SAUSAGE AND CABBAGE

8 Slices Bacon
4 Italian Sausages, casings removed
1 Large Onion, chopped
1 Large Cabbage, shredded
11/2 Cups Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cayenned Pepper to taste

1/2 Tablespoon Garlic, minced

In a large very deep skillet cook the bacon until crisp. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Put the sausages in the fat and fry for 4 or 5 minutes. Break the sausages up as you fry them not real small. Add the onion and continue to saute until onion starts to turn brown. Add the rest of the ings. and simmer until the cabbage is wilted.  Remove the lid and stir and simmer another 30 minutes until the broth is reduced. Serve hot.

SWEET PICKLES

4 Quarts Cucumbers, sliced
6 Medium White Onions, sliced
2 Green Bell Peppers, cubed
3 Cloves Garlic, cubed
1/3 Cup Canning Salt


Put all ings. in a bowl, not a metal one, and cover with ice for three hours. You can also add sliced carrots, cauliflower or any crispy vegs. with the cucumbers.
5 Cups Sugar or 3 Cups and 2 Cups White Syrup
1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seeds
2 Tablespoons Prepared Yellow Mustard
3 Cups White Vinegar

Bring spices, sugar and vinegar to a boil. Add the cucumber mixture. Bring the complete mixture back to another boil and boil for 2 minutes. Bottle and seal in sterile jars.

EASY HONEY CAKE

1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Honey
4 Eggs
1 CUp Strong Black Coffee(cold)

1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts
1 Tsp. Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Veg. Oil
Sift together:
3 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon All Spice
1 Teaspoon CInnamon

Beat sugar, honey. and eggs together well. Add sifted dry ings. alternately with coffee. Add vanilla, then oil, and nuts and beat well. Top may be garnished with almond halves.  Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Bake on 350  for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

GERMAN STYLE GREEN BEANS AND CABBAGE

1 Lb. Green Beans, washed and broke

4 Slices Bacon
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Medium Onion, chopped
3 Cups Cabbage, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook beans until tender-crisp. Saute bacon until crisp and set aside. Add vinegar, sugar, onion and cabbage to drippings in skillet. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in drained green beans. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes and top with crumbled bacon.

HERMAN THE MONKEY AND THE APPLE TREES

While sitting here looking at my blog I got to thinking about my father-in-law who has passed on. I am all the time writing about him as he was so funny. Now most people can't get alone with their in laws but he was just like my dad. We never did have a unkind word to say to each other. He was always as good to me as his son.
I was thinking about a monkey that one of his friends had given him. His name was Herman and I believe that had to be one of the most meanest creatures going. My father-in-law was a animal lover and you would never know what would turn up at his front door. I have seen him many times take care of a bird or dog, etc. that someone had sit off to die and get it well again.
Anyway, this monkey was just a small beige one with a big and I mean big long tail. He had it in a cage in the hall way and ever time he would pass by it it would reach out and grab his pencils or pins that he carried in his pocket. That would really make him mad but he still kept it. One day someone left the cage open and Herman got out. Oh, boy what a time it was. He tried to catch him, his wife tried, my husband and no one could get him. He would go from room to room swinging. So Herman got mad because everyone was after him. All at once we heard the biggest noise in the back bedroom. He had throwed a lamp I believe. Next came my mother-in-laws home interior figurines. Pictures went sailing off the wall and I mean he was demolishing that bedroom. So since no one could catch him I believe they opened up a window and out he went. Where did he go, down to my father-in-laws apple trees. Now no one was allowed to touch those apple trees. We all went running down in the back yard and here went Herman climbing higher and knocking off all of the green apples. By that time all of us was mad because it was one of the old time Lock apple treees and the best one they had. We called, begged, got him something he liked to eat to no adveil. So we all went back up to the house,  left the window open and a little later in came Herman, got in his cage and shut the door. Now isn't that just like a monkey.
 He took him to a pet shop and the man bought him. He was at the mall and saw a monkey all dressed up riding a bicycle on a tightrope. Now who do you think it was, Herman.
That just goes to show you some people can tame anything. His wife told him that was one animal that he would never have another one like it in the house.
Talk about having a mess to clean up we did. We had enough apples left to put some in the freezer but the ground was covered in little green apples that day. They were to little to be ate with a salt shaker like we all liked to sneak and do. If he only knew how many times we all would sneak and eat them that would be something because no one was allowed to touch them until they were red. A few years ago lightening hit the tree and uprooted it. It was one of the best apple tree around and the apples were not good until the first frost hit them. We all miss Herman and the apple tree and my father-in-law. But don't never get a monkey for a pet unless you raise it from a tiny baby up where you can teach him to be gentle and mind..........

CUKE AND TOMATO SALAD

2 Tomatoes
2 Cucumbers
1 Purple Onion or Sweet Onion
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar

Peel and slice the cucumbers. Chop the onion and tomatoes. Put in a large mixing bowl. Mix up the dressing in another bowl. Pour over the vegs. and ref. After letting it set in the ref. stir again before serving. You can also use the zesty italitan dressing over this instead of the vinegar, sugar and water. I would use 1/2 bottle of the dressing. Can also add green chopped bell peppers if you like.

COKE-COLA CAKE

All of us know how a good ole Coke will tendrize meat but here is a recipe for a Coke-Cola cake that is so good. Do not use any diet coke in this recipe.


1 Box White Cake Mix
4 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
8 Tablespoons(1 stick) Blue Bonnet Marg., melted
1 Cup Coke-Cola
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
11/2 Cups Marshmallows
Frosting:
8 Tablespoons(1 stick) Blue Bonnet marg.
4 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/3 Cup Coke-cola
4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13 x 9 cake pan. Set the pan aside.
Put the cake mix, cocoa powder, melted butter, cola, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla in a bowl. Mix with a electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides with a spatula. Increase the speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. The batter should be well blended. Fold in the marshmallows. Pour into pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until it comes away from the side. Frost the cake while still warm.

Frosting: Place the butter in a saucpan as it melts, stir in the cocoa powder and the cola. Let the mixture come to just a boil, stirring constantly and then remove from the heat. Stir in the powdered sugar until it is thick and smooth. Fold in the pecans. Spread the frosting on top of the cake and let it go out to the sides. Let cake cool 30 minutes before serving it.