Raisin Oatmeal (cookies)

 

Recipe Name: Raisin Oatmeal (cookies?)

Story: This is a handwritten recipe found in Grandma / Grandpa Whittier's old documents.

Author / Creator: Grammy Whittier

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Egg
• 1 Cup shortening
• 2 cup flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tsp (baking) soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions: 

1. Save 5 Tbls raisin water
2. Dissolve tsp soda and 1 tsp vanilla
3. Bake 350 for 15 mins. Cook till soft

Key Lime Pie

Recipe Name: Key Lime Pie

Story: This is a handwritten recipe found in Grandma / Grandpa Whittier's old documents.  I chose this recipe because a) key lime pie is so good, and b) because I assume that living in Florida would lend oneself to learning how to make a good key lime pie, and c) I remember all of the fruit trees at Grandma and Grandpa Whittier's house in West Palm.

Years you've been making it: Unknown

Author / Creator: Grandma / Grandpa Whittier

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients: (as best I can discern from the handwriting)

• 1 can condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 small grated lime skin if available
• 1/2 tsp cream tartar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 egg whites (meringue)

Directions: 

1. Beat egg yolks thoroughly and add milk slowly
2. Add lime juice, mix well
3. Add 1/2 cup sugar ??
4. Add cream tartar to egg whites and beat until they peak.  add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbls at a time
5. Beat until stiff
6. Fold 6 tbls egg white into lemon mixture
7. Pour into pie and top with meringue
8. Bake at 330 until gold brown

Apple Delight

Recipe Name: Apple Delight

Story: This is a handwritten recipe found in Grandma Bisset's old documents.  I chose this recipe because there are so many baking recipes from Grandma Bisset that I wanted to start posting some of those.

Years you've been making it: Unknown

Author / Creator: Grandma Bisset

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients: (as best I can discern from the handwriting)

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp soda (presumably baking soda)
• 1/2 tsp cinn (presumable cinnamon)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 Apples, peeled, cut up very fine

Directions: 

1. Cream butter and sugar together
2. Fold in last (the apples).  Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

Butter sauce

• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla

Cook over low heat
Server over cake when sauce is warm, top with whipped cream

Chocolate Cavity Maker Cake

Recipe Name:  Chocolate Cavity Maker Cake

Story:  As many of you know, I don't have much of a sweet tooth, and I definitely do not bake much (except for bread).  So I have no idea how I came across this recipe back in 2004, or even why I decided to start making it.  But, I've been making it ever since, most notably as a decadent treat for that special someone through the years.  And it works like a charm, every time!

Years you've been making it:  Since 2004

Author / Creator:  

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8446/chocolate-cavity-maker-cake/

Submitted by:  Dustin

Ingredients:  

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package dark chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, oil and coffee liqueur. Beat until ingredients are well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Spoon into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out and cool completely on wire rack.

Notes:  

I use Pam Baking (includes flour) to grease and flour the bundt pan, which works great.  The first few times making it I would have trouble with it releasing from the pan, so be sure to make sure it is well greased and floured.

Picture of original printed out recipe that I have kept since 2004!:

Banana Nut Bread

Recipe Name: Banana Nut Bread

Story: This recipe was given to me by a friend Gayle when I moved out to Madison. I have baked many Banana nut bread recipes but this one continues to be the best.  I am not sure of its origin

Year’s you been making it:  Since 2011

Submitted by: Suzy/ Mom

Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas mashed

2 cups plain white flour
¾ cup white sugar
 ¾ tsp Baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 and ¼ cup walnuts or pecans

¼ cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
6 Tbs melted butter cooled

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Line bottom of loaf pan with parchment paper

Mix dry ingredients together
In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients including the mashed bananas
Take the wet ingredients and fold into the dry ingredients lightly

Place the dough into the pan
Cook for 55-65 minutes.  When toothpick comes out clean it is done

Let stand for 10 minutes in pan then take out and rest on a rack

Make a glaze of butter, milk, and confectionery sugar.  I have not figured the exact ratio yet but it is approximately 2TBS melted butter, 2TBS milk and ¼ cup of confectionery sugar.
Poke holes in the loaf with a toothpick and pour the glaze on.

Notes:  I think one thing that makes this banana bread special is the yogurt, and that you fold the ingredients into on another.  I am not sure the glaze is necessary but it keeps the bread moist for several weeks.

Russian Tea Cakes

Recipe Name: Russian Tea Cakes

Story:  Grandma / Maka / Mom always made 2 cookies for the holidays - the pecan ice box cookies and Russian Tea Cakes (not sure why they are called that!).  This is her recipe in her own handwriting.

She did not include directions, just ingredients.  I guess she figured we had "helped" her enough to know!

