Thanksgiving: Old Fashioned Desserts

Most of us tend to think of pumpkin pie when we think of dessert for our Thanksgiving dinner, but there are other old fashioned desserts to consider serving on this day of sharing with our family and friends. The recipes below are from various cookbooks I collect, and I thought they might inspire us to try something new to our table but old to others.

Take note that in a lot of older cookbooks they don't share the pie crust recipe with the filling recipe. It's assumed most people know how to make their own pie crust. Of course in 2011 it's also easy to pick up a pie crust at the store:)

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Farm Journal Cooking for Company

Published in 1968

1 2/3 cup sifted flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/3 cup soft shortening

1 cup cooked, mashed or canned pumpkin

1/3 cup water

1 egg

2/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup walnuts or pecans

Sift dry ingredients together into mixing bowl; add shortening, pumpkin and water. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed of electric mixer or until ingredients are well mixed. Add egg, beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in raisins and nuts.

Pour into a 1 1/2 quart ring or Turk's head mold that has been well greased and lightly dusted with fine, dry bread crumbs. Bake in moderate oven at 350 degrees F. about 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Serve with whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

Pumpkin Nut Pie

Modern Priscilla Cook Book

Published in 1924

1 cup prepared pumpkin (canned or fresh pureed)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped nut meats

2 cups milk

2 tbsp. flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated coconut

Pastry

Mix ingredients, pour into a pastry lined plate, and bake in a moderately hot oven. Time in cooking: 5 minutes at 400 degrees F. then 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Servings 6.

Indian Pudding: Two Recipes

American Woman's Cook Book

1 quart milk

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 egg

Place the milk in a double boiler and when it is scalding hot add the cornmeal, moistened with cold water, and stir constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for twenty minutes. Turn into a pudding-dish and stir in the other ingredients adding the beaten egg last. Bake two to three hours in a slow oven (250-350 degrees F.) and serve hot with hard sauce or any preferred sauce. One-half cup dates or figs may be used instead of the raisins.

Indian Pudding #2

2/3 cup cornmeal

1 quart hot milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp. shortening

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chopped apples

Slowly add the meal, moistening with cold water, to the hot milk, stirring constantly, and cook to a thick mush. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Turn into a greased baking dish and bake in a slow oven at 250-350 degrees F. for two hours and a half. Serve hot with any sauce.

Mock Cherry Pie

Practical Recipes for the Housewife

1 cup cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. butter

Cut the cranberries and halves and the raisins into pieces. Mix flour and sugar together and add to the cranberries and raisins. Fill the lower crust with the mixture and dot over it with butter. Bake between crusts. (Top with a second crust and cut 3 slits in the top)

On OFL we have recipes for more pumpkin treats:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/pumpkin4.html