Grandma Gert's Recipes

Sponge Cake

2008-10-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

Here's another recipe that grandma placed a big "X" next to signify that she liked and used it.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract
1/8 cup cold water

Boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread and add slowly to beaten egg whites, beating until mixture is cold; sift together three times, flour, salt and baking powder; beat egg yolks until thick; add a little at a time, flour mixture and egg yolks, alternately to white of egg mixture; add cold water and flavoring; mix lightly. Bake in ungreased tin in moderate oven about one hour.

Marble Cake

2008-10-06T08:18:00.000-05:00

I was flipping the pages of a small cookbook that had fallen apart and was obviously used greatly by grandma over the years when I happened across this recipe which she had circled and put and star next to.

White Cake
3 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
white of 1 egg

Cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add flavoring and milk. Beat well and add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Mix in beaten egg white.

Dark Part
3 Tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup sugar
yolk of 1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. cocoa

Cream shortening, add sugar slowly; add egg yolk and mix well. Mix in milk; add flour, baking powder, salt, spices and cocoa which have been sifted together. Put this batter by spoonfulsand same amount of white batter alternately into greased loaf pan but do not mix. Bake in moderate oven about 45 minutes. Cover with white icing.

Pound Cake

2008-10-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar very slowly, beating well. Add flavoring and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until pale yellow. Beat egg whites until light and add alternately a little at a time with the flour which has been sifted with baking powder four times. Beat well for several minutes until light and fluffy. Bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour.

Apple Fritters

2008-10-01T08:56:00.000-05:00

Plain Fritter Batter

1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together; add beaten egg and milk; beat until smooth.

Apple Fritters
4 large apples
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Peel and core apples and cut into slices. add sugar and lemon juice. Dip each slice into plain fritter batter. Fry light brown in deep fat. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Fruits other than apples may be used in fritter by following the directions for apple fritters. Canned whole fruits drained from syrup may also be used. Chop fruit (not too fine) and stir into plain fritter batter. Drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat, turning until brown. Drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

French Pancakes

2008-09-30T09:12:00.000-05:00

I was looking through an old Royal Baking Powder recipe book that although I couldn't find a date is probably from the early 1900's. As someone who makes pancakes frequently I was intrigued by the title of French Pancakes. Upon reading, it is what we today call crepes.

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
jam
powdered sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs which have been beated with the sugar, milk, and cream. Beat until smooth. Heat small frying pan in which a little butter has been melted. Pour in just sufficient batter to cover bottom of pan. Cook over hot fire. Turn and brown other side. Spread with jam and roll up. Sprinkle with posdered sugar and serve hot.

Peanut Brittle

2008-09-29T08:17:00.000-05:00

Grandma loved a good peanut brittle. That and old fashioned ribbon candy were two staples at Christmas time.

2 cups chopped roasted nuts
3 cups granulated sugar

Put sugar in frying pan. Stir over slow fire. It will lump, then gradually melt. When pale coffee color, and clear, add nuts and pour quickly on greased tin. When cold break into pieces.

Economical Soup

2008-09-26T06:57:00.000-05:00

I love reading through old recipes. This one reminds me that it wasn't always the case that if you wanted soup for dinner that all you had to do was open a can. Today's recipe comes from a promotional booklet of the 1920's given out by the McNess salesman as he made his rounds selling everything a housewife could need to cook and clean.

This is a brown soup and very tasty. Take 2 good sized onions, peel then and cut them into small pieces, put 2 ounces of good dripping in the stew pan; when melted put in the onions, cover the pan and let them cook for an hour. The steam will prevent them from frying. Then pour in slowly the liquid in which a cauliflower has been boiled. Put in any stale pieces of bread you may have, using crusts as well. Add a little pepper but no salt. Simmer for at least an hour and a half, then put through a fine sieve. If it appears too thin boil longer to reduce it. Then pour into the tureen and add a very little hot milk. Serve very hot.

Boiled Brown Bread

2008-09-24T10:39:00.000-05:00

Grandma used to make a great brown bread. She kept the large coffee cans after they were emptied and used them to make the bread. After the can was filled with the dough it was covered with aluminum foil. When the bread was done, the bottom of the coffee can was cut off and the bread pushed out. I can still remember those round loaves with the rings in them from the ribs of the coffee cans.

Mix 1 pint each rolled oats and rolled wheat, 1/2 pint each of cornmeal and whole wheat flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Dissolve a level teaspoon of baking soda in a teaspoon of warm water; add to 1/2 pint of molasses and then to 1 pint sour milk. Mix with the dry ingredients an pour into a brown bread mold. Cover and boil (or steam) for 4 hours. Remove lid and bake 1/2 hour.

Fig Pudding

2008-09-23T10:40:00.000-05:00

3/4 cup dried figs, ground
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup fruit juice or milk
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cut off the stems of the figs and grind with a food chopper. Soften the butter and whip until fluffy. Then mix in the sugar, add the eggs and stir well. Then add the figs, fruit juice (or milk), salt, soda, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended. Place in muffin pans or molds and steam 45 minutes. (To steam: Place pan in large roaster pan. Pour about 2 cups water in the roaster around the pan, then place in the oven and steam.) Serve with whipped cream. These will keep in the refrigerator and may be reheated to serve.

