Tradition!

Mother's family didn't usually get together too much at Thanksgiving (it happened, but not often); their holidays were Christmas and Easter.  And one of the dishes always served was Scalloped Oysters.  After Grandma and Grandpa Shaw died in 1965, Scalloped oysters continued to be served although nobody ate them and the Aunts spent a great deal of time bemoaning the high cost of a pint of oysters.  One year in the 1970s Mother didn't have the holiday meal at her house, so I hosted.  I did not make the oysters.  Odessa, Dorothy, and Mother all carried on about the lack of oysters, but they finally admitted they hated them and only fixed them because their mother loved them--and hated throwing the expensive things away, untouched.  They never graced our family holiday table again.

Scalloped Oysters
Elsie Nelson

1 pint oysters
2 Cups medium coarse cracker crumbs
1/2 Cup butter or margarine, melted
3/4 Cup Light cream
1/4 Cup oyster liquid
1/4 teaspoon Worestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

Drain oysters, reserving 1/4 Cup liquid.  Combine cracker crumbs and butter.  Spread one third the cracker crumbs in greased 8x8 inh pan.  Cover with half the oysters.

Using another third of the rumbs, spread a second layer, covering with remaining oysters.  Top with last of the crumbs.

Combine cream, liquid, sauce, and salt.  Pour over crackers ad bake in 350 degree oven about 40 minutes.

Carmel Corn
Dorothy Davis

7 quarts popped corn
1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Corn Syrup
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a 2 quart casserole.  Microwave on full power 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until syrup comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir in baking soda.  Dump popcorn in a clean brown bag.  Pour in syrup and close bag loosely and shake for 1 minute.  Microwave for 1 1/2 minute 3 times and shake in between.  Pour out in pan to cool and eat.

Untitled
Leona SHAW Bleakney

25 Marshmallows
1 cup milk
1 1/2 Cups whipping cream, whipped stiff
10 cent can of crushed pineapple--do not drain
Graham cracker crumbs
 nuts optional

Heat marshmallows in milk until melted  Cool.

Fold marshmallow/milk mix into whipped cream   Fold in pineapple.

[Place half of Graham cracker crumbs in bottom of pan], spread with whipped cream mix, sprinkle with rest of crumbs.  Can add chopped nuts if desired.

Cupcakes before cupcakes were IT.

Truly Different Cup Cake

Peggy Reitz--Monroe 4-H for(?)

preheat oven to 325

 



Melt in heavy pan:
4 squares semi sweet chocolate
2 sticks butter

Add 1 1/2 Cups pecans  and stir until nuts are well coated.

Combine.   Mix until blended; do NOT beat.
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup unsifted Flour
4 unbeaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add chocolate mixture carefully.  Turn into baking cups
Bake 325 for 25 minutes.

A product of its times

For a while in the 1970s Pistachio pudding was the rage.  It could be found as an ingredient in a ton of things. 

Outside Cake, Pistachio Inside
Clarice AGAR Johnson

1 package white or yellow cake mix
1 package Jello Pistachio pudding
3 eggs
1 Cup 7Up
1/2 Cup chopped nuts  [I assume pistachios]
1 Cup oil

Beat and bake 350 for 50 minutes.

Cool 15 minutes; remove on rack.  split  3 layers if [you put it ]in freezer [it will be easier to] split even[ly].  Spread about a cup of frosting between layers.  Spoon rest into center.  Chill.  [Is this baked in angel food cake pan or a Bundt pan?  Sometimes the directions in these recipes are a little sketchy.]

Recipe for lots of cookies

I'm putting these recipes in the blog scientifically.  I'm alternately highly unlikely ones with ones that were well used as evidenced by the number of stains on the cards.
This one was very well used.

Molasses Cookies

Jungwirth

Preheat oven to 375

2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup molasses
1 1/2 Cup Shortening
2 eggs
4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, sugar, and molasses.  Add eggs.  Sift together and stir in dry ingredients.
Chill dough and then roll in teaspoon sized balls.  Dip in sugar and bake 8 - 20 minutes.  Should make a fairly soft cookie.  If they are crisp like gingersnaps, you've baked too long.

Makes 6 dozen

Meatballs, but not THE Meatballs

This meatball recipe is from My Grandma Agar.  (Mother's meatball recipe was not written down, so Jan and I are attempted to reconstruct it--we will get it to you when we do.)

Meatballs

Corabell EARP Agar

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 pound ground pork
1 egg
salt & a little pepper
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup cracker crumbs
tomato sauce

fry onions in skillet, add 2 cups tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons vinegar, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon flour, a little shake of cloves.

[That's the recipe as it appears on the cards.  I assume the top part is for the actual meatballs and the bottom part is the sauce.]

