Hillsboro ~ Grandma's Favorite Place in the Whole Wide World

Hillsboro’s history is a tale ripped from the pages of a western novel. Geronimo’s Apache tribe once roamed the rugged Black Range Mountains above where Hillsboro sits along the Percha Creek. The center of a thriving mining district that included Kingston and Lake Valley, in the 1880s the region’s rich silver strikes attracted thousands of treasure-seeking prospectors, who dug mines and tunnels with sweat and blood.


From hundreds of holes in the ground, miners produced millions of dollars worth of silver, attracting merchants, saloons, and madams seeking gold from another kind of digging. This pioneer community suffered from hunger, illness, Apache raids, and each other. Some did strike it rich. But these classic boom towns went bust, when in 1893 the price of silver took a permanent nose dive. People left in droves. From more than 10,000, fewer than 2,000 residents remained by the mid 1890s.




Hillsboro managed to survive, buoyed by gold mines in the area, and surrounded by area ranches that used the wild and rocky landscape for grazing cattle. The city served as the Sierra County seat of government from these territory days, until 1936.

Grandma was born in Hillsboro on July 20, 1917.

The Road Not Taken

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Lynn's Tuna on Toast

Pearls kitchen was the center of our universe, not only as we were growing up but when we got married. Our kitchens were almost like clones of Mom's kitchen. We had our own style and newer stuff but there was always loaners from Mom, a grater, bowl, even a spoon. These loaners were treasures to us. We developed some of our own recipes and we always had to try them out in Pearl's kitchen when we got a chance. I remember one summer Lynn fixed us Tuna on Toast! Now something so simple was always a hit with mom (if she liked the taste) because almost everything she cooked was a "big" meal to please Daddy. Lynn shared this with us and I still make it with such wonderful memories of our childhood.

Lynn's Tuna on Toast

1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 can of tuna (drained)
2 tbsp butter, or margarine

Saute onion and celery in butter until it smells like you want to eat it out of the pan right away. Add cream of chicken soup with about 1/2 can of water. Stir until there are no soup chunks left. Add tuna, break it up a little as you stir it in. Pour a Pepsi.

Make some toast with or without buttering it, your choice. Lynn cut the toast in 4ths, again your choice. On your favorite plate place toast and spoon hot tuna mix over it. Pile some Lay's potato chips on your plate. Now with your Mom and sisters laugh and eat and go "ummmm".

Grandma and Nanny

I took this picture Thanksgiving 2005. It was a memorable holiday because it was one of the few times we were all together. Me, Mom, Leah and Deborah, Aunt Lynn, Chicky and Danny, Aunt Janis, Trish, Warren and Brandon and of course Grandma and Nanny. I don't remember ever being at Grandma's for Thanksgiving before that, although I'm sure we must have been. We all sat around the dining room table and I'm sure some of us kids sat at the bar. The food was great as it always was. I took so many pictures that year but this was my absolute favorite.

Mom's Sopaipillas and Hot Chocolate

Growing up in Deming in the "50's" was a fond memory for most of us. Our neighborhood was safe and secure. We all played together and looked out for each other. Looking back now I realize that Mom made it such a special place. Daddy was out of town most weeks, so Mom managed on her own She had a playful spirit and made most things fun. (except cleaning our room!)
We used to spend hours dancing. Sometimes we were in our socks polishing the wood floor.
Mom made breakfast a treat when she could, her budget was slim.
I guess we were poor, but so was everyone we knew. One of my most memorable breakfasts was sopaipillas and hot chocolate, what a treat on a cold morning.

Sopaipillas
Makes 4 dozen medium sopaipillas

3 cups sifted flour
2 Tb. baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 Tb. lard Shortening (not oil) can be substituted
Approximately 1 cup warm water, more can be added if needed.
2 inches shortening in heavy skillet.

Mix all dry ingredients together till thoroughly combined. Cut in shortening.
you can use a pastry cutter. Mom used her hands.
Add warm water to dry ingredient and work into dough.
Knead for 10 minutes or until smooth
Divide into donut sized pieces. let dough rest.

Heat 2-inches of shortening in heavy skillet at medium to high heat.

Roll each ball out to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured surface.
Cut dough into four sections and make a small slit in the center of each.
Fry until golden brown on each side. (If shortening is sufficiently hot sopaipilla will puff and become hollow, forming the coveted big bubble, to fill with hot chocolate)!
Drain on paper towels.

Hot Chocolate
makes six servings

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
dash of salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix sugar cocoa salt in saucepan.
Stir in water.
Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils.
Boil and stir 2 minutes.
Stir in milk and heat, DO NOT BOIL
Remove from heat.
Add vanilla.

Memories of Grandma's house

My happiest memories of being a child all have Grandma in them. I wish that I could re-create the summer nights at Grandma's house for my children. It was such a treat to be out in the beautiful yard on the grass playing Mother May I? and Red Light Green Light with all of my cousins and my Grandma. After we were all worn out she would bring out the blankets so that we could lay down and count the stars. On the really good nights we got her wonderful pop corn and fresh lemonade along with stories of her childhood.
The "grown up" recipes that we share on here are great but it's the memories of the "kid" food that Grandma made for us that make me smile the most. One of my favorites was (and still is) her special hot dogs. Nothing complicated, just a weenie (yes a weenie-what else are you going to call it?) sliced almost all of the way through (long ways of course) seared in a very hot pan until it was almost black then put on a piece of brown bread. No mustard, ketchup (pronounced cats up by Grandma and she hated it) or relish. Those were the BEST hot dogs that I have ever had! Maybe it was the fact that the last time I remember her fixing those I was a teenager and it was just her and I sitting in the kitchen eating and talking. I still remember that day so well. We ate so many of those silly hot dogs! She was explaining to me the very important fact that women need to wear a bra EVERY day ALL day or suffer the consequences of sagginess later on in life. I know, I know I should have listened to that advice a lot better!
Another of my favorites that I cannot duplicate no matter what I try is her macaroni and cheese with tomatos and black pepper. I can have come close but it's never quite the same. Maybe I can do it right one day when I am making it for my grandbabies.

