Last week it was my turn to serve at an organization I belong to. I decided to go with a picnic theme so I decorated with an antique picnic basket, marshmallows, barbecue tools and even some plastic bugs. I made the following Faux Fries for the dessert.

Faux “Fries” with Raspberry “Ketchup”
1 loaf pound cake
1 cardboard french fry container
Raspberry Ketchup, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut pound cake lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Turn slices on their side and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Trim to 4 to 5 inches in length (if this sounds confusing, just remember, you are creating French fry-shaped strips).
Arrange strips on cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until browned on top and bottom. Turn strips and bake for approximately 4 more minutes, or until remaining 2 sides are browned. Let cool, then arrange in fry container.

Raspberry “Ketchup”
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen raspberries, thawed, or 2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons confectioners’ (icing) sugar
2 oz. lidded plastic containers
Place raspberries in a blender or food processor, and puree (add a few tablespoons of water, or lemon juice, if necessary, to facilitate blending). Add sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste, until tartness is gone.
Place raspberry puree in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to force the puree through the strainer. Discard the seeds and transfer the puree to plastic containers. Serve alongside “fries”.

Pound Cake
3 cups cake flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 pound butter, room temperature
1 pound sugar
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in salt and the sugar. Add the butter. Next add the whole eggs. At this point break out a mixer and begin mixing on slow. Slowly add the buttermilk, and then the vanilla extract. After it is thoroughly combined, turn the mixer up to medium for a few minutes, and then finally on high. If the mixture is a little thick add just a touch more buttermilk. If you don’t mix things thoroughly you will have lumps that will form air bubbles in your mixture and leave holes in your finished cake. It is a matter of pride not to have air pocket holes in your cakes so make sure to get all of the lumps out. In the pre-electric-mixer day that involved a lot of whipping the cake by hand.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take your standard tube cake pan and oil it with butter. Then lightly flour the buttered pan. (Don’t use a name brand cake release product as this gives the edges a softer texture.) Shake the excess flour from the pan.
Pour the mix in, bake the cake for about an hour and twenty minutes. Keep looking at how your cake is doing through the oven door but avoid opening the door too much while it is cooking. When you think it is done, do the toothpick test. Stick a wooden toothpick into one of the thickest parts of the cake. If it’s dry when you pull it out, the cake is done.
Allow the cake to cool 15 or 20 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove it.

The following recipe is included just because I thought it sounded really good!

Chicken Cacciatore
4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.
In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

(Both of these recipes came from: Spirit of the West: Cooking from Ranch House and Range)

“With limited supplies, chuck-wagon cooks had to be creative to provide satisfying desserts for the cowboys. Cowboys craved sweets; this may be related to the fact that in most outfits, alcohol was not allowed on trail drives. A cook who could whip up a tasty cobbler or pudding won high marks with the crew, even if he was ornery and cantankerous. Chuck-wagon staples usually included flour, molasses, dried fruit, salt, and saleratus (baking soda). A well-stocked wagon might also carry some sugar, a few eggs stored between layers of salt, canned evaporated milk, and a closely hoarded stock of seasonings and luxuries such as vanilla and lemon extracts, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and nuts.
The pudding known as Son-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack was a very special treat. Despite its colorful name, this dessert is really just the cowboy version of English and colonial suet puddings. On the trail, the pudding was mixed and placed in an empty cotton flour or sugar sack. The top of the sack was twisted and tied and the pudding was lowered into a big kettle of boiling water to cook. We couldn’t wait to try this traditional recipe but didn’t expect to enjoy eating it. We were wrong-it is delicious and fun to make. It is wonderful topped with Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.”

