Tracy Family Traditions: Recipes

Three-Grain Peanut Bread

2011-09-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

Makes a nice small loaf, wonderful served hot with butter or jam.
Preheat oven to 325°. Combine in mixing bowl:
1 cup whole wheat flour (or half/half white flour)
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Cut in:
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

Blend and pour in:
1 egg
1 1/2 cup milk

Mix well. pour into 9x5 loaf pan lined with baking paper. Spread batter evenly. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Makes 10 slices, 9.5 g protein each. Adapted from the More-with-Less Cookbook by D. J. Longacre.

Pork & Rice - Comfort food!

2010-02-24T13:36:00.006-05:00

6 - 9 pork chops, boneless
2 cans condensed mushroom soup
1.5 cups rice
3 cups water
1 onion, chopped

Place half of the pork chops on bottom of a large, greased casserole dish. Spread uncooked rice and onion evenly on top of pork. Place remaining pork chops on top. In a separate bowl, combine the soup, water and your favorite herbs, whisk, and microwave on high for about 2 minutes to preheat. Pour over chops and rice. Cover and bake at 375° F for approximately 90 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Serve with hot veggies and enjoy.

Mary Anne Black's Refrigerator Muffin Mix

2009-10-31T20:13:00.004-04:00

Benjamin asked for this one from our friend Mary Anne. You'd never know from the great taste that it is quite good for you, too! Mary Anne tells us that she keeps the mix in the fridge and cooks up a few in the morning for breakfast.

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups natural wheat bran
2 cups all bran cereal
3 Tbsp baking soda
5 cups buttermilk or sour milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups raisins (or chocolate chips)

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients except baking soda. In another bowl, stir baking soda and buttermilk together. Add oil, eggs and molasses and beat well with mixer. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid and mix well. Stir in raisins. Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator for up to six weeks.

TO BAKE: Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease pan or use paper muffin cups. Stir mixture well and fill tins 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Great slow-cook Chili

2009-10-17T18:24:00.008-04:00

Here is our perfected recipe for chili in a slow cooker. Spicy enough to be great flavor, but mild enough that all the kids like it too! We've used this for many pot-luck dinners and it is always popular and appreciated.

2 to 3 lbs cooked ground beef
2 onions, diced and cooked with the ground beef
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
28 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinced well
12 oz. can kernal corn, drained
20 to 24 oz can tomato sauce
1.5 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano leaves

Cook ground beef and onions, drain. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours. Serve with your favorite breadrolls. Serves 6-9.

Basic Three-Bean Salad

2009-07-08T16:44:00.005-04:00

Use one or two cans (drained) total of any combination of the following:
Cut green beans
Cut yellow beans
Kernal corn

Add one or two cans (drained and rinced) of the following:
Red kidney beans
Chick-peas or garbonzo beans
Mixed bean salad beans

Chop finely and add:
Mild onion
Red or yellow pepper

Combine and pour over:
½ cup salad oil
½ cup cider vinegar (or other flavoured vinegar)
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt (optional)
Pepper
Herbs, to taste

Mix well, refrigerate before serving. Improves with marinating overnight or longer.

Cranberry Dijon Pork Roast

2009-01-12T21:20:00.004-05:00

We have enjoyed this slow-cooker roast several times recently and it is a pleasant treat. The cranberries add a nice zing. This recipe is adapted from "The Slow Cooker Bible"

½ cup apple sauce
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 boneless pork loin roast (2-3 lbs), lean
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp grated orange peel (optional)
½ cup to 1 cup dried cranberries

Pour apple sauce into slow cooker. Combine allspice, salt and pepper; sprinkle over roast. Place meat in slow cooker. Blend mustard, honey, and orange peel and spread over roast. Sprinkle with cranberries.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours until meat is tender.

Remove meat to serving platter. Slice meat and serve with remaining sauce. Makes about 6-8 servings.

