MRS. OLIVE’S NEVER FAIL PIE DOUGH

This is a recipe from one of the elderly ladies in the community when I was a child.4 cups all-purpose flour2 cups shortening2 tsps salt1 tbsp sugar1 tsp baking powder1/2 cup water1 tbsp white vinegar1 egg

Mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in the shortening. Add the water, vinegar and egg. Mix well and chill before rolling out.

Note: This dough can also be frozen for use later.

OLD FASHION LEMON MERINGUE PIE

This recipe was cut from an old box. I would imagine it was a cornstarch box.1 cup sugar3 tbsp cornstarch1 1/2 cups cold water3 egg yolks, slightly beatenGrated rind of 1 lemon1/4 cup lemon juice1 tbsp margarine1 baked 9-inch pastry shell3 egg whites1/3 cup sugar

In a 2-qt saucepan stir together the 1 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Stir in egg yolks. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat; boil one minute. Remove pan from the heat. Stir lemon rind, lemon juice and margarine into the mixture. Cool slightly. Pour mixture into the prepared pastry shell. In a small mixer bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in the 1/3 cup of sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over filling starting with the edge and sealing meringue to crust. Continue filling in the center until all meringue is piled on the filling. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before slicing.

Enjoy!

BEEF AND RICE HOT DISH

1 lb hamburger meat1 med onion, chopped1/2 cup chopped green pepper1/2 tsp saltpinch pepper1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice1 can (14 1/2 oz)stewed tomatoes1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce1 1/2 cups hot water1 tsp prepared mustard

In a large skillet, brown hamburger meat and drain. Add onion, green pepper, salt and pepper to skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

SAUCY CARROTS

5 large carrots1 tbsp butter1/4 cup honey1 tbsp brown sugar1 tsp lemon juiceScrape and slice carrots. Cook carrots in small amount of water until tender crisp. Drain. Melt butter and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add carrots and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.OLD FASHIONED SUGAR CREAM PIE1 cup sugar1/2 cup flour (or cornstarch and cold water)1 1/4 cups hot waterdash saltnutmeg1 unbaked pie shellPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix sugar and flour together. Add hot water and salt. Mix together and pour into pie shell. Dot with butter and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until done.Enjoy!

BEEF AND RICE HOT DISH

1 lb hamburger meat1 med onion, chopped1/2 cup chopped green pepper1/2 tsp saltpinch pepper1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice1 can (14 1/2 oz)stewed tomatoes1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce1 1/2 cups hot water1 tsp prepared mustard

In a large skillet, brown hamburger meat and drain. Add onion, green pepper, salt and pepper to skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

SAUCY CARROTS

5 large carrots1 tbsp butter1/4 cup honey1 tbsp brown sugar1 tsp lemon juiceScrape and slice carrots. Cook carrots in small amount of water until tender crisp. Drain. Melt butter and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add carrots and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.OLD FASHIONED SUGAR CREAM PIE1 cup sugar1/2 cup flour (or cornstarch and cold water)1 1/4 cups hot waterdash saltnutmeg1 unbaked pie shellPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix sugar and flour together. Add hot water and salt. Mix together and pour into pie shell. Dot with butter and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until done.Enjoy!

BEEF AND RICE HOT DISH

1 lb hamburger meat1 med onion, chopped1/2 cup chopped green pepper1/2 tsp saltpinch pepper1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice1 can (14 1/2 oz)stewed tomatoes1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce1 1/2 cups hot water1 tsp prepared mustard

In a large skillet, brown hamburger meat and drain. Add onion, green pepper, salt and pepper to skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serves 4.

SAUCY CARROTS

5 large carrots1 tbsp butter1/4 cup honey1 tbsp brown sugar1 tsp lemon juiceScrape and slice carrots. Cook carrots in small amount of water until tender crisp. Drain. Melt butter and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Add carrots and let simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.OLD FASHIONED SUGAR CREAM PIE1 cup sugar1/2 cup flour (or cornstarch and cold water)1 1/4 cups hot waterdash saltnutmeg1 unbaked pie shellPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix sugar and flour together. Add hot water and salt. Mix together and pour into pie shell. Dot with butter and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until done.Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL APPLE PIE!

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie:2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour1 tsp salt2/3 cup lard or solid vegetable shortening5 to 7 tbsp ice waterIn a large bowl, stir flour and salt together until blended. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut lard or shortening into flour mixture until the mixture becomes mealy.Mix in ice water a little at a time with a fork, stirring until the mixture leaves sides of bowl and forms a ball. Finish shaping dough into a ball with your hands, cut in half with a knife to form two balls for the top and the bottom of the pan. On a lightly floured board, flatten one ball of dough and roll with a lightly floured rolling pin from center to edge in a circular fashion, making a 12-inch circle. Place pastry into a 9-inch pie pan, fitting gently and trimming off excess dough with sharp knife or scissors. Fill or bake according to recipe. Roll out remaining dough in the same manner to use as a top crust.Pie Filling:6 cups thinly sliced, peeled, tart cooking apples1 tbsp lemon juice1 cup sugar2 tbsp flour1/4 tsp salt1 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmeg1 tbsp butter or margarinePreheat oven to 425 degrees.Slice apples into a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to apples; mix together well. Mix apples again with a large spoon then turn into pastry lined pie pan. Dot the surface with the butter or margarine. Place top pastry over pie and seal the edges well. Cut steam vents in center of the top crust or poke several times with a fork. Bake pie in a 425 degree oven for 45 – 55 minutes or until crust turns a golden brown and the filling starts to bubble up through the vents.

Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL APPLE PIE!

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie:2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour1 tsp salt2/3 cup lard or solid vegetable shortening5 to 7 tbsp ice waterIn a large bowl, stir flour and salt together until blended. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut lard or shortening into flour mixture until the mixture becomes mealy.Mix in ice water a little at a time with a fork, stirring until the mixture leaves sides of bowl and forms a ball. Finish shaping dough into a ball with your hands, cut in half with a knife to form two balls for the top and the bottom of the pan. On a lightly floured board, flatten one ball of dough and roll with a lightly floured rolling pin from center to edge in a circular fashion, making a 12-inch circle. Place pastry into a 9-inch pie pan, fitting gently and trimming off excess dough with sharp knife or scissors. Fill or bake according to recipe. Roll out remaining dough in the same manner to use as a top crust.Pie Filling:6 cups thinly sliced, peeled, tart cooking apples1 tbsp lemon juice1 cup sugar2 tbsp flour1/4 tsp salt1 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmeg1 tbsp butter or margarinePreheat oven to 425 degrees.Slice apples into a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to apples; mix together well. Mix apples again with a large spoon then turn into pastry lined pie pan. Dot the surface with the butter or margarine. Place top pastry over pie and seal the edges well. Cut steam vents in center of the top crust or poke several times with a fork. Bake pie in a 425 degree oven for 45 – 55 minutes or until crust turns a golden brown and the filling starts to bubble up through the vents.

Enjoy!

OLD FASHION NEVER FAIL CAKE

1 cup sugar1/2 cup butter or lard1 egg3 tbsp cocoa3/4 cup sweet milk*1/2 cup boiling water1 tsp soda1 rounding cup flour1 tsp vanillaPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Cream sugar and butter, add unbeaten egg and beat. Add cocoa to egg mixture, blend well. Add flour and milk alternately. Last add hot water with soda dissolved in it. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into a 9×13-inch prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with your favorite frosting.*This is regular milk; not sweetened condensed milk. The old-timers referred to regular milk as sweet milk vs buttermilk.

GERMAN APPLE CAKE

This recipe is said to be from an old church cookbook. I have no way to trace its origins.2 large or 3 small eggs1 cup salad oil (butter flavored)2 cups sugar1 tsp vanilla2 tsp cinnamon2 cups sifted flour1 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt4 cups thinly sliced apples1/2 cup chopped walnutsPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Beat eggs well, then add oil. Continue to beat while adding 2 cups sugar. Add vanilla and the sifted dry ingredients, mix well. Add the thinly sliced apples and walnuts. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan that has been greased and lightly floured. Bake 40 to 60 minutes until done. ICING: 2 small packages of cream cheese2 tbsp melted butter1 tsp vanilla1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix all ingredients well with an electric mixer. If too thin, add powdered sugar until of the right consistency to spread. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.Enjoy!

VINTAGE BANANA WALNUT BREAD

1 cup sugar1/2 cup shortening2 tbsp milk1 tbsp vinegar1 cup chopped walnuts3 very ripe crushed bananas1/4 tsp salt1 tsp soda2 cups flourPreheat oven to 350 degrees.Combine all ingredients and bake in greased loaf pan for 50 to 60 minutes.

RHUBARB BREAD

3/4 cup white sugar3/4 cup brown sugar2/3 cup salad oil1 egg1 cup sour milk*1 tsp salt1 tsp soda1 tsp vanilla2 1/2 cups flour1 1/2 cup diced rhubarb1/2 cup chopped nutsPreheat oven to 325 degrees.Mix ingredients in the order listed above. Mix well and pour into two greased loaf pans and sprinkle over batter a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes. Freezes well. Makes 2 loaves.*Sour milk is buttermilk.  If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar mixed in.Enjoy! 

ORANGE-WALNUT BREAD

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 1/2 tsp salt shredded peel of 1 orange 5 tsp double-acting baking powder 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1/3 cup salad oilPreheat oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, with fork, mix flour and walnuts, sugar, salt, orange peel, and baking powder. In a small bowl, with fork, beat eggs slightly; stir in milk and salad oil. Stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Pour batter into a 9×5″ loaf pan. Bake one hour and twenty minutes or until bread pulls away from sides of pan. Cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on rack. Makes one loaf of bread. NOTE:  Diabetics can enjoy this bread by replacing 1 cup of the sugar with Splenda granular.

 WALNUT-DATE LOAF BREAD

1 cup chopped dates 1 cup boiling water 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup chopped walnutsIn a mixing bowl, combine the dates, water, and oil. Let stand for 10 minutes; do not drain. Add the brown sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the date mixture just until combined. Do not beat. Fold in walnuts. Transfer batter into a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes before removing from pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack.

Enjoy!