Recipes

A work in progress:

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
4 Tbsps of Cocoa
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil or melted butter (other fat)
11/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix oats, cocoa and water together and set aside
3. Cream, sugar, eggs and oil together in another bowl
4. Combine dry ingredients and add to egg mixture;
5. Add oats and stir to combine
6. Bake in a 8 inch x 8 inch greased pan for 30 minutes or until it springs back when tested.

Rhubarb Vinegar aka Shrub

Ingredients:
4 cups washed and finely chopped Rhubarb
1 cup white sugar
11/2 cups Wine vinegar or Apple Cider vinegar (divided)
Method:
1. Place fruit and half of the vinegar in a non reactive saucepan
2. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes
3. Skim the foam which forms, and then strain through a cheese cloth into a mason jar, add reserved vinegar and let cool.
4. Refrigerate, until ready to use. Dilute with water (or soda water)

This vinegar is wonderful on salads and in other recipes where vinegar is used.

Buttermilk Biscuits and Stewed Rhubarb

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups of All purpose flour
1/4 cup of sugar (optional)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp soda
1 cup Buttermilk or soured milk

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.;
2) Sift flour and other dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl;
3) Cut shortening in to the dry ingredients using a pastry blender, until mix reaches a med crumb.
4) Add buttermilk and mix gently. Place on a lightly floured surface, and shape into a 9 in x 9 in square of dough.
5) Cut in to pieces, and place on a cookie sheet;
6) Bake 20 minutes until slightly golden brown on top.


My Mother’s Cookbooks Stewed Rhubarb:

Ingredients:
1 pound of rhubarb
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
1/4 cup water
***
Method:
1) In a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil to dissolve;
2) Add Rhubarb and return to a boil,
3) Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring often, until the Rhubarb is soft.
4) Cool, refrigerate in a covered container.

*** I recommend adding a 1/2 tsp of ground dried ginger or 1 Tbsp of fresh ginger chopped.

Elsie’s Washday Pudding**

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
A piece of butter the size of a walnut, about 1 Tbsp butter
2 cups boiling water
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
2) Place a 8 in x 8 in square pan on a quarter sheet pan
2) Combine dry ingredients in a bowl
3) Combine milk and vanilla
4) Place butter and brown sugar in a heat resistant bowl
5) Add milk to dry ingredients, stir until incorporated, then place in the 8 x 8 pan
6) Add boiling water to the brown sugar and butter
7) Pour over batter and place both pans in to the oven
8) Bake 30 minutes, until nicely brown on top

** This pudding, which is known by many names, i.e. Caramel cake pudding; Radio Pudding, is an older recipe, evidenced by the use of soda and cream of tartar. I have tried replacing the soda and cream of tartar with the more modern, baking powder and it works adequately. I prefer to use the original ingredients, the quick acting cream of tartar gives the cake a boost early enough in the bake to assure the best texture and sauce.

Evelyn’s Newfoundland Blueberry Buckle

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg at room temperature
1 cup All purpose flour
11/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Milk
3 cups Fresh Blueberries
Crumb mixture:
1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup Butter

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour an 8 inch x 8 inch square baking dish
3. Cream butter and sugar, add slightly beaten egg
4. Assemble dry ingredients in a separate bowl
5. Alternate adding milk and dry ingredients to the sugar / butter mix
6. Stir until incorporated, spread batter on to prepared baking pan
7. Layer blueberries on top of batter
8. Combine crumb mixture and layer on top of the berries
7. Bake about 40 minutes or until a cake is done.

Molasses Drop Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup boiling water with 3 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Cream sugar and shortening
3) Add slightly beaten egg, molasses and vanilla
4) Assemble the dry ingredients in a separate bowl
5) Add water and dry ingredients alternately to the sugar / shortening mixture, mixing gently.
6) Drop spoonfuls of batter on to a baking sheet and bake 10 -12 minutes.

German Apple Cake – Gussie’s recipe

Ingredients Recommended Ingredients
2 cups corded, peeled and sliced cooking apples McIntosh or Gravenstein
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg (room temperature)
3/4 cup milk
Cinnamon
Confectioners sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 1/4 sheet pan.
2. In a mixing bowl cream sugar and shortening, add slightly beaten egg.
3. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.
4. Add milk and dry ingredients alternately until incorporated, do not over beat.
5. Spread the batter on prepared pan.
6. Arrange the apple slices on the batter in overlapping rows and dust with Cinnamon.
7. Bake ~ 25 -30 minutes until cake is cooked and lightly browned.
8. Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.

Mum’s take: Mum had a sweet tooth and was known to increase the sugar to 3/4 cup.
My take: Although the sweeter version is tasty, I have discovered that reducing the sugar to 1/4 cup produces a lovely product less sweet but very tasty.

Hot Cross Buns – A My Mother’s Cookbooks Holiday Recipe

Ingredients

21/4 tsp dry active yeast (1 envelop)
1 cup scaled milk cooled to lukewarm
1/2 c sugar (divided)
1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
1 tsp salt
4 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs (room temperature and beaten)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/2 c currents or raisins

Glaze:
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 Tbsp water

Icing:
1 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 tbsp milk or to make an thin icing

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch dish.
  2. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk with 1 tsp of the sugar and let prove for 5 minutes.
  3. In a bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a whisk, add remaining sugar, softened butter, eggs, spices and flour until mixed well, you will need to switch to a dough hook before adding the flour.
  4. Add the yeast mixture to the dough, process until the yeast is well incorporated and the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
  5. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few times on a floured surface, being careful to not to add too much flour.
  6. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
  7. Punch the dough down to deflate, cut the dough in to 12 equal pieces and form in to buns place in prepared pan. Using knife, score the buns with slashes to create crosses.
  8. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise until the buns have doubled.
  9. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until cooked thru.
  10. Place corn syrup and water in a bowl, microwave 20 seconds to warm.
  11. Brush the buns with glaze while the buns are still warm.
  12. Let cool and pipe crosses over the score lines using the icing.

Cape Breton Oatcakes

Ingredients: Recommended Ingredients:

1 cup Scottish oatmeal Red Mills Scottish Oatmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 -1/2 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
1/4 c soured milk or buttermilk

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, cut in shortening.
3. In a large measuring cup, combine slightly beaten egg with the milk, add to the try mix, stir until incorporated but do not over mix.
4. Place the dough on a floured surface and press into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Cut in to squares (or score the dough in to squares) place on a cookie sheet and bake 10 – 12 minutes. Enjoy!


Buckwheat Cake

Buckwheat Cake Ingredients: Recommended Ingredients:

1 c all purpose flour
1 c buckwheat flour Red Mills Organic Buckwheat flour
1/2 c white sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c whole milk
1 egg
3 Tbsp softened butter or margarine

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 9 ” x 9″ square baking pan.
2) Measure and sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl.
3) Cut in butter/margarine, add milk and egg. mix until incorporated. Do not over beat which will cause the cake to have a tough texture. Bake 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with butter and Molasses. Enjoy!

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