Stuffed Peppers

2008-09-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

6 large green peppers
3/4 lb. ground beef
4 Tbsp. minced onions
2 Tbsp. salad oil
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. powdered sage
3 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. melted butter
3 tsp. salt

Wash peppers, cut off stem end top and remove seeds. Cover with boiling salt water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook beef and onion in salad oil. Add salt, pepper, sage, rice and tomatoes and mix thoroughly. Stuff peppers with this mixture and top with the bread crumbs which have been combined with the butter. Arrange peppers upright in a baking dish and bake in a moderately hot oven until brown on top.

Hungarian Goulash

2008-09-18T10:07:00.001-05:00

4 Tbsp. fat
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. chuck beef, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 lb. lean pork shoulder, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 can tomatoes (No. 2 size)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
12 small whole peeled onions
6 medium pared potatoes, cut in quarters
2 cups celery chopped fine
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. water

Combine fat and garlic, and brown in a deep kettle. Add meat and brown all sides. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, cayenne and paprika, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add onions, cover and simmer 1/2 hour longer. Add potatoes and celery, cover, and cook until potatoes and celery are tender. Blend flour and water to a smooth paste, and stir into goulash. Heat until thickened.

Swiss Steak

2008-09-18T10:07:00.000-05:00

One of the cookbooks that my grandmother used is called "The Victory Handbook for Health and Home Defense." It is a WWII era cookbook that was printed locally (the last half of the book is filled with advertisements for local businesses) and contains the names of all the local people who were serving in the military at the time - including my great uncle - my grandmother's brother - Don.

1 1/2 lbs. round, or rump beef, 1 1/2 in. to 2 inches thick
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. salad oil or melted fat
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
3 large peeled onions. sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 peeled clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. thick condiment sauce or catsup
2 drops tobasco sauce

Trim excess fat. Mix flour, salt, and pepper, and with the edge of a saucer, pound 1/2 of it into one side of the beef. Turn beef over, and pound remaining flour into other side. Heat salad oil in skillet, and when oil is hot, brown beef in it very quickly on both sides. Then add balance of ingredients; cover; and bake in slow oven. Uncover for last 1/2 hour in order that sauce may cook down to a rich thickness.

Recipe to Preserve Children's Lives

2008-09-11T07:18:00.000-05:00

We've reached the end of the recipes in grandma's handwritten notebook. I'm now looking at some of the recipe booklets that she had that date to the late 1800's and will make a decision soon about putting up some of those recipes soon. In the meantime, I found this recipe in a 1929 Rawleigh's cook book and thought it quite cute.

Recipe to Preserve Children's Lives

Take one large, grassy field, one-half dozen children, two or three small dogs, a pinch of brook and some pebbles. Mix the children and dogs well together and put them in the field, stirring constantly. Pour the brook over the pebbles; sprinkle the field with flowers; spread over all a deep blue sky and bake in the hot sun. When brown, remove and set to cool in a bathtub.

Corn Bread

2008-09-10T09:17:00.000-05:00

1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. melted shortening
1 egg

Mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk, shortening and beaten egg; beat well and pour into greased shallow pan. Bake in hot oven about 25 minutes.

Blushing Bunny

2008-09-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

Put into a chafing dish 2 Tbsp. butter; when melted add 2 Tbsp. flour. Pour in gradually 1 cup of thin cream or milk. When thickened add 1/2 cup of tomatoes and 1 cup of cooked macaroni. Then add 1/2 pound cheese, grated and 2 eggs slightly beaten. Season with salt and a little cayenne pepper and mustard.

Potatoe Patties

2008-09-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

Back to a recipe from grandma. This one she marked as delicious and I'll attest to that!

Mash cold potatoes smooth with a fork. Add one tablespoon of flour, a little butter, salt and pepper; work all together and pat into thin round cakes. Fry in hot fat. Delicious!

Elm River Chowder

2008-09-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

This is NOT one of my grandmothers' recipes. Here in southern Illinois, the Elm River Chowder has been a big event for over a 100 years. Our local newspaper printed a copy of the original recipe used and it is such a hoot I couldn't resist sharing. The chowder is still today prepared using the original methods - in huge kettles over an open flame. It's quite the local tradition.

1 cow
600 pounds potatoes
325 pound carrots
38 stalks celery
150 pounds onions
100 gallons green beans
40 gallons corn
110 gallons tomatoes
50 gallons tomato juice
400 pounds cabbage
Dishpan full of salt and pepper

Cheese Potatoes

2008-09-06T07:09:00.000-05:00

Put a layer of sliced cold potatoes into a baking dish, then a layer of cracker crumbs; salt and pepper to taste, and specks of butter and cheese. Another layer of potatoes and so on until all are used. Sprinkle with grated cheese on top. Cover with milk and bake 25 minutes in a hot oven.

Chocolate Fudge

2008-09-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa or 2 squares chocolate
pinch of salt

Mix sugar and cocoa together, add milk and boil until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water. Take from fire, add butter and vanilla, cool and beat until creamy. Pour onto buttered pie dish and cut in squares when cool.

Peanut Butter Fudge

2008-09-04T10:55:00.001-05:00

Around Christmas time grandma would get busy making fudge. For several days in a row it would be batch after batch until she had made enough to give to everyone.