Broccoli, feta, hazelnut and cherry tomato salad

2008-10-26T20:22:00.002-04:00

Another favourite recipe from the Avoca Café in Ireland.

½ cup hazelnuts (or cashews or almonds), toasted
About 1 pound broccoli florets (lightly microwaved to tenderize but not soften) in bite-sized pieces
4 oz. feta cheese, cut into small cubes
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
7 oz. French dressing (see below)

To toast nuts, spread on a baking tray, in a 350° F oven for 5-10 minutes. They can burn very quickly towards the end, so be careful. Turn them onto a tea towel and rub off the skins. Allow to cool. Put the nuts in a bowl with the broccoli, cheese and cherry tomatoes. Gently toss with the dressing and season with pepper. Salt is usually not required as the feta is usually salty enough.

French Dressing

Equal parts (about 300 ml each) sunflower oil, olive oil, peanut oil and red wine vinegar.
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp grainy mustard
2 Tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients and liquefy. This dressing can be stored in a bottle and shaken vigorously before using. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge.

Jennifer’s famous apple pie

2008-10-19T21:53:00.004-04:00

I think Jennifer has perfected the apple pie recipe with this one, modelled on variations in the Five Roses Flour Cookbook.

1 double crust pastry recipe, below.
6 medium apples (Courtland works well)
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup flour
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup butter or margarine
1/tsp grated lemon rind (optional - Jennifer usually omits it))
6 Tbsp whipping cream (can be omitted, but why would you want to?)

Preheat oven to 450° F. Prepare pastry and line a 9” deep dish pie plate, reserving some for top crust. Core, peel and slice apples. Combine brown sugar, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together, and then mix with apples (we layer the apples in the pie crust and alternate with sprinkling the sugar-cinnamon mixture as we go, it saves time). Spread apple mixture into unbaked pastry shell. Dot with butter; sprinkle with lemon rind. Pour whipping cream over the top. Cover with top crust, sealing carefully and making slits to allow steam to escape. Bake at 450° F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F and bake until apples are cooked, about 30 – 35 minutes.

Double Crust pastry recipe

2 ¼ cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
3/8 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup butter
3/8 cup lard
12 – 15 Tbsp ice-cold water

Stir flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together. Cut in lard and butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Add water, a little at a time, using just enough to bind the mixture so that dough can be patted lightly to form a ball. Handle as little as possible. Split dough roughly in two. Roll dough from center outward, with a light, even pressure to form a circle, 1/16” thick and 1” larger than inverted pie plate. Fold double and lift gently into pie plate. Unfold and fit loosely in place. Do not stretch. Bake as directed for filling.

Potato Latkes

2008-09-04T17:48:00.002-04:00

From "Second Helpings, Please" published by Montreal B'nai B'rith 1968:

6 potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small onion, grated
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup flour
1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp baking powder
(Oil for frying)

Grate potatoes and drain well. Blend in remaining ingredients. Drop from a spoon into hot oil in a frying pan and brown on both sides, turning only once. Yield: about 2 dozen latkes of 3” diameter, depending on the size of the potatoes.

Serve with your favourite toppings (sour cream, yogurt, fruit) or enjoy plain with butter as a side dish. Our kids prefer these if the onions are 'invisible' - you can put the onions and potatoes through the food processer if you wish.

Easy Cheese Blintz Puff

2008-08-31T08:09:00.003-04:00

This recipe is from "Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant." It is one of Angela's favorites.

Preheat the oven to 350°. With a blender or mixer, combine:
4 large eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
2 Tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups unbleached white flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 ¼ Tablespoon baking powder

Blend until very smooth. Pour 1 ½ cups of the batter into a buttered 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until set. Meanwhile, shred into a large bowl:
1 pound farmer cheese
1 pound ricotta cheese (or other combination of flavourful cheeses)

In a small bowl, beat together:
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Mix the beaten egg mixture into the shredded cheese mixture. When the bottom layer of batter has set, remove the baking pan from the oven and spread the cheese filling over it. Briefly remix the remaining batter and then gently pour it over the filling, covering it completely. Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the top is puffed, set and browned. Remove the Blintz Puff from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into squares. Serve as an entrée or as a dessert topped with yogurt, applesauce, fresh fruit or fruit conserve. Serves 6 – 8.

