Basting Sauce

Honey-Mustard Sauce

Homemade Mustard

Grow Fresh Herbs in a mini herb garden.

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

Make Your Own Breadcrumbs

About Mushrooms

Baking

Apple Pie Spice

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Interchangeable; 5-Spice powder & Cinnamon

Entertaining

Soft Pretzel Round

Olive-Nut Spread

Imitation Boursin Cheese Spread

Quick & Easy Dip

Beverages

Cafe’ Ole’

Mocha Java Ice Cream Shake

Pomegranate Tea

Cranberry Rum Punch

Almond Milk

Vegan Tips

Reader’s Comment:

Countdown Guide for Holiday Dinners

Day 6

Day 5

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

Annual Kitchen To Do List

INTRODUCTION

More people than ever are reading cookbooks, seeking more information about a recipe, the who, when, and where that gives it life. I have poured over my collection of 500- plus past newspaper columns and have chosen recipes that were popular, interesting, and dependable, recipes of home and tradition that have been devoured by food lovers and home cooks who enjoyed them.

NOT JUST A RECIPE is culinary prose containing stories of experiences, family, and travels that came together during my years as a newspaper food columnist, all centered around an infinite variety of recipes. Utilizing a significant human interest component, I present these stories and recipes in a down-to-earth writing style that is relaxed and informal.

It all began in 2003, when I offered a recipe each week to our local paper from a huge collection of recipes I had inherited from Mom, both grandmothers, and Aunts. I started with the best recipes and kept going through the collections that came from these strong women of my past. The recipes had an aura of home, family, and tradition; I couldn’t throw them away. They represent years these women spent cooking for their families and how important that was to them. To the recipes I started adding what information I could gather about them. For example, my mother’s cinnamon roll-ups were a way to use extra pie dough. I added who made them first and when and how they were named Just-a-Minute’s. The response was overwhelming, interest was piqued as readers learned about my family, life, and travels; always letting me know that they loved more than just a recipe. I never lost sight though that the recipes couldn’t take a back seat, they had to be good.

I have gathered those recipes and stories that generated a lot of positive feedback and expressions of appreciation, along with thoughtful and enjoyable recollections of events, family, and experiences.

There is a fine line between living in the past and appreciating the past. All I have to do is remember my grandmothers, aunts, and my mother as they were in their kitchens, so much in their element, and it conjures deep feelings of respect and gratitude for their cooking, teachings, and love of family, much of it represented by the recipes they left behind, almost like a signature.

In Chapter five, you will be engaged by delightful home cooks who sent recipes, wrote suggestions, gave feedback and most of all taught me a lot. Meet just a few:

Barbara lives in Australia and introduced me to a Lamington, which is as popular to Aussies as our brownie is to us. Lamingtons are cake squares, chocolate frosted and rolled in coconut, found in bake sales and every convenience store in Australia. Barbara’s brother lives in New England and would send my column to her every week, and she would write me of her life in Australia.

Meet Ethyl, originally from Colombia, who graciously shares her family’s Hanukah traditions, along with her Colombian variation for Potato Latkes.

And the surprise of meeting Dennis (from Michigan) whose note was in my inbox one morning, concerning a past column I wrote on old cookbooks that focused on the famous Mama Leone’s restaurant in New York. He remembered his mother often making a famous dish from that restaurant, and asked if I could find the recipe.

In NOT JUST A RECIPE you will find a story you identify with, a good recipe that is new to your collection, and more than a few minutes of enjoyment; a cookbook to read that will trigger a memory and bring pleasure.

pja

In Honor of My Mother,

Stella Oles Jackman

for Her Dedication

To Family and Traditions;

and for Being a Great Cook.

CHAPTER 1

MOST POPULAR

View Photo Gallery of many of these recipes @ www.notjustarecipe.blogspot.com

These recipes and stories generated many e-mails and personal notes from those who followed my newspaper food column; reflecting their enjoyment and pleasure. The recipes are nothing less than special with stories that capture interest and are enjoyable for me to tell.

One recipe is apple-spice wedding cake with cream cheese frosting that was so well-liked at a wedding I attended, that the guests were requesting seconds and thirds if they could get it. The wedding was held in a spectacular setting of an apple orchard in full autumn color, follow along as I share with you this wedding that begins with a beautiful ceremony taking place on a gentle hill overlooking an orchard.

