DOILY STIFF

My mother and grandmother crocheted a lot and used this recipe to stiffen their doilies after washing them.

3/4 cup cornstarch
2 tbs. turpentine
2 tbs borax
1 quart cold water

Mix water, cornstarch, and borax good. Be sure dissolved. Add turpentine. Dip and squeeze and roll in towel. Let stand for two hours or more.

(Good grief. I never had a clue! No wonder they were always telling us kids to stay away from their handiwork that was so pretty on tables!)

LAZY BAKER'S PIE CRUST

Have had this recipe for so long, I don't know who gave it to me.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in the pie pan, mix with a fork. Add the milk to the oil and stir together. Pour over the flour mixture and stir with the fork until well mixed and crumbly. Press evenly in the pan to form a shell. Use as any other pie crust. Fill and bake or bake and fill for cream pies. To use for fruit pies, save back part of the crumbs and sprinkle over the filling and bake as any other fruit pie. Baking time is till crust is brown, about 30 to 35 minutes.

photo from kitchen genius

OLD FASHIONED BEEF "BIRDS"

This recipe is another from the area where I grew up in Southern Indiana.

1 1/2 lb round steak
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp shortening
1 can condensed consomme
1/2 tsp dry mustard

Cut the steak into 6 serving pieces and pound with a meat mallet or the edge of a saucer.

Chop the mushrooms and mix with the onion and Cheddar cheese. Put 3 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each piece of steak; reserve remaining mixture. Roll the beef pieces jellyroll style and fasten with a wooden toothpick. In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the meat rolls in the flour mixture, rolling to cover all sides.

Melt the shortening in a large skillet and brown the meat rolls in the skillet. Pour off the drippings. Combine the consomme and dry mustard; add to the skillet with the steak rolls. Cover and cook slowly for 45 minutes. Add the remaining cheese mixture to skillet and continue to slow cook for another 45 minutes. If desired, thicken the liquid with some cornstarch or flour to make a gravy to serve over the steak rolls.

FISH BATTER

This is a good batter to make for frying your fresh catch of fish.

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup ice water
2 tbsp baking powder
1 egg

Put all the stuff together in a bowl and mix it with a fork or spoon. Dip your fish in the batter then fry in hot grease.

(This recipe is signed by Sarge, whoever he was.)

                               This is a file photo used for reference only.

HONEYMOON PINEAPPLE HASH

36 large marshmallows

1/2 cup milk
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
28 graham crackers
5 tbsp butter, melted

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the marshmallows in the milk stirring constantly; do not boil. Remove from the heat, pour into a large bowl and allow to cool. In another large bowl, whip the evaporated milk until it holds peaks. Once the marshmallow mixture has cooled, add the whipped evaporated milk and the pineapple. Fold in to blend.

Crush the graham crackers into crumbs and add the melted butter. Mix well. Cover the bottom of a lightly greased pan or baking dish with 1/2 of the crumb mixture. Press down. Pour the pineapple mixture over the crumb crust. Put the remaining graham cracker mixture over the top of the pineapple mixture. Put in the freezer for 2 hours before serving.

Vicks VapoRub

When I was growing up in Southern Indiana this was the recipe for whatever ailed you! We still use it in our house. It is a standby.

HOMEMADE PEPPER RELISH

This recipe is an old recipe from Southern Indiana.

12 red bell peppers
12 green bell peppers
12 large white onions
1 qt vinegar
3 cups sugar
1 oz mustard seed

Grind red and green peppers and onions together. Cover with boiling water and let stand 15 minutes; drain. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, mix the vinegar, sugar, and mustard seed together. Add the drained vegetables to the sugar mixture; bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Put relish into hot pint jars and seal with rings and inserts that have been boiled in hot water. Make sure jars seal. If a jar doesn't seal, refrigerate it.

 John Landis Clipart

AMISH RHUBARB CAKE

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb
1/2 tsp salt

Combine shortening, brown sugar, and egg. Beat till light and fluffy. Combine baking soda, salt, and flour together. Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture. Fold the rhubarb into the mixture, alternately with the buttermilk. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.

NOTE: This is an old recipe from an Amish lady in Indiana where I was born and raised.