The Best Iced Tea

2008-06-08T20:26:00.006-04:00

This is a most refreshing Tracy family secret, perfected over the years. We are a tea-drinking family and when it gets too hot for Earl Grey, we make the switch to our summer staple. We have a large covered jug with a built-in, dedicated stirring spoon, as the lemon pulp needs a quick stir before each pour. Wonderfully thirst quenching on a hot summer day!

For the tea: Place 4 Tetley orange pekoe teabags in a large teapot. Pour 1.5 litres of boiling water into the teapot, and allow to steep for 6 - 8 hours (or overnight or until you get around to the next step).

In a large jug, mix one 355 ml can Minute Maid frozen lemonaide concentrate and three cans cold water (NOT four cans of water as it says on the label!). Add the steeped tea to the lemonaide, stir, refridgerate and enjoy.

Note: I don't usually do the brand-name thing, but in this case, we have tried cheap brands and they just don't cut it.

The Night Before Breakfast

2008-04-22T18:12:00.005-04:00

Prepare this Ham & Egg bake the night before, and bake it fresh in the morning. It's easy and our kids love it! All measures are approximate, you can add more stuff as you wish.

6 slices bread
1 lb or more ham cubes or pieces or slices
(or your favorite pre-cooked breakfast meat)
12 eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheese

Beat eggs well and add milk. In a 9 x 13 pan, layer bread and ham. Sprinkle on the cheese. Pour egg & milk mixture over top. Cover and let stand overnight in the fridge. Bake for one hour in oven preheated to 350°. Serves 6.

Adapted from Renaissance Cuisine published by Fontbonne Auxiliary of the Saint John Hospital, Detroit.

Avoca Irish Brown Bread

2008-04-13T18:56:00.005-04:00

Last summer in Ireland, Angela and I went to a small café in Avoca at the handweavers workshop in Co. Wicklow, and picked up a local cookbook of modern Irish recipes as a souvenir. This recipe is from the Avoca Café Cookbook, with modifications for Canadian terminology and ingredients. It is the best, wholesome, solid delicious brown bread we’ve ever had! Using weight rather than volume for the flour is different, but we love the result! Best eaten the same day you bake it. It freezes well.

200g/6oz white flour
300g/11oz whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp bran
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 heaping tsp baking powder
1 level tsp salt
1 Tbsp molasses
500-900ml milk

Preheat oven to 400°C. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the molasses and enough milk to make a “moist but not sloppy” mixture. Pour into well-greased bread pan (or we prefer to line the pan with baking paper, which makes it much easier to get the loaf out). Bake for 20 minutes at 400°C or until risen, then reduce heat to 325°C and bake for a further 60 minutes. Remove from pan to cool.

For more info on the Café, go to http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/avoca_handweavers_kilmacanogue.4151.html.

Shredded Wheat Bread

2008-02-02T19:28:00.000-05:00

This is one of our favorite bread machine recipes:

1 ½ cups water
2 Tbsp butter
3 cups white flour
2 large biscuits shredded wheat cereal, broken
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp instant skim milk powder
1 ¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp yeast

Put in bread machine on the dough cycle. Remove and split dough, place each half in a greased bread pan. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes at 350° degrees.

Alice Fraser's Raisin Pie

2008-01-05T08:51:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-04T16:28:00.001-05:00

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

2008-01-04T16:13:00.000-05:00

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.

Benjamin's Grade Six Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-01-04T12:17:00.000-05:00

When Benjamin was homeschooled for grade six, Mom sometimes taught math in the kitchen. This recipe was (and is) one of Benjamin's favorites. He says they look like perfect chocolate chip cookies too.

