Old Fashioned Baking Tips and Recipes

I'm in a baking mood today, since the snow is covering the ground, the trees and the bushes for the first time this year with no melting in sight. It was 16 degrees F. this morning, but then we've been having warmer than usual temperatures this winter, and I knew the cold days were coming. Last night I made homemade pizza for my family, plus three extra teenagers. The house was toasty warm since the oven was on 450 F. for quite awhile as I rolled out crust and made five pizzas. I've shared my recipe for the crust on a past blog: http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/homemade-pizza-for-six-or-more.html . I tripled this recipe last night and topped the pizzas with pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, sausage, bacon, cheese and ham. I did one pizza meatless since one of our teen visitors is vegetarian. That pizza I topped with the sauce, sauteed green pepper, onions, mushrooms and then I sprinkled it with oregano, basil and Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella.

Today's tips are from All About Home Baking, which was published in 1933. I love this cookbook, and actually ended up with two copies, one of which belonged to Grandma Dorothy, my husband's grandma who passed away this fall. Thumbing through it always reminds me of her:) The baking tips are almost better than the recipes.

Measuring Baking Powder

Don't heap the teaspoon, for a heaping teaspoon may be 3 or 4 level teaspoons. Don't level off the spoon against the side of the can (I'm guilty of this one! -B.) ; the rounded edge gives you a rounding, and not a level teaspoon. Don't fill the spoon "about right" and shake off the excess; use your spatula to level off. Don't guess at fractions; use the small sizes of your measuring spoons to measure 1/4 or 1/2 amounts.

Penalties of Improper Baking Soda Amounts

Too much: batter running over edge of the pan; cake falling in the center; crackle, gummy, tough crust; coarse, crumbly texture.

Too little: undersized products; peaked, dull crust; heaviness; leathery streaks

Measuring Other Ingredients

Melted shortening or margarine: Melt shortening over hot water (Microwave can be used -B.). Then measure by level tablespoons.

Granulated Sugar: fill the cup and level off with a spatula or straight edge of knife. Never heap the cup or "scant" even a little bit.

Brown Sugar: pack into the cups firmly so it will keep the shape of the cup when turned out.

Thick, Sticky Liquids: pour into spoon from the container or another spoon. Don't dip the spoon into sticky liquids to measure. Too much will end up clinging to the underside of the spoon.

Cheese Roulettes

2 cups sifted cake flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

4 tbsp. butter or shortening

2/3 cup milk

melted butter

1 cup grated American cheese

salt

paprika

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, sift again. Cut in shortening; add milk all at once and stir carefully until all flour is dampened. Then stir vigorously until mixture forms a soft dough and follows spoon around bowl. Turn out on slightly floured board and knead for 30 seconds. Roll into oblong sheet, 1/8 inch thick. Brush with melted butter. Spread cheese evenly over dough. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Cut into strips, 6x1/2 inches, roll each strip, and place in greased muffin tins. Bake at 425 F. 15 minutes. Makes 24.

Aladdin Chocolate Cake

1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour

1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

4 tbsp. softened butter or shortening

2 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, salt and sugar, and sift together three times. Add butter. Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla and add to flour mixture, stirring until all flour is dampened. Add chocolate and blend. Then beat vigorously 1 minute. Bake in a greased pan, 8x8x2 inches, in moderate oven (325 F.) for 1 hour. Spread with frosting when cool, over the top and sides.

On OFL we have recipes for old fashioned tea breads:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/teabreads.html

~Brenda

Thanksgiving: Homemade Biscuits

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell

Biscuits or rolls are always a favorite at any holiday meal, and making them yourself is easy and inexpensive with a few tips. The first and most important tip:

NEVER over handle the dough.

Follow the instructions to the letter, and afterwards gently handle the dough when rolling, patting, cutting or shaping. Biscuit dough that's been over mixed or kneaded too long will result in hard biscuits. I should know because I've baked many a biscuit failure in my oven over the years, until I learned this lesson.

The recipe below is from The Home Comfort Cook Book, published in 1948, with a few of my changes.

