PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH BEAN SOUP

This recipe is from an old cookbook by members of the school district where my three children attended school in the 1980s.

MOM WILBORN'S CHOCOLATE MERINGUE PIE

This recipe was from the mother of the late Country Music Duo and Grand Old Opry stars, "The Wilburn Brothers". She said it was the pie she baked most often when they were boys growing up in Missouri.

1 cup sugar
4 tbsps cocoa, level
4 tbsps flour, level
Yolks of 3 large eggs, save whites for meringue
1/4 stick butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups sweet milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 9" pie shell, baked

Combine the sugar, cocoa, flour, and 1/4 cup of the milk; mix well. Add the egg yolks and remaining milk, butter and vanilla. Cook in a double boiler until thick. Pour into the baked pie shell. Cover with the meringue topping listed below.

For the Meringue Topping:
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 tbsps sugar

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the vanilla and 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar. Continue to beat. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar. Pile the meringue on the pie, spreading all the way to the crust to seal the edges. Bake in a 300 degree oven until the meringue is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. 

 

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ROAST WILD DUCK

This recipe is from an old Iowa cookbook.

2 wild ducks, about 2 lb each
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried rosemary
2 small apples
2 small onions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

The ducks should be plucked of the feathers but not skinned.

Sprinkle the cavities of the ducks with the salt, pepper, and rosemary. Place an apple and an onion inside the cavity of each duck. (You may have to cut them to get them to fit inside the cavity.) Place the ducks, breast side up, on a rack in an open roasting pan. Roast 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the ducks are tender when pierced with a fork between the leg and the body. Juices should run clear as with poultry. Remove the apples and onions and discard.

Serves 4

Photo from Ina Garten used for reference only.

SPICED BLUEBERRY CAKE

This recipe is from an old Iowa community cookbook.

1 cup shortening or butter (add 1 tsp salt if you use shortening).
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups blueberries (use whole can of blueberries, juice and all)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and add sugar gradually creaming until fluffy. Beat the eggs well and blend into the sugar mixture. Add buttermilk and stir mixture well. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and the spices together; beat into the creamy mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries until well mixed in. Pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tests done.

Good with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Stays moist for a long time.

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MAGIC COOKIE BARS

I know I have been making this recipe for my family for over fifty years. I hadn't even thought of it as an old recipe until I ran across it in my late mother's recipe files and realized how long I had been making it. These are excellent and make a perfect dessert for the office, church or other "pitch-ins", or just to please your family. My family enjoys them made with chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. I'm sure they would be good with toffee chips, peanut butter chips, etc. Try making them with your family's favorite chips. They are sure to please!

1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any flavor)
1 can (3 oz) flaked coconut (or 1 1/3 cups)
1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for a metal pan or 325 degrees for a glass pan.

In a 9x13-inch baking pan, melt margarine in the oven. Remove from oven and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the margarine. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the cracker crumbs and butter. Top with the chips, coconut, and nuts. Press down lightly, using a large spatula or the back of a large spoon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars. To store, cover loosely and store at room temperature.

SERVED HOT POTATO SALAD

6 to 8 boiled or baked potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
3 to 4 bacon strips and drippings

In a large bowl, gently mix together the potatoes, cheese, mayonnaise, onion, mustard, salt and pepper. Partially fry the bacon strips (do not fry crisp). Pour bacon drippings into the potato mixture. Put mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Crumble bacon over the top of the mixture. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve hot.

Note: This can be made ahead, refrigerated and then baked before serving.

 This is a similar recipe. Photo used for reference only.

BANANA CHOCOLATE LOAF

 CLICK ON THE RECIPE FOR EASIER READING

This is a recipe clipping from my late mother's shoe boxes of recipes. I have never made it but it sure looks like it would be good.

DOROTHY'S FRIENDSHIP TEA

2 cups Tang instant breakfast drink

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups instant tea mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 3-ounce packages Wyler's Lemonade mix (optional)

Combine ingredients and pour through funnel into large glass container. Cover tightly. The dry mix keeps for months in the refrigerator.

To make a quart: use approximately 1/4 cup mix to 1 quart of water

This recipe is from the late Dorothy Mengering, better known as David Letterman's mother. Dorothy was a fellow Hoosier who loved to cook and share her recipes.

The late Dorothy in her kitchen.

ANISEED BISCOTTI

This is a recipe I saw in a magazine several years ago. It was made by a lady who immigrated to America from Italy in the early 1900s.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup slivered almonds
2 to 3 tbsp aniseed
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp shortening

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla.

Combine the flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the almonds and aniseed.  Divide the dough into three 10-inch x 3-inch rectangles on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-inch slices. Place slices cut side down on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 325 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until firm and golden brown, turning once. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening together (this works well in the modern-day microwave!); stir until smooth. Drizzle over the biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Refrigerate in an airtight contain with waxed paper between layers.

Yield: Around 3 dozen.

 This recipe and photo are saved from an old TOH magazine of about 20 or 21 years ago.

WHOLE GRAIN BUTTERMILK BREAD

1 cup warm (105 - 115 degrees) water

1 pkg active dry yeast
1 tbsp honey
4 cups (approximately) bread flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 tbsp salt
1 cup wheat germ
2 1/2 cups rye flour
1 egg white
1 tsp water
3 tbsp rolled oats

Place the warm water in a room-temperature bowl and stir in the yeast and honey.  Stir in 1 cup of the bread flour.  Let stand in a warm place until bubbly, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Mix the buttermilk and salt into the above mixture.  Add another 2 1/2 cups of the bread flour.  Mix to blend then beat until smooth.  Stir in the wheat germ and rye flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn out on a floured surface and knead until the dough is is springy, kneading in more bread flour if needed.  Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning over to grease top.  Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled; about an hour and a half.

Punch down the dough and let rest 5 minutes.  Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a loaf.  Place in 2 greased 9-inch loaf pans.  Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

In a small bowl or cup, lightly beat the egg white with the water; brush lightly over tops of loaves.  Sprinkle each loaf with half the oats.

Bake at 350 degrees about 40 to 45 minutes.  Bread will be done when lightly browned and produces a hollow sound when tapped. 

Remove bread from pans and cool on wire rack.

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