Cook together 2 cups sugar, 2 Tbsp. peanut butter and 1/2 cup milk until it forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, cool and beat until creamy. Pour into a buttered pie plate and when nearly cool cut in small squares.

Grandma notes that she often makes a double batch of these.

Butterscotch Pie

2008-09-03T08:13:00.000-05:00

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup cold water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar and flour together, add water gradually and stir over fire until thick. Add beaten egg yolks and butter, then vanilla. Fill baked crusts, beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, add 2 Tbsp. sugar. Put this on top of pie and brown in a slow oven.

Lemon Pie

2008-09-02T10:01:00.000-05:00

1 lemon
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour, heaping

Mix sugar and flour, add juice of lemon and 2 egg yolks beaten, slowly add 1 cup of boiling water. Mix well and pour in pie crust and bake. Make a meringue with the two egg whites.

Sour Cream Rasisin Pie

2008-08-31T10:30:00.000-05:00

Line a pie tin with rich pie crust and fill with the following mixture:

1 cup chopped raisins
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Bake slowly. Use the egg whites for meringue.

This makes an excellent pie!

Pumpkin Pie

2008-08-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

2 cups pumpkin
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs

Beat eggs into sugar and spices, mix all together; bake in moderate oven about 45 minutes.

Squash pie is made in exactly the same way.

This recipe makes 2 pies.

Rhubarb Pie

2008-08-29T10:21:00.000-05:00

Grandma always made a good rhubarb pie. It had the right level of tartiness without making you pucker up - too much. When my grandparents lived along the river, grandma grew a couple plants of rhubarb - enough to bake a number of pies.

1 cup sugar
1 cup rhubarb, cut up in 1 inch pieces
1 Tbsp. flour
1 egg
orange flavoring

Cook rhubarb seperately, then add sugar and flour, which have been mixed together; then add 1 egg beaten and flavoring to taste. Bake between two rich crusts.

Cream, Banana, or Coconut Pie

2008-08-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

Line a pie dish with a rich crust, pinch here and there, and bake in a hot oven.

Mix together 1/3 cup flour with 3/4 cup sugar and a pinch of salt. Add 1 pt. scalded milk and 3 Tbsp. butter. Cook 5 minutes; add beaten yolk of 2 eggs gradually to thicken milk. Cook a few minutes stirring constantly. Set aside to cool; add 1 tsp. orange extract and fill prepared crust.

Make a meringue of the egg whites whipped very stiff with 1/4 cup sugar. Spread on pie and set in a slow oven to brown.

For banana pie add 3 bananas to the mixture.

For cocoanut pie add 1/2 cup shredded cocoanut.

Delicious!

Doughnuts

2008-08-26T08:21:00.000-05:00

1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
enough flour to handle

Mix all together and roll out, not too thin. These are especially good.

Drop Molasses Cookies

2008-08-25T10:51:00.000-05:00

This is the last of the cookie recipes in the notebook. There are 10 blank pages after this, so I'm sure grandma planned to put in more recipes.

1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup lard or butter
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. soda

Use enough flour to form soft dough. Drop on greased cookie tin.

Snickerdoodles

2008-08-23T11:55:00.000-05:00

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup sour milk
4 cups flour
2 eggs
4 cups baking powder

Drop on greased cookie pans and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Oatmeal Drop Cookies

2008-08-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. soda

It is better to soak the oatmeal overnight in the buttermilk. Raisins or nuts may be added if liked.

Drop Cocoanut Cookies

2008-08-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
4 cups flour
1/4 cup raisins
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. soda (mixed in the buttermilk)
3/4 cup cocoanut
1 tsp. lemon

The mixture should be quite stiff and dropped by small spoon on baking sheet.

Molasses Cookies

2008-08-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup shortening
4 Tbsp. cold water
2 tsp. soda

Sugar Cookies

2008-08-19T08:48:00.000-05:00

Whenever company would show up grandma would whip up a cake. That's why those recipes took prominence in her handwritten cookbook I'm sure. But what I remember most on those weekends when I'd visit was her cookies. I'd sit on a tall stool and watch her work at her baking cupboard. And the second section of this notebook of handwritten recipes is indeed cookies. She starts with one of her all-time favorites - sugar cookies. As with other recipes that were most used - what is given is merely a list of ingredients with just a hint of instruction.

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup lard or butter
2 eggs
pinch of salt

Beat to a cream then add:

1 cup buttermilk or sour cream
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. baking powder
flavoring
flour to handle nicely

Do not roll out too thin.

Cream Cake Filling

2008-08-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. flour
butter size of walnut

Mix sugar, flour and egg together well, then add milk and coo in double boiler until it begins to thicken. Take from fire and add butter and flavoring.

Layer Cake Filling

2008-08-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

Mash 1 ripe banana, add 1 cup sugar beaten to a froth with the white of 1 egg. Mix well and spread between cake layers.

1 cup of grated apple or 1 cup of any type of berries may be substituted for the banana.

Mocha Frosting

2008-08-16T08:39:00.000-05:00

1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup 4x sugar
1 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. strong coffee

Cream butter and sugar; add cocoa, coffee and pinch of salt and stir until smooth. If it's dry add more coffee.

The cocoa or coffee may be omitted, using milk in place of coffee.

