Oatmeal Bread

4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cups molasses
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lard
6 cups boiling water poured over all. Let stand until warm.
Add 2 yeast cakes in cold weather.

Recipe Card for Today's Recipe

Just to give you an idea of how grandma wrote recipes on anything she could find. Here is a small book that shows different light fixtures, about 30 or 40 pages. Nearly every page has at least one recipe on it. Some are filled from top to bottom. So here's a look at where today's recipe was located.

Nut Cake

Cream 2 Tbsp. butter with one Tbsp. of sugar, add 3 egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Sift 2 cups flour with 2 tsp. baking powder and add alternately with 1 cup milk to creamed mixture. Add desired flavoring and a pinch or so of salt. Add one cup of English walnuts cut fine. Fold in 1 beaten egg white (save the other two for use in frosting). Bake in a slow oven.

Lemon Ice

Although this recipe doesn't say, I believe the freezing method on this is with an ice cream freezer. Grandma used to have a small one that fit inside the freezer, while the cord ran out to a plug. I'm sure not the most efficient, but it was the technical marvel of her day. It beat turning that crank for hours!

Juice of 2 lemons
1 pint of milk
1 cup of sugar
Grated yellow rind of 1/2 lemon

Put all in freezer and freeze. Makes one quart.

Yellow Cake

1 cup of butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup sweet milk
8 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder

To make a brown cake: Take one-half of above mixture and add 3/4 of a cup of grated chocolate.

Spanish Pickle

1 large head of cabbage
9 quite large peeled cucumbers
6 green sweet peppers
9 large white onions
1 Tbsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. mustard seed
1 scant Tbsp. tumeric
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
vinegar

Chop peppers, cucumbers and cabbage. Sprinkle with salt in layers overnight, in the morning squeeze out as much of the juice as possible then add onions and other ingredients, cover with vinegar and cook for 1 hour. Put in dishes, seal when cold.

Cornstarch Pudding

2 eggs
4 cups sweet milk
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
6 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter
2 large ripe bananas
2 large oranges
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Beat eggs light, add milk. Blend sugar, salt and cornstarch together and add to milk mixture. Place mixture in double boiler and cook till thick, stirring constantly. When thick, remove from fire, add vanilla and butter and pour into individual cups. When cold and set, serve with fruit dressing made as follows:

Mash the bananas into a pulp, then squeeze the orange juice into pulp and mix it with the sugar. A sprinkle of shredded cocoanut over each mold adds to its look and flavor.

Curry Pickles

4 quarts cucumbers sliced
6 onions

Soack in salt water for 3 hours. Drain, then add:

1 tsp. mixed spices
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. white mustard seed
1 tsp. celery seed
4 cups sugar
3/4 quart vinegar

Cook for 1/2 hour and pack in jars.

NOTE: If you do not have curry powder on hand, you can make your own with the following:
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. ground cloves.

Yum Yum Cake

It is so interesting to go through all the recipes that grandma has in her recipe box. I also have several boxes of cookbooks and I've begun going through them to see what treasures they bring. And it is amazing. In many of the books each page margin is filled with recipes she hand wrote. Also stuffed between the pages are everything from little scraps of paper, to full sheets, to newspaper clippings of recipes. Many of the newspaper clipping have dates she added that place them in the 1930's. This recipe is one I found between the pages, written on a piece of paper that was folded several times. I'm sure she placed it there so she would have it at the ready for the day she published her own cookbook. Of course she never knew of blogs, but I hope she's looking down from above with approval - her recipes are finally be shared.

Without butter, eggs, nor milk, here is a cake that is fine as silk.

1 pound seeded raisins
2 cups sugar
2 heaping Tbsp. lard
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups water

Boil all together ten minutes, let cool, then add:

3 cups sifted flour
1 rounded tsp. soda dissolved in a little hot water
1/2 tsp. salt

Bake in a slow oven.

Black Walnut Kisses

2 egg whites
pinch salt
small pinch cream of tartar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup nut meats

Add salt to egg whites and beat until stiff, then add cream of tartar and beat until very stiff. Blend sugar and flour together and fold into egg whites. Add nut meats. Drop on slightly greased cookie sheet, placing in hot oven at first, then decreasing heat and allowing kisses to remain until well done. Remove from pan while still warm.

