Fine Cooking Recipes

Recipes for fine cooking are on my sister’s mind every time she steps into her kitchen. Shirley was born in 1931 with the cooking basics, much like the rest of my family. Although she is very humble about her cooking, I will tell you that everything she prepares is very delicious. Whenever I am back in Ohio, she usually cooks breakfast.


Shirley has always been beautiful and a wonderful sister. When I was little, she would dress me up and take me shopping. As I got a little older and was in Brownies, I would walk to her house each week after our Brownie meeting. Mom would go into town to my sister’s house and meet me there.


When Shirley’s husband came home from work he would eat with us and then he would go bowling with his league. He always liked my sister’s spaghetti and so did I, so on Wednesdays my sister always had spaghetti. My memories yet today are how good her recipes for fine cooking were even then.


Aside from all her fine cooking, Shirley always had time to do fun things with me. At Halloween, she would dress up in old clothes, put pillows in her pants and go out begging with me. We would laugh the whole evening. I still remember her trying to keep those pillows from falling out.


Our whole family looked forward each summer to our big family reunion. The reunion and Dad’s work picnic were our highlights of the summer. Shirley and my other sisters would gather with Mom in the kitchen planning the fine cooking for the big day.


They cooked for days and so did the families who would be there. When we all arrived at the farm where it was held, everyone put their food out and it was endless. We all ate so much fine cooking. Shirley was so afraid of gaining weight that she would exercise continuously. She never did gain weight and always looked so pretty.


When I was in high school, I was even closer to Shirley. She was so good to me. Not only would she let me borrow her clothes to wear but she was always buying me new clothes. I would walk to her house after school. Many times she would say “let’s go up town and buy you some new things.” How many girls had sisters like that?

my sister shirley's fine cooking recipes

Shirley always stayed up on the latest style. One day I showed up wearing the latest in school;  tennis shoes and nylon stockings. Back then we all had to wear skirts or dresses. Shirley was appalled to see this combination and she didn’t mind telling me so. What was funny was that not too long afterward, she started wearing the same thing!


You will hear about Shirley’s two sons, Mike and Chuck from my website. They are great and contribute a lot of input about fine cooking to Painless Cooking. The internet is beyond Shirley and she has no interest in learning about it. Chuck, Mike and I decided not to tell my sister (their mom) that her picture floats on the web all over the world!


Every year Shirley finds a place in her fine cooking for making two of our favorite holiday recipes. She prepares these holiday candy recipes, peanut butter balls and coconut balls before Thanksgiving. While we were up there she gave us a pretty can of them with instructions “not to open until Christmas.


Did my sister really think that would happen? Before we got back home they were gone! Like Mike put it, “We are in the dog house now”. I know my sister will forgive us and we couldn’t have enjoyed them more. The following are a few of the recipes which my sister has shared with me over the years.

COCONUT BARS RECIPE

  • ¾ Cup butter
  • ¾ Cup powder sugar
  • 1 ½ Cups flour
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • ½ Teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ Cup coconut
  • ½ Cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

Mix together butter, powder sugar, and 1 ½ cups flour. Press evenly into 9x13 inch ungreased pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until set.

Combine the eggs, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, baking powder, salt, coconut and pecans; Mix thoroughly and spread over baked layer. Bake for 20 minutes and cool before cutting.

COCONUT BONBONS RECIPE

  • 3 Pounds powder sugar
  • 3 Ounces cream cheese
  • 1 Cup soft butter
  • 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 24 Ounces shredded coconut

Mix all together thoroughly and shape in balls; Refrigerate. Dip in melted dipping chocolate.

BUCKEYE CANDY RECIPE

Buckeye Candy RecipeBuckeye Candy Recipe
  • 1 Pound powder sugar
  • ½ Cup soft butter
  • 1 ½ Cups peanut butter
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Mix all together thoroughly and shape into balls; Refrigerate. Dip in melted dipping chocolate.

CORN FRITTER RECIPE is always a fine cooking recipe

This corn fritter recipe dusted with powdered sugar is part of my sister’s fine cooking.

  • 2 Cups self rising flour
  • ¼ Teaspoon sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • ½ Cup drained whole kernel corn
  • Milk to moisten
  • Cooking oil to deep fry
  • Powdered sugar

Combine and mix all ingredients; drop by tablespoonfuls into hot oil.

Cook until golden brown on all sides; drain on paper towels.

Sift powdered sugar over all and roll in it; serve warm.

BEST PEACH PIE RECIPE

Whenever you are doing fine cooking for a special occasion, this is the best peach pie to serve; the peaches still taste fresh because they are not baked.

  • 1 Baked pie shell (9 inches)
  • 2 Cups boiling water
  • ½ Cup cold water
  • 2 ½ Cups sugar
  • ¾ Cup cornstarch
  • 1/8 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Package orange Jell-O
  • 3 Cups sliced peaches
  • Sweetened whipped cream

Bring 2 cups water to boil in saucepan.
Make a paste of the cornstarch, sugar, salt and ½ cup cold water.
Stir paste into boiling water mixing well.
Cook over medium heat stirring until mixture is very thick about 3 minutes.
Add Jell-O stirring and cooking another minute.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice; chill overnight.
For each pie, toss 3 cups of ripe peaches with enough glace to coat; put in pie shell.
Refrigerate until serving; top with whipped cream.

BREADED PORK CHOPS RECIPE

Breaded pork chop recipes will be considered fine cooking if well seasoned and fried to perfection.

  • 4 pork chops
  • 1/8 Teaspoon black pepper plus more for chops
  • ½ Cup flour
  • ½ Teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Slightly beaten egg
  • 1/3 Cup milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ Cup crumbled Ritz crackers
  • Oil

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with black pepper; set aside.
Combine flour, Cajun seasoning, salt, paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in bowl; mix.
In another bowl combine egg, milk and Worcestershire sauce.
Coat chops with flour mixture, dip in egg mixture and coat with cracker crumbs.
Repeat process if desired for thicker crust.
Heat oil in large skillet; cook chops on both sides until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.