The First of Many Jell-O recipes

Betty SYNHORST was another of Mother's long time friends.  They were in high school together and they remained friends for years.  Her daughter Kay Pittman was in Jan's class at school.  I spent one summer "baby-sitting" Kay and her brothers.  (Mostly, I fed them lunch and did the ironing.  They checked in periodically from wherever they were playing.)  The Pittmans and the Agars ran the PTA concession stands for several years.

Betty Pittman's Frozen Salad

Combine and chill:
1 large lemon Jell-o
2 cups hot water
2 cups Mountain Dew (or pineapple juice)

Fold in:
1 package of Dream Whip or 1 1/2 Cups Cool Whip
1 - #211 can pineapple tidbits OR 1/2 - 16 ounce can
2 sliced bananas
2 Cups miniature marshmallows
1 can lemon pie filling

place in small paper cups (5 ounce) or cupcake liners and freeze.  use 1/3 cup for measuring.  Take out of liners before serving.

Makes about 2 dozen

Cooking Large

This was often made be the Church ladies for banquets or for funerals.  We certainly didn't get them at home very often.  I'm guessing they freeze well, though.  Mrs Bennett was one of Mother's friends from church and was active in the Women's Society, which is where this recipe comes in.  She was a teacher in the Newton School system for years.  Her younger son Jim was in my class at school.

Ham Balls for 50

Vina Bennett

2 1/2 pounds ground ham
2 pounds ground pork
1 pound ground beef
3 eggs
3 Cups crushed graham crackers
2 Cups of milk

Combine all ingredients, mis well ad form into small balls.  Place in shallow dish (baking pan) and

Sauce
2 cans tomato soup
2 1/2 Cups brown sugar
3/4 Cups vinegar

Mix together and pour over ham balls.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour.  [There is no oven temperature given, but I'm guessing it's 350]

Just a Little Dippy

Many of the appetizer and dip recipes were used for her club meeting, especially the Chat-a-bits.  Family was lucky to get leftovers on these recipes.

Spinach dip and Rye Bread

Fern RICHARDSON Dennis Sharer

1 - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, cooked
1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 Cup mayonnaise
1 Can chopped water chestnuts
1 round loaf Rye Bread

Mix everything, except bread, and let set in refrigerator overnight. 

Serves lots

[While it's not in the recipe, this is the one where you tear or cut the bread to hold the dip.  Save the bread you remove, cut it into chunks and use it to dip up the bread.]

Aunt Leona-type salad

Actually, the recipe isn't labeled as being from Aunt Leona but it certainly has many of the characteristics and I'm pretty sure she brought it to more than one family gathering.  It is a pretty good salad.

Apricot Salad

2 packages orange jello
2 Cups boiling water
1 Cup pineapple/apricot juice
1 large can apricots
1 large can pineapple tidbits
10 marshmallows, cut fine

Chill till set .

Topping

Cook until thicken
1 Cup pineapple/apricot juice
1/2 Cup sugar
3 heaping Tablespoons flour
1 beaten egg
2 Tablespoons butter

Fold in:
1 Cup cream, whipped

Sprinkle with grated cheese

A little slushy

Because of their reception planning business, Mother had a number of punch recipes (although none of them for blue punch).  Many of them came from recommendations of friends.  This was from Ada Lee Allan.  I'm not sure this was ever used at a reception that the folks planned.

Slush

Ada Lee Allan

4 Cups sugar
6 Cups water
1 - 46 ounce can pineapple juice
2 - 12 ounce cans frozen orange juice concentrate
1 - 12 ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
6 bananas, mashed
6 tall bottles lemon/lime carbonated beverage or ginger ale.

Measure sugar ad water into saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and chill.  Mix with pineapple juice and orange and lemonade concentrate and bananas.  Pour into five 1-quart ontainers and freeze.  At serving time half fill tall glasses (with lemon/lime soda; spoon in frozen mixter to fill.  Serve with spoon and straws.
P.S.  We like it without the freezing process.

Russian Tea

Back when we lived in Lincoln Court, Aunt Pauline passed along this recipe for

Russian Tea

3 quarts cold water
1 Tablespoon Whole Cloves
1 stick Cinnamon

Place in a cheesecloth bag and bring to a boil, and add

2 Tablespoons of tea in another bag

Simmer 7 minutes.

Take out bags and add

Juice of 3 oranges or 1/2 Cup orange juice
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons or 1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 Cup of sugar

Dad really got on the Russian Tea kick.  He started drinking it iced all year round, long before that was usually done. 
Before you all protest that this isn't what Dad made and drank as Russian tea, that's because it got "simplified" into this:

Russian Tea--Ralph's Recipe

1- 3 ounce jar of Instant Tea (Lipton's for authenticity)
1 - 12 ounce can of Wyler's lemonade
1 - 12 ounce jar of Tang 

Sweeten to taste.   