Butter Macaroons

4 eggs
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds

Separate the yolk from the whites of the eggs. Drop the yolks in boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the yolks from hot water, cool and place in a bowl. Mash the yolks thoroughly and then gradually add the butter and cream to a smooth mixture. Blend sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg together and add to the creamed mixture, beating hard after all ingredients are combined. Add almonds and then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Drop mixture by spoonfuls on greased tin sheet. Place in a hot oven for first 2 or 3 minutes, then decrease heat to moderate for remaining baking period.

Molasses Cookies

I've said it before, but I'll repeat it here. Grandma worked often off of nothing more than a list of ingredients. She baked nearly every day and knew what to do automatically. She had labelled this recipe across the top as excellent.

1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup shortening
4 Tbsp. cold water
2 tsp. soda
just enough flour to handle

Eggs and Tomatoes

Have two cups of well stewed tomatoes in a buttered baking dish. Drop in carefully, a little distance apart, as many eggs as required for family, season with pepper and salt, and bis of butter scatered over the top, and bake until the eggs are set.

Potato Croquettes

To a cupful of mashed potato add half a level teaspoonful of salt, a few grains of pepper, onion juice, a tablespoonful of cream, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and the yolk of an egg. Beat all together till fluffy and light. Form into balls, dip in beaten egg and roll in nicely browned bread crumbs which have been rolled very fine, and fry to a delicate brown in hot fat.

Radio Soup

Grandma had a number of cookbooks that are fun to leaf through to find her notes in the margins. On any page that has empty space, there are recipes that she wrote down. If she ran out of room there are notations of another page that has empty space where you can find the remainder of the recipe. This is one of those recipes.

1 lb. fresh hamburger
2 cups diced potatoes
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 quart of water
1/4 cup rice
1 carrot, sliced

Baked Beans

I remember as a child going to the market with grandma to get a big piece of salt pork for her baked beans. "That's what gives it the flavor," she'd say. I thought how wonderful, I can't wait to have some of her delicious baked beans and big piece of salt pork. Imagine my surprise when I saw her taking out the big pieces of salt pork before serving the beans! It took some time before I realized that the big pieces of pork fat gave up their taste to the beans and were not good by themselves. I wish I could say I learned that without tasting the salt pork one time just to be sure, but that unfortunately is not the case.

Soak one and one half pints of beans overnight and parboil in the morning with salted water. Put in bean pot with one half pound of salt pork on top along with two tablespoonfuls each of brown sugar and molasses. Add just enough hot water to cover beans. Bake all day in a moderate oven.

Steamed Suet Pudding

1 cup finely chopped suet
1 cup molasses
1 cup sweet milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. finely minced citron

Mix suet and molasses together. Sift flour, spices, soda and salt three times add to molasses and suet alternately with milk. Next add floured raisins, chopped nuts and floured citron. Mix all well together and last stir in an additional 1/4 cup boiling water into which 1/2 teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved. Pour dough mixture into baking powder cans and steam 3 hours, filling cans only half full and placing top on cans. (my note: remember these used to be all metal cans - do not do this with today's plastic lids!)

I found another card for steamed suet pudding that was just a list of ingredients and one that grandma seedmed to prefer. The only note in making is that it only needs to be steamed for 2 hours.

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped suet
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup butter
3 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. allspice
pinch of salt

Mock Whipped Cream

Grandma has two different recipes in her little red box that deal with what to do when you have a piece and no whipped cream to put on it. I wonder if she ever fooled me with these when I was younger.

Substitute for Whipped Cream

Mash thoroughly one large ripe banana. Beat 1 egg white stiff and add to banana. Continue to beat until very light.

Mock Whipped Cream

3 egg whites
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. melted butter
10 drops of vanilla

Place egg whites in bowl and set in bowl with cracked ice and salt while eggs are being whipped, add pinch of salt to eggs at beginning of whipping stage. When eggs are light and stiff add sugar and continue to whip a few minutes longer, then add melted butter and vanilla. Keep the mixture standing in the ice water until ready to serve.

