Cora's Kitchen, Mom's Favorites

Cora's Kitchen, Mom's Favorites

       Welcome to a website keepsake for Cora Ruger's Kitchen.

I did not get chance to know Cora as mother in law while she was living, but through the memories as told by her children, Arthur, Randy, Adrian and Cinda, I feel like I get a "sense" of her and who she was as woman, mother, wife, and how generous she was in her healing profession.

I think she would have been a fantastic mother in law and I would have enjoyed spending time with her.

I glean more small insights into who Cora was through the memories and stories as told by her grandchildren and daughter's in law. It's a twinge of sadness to me that I came along so late in her lifetime as to not meet her at all, yet I feel sometimes like I feel her "presence" strongly gracing my life.

Cinda gave us a booklet of the recipes Cora used for her family and that booklet is beginning to show wear and tear. I thought as tribute to her I would make a website keepsake of her recipes.   So here is   Cora's Kitchen online.

in loving tribute to Cora Ruger

Lietta Ruger

Cora's Recipes

Beverages

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Orange Julius

1 6 oz can orange juice concentrate

1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups water

2 Tbsp Powdered milk

1 tsp vanilla

Put all in blender, add ice cubes till nearly full. Blend till ice cubes are crushed.

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Friendship Tea

(best when hot)

2/3 cup powdered instant tea

2 1/4 cup sugar

2 packages lemonade mix

14 oz jar powdered orange drink

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

Mix all ingredients. Store in covered jar. To serve add 2 tsps mixture per cup of hot water.

* I use 3 tsps depending on size of cup

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Instant Russian Tea

18 oz jar concentrated powdered orange juice mix (like Tang)

8 oz jar instant lemonade

iced tea mix

1 tsp each cinnamon and cloves

Mix all ingredients. Store in covered jar. Use 1 tsp mixture per cup of boiling water (or to taste).

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Breakfasts

Sour Dough Pancakes

Starter: 1 cup flour --- 1 cup water---1/2 to 1 pkg of yeast in a pint jar. Let the mixture stand in the jar in a warm place overnight.

To make sponge: Empty starter into bowl.

Add: 4 cups flour--almost equal water--1 cup sour dough. Beat until smooth and let stand in warm place overnight. Batter should be thin enough to pour. If too thinck, add a little water. Reserve for starter--about 1 cup sponge in a clean pint jar and place in refridgerator or cool place for the next sponge. Next morning, add 3 eggs -- 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt -- 1 tsp soda, scant.

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Raised Finger Doughnuts

3 pkgs yeast 1/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup lukewarm water 7 cups flour (about)

2 eggs beaten vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar frosting

2 tsp salt

Sprinkle yeast into water in large bowl. Let stand a few minutes, then stir until dissolved. Add next 4 ingredients and mix. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Let rest 10 minutes. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Roll in a rectangle 3/4 " thick. Cut in lenghts about 2 x 5 and separate. Let rise 10 minutes. Fry in hot deep oil (350* on frying thermometer) until just delicately browned on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper, and cool. Frost. Store airtight. Makes 48.

Frosting: Melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine in saucepan and add 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed, 2 tbls. milk, and 1 tsp maple flavoring. Cook until smooth. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar, and beat until desired consistency is reached.

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Cinnamon Syrup

2 cup sugar

1 cup white karo

1/2 cup water

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup evaporated milk

Bring sugar, karo, water and cinnamon to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, cover for 5 minutes, then add milk.

Keep refridgerated.

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Note: I am trying to type the recipes up exactly as they appear in Cora's Kitchen cookbook. Rather than change or alter any part of the recipes, I am providing them as they appear in the booklet.

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Butter Crunch Toffee

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1 6oz pkge semisweet chocolate pieces

2/3 cups walnuts, finely chopped.

Butter the sides of a heavy saucepan and in it put the sugar, butter, water, salt. Place over low heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Cook to light crack stage (285*), or till a little syrup dropped into cold water will form a pliable ribbon. Pour into a buttered 9 " square pan and cool. Melt chocolate and spread half of it over cooled brittle mixture; sprinkle with half the nuts and press down lightly. When the chocolate is firm, turn the candy over and repeat the chocolate topping. When hardened, break into pieces.

