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By Bev Kauffman
Every time I make ham, chicken or beef pot pie it brings back memories of growing up in Snyder County in a big family. My mother cooked daily for 10 and the meals were almost always comfort foods.
One special meal was ham potpie, bread with apple butter and cottage cheese on top. Since I wasn't in the kitchen as a child, the recipes I'm sharing come from what I remember the dishes tasting or smelling like.
Also, as I get older, I want to share the recipes to pass on to whomever might want them.
Ham pot pie
• 1-2 smoked ham hocks
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp shortening
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
Bake the ham hocks ahead of time. Sometimes, I put ham hocks in a crockpot with plenty of water and cook on low overnight. In the morning debone the hocks.
In a large kettle add the broth and bring to a boil. Carefully drop the potpie squares into the broth.
Add potatoes to broth and cook till soft. Add the ham from the hocks. Add black pepper, parsley and salt to taste.
Mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in the shortening till crumbly. Add the egg and water and mix till the dough is somewhat smooth.
Using a rolling pin, roll out as thinly as you can and cut with either a paring knife or a small dough cutter. The longer it simmers the more flavorful it becomes!
Another recipe to go with this meal is homemade apple butter!
One peck variety of apples or 16 cups unsweetened apple sauce
• 3 tbsp cinnamon
• 3 lbs dark brown sugar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
Add all ingredients to the sauce. Mix well until everything is blended. Pour into either large casserole dishes or disposable aluminum pans (easy cleanup) and bake at 350 degrees for three hours.
Stir gently every 15-20 minutes. Will thicken as it cooks. Put in jars and let cool. Freeze.
I prefer serving biscuits over bread with potpie so here's my buttermilk biscuit recipe:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 6 tbsp shortening
• 2 cups buttermilk
Sift dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening till crumbly. Add milk and mix together gently. On a floured counter knead the dough and fold in half a couple times which helps make the layers.
Roll to about an inch thick and cut into biscuits. Bake in a sprayed cast iron skillet at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen or more depending on the size you make them.
*You can substitute butter for the shortening. Make sure the butter is very cold. Next week, we'll take another trip down memory lane and see what's cooking! Until then, eat well my friends.
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Bev Kauffman, of Lewistown, operated a catering business in Juniata County for nearly 20 years. She has authored the cookbook, "Preserving the Past: In the Kitchen with Bev Kauffman" in 2013 and is currently working on a second cookbook.