Red Chocolate Cake

1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 scant tsp. soda
1/2 cup grated bitter chocolate
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar, add egg. Sift flour, baking powder and salt three times and add alternately with 1/2 cup hot water in which chocolate has been melted. Beat hard for one minute, then add remaining 1/2 cup hot water in which soda has been dissolved. Add vanilla last. Bake in greased and floured pans. (This is a thin mixture - be sure to jolt down hard several times before placing in the oven).

Apple Tarts

1 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. cream

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut in shortening. Beat egg light, add to cream and lemon juice and add to dry ingredients, mixing well. Roll out dough as thin as possible and cut in round shapes. Have apples cooked and in candied form and place in 1/2 of circle, season with a little nutmeg or cinnamon, fold over other half of dough and seal with the tines of a fork. Bake in a quick oven. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Ginger Snaps

1 cup sorghum molasses
1/2 cup butter and lard mixed
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Boil sorghum one minute, remove from fire and add shortening. Allow to cool to lukewarm, then add sifted dry ingredients. Roll dough on floured board as thin as can be handled. Cut and bake in moderately hot oven.

Really Good Salad Dressing

1 egg
4 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 green pepper
1 onion (size of a walnut)
1 pimento (canned)
8 ripe olives
1/2 cup thick cream

Beat egg light, to which add vinegar. Blend flour, sugar, salt, mustard and paprika together and add. Place in a double boiler and cook until thick, stirring constantly. When thick, remove from fire and add butter. Allow this to get perfectly cold then add the green pepper, onion, pimento and olives, all in finely chopped form. Last add the cream and serve. For additional richness and flavor, 2 Tbsp. olive oil may be added.

Swiss Steak

Lay a de-boned steak on chopping board and evenly score the meat to nearly half way on both sides. Spread butter on both sides, working into crevices. Roll in flour and coat generously. Chop white onions fine and spread about an inch thick over steak. Place in covered pan and place in oven. Simmer slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When done remove from oven and season with salt and pepper. The drippings can be used as is or thickened, if desired.

Doughnuts

1 cup sugar
2 tsp. butter
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 2/3 cups flour
6 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend sugar and butter, add eggs and cream thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and mix alternatively with milk and vanilla. Take one spoonful of on floured board and knead slightly. Roll to thickness of 1/4 inch, cut and fry in deep hot fat. After one cutting, add another spoonful of dough to rolled over dough, knead together and roll and cut. Work in this manner until all dough is used.

Doughnuts should be turned and kept rolling in the hot fat, not allowing them to remain on one side any length of time. Turn soon after dropping into hot fat. This dough should be as soft as possible for best results.

Sweet Potato Pie

This has to be one of my favorite pies!

2 eggs
1/3 cup syrup
1 cup sweet milk
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Beat eggs light, add syrup, milk and sweet potatoes. In seperate bowl mix remaining ingredients then add to first mixture. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake in hot oven for 8 to 10 minutes, then lower to moderate oven for remainder of baking time. A long baking period in a moderate oven is necessary.

Vanilla Wafers

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and butter, add eggs and re-cream. Sift dry ingredients and add alternatively with milk and vanilla. Roll on floured board as thin as possible. Cut and bake on greased sheets in quick oven.

Tea Cakes

Every afternoon at 3 o'clock grandma had tea time. Along with tea you had a small snack of a cake, cookie, or cheese and crackers. It was a great time to come around the table. A tradition that continues in the family, and a nice chance to reminisce about grandma.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
3 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp. vanilla (or 2 tsp. lemon and 1 tsp. almond extract)

Cream butter and sugar, then add unbeaten eggs and cream again. Sift flour and baking powder together and add along with vanilla, mixing to make a firm dough. Roll as thin as possible, cut, place on greased pans and bake in a quick oven.

Orange Frosting

2 cups confectioners' sugar
grated rind of 1/2 orange
enough orange juice to moisten sugar
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. butter

Mix sugar, grated orange and juice together, then add egg yolk and melted butter. Beat all together, having mixture just stiff enough to spread.

Honey Cookies

1 cup strained honey
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
enough flour to make soft dough
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. lemon extract

Cream honey and shortening, to which add well beaten eggs, re-cream. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together and add, together with the extract. Make into stiff dough, roll thin, cut and bake on greased biscuit sheets.