Recipes of the Stars

[stellabluegrl]

I myself love to cook, and with a little research I've come across some of the classic stars favorite recipes. I particularly love to bake, so I will start by listing a few cookie and brownie recipes. PLEASE feel free to contribute!

 

Since Kate Hepburn is TCM's star of the month....I'll start with a few of her recipes. I hope this can turn into a fun thread!

[stellabluegrl]

*Katharine Hepburn's Brownies*

 

 

Melt in medium saucepan on low heat:

2 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate

1 stick butter

 

Stir in:

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

 

Blend completely. Then, quickly stir in:

1/4 cup flour

 

Pour mix into a greased square baking pan.

 

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. If not done, give it five more minutes, check again, and repeat as necessary. Different pans require different times.

 

This from Laurie Colwin's *More Home Cooking: A Writer Returns to the Kitchen. She writes that it is, apparently, the Hepburn family recipe.

 

[stellabluegrl]

*Katharine Hepburn's Lace Cookies*

 

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup raw sugar

 

 

 

2/3 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar

1 1/3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

 

* Beat butter, egg and vanilla together until smooth.

* Add raw sugar, brown sugar and flour to egg mixture, mix thoroughly. Stir in walnuts.

* Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.

* Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes. Cool on baking sheet. makes 2 1/2 dozen.

 

 

[stellabluegrl]

Re: Brownies

 

After adding flour, add 1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

 

Directions....

 

Melt together butter unsweetened chocolate and take the saucepan off heat. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla, and beat the mixture well. Stir in flour and salt. You may also add walnuts at this point. Bake the brownies in a buttered and floured 8-inch-square pan at 325?F for about 40 minutes.

[stellabluegrl]

I'll throw in one of Spencer Tracy's favorite's too....

 

*Spencer Tracy's Roast Beef Pie*

 

Cold roast beef

Butter

Sliced onions

Potatoes

 

Milk

Salt, pepper

Flour

Tomato sauce

 

From a cold roast beef, or any other leftover roast, chop enough pieces to fill your baking dish half full.

 

Put the chopped beef into a stewpan with a lump of butter, some sliced onion, and seasoning of salt and pepper.

 

Now add water to make plenty of gravy. Thicken it with a teaspoonful of flour. Cover the pan and let the ingredients stew slowly.

 

Meanwhile, boil enough potatoes to fill up the rest of the baking dish, after the stewed meat has been transferred to it.

 

The potatoes must be boiled done - mashed smooth and beaten up with milk, butter and seasoning - just as if they were being served alone.

 

Just before the dish is placed into the oven, brush a slightly beaten egg over the top of the potatoes. Let it remain in the oven long enough to brown. Make sure there is enough gravy left with the beef, so the dish will not become dry and tasteless.

 

Serve with tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or any other sauce you like.

 

Spencer Tracy

 

 

[bansi4]

Hattie McDaniel's Ice Box Cake

 

1/2 lb. of butter

1lb. powdered sugar

six eggs

1 ts vanilla

1lb graham crackers

1 1/2 pint of whipping cream

1 cup pecans

 

Cream butter and add powdered sugar a little at a time.

seperate yolks of eggs from the whites, and add yolks one at a time.

Mix throughly after each yolk is added.

Fold in beaten whites.

Add Vanilla.

Whip the cream and add.

Mix in the pecans.

Roll fine with a rolling pin.

Crumb the graham crackers.

Use a loaf cake pan.

Use wax paper and fit in pan neatly allowing enough to hang over on each side of the pan so that the cake can be lifted out with paper when ready.

Put a layer of crumbs and a layer of filling. Layer crumbs and filling alternately. Let the last layer of crumbs be on the top.

Put in refrigerator (or use an icebox if you have one)

until cold and it is ready to serve.

When ready, remove from pan by lifting from the ends of the waxed paper, lay on a board, slice and serve.

 

We tried it and it was yummy. Later on I'll print Hattie's Fried Chicken a la Maryland and her recipe for Dumplings.

 

Mongo

[bansi4]

Correction:

 

Roll the graham cracker crumbs fine with the rolling pin

NOT the filling.

 

Mongo

[Guest]

Oh, roll the crumbs! Crap! Now I know why my cake is screwed up (what a mess)...

 

[grin]

[stellabluegrl]

*Gary Cooper's Veal Parmigiana*

 

4 veal cutlets

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

6 tablespoons olive oil

8-ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 lb. Mozzarella cheese

 

Pound cutlets (totaling about 1 1/4 lbs) with mallet. Mix salt, pepper and eggs. Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

 

Dip cutlets in egg, then in crumbs. Heat oil in dutch oven or casserole.

