Recipes for Fall Entertaining

Fall is a wonderful time of year to give lunches, dinners or small parties. It's cooled off enough to enjoy baking for friends, and to serve hot beverages as well. The rich colors of fall are also lovely to use as decorating themes. Fill baskets with herbs, leaves, pine cones, small pumpkins, apples or squash.

Hot Apple Punch
Farm Journal, 1968

2 1/4 cups sugar
1 quart water
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole allspice berries
10 whole cloves
1 piece ginger root, quarter size
1 quart orange juice, any type
1 pint lemon juice or 16 ounce bottle
2 quarts apple cider or juice

Combine the sugar and water. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add spices. Let syrup stand, covered for one hour. Strain. Just before serving, combine the syrup, fruit juices and cider; bring quickly to a boil. Remove from heat and serve. Makes 4 1/2 quarts.

Notes: Place the spices in a muslin bag or cheesecloth and just pull them out instead of straining. Instead of boiling before serving, add the ingredients into a crockpot and heat on high until hot then turn on warm.

Scalloped Apples
Modern Priscilla Cook Book, 1924

5 apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh bread crumbs

Boil the apples to a pulp, adding sugar. Stir the butter, beaten eggs, cinnamon and salt into the apple sauce. Grease a baking dish and put in one layer of crumbs, then a layer of apple pulp, and so on until all the apple is used. Cover the top with crumbs and bake in a moderate oven. (350 degrees F.) for 45 minutes. Servings 6. Serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Apple Injun
Modern Priscilla Cook Book, 1924

3 cups milk
1/2 cup corn meal
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 pint milk (cold)
2 tbsp. butter
1 quart sweet apples

Scald three cups milk, sift in corn meal, stirring rapidly and cook five minutes. Remove from fire, add cinnamon, salt, sugar, cold milk, butter and apples, cut in eighths. Bake in a deep covered dish in a 300 degree F. over for 4 hours. Servings, 8.

Notes: I'm guessing the name is because of the corn meal mixture-- there is a corn dish I've seen called Indian Corn. It does not say to peel and core the apples, but I would. Often very old cookbooks will assume you know to do certain steps-- peeling and coring is one of these.

Cider Punch
Practical Recipes for the Housewife

1 quart cider
1 quart white grade juice
2 quarts water
juice of two oranges
juice of two lemons
1 cup sugar

Grate part of the orange and lemon rinds. Dissolve sugar in fruit juices. Pour in cider and add grated rinds. Pour over lump of ice for use in a punch bowl.

Maple Ginger Snaps
Home Comfort Cook Book, 1948

1/2 cup shortening or butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup maple syrup
6 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold water

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in syrup. Resift flour with the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the water. Knead well. Roll thin. Cut. Bake on greased tins in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) Cool. Remove from tins.

We have an article with old fashioned Halloween party ideas:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/halloweenparty.html

~Brenda

Fall Recipes: Acorn Squash

I love acorn squash and thought I would share a few tips and recipes in honor of the Canadian Thanksgiving which is on Monday, October 10. Our Canadian friends tend to fix the same type of traditional foods that we do for our American Thanksgiving. Acorn is the perfect squash to serve for a holiday meal or a Sunday dinner. It's easy to cook, and goes well with any main dish.

BASIC COOKING
If the squash is larger in size it should be cut in half with a very sharp knife. Place the squash on a cutting board that has been placed on top of a towel. This will help keep it from slipping. Remove the seeds and loose pulp, then place it in a baking dish cut side down. Bake the squash at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes or until it tests tender using a fork.

Acorn squash can be cooked then mashed and used in any recipe that calls for pumpkin, including pies and bread. There are quite a few types of acorn squash, and they can all be used the same, regardless of color, etc.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
The Farm Journal, 1968

3 medium acorn squash
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup grated sharp cheese
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
3 tbsp. chopped green pepper
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Split squash, remove seeds. Place cut side down in baking pan. Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F.) for 45 minutes until tender.

Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp, leaving shells 1/4 inch thick. Mash pulp; add remaining ingredients. Pile lightly into shells and bake at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned-- about 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

This is from the 20th Century Cookbook, published in 1905. They lump winter squash into one category, but that would include acorn, hubbard, butternut etc. The text is directly from the book:

Baked Winter Squash: Boil or steam, mash and let get cold, then beat up light with 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 raw eggs, 3 tablespoons milk; pepper and salt to taste. Put in buttered bake dish, sift dry crumbs over the top and bake in a quick oven. (note: quick oven would be 250-300 degrees F.)

Baked Squash L'Elegante: Boil or steam. Drain and put in a baking dish, put over them bits of butter, pepper and salt, sprinkle thickly with sugar, and bake in the oven a nice brown.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
McCall's Cook Book, 1963

2 medium acorn squash
salt
1/2 pound sausage meat, sliced
2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped pared apple
1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Scrub squash. Cut in half crosswise, scoop out seed and stringy portion. Sprinkle squash with salt. Place, cut side down, in shallow baking pan. Add hot water to measure 1/2 inch. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute sausage meat until browned, breaking it into small chunks with fork as it browns.

Remove sausage from skillet; set aside. Drain all except 2 tbsp. drippings from skillet. Add onion, saute until golden. Return sausage with the remaining ingredients to skillet, tossing lightly. Fill squash halves with mixture, bake uncovered 30 minutes.

Notes: I'm not sure what sausage they used originally for this but I use breakfast sausage. Rather than slice and break into chunks as mentioned, I put the ground sausage in the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. I doubt I have 2 tbsp. of drippings left when it's done but it works with less to saute the onion.

Try this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe from OFL:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Roasted-Butternut-Squash-Soup.html

Brenda

October Garden Tips & Chores

Autumn is in full swing, which means it's time to take advantage of the lovely days to take care of the lawn and garden.

Lawns, shrubs and perennials still need about an inch of rain a week. Rain gauges can be bought very cheaply. I found one for a dollar, but you can also make your own to measure the rain in your area. We've been getting enough rain where I am located, but I know some of you may be in areas where you aren't, so be sure to water if you receive less than an inch.

It's that time of year to dig up summer bulbs such as gladioli, dahlias, tuberous begonias, caladiums and cannas. I have an article on OFL with more information on storage: http://oldfashionedliving.com/corms.html

I've gotten lucky with glads for two years now and they've come back on their own. They are in a bed with mulch but no extra protection. I'm in Zone 5 so this has been a cool surprise. It doesn't hurt to give it a try if you don't have time to dig them up this year.

Garlic can be planted this month before the ground freezes. Plant it in full sun where the soil has been worked up deeply and it's fertile but not soggy. Organic matter such as leaf mold will give the garlic an extra boost. Separate the cloves from a head of garlic, then plant them 3 inches deep and 5-6 inches apart. The cloves should be planted with the pointed tips up. Cover and gently pat the soil over the cloves.

If time allows, fall is a great time to prepare garden and flower beds for next year. Remove annuals and vegetables from the beds as they finish blooming or harvesting is finished. Spread compost over the top of beds, even if it hasn't broken down all the way. This will help fertilize the bed over the winter.

Weeds can quickly take over especially with a few good rains, and warm temperatures. Take advantage of the cool fall days to pull weeds that have gotten out of control. This will cut back on the weeding that needs to be done in the spring and early summer.

October is one of my favorite months because of the colors, the fresh cool air, the fall blooms and the fragrance of autumn. I hope you're enjoying your fall days.

~Brenda

Fall Recipes: Gold Nugget Squash

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

I picked up a Gold Nugget squash the other day to give it a try. I've always loved acorn and butternut squash but had never tried this variety. It has a rough textured skin the color of pumpkin and it can be microwaved whole or baked. It can also be substituted for acorn squash if you can't find Gold Nugget.

To microwave: Poke 4-5 holes in the skin with a fork. Cook for 8-10 minutes in the microwave until the skin is softer and the flesh in tender. Smaller squash may cook faster.

Baked Gold Nugget Squash

Ingredients
3-4 Gold Nugget Squash
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each squash into 6 wedges. Remove seeds and pulp from the pieces. Place the squash in a baking pan or casserole, drizzling with the oil. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the pieces over so the skin is up and the flesh is on the botton. Bake for 20 minutes, turn over the pieces and bake for 20 more minutes or until tender.