Boiled Icing

2008-08-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 egg white
1/2 tsp. flavoring
1 tsp. baking powder

Boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; pour very slowly over stiffly beaten egg white and beat until smooth; add flavoring and baking powder. Allow to stand a few minutes before spreading.

1/2 tsp. of cream tartar may be added instead of the baking powder.

Tapioca Cream

2008-08-14T11:09:00.000-05:00

Heat one pint of milk in a double boiler, when hot stir in 2 level Tablespoons of tapioca and cook five minutes, stirring occassionally, then add the yolk of two eggs, well beaten with two Tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly and cook about 2 minutes. Beat the egg whites stiff and put in pudding with a cutting, folding motion. Add one spoonful of vanilla and turn at once into dish for serving. This may be varied by making carmel of the 2 Tbsp. sugar, melt it until it is as brown as desired.

Pineapple Tapioca

2008-08-13T10:05:00.000-05:00

Drain juice from one large can of pineapple into measuring cup. Add equal amount of water and put juice and water in double boiler. After hot add 1/2 cup of minute tapioca. Let it cook until tapioca is dissolved. Remove from double boiler and add 3/4 cup sugar. When cool add diced pineapple and just before serving fold in 1/2 pint whipped cream.

Fruit Batter Pudding

2008-08-12T11:09:00.000-05:00

1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. baking powder
butter the size of egg
1 cup sweet milk
1/2 or 1 cup of fruit
flour to make batter like cake

Steam one hour.

Grandma notes that she uses 1/2 of the recipe and steam in top of double boiler. She also notes that this is very good.

Apple Dessert

2008-08-11T09:18:00.000-05:00

Butter a pie tin and put in 2 cups apples, sliced. Cover with a batter made of:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
enough sweet milk to make a thick batter or dough

Bake 20 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve hot with sugar, nutmeg, and milk.

Soft Molasses Cake

2008-08-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

This is the last recipe in the cake section of grandma's notebook.

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. soda
1/2 cup milk

Cream shortening, add sugar slowly, beating continually; add egg and molasees; sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices; add 1/2 of flour mixture to creamed ingredients; add milk and remainder of dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake in greased shallow pan in moderate oven about 40 minutes.

Sour MIlk Chocolate Cake

2008-08-09T08:59:00.000-05:00

3 Tbsp. cocoa
4 Tbsp. butter (1/4 cup)
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup sour milk
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve cocoa in melted butter; add yolk of egg and sugar, beating well; add part of milk, flour sifted with soda, then rest of milk and vanilla. Bake in a moderate oven.

Mrs. Mallory's Sour Milk Cake

2008-08-08T10:56:00.000-05:00

I don't know who Mrs. Mallory is, but this is the type of recipe that drives those of us who need exact measurements crazy. Of course grandma wouldn't have thought twice about it - everything was a pinch of this, dash of that.

1 cup sugar
1 cup sour milk
1 Tbsp. shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. soda
vanilla

Add enough flour to make quite thick. Bake in a moderate overn.

Chocolate Cake

2008-08-07T15:01:00.000-05:00

1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
2 squares melted chocolate in 1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream sugar, butter and egg, then add other ingredients. Beat well and add another 1/2 cup warm water with 1/2 tsp. soda dissolved in it. Then add 1 tsp. vanilla. Bake in a moderate oven.

Sour Cream Cake

2008-08-06T09:07:00.000-05:00

Mix and sift 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup nut meats broken into bits, 1 cup raisins, chopped or cut into halves. Then stir in 1 cup sour cream to which has been added 1/2 tsp. soda and 2 Tbsp. softened butter. If the cream is very rich the butter may be dispensed with. The last thing before baking add 2 eggs well beaten. Bake in a loaf tin. This is an excellent cake.

Layer Cake with Banana Filling

2008-08-05T10:21:00.000-05:00

Cake:
Into your sifter put 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and a pinch of salt; sift several times. Into a measuring cup put 1/4 cup of melted butter, break in 1 egg, and fill the cup with milk, turn into the dry ingredients, beat well and flavor as liked. Lemon preferably. Bake in two layers.

Filling:
Mash one ripe banana, add 1 cup sugar beaten to a froth with the white of 1 egg. Mix well and spread between the layers.

You may also use a grated apple, sweetened and beaten stiff with the white of 1 egg (which may be reserved from the cake).

3 Egg Angel Cake

2008-08-04T07:33:00.000-05:00

3 egg whites
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cream tarter
pinch of salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla

(There is no soda in this cake)

Sift flour 4 times with cream of tarter. Beat egg whites stiff, add vanilla, beat again, fold in flour, sugar, and salt lightly. Bake in small angel cake tin for 40 minutes.

Chocolate Cake without eggs

2008-08-03T08:57:00.000-05:00

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup thick sour milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup water, boiling
1 tsp. soda
2 cups pastry flour

Cream 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter together; add 1/4 cup thick sour milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2 Tbsp. cocoa dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 tsp. soda sifted with 2 scant cups pastry flour. Mix all ingredients well and bake in a moderate oven until done.

Applesauce Cake

2008-08-02T10:20:00.000-05:00

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted fat
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp. cloves
2 tsp. soda
1 cup raisins
2 1/2 cups flour

Mix sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir the soda into the applesauce and let if foam over into the mixing bowl. Add flour, melted fat and raisins. Bake in a loaf tin or muffin pans in a moderate oven.

