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I can't begin to bake an apple pie as good as my mother's. I've tried. Oh boy, how I have tried! But there is something she does that makes her crust perfect and her filling superb. Never have I been able to match it. But while I can't make a pie as good as Mom's,… Continue reading Cranberry Walnut Apple Pie
When company showed up unexpectedly and Mom needed something quick to serve, she would mix up one of her simple 8" pan cakes. This was always one of my favorites. Fast Fix Company's Coming Coffee Cake 1 beaten egg1 1/2 cups sugar1/2 cup milk1 cup sifted flour2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. salt2 Tbsp. melted shortening… Continue reading Fast Fix Company’s Coming Coffee Cake
Modern conveniences make busy lives easier. But when it comes to hot chocolate, modern conveniences have let us down. Today’s “just add hot water and stir” hot chocolate mixes do not taste nearly as good as the steaming cups of rich deliciousness that Grandma served to us after an afternoon of sledding or making angels… Continue reading Grandma’s Best Hot Chocolate
I tore this recipe out of magazine many years ago and it has since become one of my "go to" recipes for Thanksgiving desserts. This year, I opted to make it a few weeks early instead. My husband usually likes to eat his pie warm from the oven. But this one, in my opinion, is… Continue reading Aunt Bert’s Raisin Cream Pie (You only think you don’t like Raisin Pie!)
Growing up in the 1950's, my mom, aunts, and female cousins were all making fudge. It didn't require fancy and expensive ingredients like chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, or marshmallow cream that those West Virginia farm girls didn't have. It was made with basic ingredients they found in their kitchens. If the too soft candy… Continue reading Old Fashioned Hershey’s Cocoa Fudge
Grandma was not a fussy baker. She didn’t have the time. Household and farm chores kept her busy through much of the year. When peaches came ripe, grandma took advantage the surplus by canning quart jars of the sweet summer fruit to be enjoyed through the winter. During peach season, Grandma's simple cobbler was also… Continue reading Fresh and Easy Peach Cobbler: A Vintage Recipe
If it's July it's blueberry season. Blueberries are one of the easiest crops you can grow. I give them some acid loving fertilizer in the spring and put a layer of mulch beneath them, but otherwise you just plant the bushes in a sunny spot and let them grow. I've heard of people planting them… Continue reading Easy as a Fresh Blueberry Pie!
I found this recipe in my early twenties when I was first learning to cook. Each week I would visit our local library and borrow a stack of cookbooks which I read in the evenings as if they were novels. I found many of my favorite recipes that way, including this one. As I recall,… Continue reading A Favorite Recipe: USDA Pecan Pie
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