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Volume VIII, No. 2, Winter 1980 |
Country Menus
by Sheila and Deidra
During the exciting Christmas festivities the kitchen bustles with activities children running through the kitchen, dipping their fingers into the cake batter and cookie dough, the husband standing by wondering when the turkey will be ready.
At the holiday season old-fashioned recipes are favorites in the Ozark kitchens. We hope the following recipes will add to your Christmas enjoyment as much as they have to ours.
Sheila's grandmother, Violet Caudle, uses this recipe often during the Christmas season. It's very good with melted butter on top. Sheila likes it with homemade ice cream.
APPLE SURPRISE CAKE
| 2 cups unpeeled apples | 1/2 cup nuts |
| 1 cup sugar | 1 cup lard |
| 1-1/2 cups flour | 1 tsp. vanilla |
| 1 tsp. soda | 1/2 cup coconut |
| 1/2 tsp. salt |
Core and dice the apples and mix with sugar. Let stand until juice forms. Sift flour, soda and salt together. Melt the lard, and when cooled, add it and sifted dry ingredients to apples and mix thoroughly. Add nuts, coconut and vanilla one at a time. Mix. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes in a 8 x 12 inch pan.
This cake, also called the Hoover Cake, got its name from the Depression years because the ingredients needed were cheap. Deidra's mother, Vertress Morgan, makes this often during the winter months.
DEPRESSION CAKE
| 2 cups brown sugar | 1 tsp. salt |
| 2 cups hot water | 1 tsp. cinnamon |
| 2 tsp. shortening | 3 cups flour |
| 1 package raisins | 1 tsp. soda |
| 1 tsp. cloves |
Mix together the sugar, water, shortening, raisins, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and let it boil 5 minutes. Let cool. Dissolve soda in 2 tsp. hot water. When mixture is cool add it and the flour, mix thoroughly. Bake in a tube pan for about one hour at 350°.
Many years ago Deidra's grandmother, Nellie Jeffries, wrote this recipe on the front of an envelope in her old-fashioned handwriting. The Jeffries family uses this delicious recipe often during the holiday seasons.
GINGERSNAP COOKIES
| 1-1/2 cups sugar | 3-1/2 cups sifted flour |
| 1 cup shortening | 1 tsp. soda |
| 2 eggs unbeaten | 2 tsp. ginger |
| 1/2 cup molasses syrup |
Cream together sugar and shortening. Beat in eggs and molasses. Sift flour, soda and ginger together. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. Form into small balls and place on greased baking sheet. Bake 275° for about 15 minutes.
Sugar cookies are always favorites during the holidays.
SUGAR COOKIES
| 1 cup white sugar | 1 tsp. soda |
| 1 cup brown sugar | 3 heaping tsps. baking powder |
| 1 cup shortening | 2 cups flour |
| 3 eggs | 1 cup sour cream |
| 1 cup molasses syrup | 1 tsp. vanilla or spice |
Cream together the sugars and shortening. Beat in eggs and molasses syrup. Sift together soda, baking powder and flour. Add these ingredients slowly while mixing. Mix in sour cream and vanilla or spice. Sprinkle the batter with flour just enough to handle. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Bake in moderate oven (350°) until golden brown.
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Copyright © 1981 BITTERSWEET, INC.
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