BOWTIE PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO, PINE NUTS, AND SPINACH

SCALLION BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

SWEET POTATO MINESTRONE WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE

SECOND PLACE BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

BASIC MARINARA SAUCE

SPINACH AND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN AND SHRIMP SOUP

CARAMEL RHUBARB COBBLER

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

WEDDING CAKE; APPLE SPICE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

CINNAMON ROLL-UPS (JUST A MINUTES)

STELLA JACKMAN’S NO-FAIL PIE CRUST

JORDAN MARSH BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

BOWTIE PASTA WITH PROSCIUTTO, PINE NUTS, AND SPINACH

This is one of the best pasta dishes my family and I have ever had. No exaggeration. I found it about five years ago when Sara Moulton of the Food Channel, had Vita Greco on as her guest. He is a chef of Italian expertise, and demonstrated how to prepare this pasta dish. It has become a favorite in my collection of recipes. No-one I have ever given this recipe to saw that cooking demonstration, but this has become very popular and is always passed on to more and more people. When a group of friends and I vacationed in a condo in Stow, Vermont, we each took a night to cook a meal of our choice. (The deal was if you shop and cook, you are off clean-up duty); I was certainly up for that deal! I chose to make this pasta recipe on my night to cook as it was quick, without a lot of preparation, and I knew from serving it many times in the past that most everyone would enjoy it.

Some are a little doubtful when they see raisins in a pasta dish, but many have raved about this as soon as they taste it. There’s also something a bit special when you use farfalle pasta (bowties); it seems to add a certain pizzazz.

Tip: I use regular spinach and quite a bit more than the recipe calls for.

Also a quality Romano cheese really does top it off with perfection.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup pine nuts

¾ cup raisins (I prefer golden raisins)

½ cup boiling water

½ cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 bag spinach, washed & drained (salad (baby) spinach not flavorful enough for cooking, use regular spinach)

1 pound bowtie pasta (farfalle)

¼ pound prosciutto, sliced into small pieces (can be costly; I have substituted crisply fried bacon or crumbled sweet Italian sausage)

Salt and pepper

Grated Romano cheese

Toast pine nuts in a small frying pan. Add raisins to boiling water till plump, and then drain. In a large frying pan, heat oil and sauté garlic; add spinach and cook until wilted. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and place in a large bowl with the nuts, raisins, spinach mixture, prosciutto, grated cheese, and pepper. Taste, add salt if needed (Prosciutto and cheese are salty). Serve hot.

SCALLION BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

If you live on the West Coast, you call them green onions; on the East Coast, they are scallions. Who knew?

No matter what they are called they are delicious in biscuits.

Serve biscuits at breakfast or dinner.

Try adding different herbs such as fresh chives or fresh dill instead of the scallions.

Preheat oven to 425- degrees.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

¾ cup (one and half sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 and ½ cup cold buttermilk

¼ cup finely chopped scallions

1 large egg, beaten, for glazing

In a large bowl, whisk together first four (dry) ingredients. Add butter and rub it in with your fingertips (or use pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal; add buttermilk and scallions and stir till moist clumps form. Add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is dry.

Divide dough in half. On a floured surface flatten to 3/4 inch thickness. Use a two-inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. Repeat with remainder of dough. Place on ungreased baking sheets and brush with beaten egg. Bake until golden on top, about 16 minutes. Serve hot. You can make these up to six hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets and reheat in 325- degree oven for five minutes just before serving. Makes about 26 biscuits

Recipe can be halved.

I have not written before, but I had to tell you that when we had a cool day this past week I made the scallion biscuits that I saw in your column. My husband is crazy about them. I am now being asked by our friends for the recipe which I am passing around. Thank you

— Janice and Bill

SWEET POTATO MINESTRONE WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE

01jpgswpotminestrone.jpg

Amake soup class with Girl Scout leaders at camp

A comforting memory is soup simmering on the back of the stove on a cold day

This healthy recipe is low in fat, sodium, and sugar; no-one will know it though because it is seasoned well. This minestrone soup is loaded with power veggies; spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes, making about six