ONA -- There have been 44 Presidents of the United States of America. Four of them -- George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Henry Harrison and Ronald Reagan -- were born in February.
From each of the highest political officials, there was a special food or two they considered a favorite.
Washington loved cherries, fruit, nuts and fish. His favorite menu was cream of peanut soup, mashed sweet potatoes with coconut and his wife's famous whiskey cake.
Research reveals that Lincoln was well satisfied with a "good hot cup of coffee" and apples. But he was deep into chicken casseroles and oysters.
Harrison enjoyed cornbread, cheese, hard cider and fresh vegetables, while Reagan's favorite was jelly beans, macaroni and cheese, carrot cake and meat loaf.
On Jan. 20, 2009, the 44th president -- Barack Obama -- was sworn into office, following his election on Nov. 4, 2008. Word has it that his favorite dish is chili.
This recipe is from "A Taste of Heaven," by the First Baptist Church, Proctorville, Ohio:
PRESIDENT REAGAN'S FAVORITE MACARONI AND CHEESE
1 teaspoon butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup milk
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 pounds macaroni
Boil macaroni according to package directions and drain thoroughly. Stir in butter and egg. Mix salt and dry mustard with 1 tablespoon hot water; add to cup of milk. Add 2 cups cheese to macaroni mixture, reserving 1 cup cheese to put on top of casserole. Pour macaroni and cheese into buttered casserole dish. Add milk mixture and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until custard is set and top is crusty.
PRESIDENT REAGAN'S CORNED BEEF HASH IN BELL PEPPERS
3 medium potatoes, cooked
1 large onion, diced
3 medium tomatoes
1 can corned beef
4 bell peppers
4 eggs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown onions and potatoes in oil. Add tomatoes, corned beef, salt, pepper and enough warm water to keep from burning. Simmer 20 minutes. Cut off tops of bell peppers. Clean out seeds and remove center core. Parboil in salted water until tender limp. Drain. Fill peppers almost to top with corned beef mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Five minutes before serving, drop raw egg in top of each pepper. Return to oven until egg has set.
Whether or not Martha Washington served her husband the following recipe, it has been a favorite of many occupants of the White House. Her candy was a popular treat, as well.
MARTHA WASHINGTON'S CRAB SOUP
1/2 pound fresh crab meat or 1 cup canned or frozen
1 tablespoon butter
11/2 tablespoons flour
3 hard-boiled eggs, mashed
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sherry
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Boil crabs in salted water to get meat (if using fresh). In large saucepan, combine first five ingredients. Boil on low heat; pour milk in slowly. Add crabmeat to milk mixture; gently cook 5 minutes. Add cream; remove from heat before it reaches a full boil. Add sherry and Worcestershire.
MARTHA WASHINGTON FUDGE
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 can Eagle brand milk
1/2 pound melted butter (2 sticks)
2 teaspoons vanilla
4-6 cups coconut
1 block paraffin
2 (12-ounce) packages chocolate chips
Mix first four ingredients until creamy and smooth. Add coconut. Make into balls and freeze. (Drop onto wax paper on cookie sheet.) In top of double boiler, melt chocolate chips and paraffin. Dip balls into chocolate mixture; place on wax paper again. Fill hole left from the dipping instrument with toothpick dipped into chocolate mixture. Freeze, keep in freezer. Pecans may also be added.
This is Mary Todd Lincoln's recipe for Honest Abe's favorite, which was made 150 years ago:
VANILLA ALMOND CAKE
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
23/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
11/3 cups milk
1 cup almonds, finely chopped
6 egg whites, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture alternately with milk to creamed butter and sugar. Stir in finely chopped almonds. Gently fold in egg whites. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees 28-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans. Frost with white frosting.
WHITE FROSTING
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 dash salt
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
In saucepan, combine first four ingredients. Bring mixture to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place two egg whites in mixing bowl and very slowly pour hot sugar syrup over, beating constantly with mixer until stiff peaks form -- this takes about 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla and frost cake.
Other first ladies prepared these recipes:
MAMIE EISENHOWER'S PUMPKIN PIE
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
11/2 cups cooked pumpkin
3/4 cup milk
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 9-inch baked pie shell
Mix first five ingredients in top of double boiler. Stir in pumpkin and egg yolks; add milk. Heat over boiling water until thick. Cool until cold. Beat egg whites with granulated sugar until firm peaks. Fold into pumpkin. Pour into pie shell. Chill. Top with whipped cream to serve.
LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S FAMOUS LEMON CAKE
3/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
11/4 cups granulated sugar
8 egg yolks
21/2 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In separate bowl, beat egg yolks until light and lemon-colored; blend into creamed mixture. Sift together next three ingredients; resift three times. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with milk. Beat batter thoroughly after each addition. Add remaining ingredients; beat 2 minutes. Bake in greased 10-inch Bundt pan in preheated oven at 325 degrees one hour or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Note: You can also use three 9-inch round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes. Double frosting recipe for layer cake.
LEMON ICING
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons cream (or more, until spreading consistency)
Yellow food coloring, if desired.
Combine ingredients and beat, adding cream until desired consistency.
LAURA BUSH'S COWBOY COOKIES
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
11/2 cups granulated sugar
11/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
2 cups chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first five ingredients in bowl. In 8-quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars; beat to combine, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla extract. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add remaining ingredients.
For each cookie: drop 1/4 cup dough onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake 17-19 minutes, until edges are lightly browned; rotate sheets halfway through. Remove cookies from rack to cool. Bake at 350 degrees 15-18 minutes.
