Pork Chops Royal

Jess, Dad, owned a restaurant, The Treble Clef, in St. Louis as a young man. He was also the chef and, from what I remember, he was very inventive. I believe it was at this restaurant that he invented Pork Chops Royal. My guess as to the year is 1938 or so, maybe someone out there can give me a more accurate date. I believe this picture was taken before Mom and Dad got married, once again corrections are encouraged. This holds 2 recipes, the first is the original recipe by Jess, and the second is an updated, easier, and dare I say, tastier version by Amy Kellerman Armstrong.

Pork Chops Royal
Jess Kellerman, 1930’s

Preheat oven to 350˚F

6 – 8 pork chops or pork steaks
Brown sugar
Ketchup
1 lemon, sliced in thin slices

Place pork chops in pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer
9 X 13 or 11 X 15 pan
Sprinkle lightly with the brown sugar
Pour ketchup over top – cover sparingly
Place one thin slice of lemon on each pork chop

Bake at 350˚F for 30 to 40 minutes, until all pink is gone from meat

This looks pretty when served with the lemon slice and red sauce

Recipe invented by Jess Kellerman in the 1930’s

Pork Chops Royal, Updated
Amy Kellerman Armstrong, 1990’s

Preheat oven to 350˚F

6 – 8 pork chops, or pork steaks

Mix Together:
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
Squirt of yellow mustard
2 teaspoons dried onion
Juice from 1 lemon

Place pork chops in pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer
9 X 13 or 11 X 15 pan
Spread sauce over meat
Bake at 350˚F for 30 to 40 minutes, until all pink is gone from meat
Serve with thin slices of lemon to decorate

Recipe invented by Jess Kellerman in the 1930’s and revised by Amy Kellerman Armstrong in the 1990’s

Seven Layer Salad

This recipe came from Mom's (Ada Ruth) oldest sister, Valeria Blake. In the spring of 1974 I took Mon and Dad back to Missouri to visit friends and family. We stayed at Uncle Tony and Aunt' Sis's cabin on the Mermac River. Aunt Sis decided to have a mini pot luck gathering and she made this salad. It was the first time I had tasted a salad like this and immediately fell in love with it. You can make all kinds of substitutions for the vegetables, adding and subtracting what you like best.

Seven Layer Salad

1 head of lettuce finely chopped
1 package of frozen peas
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 green onion, chopped

Layer in order in a 9X13 pan or salad bowl

Mix together:
1 pint Best Foods Mayonaise
1-2 Tablespoons sugar

Spread evenly over vegetables, making a smooth frosting

Sprinkle with:
1/2 cup cheese, grated
8 slices of bacon, crisp -crumbled
or
6-8 ounces of ham, diced

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

Jess and Ada Ruth get a crock pot for Christmas

Every Kellerman must remember Mom and Dad's Vegetable Beef Barley Soup! I remember one time they were making a pot of soup, Mom had started it and Dad thought she hadn't put in the barley, so he added more. That was Barley Beef Vegetable soup. Mom was a little upset with Dad for his "help".

Terry and I had moved to Utah in the fall of 1976. I started craving this soup, but had no idea how to make it so it would taste like home. I called Mom and Dad on the phone, they were both on a phone, and had them give me the recipe. I don't make it too often, but when I do I make a BIG pot so I have plenty to freeze.

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

Soup bones - get some with meat on them

3 quarts of water

onions - dried - Tablespoon or so

1/2 cup barley - or so

Put into a large stock pot and bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour - or so

Add:

frozen vegetables - Use your favorite combination

I like: 1 bag mixed vegetables

1 bag corn

1 bag green beans

1 can whole tomatoes - or 1 can tomato paste - or 1 can tomato juice

Cook until vegetables are done and barley is tender

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Judy, at work, wasn't she cute? And young!!!

This recipe is from Ada Ruth Kellerman. Mom was given this recipe to bring to a Mother Daughter banquet at her church, Evangelical Free, in Tempe, Arizona, May, 1974. All the women bringing the main dish used the same recipe. It was interesting to see how different each casserole looked. Needless to say, Ada Ruth's, Mom, looked the most appetizing and tasted great.

I was an operating room nurse at Dessert Samaritan Hospital, about 1/2 mile as the crow flies from Mom and Dad's house. On more than one occasion I would call Mom in the middle of the morning and ask if she could bring me the casserole. She always said yes. One time my uncle had to take her to the store to get a chicken to stew so she could make the casserole. Talk about fresh!!! All the nurses, and a few lucky doctors, loved this casserole.

I have given this recipe to many friends over the years, it quickly became a favorite to all of them, the fact that it is easy to make is a real plus.

Now I often get a rotesserie chicken in the deli to make the recipe even easier.


CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

1 whole chicken – boiled, boned and chopped (or get a chicken at the Deli)
1 small ca of chopped green chilies
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
½ pint sour cream
3 – 4 green onions, chopped
6 oz Doritos, crushed
½ lb cheddar cheese, grated

Place crushed Doritos in bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish
Combine the rest of the ingredients, except cheese
Mix well
Pour over Doritos crust
Top with grated cheese

Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly hot

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving
Serves 6 or so

Delicious recipe
Freezes well, leave cheese off until ready to use
Recipe doubles or triples very well

Christmas Stollen

Every Saturday morning, while Jess supervised the cleaning chores we all were assigned, Ada Ruth would set a big bowl of yeast dough to raise. She did not seem to measure, but the bowl itself and the feel of the dough told her she had the right amount of yeast flour, eggs, milk and butter. For she wasn't making daily bread but the dough for sweet rolls, coffee cakes, caramel rolls. Every Saturday morning airmen would come to the house just about the time rolls were coming from the oven, the smells of cleaning products wiped out by cinnamon, hot raisins, lemon glaze and the heavenly smell of rich yeast bread. Not only sweet, rolls, but cakes, and pies were made every Saturday morning.

But for Christmas, stollen was made. The dough was richer and filled with candied fruit. Ada would roll a portion of the dough into a square, spread it with melted butter, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, raisins, dried fruit and roll into a long pinwheel. Then Ada would form it into a circle and carefully slash only part way into the ring. Each segment would be turned on its side, the top decorated with perfect half pecans or walnuts and green and red glace cherries and left to rise again and then baked until golden. Finally the top would be glazed with lemon jice and powdered sugar glaze while the stollen was still hot. A perfectly beautiful flower or a wreath for Christmas breakfast.

Every Christmas I make stollen for my family and special friends. I use the recipe that Ada used throughout my childhood. When she went to Arizona she learned a great many shortcuts but they weren't part of my memories, so I use the one that I watched her make. Only I have to measure the ingredients.

Christmas Stollen

Have all ingredients at about 75 degrees

Sift before measuring 6 to 8 cups of all-purpose flour (or bread flour).

Crumble 1 1/2 to 2 caakes of compressed yeast

or 3 tablespoons of dried yeast into 1 1/2 cups 85 degree scalded, cooled milk until dissolved. Add one cup of the sifted flour. Let this sponge rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

While it is rising sift your sugar.

Beat until soft 1 1/2 cups butter. Add the sugar gradually as you beat the butter. until it is light and creamy. Beat in one at a time 3 eggs

Add

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Add the raised sponge and the five cups flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Add the larger amount of flour if it is too soft and sticky. Let it rise until almost double in bulk.

While it is rising prepare your fillings.

Candied fruit with chopped pecans or

Chopped hazelnut with grated orange peel and cinnamon or

Chopped almonds with cherry preserves or

Poppy seeds ground with raisins, sugar, sour cream and cinnamon

Variations are part of the fun.

Toss the raised dough onto a floured board. I divide it into three parts and prepare each portion a different way. Usually I make a stollen, a caramel coffee cake, and a braided apple and raisin loaf. the braided loaf, alled Vanocka is supposed to represent the swaddled Christ Child.

I used the measurements from the stollen recipe in the Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer et al, but modify the procedure to do it as my mother did.

Pantry Shelf Refrigerator Rolls (aka SweetRolls, Parker House Rolls, Crazy Carmel Rolls)

This is one of the classic Kellerman recipes and a versatile one at that.

This is from Ada Ruth's kitchen and was perfected over time and many, many bakings. Ada Ruth found this recipe in a local newspaper in the mid 1960's. It replaced another yeast-dough recipe she used because she and Grandpa Jess liked how easy it was to make, that it used potato flakes and it tasted better! For me personally, this is my mom Judy's specialty. It really doesn't feel like a holiday if we don't have her carmel rolls, sweet rolls and parker house rolls - all made from the same dough. I was lucky enough to learn how to make this from my grandma Ada Ruth in my teens. However, I've only made it a couple times because it is difficult to do it bette than my mom. (note: For a yeast dough it is very easy!)

PANTRY SHELF REFRIGERATOR ROLLS

1 ½ cups dry instant potatoes 3 eggs

½ cup dry powdered milk 2 packages active dry yeast

¾ cup sugar 2 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt 5 or 6 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup salad oil

3 cups very hot tap water

In a large mixing bowl stir together the potato flakes, powdered milk, sugar, salt and oil.

Pour in the hot water and stir well.

Beat in eggs.

When cooled to lukewarm, add yeast and 2 cups of flour.

Beat for 5 minutes with electric mixer.

Let the sponge set until quite light and bubbly, about 1 hour in a warm place.

