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.]