Cocoa Loaf Cake

2008-08-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

The notebook that I'm taking these new recipes from is very brittle so I'm taking the recipes in order. I apologize that there will be quite a few days of cakes, but if I jump around to make it more interesting I'm afraid that pages will be lost before I can get them transcribed. Today's recipe is like a lot of grandma's recipes - a list of ingredients. I'm sure that grandma felt that any good baker would know exactly what to do with the list.

1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sour milk
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Molasses Layer Cake

2008-07-31T08:11:00.000-05:00

Cake
2 cups molasses
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup flour

Mix all together then add:

1 cup sour milk
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour

Paste for Molasses Cake
1 cup warm water
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. corn starch
Butter the size of a walnut

Plain Cake

2008-07-30T10:07:00.000-05:00

My grandmother would be so happy. She spent her life going through cook books, making notes in the margins and wanting so badly to publish her recipes. The flood of 1972 took the majority of her life's work, but some of her most treasured recipes she kept in a big red recipe box. Those recipes I've put up here hoping someone would enjoy reading them. Amazingly, almost 200 people a week are coming to this site to look at her recipes. Thank You. I can only hope that grandma is heaven with with a smile on her face to know that her work is being enjoyed.

Recently in going through some of the last boxes of grandma's possessions that I received recently, more recipes were found. The one item that especially caught my attention is a yellowed, brittle notebook that is falling apart. Grandma had numbered all the pages, made an index and wrote out her own cook book. A number of the recipes are in her own shorthand. I'll put them up exactly as she wrote them. I'm afraid that unless you are an experienced cook or baker, that they may seem unusable. But I offer them to you, I hope with grandma's blessings.

Plain Cake

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon butter or lard
1 cup sweet milk
1 tsp. flavoring
2 tsp. baking powder

Beat sugar, egg, and shortening well, then add milk and flavoring, stir and slowly add sifted flour and baking powder. Beat well. Bake slowly.

I've reached the end of the recipe box!

2007-03-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

It's been a lot of fun sharing my grandmother's recipes from her little red box. There were quite a few recipes jammed into that box! But I opened the box today and no recipe cards were left. So I want to say thanks for stopping by to check out this site. The recipes will be here for you to sort through the archives and find something you may have missed.

Fried Cabbage

2007-03-16T10:49:00.000-05:00

2 1/2 pounds cabbage
3 strips bacon
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Shred cabbage medium fine, set aside. Fry bacon crisp; break into pieces. Add cabbage and saute, stirring constantly. Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Bread

2007-03-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

3/4 cup cream peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
1 egg
1 cup milk

Cream peanut butter and margarine until light and fluffy. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda together over creamed mixture, then work in with spoon or fork until fine crumbs form. Add orange rind. Beat egg slightly; mix in milk. Add to crumbs and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes.

Applesauce Potato Bake

2007-03-14T10:28:00.000-05:00

2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
2 cups applesauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. mace

Place sweet potatoes in casserole dish. Combine applesauce, brown sugar and juice; spread over potatoes. Dot with butter; sprinkle with nuts and mace. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Butterfly Orange Muffins

2007-03-13T11:43:00.000-05:00

2 cups sifted flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. melted shortening
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
24 mandarin orange sections, drained

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Blend together egg, milk, shortening and orange rind. Add liquid all at once to flour mixture, stirring only until flour is moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Place 2 orange sections on each muffin in opposite directions to form butterfly design. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Potato Casserole

2007-03-12T10:46:00.000-05:00

4 medium potatoes, sliced
1 cup milk
1 cup cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Place sliced potatoes in greased baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over potatoes. Bake covered at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Dutch Sweet Pickles

2007-03-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

Use 3 gallons of 2 1/2 - 3 inch cucumbers, halved. Add 3 cups sat. Pour boiling water over to barely cover and let stand overnight. Drain. Add 2 Tbsp. alum and cover with boiling water. Let stand overnight. Drain. Cover again with boiling water and let stand until cool. Pack pickles into jars. Make syrup of 8 cups sugar, 2 1/2 quarts vinegar, 1 quart water and dash celery seed. Boil. Pour over pickles and seal hot.

Chocolate Filled Doughnuts

2007-03-10T10:01:00.000-06:00

4 1/2 cups flour
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
fat for deep frying
sugar or cinnamon-sugar

Stir together 2 cups flour, yeast and lemon rind. Heat milk, sugar, salt and oil over low heat only until warm, stirring to blend. Add liquid ingredients to flour-yeast mixture and beat until smooth; blend in eggs. Add 1 cup flour and beat 150 strokes. Stir in more flour to make moderately stiff dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny, about 8 to 10 minutes. Shape into ball and place in lightly greased bowl, turning to grease all sides and place in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down. Let rest 10 minutes. Divide dough into 36 equal pieces. Flatten and place 6 chocolate pieces in center of each; seal edges securely. Let rise, sealed-side down, in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Deep fry doughnut balls in preheated 375 degree fat 6 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain; coat with sugar or cinnamon-sugar.