Basic Biscuit Recipe

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. shortening

3/4 milk

Sift together dry ingredients, blend in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is like course corn meal. One or two more tablespoons shortening may be added for richer biscuits, and part water may be used with milk. Make a well in the center of flour mixture, pour in liquid and stir vigorously with a fork for 1/2 minute. Then turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently and quickly for another 1/2 minute.

Roll dough with lightly floured rolling pin or pat it out gently to the desired thickness--about 1/4 inch for plain biscuits, 1/2 inch for tea biscuits and 1 inch for shortcakes. Cut dough with biscuit cutter, dipped in flour. Tops may be brushed with milk or melted butter for a soft, well-browned crust. Place 1/2 inch apart on greased baking sheet and bake in a hot 425 degree oven about 7-15 minutes.

A note on "sour milk": you can use buttermilk or add a tsp. of white or cider vinegar to regular milk which will "sour" it.

BISCUIT VARIATIONS

Drop Biscuits: Add 2 tbsp. or more milk to the recipe, stir dough about 1 minute and then drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake according to recipe above.

Buttermilk/Sour Milk Biscuits: Use 3 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. soda instead of the 4 tsp. baking powder called for in recipe. 2 tbsp. shortening and 3/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk instead of sweet milk. Mix and bake as per recipe above.

Orange Biscuits: Add grated rind of 1 orange and 1 tbsp. sugar to dry ingredients. When biscuits are ready for the oven press a sugar cube dipped in orange juice into each biscuit and bake as usual.

Pineapple Biscuits: Use part canned pineapple juice instead of milk in the recipe. Dent tops of biscuits and fill with drained, crushed pineapple. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and bake as usual.

Cheese Biscuits: Add 3/4 cup grated or finely chopped cheese to recipe and substitute water for half of the milk. (Brush with garlic butter to make garlic cheese biscuits!)

Biscuit Sticks: Cut biscuit dough into strips, 1/2 inch high, 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. Brush with melted butter and bake.

Whole Wheat Biscuits: Use 2 cups unsifted whole wheat flour instead of white flour and use 3 tbsp. shortening instead. Dot each biscuit with a dab of butter before baking.

On OFL we also have instructions for easy yeast bread:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/yeastbread.html

~Brenda

Stocking Up for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is around the corner, so if you haven't stocked up for holiday baking and cooking already, it's time.

Obviously everyone has their own special dishes they love making at the holidays. Get out those recipes and make a list of the ingredients. Divide it into items that can be bought ahead of time to put in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, and the items that have to be bought fresh. Watch the sales and buy the items that can be stores ahead of time. Put your fresh ingredients list on the bulletin board, or in your organizer.

This list is a general list of items most everyone will need at some point during the holidays.

Baking soda

Baking powder

If you haven't replaced these two items in the last year, then it's time.

Yeast
It's much cheaper to buy a jar of yeast instead of the small packets. The one I have in my refrigerator is good until April 2013 and cost $4.99 on sale last month.

All Purpose Flour
Buttermilk Baking Mix

I keep both on hand at all times. I buy 10 pound bags of flour, and keep the baking mix on hand (stored in the refrigerator) for biscuits and dumplings.

Granulated White Sugar

Brown Sugar

Confectioners' Sugar

I buy a 1o pound bag of the granulated sugar and 2 pound bags of the others.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Milk Chocolate Chips

White Chocolate Chips

Butterscotch Chips

I buy 4 bags of the semi- sweet chips, plus 2 each of the others.

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Ground Ginger

Ground Cloves

Allspice

These are the spices I use the most for baking during the holidays. I always have vanilla extract and cinnamon on hand, but I just bought small amounts of cloves and allspice.

Margarine

Butter

Sour cream

Cream Cheese

Eggs

I stock up on all of these items during November and December. The sales have started, and over the years I've found the closer it gets to Christmas the less they put these things on sale. There are exceptions, but I grab them when I see a good sale.

These are a few of the other items I keep on hand during the holidays to make cookies and breads.

