Eugene Wilson requested a recipe for beef barley soup, and three readers sent relatively similar recipes. Martha Moore adds peas. Ann Gidosh says hers makes a big pot for sharing.
Gene Groner serves his soup with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.
Mary Woolery was looking for a recipe for yeast waffles. Pat Jessup's version does not require the yeast to be proofed, so it should be a bit easier to make. The recipe sent in by Pauline Samways and Betty Kemp calls for the yeast to be proofed.
Proofing is not a difficult process, but if you're unfamiliar with the technique or what the yeast should look like, try Pat's recipe.
Betty says the batter is very thin and not suited for a Belgian wafflemaker; using a waffle iron that makes traditional thin waffles will yield the best results.
Gene Groner also shares a Swiss caramel cake recipe with Jennie Miller.
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For: Eugene Wilson of Seminole.
From: Martha Moore of Belleair Bluffs, Ann Gidosh of Floral City, and Gene Groner of St. Petersburg.
Recipe: Beef Barley Soup.
Beef Barley Soup
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 pounds beef short ribs
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with liquid, chopped
2 quarts water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/3 cup medium pearl barley
In a large Dutch oven or kettle, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown beef.
Add onions, carrots, celery, water, tomatoes and bouillon. Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until beef is tender. Add barley.
Simmer another 50 to 60 minutes or until barley is done.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings, about 31/2 quarts.
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For: Mary Woolery of Pinellas Park.
From: Pat Jessup of Dunedin.
Recipe: Waffles, Refrigerator Style.
Waffles, Refrigerator Style
1 package active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 quart buttermilk
3/4 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
In a large bowl, combine yeast, flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Stir in buttermilk and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well so that the batter is well-blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to make waffles, bake them in a waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
Place baked waffles in a single layer directly on oven racks in a 300-degree oven for at least 5 minutes or until ready to serve.
To store, cool waffles completely on wire racks, wrap and freeze for up to one month.
Reheat waffles in toaster without thawing.
Makes 12 waffles.
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From: Pauline Samways of Oldsmar and Betty Kemp of Haines City.
Recipe: Famous Raised Waffles.
Famous Raised Waffles
1/2 cup warm (not hot) tap water
1 package active dry yeast (21/4 teaspoons)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Maple syrup to taste
At least 8 hours before serving, pour the water into a 2-quart mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let it stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the milk into a 2-cup glass measure and microwave, uncovered, at high for 2 minutes, until it reaches about 100 degrees.
Melt the butter in the microwave.
Whisk the milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour into the yeast until the lumps disappear.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature overnight, or at least 8 hours.
Whisk the eggs and baking powder into the batter. The batter will be very thin.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to make waffles.
The completed batter will keep, covered, for two days in the refrigerator.
To serve, preheat waffle iron. Stir the batter if necessary. Pour about 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until golden and crisp.
(The waffle will be done when steam has just stopped escaping.)
Serve at once, topping each waffle with maple syrup to taste.
Makes 8 waffles.
* * *
For: Jennie Miller of Crystal Beach.
From: Gene Groner of St. Petersburg.
Recipe: Swiss Caramel Cake.
Swiss Caramel Cake
1 box Swiss chocolate cake mix
30 light caramels
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large tub whipped topping
Melt caramels with sweetened condensed milk in double boiler.
Prepare cake mix as directed. Pour half of batter into a greased 9 by 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread caramel mixture over top almost to edges.
Cover with remaining batter and return to oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Cool.
Spread with whipped topping. Garnish with grated chocolate.
Recipe requests
Cheryl Pariso is trying to find a recipe for kolache cookies.
The cookies are made with yeast, but they don't have to rise and have no cheese except for the filling.
Jeremy's Blueberry Pie is the recipe Debra Allen is trying to locate. She thinks it came from a magazine, but can't remember.
Yvonne Dawsey is looking for a rum pound cake recipe. If you have a favorite one, please send it.
Jean Justice sends a thank you to Elizabeth Bittner for sharing a recipe for ice cream muffins. It's just the recipe she was looking for, and her husband loves it.
Doris Martin wants to thank Linda Duke, Barbara DeKreek and Lois Hardy for the Pineapple Ambrosia Cake and Million Dollar Pie recipes. Now she has two to try.
You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.
