Old-Fashioned Recipes

As I write this week’s “Exploring the Aisles at Van’s IGA,” I am sitting in a campground at the base of Mt. Saint Helens - - with NO connection to the Internet! I have been traveling with my sister and brother-in-law in their motor home for the past couple of weeks, touring around Washington and Oregon. At each stop I check out the cookbooks they have for sale. A couple I found at the visitor center at Mt. Hood are published by Bear Wallow Books (www.bearwallowbooks.com). They are just small books, around 30 pages, and are “Old-Fashioned” recipes. The two that I purchased: “Old Recipes from Family Farms with historical notes” and “Old-Fashioned Woodstove Recipes.”
In reading through them I thought back on how much trouble it was for the women in the past to put a meal on the table. Memories also came back of my grandmother cooking on her wood stove and the wonderful food that she could produce by knowing how to adjust the stove to keep the temperature just right so the cake wouldn’t fall or the biscuits burn. What an art!
In this issue are a few of the recipes from the two cookbooks I mentioned above.

Sweet Potato Cake
(Old-Fashioned Woodstove Recipes)

1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. hot water
4 eggs, separated
2 1/2 c. cake flour, sifted
1/4 t. salt
3 t. baking powder
1 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. grated raw sweet potatoes
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts
Cream sugars and butter. beat in vegetable oil until very smooth. Beat in egg yolks and hot water. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients and stir into mixture until well blended. Add sweet potatoes, vanilla nd nuts. Beat well. Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form and fold into batter. Pour into two-9-inch round cake pans. Bake in moderate (350 degrees F.) oven 25-30 minutes.

Noodle Pudding
(Old-Fashioned Woodstove Recipes)

1 8-oz. pkg. noodles
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 pint dairy sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
prepare noodles according to package directions and drain. Return drained noodles to saucepan. Cut cream cheese and butter into hot noodles. Stir to melt. Stir in sour cream. Combine eggs and sugar and add to mixture. Pour into quart baking dish. Dash top with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake in 375 degree F. oven 60 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

Dandelion Greens
(Old-Fashioned Woodstove Recipes)

Pick a half pound of tender young greens. (Can be used until they bloom.) Immerse them in a large pan of water. Remove any broken or discolored leaves. Rinse greens three times in salted water to remove all dirt and grit. Drain on paper towels until dry. Toss in salad bowl with Dandelion Dressing.
Dandelion Dressing
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 c. vinegar
2/3 c. sugar
2 c. water
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
4 strips bacon, crisply fried, crumbled
Combine beaten egg, flour and salt. Stir in vinegar, sugar and water. Bring to ta boil in a saucepan. Let cool. Stir in the chopped eggs and crumbled bacon.

Fried Pies
(Old Recipes from Family Farms with historical notes)

This old southern favorite dates back to colonial times. Try other dried fruits, or fill with thick jam or preserves.
1 lb. dried apples
3/4 c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar (optional)
Cook dried fruit with enough water to cover, for 20 minutes, or until tender; drain. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside to cool. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder and salt until crumbly. Mix milk and egg and pour into flour mixture. Stir until dough forms a ball. Divide in half and roll each half on lightly floured board to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4-6 inch circles. Put a generous tablespoon of fruit on once side of each circle; fold other side over, to form half-circle. Seal edges with fork. Pour oil 1-1 1/2 inches deep in skillet. Heat to 375 degrees F. Fry until brown on both sides, 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sift powdered sugar over cooled pies.

Baked Corn and Tomatoes
(Old Recipes from Family Farms with historical notes)

2 c. corn, frozen and thawed, or canned, drained
2 med. tomatoes, chopped
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. sugar
1 c. bread crumbs
3 T. butter or margarine
Mix corn and tomatoes with salt, pepper and sugar. Pour into greased baking dish. Spread crumbs on top and dot with slivers of butter. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 35 minutes.

Fried Apples and Onions
(Old Recipes from Family Farms with historical notes)

1 lb. sliced bacon
6 onions, sliced thin
6 tart apples, cored but not peeled, thickly sliced
Fry bacon until crisp. Removed bacon from skillet and drain all but 2 to 3 T. of fat. Add onions to skillet; fry for 2-3 minutes, then add apples. Stir gently, lower heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, until apples are tender. Serve with bacon.

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