Canned Pumpkin

Oatmeal

Molasses

Vanilla and Coconut Pudding

Various Nuts

Assorted Cake Mixes

On OFL we have an article on emergency substitutions:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/substitutions.html

~Brenda

Tips, Measurements and Equivalents

With the weather cooling off, at least for some of us, it's time to start baking again. Last week I baked muffins for the kids, and I stocked up on some ingredients to bake cookies this weekend. Today I have a few baking tips to share.

Oven temperatures in newer recipes are very clear, but if you collect old cookbooks you'll find they often use "moderate oven" or "hot oven". Use the following when running across this type of thing.

Slow Oven: 250-300 degrees F.

Moderate Oven: 350-375 degrees F.

Hot Oven: 400 degrees F.

Very Hot Oven: 450-500 degrees F.

The following tips are from All About Home Baking published in 1933. I love this cookbook because of the baking tips. Quotes from the book are in italics.

Cutting in shortening can be tricky. If it's not done correctly your biscuits or scones will be heavy like a rock. The tip below is a great explanation of this method.

Cut shortening into flour quickly and lightly , being careful not to press down and mash the fat (butter etc.) . The cutting is continued until the shortening is separated into tiny particles and the mixture resembles course corn meal. The pastry blender is a convenient little tool for cutting in shortening. Two knives may be used instead.

(Pastry blenders are very inexpensive now, and can be found in most gadget sections of stores like Walmart or Target.)

Muffins are simple to make, but if they aren't done correctly they can turn out tough, dry or they may have "tunnels". The following tip will help:

Turn wet ingredients all at once into dry ones. Stir as briskly as possible without splashing mixture out of mixing bowl. Stop stirring in about 25 seconds, or just as soon as the flour is MOISTENED. The batter should look lumpy--do not attempt to beat it smooth. Overstirring results in muffins with sharp peaks or knobs on the outside and long holes or tunnels inside.

Measuring ingredients is very important in any type of baking. Below are a few tips to make sure your measuring is accurate.

-Flour should be sifted BEFORE it's measured, and spoon gently into the measuring cup afterwards, then leveled off with a knife. The sifting changes the volume of the flour.

-Baking powder should be measured very exact. Dip the spoon into the container of baking powder and carefully use a knife to level it off.

-Shortening should be packed into the measuring cup as tightly as possible, then leveled off with a knife.

On OFL we have old fashioned cake recipes:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/cakes2.html

~Brenda

Old Fashioned Cooking Tips

I've been baking a lot lately, partly to save money, and partly for the joy of it. Last week I made two types of cookies, brownies and lemon bread. Winter is such a good time to try new bread and cookie recipes. Later in the week I'll share a few I've tried.

Today I have cooking tips from the Home Comfort Cook Book, published in 1948. Can we ever really have too may kitchen or cooking tips?

To keep a bowl steady when mixing, place it on a wet, folded cloth.

If the top of a cake is sprinkled with flour as soon as it is taken from the oven, icing will spread more easily and not be so likely to run off.

To cut boiled eggs more easily, dip the knife in water beforehand.

Dip fish into scalding water for a minute to scale more easily.

A teaspoon of vinegar added to the water in which white fish is boiled improves flavor and makes flesh firmer.

Juices of spiced and pickled fruits are good for basting meats, especially ham or tongue.

Save liquids from pickles to use for pickled beets, slaw or for moistening meat or fish sandwich fillings.

Use damp scissors to cut marshmallows, dates and figs easily.

To bake potatoes faster, quickly boil in water 10 minutes first, then put in a hot oven.

For crisp, edible skins, scrub well, dry and rub with bacon fat before putting in oven.

To make rice white and fluffy, add 1 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar to each quart of water while cooking.

To prevent brown sugar from hardening place it in tightly closed container. If already hard, soften it by placing in a slow oven . Or place in closed fruit jar with slice of soft bread.

Mary Emma gives us tips for keeping our own cooking journal:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/kitchen46.html

~Brenda

Homemaking Tips from 1933

I was cleaning my bedroom earlier tonight, and was distracted by my bookshelves. Yes, it happens often:) I pulled out my copy of Foods and Home Making by Carlotta C. Greer, published in 1933. I thumbed through it to find a few tidbits I could share with you. I love the tip on how to be seated and how to sit properly in a chair. I have two teenagers that would have trouble keeping their feet on the floor!