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Salads

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Pea Salad

Prepare dressing 24 hours in advance:

6 chopped hard-boiled eggs

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbly

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups mayonnaise + 2 tblsp sugar

2 pkges frozen peas, thawed.

Layer in casserole dish:

peas, chopped lettuce, dressing. Top with grated cheese. Chill for 2 hours.

Optional: add 1/2 cup chopped green pepper to dressing.

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Lime Salad

1 pkge lime Jello 1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tblsp vinegar

salt 1/4 tsp

Dissolve jello in 1 cup hot water, add 1/2 cup cold water, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, vinegar and salt. Beat thoroughly, pour in tray, freeze 20 minutes until solid but not frozen, remove to bowl, beat until frothy. Add 1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables; celery -- green pepper -- radishes -- onion -- cauliflower -- cucumbers.

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Cabbage Salad

1 medium head cabbage

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, grated

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp prepared mustard

1/2 cup salad oil.

Combine cabbage, onion, green pepper and carrot. Mix salt, sugar, celery seed, mustard and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add oil. Pour hot mixture over vegetables. Stir well. Cover and let stand at least 2 hours. Drain off liquid and serve. If you don't want to use all at once, leave in liquid. It will keep indefintely. Just take out amount wanted and drain well. Just stir once a day and keep covered in refridgerator.

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24 Hour Salad

1 #2 can pineapple bits (2 1/2 cups)

1 #1 can pitted white cherries (2 cups)

3 egg yolks

2 tblsp vinegar

2 tblsp sugar

dash salt

2 medium oranges, pared and diced

2 cups tiny marshmallows

1/2 cup halved maraschino cherries (optional)

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

(Note from Cinda: Mom used canned fruit cocktail, then added mandarin oranges and bananas)

Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tblsp syrup. Drain cherries. In top of double boiler, beat egg yolks slightly, add reserved pineapple syrup, the vinegar, sugar, salt and butter. Place over hot, NOT boiling water; cook, stirring constantly, till misture thickens slightly and barely coats a spoon (about 12 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

Combing well-drained oragnes, pineapple, cherries, and the marshmallows. For color, add maraschino cherries. Pour custard over and mix gently. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into serving bowl. Cover and chill 24 hrs. Trim with cantaloupe slices and watermelon balls.

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Jiffy Salad

1 pint cottage cheese

1 pint cool whip

1 small can drained mandarin oranges

1 medium can crushed, drained pineapple

1 small pkge orange jello

Mix jello and cottage cheese, add remaining ingredients. Chill.

(Wow, sidenote here, this is recipe my son, Chris, used to make at all our Thanksgiving dinners..we fondly think of this as "Chris' recipe" and it's great to see it was one of Cora's favorites. smile, Lietta)

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Chicken Salad

it says "from kitchen of Aunt Francis" and is on a recipe card.

1/2 cup almonds

1/3 cup (before cooking) macaroni

2 cups chicken breasts, chunked

1 cup diced celery 1 cup mandarin oranges

1 cup grapes 1 tsp salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tblsp onion

1 cup whipping cream, whipped.

Combine chicken, onion, and salt. Refridgerate. Add remaining ingredients, except whipped cream. Add whipped cream before serving.

(Cook chicken - drop into boiling, salted water, remove immedeaely and bring water back to a boil. Drop chicken back into the water, removed from heat, let sit for one hour - remove chicken and take off bones.)

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Cora's Kitchen p. 2

More pages with the rest of Cora's recipes.

In Memory of Cora Ruger

In loving memory of Cora Ruger, 1925-1988, her memory lives with us. This wife and mother of 4 fed her family on a budget of $5.00 a day; how she did that I don't know, if ever there was a woman who knew how to feed her family well on a frugal grocery budget, this woman both learned and knew. These are some of her recipes.

Cora's Kitchen

Swandeer.com is our own family business website with ever-growing new enterprises. Your hosts; Lietta and Arthur Ruger. Cora's Kitchen is a production of Swandeer Productions.