Meringue

3 or 4 large egg whites, beaten stiff (including a pinch of salt)

Fold in:
1 c sifted sugar
10 small soda crackers crushed very fine
1 t baking powder
1/2 c chopped nut meats
1 t vanilla

Bake for 30 minutes in ungreased pie pan at 335°.

Oatmeal Cake

Add 1 c quick oats to 1-1/3 c boiling water. Set aside.

Cream:
1/2 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 eggs

Mix together:
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 t soda
1 t cinnamon.

Mix the dry ingredients with the creamed shortening mixture. Stir in the oatmeal. Bake in greased 9-inch pans at 350°.

Frosting:
1 stick margarine
1 c brown sugar
2 T condensed milk

Boil 1 minute. Add 1/2 c nuts and 1/2 c coconut. Mix well, pour on hot cake, and brown under the broiler.

Walnut Meringue Torte

I'm sure that my Mother never made this recipe, at least never made it after I was born.

3 egg whites
1/4 t cream of tartar
32 California walnut halves
2 c heavy cream
1 to 2 pt of slightly soft butter pecan ice cream

Day before:

1. On two pieces of wax paper draw a 9-inch circle; place each on a greased cookie sheet. Heat oven to 300°.

2. In a medium bowl, with mixer at high speed beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. With mixer at low speed, beat in 1 c sugar, 2 T at a time. Beat at high speed until very stiff and glossy.

3. With half meringue mixture in decorating bag and pastry tube no. 5, make a ring around inner ring of one of the circles. Then top entire circle quickly with parallel lines of meringue in one direction, then three more, crisscrossing them.

Repeat step 3 on the remaining circle. Bake both meringue rings in the same oven for 30 minutes or until light brown, exchanging lower sheet for upper in 15 minutes. When done, peel wax paper from meringues at once on cake rack.

5. In small skillet, over medium heat, melt 2 c sugar until it forms a golden syrup. Drop walnuts a few at a time, into syrup, coating all sides. With fork, place 2 walnut halves together.

Next day, about 15 minutes before serving:

1. Whip cream until stiff. On large cake plate, spread a thin layer of cream in same circle as meringue. Place one of the rings on the whipped cream.

2. Now spoon ice cream evenly over meringue. Then top with second ring. With some remaining whipped cream, in decorating bag with pastry tube no. 5, fill each of the 16 holes in lattice pattern with a mound; top each with a glazed walnut.

3. With rest of whipped cream make rosettes around sides. Serves 12

Substitute raspberry sherbet for butter pecan ice cream, and fresh raspberries for glazed walnuts.

Coffee Cake

2 c flour
1/2 t salt
4 t baking powder
2 T sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1/2 c shortening
1 egg

Mix as you would for biscuits. Pat dough into pan (8 x 8) and top with:
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T butter

Bake in hot (400°) oven.

Chocolate Angel Food

11 egg whites
2/3 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 t cream of tartar
1 t vanilla

Beat whites, before stiff add salt and cream of tartar. Add sifted sugar and baking powder. Add flour and cocoa which are sifted together. Vanilla. Bake as other angel food cakes.

Note: Beware of the pitfalls of this recipe. Usually the flour is folded into the whites in angel food recipes. This looks like an interesting cake, though - chocolate angel food?

Applesauce Fruit Cake

Boil 5 minutes, stir, cool:
3 c applesauce
1 c shortening
2 c sugar

1 lb dates
1 lb raisins
1 lb nuts
1/4 lb candied cherries
1/4 lb candied pineapple
1/4 lb citron
4-1/2 c sifted flour
4 t soda
1 t nutmeg
2-1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
1 t salt

Line 4-1lb coffee cans with waxed paper. Mix fruit and nuts. Sift together flour, soda and spices over fruit, mixing until each piece of fruit is coated. Stir in cooled applesauce mixture. Turn into cans. Bake at 250° for 2 hours. When cakes are brown as desired, cover with brown paper. Remove cakes from pans. Store in moisture proof wrapping in a cool place or freeze.

Glaze for Fruit Cake

1 c sugar
1/2 c corn syrup
1/2 c water

Boil to soft ball (230°). Cool slightly. Spread on cakes. While moist arrange garnish of candied fruits and nuts. Makes enough glaze for 3 fruit cakes.

