Pause and Remember – 3/30/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

The view from my back yard

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Marshmallow Popcorn Balls and Pastel Milk Punch – 1940s Recipes

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

For my version of these two recipes, I used ¼ of the ingredients to make smaller amounts.  The popcorn balls are easy and a good buttery snack.  My only change was to substitute butter for oleo (margarine) and a dash of salt.

The Pastel Milk Punch is somewhat like a smoothie and I used the modern convenience of a blender rather than stirring as the 1940s cook did.  I also used frozen strawberries and omitted the sugar.  The only mint ice cream I could find had very fine chocolate chips in it which didn’t do any harm except for clogging the straws occasionally.

Both items, like the other recipes in the book, are rather mild.  My daughter wasn’t feeling well and drank two large glasses of the punch, saying that it settled her stomach.

MARSHMALLOW POP CORN BALLS

*4 cups of popped corn (about 2 Tblsp. unpopped corn)
*2 Tblsp. butter
*10 regular size marshmallows
*Dash of salt

In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the marshmallows and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, until marshmallows have melted.

Add popcorn to marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.  As soon as the popcorn has cooled down enough to handle (don’t let it cool completely), butter the palms of your hands and form balls of the mixture.  I chose to make 10 snack-size two-inch balls.  Any spare kernels that can’t be formed into balls can be a snack for the cook.

PASTEL MILK PUNCH

*¾ cup frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
*Dash of salt
*2 cups cold milk
*1 cup (½ pint) strawberry ice cream, softened
*1 cup (½ pint) mint ice cream, softened

Place slightly thawed berries in a blender.  Add salt, milk and ice cream.  Blend until smooth.

Serve immediately.

Yield:  3-4 servings, depending on size

This little planter (marked Japan on the bottom) was always in my Grandma Helen’s living room in the 1940s and until I inherited it in 1978.

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Twinkie Tiramisu

My youngest daughter loves Twinkies and dropped a big hint when she saw a recipe online for a recipe for Tiramisu that used them as the base.  I borrowed the idea of the Twinkies but otherwise used my own recipe for Tiramisu.

TWINKIE TIRAMISU

* 5-½ Twinkies
* 4 oz. light cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
* 15 oz. light ricotta cheese
* 2 cups light Cool Whip whipped topping
* 1/2 cup Kahlua or coffeee liqueur (to pour over Twinkies)
* One Hershey chocolate Nugget

Place Twinkies in bottom of 9×9 inch dish.

Pour Kahlua or liqueur over Twinkies.  There will be some in the bottom of the dish which the Twinkies will soak up.

In a large mixer bowl, beat together the cream cheese and ricotta cheese until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip whipped topping.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the top of the Twinkies.

A microplaner is good to use for grating the chocolate Nugget over the top of the dish.

Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Yield:  6-8 servings

Since not everyone in the family is that fond of Twinkies, I also made a batch of my original version, using Italian lady fingers…

This recipe was first posted in November of 2008.  Click here for my original recipe.

For the big taste-off, only my youngest daughter and I were willing to try the Twinkie Tiramisu.  We found it to be very similar to the lady finger version -  a little bit sweeter.  My daughter said there was a faint Twinkie “aftertaste”, which I didn’t pick up.

The Italian lady fingers version would be lower in fat and calories, but for dyed-in-the-wool Twinkie lovers, there’s nothing like that jolt of sweet cream filling.

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Pause and Remember – 3/23/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

View from my front window

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Easter Rabbit Wall Hanging

About 15 years ago, my oldest daughter and I had a booth at a large craft mall.  My contributions were all decorative painting and I did a lot of design sketches inspired by  photos, greeting cards, calendars, etc.  I used my sketch of an Amish girl feeding rabbits to make a 6×6 inch redwork panel.

The log cabin blocks surrounding the redwork are 3×3 inches.  The finished piece, made to fit my mini quilt rack, is 12×15 inches.

It’s not the typical Easter bunny quilt, but I like it.

My daughter made the beautiful crocheted doily.

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Peanut Butter Cookies – A 1940s Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

This is the very popular peanut butter cookie kids have been eating for generations.  Our book writer got this recipe from her friend, Shirley, and probably made the cookies a lot for her own family.  My version is half of the original recipe and makes about 2 dozen 3-inch diameter delicious, peanut-buttery cookies.

I have a small collection of vintage oven thermometers and although I love to see them displayed, I’m so grateful I have an oven with a reliable thermostat to do my baking.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – A 1940s RECIPE

• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Dash salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Cream shortening, granulated sugar and vanilla.  Add egg, brown sugar and peanut butter.  Mix until smooth.

