A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008


I thought that today I would post recipes from my Mom and Grandma. They were the best cooks. I guess a lot of kids would say that about their Moms. My Mom made a wonderful fruitcake. One year she made all these wonderful cakes for gifts. A lot of work shopping for the right ingredients, chopping nuts and fruits, mixing, baking. My brother had cleaned his goldfish bowl the night before and put the clean bowl on the back of the kitchen counter. You may wonder what that has to do with fruitcake...just read on. After the cakes were baked and out of the oven, my Mom looked at the fish bowl and where was Goldie? No fish. Mom's imagination got the best of her and she was certain that the fish had jumped into the cake mixture and was now in one of those cakes. She stewed and fretted about this all night. Which cake was the fish in? She decided to slice each cake till she found Goldie. So slice she did. She had several cakes and by now they were all sliced and put back together and wrapped....but no fish was found. The cakes were very moist and the slicing really didn't hurt. A while later, while cleaning the kitchen, Goldie's body was found between the counter and the refrigerator. This made for a good story that will be handed down from generation to generation.

One of the things that I wanted from my Mom's kitchen, when she died, were her recipe boxes. I have her fruitcake recipe...minus Goldie and here it is.


Edythe's Fruitcake

4 c cherries...red and green

1 1/4 c dark raisins

1 1/4 c golden raisins

(you and substitute dates for one of the raisins)

1 c chopped walnuts

1c chopped pecans

3 c sifted flour

1 teasp each Baking powder, salt, cinnamon, all spice

1/2 teasp each nutmeg and cloves

1 c shortening

2 c brown sugar

4 lg eggs

3/4 c grape juice

Sift dry ingre. together. Sprinkle 1/4 c of the dry over the fruit.

Then mix all together.

Line 2 pans with greased brown paper. Fill pans and bake at 275 for 3 - 31/2 hrs.

Place a pan of water in the oven on bottom shelf while baking.

Makes 2 bread pans.

Here is Grandma's recipe or receipt as she called it.

Mabel's Plum Pudding

1 lb suet finely chopped

1 lb seeded raisins

1 lb currants

1 quart bowl of bread crumbs

1 1/2 c flour

1 c molasses

1 1/2 c sugar

6 eggs

1 1/2 c milk

1 teasp of all kinds of spices

1 qt. bowl chopped apples

1/4 lb citron finely chopped

1 tbs of salt

Mix everything together well. Put in molds, lined with wax paper. Fasten cheesecloth over the top of mold.

Place molds in a large pan and add water to reach half way up the mold. Use something to raise pans off the bottom of cooker.

Boil 10 hrs, but do not let water get in molds. (I would guess a better word would have been simmer)

And then she says take out of water and let cool. These can be wrapped in foil and stored in a cool place ...may be frozen.


I love to go into their recipe boxes and just pick out a yellowed card or a recipe written on the back of an old grocery list and know that they were in their kitchens during holiday time...just as I am today trying to find just the right recipe to make something wonderful for their families to enjoy

Balisha.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Old family recipe books are the most wonderful treasures. Enjoy yours!

Judy said...

I have some old recipe cards just like the ones in the picture. Thanks for the recipes. They look great. What a funny story. Sounds like something I would do!

Balisha said...

Hi Britt and Judy,
I love to go to used book sales and look for old cookbooks.We used to have a rummage sale at our Church and the advantage of working at the sale, was that you had first choice of everything. I would always head for the book section. Another kind of cookbook that I like are the ones from Churches...with all the recipes from members of the Church. Church women are the best cooks...I think.

Anonymous said...

What a funny story Balisha. My grandfather use to do the baking in our family and I have his recipes. He made a wonderful fruitcake too each Christmas. Some of my fondest childhood memories are linked with foods.

Balisha said...

Hi Racquel,
Me too....I have some more funny food memories to share.

coolwaterworks said...

"I thought that today I would post recipes from my Mom and Grandma. They were the best cooks. I guess a lot of kids would say that about their Moms."

I agree... I would dare say also that food cooked at home by mothers tastes that good because of another ingredient - LOVE.

And you have another beautiful header... :)

Balisha said...

Hi Mark,
I checked your blog and I'm glad you are back. The trip through the nature park was great.
I agree with you about our Mother's cooking with love.It's one of my favorite things to do for my family.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Those recipes sound good.

My Mom and Grandma kept recipes on cards like that. They were wonderful cooks. Every family get-together we make their old favorites. Brings back so many memories.
Marnie

Balisha said...

It's funny, Marnie,I never knew that my Mom put grape juice in her fruitcake. Maybe that was her secret ingredient. I would guess that it took the place of alcohol.