Desserts
Desserts finish off a dinner.
Pie Crust
- 2 cup flour to
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup milk mixed with
- 1 tsp of vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Mix flour and shortening until fine and crumbly. Slowly add the milk and vinegar mixture until the dough is easy to handle. Knead until smooth. Roll into circles, prick middle of the top shell with a fork or cut a small hole in the middle to let the air out.
Makes 2 2-crust pies.
My mother baked pies for a small cafe in town for years to help provide for her family after my father suddenly died. She still makes great pies at age 91.
How many candles do you count on our birthday cake. My twin and I celebrate our birthday around Thanksgiving every year. One year, the candles added to the pie bacame our birthday cake.
Pumpkin or Squash Pie
1 cup squash or pumpkin
1 cup milk, cream or canned milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Lemon Flavoring
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
All Spice
Salt – a dash
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let pie shell start to bake until it is hard. Put in the pie filing and bake until set. Makes 1 pie.
Note: Notice the absence of amounts on the spices? Mom used a pinch of each and a splash of lemon. – Add To taste.
Apple Pie
5 to 7 apples, tart is best
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
dash salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
Pastry for 2-crust pie – see pie crust recipe above.
2 tbsp. butter
Peal and slice apples. Stir in sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and blend well. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter. Arrange top crust over apples, pinch sides together, and bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Makes one 9-nch pie.
Ginger Cake
(Use a small pan or double it.)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
To begin, grease a cake pan and sprinkle with flour and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
First, pour boiling water over shortening. To that, add brown sugar, molasses. Let it cool a little and add the egg. Next, beat together until smooth. Then, add all dry ingredients. Again, beat until smooth. Bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve with:
- Lemon Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Sprinkle Salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp.. Lemon Juice
First, mix first 4 ingredients. Next, gradually, add water so it doesn’t get lumpy. Then, cook until clear. Remove and add lemon juice and butter until it melts.
Fudge Cake
First, cream together
1/4 lb. butter and
3/4 cup sugar. Add
1/2 cup milk and stir.
Second, sift together
1 cup flour,
1/2 tsp salt,
1 tsp cocoa and add to mixture.
Stir well and put in a 9” buttered pan. Spread
1/2 cup chopped nuts over the top.
Last, mix well together
1/2 cup granulated sugar,
1/2 cup brown. Sugar, and
1/4 cup cocoa and spread over the top of all. Pour
1-1/4 cup boiling water over top of this.
Bake 350 for 30 min.
SERVE WITH ICE CREAM OR WHIP TOPPING.
VERY RICH.
Let cool in pan.
Apple Crisp
4 cups sliced or chopped apples
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cups brown sugar packed firm
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup oatmeal
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup soft butter or margerine
First, preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Then, butter or spray an 8 x 8 baking dish.
Second, add sliced or chopped apples to the baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples.
Third, in a mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp nutmet, soft butter, and oatmeal.
(I prefer more oatmeal so I add 1 cup.)
Mix with fork, pastry cutter, or your hands, until small chunks and then, spread over apples.
Bake for 35 – 45 minutes.
I have used an airfryer when making 1/2 of the recipe, and baked it for 25 minutes at 350 F degrees.
Zuccini Bread
2 cups grated Zucchini squash
1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or your choice)
3 tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp. baking soda
3 tsp Cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
Beat Eggs until fluffy. Add oil, sugar, squash, and vanilla.
Mix lightly. Add flour and dry ingredients.
Divide into 2 loaf tins. Bake 325 F degrees for 1 hour or until brown.
Grandma Coombs Brownies
1 cup butter
3 squares of bakers chocolate
1 ½ cup sugar
3 or 4 eggs
¾ cup chopped nuts
1 ½ c. flour sifted
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Spread on buttered cookie sheet. (About 1 inch thick.) Bake 15 to 20 minutes in moderate oven. Remove from oven and cut immediately into squares.
Note: Need more instructions? OK, first, cream the butter until it is smooth and then add the sugar and cream together. Melt the bakers chocolate squares in a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the Microwave, do not over cook. Add the eggs and the chocolate beat together. Remember, Grandma did this by hand so do not over beat if you use beaters. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to mixture. Mix until smooth. Then spread on the buttered cookie sheet…Bake at 350º oven for 20 minutes.
Wacky Cake and Frosting
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. cocoa
1 ½ c. water
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp soda
¼ c. cooking oil
1 ½ Tbsp Vinegar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
Frosting
1 c. sugar
¼ c milk
¼ c. cocoa
½ stick margarine
Sift flour with cocoa, sugar and soda into mixing bowl. Make a well in the center; add water, vinegar, oil and vanilla. Mix all for 1 minute. Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Frosting: Combine all ingredients; bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Beat until smooth and thick enough to spread. Spread on cake. Yields 24 servings.
Rosemary Candy
6 cups sugar
1 can milk
2 cubes margarine
2 cups dark Karo Syrup
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 cups nuts
Mix sugar, syrup, milk and butter. Boil 30 minutes and then add nuts. Boil until a small amount forms a soft ball in cold water. Cool and add vanilla and whip. Pour into a greased cake pan. Cool and cut into squares before it is too hard to do so.
Divinity
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix wet ingredients first. Be sure to add all of the Zucchini with the wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients. And mix well Divide into 2 loaf tins. Bake 325 1 hour or until brown.
Spud Nuts
2 cups scalding milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 eggs
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 yeast cake
2 1/2 quarts flour
Mix all together. Let rise twice until double in size. Cut with a wide mouth bottle ring and a pop bottle lid. Let rise again. Fry in oil. Frost or glaze. Glaze is made with water or milk and powdered sugar. Makes 3 1/2 dozen
Rice Pudding
3 cups milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup of rice
Pinch of salt
Put all in a saucepan and cook until the rice is done.