Sun-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup ground suet (5 ounces) or vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 (5-1/3 ounce) can evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
1/2 cup light molasses
Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, bread crumbs, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Fold in the raisins, suet, and nuts. Stir in the milk and molasses; mix well.
Arrange 6 to 8 layers of cheesecloth to form a 16-inch square. Set in a 1-quart mixing bowl and fill with the pudding mixture. Bring up the sides of the cheesecloth and, leaving room for the pudding to expand, tie tightly with string.
Place the “sack” in a colander. Place the colander in a kettle and add enough boiling water to cover the sack. Cover and boil gently for 2 hours. Carefully lift the colander out of the pan and immediately remove the cheesecloth from around the pudding. Place the pudding, rounded side up, on a plate. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with Howard Rogers’ Whiskey Sauce and whipped cream.

Howard Rogers' Whiskey Sauce
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup Jack Daniel’s Whiskey
Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Gradually stir in the cream and half-and-half and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring for 10-12 minutes, until the mixture becomes a smooth, medium-thick sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey. Serve the warmed sauce spooned over Son-of-a-Gun-in-a-Sack. Makes about 2 cups.

Milk-Can Supper
Milk-can suppers are the Western equivalent of clambakes. In the high plains of Wyoming and Colorado they are a popular way of entertaining a crowd during the late summer and early fall when fresh corn is available.
This recipe comes from Leonard Wiggin. The Wiggins, intrepid Bostonians, homesteaded in northeastern Colorado in the 1870s, during the days of the open range and the big roundups. Milk-can suppers at the Wiggin Ranch near Grover, Colorado, are often followed by a fierce but friendly game of “ten-point pitch,” the still popular card game seen in old westerns.
When removing the lid, be careful to avoid the scalding steam. Two strong men wearing heavy oven mitts usually empty the can into the serving containers. We have seen everything from a wooden hog trough to a wheelbarrow to a washtub used as serving vessels. Guests usually serve themselves and move on to a separate table set up with accompaniments.
25 ears sweet corn, shucked (reserve a few husks for lining can)
25 medium red potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
3 pounds carrots, peeled and halved
6 medium onions, peeled and quartered (optional)
4 heads green cabbage, cored and quartered (optional)
50 Polish or German sausages, or for a spicier taste include some chorizo sausages
3 to 4 cups beer
Accompaniments:
Butter or margarine
Sour cream
Tossed green salad
Hot bread or biscuits
To prepare the fire, dig a shallow pit 8 inches deep by 20 inches wide. Place two cement blocks, which will support the milk can, on either side of the pit. Build the fire using about 10 to 15 pieces of hardwood (about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 15 inches long). When the embers are white hot, the fire is ready. (Continue to add wood little by little to maintain a slow, even temperature while cooking.)
Place a thin layer of corn husks on the bottom of a clean, unrusted 8- or 10-gallon milk can to insulate the food from the fire. Place the potatoes in the can, then add layers of carrots, onions, corn, cabbage, and sausages. If necessary, stuff the sausages into the can. Combine 3 cups of the beer and 3 cups of water and pour into the can. If your can has a lid, place it on gently to allow some steam to escape. (This is very important as a lid that is jammed on may cause steam to build up and blow both the lid and the contents of the can out the top.) If you do not have a lid, improvise one by placing a doubled sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the top of the can and crimping the edges.
Set the filled milk can on the cement blocks above the fire and cook gently for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Add more wood to the fire as needed. If the liquid in the can seems to be boiling away, add the remaining 1 cup of beer combined with 1 cup of water. Empty the can into serving containers. Serves 20 to 25

Easter Egg Bread
12 eggs in shell, uncooked
Easter Egg coloring
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
Grated peel of 2 lemons
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (110 to 115º)
2 eggs (at room temperature)
4 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour (about)
1 eggs, beaten
Tiny colored candies
Wash 12 uncooked eggs. Tint shells with egg coloring; set aside.
Scald milk; add sugar, salt, shortening and lemon peel. Cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve. Add to milk mixture with the 2 eggs, slightly beaten, and 2 1/2 c. flour. Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to form a dough that is easy to handle. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place free from drafts until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down; cover and let rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
Make 2 large braided rings or 12 individual rings as follows:
large Rings: Divide dough into 4 parts. From each part into a 36” rope. On a greased baking sheet, shape 2 of the ropes into a very loosely braided ring, leaving space for 6 eggs. Repeat with other 2 ropes of dough for second ring. Insert 6 tined eggs in spaces in each ring.
Individual Rings: Divide dough into 12 parts. Form each part into a ring around a tinted egg.
Cover; let rise until doubled.
Brush evenly with beaten egg. Sprinkle with tiny decorating candies.
Bake in moderate oven (375º) 15 minutes for individual rings, 20 minutes for large rings, or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Makes 2 large or 12 individual rings.
Note: Easter Egg Bread can be baked the day before. Refrigerate. At serving time, reheat in moderate oven (350º) 8 minutes.