Orange Crumb Coffee Cake

2007-03-09T08:41:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups sifted flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. melted butter

Mix together brown sugar, nuts and spices; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar. Cut in shortening until resembles coarse meal. Add egg and orange juice; stir until blended. Drop batter by heaping tablespoon into sugar nut mixture, shaping into balls and coating well. Place in a greased 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture and drizzle melted butter on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Banana Pineapple Fluff

2007-03-08T09:30:00.000-06:00

1 cup milk
1 pound marshmallows
4 bananas, sliced
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups crushed pineapple, undrained
1 pint whipping cream
16 graham crackers, finely crushed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat milk; add marshmallows and fold over and over until dissolved. Cool. Sprinkle bananas with lemon juice. Fold into cooled mixture along with pineapple. Fold in whipped cream. Butter an 8 x 12 pan. Line with crackers and nuts. Pour in whipped mixture. Refrigerate until set.

Peanut Pie

2007-03-07T09:44:00.000-06:00

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Combine sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat with mixer until thoroughly blended. Stir in dry roasted peanuts. Turn into unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Great warm with some whipped cream.

Chocolate Fudge

2007-03-06T09:45:00.000-06:00

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
few grains salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. ground nutmeats

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Remove from heat and stir in milk, salt, vanilla and nutmeats, stirring only until smooth. Turn fudge into wax lines container and press down to 1 inch high. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours. Invert onto cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut into serving pieces.

Crunchy Chocolate Tart Shells

2007-03-05T09:25:00.000-06:00

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup honey-flavored puffed wheat

Partially melt chocolate with butter over hot water. Remove from water; stir rapidly until chocolate is entirely melted. Add coconut; mix well. Stir in cereal. Press mixture on bottoms and sides of 6 greased 4-inch tart pans. Chill until firm. Let chilled crust stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully loosen with point of a knife. Remove tart shell from pan. Fill with ice cream and serve.

Buckwheat Pancakes

2007-03-04T09:16:00.000-06:00

Grandma loved buckwheat pancakes and were often a Sunday staple. I have yet to make them taste as good as what grandma made.

1 package yeast
1 cup water
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Sprinkle yeast over one cup warm water to dissolve. Add buckwheat flour and mix thoroughly. Cover bowl and let rise in refrigerator eight hours or overnight. Mix in sugar, salt; add enough water to thin batter.

Chocolate Fondue

2007-03-03T10:17:00.000-06:00

Remember in the 70's when fondue was the craze. Believe it or not it's making a comeback! I honestly do not ever remember grandma making fondue, but found this recipe among her collection.

2 packages (6 ounces each) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup light cream

Put into fondue saucepan. Place directly over flame and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Partially cover flame so that mixture is just kept warm.

Great with bite-sized pieces of fruit - bananas, apple, orange, seedless grapes, cherries, strawberries, etc.

Maple Cookies

2007-03-02T09:25:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup nutmeats
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Add butter and maple syrup to egg, stir in nutmeats and chocolate chips. Sift together flour, soda and salt and add to mixture. Drop by teaspoonful onto greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Molasses Fruit-and-Nut Bars

2007-03-01T10:05:00.000-06:00

1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup molasses
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup finely cut dates
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening, sugar, soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat in molasses, then egg. Stir in flour, dates and nuts. Spread in a greased and lightly floured 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes; cool. Turn out on cutting board. Spread with glaze.

Glaze: Blend together 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, 4 teaspoons water, and 1 tablespoon grated orange rind.

Honey Buns

2007-02-28T09:16:00.000-06:00

2 cups sifted flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped nutmeats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut in shortening. Add buttermilk and blend lightly. Turn out on lightly floured board. Knead gently about 30 seconds. Roll dough into rectangle 21 x 12 inches. Brush with 2 Tbsp. butter. Combine brown sugar, raisins, nutmeats and cinnamon. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. in greased 9-inch round pan, and remainder on rolled dough. Roll up as for jelly roll. Cut into 1-inch slices and place cut side down in pan close together. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Combine remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and honey and pour honey mixture over buns. Continue baking 10 minutes longer.

Elderberry Jam

2007-02-27T09:13:00.000-06:00

2 quarts crushed elderberries
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup vinegar

Combine berries, sugar and vinegar. Bring slowly to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour, boiling hot, into sterilized jars.

Peach Cake

2007-02-26T09:11:00.000-06:00

Cake:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. almond extract
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk

Peach Topping:
lemon juice
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh peaches
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
2 Tbsp. light cream
1 tsp. almond extract

Butter and flour bottom of square 9-inch cake pan. Cream butter; gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add almond extract. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Turn into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. To prepare topping: Dip peaches in lemon juice and arrange in rows on top of cake. Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan; mix in sugar, coconut, cream and almond extract. Pour over peaches and spread to cover evenly. Broil just until topping is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes; cool.

Apple Walnut Ring Cake

2007-02-25T09:59:00.000-06:00

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. mace
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped apples
2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix and sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and mace; add gradually. Stir in vanilla, apples and walnuts. Batter will be stiff. Spoon into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove to rack.