Grandma's Spanish Rice

2 Cups of long grain white rice
1 can of crushed or chopped tomatoes
1 bell pepper
1 medium white or yellow onion
4 tablespoons of oil

In a large frying pan (with a tight fitting lid) or an electric skillet heat oil. Add chopped onions and bell pepper. Saute until onions are just starting to turn clear and add rice. Stirring constantly, continue to saute until rice is browned. (this is one of the best smells in the world by the way) When rice is browned (you all know the color it should be) add one can of chopped or crushed tomatos and two cans (yep same can) of water. Salt. (you are on your own on how much salt-just be sure to add it with the water). Very important-----DO NOT STIR AFTER YOU ADD THE WATER!!!!!!!! Grandma's rule!!!!! Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer. Put the lid tightly on the pan and let it cook until all of the water is cooked out and the rice is tender. THEN and ONLY then fluff with a fork.

Now for the rice story. Just a very few months ago Uncle Roger brought Grandma out to my house for Sunday lunch. I was making enchiladas, beans and Spanish rice. While I was cooking Grandma was keeping me company from the dining room. There are three steps up to my kitchen so she had to stay down in the other room but we could still talk and she could still supervise! I had heated the oil for the rice in an electric skillet. When I added the rice to the hot oil it blew up like I had thrown fire crackers in the pan!!! From the hot oil burning the back of my hand and the POP of the rice I jumped and threw rice all over my kitchen. While I was cussing and crying our dear sweet little Grandma Pearl was laughing like I hadn't seen her laugh in years! Even though she was in a wheel chair about 12 feet away and 3 feet lower than I was she saw me throw that rice everywhere! Oh how she laughed and clapped her hands at my mistake. She was still snickering when we sat down to eat and she saw the rice on her plate! That day she cleaned her entire plate! Enchiladas, beans and rice! Even though my hand was fried we had such a wonderful day! I ended up with a scar on the back of my hand that makes me smile every time I look at it now!

Chili Con Carne

This picture of mom was taken in Hillsboro on the steps of "Tom Ling's cafe where she worked. She was so thrilled to sit on those steps again.
One of the wonderful unique recipes Mom taught me was her very delicious Chili Con Carne. She would use only Gebhardt's chili powder, any chili powder is okay, but just okay not perfect and just like the Butterball turkey any other brand was not acceptable for HER cooking.


She told me a story of when she was working in a cafe in Hillsboro for Tom Ling. She and one of the Cunningham girls were making chili con carne for their own lunch one day when the owner Tom Ling came in. Tom Ling had a small command of the English language is seems so when he found them cooking in his kitchen. Mom said he told them "You G**damn girls get out my kitchen. I show you G**damn girls how cook chiwe con cowny" any way that's how mom said he talked! So I don't know if the recipe was from Tom Ling or a "Pearl Original"


Chili Con Carne:

• a couple of pounds of lean ground beef chopped onions (more for my family less for others)
• a Tbsp of flour
• a clove or two minced garlic (again more for me)
• 1 can whole of crushed tomatoes (mom hated stewed tomatoes)
• a couple of tablespoons of Gebhardt chili powder ( taste it to figure out how much)
• salt
• cumin and oregano

Brown meat with onion and garlic. Add flour to browned meat, if you don't have any fat cooked out of the meat add some oil, just enough to absorb flour. Stir in flour and brown just a little more. Add tomatoes, (if whole smash them with your fingers like mom did). Add about a cup of water, you might need more if it thickens too much. In a cup mix chili powder slowly with water to make about half a cup. Add this mixture to the meat mixture. Salt and spices to your taste. Cook as fast or as slow as you desire or depending on time you have until Daddy comes home for supper! Measurements are not precise, you gotta figure it out for yourself. Practice makes perfect!!

Mom's Magic Enchiladas

Mom's Enchiladas were truly Magic.

Whenever any one of us came home

with troubles, Mom would whip up some

enchiladas and the world would be right again!
Oh what comfort she gave us all with her magic enchiladas!

PREPARE RED CHILE

*12 Mild dried red chile pods-cut tops off, and take seeds out

*Roast chile in oven at 350 10 minutes

*Wash chile throughly under cold water

*Boil chile 20 minutes in 4 cups cold water or until plumps

*Blend throughly, Strain,set aside

MAKE SAUCE

* In skillet brown 5 tabl. flour in 1/4 cup oil

*Add prepared chile and 2 cups water

*Add 2 cloves crushed garlic,salt to taste

*Simmer until chile starts to thicken

ASSEMBLE ENCHILADAS

*Grate 1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

*Finely chop 1/2 onion

*Fry gently 2 dozen corn tortillas

Slowly add fried tortillas to chile sauce 2 at a time , just to coat. Carefully remove tortillas, sprinkling generously with cheese and onion . Enchiladas can be layered or rolled. Pour extra chile sauce over top. Add extra cheese, serve and feel the MAGIC!