Here's what's Cookin', Recipes from the Kitchens of Greenwood.
Check out the image. Under that pile of recipes shared by the women of Greenwood that I found in my mother' recipe boxes, is a small, thin notebook filled with her handwriting. Do you have your copy of the notebook you kept in Homemaking Class at Greenwood Union or Central School? Thanks to my Aunt Ezzy (Evelyn Lounsberry Cornell) finding my mother's (Kathleen Lounsberry Murray) at the Lounsberry Farm, I have had the opportunity to see what they were teaching young women in 1955. It has some simple recipes for meat such as pork chops and salisbury steak; something called toast cups, to serve creamed vegetables, meat or eggs; the all important white sauce; and vegetables, which neither really are vegetables. Have you ever heard of cooking cucumbers? There was some extra special ways to serve salads, with little diagrams to show how to make candlesticks or florals; and all kinds of things made with fruits, from broiled bananas to cranberry crunch.
The most interesting part for me was the eight pages about setting a table, serving at table, table appointment which was all about linens and choosing your china, crystal and flatware; and lastly table manners. These were the only pages dated, 11/4/1955. Then the last number of pages were filled with desserts and another mainstay pie crust.
My mother, along with Betty Ann (Brown) Empson, was a Girl Scout leader in the early 1970s. They taught us from this section of the book. Well, it must have been Betty Ann's since Mom's was still at the farm.
I am going to share some recipes and sometimes just mention a number of them. If you would like the full recipe for anything mentioned, just ask and I will supply it to you. There are over a hundred recipes in her boxes, not all have a source. I may have your family's recipe(s) and not know it. If you have a favorite, put in the Comments and I will add it to this post.
Speaking of Betty Ann, my mother's boxes were full of recipes from her. For those in the Brown family, can you identify which ones came from your mother/grandmother? I will provide a list but only share my favorite, Molasses Sugar Cookies. We still make these every year for Christmas and whenever sharing with our friends and neighbors, as it is always a favorite and one of the first recipes asked for. For the list: Zucchini Squash Bread (I still use this one), Coffee Can Bread, Apple Blossom Cake, Chili Sauce, Barbecue Sauce, and for the cookies: Fruit Drop, Cherry Winks and the promised Molasses Sugar.
Here goes: 375 degrees 8-10 minutes 3 doz
3/4 c shortening
1 c sugar
1/4 c molasses (dark)
1 egg
2 c flour
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Melt shortening and cool, add sugar, egg, molasses and beat. Add dry ingredients together. Form balls and flatten. Shake pan.
I am going to let you in on a secret, I learned long ago when attempting to use these ladies' recipes. Not every step is written down. You need to have taken homemaking, because there are a number of assumptions taken; those that all bakers and cooks should know.
Next up, Mary Mullen and my family and every person we have met's favorite Christmas cookies. We have been revolutionizing Virginia by replacing the classic sugar cookie with this recipe for years. My sister Joan (Murray) Kline makes 100s of dozens of these each year:
Sour Cream Cookies.
425 degrees 3 1/2 doz
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
2 eggs
1 c sour cream
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 c flour
Roll out to 1/8".
Refrigerate overnight.
Cut and put on greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 6 min
A couple more secrets with this one. Of course, follow the standard, wet then dry ingredients. The number and baking time really depends on the size of your cookie cutters. Smaller may take only 4 minutes. This is based on a rather large cookie.
To go along with this, Mary's butter icing:
For cookies and cakes:
1 stick oleo
1/2 c shortening
1 c white sugar
Beat until creamy, light and fluffy
2/3 c hot milk, keep hot and add tablespoon at a time until all gone.
1 tsp vanilla
For decorating:
1/2 c butter or oleo
3 1/2 c sifted confectioner's sugar
few grains salt
4 or 5 T milk or cream
Vanilla or other flavoring
Cream butter and add sugar gradually. Add salt.
Stir in liquid a little at a time.
Beat until fluffy, add vanilla
"Gram" (Mary) Streeter shared her Icicle Pickles recipe with everyone or maybe it was Virgil; but, here is her Date Bread:
1 c dates - cut up
Pour 1 c boiling water and 1 1/2 tsp soda over them and let stand.
1 c sugar
2 eggs beaten
salt
3 tbsp shortening
Add 1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla
Add dates and nuts.
Bake 1 hour at 350.
Elaine (Holt) Allen's Carrot Pineapple Bread:
3 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c oil
1 c grated carrots
1 c crushed pineapple
1 c chopped nuts
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
3 c flour
Mix oil sugar, carrots, eggs, pineapple, vanilla and nuts. Add cinnamon, salt. Measure and sift flour. Add soda.
Makes two bread tins.
Hint for the non-bakers. Note the direction to measure the flour before sifting. It changes the volume.
Joyce (Fox) Holt's Raised Doughnuts:
1 cake compressed or dry yeast
1/4 c water
3/4 c lukewarm milk
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 c soft shortening
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 c flour
Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Mix lukewarm milk, sugar salt, egg, shortening and add softened mixture. Add flour. Knead on lightly floured surface, place in greased bowl. Let rise until double in bulk; punch down, let rise until double again. Roll out dough 1/3 inch think. Cut and let rise until very light. 45 minutes. Leave uncovered so crust will form.
Deep fry at 375 degrees 2 doz
Shake in plain sugar or glaze.
Doris (Updyke) Jackson's Sweet Peppers
1/2 c salt
1 c sugar
1 qt vinegar
1 qt water
2 T Mazola oil or 1 olive oil
1 garlic
1 hot pepper
Put oil and garlic in jar. Fill cans with sweet peppers and pour hot liquids on. Seal.