Light Fruit Cake

Mrs. Mildred McIlvaine

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1/2 c honey
3 c flour
1/4 t soda
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
1 c apricot jam
1 c coconut, chopped
1 jar fruit mix
grated rind 1 orange
grated rind 1 lemon
4 eggs, separated
1 c white raisins, chopped
1/2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1/2 c candied pineapple
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c cherry juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c orange juice

Cream shortening and egg yolks. Add sugar, gradually, then honey and jam. Beat well.

Sift 2 c flour with soda, baking powder, and salt. Use remaining c of flour to flour fruits and nuts.

Add the sifted flour alternately with milk to the creamed shortening mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the coconut and grated rinds.

Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff, and fold in. Stir in flour fruits and nuts.

Bake in slow oven (300°) for 1-1/2 hours. This will make 3 small cakes or 2 large ones.

Pour fruit juice over dake while still warm.

We made this fruitcake many times over the years. This is mother's version of Mrs. McIlvaine's recipe. You can tell it's a popular recipe, because the card is spattered with many years of cake batter.

Orange Jello Angel Cake Dessert

Lois Skoog

1 package orange jello. Add 1 c boiling water, juice of 1 lemon, and 1 c orange juice. Allow mixture to thicken in refrigerator (about 25 minutes). Whip. Whip 1 c of cream, fold this whipped cream with the whipped jello. Pour over 1 large angel food cake broken in pieces. Add 2 c small marshmallows. Top with whipped cream (and a cherry, if desird). Will serve 12 to 15. 9" x 13" pan. (It took my jello a lot longer to jell than this said.)

Francis Records Fresh Apple Cake

This probably came from Alura Dodd, with her suggested changes to the recipe.

Mix liquids:
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Mix dry ingredients:
2 c flour
2 t soda
2 t cinnamon
4 c diced apples
1 c nuts

Mix wet and dry ingredients. Mix will be lumpy and dry looking. Bake 1 hour 325 - 350° in a buttered glass baking dish.

Alura's changes included: use raw sugar instead of white sugar. Add 1/2 c water to the liquids. Use whole wheat instead of regular flour. Substitute 1 T baking powder for the soda. Add 1/2 c powdered milk to the dry ingredients.

Spicy Applesauce Cake

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
2 well beaten eggs
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 c raisins
1/2 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1/2 t cloves
1 c thick, unsweetened applesauce
1 T grated orange peel
1 t baking powder
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar. Gradually add corn syrup. Beat thoroughly. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients alternately with applesauce. Mix just until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake in greased 8 x 12 inch pan in moderate over 350° about 60 minutes.

Applesauce Cake

1-1/2 c applesauce
1 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
1 c nut meats
1 c raisins
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
2 c flour
2 t soda in 1/4 c boiling water

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

2/3 c butter
2 c sugar
4 egg yolks
3/4 c cold applesauce
1/2 c milk
2-1/2 c cake flour
3 t baking powder
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t allspice
4 T cocoa
1 t vanilla
2/3 c raisins
1/2 c nut meats
4 egg whites

Cream butter; add sugar; add egg yolks & applesauce. Beat until smooth, then add milk alternately with cake flour, which should be sifted 4-5 times with baking powder, cocoa, and spices. Add vanilla, raisins, and nuts. Fold in whites. Turn into greased layered cake tins and bake in moderate overn for 40 minutes.

Happy's Duck Pâté

Make this recipe the day after you roast a duck. Save the neck, giblets and the roasted carcass and make a rich duck stock to use in this recipe.

3 c shredded duck meat (neck, giblets, carcass)
2 eggs
2 T duck fat
1-1/2 c duck stock (brown stock)
1 c port
2/3 c breadcrumbs
1 t crushed peppercorns
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t dried sage

Combine 1 c stock and the port in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to 1 c.

In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded meat, fat, bread crumbs. eggs, and spices. Adjust to your taste. If mixture appears dry, add some additional stock.

When the stock/port mixture is reduced, remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir into the duck mixture. The result should appear moist, but hold its shape.

Grease a quart covered baking dish. Scrape the duck mixture into the baking dish. Set the baking dish into a larger baking pan, and pour boiling water in the pan halfway up the side of the dish. Bake in a 300° oven for 1 hour.

