Marina had lost her famous recipe for 10 years and then a friend suggested she write the food editor of the San Antonio newspaper. She did and readers responded quickly with her favorite recipe. As Marina puts it, "So darlin', you know this is a good one." This is an ultimate taste experience for the holidays.

Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup sugar
6 T. butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
1 ½ cups ground fresh cranberries (start with 2 cups whole berries)
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 T. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup whipping cream
Fresh orange slices, quartered

Cranberry Glaze
½ cup sugar
1 T. cornstarch
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
2/3 cup water

In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar, and melted butter or margarine. Press onto bottom and up side of an 8-inch springform pan. Chill.

In a large mixer bowl, combine cranberries and 1 cup sugar; let stand 5 minutes. Add unbeaten egg whites, orange juice concentrate, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed of electric mixer till frothy. Then beat at high speed 6 to 8 minutes or till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). In small mixer bowl whip the cream to soft peaks (tips curl over); fold into cranberry mixture. Turn into crust. Freeze firm.

To make glaze, combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan, then stir in cranberries and water. Cook and stir till bubbly. Stir occasionally, just till cranberry skins pop. Cool to room temperature (do not chill). Makes 1 cup.

To serve, remove torte from pan. Place on serving plate. Spoon Cranberry Glaze in center; place orange slices around outside. Makes 8 to 10 beautiful servings/

From Aunt Pearl's Cookbook
A Man's Cooking
by Joe Sears

Dolly May's husband baled hay for a living and Dolly found herself baking for lots of field hands and hay workers. Men love this dish year round but oven heat keeps me making it only in winters. This is a newlywed recipe, so get used to making it regularly like I have.

4 or 5 large potatoes
2 large onions
½ cup milk
4 T. butter
Salt and pepper

Into a baking dish put a layer of thinly sliced potatotes, salt, pepper and pats of butter. Then add a layer of onions with dots of butter, salt and pepper. Repeat until all potatoes and onions are used. Pour milk over potatoes and onions to cover them. Use more milk if needed. Cook in a moderate oven until potatoes are well browned. Serves six

From Aunt Pearl's Cookbook
A Man's Cooking
by Joe Sears

Bertha Bumiller is an excellent cook but most of the time she's too busy with Tuna activities to do much fancy cooking. She does serve a special steak dish that her family loves and if you can ever get her away from a "Smut Snatcher" meeting long enough, she'll make it. I asked her to write this recipe down for me and after two months and several phone calls to remind her, the recipe is at last recorded for all to enjoy.

3 lbs. top round steak, 3 inches thick
2 pieces of beef suet, 2 inches each
1 T butter
3 large yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 T salt
Boiling water

Cut the steak into 3-inch cubes. Heat suet and butter in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add chopped onions and cook until tender and browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Put meat into hot skillet and brown thoroughly on all sides. Be sure not to turn the meat until it starts to stick to the skillet. Return the onions to the skillet and sprinkle with salt. Add enough boiling water to almost cover the meat. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat and simmer 1 hour, or until meat is very tender. Remove the meat to a hot platter. Make a gravy by thickening the pan liquid with a mixture of flour and water. Add seasoning if needed. Pour gravy over meat. Makes 10-12 servings.

From Aunt Pearl's Cookbook
A Man's Cooking
by Joe Sears