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.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling

This recipe is from Todd's Grandma A. (Pauline). At the top of the recipe card she had written, "Very good." Other notes from the recipe written by Grandma A. are shown in quotations below.

Chocolate Cake

3/4 cup butter or margarine ("I used some butter & shortening.")

1 3/4 cups sugar

Cream till fluffy. Add 2 eggs.

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour ("I used pastry.")

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups water

"I used the chocolate filling. You cook & choc icing. Make Todd & Dan a big cake for me."

Chocolate Filling for Cake

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

Cook until thick, add a small piece of butter and vanilla. "Joyce: This recipe is good for chocolate sauce. For filling I find you need more cornstarch (2 tbsp.)."

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.

Cherry Pudding

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma A. (Pauline). Todd's Mom remembers that they had a sour cherry tree right outside the door at home. "We had lots of cherry puddings while the cherries were in season."

Cherry Pudding

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups cherries (or other fruit)

Put batter into a greased pan.

Combine:

1 cup brown sugar

3 cups boiling water

1 tbsp butter

Pour over batter and bake - 1 hr.

Caramel Icing

This recipe is from Todd's Grandma A. (Pauline).

Caramel Icing

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp light cream

2 1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, sugar and cream in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir or beat in icing sugar and

vanilla.

Spread on warm cake. If frosting becomes too thick, add a small amount of water. (Goes good with banana cake.) You can half the recipe which is enough for a 9"x9" cake.

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.

Raised Doughnuts

This recipe comes from my Grandma M. (Doris.) As mentioned in a previous post, she was well-known for her doughnut baking and used to sell to different bakeries and restaurants. This recipe was the original one that she began to make and sell. She later changed to the "Cake Doughnuts" as they were more "in-fashion," however these ones still remained a family favourite.

Raised Doughnuts

Ingredients

3 - 3 1/2 cups flour

2 packages yeast

3/4 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

orange glaze

Directions

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast. Heat milk, sugar, shortening and 1 tsp salt just until warm, stirring constantly until shortening melts. Add to fry mixture. Add eggs. Beat at low speed. Stir in remaining flour.

Cake Doughnuts

This recipe comes from my Grandma M. (Doris.). She was well-known for her doughnuts. She had a couple of different types that she made. (Click for her "Raised Doughnut" recipe.) She would bake them and sell them to various bake shops and restaurants. This is one version which does not require yeast.

Cake Doughnuts

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tbsp shortening

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1 quart oil

Directions

Deep fry at 375 degrees.

Ice Box Cookies

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma A. (Pauline). She had two versions of the same recipe. One is shown in the image scanned at right and the other is typed out below.

Ice Box Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter (margarine)

2 cups brown sugar

3 beaten eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

4 cups flour

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix rest of ingredients together. Roll into 2 - 2 1/2" logs. Wrap. Cool in fridge or freezer. Cut into 1/4" slices and bake.

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

Banana Nut Bread

This recipe comes from Todd's Grandma A. (Pauline).

Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients

2 c flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 c butter or shortening

1/2 c brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c mashed bananas

1/2 c chopped nuts

1 tsp grated orange rind (5 tbsp orange juice)

Directions

Bake at 350 deg F for 45 minutes in loaf pan.

Sauce a la Cassonade

This recipe was passed down from my Grandma M. (Doris), a French Canadian. "Sauce a la Cassonade" is basically a butterscotch sauce. I've heard from my Mom and other family members that she would occasionally serve it to her husband and eight children as a dessert with bread for dipping, or with tea biscuits or it was even used as a pie filling. I might also add that it is especially good as an ice cream topping!

Sauce a la Cassonade

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter

1-2 tbsp flour/cornstarch

2 cups farm fresh cream

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

On stovetop, melt butter with flour/cornstarch. Add cream and brown sugar. Stir until heated thoroughly - will have a skim on top. Remove from stove and add vanilla.