COOK OF THE WEEK - VFW AUXILIARY

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, an armistice was signed to end the hostilities of the First World War. On Nov. 11, 1919, President Wilson proclaimed it a day to remember the signing of that document and the idea was a suspension of business at the 11th hour. On June 4, 1926 it was officially recognized as the end of the war. On May 13, 1938, Armistice Day, as it was then known, became a legal holiday; and on June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veteran’s Day to honor all who had served their country in military service. Since Sunday is Veteran’s Day, the next two cook columns will be dedicated to our veterans and two organizations whose goal is to help our veterans and their families, The American Legion and The VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars). This week’s column features the VFW. The VFW traces its roots back to 1899, when veterans who served in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to help returning veterans, many who were wounded or sick. Veterans were left to fend for themselves after their service as there was no medical care or pension for them. Membership grew quickly in the organization, 5,000 by 1915 and 200,000 by 1936. Now the membership tops over 2.1 million with their main mission: “To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflict. To serve our veterans, the military, and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.” In 1914, the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW was founded with their goal to help veterans and their families and has become the backbone of the VFW volunteer efforts. Today the Ladies Auxiliary is involved in many activities in addition to supporting the VFW and its causes. The Auxiliary is involved in community service, funding cancer research, fighting drug abuse and illiteracy, advocating the rights of the elderly, supporting the VFW National Home, Special Olympics and other worthy causes. Humboldt County saw two VFW Posts and their Auxiliaries Chartered. The Sathers-Odgaard Post #5240 in Humboldt and the Seaquist-Pruitt Post #7083 in Bradgate. Started in the late 40s and 50s these posts continue to serve veterans and their families in Humboldt County as well as promoting veterans’ rights statewide and nationally. Currently the Sathers-Odgaard Auxiliary is the only active Humboldt County VFW Auxiliary. The following recipes come from a few of the members of VFW Auxiliary #5240. This one from Monie Joiner is bound to bring back some memories of a certain café in Humboldt popular quite a few years ago:Pig Hip SandwichesMonie JoinerDressing:1/2 cup mayonnaise2 tablespoons catsup1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon vinegarSalt (to taste)1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce Mix all ingredients for dressing together. Butter both sides of hamburger bun and toast in the broiler. Remove and spread each side of bun with the dressing. Fill bun with lettuce and a slice of ham (or other cold meat).Sugared PecansMonie Joiner(makes a great Christmas gift)1 pound pecans1 egg white1 tablespoon water1 cup white sugar1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon cinnamon Beat egg white and water to froth, add pecans and stir to coat. In a plastic bag combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add pecans a little at a time and shake well to cover with sugar mixture. Place pecans on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place pecans on waxed paper to cool.Chicken LogMonie Joiner(2) 8 ounce packages cream cheese1 tablespoon A-1 steak sauce1/2 teaspoon curry powder1-1/2 cups chicken chopped (or substitute 3 cans chicken, drained)1/3 cup chopped celery1/4 cup slivered almonds Mix all ingredients together, chill. Divide mixture in half and roll each half into a log and then roll in almonds. Serve on crackers or cocktail bread.Curry DipMonie Joiner1 cup mayonnaise1 teaspoon horseradish1 teaspoon garlic salt1 teaspoon sweet pickle juice1/2 teaspoon curry powder Mix all together and use as a dip for fresh vegetables.Easy MeatloafIona Benz2 pounds ground beef2 eggs1 box Stove Top stuffing mix1 cup water1/2 cup barbecue sauceketchup (to taste)1 onion chopped In a large bowl, mix ground beef, eggs, onion, stuffing mix, and water. Put into a loaf pan. In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce and ketchup, and spread over the top of the meatloaf. You can also add any other flavors/spices you like. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.Best BrowniesIona Benz1 cup sugar1 stick margarine4 eggs1 cup flour1 large can of Hershey’s syrup Beat sugar, margarine, eggs and flour; add chocolate syrup and mix well. Bake in a jelly-roll pan (12-1/2 x 17-1/2 x 1) at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.Impossible Peanut ButterCookiesIona Benz1 cup sugar1 egg1 cup peanut butter Mix sugar and egg. Add peanut butter and stir well. Place on ungreased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls, press down with fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on rack.Amish Bread for the BreadMachineTammy Harms1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup of oil1/2 teaspoon salt2-3/4 cups flour1 teaspoon bread machine yeast or rapid rise yeast Place all ingredients in bread machine in order, set to regular loaf light crust setting. Makes a 1.5 pound loaf. (I have made this with half white flour and half whole wheat also). Cheeseburger Casserole1-1/2 to 2 pounds ground turkey or ground beef1 can cream of chicken soup1 can of cheddar cheese soup (nacho cheese soup works too)1 package of French fries (you can also use tater tots)1 cup of shredded Velveeta or cheddar cheese Brown the meat and drain it well. Mix the soups into the meat and then dump into the crockpot. Add the French fries to the top and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Twenty minutes before serving, sprinkle the cheese on top. Taco Snack Crackers2 packages of soup crackers1 package of taco seasoning1 cup of oil Dump the crackers in a very large bowl. Pour the oil over them and then sprinkle on the taco seasoning mix. Stir them gently and then stir them every 30 minutes, gently until oil is absorbed. Store in airtight container or Ziploc bags. The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.