Grandma Grello's Pineapple Zucchini Bread

Every summer we wait for our garden to produce zucchini so that we can make Grandma's bread. It's great as is, or grilled. You can add fill-ins of your choice: nuts, raisins, currants or chocolate chips. This makes two 9x5 loaves; one to eat, one to freeze. You'll need more than one zucchini usually, depending on the size.

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 small can well-drained crushed pineapple
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg

other fill-ins of your choice

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl with wooden spoon.
Pour into two greased 9x5 loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

Marinated Green Beans

This is another recipe that originated from Grandma Grello, and we have been making it at our house for years. It's a summer favorite and our kids love it. Sunday night at Grandma Grello's house, Alexandra called the green bean salad "the long broccoli" when asking for seconds.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans

1/3 cup blend of olive oil and canola oil

1/4 cup white vinegar or cider vinegar

salt

pepper

parsley

garlic

Directions

Bring salted water to a boil in 2 quart sauce pan.

Drop in green beans (snapped.)

Bring to boil and cook for 10-15 minutes uncovered.

Remove with slotted spoon.

Don't drain or rinse.

Place in bowl that has marinade in it.

Marinate for several hours.

Remove garlic and serve. (We just leave the garlic in.)

Grandma Grello's Christmas Prune Cookies

This recipe, as it turns out, is from Aunty Madeline to Grandma Grello. From what I can see on the card itself, the amount of brandy used has increased tremendously since it first was written; from 1/4 cup to 1 whole cup. Not sure if any of that is for drinking on the side or not!  Grandma was quite concerned when I questioned her about this recipe, that I didn't really "have it down" and that I needed to really see it in person to truly understand it. So for now I am posting it as is, but I hope to really get to see it in person and then I can add to this post as needed. 

Ingredients:

Dough

6 cups of flour

3 tsp. baking powder

6 eggs beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 cup crisco

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

Filling

2 boxes of prunes (24 oz.)

1/2 pound raisins (1 1/2 boxes)

two 10 oz jars of maraschino cherries drained and chopped

1 cup sugar

1 cup of brewed black coffee (in which you cook the cherries)

1 cup of brandy

Directions:
Boil the prunes and raisins in one cup of black coffee. Cool.

Then drain and add the drained and chopped cherries and the cup of sugar.

Add one cup of brandy.

Roll out dough (she says here two recipes of dough makes 13 strips.)

Fill with prune/raisin/cherry filling and roll.

There currently is nothing written here about a glaze for the tops. However, Valerie has told me in the past that the egg buscuit recipe is the same as the prune cookie recipe (minus the filling) so the glaze may be that glaze. Guess we need the egg buscuit recipe next!

Grandma Grello's French Meat Pies

An old family favorite! Grandma Grello is famous for her French Meat Pies. During the many, many years that she was traveling to Florida for the winter, she'd spend her fall months making dozens of pies and giving them to all of us for our freezers to last us the winter. Then, on our end, it was the task of saving the pies til *just* the right meal to truly enjoy them the most. You didn't want to use up both your pies too soon, or waste them on a rushed meal. As a kid, I didn't love them, but as an adult, there's nothing like them and I think of Grandma Grello with every bite.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean hamburg

1 pound lean ground pork

salt to taste

1 small onion chopped

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp parsley flakes

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp mace

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning or sage

2 c water

2 tsp corn starch

1/4 pound crushed saltines (one row)

Directions:

Saute meat until it loses its color.

Add seasonings and water and cook meat for at least one hour.

Stir in corn starch then add crackers.

Cool before baking. 

Bake 425 for 15 minutes

350 for 35 minutes

For Crust:

2 cups flour

3/4 cup shortening

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup cold water