Whisk together the flour, soda and salt.

Add to creamed mixture and mix until well blended.

Form a measuring tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on ungreased baking sheet.

Press a cross-hatch pattern on top of the cookie with a fork dipped in flour.

The unbaked cookies will be 2 inches diameter.  Place cookies 2 inches apart on the sheet and bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes until golden brown.

Remove immediately to a wire rack to cool.

Yield:  Approximately 2 dozen 3-inch diameter cookies

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German Chocolate Cake (A Smaller Version)

My youngest daughter is the only one in the family who loves coconut, so I rarely make her favorite German Chocolate Cake.  She didn’t want a big cake to eat all by herself, so I tried to think of smaller pans I had that would make a layer cake.  I decided to try some 7-1/2 inch loaf pans to make a half-recipe of the original version.  It worked out just right for her to have several generous helpings of delicious cake.  I’m not a big fan of coconut but I did enjoy a small piece of this.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE (A Smaller Version)

• 2 oz. Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate*
• ¼ cup water
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• Dash salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• ½ cup buttermilk**

*To substitute for German’s Sweet Chocolate, add 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar for each ounce of unsweetened chocolate.

**To substitute for buttermilk, place 1 Tblsp. white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to reach one cup (8 oz.).  Let stand 5 minutes before using.

Cover bottoms of three 7-1/2 inch loaf pans with waxed paper.  Spray sides with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate and water on high for 1-½ to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until chocolate is almost melted.  Remove from microwave and continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Beat egg whites in mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

In the large bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in the melted chocolate and vanilla.  Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition – beginning and ending with flour mixture.

By hand, gently fold in egg whites.

Divide batter among the three loaf pans.

Bake @ 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.   Immediately loosen the sides of the cakes and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes.

Remove from pans to wire racks.  Remove waxed paper.  Let cool completely.

To Make Coconut Pecan Filling/Frosting

COCONUT PECAN FILLING/FROSTING

• 2 egg yolks
• ¾ cup evaporated milk, undiluted
• ¾ tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tblsp. butter
• 1-1/3 cups Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut
• ¾ cup chopped toasted pecans

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, milk and vanilla until well blended.  Add sugar and butter….

…and cook on medium heat for 12 minutes or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Add coconut and pecans; mix well.

Cool to desired spreading consistency.

Spread 1/3 of the Coconut Pecan Filling/Frosting on top of one layer of the cooled cakes…

…top with a second layer and spread its top with 1/3 of the filling/frosting.   Repeat with the final layer and 1/3 of frosting.

This is a wonderfully soft, delicious cake but I had a little of trouble handling the layers even in this smaller size.  The cake isn’t picture-perfect-looking, but it sure tastes great.

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Pause and Remember – 3/16/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Quilt Show at the Historical Society Museum

Lebanon, Ohio

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Molasses Cookies – A 1940s Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.  

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

The woman who wrote down the recipes in this book liked quick, easy recipes for flavorful, family-friendly food.  These Molasses Cookies are a good example.  They go together very quickly and a 2-½ inch cookie cutter produces a big 3-½ inch cookie – one is enough in most cases.  The recipe below is one-half of the original.  I really liked this cookie – it is crisp, spicy and very satisfying.

MOLASSES COOKIES

• ¾ cup shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Have ungreased cookie sheets at hand and cookie cutter (I used a 2-½ inch diameter cutter)

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and molasses.  Add the egg and beat well.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon.

Add the flour mixture gradually to the shortening mixture and mix well.

Turn dough out on a lightly floured board.  This is a nice dough to handle.

Roll 1/8 to ¼ inch thick and cut with a floured cookie cutter.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes until cookies are golden brown on top.

Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Yield:  2 to 3 dozen cookies, depending on size.

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Carrot Cake Muffins

This recipe is from a book I bought in 1982 to send to my daughter-in-law in St. Louis.  I copied a lot of the recipes before mailing and I’m just getting around to making this one.  It’s a very good muffin – moist and full of healthy things like carrots and pineapple.

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Dash of mace
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained (juice reserved)
• 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
• 1/2  cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease or insert liners in 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and mace.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg lightly,  stir in the pineapple, juice, oil and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the pineapple mixture, stirring just to combine.

Stir in the carrots and raisins.

Spoon batter into prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean.

Remove muffin tins to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes.  If using silicone liners, I like to remove them right away to cool on a rack.

Remove the muffins from the cups/liners and finish cooling on rack.

Makes 12 muffins.  These muffins freeze well.

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