Stir together:
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

In a separate bowl, mix together and beat until fluffy:
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar

Add to butter mixture and beat well:
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture and beat until well blended.
Stir in:
1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Drop dough from a teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing two inches apart. Bake in 375° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Fry's Fudgey Mint Brownies

2008-01-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-04T11:46:00.002-05:00

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

2008-01-04T11:18:00.000-05:00

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."

Wheat Germ Griddle Cakes

2007-12-30T21:31:00.000-05:00

Better than pancakes, these are light and fluffy. We serve them with applesauce, fruit compote, or the traditional maple syrup. We often have these for dinner when we find the fridge is empty. (Serves 4 - 6 for a light lunch. We usually double this for a dinner meal.)

1 ½ cup wheat germ
1 ¼ cup white flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
1/8 tsp mace

2 ¼ cups milk
3 eggs
6 Tbsp oil (90 ml)
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Optional:
1 cup blueberries or
2 apples, peeled and chopped

Combine and beat wet ingredients.
Add to blended dry ingredients and mix.
Bake on a hot griddle, turning once.

Bruce’s Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-12-30T21:27:00.000-05:00

Cream together:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar

In a small bowl, mix:
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted & cooled

In a large bowl, sift together:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 cups rolled oats

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix.
Add 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 13 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Bruce created this recipe by merging two recipes from the 1983 Tenth Anniversary Cookbook of Unit 6 United Church Women.

St. George's Fondant-Filled Easter Eggs

2007-12-30T21:18:00.002-05:00

This is the recipe for the chocolate-coated Easter Eggs which were made and sold each year as a fund-raiser by the women of St. George's Anglican Church in Lennoxville. Each egg flavor was decorated with a different frosting design to tell the flavors apart. In the eighties, the women made in excess of 500 eggs each year and they sold out quickly.

Mix together and knead:
3 lbs icing sugar
2/3 can condensed milk
½ lb butter
1 Tbsp vanilla
½ tsp salt

plus your choice of any one of the following flavourings:

Chocolate: 1 ½ tsp vanilla + ½ Tbsp cocoa powder

Cherry: ½ cup chopped drained cherries + ½ cup milk

Maple walnut: 1 ½ tsp maple flavour + ½ cup chopped walnuts

Coconut: 1 ½ tsp coconut flavour + ½ cup coconut

Peanut butter: 1 cup peanut butter + 2 Tbsp corn syrup

Form into half-eggs (flat one side, about 4" x 2" x 1.5"), dip into melted semi-sweet chocolate, let cool on baking paper. Decorate with icing if desired.

Maple Nut Apple Muffins

2007-12-30T21:18:00.001-05:00

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup grated apple (2 medium)
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup plain yoghurt
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp oil
1 ¼ cup flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

In bowl, combine oats, apple, syrup, yoghurt, egg and oil.

In another bowl, combine balance of dry ingredients. Stir liquid ingredients into flour mixture until just combined. Spoon batter into 12 large paper-lined muffin cups.

Bake 400° for about 20 minutes. Makes 12-15 muffins.

Morning Glory Muffins

2007-12-30T21:17:00.001-05:00

Into a large bowl, mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ cups white sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt

Stir in:
2 cups grated carrot
½ cup raisins
½ cup nuts
½ cup coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated

In bowl, beat:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla

Stir into flour mixture until batter is just combined. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups, filling to the top.

Bake 350° for 20 minutes. Makes about 14 large muffins.

Banana-Oatmeal Muffins

2007-12-30T21:16:00.000-05:00

combine and set aside:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk

In a large bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
½ cup white sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

To soaked oats mixture, add:
½ cup margarine, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups mashed bananas (4-5 medium)

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix only until the flour is moistened. Fill greased muffin cups and bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Basic Muffin Batter

2007-12-30T21:15:00.000-05:00

To this batter, you can add anything you have on hand: chocolate chips, fruit, berries, nuts, etc.

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
1 egg

Stir together dry ingredients.

Mix melted butter, beaten egg and milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry, stirring only to moisten.