 

Add cutlets and saute until golden brown - about 5 minutes on each side. Pour tomato sauce around cutlets and top with slices of Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

[stellabluegrl]

Mongo, that cake sounds great! And antar, just the thought of you baking a cake cracks me up for some reason

[Guest]

Well, though I wasn't serious about the failed cake, if I were to try making it, something bad would happen. Frozen pizzas are about all I do/can bake!

[classicsfan1119]

Oh, you guys...this is a marvelous thread! Antar, you and I will have to take careful notes, for sure (grin). If it doesn't come out of a package, box, carton, or can, I'm in real trouble in my kitchen....well, almost anyway.

 

A question for Stella...does "raw sugar" mean "granulated" sugar...or am I going to have to fly down to Cuba to get it?

 

I hope this thread grows and grows! Thanks for starting it, Stella!

[stellabluegrl]

I'm so glad you like the idea of this thread, ML! I will admit I had been considering starting this thread for some time, but I didn't know how it would be received so I was hesitant. Oh, and I should let you know....I plan on posting many of the stars favorite recipes without trying them out myself first (having kids in the house limits what I can make), so don't blame me if they turn out to be awful .

 

Go ahead with the "granulated" sugar, ML. Same difference in my book. Oh, and I should have mentioned in my previous post that Katharine Hepburn really had a thing for brownies (one more reason to like her in my book ).

[classicsfan1119]

Thanks, Stella. It looks like you and Mongo might be the only two people in the world who have access at the moment to the "Recipes of the Stars"...but I'm betting that others will filter in as time goes on, at least I sure hope so! ML

[moirafinnie2004]

When I saw this great topic, a bell went off in my head. I remembered coming across this veddy English recipe, though I've never made it myself. The "hot bubbling fat" part sounds like Basil R. was in character for one of his villianous roles when he wrote this out. In any case, I'd be careful!.

 

Basil Rathbone?s Yorkshire Pudding

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place shallow cooking pan in oven to heat.

2 c. flour

2 c. milk

2 eggs

1 2/3 T hot fat

 

Sift flour and salt together. Make a small hollow in center of flour mixture and add unbeaten eggs and a little of the milk. Gradually add in the flour and salt mixture and incremental amounts of milk, until about half the milk is blended and then beat until smooth using a wooden spoon. Place hot bubbling fat in cooking pan in oven, pour Yorkshire pudding mix in immediately and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with roast beef and gravy.

 

[moirafinnie2004]

1 2/3 T hot fat= 1 2/3 Tablespoons hot fat, by the way.

[stellabluegrl]

Well Basil Rathbone?s Yorkshire Pudding sounds very similar to my family's recipe. The only differences are we use 1 cup of flour instead of two, 1 1/2 cups milk & 1/2 tsp. salt. We do use two eggs. The directions are the same except for the fact we let it sit for an hour before baking (they rise better) and instead of putting it in one big pan we use muffin tins (this recipe will make about 9 or 10 Yorkshire's), that way you have cute little individual Yorkshire's. Oh, and as far as the "hot fat" goes....use the beef drippings from the roast or melted butter and use a basting brush to coat pan and fill half full with batter. Trial and error has taught us that baking these in a 450 oven for 15 minutes and then turning the oven down to 425 for 15 minutes (when using muffin pan) is the best method (they will fall in the middle a tad no matter how you make them). Oh, and place pan on middle oven rack.

 

These are SO good with roast beef. Basil Rathbone had great taste!

[stellabluegrl]

Alfred Hitchcock's Quiche Lorraine

 

I personally LOVE quiche, and I was thrilled to find this recipe of Alfred Hitchcocks! I plan on trying this one out; but I do plan on cheating and using one of those Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts.

 

Tart Pastry

 

2 cups pastry flour

1/2 cup butter

1 egg yolk

salt

about 1/4 cup cold water

 

 

Filling

 

2 or 3 slices, cooked, diced ham

2 onions, sliced

4 eggs

a grain or two cayenne

light grating nutmeg

2 cups hot milk

 

* Work lightly together pastry flour, butter, egg yolk, a pinch of salt and cold water.

* Chill the dough 1 hour, or until it is needed.

* Roll out half the dough to line the pie pan. Prick here and there with the point of a knife and crimp the edge with the tines of a fork. Save the rest of the pastry for another pie.

* Scatter diced ham on the crust.

* Saute' sliced onions in butter until they are soft, but not brown; spread over ham.

* In a saucepan beat 4 eggs with a good pinch of salt, a grain or two of cayenne and a light grating of nutmeg.

* Gradually add 2 cups of hot milk, beating continually with a wire whisk.

