AUNT MARY'S BEEF SALAMI

This is a recipe my late aunt gave me 40 to 50 years ago. I have made it many times over the years and it is always a big hit. It is great for parties, snacks, gift-giving, lunch boxes, etc.

5 lbs lean ground beef
2 1/2 tsp garlic salt
5 tsp Morton's quck tender cure
2 1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 1/2 tsp hickory smoke salt
4 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp whole peppercorns

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing well. Place mixture in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Mix for the next three evenings right before bedtime. On 5th evening, mix again and then divide into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into log. Place logs on broiler pan in oven and bake overnight (8 hours) at 150 degrees. Remove from oven, cool, wrap in foil and refrigerate. Best if allowed to be refrigerated for 24 hours. Slice and serve.

CHEESE HOOIES

Yes, the name is spelled correctly. This is, you guessed it, another old Southern Indiana recipe from my childhood days. These are great snacking tidbits for any occasion. 

1/4 lb butter that is softened to room temperature 

2 cups sifted flour dash cayenne pepper 

1/4 lb sharp cheese 

2 tsp salt 

powdered sugar 

Grate the cheese into the butter and cream together. Add the salt and flour, blending in well. Knead until smooth on a floured board. Chill overnight, by dividing in half and making rolls about as big around as half dollars (remember those?). When ready to bake, slice about 3/4-inch thick. Bake in a 375-degree oven, 12-15 minutes or until browned a little. Let cool 3-4 minutes then roll or shake in powdered sugar. (As we are more diet conscience today, I would recommend cutting back on the salt and using a lower fat cheese. But that is entirely up to you!)

clipart

HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS

4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 packet active dry yeast 

1 cup milk 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup butter 

1 tsp salt 

2 large eggs 

In a large mixer bowl combine 2 cups of the flour with the yeast. Heat the milk, sugar, butter, and salt just until warm - 115 to 120 degrees, stirring constantly. Add to the flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat at lowest speed of mixer for about 30 seconds. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. On a floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. (About 6 to 8 minutes time) Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Turn once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch down the dough, divide in half, cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Filling: 3 tbsp butter 

1/2 cup sugar 

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

3/4 cup raisins 

Roll 1 one of the dough balls into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Melt butter and spread half over the dough. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle half over the dough. Sprinkle half the raisins over the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll up from a long side. Seal well and cut into 12 even slices. Place the slices on a greased 9-inch round cake pan. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Cover pans and let rise until almost double (about 30 minutes). Bake rolls in a 375-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly, remove from pans and drizzle with the icing. 

Icing: 1 cup sifted powdered sugar 1/4 tsp vanilla 

milk 

Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make icing the consistency for drizzle.

file photo from Thriving Home used for reference only

OLD FASHION JAM CAKE and CARAMEL FROSTING

This is a recipe from a lady who lived a couple of blocks from my aunt when I was very young. I have never made this cake but have heard good things about it over the years. 

 2 cups white sugar 

1/2 cup dark brown sugar 

1 cup butter or margarine 

6 egg yolks 

4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon cloves 

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

6 egg whites 

1 box seedless raisins 

1 cup nuts (black walnut best) 

1 pint blackberry jam 

1 glass blackberry jelly 

1 cup buttermilk 

1 teaspoon soda 

 Cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg yolks. Sift the dry ingredients except soda together, saving a little of the flour to dredge the nuts and raisins in. Then add sifted ingredients to the sugar-egg mixture. Add the beaten egg whites, then the nuts, raisins, jam and jelly. Last add the buttermilk to which the soda has been added. Transfer batter to 2 greased round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Caramel Frosting: 

2 cups dark brown sugar 

4 tablespoons butter 

4 tablespoons flour 

1/2 cup water

4 tablespoons cream 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

 Cook the sugar and water to hard ball stage. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cream. Pour the hot syrup over the mixed ingredients, stir until well blended. Let stand until cool and beat until thick and not glossy. Thin with the rest of the cream if too thick. This is enough for a two-layer cake.

file photo for reference only - credit on cake

CAN-CAN STIFFNER

Does anyone else remember the days when we girls wore the stiff mesh slips that made our dresses stand out like crazy? I remember being caught up in that craze as a preteen and hating myself everytime I sat down in one of those crazy things! In going through a box of my mother's old hand-written recipes, I found her recipe for the rinse she used to dip these "petticoats" in when she laundered them for me and my sister. Her notes say she copied this from a caller on a local radio show called, "The Backyard Fence," where friends and neighbors called in to share recipes, items they wanted to sell, giveaway, etc. Here is the famous recipe:

3/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons turpentine
2 tablespoons borax
1 quart cold water
Stir up.
Dip in & iron dry

Lord, have mercy. We must have been crazy!!