Squash and Apple Bake
Virginia State Apple Board

Ingredients:
2 Sweet Dumpling or Golden Nugget squash (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
1 medium leek, white part only, thinly sliced

Pierce the squash in 3 or 4 places with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the squash on a double layer of paper towels on the floor of the oven. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Turn the squash and microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until it just begins to feel soft when gently squeezed. Let stand until cooled, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart oval casserole or 9-inch glass pie plate, combine the oil, lemon juice, apple, leek, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and pepper. Cover tightly with a lid or vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, or until the apple and leek are quite soft. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Scoop the pulp from the squash into the casserole with the apple mixture. Mash the squash with the back of a spoon while stirring in the apple and leek to combine. Spoon the mixture back into the casserole or pie plate. Cover loosely with a lid or vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Winter Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 large sweet onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 15 ounce cans chicken broth
3 pounds winter squash, Gold Nugget works well.
1 1/4 tsp. fresh thyme
1 1/4 tsp. fresh minced sage
1/4 cup cream or half and half

Peel halve and seed the squash, then cut into chunks. Melt the butter in large pot on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the butter and cook until softened,8-10 minutes. Add the broth, squash and herbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in blender for a smooth soup or mash with potato masher for more texture. Return to pan and season with salt and pepper before serving if desired.

On OFL we have an article with recipe for Roasted Butternut Soup:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Roasted-Butternut-Squash-Soup.html

~Brenda

Harvesting and Caring for Lemon Balm

I haven't blogged about herbs lately and thought I would talk a bit about harvesting and caring for lemon balm today. I grow thyme, oregano, lemon balm, chives, lavender, calendula, catmint, sage, Lady's Mantle and bee balm. I actually grew more herbs in the city but had to leave them behind when we sold the house. I've been slowly adding more herbs each year.

Lemon balm is an herb I've grown for about ten years now. It's related to mint, which is important to remember because it grows much like mint in that it can easily become invasive. It will spread from the roots and from seed. Once it takes hold, like mint, it's hard to control. This is the only problem I've encountered in ten years. Lemon balm is a carefree plant, needing no fertilizer or extra watering. I've grown it in sun and shade with success in both locations.

Eleanour Sinclair Rohde, a well known and loved garden writer and herb expert, has this to say about lemon balm in her book Herbs and Herb Gardening written in 1936:

"Balm in rich, moist soil attains well over two feet, and a border of it, two feet wide, looks very handsome. "

"Young balm leaves cut up finely are a good addition to mixed salads, and balm tea made by pouring boiling water on two big handfuls of the leaves has a sweet and delicate taste."

Lemon balm is a sturdy and very hardy herb. It can be harvested often and cut almost to the ground before winter. It doesn't hold it's flavor well during drying, but if you add it to other herbs as part of a seasoning blend or tea, it adds a light lemon taste. I've used it for many years in herb vinegars, combining it with basil, thyme and oregano.

Fresh lemon balm can be used in sun tea or hot tea, as mentioned. It also adds a lovely flavor to roast chicken when stuffed in the cavity of the bird.

Lemon balm should be harvested before it's blooms to stop it from forming seeds. Keep it contained and dig up volunteers as soon as they pop up. The perfect location is one where it can roam free in its own small raised bed in partial shade with fertile soil. It can also be used as a ground cover with success.

One of the first herbs my daughter loved was lemon balm. She was only 3 years old, and would ask if she could pick a leaf to hold and smell because she loved the scent. Lemon balm will always have a place in my garden.

On OFL we have tips on growing and using rosemary, another favorite:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/rosemary2.html

Caramel Treats for Fall

Certain flavors, scents and colors remind me of fall. Pumpkin, apples, and caramel are the taste of fall for me, and I'm sure for many of you. Today I have a few recipes to try now that we can heat up our ovens on cool, fall days.

Caramel Crispy Bars

Ingredients:
1 package (14 ounces)caramels
3 tablespoons water
5 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup peanuts, chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Melt the caramels with the water in double boiler over low heat, stirring until caramels are melted and smooth. You can also do this in a microwave, heating a minute at time, stirring in between until smooth.

Place the cereal and peanuts in a large bowl. Pour over the caramel and toss until well coated. Using buttered fingers, press the mixture into greased 9x13 inch baking pan.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Sprinkle the chocolate and butterscotch chips over the mixture, then bake 5 minutes, or until the chips are soft.