* Continue to beat the mixture over a low fire until the custard begins to thicken.

* Pour it into the tart shell and bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 30 minutes or until custard is set and the top is golden. Serve hot, directly from the pan.

 

[bansi4]

The following recipe is from former child star Virginia Weidler the sweet kid who played little Mary in "The Women", and Hepburn's sister Dinah in "The Philadelphia Story". Sadly she had a heart condition for most of her life and died at age 42.

 

Virginia's Molasses Ginger Cookies

 

1 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1/4 cup sour milk

2 tsps. soda

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

21/2 cups flour

 

Cream the shortening, add the butter and cream together until light and fluffy.

Sift together the soda, ginger, salt and flour and add it to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk.

Add only a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

Chill for fifteen to thirty minutes, then roll thin and bake on buttered baking sheet in moderate oven for twelve minutes.

For icing, use two egg whites, beaten stiff, with two tablespoons of corn syrup beaten into it.

You can tint the icing pink or green with fruit coloring.

You can also decorate the cookies with cinnamon or chocolate drops.

 

This recipe is from a 1941 movie magazine.

 

Mongo

[stellabluegrl]

Gonna have to try that one out Mongo! Oh, and I remember the first time I ran into a recipe for sour milk and didn't know what the hell to do. My mom gave me the answer....

 

Substitution for Sour Milk

 

1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice plus

regular milk to make 1

cup - let stand 5 minutes

[sandykaypax]

This is a fun thread! Wasn't Vincent Price a gourmet cook? Anyone have a copy of his cookbook at home?

[classicsfan1119]

Stella...your Hitchcock's Quiche Lorraine recipe got "bleeped"! I can't believe it! I guess that you should have said "pierced" instead??? LOL!

 

I've never heard of putting an egg in a pastry crust. Do you suppose that makes it better somehow than a regular pastry crust for Quiche? I think I'll check other Quiche recipe's to see which one they use. ML

[Guest]

What? We can't say prick? That's an outrage!

[moirafinnie2004]

Sandy, this is a recipe that my mother used--it is good and it is one of Vincent's. Even the okra is palatable, thuogh she tended to use canned okra that came with a tomato sauce, (you can substitute zucchini too, though not as authentic).:

 

Vincent Price's Chicken and Seafood Gumbo

 

2 medium white onions, peeled

1 large stalk celery with leaves

1/2 cup fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 stick sweet butter (more if needed)

2 shallots, peeled and minced

3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp. thyme 2 2/3 lbs. medium-size frozen shrimp, thawed

1 lb. scallops

1 can (16 oz) tomatoes

1 can (7 1/2 oz) salsa

2 cups chicken stock, canned or homemade

1 pkg. frozen whole okra, thawed, or 2 cups fresh diced okra

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

 

Put onion, celery, parsely and 1 clove garlic through Cuisinart or chop.

Cook onion, celery, parsley and garlic together in 4 tbsps. butter until vegetables are tender; set aside.

Saute' shallots lightly in 2 tbsps. butter in separate skillet; lift out shallots and reserve.

Brown chicken breasts on both sides in shallot butter. Cook chicken and cut into fairly large pieces, preferably same size as scallops.

Melt 2-3 tbsps. butter in separate skillet; press remaining garlic in melted butter; add thyme.

Saute' shrimp lightly in garlic butter until they begin to turn pink; lift out.

Lightly brown scallops in remaining butter; set aside.

Combine onion-parsley mixture with tomatoes, salsa and chicken stock; simmer over low heat, uncovered, until flavors "marry" and volume is slightly reduced.

Thirty minutes before serving, reheat tomato-vegetable stock with chicken. Add okra and seafood; cook 5 to 8 minutes before serving, making certain gumbo is piping hot.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Delicious over hot, steaming rice!

The secret to making a great gumbo is cooking each component separately. I flavor each separately. The dish can be made ahead, then assembled just before serving.

 

Vincent Price

 

 

 

[stellabluegrl]

ML, I just looked back at the Quiche post and I can't believe it was censored!! Too funny! Damn are they strict around here (hmm...think damn's ok..lol)! Oh, and as far as the crust goes....when I used to make pie crusts I never put an egg IN with the ingredients -- I only use/used one to brush the top crust when baking a pie. Have you ever tried the Pillsbury ready made crusts? I quit making 'em myself ever since those suckers came out 'cause they are so good you honestly can't tell they aren't homemade.

 

Sandy -- Yes, Vincent Price was in fact a gourmet cook (among other things). There is a cookbook of his called A Treasury of Great Recipes. I don't personally own a copy, and I believe it's hard to find.