Well, I am FINALLY getting to one of the weekly posts you have read about here and maybe even on Facebook. The decision making process was tough, so tough that we will have at least two weekly posts, possibly three...all from the awesome titles everyone suggested! Thanks for your creativity!!
IF YOU ARE LOST by the first paragraph, please read further before moving on to your next blog! The first of October we received not one, but TWO 35 pound boxes full of recipes!!! Books, magazines, clippings, boxes, and handwritten recipes. All of these recipes, books, magazines, belonged to either my Great Great Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great Great Aunt or Great Aunt. My Great Aunt is the only one of these wonderful ladies still alive. She told me she didn't send me any of her books because she is still using them, but it seems she slipped one or two in the boxes! Here is a look at the boxes the day they came...
THE ORIGINAL POST about those boxes has the first recipe that was shared. It was a hot dog sauce recipe. We froze a good bit of the recipe that night. It made great chili cheese fries over the weekend. YUM!
I still can't get over the age and condition of some of these books. Yes, there are some that nearly disintegrate just by looking at them, let alone touching them, but there are others that make me shake my head at the thought of how old they are. Truly quite the treasures!
Moon pie Magic Monday is the nickname for "Moon Pie Magic and other tales of food gone by." Moon Pie Magic Mondays will all come from any one of the cookbooks in our house. We also have cookbooks from my Grandmothers, Jim's Grandmother and Great Grandmother. We shouldn't have to eat the same meal twice in this house! Sometimes you will get to see how the recipes worked (or didn't work) in our kitchen and other times I will just be sharing tid-bits from one (or more) of the cookbooks.
I was hoping to share pictures of a recipe with you this time, but as I started pulling the ingredients out I discovered that we didn't have them all. {big sad face}.
Without further ado...Moon Pie Magic Monday #1 is about the Farm Journal's Christmas Book.
This issue was printed in 1966.
I did a little consulting with Dr. Google and there are definitely copies out there in better shape than this one, but...
It is packed full of pictures, recipes, crafts and tips and hints.
On the bottom of page 6 (pictured above) it says
"Round-robin basket gifts are a custom in Connecticut neighborhoods.
You carry your food specialty to your neighbor; she in turn puts her specialty
in the basket and takes it to the next person on the list,
who does the same..."
It saddens me that today's society is so impersonal.
Ah, the fruitcake. Do you have one in your family? Oh wait, I meant for that to say
Do you have a fruitcake maker in your family?? (he he he)
It provides 6 different fruit cake recipes.
One of the pages says "Many families pass cherished Christmas recipes from one generation to another.
If you haven't a favorite, try one of these and start your own tradition!"
The recipe I was hoping to share with you is shown on page 30.
Crackled Sugar Cookies.
There isn't any lemon or orange extract in my cupboard. It is on the grocery list though!
There is the close-up of the recipe.
YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! You see handwritten notes.
I think the handwritten notes are one of the best parts of these boxes full of treasures.
I am still learning the differences in handwriting, but I believe this to be my Great Great Aunt's handwriting.
Her notes are this:
* Grated rind of 1 lemon or 1 orange and 1/4 cup sugar to roll in
* The first time - failure
*2nd time- great success use 1/4 cup flour more
* Roll in Coconut also
*Place far apart
* See snicker doodles pg 23 Betty Crocker Cookie book
How neat! The first time she made them, it didn't work out.
She tried again and had great success.
I'm guessing since they get placed far apart they must SPREAD!
Oh and the Betty Crocker Book, I believe that is going to be MPMM#2 and will definitely have results from the kitchen. A couple recipes have made their way to the list for Christmas cookies.
When we get these crackled sugar cookies made I will be sure to let you know!
Onward through the book, shall we?
Christmas tree cakes.
I thought these pages were neat because there was also a newspaper clipping attached.
The clipping appears to have the same photo as shown here.
The clipping says:
"For your Christmas table, here's the perfect decoration! Festive cakes baked in the shape of miniature Christmas trees, trimmed with frosting and fancies. They're easy to make, good to eat - children will love them. A wonderful gift idea, too -- carry a decorated cake to friends nearby. Or mail cake molds to faraway friends, so they can bake and trim their own little trees! If you're serving guests at small tables, place a cake tree on each table for a conversation piece dessert. Tree cake molds have been fully tested by home economists and are easy to use. Tree cakes can be baked any size up to 7" high and the molds can be used again and again. Use any packaged cake mix or your own recipe. The complete cake mold kit consists of 3 aluminum molds and an assortment of imported gold and silver dragee fancies (like those used on wedding cakes) PLUS a colorful array of sugar crystals. All enough for several cakes. Cake mold kits are perfect birthday, bridge or holiday gifts and are unusual club door prizes. ORDER NOW and enough cake mold kits if you want to be sure of early delivery. 1 complete kit $2.75; 2 kits $5.25; 3 kits $7.50; Additional kits over 3, $2 each. Send check, cash or money order to:"
Tips and tricks for the gift-giver.
I thought the piece on how to warm up a money gift was an interesting read.
There were craft instructions, cookie centerpiece instructions, table top trees, crafts for kids...
It was definitely a trip back in time!!
One last tip I found and wanted to share:
"When cracking nuts for holiday baking: In a thick sponge, make a hole the size of the nuts you wish to crack. Place sponge on hard surface; place nuts in hole; crack with heavy hammer. This method keeps pieces of shell from flying"
SO!! What are your thoughts on Moon Pie Magic Monday?
The 1966 Farm Journal Christmas Book?
The cookies?
Thanks so much for stopping by!!!
I hope you will be back soon!
Hugs!
~Jen
I love the handwritten notes best of all too! Even when I buy a used cookbook & there is a notation in it, it makes me imagine the previous owner and wonder how often they made the recipe and for what occasion. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping in! There are many recipes with notes by them. I figure those are the ones I will try to write about first!
DeleteOh wow, Jen, what a treaure you have! That's so awesome! I started collecting recipes from my Mom and other family members several years ago, with the idea of writing a cookbook of old time recipes. This might inspire me to finally do that! Oh, and yes...we definitely have a fruitcake in our family. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
Cindy
Love it!!! Sadly, there are no Fruitcake makers in the family any longer, but there are still a few "Fruitcakes" around the tree! Can't wait for MPMM #2!
ReplyDelete