Angel Food Cake

14 egg whites
1/4 t salt
1 t cream of tartar
1-1/4 c sugar
1-1/4 c flour
extract

Beat egg white, add salt and cream of tartar. Beat stiff. Add 1-1/4 c sugar (slowly). Extract, fold in flour. (Add 1/4 c cornstarch to 2 c bread flour). Bake 1 hour. Start at 200° and raise to 300°.

Again, some major problems here. I think the recipe should say 2-1/4 c flour. You bake this in an ungreased angel food cake pan. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, burn the pan upside down, and cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. Extract is almond extract. Use 1/2 t.

Fresh Coconut Fruit Cake

Cream together: 2 c sugar and 1 c butter
add: 4 beaten eggs

Sift together:
4 c flour
2 t soda
1 T nutmeg
1 T allspice
1 T cinnamon

Mix in butter mixture alternately with 1 c buttermilk. Then stir in:
1 package chopped dates
2 c raisins
2 packages figs (chopped)
1 whole fresh-grated coconut
2 c nut meats

Bake in layers in 3 9-inch pans. When cool put together with filling:

Filling
Beat 4 eggs until fluffy; add 3 c sugar & 1/2 c butter. Cook until smooth (burns easily). When very smooth beat until cool. Then add vanilla, 3 c nuts, 1 c raisins & 1 fresh grated coconut. Will keep 2 or 3 months. Use fresh coconut.

Oh dear! I'm guessing 300° for at least an hour. You'd better grease the pans, too. Fresh whole coconuts? Those pioneer women really knew how to cook!

Lemon Cake

1 white cake mix
1 package lemon jello (dry)
3/4 c Wesson oil
3/4 c water
4 eggs

Frosting:
2 c powdered sugar
juice and rind of 2 lemons

Combine, beat, and bake (with jello) as the cake mix package directs. Use a 15 x 8 pan. When baked and still hot, prick all over top surface with a toothpick & pour on mixture of lemon and sugar.

White Fruit Cake

1 c butter
1-1/2 c sugar
1/3 c pineapple juice
1 T lemon juice
2 T orange juice
2/3 c coconut
1/2 c almonds
1 jar fruit mix
2 t baking powder
1/4 c white raisins
1/3 c chopped candied cherries
1-1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/3 c chopped figs
1/2 c chopped dates
5 eggs beaten
2 c flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a loaf pan that has been lined with waxed paper. Bake 2 hours in a slow oven. Increase heat and bake for 20 minutes. Put pan of water in oven.

Note: Slow oven is 300°. I'm pretty sure you put the pan of water in the oven when you increase the heat to 350°. I'm guessing that you can substitute 1 lb of mixed candied fruit for the jar of fruit mix.

Dark Fruit Cake

1 lb (2 c) buter
2 c brown sugar
1 c dark molasses
1 c dark jam
6 eggs
4 c flour
1/2 t soda
1/4 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1 t mace
2 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1 c coffee, triple-strength
1/2 c orange juice
2 T lemon juice
2 c currants, chopped
2 c raisins, chopped
1 c dates for figs, chopped
2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1 c candied lemon rind
1 c candied orange rind
1 c almonds
1 c walnuts

Cream butter, add brown sugar. Stir in molasses & jam & add egg yolks, beaten slightly. Beat until creamy & smooth. Reserve 2 c flour for nuts & fruits & sift rest with soda, salt, & spices. Stir in flour mixture alternately with coffee & fruit juices & beat thoroughly. Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff & fold in. stir in floured fruit, rind, & nuts.

Bake in cake pans lined with thin waxed paper. Bake 3 hours in very slow oven (250°) for large cakes; 2-1/2 hours in slow oven (300°) for small ones. This will make 2 large or 4 small cakes.

I grew up with this recipe. Every year during the long Thanksgiving weekend, Mom, Dad and I would make this fruitcake recipe, or the white fruitcake. I always like this one the best. This is a very good recipe. The cakes should be tightly wrapped and aged for at least a month before eating.