Pumpkin-Nut Cookies

2007-02-24T08:52:00.000-06:00

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
1/2 tsp. orange extract
1 egg
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar together thoroughly. Add pumpkin, orange extract and egg, blending well. Sift flour with baking powder, salt and spices. Blend into first mixture. Stir in walnuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Chocolate Bread

2007-02-23T09:19:00.000-06:00

1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups orange juice
3 cups biscuit mix
2 squares, unsweetened chocolate, melted
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar and egg, blending well. Add orange juice and biscuit mix alternately, stirring well after each addition. Blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into a loaf pan and bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Potato Candy

2007-02-22T09:23:00.000-06:00

1 pound pkg. confectioner's sugar
1 7-ounce pkg. coconut
1 medium potato, cooked
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 squares baking chocolate

Mash boiled potato in a bowl and add confectioner's sugar, coconut and peanut butter and mix with fork until well blended. Press in a pie plate. Melt chocolate and spread evenly over mixture. Put in refrigerator and let set until chocolate is hardened. Cut and serve.

Nut Bread

2007-02-21T09:39:00.000-06:00

2 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 Tbsp. honey
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp. melted butter
1 cup chopped nuts

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add honey and milkt to eggs. Mix liquid and dry ingredients together until just smooth. Stir in melted butter. Put nuts in a small shaker, add 1 tsp. flour; blend together lightly. Add to dough. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Fresh Corn Bread

2007-02-20T10:13:00.000-06:00

6 ears corn (2 cups)
4 cups milk
2/3 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
3 eggs

Cut corn kernals from cob. Add to 2 cups hot milk. Stir in cornmeal and salt. Cook mixture 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat. Beat in butter and sugar. Beat together egg yolks and remainder of cold milk. Add to first mixture. Beat egg whites stiff and dry. Fold into mixture and pour into buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Forgotten Torte

2007-02-19T09:55:00.000-06:00

6 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 cups sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Add sugar gradually, beating until stiff and glossy. Drop by small teaspoonfuls in twelve circles on brown paper on a baking sheet. Put in oven, close door and turn off heat. Let stand in oven overnight. Do not open oven door. Serve filled with ice crem and topped with berries.

Bird's Nest Cookies

2007-02-18T09:15:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
1 egg white
1 cup nuts, finely chopped
your favorite preserves

Cream butter with brown sugar; add egg yolk and beat. Gradually add flour and form mixture into balls. Dip balls into slightly beaten egg white and roll in finely chopped nuts, press in center and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, remove from ovn and press centers again and bake 10 minutes more. Cool and fill centers with your favorite preserves.

Peanut Brittle

2007-02-17T10:21:00.000-06:00

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups raw peanuts
2 tsp. soda

Put sugar, syrup, water and salt in pan and cook until sugar melts. Add raw peanuts. Do not stir, but watch. Cook until candy reaches hard-crack stage. Remove from heat. Add soda, and stir quickly. Mix well so it will puff up. Pour on greased surface and spread thin layer. It hardens quickly. If it is cooked enough, it will not stick to the board.

Irish Soda Bread

2007-02-16T09:27:00.000-06:00

3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups currants or dark, seedless raisins
2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 - 2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. melted shortening

Sift together into a large bowl, flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir in currants or raisins. Combine eggs, buttermilk and shortening. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and mix just until flour is moistened. Turn batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Remove from pan immediately. Allow to cool thoroughly before slicing.

Molasses Fruit Bread

2007-02-15T10:04:00.000-06:00

2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. double acting baking powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening, melted
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup chopped figs or dates
1/4 cup sliced citron
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup milk

Sift together flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Mix egg, molasses, sugar, shortening, lemon juice and rind, fruits and nuts. Mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Mix only until ingredients are blended. Bake one hour at 350 degrees in a well-greased, lightly floured bread pan.

Candied Apples

2007-02-14T07:38:00.000-06:00

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 apples
1 pkg. cinnamon hearts

Place one cup of water in iron skillet. Dissolve sugar in water, then add one package of red cinnamon hearts. Let hearts melt. Peel and core apples, place in skillet and cook until done, 30 to 40 minutes.

Carrot Cookies

2007-02-13T09:24:00.000-06:00

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in egg and lemon extract. Sift dry ingredients together and add with carrots and raisins, mixing well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cherry Cobbler

2007-02-12T09:31:00.000-06:00

1 can red tart pitted cherries
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. almond extract
few drops of red food coloring

Mix all ingredients together; place in cobbler dish lined with crust and dot mixture with 5 small slices of butter. Fold crust over mixture and bake 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then 30 to 40 minutes at 300 degrees.

Easy Oven Stew

2007-02-11T09:29:00.000-06:00

2 pounds boneless chuck, cut in 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. marjoram
2 medium onions, slices
3 medium carrots, scraped and cut into circles
1 beef bouillon cube
3/4 cup hot water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup (8-ounce can) tomato sauce
Cornbread Mix (1 small package)

Arrange meat in buttered large shallow casserole and sprinkle with combined seasonings. Cover with vegetables. Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water, blend with tomato sauce and lemon juice and pour over meat and potatoes. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours or until meat is tender. Remove from oven and increase heat to 400 degrees. Uncover casserole and drop cornbread batter, prepared according to package directions, by tablespoonfuls on top of pieces of meat. Return casserole to oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes more.

Note from grandma: Can use biscuit dough instead of cornbread.