Stir in about 51/2 to 6 cups flour. Avoid adding too much flour; keep dough on the soft side.

Turn out dough onto a floured board and knead lightly until dough is smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly greased (buttered) bowl, turning once to grease surface.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down.

At this point, dough may be refrigerated for later use.

Recipe makes 6 dozen dinner rolls, or 3 dozen dinner rolls and 2 ½ dozen cinnamon rolls.

To make, simply shape, let double, bake in well greased pans for 12 to 15 minutes at 400˚F.

Parker House Rolls

Take ½ of the prepared dough and roll to slightly less than ½″ thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter, brush with melted butter and fold in half. Place in well greased pan 1/2″ apart and cover with plastic. Let double. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 400˚F until golden. Remove from oven and brush with butter.

Cinnamon Milk Buns

Take ½ of the prepared dough and roll into a rectangle, 15″ x 9″ x 1/3″ thick (approximately). Spread with 2 tablespoons softened butter and sprinkle with ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Roll into a long roll, starting on the long side, as for a jelly roll. Cut roll into 1″ slices. Place, do not crowd, in a 13″ x 9″ greased pan*. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes at 375˚F.

• For a stickier and softer bun try pouring over ½ cup evaporated milk just before putting in oven.

• *For Carmel rolls, pour ½ cup melted butter into bottom of pan, (cast iron skillet is good) to cover bottom, sprinkle with light brown sugar to cover butter lightly. Place cinnamon rolls on top and continue as above

  Turn out on lined tray, carmel topping will be on top.

Frost the rolls while warm with a thin confectioners’ sugar frosting dribbled over the tops of the rolls.

You may add pecans bits, raisins or red and green cherries for the holidays, or a brown sugar glaze for variety. This dough is also excellent for coffee rolls or coffee cake.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas dinner with Ada and Jess

One of the important ways that families can stay connected is by sitting around the table enjoying good food, sharing memories and laughter. We two cousins, Kimberly Kay and Meliors, have set up this website as a way for our far-flung family to share some of the pleasures of food and fellowship with eachother. Whether we are cooking in New Zealand or eating in New York; sharing meals with an extended family in Arizona or snacking in solitude in Florida, we can use this blog as a fun and delicious way to stay connected.

The theme is food and fellowship. We want you to contribute blog posts here: recipes, photos, memories, stories, songs and jokes from the Kellerman table and from other family tables you have enjoyed. Even if you never shared a meal with Jess and Ada Ruth, or your relationship to the Kellermans is but a distant twiglet on the family tree, we would love to have you join this party.

Don't be shy, if you have never blogged before, this will be an easy way to try it out. If we already have your email address you should be set up to post to this blog. You just have to log in at www.blogger.com. If its not working, just email Kimberly or Meliors and we'll gladly help you get started.

So, please, get out your handwritten recipe books and share a dish, with a photo or memory.

Ada's Devil's Food Cake

Grandma Ada Ruth gave this Devil's Food Cake recipe to Martha, who made it as her signature cake through most of my life. It is one of my most valued family heirlooms. I don't know where Ada got this recipe, does anyone else? Does anyone remember her baking this one?

This cake is virtually fool proof, responds well to an apparent infinite number of variations, stays moist for over a week if not entirely consumed sooner and is super easy to make. The secret is the sour milk (1 tbsp of vinegar in a cup then fill it up with milk and leave in a warm place til it starts looking like runny yoghurt) and I suspect this is responsible for the slightly reddish tone of the dark chocolate and the amazing, unique smell when you stir in a cup of hot water right at the end.

The cake is so moist it is delicious without being iced/frosted: just a sprinkle of icing/confectioners sugar makes it look elegant. And a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla icecream on the side for extra indulgence. However, any good chocolate icing turns this into a special occasion cake.

Extra-sinful variations I have tried and enjoyed have included:
- stirring cherries into the batter at the end
- replacing vanilla with brandy
- making in a bundt (tube) pan, or as cupcakes, and then hollowing out the middle and filling with chocolate mousse (there are still people who remember that version fondly from some 20 years ago!)


Grandma Ada Ruth's Devil's Food Cake

3 cups plain flour
2 cups white sugar*
6 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup sour milk
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

Sift the dry ingredients into a big bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients together.
Stir wet into dry until completely combined.
Stir in 1 cup of hot water.
Bake at 190/375 degrees until the top springs back (about one hour).

*I use half a cup less which stops the top of the cake from cracking, and is still sweet enough for my taste.

This portrait of Ada Ruth Taylor was sent to Jess when he was in France. At the same time portraits of ther first two babies ,Ruth Jean and Martha Taylor, and her Mother-in- law were taken and they were combined on a single card , small enough to fit in a breast pocket. I seem to remember the card said, ' Greetings from Home'