Add:
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
Raisins, if desired.
Add small amount of milk to the egg yolk and sugar, so it will blend well with the hot rice. Cook until thickened. Remove from the heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp lemon flavor.
Note: The rice and milk mixture needs to be watched and stired often to keep it from scorching when it cooks. The picture is my first attempt making this recipe. I used 1/2 cup of rice which made it very thick. Next time, I would likely decrease the sugar, as I like less sweetness.
Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp Cocoa
1 cube of margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
3 cups quick oats
Cook sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine at a full rolling boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add quick oats, peanut butter and vanilla at once and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper. Let cool before serving.
Note: Crunchy peanut butter works very well. Do not over cook.
Unbaked Peanut Butter cookies
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup corn syrup
12 oz. Jar peanut butter
4 cups Special K
Mix together all ingredients except the peanut butter and cook until it bubbles 1/2 inch around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir well and pour over 4 cups of Special K cereal. Mix well until all the cereal is covered. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to wax paper. Rice Krispies can be substituted for Special K cereal. Makes 26 to 30. pieces.
Seven Layer Cookies
1 cub margarine. Melt in the baking pan.
1 1/2 cup to 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Mix margarine and graham cracker crumbs to make a crust. Press into bottom of cake pan. Layer other ingredients in order as they appear. Bake 30 mins. in a 350 degree oven. Cut when cold. (Has to be cool to get out of the pan.)
Chocolate Drop Cookies
1/2 cup melted fat
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 squares chocolate
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
Add sugar to the fat. Add melted chocolate and vanilla, and then add beaten eggs and nuts. Next add milk and sifted dry ingredients alternately. Drop from spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350, for 10 to 12 min. Makes 30 cookies.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
In college, my friend Kevin Searle, made the best cookies. I believe this is his recipe.
Cream:
1 1/2 cup white sugar,
1 1/2 cup brown sugar,
2 cups shortening,
2 tsp. Vanilla,
2 Tbsp.. Hot water,
4 eggs.
Sift:
3 cups flour,
2 tsp. Soda,
1 tsp. Salt
Add:
4 cups oatmeal,
1 pkg. Chocolate chips
Bake at 350º, 8-10 minutes on a greased cookie sheet. Note: make them small, about 1 tsp. of dough.
Famous Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed Br. sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 tsp Vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
Beat shortening, sugar, egg, water and vanilla until creamy. Add combined remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop onto greased cookie sheet by tsp. Preheat oven to 350º. Bake 12 to 15 min.
Melt Away Cookies
1/2 lb of Butter
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Beat together with a mixer. Pack together in small spoonfuls, put on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350º for 10 min. When cool, ice and sprinkle with fine nuts.
Icing:
3 oz. Pkg. of cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
Mix until smooth.
Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
Cream shortening and sugar, add egg, milk and vanilla. Put baking powder and salt in the flour and add to the mixture. Mix well. Makes a soft dough. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Roll on floured board. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake: 8 to 10 min. at 350.
Honey Taffy
(Grandma Coombs)
1 cup of honey
Cook until it comes to a hard ball. (If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can do this like Grandma did by dropping a spoonful of the cooked honey into a cup of cold water. If you can form a hard ball with the candy, then it is ready.)
Butter a cake pan. DO THIS BEFORE THE HONEY TAFFY IS DONE!!! As the taffy cools, pick up the cooler outsides edges and pull it out and fold over to the center. When the taffy is cool enough for you to handle, butter your hands well and pull the taffy until it is to hard to pull. It will be very shinny and a light color. (You can make honey taffy with 1 cup of honey and one cup of sugar, or Honey & Vinegar to the hard crack.)
Old Fashion Taffy
2-tsp butter
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp vanilla or other flavor
Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan; roll it around the sides of the pan to coat it well. Add water and vinegar; bring to a boil. Stir in sugar carefully so that it is completely dissolved. Cover pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until sugar crystals are melted down from the side of the pan. Uncover and continue rapid boil of syrup to the hardball stage (260°). Remove from heat and put onto lightly buttered dish. Do not scrape the pan. If you want a color, add it with the flavor now. Let it cool. When cool enough to handle, pull it with buttered hands. Pull until it has a dull satin finish. Pull rope and break into 2 to 1 inch pieces. Makes 72 pieces.
Jubilee Jumbles
1/2 cup soft shortening
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned milk or sour cream
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts chopped
First, mix shortening, sugar,and eggs until smooth. Second, stir in milk and vanilla. Then, sift flour, soda, and salt. last, blend in nuts. Chill for 1 hours. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Drop the dough in rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. makes about 4 to 5 dozen cookies. Spread with optional Brown Butter Glaze. (Not shown on cookied, but recipe is below.)
Brown Butter Glaze
First, heat 1/3 cup of butter or margarne in a sauce pan over low heat until golden brown. Then, remove from heat and blend in 2 cups confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir in 2-4 tbsp hot water until a spreadable consistancy.
Variations:
1. Applesauce Jumbles: You may omit the sour cream and stir in 3/4 cup of applesauce, 1 cup raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of cloves.
2. Coconut Jumbles: You may omit nuts and stir in 1 cup of shreaded coconut.
3. Gumdrop Jumbles: Omit the nuts and stir in 4 cups cut up gumdrops. – Omit glaze.
4. Chocolate Chip Jumbles: Add your favorite chocolate chips, as many as you wish, with or without the nuts. The picture above is with chocolate chips without the glaze.
5. Or, you may omit the nuts all together.
Cheese Cake
Shell: 1 pkg. graham crackers crushed
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
Mix together and form into a pie pan to make a shell.
Combine: 1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice.
Beat until smooth Add to pie shell.
Top with danish pudding with fruit, pie filling, or fruit.