Alice Fraser's Raisin Pie

Nana Fraser wrote out this recipe for my Aunt Marilyn in 1986. She modified it slightly by reducing the sugar and adding the lemon juice. Marilyn submitted it to the 1992 Fraser family reunion cookbook:

Prepare a 9" (deep dish) piecrust.

2 lbs seedless raisins
¾ cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp flour
¼ tsp ginger
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Boil together for about 30 minutes. Put in a 9" unbaked piecrust. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

June Patterson's Bread & Rolls Recipe

This recipe was submitted by June for the 1992 Fraser family reunion cookbook. (The editorial comments in this recipe are June’s own words.) June learned to make bread from her mother, Alice Fraser (nee Hood).

1 quart milk
1 cup water
1 Tbsp shortening
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt

Combine above ingredients in a large pot and heat on low until the shortening melts. Remove from heat.

¾ cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 package yeast

Combine in a cup and let yeast rise. Stir into the milk mixture. Start adding flour a bit at a time until the mixture is not too sticky yet not too dry (you know what I mean). Let rise in the pot. When risen, cut down with a knife. Repeat at least twice – can be done more depending on when you have time to put in pans.

Knead pieces of dough the size you need for your pans (can be made into loaves, rolls, or even pizza crust). Before placing in pans, coat pieces in melted butter.

Place pieces in pans and let rise until double. Bake at 375° until golden brown.

June Patterson's Tuna Casserole

The Fraser clan of Cookshire (my mother's family) published a collection of their family recipes for their 1992 reunion. This one was submitted by my mother's sister, June Patterson:


1 can tuna
1 cup macaroni, uncooked
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can mushroom soup
1 can celery soup
1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheese


Boil macaroni and drain. You may wish to precook the celery and onions for a few minutes first. Mix everything together and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.


Rick's Variations: Add a can of kernal corn, or any other vegetables you have on hand. Use any variety of pasta, including whole wheat pasta.

Donald Fraser's Favorite Cookies

The Fraser clan of Cookshire (my mother's family) published a collection of their family recipes for their 1992 reunion. This one was Grandpa Fraser's favorite cookie:

1 cup soft butter
3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup coconut
2 cups rolled oats

Beat first four ingredients until fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixture until well blended. Stir in coconut and rolled oats.

Drop by rounded tablespoon 3” apart on greased cookie sheets and flatten with a fork.

Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Fry's Fudgey Mint Brownies

This recipe is from the Fry's Cocoa package and has become our brownie of choice. Jennifer usually leaves out the peppermint and nuts, but either way they are great:

1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup oil
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl combine oil and cocoa powder. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and peppermint. Blend in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into greased 9” x 13” pan. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes.

France Pronovost's Cranberry Orange Bread

This is one of Rick's favorites, with a mug of Earl Grey tea:

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup water
1 egg
1 cup cranberries (cut in half if fresh)
1 cup sugar
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp vegetable oil
¼ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp orange zest
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 60 minutes.

Letitia Cousens' Oatmeal Scones

Not only are these thin scones healthy, they've become one of our favorites and a staple in our house. The kids and parents both love them and, although the batch makes several dozen, they seldom last more than a day as they 'evaporate' very quickly:

3 cups oatmeal
2 cups flour
1 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk (sour if desired)

Mix and roll thin on a floured surface, about ¼" thick max. Cut into rectangles with knife, or use cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets (they don't expand much, so you can put them quite close together).

Bake at 350° until lightly browned around the edges, about 12 - 15 minutes. (If they remain soft in the middle when they are cool, you didn't cook them long enough.) Letitia's recipe says, "serve buttered if desired."