Here is a recipe I really enjoyed years ago and still do today. You hardly hear of it anymore.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of bread (preferably a day old)
• Butter (enough to spread on the bread)
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 2 cups of milk
• 4 eggs
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 nutmeg, grated
• 1/2 cup of sugar (or to taste)
• Flaky pastry (optional, for the base)

Instructions:

1. Preparation:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Butter a baking dish.
2. Prepare the Bread:
   • Slice the loaf of bread into thin pieces.
   • Butter each slice generously.
3. Layer the Dish:
   • Lay a single layer of buttered bread slices in the bottom of the buttered baking dish.
   • Sprinkle a handful of raisins over the bread layer.
   • Continue layering the bread and raisins until all the bread is used, finishing with a layer of bread on top.
4. Prepare the Custard:
   • In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
   • Add the milk, salt, grated nutmeg, and sugar to the eggs. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
   • Assemble the Pudding:
   • Pour the custard mixture evenly over the layered bread and raisins, ensuring all the bread is soaked.
   • Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
   • If desired, place a layer of Flaky pastry under the bread and butter layers for a crispy base.
5. Bake:
   • Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.
6. Serve:
   • Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving.
   • Serve warm, optionally with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
   • Enjoy!!

Here is an old time recipe that I enjoyed many years ago while on the farm.

Ingredients:

• 1 rump of beef
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pint of red wine
• 1 pint of hot water
• 2-3 large onions, finely chopped
• Hearts of 8–10 lettuces, finely chopped
• A generous piece of butter
• Flour (for rolling the butter)

Instructions:

1. Initial Boil: Place the rump of beef in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Meat: Remove the beef from the pot. Make 3-4 deep cuts along the side of the meat. Rub salt and pepper into these cuts.
3. Prepare the Dish:
   • Place the beef in a large, deep dish or stew pan.
   • Pour in the red wine and hot water.
   • Add the finely chopped onions and lettuce hearts.
   • Roll the butter in a little flour and add it to the dish.
4. Stewing:
   • Place the beef with the fleshy part facing down.
   • Cover the dish tightly.
   • Let it stew for 1.5 hours over a very low heat.
5. Final Steps:
   • Once the beef is fully cooked, remove it from the dish.
   • Pour the sauce from the dish over the beef.
   • Cook up some potatoes, along with a vegetable of choice, and you’re all set.
   • Enjoy!

Only on The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

You’ve heard about how soaking chicken in buttermilk before frying it makes it real tender and juicy? The thing is…. it works mighty fine for beef too. And it isn’t some newfangled trend either, as it’s an old-timey tradition that folks like my Grandmother swore by. I should also mention that she didn’t swear that often, but when she did, you knew it.

Any way, she always said that, soaking ground beef in heavy cream does wonders. It keeps the meat proteins from getting all tough when you cook them up, and it locks in the juices, making for some mighty fine burgers on the grill.

If you’re up for giving it a go, just mix in ‘1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream per pound of ground beef’. Let it sit in the icebox overnight, then fire up the grill and enjoy the juicy results. Let me know what you think?