Butter Spreaders: Individual knives are used for spreading butter on bread or crackers. Butter spreaders may be used for placing cream cheese or marmalade on bread. Do not spread these foods on bread. A butter spreader placed on a bread and butter plate parallel with the edge of the table is easily grasped with the right hand.

Eating Crackers with Soup: It is good manners to break up crackers and drop them in soup. Crackers should be eaten somewhat as bread. Break off a bit at a time and eat the small piece without dipping it in the soup.

Crisp Crackers: If crackers are allowed to stand exposed to the air, they absorb moisture and lose their crispness. They become crisp again when heated. Place crackers on a pie pan or baking sheet. Bake them in a hot oven-400 degrees F-for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cake Failures

-Cracked Crust: too much moisture or sugar or baking powder

-Dry: too much flour or too slow of an oven

-Tough: too little fat

-Heavy: too little baking powder or falling during baking or after removing from oven. Falling of cakes may be due to-

1.Too much fat or sugar or baking powder
2.Too little flour
3.Jarring during baking

How and where shall we be seated at the table? Custom makes some things correct. It has been customary to stand behind the chair in which we are going to sit at the table. Stand until the hostess starts to sit down. Then, unless it is inconvenient, move to the left of your chair and be seated. Rise from the left of the left of the chair, also. Sit straight in your chair with your feet resting on the floor-not on the rungs of the chair. If this position if not comfortable, you may cross your feet, but not your knees.

On OFL we have an article on one family's tradition of "sewing day".

~Brenda

Muffins or Gems? What is the Difference?

I've always wondered what the difference was between a muffin and a gem. Gem recipes are always lumped in with the muffin recipes, and are made in muffin tins. So, what IS the difference? It's a little like Jello became synonymous with gelatin, though it was a brand name. The Gem Company made and sold kitchen equipment, including muffin tins. They were such a popular company that people started calling muffins cooked in their tins "gems". I looked through my cookbooks and found some recipes for gems to share.

Apple Gems

Modern Priscilla Cook Book, 1924

1 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

5 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. molasses

1 cup milk

4 sour apples

Sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk and beat until smooth. Peel and chop apples, adding them to batter. Put into muffin-tins and bake in a moderately hot oven. Time in oven, 25 minutes. Temperature, 375 degree F. Servings 12.

Raspberry Bran Gems

Good Housekeeping's Book of Menus,

Recipes & Household Discoveries 1926

1 cupful graham flour

1 cupful whole-wheat flour

1 cupful bran

1 teaspoonful soda

2 teaspoonfuls baking-powder

1 tablespoonful sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoonfuls cooking oil

1 teaspoonful salt

2 cupfuls sour milk or buttermilk

1/2 cupful raspberry jam

Mix all the dry ingredients together; add the oil, the egg well beaten, the sour milk, and the jam. Beat together thoroughly and pour into well-greased gem pans. Bake twenty-five minutes in a 400 degree F. oven.

Notes: You can sour milk by taking away a tsp. of milk and adding a tsp. of vinegar to the remaining milk. Let it sit a minute, stir and use. If you have non-stick coated muffin pans then just spray with cooking spray instead of greasing or buttering the pan.

Date Gems

Rumford Complete Cook Book 1934

1 cup chopped dates

2 cups flour

1/2 level teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 level teaspoons Rumford Baking Powder

Stone (pit) the dates and chop coarsely. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cut the shortening into the flour, then mix in the dates and form to a stiff batter with the beaten egg and milk. Bake in hot, well-greased gem pans in a moderate oven about twenty minutes.

Note: Moderate usually means 350 degrees F.

On OFL we have muffin recipes that will be great to bake this fall.

~Brenda

Sunday Baking Recipes

A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. ~Ogden Nash

It's always nice to bake on Sunday so everyone can ease into Monday morning with a little home baked goodness. With two teens and a ten year old, our Mondays can be chaotic to say the least, so anything that helps the morning go better is welcomed.