Bake 375° for 15-20 minutes.
Yields 8 medium muffins.

(Most of Mom’s more recent muffin recipes came from Muffin Mania, (c) 1982 by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli.)

Date Squares

2007-12-30T21:10:00.000-05:00

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 lb dates

Dice dates and add water. Cook until tender. Add brown sugar and cook until thick.

Mix together first 6 ingredients. Put one-half of oat mixture in greased 12x8 inch pan. Press down. Spread with date filling. Top with remaining oat mixture and press down. Bake 30-40 minutes at 325°. Cut in squares while warm. Cool in pan.

Apple Sauce Raisin Squares

2007-12-30T21:08:00.000-05:00

1 egg, beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup plain yogurt
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Mix above ingredients. In another bowl, stir together:
½ cup raisins
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup natural bran
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg

Add to wet ingredients and mix only until combined. Turn into lightly greased 8” or 2 litre square cake pan.

Lightly press: 1/3 cup sliced almonds into top of batter. Bake in 350° oven for 45 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 25 squares.

Bruce’s Rum Balls

2007-12-30T21:06:00.002-05:00

1 box (275 g) Girl Guide Cookies (the traditional cream-filled biscuits of vanilla and chocolate. You can substitute the same volume of similar cookies if you wish.)
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup icing sugar (because they are not sweet enough on their own)
½ cup corn syrup (as above)
2 Tbsp rum (Mom puts in less than this; Bruce triples it. This recipe is very flexible)

Crush cookies and mix with cocoa and icing sugar. Add syrup and rum. Form into balls. Roll in additional icing sugar if desired.

Store in an airtight container in the cold room in the basement until Christmas.

Lemon Glacés

2007-12-30T21:06:00.001-05:00

Base:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup margarine

Mix and pack into 8” x 8” pan. Bake at 350° for 15 – 20 minutes (not until browned).

Topping:
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup coconut
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
pinch salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix and place on top of base. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Frosting:
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup icing sugar

Mix frosting ingredients. Frost when hot from oven. Cool, and cut into about 36 small squares.

Mom’s Shortbread

2007-12-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
½ cup shortening
1 egg
½ cup milk (use extra to moisten if needed)
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Mix egg & milk with dry ingredients. Press into two 9” pans. Poke with a fork to ventilate. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Chocodiles

2007-12-30T21:03:00.000-05:00

Base:
1 ¼ cup brown sugar; firmly packed
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
1/3 cup peanut butter; crunchy
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 ¼ cups flour; all purpose
½ teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 cup chocolate chips; semisweet
½ cup peanut butter; crunchy
1 ½ cups corn flakes, crushed (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, combine all cookie ingredients except flour and salt; blend well. Stir in flour and salt; mix well.

Press dough into ungreased square cake pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes till lightly golden brown. Cool slightly.

For Topping: In medium saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat. Stir in peanut butter and corn flakes. Spread over slightly cooled base. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2007-12-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup soft margarine
½ cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sour milk or cream
2 cups shredded zucchini, seeded
1 ½ cup flour
4 Tbsp cocoa
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Chocolate chips

Cream margarine, add oil & sugar. Add beaten eggs, vanilla & sour milk / cream. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Put into 9” x 13” pan. Top with chocolate chips. Bake at 325° for 40 – 50 minutes.

Moist and light, this recipe is especially good for using up those unfortunate torpedo-sized zucchini which kind of get away on you.

Snicker Doodles

2007-12-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

2 ¾ white flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1 ½ + ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients. Form into balls and roll balls in:

¼ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon.

Place on ungreased baking sheet about two inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes at 375°

Store in decorative tins in the cold room until Christmas.

Secrets

2007-12-30T20:50:00.002-05:00

½ cup shortening
½ cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (well beaten)
2 pkg. crushed graham cookies/crackers
24 cut up marshmallows
4 Tbsp coconut
4 Tbsp nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Stir all ingredients together and pack in dish. Keep cool.

