PLUCKETS (PULL BUNS)

This is an old Hoosier Amish recipe for a tasty treat.

1 cake yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup milk, scalded
1/3 cup sugar
5 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, well beaten
3 3/4 cups flour
Melted butter
3/4 cup gran. sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
Cinnamon

Dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup water. Set aside. To scalded milk and sugar, butter and salt. Let cool. Add eggs and dissolved yeast and enough flour to make batter stiff. Cover and let rise until mixture doubles in size. Punch down and let rise again until doubled in size. Make small dough balls about 3/4 inch in diameter and dip in the melted butter. Then roll balls in a mixture of sugar, nuts and cinnamon. Pile the dough balls loosely in an ungreased angel food cake pan and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake in 400 degree F oven for 40 minutes. After first 10 minutes of baking, decrease oven heat to 350 degrees F. Will be golden brown when done. Turn pan upside down and buns will come unstuck in a cluster of rolls stuck fast to each other. Everyone "plucks" from the hot cluster.

Note: Remember these old fashion recipes read exactly as given to me. Questions? I don't often have the answers.

AMISH SHEPHERD'S PIE

This is an old recipe from some Indiana Amish. It is made to use up leftovers.

Leftover mashed potatoes
Leftover vegetables
Leftover meat scraps
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
seasonings

Grease a casserole dish and spoon in a ring of mashed potatoes. In center place vegetables and meat; also any leftover gravy you may have. Spread bread crumbs evenly over top of casserole. Beat eggs and milk together and pour over bread crumbs. Salt and pepper to taste and dot with butter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

1950s GERMAN CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE (From Just A Pinch Recipes)

Ingredients

1 pkg

baker's german sweet chocolate (4 ounce)

1/2 c

water

2 c

all purpose flour, sifted, then measured

1 tsp

baking soda

1/4 tsp

salt

1 c

butter, softened

2 c

sugar

4 large

egg yolks, room temperature (reserve whites)

1 tsp

vanilla extract

1 c

buttermilk

4 large

egg whites, beaten to form stiff peaks

COCONUT PECAN FILLING AND FROSTING

1 can(s)

evaporated milk 12 ounce size (not sweetened condensed)

1 1/2 c

sugar

3/4 c

melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

4 large

egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp

vanilla extract

7 oz

baker's angel flake coconut

1 1/2 c

broken pecans

DirectionsStep-By-Step

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 or a 10 X 16 baking pan. If you prefer a thinner cake, use the larger pan. You may also use three 9" pans and frost between the layers.

2

Sift two cups flour and then measure again for accuracy. Stir in baking soda and salt and set aside. Microwave chocolate in the water until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, depending on microwave. Remove from microwave and stir well, set aside.

3

Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside.

4

Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar just until combined. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition.

5

Slowly add melted chocolate to butter mixture while mixing. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix well. Add vanilla and mix well.

6

Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. DO NOT USE A MIXER ON THIS PART!! Stir by hand using a spatula or spoon. Once mixed, you may use your hand mixer for no more than 10-20 seconds, just to make sure batter is mixed well.

7

Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

8

FOR THE FROSTING: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add milk, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Stir until combined. Pour warm frosting over cooled cake.

9

SPECIAL NOTE: If you're making the three 9" layers, you'll want to let the frosting cool a bit to thicken.

APPLE PECAN CAKE

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
5 apples, chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped
Sift dry ingredients together and stir together with the egg in a large bowl. Add apples and pecans, and stir with a wooden spoon until apples and nuts are well mixed in. Pour into oblong cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

OLD INDIANA AMISH CORN RELISH RECIPE

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/4 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. celery seed
2 Tbs. green pepper, minced
2 Tbs. onion, minced
2 cups cooked corn

In sauce pan, combine sugar, salt, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, tumeric, mustard and celery seed. Bring to a boil and cook several minutes. Add vegetables and simmer 10-15 minutes. Seal in sterilized jars.

VALERIE'S BLUEBERRY PIE

I have had this blueberry farm owner's pie recipe about 25 years. This is a refrigerated blueberry pie.

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch (heaping if using frozen berries)
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

Wash and drain blueberries.

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, 1 cup of the berries, cornstarch, salt, water, cinnamon and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat. Immediately add the butter and remaining berries.  Stir until mixed and butter is melted.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell and refrigerate until serving time. Serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Note: Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: File Photo

SOUTHERN STYLE BISUITS AND RED-EYE GRAVY

Biscuits:
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the all at once. Stir gently until the dough sticks together. Knead dough on a lightly floured board for 10 to 12 strokes. Roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Don't handle the dough too much.
Cut dough with a biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Gravy:
Drippings from 1 pound cooked bacon
1/3 cup strong black coffee

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the bacon drippings. Add the coffee and bring to a gently simmer. Cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.

Note: It is said by many who knew him this was a favorite meal for Elvis Presley.

Note: File Photo Shown With Ham

LOUELLA'S GREENS

If you are a fan of author Jan Karon's Mitford novels you know much of the book centers on the food shared at church gatherings and other events. According to the author, this would be how Louella fixes her famous greens.

2 pounds turnip greens or collard greens
2 ounces salt pork, chopped
2 ounces smoked bacon, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remove the stems from the greens. Wash the leaves well by plunging them in a sink full of water. Drain the water, rinse the sand from sink, and repeat several times, until the water is clear. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the greens and boil for 2 minutes. Drain the greens and discard the water. Bring a fresh pot of water to a roiling boil. Add the salt pork, bacon, chopped onions and Tabasco. Add the greens, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 1 to 2 hours or until the greens are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note: You can find this recipe and many other "Mitford" recipes in Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader.

SAUSAGE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

4 green bell peppers
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb pork sausage
1 onion
1 tsp oregano
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups spaghetti sauce

Cut a thin slice off the top of the peppers; cut in half lengthwise and clean out seeds. Place e in a casserole dish cut side up. Set aside.

Heat oil (if sausage is really lean) in a skillet until browned while stirring to break up meat. Add the chopped onion and oregano; cook until onion is tender. Drain off fat.  Stir in sauce then cheese. Spoon mixture over peppers. over and bake at 400 degrees about 40 minutes until peppers are tender.

Note:  File Photo

THE MESS

This recipe is from an old Missouri restaurant's breakfast favorites.

2 tablespoons oil or butter
4 cups diced potatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped ham (or precooked bacon or sausage)
2 medium eggs
4 slices Amerian cheese (or your favorite cheese)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil or butter over high heat. Add the potatoes and onions and cook 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned and tender, stirring often. Place the meat on top of potatoes and stir in. Break the eggs over the mess and then stir in. Cook, stirring gently, until eggs are done, about 2 to 3 minutes. When the eggs begin to firm, cover with the cheese, reducing heat to medium, and cover. Continue  cooking  until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 large mess or 2 servings.