Hot Cross Buns
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
3/4 t. salt
1/2 c. shortening
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (110 to 115º)
3 eggs
4 c. sifted all-purpose flour (about)
3/4 c. currants
1 egg white
1 t. cold water
White Frosting
Scald milk, add sugar, salt and shortening; cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve.
Add eggs, yeast and 1 c. flour to milk mixture; beat with electric mixer at medium speed about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the bowl. Stir in currants and enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough that is easy to handle. Beat well. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down. Turn onto lightly floured board.
Roll or pat to 1/2” thickness. Cut in rounds with 2 1/2” biscuit cutter; shape cutouts in buns. Place about 1 1/2” apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
With a very sharp knife, cut a shallow cross on top of each bun. Brush tops with unbeaten egg white mixed with cold water.
Bake in moderate oven (375º) 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks about 5 minutes. Then, with top of knife or teaspoon, fill in crosses on buns with White Frosting. Best served warm. Makes about 18 buns.
White Frosting: Combine 1 c. sifted confectioners sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. hot water. Mix until smooth.
Variation: Fruited Hot Cross Buns: With currants stir in 3 T. finely chopped candied orange peel and 3 T. finely chopped citron.

Amish Ham Loaf
Loaf Ingredients:
1 pound cured ground ham
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2/3 cup cracker crumbs
1/3 cup minute tapioca
1/4 cup milk
Dressing:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard
Mix loaf ingredients and form into a loaf. Boil dressing a few minutes. pour over loaf and bake in moderate oven (325-350ºF) about 2 hours basting occasionally. Dressing should become thick and syrupy.

Ham and Cheese Chowder
Leftover ham with bone in it
2 c. diced potatoes
1/2 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. onion
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 c. milk or non-dairy creamer
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. prepared mustard
1 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. Cheese Whiz or 1/4 lb. Velvetta cheese
1 T. parsley
Boil the ham bone. Strain off the broth. Add potatoes, celery, and onion to the broth. Boil for 15 minutes. Add butter. Combine flour with milk/creamer in a blender. Add flour/milk mixture to soup along with the pepper, mustard, and Worcestershire. When soup is thick add cheese and parsley. Add any ham that has been cleaned off the bone and heat through.

Breakfast Bundles
Pastry:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. masa harina
1 1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chilled butter
2 eggs, separated
3/4 c. ice-cold water
Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. milk
1 T. all-purpose flour
8 eggs
1/4 t. salt
pepper
1/2 c. finely chopped ham
1/2 c. grated cheese
1 T. butter
Preheat oven to 400º.
Combine flour, masa harina, sugar and salt. Cut in butter using pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk egg yolks and water together; slowly stir into flour mixtures, mixing until dough forms into a ball. (Add additional water, 1 T. at a time, if necessary.) Form dough into disk and wrap tightly; refrigerate while preparing filling.
Whisk cream cheese and milk together in med. sized bowl; add flour and whisk until smooth. Add eggs, salt, black pepper, and ham to cream cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.
Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add egg mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes until eggs are set but still moist. Remove pan from heat.
Cut dough in half and roll out to about 1/8” think. Cut out circles using a 4” round cookie cutter. Transfer circles to greased cookie sheet. Scoop filling onto dough. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Fold dough in half. Press down edges to seal. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.