Zuchini Bread

Mix together:
3 beaten eggs
1 c oil
2 c sugar
2 c zuchini (peeled and grated)
3 t vanilla

Sift together:
3 c flour
1 t soda
3/4 t nutmeg
3 t cinnamon

Combine first and second mixtures. Add 1 c chopped nuts. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Divide mixture. Bake at 350° for 1 hour (slightly lower heat for glass pans).

Orange Nut Bread

1 orange
1 c chopped raisins
1 beaten egg
2 c sifted flour
2 T butter
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
boiling water
1 t soda
1 c sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 c chopped nuts

Squeeze juice from orange into cup measure. Fill cup with boiling water to make 1 c. Put orange rind through food chopper. Add enough raisins with rind to make one cup. Place mixture in bowl. Add orange juice and water. Stir in soda, sugar, butter & vanilla. Add egg and flour (sifted with baking powder & salt). Beat. Stir in nuts.

Bake in greased pan for 1 hour at 350°

Note: You'll probably want to use a bread pan for this. Bake at 325° if you are using a glass bread pan.

Easy Bran Bread

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Soak 1 c raisins in 2 c of sour milk at least 1/2 hour. Also soak 2 c of bran buds, flakes, or 100% bran in the sour milk. Then add and stir in 1 c brown sugar, 2 c flour, 2 t salt, and 2 t soda.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves (not quite so long for small loaves).

Buttered Toasted Squares

1/2 c butter
1/4 - 1/2 lb grated cheese
1/2 t paprika
1 egg separated
1/2 t salt
1/4 c crushed corn flakes

Cream butter. Add egg yolk, cheese, salt, and flakes. Fold in beaten white.

1 loaf unsliced bread. Cut into cubes. Spread 5 sides of cube. Put in 350° for 12 - 15 minutes.

Note: This is another very suspicious looking recipe. I never ate this while growing up. I think Mother probably was served these at her women's circle or something, and asked for the recipe. I'm guessing you'll want to make the cubes at least 1 x 1 x 1 (if not bigger). Bake with the unspread side on the baking sheet. This is one weird, recipe.

Date Loaf

Crush: 1/2 lb graham crackers
Remove pits & cut into pieces: 1 lb dates (2 c)
Cut into pieces: 1/2 lb marshmallows
Chop fine 1 c nut meats (1/4 lb)
Whip: 1 c heavy cream
Fold in: 1 t vanilla

Combine 1/2 cracker crumbs with dates, marshmallows, nuts, & whipped cream. Shape into a roll. Roll in remaining cracker crumbs. Chill roll for 12 hours. Serve it cut in slices with cream or whipped cream.

Hush Puppies

1/2 c flour
2 c cornmeal
1 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1 egg
1 t salt

Mix all dry ingredients and sift together. Mix equal parts water and sweet milk (approximately 2/3 c) and add along with egg. Blend the mixture until to the right consistency to mold into small pones and drop into deep fat. Fry until golden brown.

Rye Bread

Scald 1 cup milk.

Put in mixing bowl:
2 T sugar
2 t salt
2 T shortening

Add scalded milk. Cool to lukewarm. Dissolve 1 package yeast in 1/2 c water. Stir until softened. Add to mixture.

Add 3 c white flour (or 2 c white & 1/2 c whole wheat). Mix until smooth. Sprinkle 3 t. caraway seeds & 3 T chopped onions on dough. Add enough rye flour (1-1/2 c). Knead until elastic. Rise once. Knead again & shape. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

Yorkshire Pudding

1-1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
3 eggs, well beaten
1-1/2 c milk
1/3 c shortening or beef drippings

Mix flour & salt. Add to beaten eggs & milk. This will make a thin batter. Set in refrigerator for 1 hour. Melt shortening in pan to be used for baking, to boiling hot. Pour batter into 9 x ll baking dish. Batter should be about 1/2 inch deep. Can be in muffin tins. Bake at 30 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve at once.

Note: You'll notice that Mother didn't specify an oven temperature. Try 400° for a metal pan or 375° for a glass pan. If you aren't using beef drippings, use butter. You can get by with 1/4 c.

Master Mix

10 c flour
5 t salt
5 T baking powder
1-1/2 c shortening
3-1/2 c dried milk

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Store in air tight container. Can be use for biscuits, piecrusts, etc.