Evelyn Cornell here. I help Doris Ann can peppers one time. I burned my hands so badly I had to go to a dermatologist in Elmira. Never canned those again.
Here is what I found from Evelyn (Lounsberry) Cornell. I am sure there are plenty more in there, but no name assigned. Two written down for me by her daughter Karen (Cornell) Maher: Instant Dessert and Chocolate Sheet Cake. These must have been her favorites or I must have liked them as a child, who knows. And, one that seems as though she also got from Betty Ann and shared with Mom, Rum Pot Cookies. Now here is the trick with the Rum Pot Cookies, you first must have a Rum Pot from which to get the liquid and the fruit. I did not find the information for a Rum Pot. If you have that please share it and we can get both added to this post.
Here is one in Ezzy's handwriting, citing Kappy...but, in my mother's box? Banana Bread:
3 ripe banana's
3/4 c sugar
1 egg - stir well
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 c flour
2 T melted butter
Mix well. 350 degrees. 30-40 min. 1 loaf.
My mother gave herself specific credit for just three recipes: Coconut Puffs Royale, Cinnamon Coffee Bars and Camp Jambalaya which must have been something dreamed up for Boy Scout or Girl Scout Camp. For you campers out there, I will share:
Heat in a large skillet:
2 T bacon drippings
Add:
1 medium onion, chopped
Cook until lightly browned and tender
Add:
8 frankfurters, sliced in 3/4 in. pieces
Cook until lightly browned.
Add:
3/4 canned tomatoes
1 c boiling water
1 c uncooked rice
Mix well. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 30 - 35 min, or until rice is tender. Stir occasionally.
My take on this one, if not for youngsters, you may want to swap out the frankfurters for another meat and add accordingly.
Aunt Ezzy says Mom had a great recipe for cream puffs. ISO. Will add if I find it.
These three were credited to Mother (Flora Madison Lounsberry): Magic Cookie Bars, Brown Bread (which was always delicious), and Johnny Cake. Remember Flo (Nye) Feenaughty's story about Johnny Cake Sunday, I bet this may have been the recipe, so I will share:
2/3 c sugar
2 T butter (melted)
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c cornmeal
2 c sour milk
2 c flour
2 tsp soda
That is it. Remember my comment about cooks and bakers. It really applies here.
Two relish recipes from Grandma L: one with beets and one with cucumbers. These must have been from Albert Lounsberry's mother. Let's share the beet one as it seems to be unique:
1 qt cooked beets - run through meat chopper
1 qt cabbage
1/2 c grated horseradish
1 c sugar
salt, pepper
Cover with not too strong vinegar.
Heat. Can.
Again, that's it.
Louise (Lounsberry) Nye's Apple Bread
1 c sugar
1/2 c shortening
Cream.
2 eggs
2 T milk (sour)
Sift:
2 c flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/1 tsp salt
Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 c grated apples.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Now a couple from the Murray side of my family too. First up, Great Grandma Pearl Murray's Date-filled Cookies. These are the famous cookies from my Uncle Stan's story about John Robert.
Cream together:
2 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
Add 3 eggs
Beat. 1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
2 t baking powder
Flour enough to roll, about 3 cups
Roll very thin.
Date filling:
1 cup dates (or raisins) chopped
1/2 c sugar
1 T flour
1/2 c water
Boil gently, stirring constantly, until thick. Cool.
Put one cookie on pan. Put about 1 tsp filling on top. Top with second cookie.
Bake at 350 degrees.
Two from Anna Marie (Murray) Schwartz. Poppy seed bread and my Dad's favorite, Acini Di Pepe which I will share:
Drain (and save, I had to add as like me you probably would have drained them down the sink) 1 can fruit cocktail, 2 cans crushed pineapple and 1 can mandarin oranges.
Cook 2 1/2 cups juice (from above), 1 1/2 c sugar, 3 T flour, 1/2 t salt, 4 beaten egg yolks.
Cool.
Cook macaroni and Cool.
Fold in 16 oz Cool Whip and 1 bag colored miniature marshmallows.
The funniest thing with this one is that it was written on the back of a "Good for 1 Dinner" ticket for the St. Mary's Annual Chicken Barbecue from August 3, 1980. Recycle, reuse, I always say.
From Catherine (Murray) Hawkins. Glass Cake. My mother used to serve this, or another family favorite Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Foam at all those at home parties she used to host while we were growing up. Beeline, wigs, Tupperware, you name it; there were ladies at our home trying them out and partaking of this or other desserts and the coffee my mother did not drink. We were happy for the leftovers.
4 pkgs jello - cherry, orange, lime, black cherry (of course now you can get so many other flavors and colors to coordinate with the seasons and holidays)
To each pkg add 1 c boiling water, dissolve, then 1/2 c cold water.
Add together, heat and cool to room temperature, Juice of can ring pineapple, 1 pkg gelatin and 1/4 water.
Whip 1 pt heavy cream and 1 c sugar. Add 1 t vanilla.
Cube jello and fold in Whip cream.
Pour in crumb crust - 1 pkg vanilla wafer crumbs and mix with 1 stick melted oleo. Save some for the top.
You may be asking, what about Sally (Murray) Coates? Where are her recipes? Wait, you know her. Nevermind. Family memories sure do pop when we smell and taste our favorites from the past. Again, if you have a recipe that you would like to share with us, add it in the comments and I will move it into this post.
Thanks Perry Streeter for this one from Virgil Streeter:
And Lorraine Warriner for these two. Looks like a couple more from Evelyn Cornell and do I see Aunt Bernice (Madison) Mann's name too?
