Create This Fabulous Family Cookbook & Enjoy These Simple Recipes

The title page of the Krisper Cousins Cookbook calls it "A Collection of Wonderful Recipes from Four Generations of Krispers and their Families." Next, a family tree designed by one of the cousins displays names in the likes of a jelly jar, a popcorn bag, a potted plant. On successive pages, through photographs, you meet of each of the six Krisper sisters (only one of whom is still alive) as well as Mom and Dad, a.k.a. Bubbie and Zayde Krisper.

A four-page biography of the Krisper family opens with Bubbie and Zayde arriving in Pennsylvania from Warsaw, Poland in 1916. At dawn on Fridays, Bubbie began baking braided challahs and sweet babkas in her wood-burning stove, never measuring ingredients precisely. The yeasty aroma of fresh bread and sweet cinnamon smells filled the home. Later in the day, less fortunate neighbors lined up and Bubbe would give each a challah for the Sabbath dinner.

More reminiscences of growing up in a large, loving family end with Bubbe's advice to her daughter Brindel, "Your husband should always come first, your children second, then if you have a minute, you'll call your mother!"

The Krispers used Morris Press Cookbooks to make their family cookbook, whose pages fit neatly into a decorative blue three-ring binder with a cover picture of corn, raspberries and tomatoes. The approximate height of a hardback novel, the binder allows the book to open flat for easy reading. You and your family create your own table of contents. In theirs, the Krispers include Candy and Brunch. Read about the other sections below.

Appetizers & Beverages

A painting of a sprig of grapes graces the first divider page: Appetizers & Beverages. On the flip side of each divider, the publisher provides "Helpful Hints." One that I find helpful is:

• Allow 4-6 appetizers per guest if a meal quickly follows. If a late meal is planned, allow 6-8 . . . . If no meal follows, allow 8-10 pieces per guest.

I love the simplicity of the artichoke dip recipe: 1 12-ounce can artichoke hearts, 1 cup mayo (not fat-free), 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 clove crushed garlic. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle top with additional parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Soups & Salads

The page of hints on this divider include:

• Instant potatoes help to thicken soups and stews.
• A leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup absorbs grease from the top. Remove lettuce and serve.

This section includes a gazpacho throwdown, which apparently ended in a tie. One cousin's entry calls for 2 cups of bloody mary mix, which I intend to try next time instead of the tomato juice I usually use.

Main Dishes

Among this section's hints:

• Adding tomatoes to roasts helps to naturally tenderize the meat.
• Marinating is a cinch if you use a plastic bag.

The turkey burger recipe calls for 1 lb. ground turkey that you combine with ¼ tsp. each of pepper and kosher salt. Add 1 Tbl. olive oil, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbl. red wine vinegar, ¾ tsp. hot chili sauce, 1 Tbl. Dijon mustard and 1 Tbl. marjoram. Mix into turkey and form burgers. In an ovenproof skillet, sear burgers on both sides. Add ½ cup red wine, then roast in 350 oven for 10 minutes or so (until burgers' internal temperature reaches 165).

Breads & Rolls

Hints:

• When baking in a glass pan, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
• When in doubt, always sift flour before measuring.

A simple banana bread recipe: Mash 4 bananas with a fork and mix with 1 ½ cups flour. Stir in 1 egg, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda. Bake in greased loaf pan at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Desserts 

Hints:

• Keep eggs at room temperature when whipping egg whites to make meringue.
• Create a quick decorating tube by placing chocolate in a heat-safe zipper-lock plastic bag and immersing it in simmering water until the chocolate melts. Snip off the tip of one corner and squeeze the chocolate out of the bag.

I've always wondered how to make lemon squares and this recipe seems to meet my criteria of delicious and easy. Mix 1 stick melted butter with 1 cup flour and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Press into 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

For topping, mix 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup sugar, 3 Tbl. Lemon juice, 1 Tbl. Flour, ½ tsp. baking powder. Pour over baked crust. Bake and 350 for 15-20 minutes or more until brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool & cut.

This & That

This last section includes the index. In addition, the publisher provides pages of helpful information, such as descriptions of herbs and spices, a vegetable cooking time table, how to buy fruits and vegetables, decorative ways to fold napkins, equivalents, glossary of cooking terms, calorie counts and more.

The Krisper family had a blast creating their family cookbook and so can you; it's a great project for the holidays!

Disclaimer: I'm worried it's not obvious from the text that I have not personally tried any of these recipes but they all sound no-fail to me. One of the Krisper cousins is a dear friend and a marvelous cook. Her lemon squares recipe appears above.

What projects has your extended family embarked on? I'd love to see your comments and/or a favorite simple recipe!

Check out my other cooking-related articles:

• A QUICK, EASY, DELICIOUS, ONE-DISH, LOW-CAL MEAL WITH COUNTLESS VARIATIONS
• YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE JEWISH TO MAKE GREAT CHICKEN SOUP
• EASY, ECONOMICAL, CROWD-PLEASING PASTA