Something Healthy--Well, It Has Vegetables In It

This one is from Mother's long time friend, Fern RICHARDSON Dennis Sharer.  Mother thought a lot of Fern and felt Fern really had a great sense of style (she did) and kept up with trends.  This is one of them.  This may have been about the earliest we were ever served broccoli and cauliflower at our house.

Swiss Vegetable Medley

Preheat oven to 350





 

1 - 16 ounce bag frozen broccoli, carrots & cauliflower combination, thawed and drained

1 - 10 1/2 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 Cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss Cheese [Mother's note: I use mild cheddar cheese]

1/3 Cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon Durkee ground black pepper

1 - 4 ounce jar chopped pimientos, drained  (optional)

1 - 2.8 ounce can Durkee French Fried Onions

 

Combine vegetables, soup, 1/2 Cup cheese, sour cream, pepper, pimiento, and 1/2 can French fried onions.  Pour into a 1 quart casserole.  Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and onions; bake uncovered 5 minutes longer.
 

 Makes 6 servings

 

 



Grandma A's cookies

My mother always insisted that the three of us kids loved Grandma Agar's Hermits.  I don't know about Jan and Wes, but I really hated them.  However, in the interests of family heirloom recipes getting passed down, I'm including it here so you can judge for yourself.  This is in my Grandma Agar's handwriting and the ink is pretty faded.

Hermits

From kitchen of Corabel EARP Agar

Preheat oven to 375

2 Cups oatmeal
3/4 to 1 Cup shortening or butter
1 1/3 Cups Brown sugar, packed
3/4 to 1 Cup raisins in enough water to cover
2 beaten eggs
2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Put oatmeal, shortening, and brown sugar in large bowl.  Bring raisins in water to a boil.  Drain raisins, reserving 7 Tablespoons of the water.  Add the 7 Tablespoons of raisin water and eggs to oatmeal mix.
Sift rest of dry ingredients together, add to mix and stir well.  Add the raisins.  Can also add 1/2 to 3/4 Cup of chopped nuts and/or vanilla  if you wish.
Drop on cookie sheet and bake 12 minutes or until as light or dark as you wish.  (Hey, I'm just copying the recipe.)

This is followed by the statement "If you don't use raisins--just use plain water.
Can add 2 teaspoons cocoa + more water."

Makes 38-40 cookies

Since I don't like Hermits I had never really looked at this recipe, but on the back on the bottom, still in Corabel's handwriting is the following recipe, which I may try.

Mother's Cookies   [I'm assuming she means her mother, Matilda Jane Earp]

2 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Cream
1 teaspoon Baking soda (if cream is sour)
1 teaspoon Baking powder (if cream is sweet)
2 eggs
1 Cup shortening
Mix with flour until dough is soft.  (no amount given) [that is Grandma's notation]
Roll out

The First Recipe I Remember Mother Allowing Me to Bake By Myself

The card for this recipe is water-stained and well-used and I'm sure it is not the original card as it is a quick and easy cake to make.  This makes a very moist cake.  This recipe came from the Lincoln Elementary School hot lunch ladies, but Mother said it was around during World War II.

Miracle Whip Cake

Preheat oven to 350

2 Cups sifted flour
1 Cup Miracle Whip  [do not use Non Fat]
1 1/2 Cups sugar
3 Tablespoons cocoa [do not use chocolate drink mix]
   pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup hot water with
2 teaspoons baking soda added

Mix first five ingredients in large mixer bowl. Stir in rest.  Pour in greased 9/ 13 cake pan.

Bake about 30 minutes.

Long overdue tribute to my mother's recipe file

My first efforts at reproducing my mother's recipe file disappeared into the roiling of the internet/computerverse several years ago.  But I want to save some of these recipes because the family loved them, or because the family hated them, or even because they just sound off the wall.  Most of these recipes date from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.  If she attributes who she got the recipe from I'll include.  I will use the original language of recipe (they are all in English, but...) and put any clarifications in brackets.

Mother was pretty much a self-taught cook.  She always said she was never allowed to cook at home growing up because the family was large and there wasn't money to waste on a meal that turned out poorly.  She grew up during the 1920s and 30s in central Iowa and ate good plain farm meals. 

Anyway, these recipes were ones she saved.  Since it is summer and there are lots of fresh vegetables out there I'll start with

Bread and Butter Pickles

Contributed by Pauline (she was my Dad's Sister)                                        7 Pints

4 quarts sliced Cucumber
6 large onions [sliced]
6 large mangos [sliced] [I know Mother made these pickles, but to my knowledge there was never a mango in the house, so she must have just omitted these]
3 cups sugar
3 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
4 teaspoons salt

Mix everything together on stove and let come to a boil.  Cook 15 minutes, then put in jars & seal.  Can be eaten right away.