River Recipes

Welcome To The Galley! .... Are Ya Hungry?

Here's some of my favorite recipes, along with those from our friends - that were, "Or Still - Are", working as Cooks & Crewmen on Inland Rivers. These recipes are fast - easy to prepare meals, fit for kings. And you can't beat-um for quick, last minuet ideas to satisfy hungry Crews & Families! And best of all, their recipes truly used aboard real vessels .... SO ENJOY!! ... Compliments of Old River Bill

prop.gif (7548 bytes) Ben Hawkins - Steak Sauce - This recipe comes from the late - "Captain Jesse Marks" and his lovely wife - Florence. Capt'n Marks commanded the worlds largest towboat - the M/V "United States", which was a huge quad screw. And he was also was Captain for a short period of time, on the Quad Screw = M/V "Missouri" also owned by Federal Barges Lines.. His chief cook aboard both vessels was Ben Hawkins, whom always made this recipe for him & and crew. And Capt'n Marks would bring some of this great recipe - home to his family, whenever he came off the boat. Thanks to them both, my hubby ( Old River Bill & I ), not only enjoyed our visit with them, but also enjoy this recipe and hearing the stories of the river and towboats.

1 pound of butter / 1 large bottle of Lee & Perrin - Worst shire sauce / 1 Cup - Fine chopped garlic. In a heavy skillet, put 1/2 lb of butter and chopped garlic, cook on low, until garlic is tender, then add the rest of the butter and Worst shire sauce. Cook until all is fully blended. Makes approximately one quart, and can be divided into small freezer dishes, for freezing till needed. Just heat and serve over steak or what ever meat you wish, and please note, this doesn't seem like anything - so simple, could be so good tasting!

prop.gif (7548 bytes) Slumgullion Stew 2 lbs. Hamburger / 1 chopped onion / 3 - 5 carrots (sliced) 4 - 5 potatoes (cubed) / 1 can dark red kidney beans / Garlic powder or salt (the more the better) / Salt and Pepper to taste, allow to simmer for a period after fully cooked, cause it just gets BETTER!

    Pilot House - Breakfast    1 lb. of Sausage / 4 medium sized potatoes - Sliced / 6 large eggs /   half cup of shredded "Cheddar Cheese" / salt & pepper to taste. Fry sausage and chop to fine amounts in skillet, then add sliced potatoes, cook till potatoes are tender, then add eggs ( beaten ) and the cheese and mix. Cook till done and serve with plenty of "Ice Cold - COW!" .... What I call Whole Milk ( None of that 2% junk for ME! ), since I'm a highly adicted & very devoted = Milk-Co-Holic!

    Towboat Casserole   1 lb. hamburger cooked and drained / 2 cups of cooked rice / 1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup / 1 can of Green beans (I like the French style) / 1 cup grated cheese / salt and pepper to taste.    Cook your hamburger and your rice. Mix these together with the rest of the ingredients and if you wish you can place in casserole dish and top with Durke onions, and cheese and bake till browned.

    Heavenly Peanut Butter Cookies     1 cup peanut butter ( smooth or chunky) / 1 cup sugar / 1 egg    Mix all three together well.    Form into small balls and place on cookie sheet and then press with a damp fork to make criss-crosses.    Bake at 350 for 6 -10 minutes or golden brown.     Watch very carefully, because they will burn, if you leave them to long.   These are very good and easy to make and you can double the recipe. I usually do because the first batch is gone before I get the second one, out of the oven!

    Hamburger Beef Jerky   Mix the following : 2 lbs. Lean Hamburger / 2 tsp. Tabasco Sauce   / 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce / 2 tbs. lemon juice /   2 tbs. garlic power   (crushed garlic is even better) / 1 tsp. salt / 2 tsp. ground pepper / 6 tbs. pineapple juice.    When all has been mixed together roll out on cookie sheet to about 3/8" thick and put in freezer until it is just getting solid. Use a pizza cutter and roll out strips about 3/4" to 1 1/2" wide and 6" long. Put strips on cookie racks in the cookie pan and place in a "warm" oven (use a pot holder to keep the oven door open to help the drying process, or at about 120 degrees and dry for about two to three hours or until the Capt'n can no longer stand the smell and steels it all.   When dried to the point that you can hear a cracking sound when bent, it is time to take them out of the oven.   Substitute lime juice and a bit of rum and you will have all the River Rats for miles, at your front door.    And using Cyan pepper, is a real pick-me-upper too!

    Chicken Teriyaki    Put chicken thighs and drum sticks in a crock pot and cover with Teriyaki Sauce, rice, and garlic (Note; there is never enough garlic) Turn it on and see how long it takes that 'Ole River Rat to take notice. Add as much rice and water as you think necessary. Call out the National Guard if you feel the urge. They like to eat it too.

    Onion Stew    Peal and slice a pot full of onions and cover with beef stock, or beef bouillon or French Dip sauce (my favorite) and about 1 tsp. of brown sugar for ever two cups of broth. Add a bit of garlic and tarragon. When cooked down, the onions will start to just fall apart. Put this soup into bowls and cover with a layer of grated Swiss cheese and put under a broiler until the cheese as melted on the top and starts to get brown.

    Cheesy Potato - Onion & Sausage Chowder     Fry one pound of sausage and some onion together and drain. Then add 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of cream of potato soup and 1 can full of whole milk and heat till its hot.   This is really good and serves about four people, poured over hot cornbread. And this recipe also tastes great with crumbled - Hamburger, used to replace the Sausage, by just adding a little Garlic! ..... And you might need to double this recipe, if your crew is real hungry!

