Grandma's Recipe Box

Next up from Grandma Quam's recipe file is a spice cake/coffee cake.   I decided to make muffins instead, with some modifications to the recipe. I used a  Krusteaz muffin mix and rhubarb chunks from the frozen aisle. I did this because  Grandma's recipe calls for several expensive spices, and fresh cranberries, which aren't in season right now.  The Krusteaz mix came with a small can of sweetened cranberries, but I didn't use them because I wanted to use fresh, in keeping with the spirit of Grandma's recipe. The muffins turned out great and were a huge hit not only with me, but with Dawn and Carl. I may try these again in the Fall, when cranberries are in season. Usually Ocean Spray sells them by the bag in the produce section.

This next installment from Grandma's recipe box is chow-chow. I am not going to make this recipe because it makes four gallons of chow-chow, which I could never eat up in my lifetime. But I have fond memories of jarred pickled chow-chow in Grandma's cellar, and it was a great way for Grandma to use surplus vegetables from her garden, carrying forth with the philosophy of her generation to not let anything go to waste. I may look for it in a grocery store, and just buy a single jar of it. Chow chow is great and can be used as a relish on hot dogs, eaten as a side to all kinds of meat, spooned atop a lettuce salad, etc. Here is her recipe: Chow-Chow -- Makes 4 gallons Chop a bunch of tomatoes fine and squeeze out water. Put in dish pan and add 1/2 cup salt and cover with vinegar. Add the following: 2 or 3 Tbsp. pepper               1 Tbsp. ground mustard 2 Tbsp. cinnamon                    1 doz...