Remove the pan from oven and spread the warm chips over the top of the bars with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cool, then cut into bars.

Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cups chopped pecans
3 cups cored, peeled and chopped apples

Combine the oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Beat until creamy with an electric mixer. Sift flour and measure into a bowl. Sift again and add the salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time, beating after addition. Fold in chopped pecans and apples. Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking pan that has been buttered or sprayed well.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 or 60 minutes. Cool, then frost with the frosting below.

Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. heavy cream or half and half
2/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/8 tsp. salt
3 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix the butter, cream, brown sugar and salt in medium pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the vanilla, then gradually add the confectioners' sugar until it's the thickness desired.

Caramel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture. Beat until light. Combine cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans in small bowl. Grease and flour 9x13 baking pan. Pour half of batter into pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle half of filling over the batter. Pour and spread the remaining batter over this and sprinkle with the remaining filling. Bake for 35 minutes at 350º F. Remove from over and pour the caramel topping over the cake, spreading evenly. Place the cake under the oven broiler for about 3 minutes until the frosting begins to bubble. Cool.

Caramel Topping

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons milk or cream
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup pecan pieces, finely chopped

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the milk, brown sugar, and pecans to the melted butter, continue to heat, and stir for 3 more minutes.

On OFL we have apple recipes for a fall brunch:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/applebrunch.html

~Brenda

An Adventure in Bulbs

One of my favorite garden writers is Louise Beebe Wilder because of thoughts like the one below. She was speaking about Fritillarias and how they can be difficult to grow:

I have at times thought that like some persons, they do not, themselves, know what they want. Just plain cussed, as our farmer friends would say.

I own a copy of Adventures with Hardy Bulbs, from which this quote comes from. It was written in 1936 by Mrs. Wilder, and illustrated by her husband Walter. Today I wanted to share a little bit from her book about naturalizing bulbs, plus a few of my own thoughts.

"...to naturalize bulbs means to merely plant them in an informal and unstudied manner in contradistinction to their use in formal beds."

"it means to broadcast them on a generous scale in woods, in meadows, by pond and streamside, along winding paths, on rough banks or about the outskirts of the garden, to suggest, as best we may, Nature's handicraft, not man's."

These bulbs tend to naturalize well: galanthus, scillas, crocuses, muscari, daffodils, most tulips, alliums, and anemones. One method to use for naturalizing is to pick a location then simply toss the bulbs out by the handful, starting with one to two dozen bulbs. Grab the kids and dig under where each bulb landed. Each bulb will have it's own depth listed on the package, but it's usually at least 2-3 times the length of the bulb itself. Don't worry about spacing. The whole point is to make the planting look "natural". This is what Mrs. Wilder has to say:

"...we must clear our minds of the idea of boundaries, forget the girdle of the garden hedge, get right away from the memory of straight lines or of beds."

One word of warning: you will NOT be able to mow the area until the foliage has browned after they bloom. This could take a month, sometimes longer, so bear this in mind when choosing a location. Consider the edge of a wooded area, or out of the way places that can be enjoyed when the blooms are out, but can be left alone for awhile afterwards.

The last thing to consider is the combination of bulbs you will use for naturalization. Choose bulbs that will compliment each other when it comes to color and size. Small daffodil varieties will mix well with other short bulbs, but will be overwhelmed if sharing a space with a tall, larger variety of bulbs. Here is one last bit of advice from Mrs. Wilder:

"It is losing a great opportunity not to give a floor of bulbous plants to such flowering trees and shrubs as Dogwoods, Almonds, Forsythias, Crab-Apples, Japanese and orchard Cherries, Witch Hazels, Magnolias, Peaches, Laburnums, Lilacs, Mock Oranges, Thorns and Azaleas. The shade of most of these is not too heavy for even the sun lovers to survive."

If you've never attempted to naturalize before, consider starting with a small out of the way area using inexpensive varieties of bulbs this fall. If it goes well, a larger area can naturalized the next year. Plan ahead, be creative and have fun!

On OFL we have a list of bulbs to plant for early spring bloom:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/bulbs6.html

~Brenda