Today I looked through my cookbook collection for bread recipes and ran across a neat little book I had forgotten about. It's a Fleishmann's Yeast booklet from 1910. This recipe calls for a "cake" of yeast which is equivalent to 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast.

English Bath Buns

2 cakes yeast (4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast)
1/2 cup milk, scolded and cooled
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tablespoons sugar
1 cup almonds, chopped

Dissolve yeast in one tbsp. of the sugar in lukewarm milk. Add the butter, eggs unbeaten, flour gradually, and the salt, beating thoroughly. This mixture should be thick, but not stiff enough to handle. Cover and let rise in warm place one and 1/2 hours, or until light. Sprinkle balance of sugar and almonds over top, mix very lightly and drop into well-greased muffin pans. Cover and let rise until light, which should be about a half hour. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in a moderately hot oven (350 F.) These buns should be rough in appearance.

I also have All About Home Baking, a General Foods Corp. book, from 1933. Many of the recipes call for "cake flour" which is available in the store, but often all I have on hand is regular all-purpose flour. You can substitute regular flour by combining 3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for each ONE CUP of cake flour that is called for in a recipe.

Chocolate Bread

3 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg, well beaten
4 tbsp. melted butter or other shortening
1 1/4 cups milk
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, sift again. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Add egg and melted butter; then add milk gradually, mixing thoroughly. Add chocolate and blend. Bake in greased loaf pan, 8x4x3 inches, in moderated 350 degree F. oven 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until done. Cool before slicing.

Cinnamon Drop Biscuits

2 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, well beaten

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, sugar, salt and cinnamon, and sift again. Cut in shortening. (I use a fork) Combine milk and egg, then add all at once to flour mixture and stir carefully until all flour is dampened. Then stir vigorously until mixture forms a soft dough that clings to sides of bowl. Drop from teaspoon on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

On OFL we have more quick bread recipes to try:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/bread2.html

~Brenda

Old Fashioned Cooking Terms

Several months ago I picked up a small cookbook at a thrift store called "Good Ole Country Cookin'". I'm sure you've seen these types of books before. It's a compilation of recipes from women all over some small town in rural America. There books are put together and sold as a fundraiser at church or the county fair. 

While it's a wonderful treasure trove of recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation, they are so old and out dated that the directions are often lacking our modern terms, temperatures, ingredients and methods.

There are quite a few recipes in this book I would like to try, but when the instructions for Aunt Mildred's Sweet Cakes say to bake in a hot oven, what exactly does that mean anyway? Well, don't give up on those old recipes just yet. Below are quite a few "translations" that may come in handy when you run across one of these nostalgic books!

Oven temperatures:

Slow = up to 300 F

Very moderate = 300 F - 350 F

Moderate/Medium = 350 F - 400 F

Hot/Quick/Fast = 400 F - 450 F

Very Hot/Very Quick = 450 F - 500 F

Baking times:

Cookies: bake until just golden

Cakes: bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick or butter knife inserted in center comes out clean

Bread: bake until bread pulls away from sides of pan, or when tapped you hear a hollow sound

Custards: bake until just set

Single crust filled pies: hot oven (425-450 F) for 1st ten minutes to crisp the crust, lower to moderate (350 F) to finish

Unfilled pie shell: bake at 425 F for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly browned

Unfilled tart shell: bake at 425 F for 12 minutes

Baking Temps:

Cookies, cakes, quick breads: 350 F

Yeast bread: 375 F

Yeast rolls: 400-425 F

Tarts: 375 F

1 pound yields:

4 cups sifted flour

4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

3 1/2 cups graham flour

3 cups cornmeal

5 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 1/4 cups white sugar

2 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/3 cups molasses or honey

2 cups milk

4 cups nut meats, chopped

3 cups dried fruit

lard = use shortening

fat = means butter

sour milk = buttermilk OR 1 tablespoon vinegar added to 1 cup whole milk

sweet milk = milk (whole is best for baking, but 2%, 1% and skim can be used succesfully)

cake compressed yeast = 1 package active dry yeast

pint = 2 cups

quart = 4 cups

gill = 4 ounces (1/4 pound, metric = 5 ounces as a metric pound is 20 ounces)

peck = 8 quarts

bushel = 4 pecks

And just for fun, here's a recipe you might enjoy:

Tea Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup chopped dates or raisins

1 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients, rub in peanut butter, add fruit, stir in milk. Pour into small greased bread pan and bake in moderate oven about an hour.

