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Cookbook Review of the Month - August 2006

Pizza Cookbook coverThis is a fundraising cookbook produced by SS Peter and Paul Church in Herkimer, New York.  It is an incredible of collection comb-bound in an8 ½ x 11-inch format, over 637 pages long.  It was put together with a lot of love, and filled with recipes from some of the best cooks in Upstate New York.  There are several categories of recipes, pencil drawings, little quotes, pages of references, and words to live by.  It is reminiscent of the early Junior League Cookbooks in that they names of the contributors appear with all the recipes.  The book maintains a warmth and hominess throughout.  The Table of Contents is as follows:

  • Appetizers
  • Beverages
  • Barbeque
  • Yeast and Bread Rolls
  • Quick Breads
  • Canning, Pickling, & Preserves
  • Easter
  • Christmas Eve & Gift Giving
  • Thanksgiving
  • Fish & Seafood
  • Fruits & Desserts
  • Cakes & Frostings
  • Cheesecakes & Desserts
  • Chicken
  • Cookies & Candies
  • Rice, Pasta, and Potatoes
  • Salad, Gelatin Salad, and Dressings
  • Soups and Sandwiches
  • Thyme is of the Essence
  • Heavenly Ethnic Treasures
  • Meats
    • Beef
    • Lamb
    • Pork
    • Veal
  • Pies
  • Recipes for Kids Vegetables
  • Pot Pourri

There was so many mouthwatering recipes that it was difficult to choose the one to showcase in this review.  The recipes are simple, made with ingredients found in your kitchen, and comprehensive.  The recipes are indexed on the back of each section divider.  This cookbook is a must for cookbook collectors who love those fundraising and community cookbooks, cookbook collectors in general, and new cooks (you’ll find recipes for everything you need to get you started.)  The cookbook is available on our website in the product section under cookbooks.

Sample Recipes from the book:


Piroshki – Cream Cheese Dough

by the Cookbook Committee

Ingredients
  • 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
  • ½ pound butter
  • 2 ¼ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg

Knead cream cheese, butter, flour and salt into a dough and roll into a ball.  Wrap in waxed paper and chill for 4 hours.  Roll out onto a floured board to 1/8” thick and cut with a 2 1/2” round cutter. Fill and brush egg over the top.  Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.


Piroshki Meat Filling:

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 1 pound round of beef, ground 3-4 times
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley or dill weed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 package dry beef bouillon mix

To make the filling, heat the butter in a large, heavy frying pan.  Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until golden; do not brown.  Add the meat. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a fork to loosen the meat, for 10-12 minutes or until the meat is brown and crumbly.  Drain off the excess fat.  Add parsley, salt, pepper, eggs and bouillon.  Mix well.  Turn the mixture into a bowl and chill.  Remove any fat from the surface of the chilled meat.


Piroshki Mushroom Filling:

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • ½ pound fresh mushrooms
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup sweet or sour cream

Heat the butter in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes. Add the thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Stir in cream until thickened.

Note: Piroshki can also be filled with chopped liver, liver pate, crab, shrimp, lobster, chicken, or anything you wish.


This is one of the several pierogie recipes in the book as well as 2 of the several filling recipes you will find. There are so many recipes here that you will want to try; I know I found several recipes here that were delicious!

Book Title: Recipes Bless the Heart and Home
Authors: SS Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Herkimer, N.Y.
Category: Comprehensive general cookbook
ISBN:  
Publisher: Bresler Printing
Publisher address: 2528 South Side Road
Frankfort, New York 13340
Website or e-mail of publisher:
Published: 2002
Edition: 1st Edition
Description: Paperback
Illustrated: Pencil Drawings done by Anne Anthony
Photographs: No photographs
Price: $30.00
Reviewed by: Elise Feiner
  August 1, 2006

 

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