    Hull Inspector - Stew!   A fast easy - Crock Pot Meal with 3 to 5 links of Polish Sausage cut into 3" pieces / 4 to 6 potatoes cut into chunks / 3 cans of green beans / 1/2 to 1 cup onions sliced / Salt and Pepper to taste       Put all of the ingredients into "Crock pot" and cook on low for 4 to 8 hours, then stand back and watch the crew - inspect this meal to till its - GONE!

    Homemade Mushrooms       Ever wished you could have - Fresh Deep Fried Mushroom, anytime you wanted?    Well here's how you can make them - Anytime, for your family, from Scratch!    One Can - of good quality brand ... "Cream of Mushroom Soup", 1 - Egg, and 33 Saltine Crackers - crushed finely, pour ingredients into a bowl and stir - in mushroom soup & Egg, till you have a thick paste.    Then use a spoon to scoop and drop small portions into a Deep Fryer - Fry until done, these come out looking like "Hushpuppies" and you'll need to serve them - Hot.    I called these things - "Mush- Puppies", because they turn golden brown and look just like - hushpuppies, but taste exactly like fresh - Deep Fried - Mushrooms!

    WESTERN MACARONI     1 - 7.25oz box Macaroni and Cheese, 1 lb. Hamburger, 1 small onion, chopped, 1 small green pepper, chopped,1 15oz. can tomatoes, cut up, 1 can of corn, drained.      Make the Mac and Cheese according to pkg. directions.    Brown hamburger, onions and peppers in a large skillet. Drain Fat. Add Mac and Cheese, tomatoes and corn; heat through. Makes 6 servings.

    Sweet Tomato-y French Dressing   ( This is for fans of Catalina Dressing. ) from Cindy    2/3 cup catsup,    1/2 cup sugar (or to taste),       2/3 cup vegetable oil,     1/2 cup red wine vinegar, salt to taste,     1 to 2 cloves garlic (or 1 to 2 tsp. powder) (or tons like us), 2 Tbsp. finely minced onion.    Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake. This can also be mixed in a blender, although the color becomes creamier rather than translucent. If preparing in a blender, mix all ingredients except onion. Stir in finely minced onion by hand. Refrigerate. Makes 2 cups.

    CLAM CASSEROLE    2 cans minced clams, 1 cup milk, 1 slice bread, broken up, Royal Milk crackers, 1/2 stick of butter.    Put in saucepan and cook to mush over low heat. Put mixture in a greased casserole. On top of mixture put a 1/2 stick of melted butter and 7 more broken crackers. Bake for 1 hour at 350.    2 cans minced clams, 1 cup milk, 1 slice bread, broken up, Royal Milk crackers, 1/2 stick of butter    Put in saucepan and cook to mush over low heat. Put mixture in a greased casserole. On top of mixture put a 1/2 stick of melted butter and 7 more broken crackers. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

    JEWEL CRANBERRY   4 cups cranberries, no soft ones, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water,1/2 tsp. salt,1/2 tsp. baking soda.    Mix all ingredients well. Put in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Put on a tight cover and boil gently for 15 minutes. DO NOT TAKE OFF THE COVER UNTIL COLD!!! Put into a jar and keep in the refrigerator.

    Egg - on a Raft    Spread butter over both sides of a slice of bread, then add one table spoon of butter to the frying pan. Cut a small hole in the center of the bread, then lay into pan, and then break one egg and pour - it, over the hole in the bread. Fry egg till bread - is brown and egg is done on the bottom, then flip over gently and Fry till done, or to desired taste, adding Salt & Pepper.    You can also add - grated cheese to garnish your egg on a raft, if you like too.    A quick breakfast for Deck Hands ... That's an old recipe from "Old River - Bill's" own collection.

    BBQ Beef or Ham - PRE BASTE SAUCE     ( Bastes four to six steaks of average size )    Before you BBQ, take your steaks, hotdogs, hamburgers or chicken and soak them, in this mixture to add more flavoring. The idea is to keep the meat - Moist, or well basted, while its cooking!

    Into a sauce pan, mix - One to Two cans of Beer ( Some use a half cup Whiskey or Bourbon ), one stick - Butter, one cup - Brown Sugar, half cup - Honey, 4 large table spoons of Mustard, plus one table spoon Worst shire Sauce.    Plus one table spoon - salt & Pepper, then heat slowly and mix ingredients over low heat. When melted & well mixed, spread or cold steaks in a 2 inch deep pan, to gently soak overnight, by occasionally stirring the mixture and basting the meat to soak it in good - overnight.    The meat can then be left overnight in the fridge and covered, to gain more flavor.     When the BBQ Grill - is heated and ready, take the entire mixture ( Meat & Basting Sauce - in the pan ), so you can baste the meat - as it cooks on the grill. Occasionally basting the remaining ingredients over the meat, till its all gone, or the meat is nearly done.   Then add - Your BBQ Sauce ( your choice ), to finish to preferred family taste!

    Also Great for basting HAM ( sliced or whole ), just add sliced Pineapple Rings & the juice, then bake ham & baste in the oven - as usual.    NOTING - When I use this recipe at family - get together's, there's very little leftover Ham - If ANY!     And when we're invited out, friends usually - ask me, to help prepare the meat being served, by making some of my basting sauce.   A recipe - makes, that sure adds flavor to any meat, where even a Hot Dog, can take on a whole new Flavor!

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Last Updated On 12/04/07 . With Fueled By

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