Pie Pastry

Todd's Aunt Helen remembers her mother, Grandma R. (Mildred) using this recipe for awhile. She tells us that it kept in the fridge for quite some time.

Pie Pastry

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp brown sugar

Mix in 1 lb shortening (she used lard)

In bottom of cup, put in 1 egg unbeaten. Add 1 tbsp vinegar and enough water to make 3/4 cup liquid.

Cherry Delight Pie

Todd's Grandma R. (Millie) used to make this recipe.

Cherry Delight Pie

1 can cherry pie filling

1/2 pint whipped cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 oz cream cheese (room temp)

1 tsp vanilla

Whip cream, then whip in cream cheese then sugar and vanilla. Pour into graham wafer crust, chill at least an hour or overnight, then add cherry pie filling and chill again. Make 24 hours ahead.

Cheese Cakes

This recipe was often made by Todd's Grandma R. (Millie). She often frosted these very lightly with a lemon flavoured glaze.

Cheese Cakes

Line mini muffin tins with pastry.

Make Filling:

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp sugar

1 egg

grated rind of one lemon

1 tsp lemon juice

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

In lined muffin tins put 1 ts of jam and cover with cake mixture. Bake.

Baba au Rhum

This recipe is from Todd's Grandma R. (Millie).

Baba au Rhum

1 pkg. granular yeast

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/4 tsp salt

4 small or 3 large eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp sifted all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/3 cup melted butter, slightly cooled

In large mixing bowl, add sugar

and warm water to yeast, stir once and let soak 10 minutes. Add salt, eggs (unbeaten) and measure flour and beat with electric beater 2 minutes or 200 hand strokes. Let rise at room temperature until quadrupled - 3 hrs. Add sugar and slightly cooled butter and beat for 2 minutes. Butter well

12 muffin tins. Divide dough into them filling not more than half full. Let rise at room temperature to above rims of pans. (May leave in fridge overnight before letting rise). Bake at 425 deg for 17-20 minutes. Loosen edges with pointed knife and turn out on large platter and pour over hot syrup.

Syrup

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup hot water

1 - 4 3/4 oz pureed apricots (baby food)

1 tsp rum (Todd says if it was Grandma, it was rum flavouring!)

2 or 3 tsp lemon juice

Combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Stir in apricot puree until smooth, boil 2 min. Remove from heat, add flavouring and juice. Pour over hot babas. Then cold serve topped with cream.

Apricot Jam

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma R. (Millie).

Apricot Jam

3 cups cut up apricots

1 orange peeled and cut into chunks

2 cups sugar

Boil slivered orange peel, white part removed and add to fruit. Crack apricot nuts and chop finely, add. Boil all until thick or add pectin.

Apple Pudding

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma R. (Millie).

Apple Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup or less of margarine or shortening

Directions

Rub margarine/shortening into the sifted dry ingredients and make it fine - finer than for pie. Add just enough water or milk to roll out flat to about 1/4". Spread with peeled and sliced apples and 1/4 cup sugar. You can add a little cinnamon but it isn't necessary. Roll up apples and dough and put into a baking dish large enough to put a syrup over all.

Syrup

Mix about 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup sugar and 1 pinch of salt. Add 1 tbsp of butter. This takes a hot oven to start with and when it is browning, lower the heat somewhat. Bake until apples are cooked, about 40 or 45 min. I think one apple will be enough sliced for 1 cup of flour.

Butter Tarts

This variation on the butter tart comes from Todd's Grandma R. (Millie).

Butter Tarts

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups currants or raisins

4 tbsp butter

2 eggs

2 cups brown sugar

2 tsp rum flavouring (or vanilla)

chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Soak currants or raisins in boiling water for a few minutes. Beat butter until creamy, then add brown sugar and eggs and blend well before adding currants or raisins.

Put in rich pastry shells, uncooked, and cook 18-20 minutes.

Jam Jams

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma R., Millie. A family favourite, traditionally made with raspberry jam only.

Jam Jams

Ingredients

1 c margarine

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

Roll pieces of dough into 1 1/2" lengths. Flatten with a fork. Put 2 cooked cookies together with raspberry jam in the middle.

Cherry Winks

This recipe was passed down from Todd's Grandma R. (Mildred).

Cherry Winks

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chopped dates

1/3 cup maraschino cherries

2 1/2 cups cornflakes

Directions

Combine butter and sugar and cream together well. Blend in eggs. Add milk plus vanilla.

Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add pecans and chopped dates. Mix well. Shape into balls using 1 tbsp dough for each cookie. Crush 2 1/2 cups cornflakes. Roll each ball of dough in flakes. Place on greased baking sheet. Top each cookie with 1/4 cherry.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not store until cold. Makes 5 dozen cookies

About Grandma Millie

Todd's Grandma R. (Mildred/Millie) was his paternal grandmother. She was born in 1910 in the Canadian Prairies of Saskatchewan. She died just over a year ago at nearly 99 (just 2 months shy). Throughout her life Grandma R. did a lot of entertaining and thus had quite a number of recipes to share with her family and friends.