Cookbook Introduction
This cookbook is a “Labor of Love” especially for my daughters, Tara, Sarah Maria, and Madelyn. They were never ‘hang out in the kitchen and help Mom’ types, but now that they are adults and live all over the country, they ask me how I make certain recipes, so I have decided to put it to paper. Even if my girls are the only ones to read this, I have succeeded! If I can help a few folks along the way, more the better.
In advance, I thank my husband Don for being my taste-tester for the last 23 years and for his constant support in all of my endeavors and his constructive criticism that has softened over time.
This cookbook is a work in progress as I have to take pictures as I cook the meals-so be patient. All the recipes are easy and I take as many shortcuts as I can because after 10 to 12 hour workdays, I am not going to spend another 4 hours in the kitchen, with the exception of holiday meals. The ingredients are common, most all can be found in the average kitchen or at Walmart or Reasors. Also, I am using my Droid to take the pictures, so until I get a fancy camera, be gentle, please.
Meal preparation time is usually under an hour, unless it is a complex meal, or of course, a holiday meal. All the recipes are easy and I take as many shortcuts as I can because after 10 to 12 hour workdays, I am not going to spend another 4 hours in the kitchen,with the exception of holiday meals.
Most of the recipes are fairly healthy, but I don’t count calories or carbs or fat content, so enter at your own risk! Remember-we live in Oklahoma and Don was brought up on a farm so meat and potatoes were the staples and with the heard work involved, the more calories the better. So exercise regularly and work hard every day-it does the body and spirit good!
Enjoy, my Precious Girls! Daddy has already enjoyed the cooking!!!
Forever your Loving Momma Cita,
Carolyn Schaum
Daddy’s Branson Skillet
This all in one skillet dish is filling, easy to cook, and easy to clean up! It’s full of hearty potatoes, garden veggies, and has meat for Daddy. Start to finish is less than an hour, it’s all cooked on one burner, and can be cooked over a camp fire (I know, I’ve done it while camping). It can even be cooked on top of a wood stove or a gas stove if you lose electricity!
Ingredients: (to feed 4 people)
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 sweet onion (I like Vidalias)
1 yellow squash
1 cup (or half of each) yellow, orange, red sweet bell peppers (Walmart sells a container of small sweet peppers found above the whole bell peppers which is cheaper than getting one of each)
1 package Hillshire sausage or Kleibasha sausage
vegetable oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
Dash of hot sauce, garlic powder, Cayenne pepper or other seasonings to make it your own dish
1. Add enough vegetable oil to just coat the bottom a large heavy frying pan or skillet and turn your biggest burner to medium. (Tara, don’t leave the kitchen and let the oil burn because it will!) I love cast iron skillets because they heat evenly and you can’t break them (Sarah Maria)! And..... you can threaten anyone who criticizes your cooking with them!
2. Add the potatoes and pan fry until soft and starting to brown. Turn them about every 4-5 minutes. That means flipping them like a pancake with a spatula, not stirring frequently because they will get mushy and we want fried tators, not mushy tators. Don’t cover either or they will hold in moisture and get mushy, like Daddy’s.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, cut the onion, peppers, and squash into less than inch-squared sized pieces.
4. Move the cooking potatoes over to one side of the skillet and pour in the veggies and cook until softening and onions start to look clear, then fold in with the potatoes. Again, flip them like pancakes every 4-5 minutes instead of stirring once you add them to the potatoes so they don’t mush up.
5. While cooking the veggies, cut the sausage into large bites. Add them to the mixture and flip in to heat meat thoroughly.
6. Add your spices, although I add them as I go along. Remember that the sausages have some salt in them, so don’t put too much in before all the ingredients are in and flavors are melded. Also with cooked veggies, they need a bit of salt to bring out their flavors. Pour a small amount in your hand, then sprinkle over the whole pan just before the flipping. 
7. I added a handful of fresh peas straight from the garden with the veggies, but if you have frozen corn or peas, heat them in the microwave, then add them with the sausage and blend. They have alot of moisture and can make the potatoes mushy if added too early-and nobody likes mushy fried tators! Keep them crunchy! Enjoy!
The Cita
