OKLAHOMA BANANA-COCONUT-NUT CAKE

This is an old recipe from a church in Cushing, Oklahoma.

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup flaked coconut

Mix the sugar, soda, salt, mashed bananas, buttermilk, flour, vanilla, vegetable oil, and eggs together well. Add the nuts and the coconut. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 350 degrees in a greased and floured tube or bundt pan. Sprinkle with some powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

file photo of a similar recipe, used for reference

BUFFET CARROT CASSEROLE

12 carrots, cleaned and sliced diagonally

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb sliced American cheese
3 cups breadcrumbs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 cups milk

In a large saucepan or large deep skillet, melt the butter, add the onion and cook until transparent. Stir in the flour, salt, and mustard. Slowly stir in the milk while stirring constantly. Cook until smooth. Add the celery salt and pepper. Stir in the sliced carrots. Grease a baking dish and make alternate layers of the carrots and the cheese. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the crumbs are browned, about 25 minutes.

file photo for reference

Old Fashion Midwest Cinnamon Raisin Bars

This is an old recipe from the Indiana and Illinois section of the Midwest.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed down brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup hot coffee
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until crumbly. This should take a couple of minutes. Add the egg and mix well. Gradually beat the hot coffee into the mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the coffee mixture and mix well. Stir in the raisins and the pecans or walnuts.

Pour the batter into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan that has been lightly greased. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

ICING:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
approximately 4 tsps water

While the bars cool, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough water to make mixture of spreading consistency. Spread over the warm bars. Cut into 18 bars.

file photo for reference 

SCALLOPED CABBAGE HOOSIER-STYLE

This is another old recipe from Southern Indiana.

1 large head of cabbage, quartered
1 tsp salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 slices American cheese
1/2 tsp salt (I omit)
dash of pepper
Breadcrumbs

In a large saucepan cover the cabbage with water. Add the teaspoon of salt, bring mixture to a boil and cook approximately 20 minutes. Drain cabbage and dispose of water. In a greased casserole dish, layer half the cabbage. Spread half the soup over the cabbage and cover with 3 slices of cheese. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, if using, and the pepper. Sprinkle the top with fine breadcrumbs. Place in a 350 degrees oven and bake for 30 minutes.

NOTE: When I make this, I sprinkle the second layer of cabbage with some Herb de Provance, use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs, and about 5 minutes before the casserole is done, I sprinkle some shredded Cheddar cheese over the top. I like my foods spicy and cheesy.

file photo used for reference only - not this exact recipe

OLD TIMEY OATMEAL COOKIES

This recipe is so old, I don't know where it came from.

3/4 cup lard (or shortening)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups uncooked oats

Beat the lard (or shortening), brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water, and vanilla together until creamy. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; blend well. Stir in the oats and drop by teaspoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. 

Variation: Add 3/4 cup raisins for oatmeal raisin cookies.

file photo

PIMENTO CHEESE SPREAD

3/4 to 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese

Small piece of onion

1 can pimentos

1 to 2 tsp sugar

2 to 3 hard boiled eggs

Mayonnaise to taste

1 tbsp vinegar

Pinch of dry mustard OR spoonful of yellow mustard

Put cheese, onion and eggs through food grinder. Drain and chop pimentos. Add to ground cheese mixture. Blend mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and mustard with other ingredients into a good spreading consistency. Serve with crackers. Use to stuff celery or makes a good vegetable dip.

file photo for reference

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES WITH BELL PEPPERS

As a child in Southern Indiana, we had big gardens and grew lots of cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables. We canned them and ate them all through the winter. This is one of our canning recipes.

4 qts sliced cucumbers
6 medium onions, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp celery seed

Put the cucumbers, onions, garlic, and bell peppers in a large pan or bowl and cover with ice. Let stand for three hours. Drain all the water from the vegetables and pack the vegetables into hot, sterilized quart or pint jars, leaving room for the liquid.

In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, mustard seed, and celery seed. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the mixture over the vegetables leaving some air space at the top of each jar. Seal with hot sterile lids.

Before storing check to be sure jars have sealed. Top should have a slight indention and as the jars cool that should have made popping sounds. Any jars that haven't sealed should be refrigerated and used first.

File photo used for reference.

CHEESY SOFT PRETZELS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp cold butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Coarse salt

In a bowl, combine flour, cheese, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk just until moistened. Knead on a floured surface for 1 minute. Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion of dough into a 12" x 8" rectangle; cut each into 9, 8" long strips. Fold the strips in half, pinching the edges, and twist into pretzel shapes. 

Place on greased baking sheets. Brush pretzels with the egg and sprinkle with the course salt.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Best served immediately.

Yield: 18 pretzels

Recipe and photo from a 1999 TOH magazine.

PECAN COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD

This recipe is from a lady who was a friend of my late mother many years ago.

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained--reserve 1/4 cup juice
1/4 cup hot pineapple juice
2 cups cottage cheese
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipped cream

Combine the celery, bell pepper, salt, and pecans together; set aside. Soften the unflavored gelatin in the 1/4 cup of water for 5 minutes; add the hot pineapple juice and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the pineapple and allow to cool. Mix the cottage cheese, mayonnaise and powdered sugar together in a large bowl; fold in the whipped cream. Add the celery mixture, mixing in well. Stir in the gelatin mixture and chill until firm.

PARKVIEW BRAN ROLLS

1 cup boiling water

1 cup shortening
1 cup 100% All Bran cereal
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cakes of yeast OR 3 dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 beaten eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the shortening, cereal, sugar, and salt; cool.

Mix the yeast into the 1 cup of lukewarm water; add to the cooled mixture. Add the eggs, mix in. Add the flour, 3 cups at a time; mix well. Cover dish and let rise. Store the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to re-rise for two to three hours. Pinch off dough into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

file photo for reference