This is homemade version of Bisquick® (although Betty Crocker® might have some words about that), and we used it for just about everything when I was a kid.

Jelly Pancakes

1/2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 egg
1 c hot milk
3 T melted shortening

Sift flour, salt, baking powder together. Whip egg until light. Add hot milk to shortening. When slightly cool, stir into other ingredients. Whip until smooth. Bake on ungreased griddle (about 1/4 c mixture for each pancake). Spread with jelly and roll.

French Breakfast Puffs

Mix together thoroughly:
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c soft shortening
1 egg

Sift together:
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1-1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t nutmeg

and stir in alternately with 1/2 c milk. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake until golden brown. Immediately roll in:
6 T melted butter

Then in a mixture of:
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon

Serve hot. Temperature: 350°, 20 - 25 minutes. Makes 12 medium-sized muffins.

Breakfast Cake

3 c flour
1 t soda
1/2 t clove
1/2 t nutmeg
3/4 c honey
3/4 c evaporated milk
1/2 c milk
3/4 c brown sugar

Sift flour, measure & sift with dry ingredients. Combine honey with the milks. Add liquids as for muffins. Pour into greased loaf pan (8-1/2 x 5). Bake in slow oven (300°) for 1-3/4 hours. Cool before serving.

Russian Tea

Boil 1-1/2 c sugar with 5 c water. Add rind of 1 orange. Make 8 c of tea. Add syrup, juice of 4 oranges and 1 lemon, 15 whole cloves. Heat and serve.

Wassail

1 gal apple cider
1 small can frozen lemonade
1 c brown sugar
1 small can orange juice

In bag:
1 T whole cloves
1 T whole allspice
1 t grated nutmeg
1 small pkg cinnamon sticks

Simmer covered 20 minutes. Remove spice bag and serve hot. Makes 24 punch cup servings. May be frozen to store.

Chocolate Syrup

1 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
2-1/2 T flour
2 T butter

Mix all together. Add 1-1/4 c boiling water. Cook until smooth & stir in 12 marshmallows. Add 1 t vanilla.

Punch

Make syrup by boiling together 10 minutes
4 c sugar
2 c water

Add:
2 c strong black tea
juice of 10 lemons (2 c)
juice of 10 oranges (2-1/2 c)
2 #2 cans pineapple juice (5 c.)

Chill 2 to 3 hours. Strain if desired. Add:
12 oz maraschino cherries with juice
3 gal water
2 qt dry ginger ale

75 servings

Chocolate

Mrs. Jeffers (1943)

To 3 squares chocolate, add 1/2 c. cold water. Put in saucepan over low flame, stir until chocolate is melted. Add 1/2 c sugar & dash of salt. Blend, stir & boil for 5 min. cool. When cool fold in 1/2 c whipped cream. Flavor with vanilla. To serve, put a good sized T of mixture in cup and pour hot milk over.

Chicken a La Can Can

Aunt Virgie Lee

1 can (10-1/2 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 soup can of water
1 can (12 oz) boned chicken ~1-1/2 c
1-1/3 c Minute Rice
1 can French Fried Onions

Combine soups, water, and chicken. Add rice. Stir to mix. Bring quickly to a boil. Cover; reduce heat. Be sure it's Minute Rice - Simmer 7 minutes. Top with onions, heated according to the direction on the can, and it's ready.

Plastic Cookie Recipe

2 eggs
1 c shortening
3 c flour
2/3 c sugar
3/4 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond (extract)

And that's it. She didn't write any further instructions. But try this: Cream the eggs and shortening. Slowly beat in the sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Sift the flour and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the shortening mixture. Chill the dough. Roll out very thin on a lightly floured surface and cut into cookies (she used plastic cookie cutters, hence the name). Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325° for 10 minutes (cookies should not brown).

I see, too, that the recipe doesn't have any leavening. Try it without first. If the result is a total disaster, add 1 t baking powder to the flour mixture.

Gingerbread House

Cookie:

2-3/4 c sifted flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
1/8 t cloves
3/4 c molasses
1/3 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c shortening (oil)

Stir in dry ingredients gradually. Chill 1 hour. Roll dough out on wax paper to fit 10 x 15-1/2" cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes. Cut warm. (See diagram.)