Fruited Pudding Pie

2007-02-10T09:49:00.000-06:00

1 package vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
2 cups milk
1 baked 8-inch pie shell
1 package (12 ounces) quick-frozen mixed fruit, thawed
2 tsp. cornstarch

Prepare pie filling with milk as directed on the package. Pour into pie shell. Cool. Drain the mixed fruit, reserving liquid. Mix the reserved liquid with cornstarch and cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and clear. Gently stir in fruit. Pour over cooled pie filling. Chill.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

2007-02-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream shortening with 1 cup brown sugar. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add eggs beaten with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Beat in sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla. Fill greased cupcake pans half full. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with confectioners' sugar icing to which 1 Tbsp. of peanut butter has been added.

Spicy Pecan Pudding Cake

2007-02-08T10:08:00.000-06:00

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups water
3 Tbsp. butter

Cake:
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
pecan halves

Make a sauce of brown sugar, water and butter by combining in saucepan and bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar. Sift dry ingredients together and add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Add chopped pecans. Spread batter in a greased 9 x 9 pan. Carefully pour sauce over the batter. Arrange pecan halves on top of syrup. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream.

Baked Alaska

2007-02-07T08:55:00.000-06:00

6 egg whites
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1 sponge layer cake
1 quart brick ice cream (hard)

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar and vanilla. Beat until almost stiff enough to hold a peak. Gradually add saugar, beating until stiff enough to hold sharp peaks, but not dry. Cover wooden board with brown paper. Place cake on center of paper on board. Cake should be at least 1 inch wider and longer than ice cream. Turn ice cream out of container on center of cake. Cover ice cream and cake completely with meringue. With a spoon, swirl surface to make peaks. Bake in very hot oven of 500 degrees until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from paper and board and put on a cold tray of cake plate and serve at once.

While this is the way grandma had to make a Baked Alasaka, today's cooks have the advantage of obtaining little blow torches to use in the kitchen for just this purpose. You can build your dessert on individual dishes if you like and use the blow torch to brown the meringue.

Frosted Apple Pie

2007-02-06T09:35:00.000-06:00

pastry for 2-crust pie
3 large apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Peel, core and slice apples. Arrange half of apple slices in pastry-lined pie pan. Mix together sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spoon about half of this mixture onto apple slices. Add remaining apple slices and sprinkle with rest of sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Place top crust and bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. Cool before decorating with frosting. Mix together until creamy confectioners' sugar, water, and lemon extract. Dribble this frosting over top crust in lattice pattern.

Buttermilk Pie

2007-02-05T09:43:00.000-06:00

2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. sugar
unbaked pie shell

Mix 1 cup sugar and flour, add soft butter, beaten egg yolks and lemon juice. Beat until creamy. Add buttermilk gradually, beating after each addition. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 - 25 minutes. Beat egg whites until foamy and add baking powder. Beat until stiff, gradually adding 6 Tbsp. sugar. Flavor with a few drops of lemon juice. Spread on cool pie, bake in low oven until brown.

Baked Ham Balls on Peach Halves

2007-02-04T09:18:00.000-06:00

2 1/2 to 3 cups ground cooked ham
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
8 drained canned peach halves

Combine corn flakes and milk. Add egg, sugar, cloves and ham and mix lightly. Shape into 8 individual balls, place in baking pan and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. Add drained peach halves dotted with butter to pan during last 10 minutes of baking. Serve ham balls on peach halves.

Texas Pudding

2007-02-03T08:42:00.000-06:00

2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream the above ingredients. The put 2 cups cherries in a 9 x 9 pan, cover with dough you've mixed. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar over top and add two cups of boiling water. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Vinegar Pie

2007-02-02T08:59:00.000-06:00

1/2 of 8-oz. package seedless raisins
1/4 lb. butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp. allspice, ground
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. apple cider yellow vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

Thoroughly cream sugar with butter. Add spices and cream again. Add egg yolk, beaten until smooth, and vinegar. Beat mixture until smooth. Stir in cut raisins. Add salt to egg whites, beat until stiff. Slide whites into sugar and raisin mixture, cut and fold in thoroughly. Turn into pastry lined pan and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce oven to 300 degrees and continue baking for 20 - 25 minutes. Top should be brown and center of filling jelly-like when done. Let cool 2 to 3 hours before cutting.

Banana Cupcakes

2007-02-01T09:38:00.000-06:00

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond flavor
2/3 cup banana puree
4 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. soda
1 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, sugar, salt and flavoring. Add banana and vinegar. Sift soda and flour together, add to mixture and beat 1 minute. Bake 18 minutes at 375 degrees.

Rhubarb Cobbler

2007-01-31T08:26:00.000-06:00

3 cups diced rhubarb
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. grated orange rind
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. fat
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix rhubarb with sugar, flour, orange rind, nutmeg, butter and water. Pour into a shallow baking pan. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in fat and add milk. Pat out soft dough and fit over rhubarb. Make air holes in top. Bake 20 minutes at a moderate temperature.

Maple Popcorn Balls

2007-01-30T08:43:00.000-06:00

1 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup water
3 quarts popped corn
1 cup nuts

Boil syrup, butter and water to hard ball stage (290 degrees on a candy thermometer). Pour quickly over the combined popped corn and nuts, stir until well coated. Shape quickly into balls.