Enjoy!

~ Amanda

Reference: The Farmer's Wife Baking Cookbook: Over 300 blue-ribbon recipes!, Lela Nargi, Voyageur Press

Friday Recipes: Tea Breads

Today I am going to share with you a variety of tea bread recipes. 

Some of these recipes date back to the early 1900's. I hope you enjoy them, and even more so, I hope you'll stop by and comment if you decide to make any of them. Let us know how you liked them!

You can always find plenty of recipes on Old Fashioned Living by using our search box.

Chocolate Tea Bread

1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar and egg in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended; stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 8-1/2x4-1/2x2-1/2 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Thinly slice and serve on platter with tea.


Lemony Tea Bread

3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel or lemon balm
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons shredded lemon peel
2/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a small sauce pan, heat milk, lemon balm or peel, and thyme until just warm. Remove from heat; cool. Stir together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fluffy. Alternately add the herbed milk and the flour to batter, beating on low speed until just combined. Fold in lemon peel. Turn into greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven 45-50 minutes or until golden. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and just enough lemon juice to make a drizzle. Spoon over bread. Slice and serve on a pretty paper doily lined plate.


Mini Lemon Tea Breads

2 large lemons
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease ten 4"x2 1/4" loaf pans. From lemons, grate the peel and squeeze 1/4 cup lemon juice. In large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two knives butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon peel. In bowl beat eggs, milk and lemon juice; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Spoon evenly into pans; top with remaining lemon peel. Place loaf pans on a baking pan for easier handling. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on racks.

Notes: You can use one 9"x 5" loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


Norwegian Tea Bread

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
splash vanilla extract
6 oz. chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350. Combine the sugar, butter and eggs together in a bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl, and slowly add to the butter mixture. Batter will be stiff. After mixed, add the vanilla and chocolate chips. Stir well. Use ungreased cookie sheet and make 3 rows of butter logs. Place in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Cut while still warm on the cookie sheet...at an angle. Serve.


Peach Tea Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh peaches
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In medium size bowl, combine peaches and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla. Add oil mixture to flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overbeat. Fold in peaches and nuts. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched, or test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.


Lemon Tea Bread

1/2 c. butter 1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Add the lemon rind. Bake in a greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, mix juice and sugar in a small pan. Heat slightly. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, slowly spoon over topping until all is absorbed. Cool in pan.


Lavender Tea Bread

3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers, finely chopped, or 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped flowers
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in bowl. In another bowl cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts. Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, drizzle with a simple sugar glaze or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Garnish with sprigs of fresh lavender.


Sage Tea Bread

1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, heat milk and sage just until warm. Set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture. Pour into a greased 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.


If you enjoyed these, please check out our entire Tea Time section on Old Fashioned Living for more recipes, tea party ideas and more.

The Lovely Smell of Fall Treats

I see, when I bend close, how each leaflet of a
climbing rose is bordered with frost, the autumn
counterpart of the dewdrops of summer dawns.
The feathery leaves of yarrow are thick with silver
rime and dry thistle heads rise like goblets plated
with silver catching the sun. ~Edwin Way Teale

I love fall food; the smells, the spices, the fruit and of course, the eating. We also love tea at our house, and baking goodies to go along with the tea. I thought you would like these fall recipes to try this weekend.

Harvest Spice Tea Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
2 cinnamon tea bags (see note)
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract -
Butter
Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring the water to a boil in a small pan,add the tea bags, and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Mix the other ingredients in a large bowl. Add the tea, carefully squeezing excess liquid from tea bags before discarding the bags. Mix the batter well. Pour into a 8x8x2-inch greased baking dish that has been buttered. Bake for 25 minutes. When cooled slightly, spread a little butter on top to melt and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Note: Any spicy type tea will work great--even a chai.