Years you've been making it: Since 1953

Author / Creator: Grandma / Maka / Mom

Submitted by:  Kristy

Ingredients:
1 c finely ground walnuts
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1/2 c confectionary sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Bake 400 for 10 min + or -

Directions:
This recipe follows typical steps
 - Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy
 - Add flour and salt (I combine them first)
 - then add walnuts (I use chopped walnuts)
 - Roll dough into 1" (approx) balls, bake for 10-12 minutes - just barely light brown
 - Immediately roll in powdered sugar, Cool completly on a rack
 - When cool, roll again in powdered sugar

Store in container at room temperature

Pecan Pie

Recipe Name: Pecan Pie

Story:
I searched for many years to find a recipe that actually tasted like Pecan Pie and not just sugar with a few pecans. This one is loaded with Pecans and a hint of sugar. A couple of years ago I also started buying pecans from a special store, Priester’s Pecans on my way home from Alabama.  They are very fresh and I can buy them in the 3 sizes needed for this recipe which makes it less labor intensive.

Years you've been making it: 10+

Author / Creator: allrecipes .com    Irresistible Pecan Pie

Submitted by: Suzy

Ingredients:
1.5 all –purpose flour
2TBS dark corn syrup
½ tsp salt
¾ c light brown sugar
2 TBS white sugar
3 TBS. butter melted
½ C butter
pinch of salt
4 TBS ice water
½ C pecans fine
3 eggs beaten
1 C pecans Qtr
¾ C light corn syrup
1 C pecan Halfs

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
To Make Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and white sugar.

Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Gradually sprinkle the water over the dry mixture, stirring until dough comes together enough to form a ball .

On a floured surface flatten dough ball with rolling pin. Roll out into a circle that is one inch larger than pie dish. Place pie shell into dish and refrigerate until pie filling is complete.

To Make Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, light and dark corn syrups, brown sugar, butter, salt and finely crushed pecans.

Spread quartered pecans over bottom of refrigerated crust. Pour syrup mixture over to of pecans. Then arrange pecan halves on top of pie.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degree C) oven for one hour or until firm. Let cool one hour before serving.

Notes: 
It is important to cover the crust for the first half of cooking time this can be done with tin foil but if you are lucky enough they make some crust covers out of silicone which are adjustable. I struggled for years with the tin foil but a few years ago I was given the silicone ones for a Christmas gift. That was a true blessing

I have to admit I usually buy store bought crust but this recipe includes how to make the crust.
This is a recipe for one pie but you can easily double it at one time.

Best Carrot Sheet Cake

Recipe Name: “Best Carrot Sheet Cake”

Story:
Some say a mother is the last to know at times.  I think Dustin was in college when I learned his favorite cake was carrot cake.  After trying several recipes I settled on this one. It is from Southern Living, 2003. I think the Buttermilk glaze makes it extra moist.

Years you've been making it: Since 2003

Author / Creator: Souther Living

Submitted by: Suzy

Ingredients: 
2C all-purpose flour
2tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 C sugar
¾ C vegetable oil
¾ C buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
3 ½ ounce can sweetened flaked coconut
1C chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:
Stir together first 4 ingredients

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. (Through the years I have found putting a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan works well.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes: cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 13 more minutes or until wood pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake, cool completely in pan.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake.

Buttermilk Glaze

1C sugar
1.5tsp. baking soda
1/2C butter
½ C buttermilk
1TBS light corn syrup
1tsp vanilla extract

Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk and corn syrup to a light boil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. (this can also be done in a sauce pan over boiling water)  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ C butter softened
8 oz. package cream cheese softened
3 Oz. package cream cheese softened
16 oz. package powdered sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy

Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract: beat at high speed for 10 seconds or until smooth

Pecan Ice Box Cookies

Recipe Name: Pecan Ice Box Cookies

Story:
The Pecan Ice Box Cookies was passed down to me from my mother-in-law, Helen Bisset.
I first enjoyed these cookies when my first child, Kristy, was born in 1953.
Growing up I didn’t eat sweets at all, but when Kristy was a baby and would wake when she was hungry, and I too was hungry and that is when I started eating these Pecan Cookies. The cookies were so delicious I could not stop eating them.   I made the cookies at Christmas according to the recipe given to me. And thus, these Pecan Cookies became our traditional family Christmas cookie.
The recipe is not complicated.

Years you've been making it: Since 1953

Author / Creator: Helen Bisset

Submitted by: Patricia Bisset, Mom, Grandma, Maka, Aunt, Great Grandma

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
2 unbeaten eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup pecans - roughly chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla with a mix master.  Note:  In those days I did not have a mix master and stirred all the ingredients by hand.

Add eggs one at a time until mixed.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together and add slowly to the butter and egg mixture.

Stir in pecans by hand.

Mix well, divide batter into 3 rolled logs.

Wrap each log tightly with Saran Wrap.

Place each log in freezer for several hours or as preferred overnight.

When ready to bake, slice very very thin.  Note: the thinner they are sliced the better they taste.

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Take cookies immediately off hot pan and place on newspaper or parchment paper.

Let cool and enjoy.