Apple Crisp

2007-12-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

5-10 medium apples, cut up in medium slices or pieces. Sprinkle with topping:

¼ cup flour
¼ cup oatmeal
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup margarine

Bake for 30 minutes at 350°. For a crisper top, broil for a few minutes once cooked through.

Julie Steadman's Welsh Cakes

2007-12-30T19:48:00.000-05:00

3 cups white flour
1 cup sugar
5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
2 eggs (well beaten)

Sift dry ingredients, cut in shortening. Add raisins and eggs. Knead together. Roll out (about 1 cm thick) and cut with round cookie cutter. Cook on hot griddle or electric frying pan (350°). Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired)

This recipe was originally from Julie Steadman.

Orange Scones

2007-12-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

2 2/3 cups white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
½ cup margarine
1 Tbsp orange rind
½ cup raisins/currants
3 Tbsp vinegar
¾ cup orange juice or part water
1 egg

Combine all dry ingredients, cut and mix in margarine. Add all wet ingredients. Roll out and cut in rectangles or small circles. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in 425° oven for 15 minutes. Best served warm.

Nancy Foerstal’s Hot Cross Buns

2007-12-30T19:29:00.000-05:00

It was such a treat having Nancy live across the street from us when I was growing up! She did catering from her house and was well known locally for her delicious treats. Each Easter, a tray of these wonderful hot cross buns would arrive at our back door, her gift to us. They are obviously quite a bit of work, but they're worth it. Thanks for the memories, Nancy!

1 ½ cups milk
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 tsp salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 to 5 ½ cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ cup currants
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk

Scald 1 ½ cups milk; stir in ½ cup brown sugar, butter and salt. Cool to lukewarm.

Sprinkle the yeast into warm water in a large warm bowl. Stir until dissolved. Add 1 Tbsp each of brown and white sugars. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add lukewarm milk mixture and the two beaten eggs.

Sift 3 cups flour with the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth, about 4 minutes. Toss the currants with ½ cup flour and stir into the dough. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a large greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Divide in half; cut each half into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth round ball. Place on a greased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush tops of buns with 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp of milk. Bake 20 minutes or until done. After 10 minutes of baking, cover the buns with aluminium foil if they are browning too fast. Decorate each bun with a cross of sugar frosting, below. Makes 24 buns.

Nancy’s Sugar Frosting

1 cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 to 2 Tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla

Combine the sugar, butter, vanilla and add the milk until frosting reaches the desired spreading consistency.

Zucchini Pickles

2007-12-30T19:27:00.002-05:00

1 gallon zucchini
8 small onion
2 green pepper
2 red pepper
½ cup salt
1 quart crushed ice

Chop and combine. Let sit for 3 hours or more. Drain.

5 cups sugar
1 ½ tsp turmeric
½ ground clove
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp celery seed
5 cups white vinegar
1 tsp pickling spice

Combine and boil. Add drained vegetables, boil until tender. Seal.

Bread & Onion Stuffing

2007-12-30T19:27:00.001-05:00

1 ½ cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 quarts day-old bread, cubed
1 ½ cup hot water or bouillon

Melt ¼ cup butter in skillet, add onion, sauté until yellow, not brown. Add remaining butter and seasonings.

Add half of bread, cook 4 minutes stirring constantly. Combine with rest of bread cubes in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle water/bullion over mixture, tossing until well blended. Pile lightly into poultry.

(Shape remaining into balls, bake 20 minutes.) Makes enough to fill a 12 lb turkey and 10 balls.

Everyday Meat Loaf

2007-12-30T19:25:00.000-05:00

2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup milk
1 ½ lbs hamburger
2 beaten eggs
¼ cup grated onion
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sage
dash pepper

Soak bread crumbs in milk; add meat, eggs, etc. Mix well. Form in loaf pan. Cover with piquant sauce, below. Bake 350° for 45-60 minutes.