Ginger Cranberry Tea

Ingredients:
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh, rinsed cranberries
pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup cranberry juice
2 mint sprigs
Sugar or honey to sweeten

In a medium sized bowl, pour boiling water over ginger and cranberries. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Strain, add nutmeg and cranberry juice and stir. Add sugar or honey to taste. Serve warm. Garnish with mint.

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese; softened
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin, or cooked pumpkin- pureed
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together all the ingredients. Serve with teddy bear
shaped crackers, apples or ginger snaps.

Lina, one of my long time friends, shared this recipe from Libby's. These are fun to make and give as a hostess gift, autumn birthday gift or just to make and eat.

Mini Pumpkin Muffin Mix

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup raisins, sweetened dried cranberries
OR chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 can (15 oz.) Pure Pumpkin

COMBINE all ingredients, except pumpkin, in large bowl.Pour into 1-quart container, resealable plastic bag will work; seal. Wrap muffin mix and a can of pumpkin in fabric; tie with ribbon or twine.

RECIPE TO ATTACH:
Pour muffin mix into large bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup vegetable shortening with pastry blender until mixture is fine. Add 1 cup LIBBY'S 100% PURE PUMPKIN, 1 cup milk and 2 large eggs; mix until just moistened. Spoon into greased or paper-lined mini-muffin pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes; remove to wire racks. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Makes about 60 mini muffins.

I hope your weekend is lovely. ~Brenda

Homemade Pie Baking Tips

The scarlet of maples can shake me
like a cry of bugles going by.
And my lonely spirit thrills
to see the frosty asters like
smoke upon the hills.
~William Bliss Carman

Hazel, one of my readers, sent in these tips she uses in baking 100 pies each fall! Below that are more tips from other readers and another pie related question that was sent in to me.

I make up to 100 pies each fall. I give them to friends, family and use them for sick or grieving friends. Of course, my husband and I eat our share. I usually have at least 40 pies in my freezer to take out and bake through the winter. It has always been a pain to put something under them to catch the boiling over. I used cookie sheets, which sometimes were not wide enough, so didn't catch it all. I used foil that I had to try and fold up around the pan and it was hard to get it right. About a month ago, I found 12 inch pizza pans that have a slightly raised edge. I thought it was worth a try to see if they would work. I put the 9 inch pie on them, and there is a good amount of space for drippings. I can fit two on my oven shelf at a time. I absolutely love them. Even clean up is not that bad if I soak them in very hot soapy water for a couple of hours. Everything wipes right off with the dish cloth. I feel like so much work has been taken out of my pie baking. ~Hazel P.S. I bought the pans at WalMart.

I've also used the pizza pan idea to catch drips when baking. For really easy clean-up I also line the pizza pan with the No Stick foil that is out now. It is great! Parchment paper works well too. Happy Baking! ~Elizabeth

On Hazel's pizza pans for her pies; she won't have to soak those pans if she covers them with foil. I use the new release foil for just about everything that I put in the oven. The cleanup is so quick. ~Sheila

I have also used the pizza pans when pie baking. For easier clean upon no mess cleanup, cover the pan in aluminum foil and I sometimes just coat the pan with margarine or spay with Pam (cooking spray). Any spills will come off in soap water. No scrubbing or soaking for any period of time. ~Elayne

I bought 2 glass pie pans while I was at Goodwill yesterday. They are in mint shape. I've never used glass pie pans before. I am wondering , do I lower the oven temperature 25 degrees while using glass pans, like I do with other glass baking dishes? I am a little worried what this will do to my pumpkin pies since there are 2 different temperatures to use while baking these. ~Bonnie

Yes, you should always lower the temperature by 25 degrees when using glass pie pans, or dark metal pans. If a pan is a type that is shiny and bright it's recommended you actually bake a little longer. You should also place your pans in the lower third of the oven to brown the top and the bottom evenly. As far as your baking your pies together, it would probably be best to bake the ones in the glass pans separately.

We also have an article on making a cream pie with endless variations! Click here: http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/creampie.html

Enjoy the cool fall weather! ~Brenda