Clark Gable's Coconut Squares

This rich bar cookie comes from Corinne Griffith's cookbook Eggs I Have Known. Clark had a habit of stopping by Corinne's after a night on the town for these cookies. I learn the most amazing things in old cookbooks. 

Clark Gable's Favorite Coconut Squares

1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Mix flour, butter and sugar together thoroughly. Press into a 9x9 square pan like a thick pie crust. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the above is baking mix the following:

2 eggs, beaten slightly
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box coconut (1 and 1/4 cups)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts (toasted almonds are wonderful)

Spread on top of the baked mixture. Bake at for 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Please Note: a lower oven temperature to get the best results.

Auntie Cherry's Painless History:

Clark Gable, the quintessential movie star, served his country in WWII. You can find more about Clark Gable and Corinne Griffith the Movie Stars at Wikipedia. If you go there, give some money (a fiver even) to keep this fine site up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Gable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinne_Griffith

Treats for Doggos

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” ― Will Rogers

I love my dog. She is my baby and that is her name Baby. I fuss over her because she fusses over me. I make her these treats from Sadie Dell. Baby will not eat any other kind of dog treat.

Sadie Dell's Dog Biscuits

2 and 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup powdered Milk
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Egg
6 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
8 to 10 tablespoons Water
2 small jars of strained Baby Food (beef, chicken, lamb or liver)

Mix all the ingredients together and knead for 3 minutes. Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Using a dog bone shaped cookie cutter or the baby food jar, cut biscuits and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees.for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen doggie biscuits.

Jasmine Liqueur and Organic Rum

We entertain more in the Winter Holiday Season and we go to more parties. I like to bring a unique hostess gift and make interesting new cocktails. So I am repeating this.

Corporate distillers use additives that ordinary folks would not use, if we made our own spirits. An excellent cookbook which has a chapter on home liqueur making is Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine. Making liqueur at home used to be common in American life as this scene from Arsenic and Old Lace attests:

Greenbar Organic Distillery makes their own Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Liqueurs and Bitters without additives, using classic distillery techniques and all organic ingredients.

A bottle of anything Greenbar makes would be a welcome hostess gift. I have nothing to gain from any transaction you make with Greenbar beyond the success of the company. Quality counts.

TRU Jasmine Martini                                 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 oz TRU vodka
1 oz FRUITLAB jasmine liqueur
1/4 oz simple syrup

Glass Types: (Martini/Coupe)

Instructions:

Shake + strain into a martini glass
Garnish with an edible flower

Happy Holidays! 
Joy to the world.

Best Party Meatballs

No matter how elegant a buffet I turn out, these delicious bites are always the first to be consumed. Mildred Albert did everything well. And her recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs is an example of her culinary and social talents.

MILDRED ELIZABETH LEVINE ALBERT

1905 – 1991

BibliographyDiscuss

by Sara Alpern

“M.A.” and “The Mighty Atom,” as Mildred Albert was called, charmed the fashion world as an international fashion consultant, lecturer, columnist, and radio and television personality.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Makes 75 to 85 Meatballs

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 pounds ground Beef
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons dried Parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper, divided
1 quart (32 ounces) cocktail Vegetable Juice (V8)
1 box (1 pound) light Brown Sugar
1 cup white Vinegar
3 cloves Garlic, halved
30 prunes, pitted

Mash minced Garlic with ground Beef, Eggs, Chili Sauce, Parsley flakes, Salt and 1/4 teaspoon Pepper. Shape the mixture into 75 to 85 meatballs.

Combine Vegetable Juice, Brown Sugar, Vinegar, split Garlic cloves, and remaining Pepper. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil.

Drop Meatballs into the Juice mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cook at a low simmer for 40 minutes. Add prunes to the sauce and cook 30 minutes more. 

Drain off most, but not all, of the sauce before putting meatballs and prunes into a chafing dish. Serve hot with toothpicks.

Note: 
Make these a day ahead, refrigerate and skim fat from surface before serving. I find if I use a very lean grind of meat, there is hardly any fat.  I also add 1/4 cup of very fine dry bread crumbs to this mixture. It makes a difference if you use fresh parsley. However, both are optional and to your taste. You can increase the recipe to 115 to 125 meatballs by adding 1 more pound of ground Beef to make a total of 3 pounds. But be sure to leave the sauce ingredients as they are. Do not increase the liquid. Use exactly one quart.