Piquant Sauce

3 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dry mustard

Tourtière

2007-12-30T19:24:00.000-05:00

Ground beef and/or ground pork and/or ground turkey, about 1 to 1½ lbs in total
1 onion, chopped
½ cup cooked rice or bread crumbs
salt and pepper
chopped celery leaves
allspice, sage, savoury, parsley and marjoram

Cook ground beef, pork or turkey (1 or all 3) with onion until done. Drain. Add up to ¾ cup boiling water. Add spices. Cover and cook for ½ hour. Stir in cooked rice or breadcrumbs (or both). Place all in uncooked pie crust and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°.

Cranberry Juice

2007-12-30T19:23:00.001-05:00

8 cups cranberries (washed, picked over)
18 cups water (less if you wish)
¼ cup lemon juice
3 cups sugar

Cook, mash and strain first three ingredients. Add sugar to juice. Bring to boil. Put in sterilized jars and seal.

Onion Soup

2007-12-30T19:21:00.000-05:00

3 Tbsp butter
5 onions (sliced or chopped)
2 Tbsp cognac or brandy
8 cups water
6 Tbsp beef Bovril
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Sauté onions in butter. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Let simmer until tender. Garnish bowls with bread crumbs and cheddar cheese and broil immediately prior to serving.

Bulgur Wheat Chilli

2007-12-30T19:19:00.000-05:00

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup onions
2/3 cup bulgur wheat

Sauté onions in oil then add bulgur wheat. Sauté until slightly toasted.
Add 1½ cup water, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add:

1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups kidney beans
1 Tbsp chilli powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
salt & pepper to taste

Heat to serving temperature and add grated cheddar and parmesan to garnish.

Cabbage Stir-fry

2007-12-30T19:18:00.000-05:00

When Mom first got a microwave, she took a course in how to cook with it. She received many mimeographed recipes as part of the course, including this one.

1 small or ½ large cabbage
2 or 3 carrots
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/3 – ½ cup margarine

Chop cabbage and grate carrots or prepare in food processor. Put in microwavable dish, add poppy seeds and margarine. Cover and cook on high for 7 minutes. Stir well and microwave for 6 more minutes. Serve hot. (Original recipe calls for cubed ham)

Tomato Aspic

2007-12-30T19:15:00.000-05:00

When this recipe was published by Mom in the United Church Unit 6 Cook Book in 1983, it was titled “Jellied Tomato-Vegetable Ring.”

3 ½ cups tomato juice
1 pkg. tomato-vegetable soup mix
2 pkg. lemon Jell-o (small)
1 Tbsp vinegar
ground pepper
1 ½ cup chopped celery and/or cucumber and/or green peas

Heat tomato juice and then add soup mix. Simmer 5-7 minutes. Add lemon Jell-o and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add vinegar and ground pepper to taste. Let partially set and then add chopped celery or cucumber or green peas or a combination of the above. Put in mould and let set in refrigerator. Turn onto a serving plate to serve.

Green Tomato Relish

2007-12-30T19:12:00.000-05:00

We make this recipe about once every two years - its great on hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, etc.

24 green tomatoes
6 large onions
1/3 cup salt

Chop (smaller is better) and combine for 12 hours. Rinse with cold water and drain.

18 apples
4 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients with tomatoes, etc. Cook 1 hour until tender.

Put in scalded jars and seal. Makes about 6 litres.

Doris Eryou’s Excellent Squares

2007-12-30T14:51:00.000-05:00

Benjamin fell in love with these squares at the Green Ridge Baptist Church Christmas dinner earlier this month and asked Doris for the recipe:

½ cup water
1 cup sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp ginger
2 tsp cloves
¼ cup margarine (softened)
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Combine sugar, spices, syrup and water in pan bring to a boil; pour over margarine in mixing bowl, stir until cool.

Mix flour, baking soda , and gradually mix into syrup mixture. Wrap airtight in bag, put in fridge overnight. Divide dough into six pieces and roll and cut into shapes.

Bake at 375° for 6 to 7 minutes.