Tax Season Comfort Foods

Tax season is almost over. A lot of people leave it to the last minute because it is so unpleasant. I’m pretty sure of this because my husband Zig is a tax preparer and this time of year people call in a panic—sometimes dropping off boxes of disorganized information and Zig has to burn the midnight oil. He seems to thrive on this life-style so I guess he’s in the right field.

If you are doing your own taxes and have left it to the last minute, food may not be a high priority this weekend—preparing it, at least. And since this is a stressful time, comfort food tops the list of things to have on hand.

I love to bake and cook some easy grazing-type foods for this weekend. If you had a ham for Easter, the variety of easy comfort foods is almost endless. But so is a large ham and we tire of the salty intense flavor of ham quite quickly. So slice up a few choice pieces for sandwiches and put together one mac and cheese and ham casserole and one scalloped potatoes and ham casserole. I put one of these in the freezer along with the bone and remaining ham for soups.

Hard-cooked eggs are usually plentiful and deviled eggs are really simple to make (contrary to much that I read). You can use a fancy recipe for the filling, or just mash the yolks with some mayo and mustard, salt and pepper and fill the eggs. There’s something extra special about these eggs. Egg salad available with a few kinds of bread is an easy reach-for, easy to digest sandwich at midnight or any time. It actually makes a great breakfast on toast; or lunch on soft bread with lettuce and a dill pickle slice on the side.

If you’re hankering for something sweet and/or chocolate, I have a couple of great recipes for you:
1040 EZ cake (takes 10 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to prepare-no mixing bowls to wash!)

2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cocoa
2 tsp. soda

Sift together into a 9”x 9” square pan that has been sprayed with Pam. Make 3 holes in the mixture and add the following:
In hole #1, 2 tsp. vanilla
In hole #2, 2 Tbsp. vinegar
In hole # 3, 2/3 cup oil
Pour 2 cups water over whole mixture. Stir with spoon or fork until well mixed. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. While still warm unwrap a 1/2# Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar and lay atop cake. Wait for 3 minutes and spread chocolate evenly.

Here’s a 1040 Long Version cake—definitely good and definitely something different.

Strawberry Jam Cake
2/3 cup 100% Bran Cereal
½ cup milk
1 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup soft shortening
½ tsp almond extract
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup strawberry jam

Soak bran in milk for 10 minutes in mixer bowl. Add shortening and beat well. Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to mixture; beat well. Add almond extract, eggs and jam. Mix thoroughly. Pour into a greased 8-in. square cake pan. Bake in 350 deg oven for about 40 minutes. Cool. Frost with Jam Frosting. Any type of jam may be used for frosting.

Jam Frosting
1 3-oz pkg. cream cheese
¼ cup jam (any flavor)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. orange extract

Mix cream cheese with jam. Sift in sugar. Add extract and enough water to attain consistency to spread. Beat until smooth

Now, depending on whether you owe or are getting a refund, one of the following recipes may be in order:

Poor Man’s Muffins

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 cup raisins
1 cup water
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt

2 cups flour
1/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix sugar, butter, raisins, water and spices in sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Cool. Blend in flour and other dry ingredients. Put in paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Makes 1 doz.

Ritz Pie

Beat 4 egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 1 cup sugar. Roll out 20 Ritz crackers very fine and fold into egg whites. Add 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Place into a well-buttered 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool completely. Cover with whipped cream.

Just in case I haven’t taxed (sorry) your patience completely with the corn, it IS Friday the 13th today, so I’ve added a recipe for luck.

Lucky Charms Bars

Heat 1 large jar marshmallow crème with 4 Tbsp butter. Add 1 6-oz package of chocolate chips and a pinch of salt. Then add 1 ¾ cups Lucky Charms cereal and ½ pound salted peanuts. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Let set in a cool place.