Holiday Countdown: Gifts from the Kitchen

When my husband and I were first married, money was tight because I ended up getting laid off five weeks before our wedding. I either baked or made crafts for our Christmas gifts that year and many other years as well. I found out people love gifts from the kitchen whether it's cookies, candy, bread or anything they know was made and given with care and love.

The recipes I'm sharing today can be made according to directions and placed in clean jars with lids. IF you want to process and seal the jars please do it according to the latest safe methods from the USDA: http://nchfp.uga.edu/ . Otherwise keep the jar refrigerated and give instructions with your gifts so everyone knows how they should be stored too.

The candy recipes are pretty straight forward, but a candy thermometer is something you can't really do without. Fortunately they are available in most grocery stores and will come in handy for a very long time.

Pear Chips

Home Comfort Cook Book

8 pounds firm pears

4 pounds sugar

1/4 pound chopped ginger root

4 lemons

Peels pears, remove stems, quarter and core. Cut into small pieces. Add sugar and ginger and allow to stand overnight. In the morning, quarter lemons, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Add lemons to pears and cook very slowly for 3 hours. Pack in jars and seal. Peaches may also be used.

Note: I would peel the ginger root before using.

Apricot and Pineapple Marmalade

Home Comfort Cook Book

1 pound dried apricots

2 1/2 cups crushed pineapple

3 tbsp. lemon juice

sugar

Was apricots, soak 12 hours in water to cover. Bring slowly to boiling point. Strain. Reserve juice. Press apricots through ricer or coarse sieve. Add juice and pineapple. Measure fruit and add 3/4 cup sugar to each cup of pulp and juice. Add lemon juice. Bring to boil and cook slowly about 20 minutes or until mixture thickens. Seal in jars.

Pralines

Rumford Complete Cookbook

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup cream

2 cups nut meats

Boil the sugar, maple syrup and cream together till a little dropped in cold water forms a soft ball (238 F.) Cool and beat till creamy; add the nuts and drop the mixture by spoonfuls on greased paper or plates.

January Thaw

Rumford Complete Cookbook

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup nuts, chopped

butter size of a walnut

Put sugar and milk in a saucepan and let it dissolve slowly; add butter and let boil until it forms a ball when dropped into cold water (238 F.) Remove from stove, add the chopped nuts and beat well. Turn into a buttered pan, and when cool, cut in squares.

Butterscotch

American Woman's Cookbook

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup water

1/3 cup butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Put sugar, syrup and water into a saucepan and set over direct heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then cook without stirring to the stiff ball stage (250 F.). Add butter and cook to the medium-crack stage (280 F.) for soft butterscotch, or to the hard-crack stage (300 F.) for brittle candy. Remove from heat, add the flavoring and pour on a greased slab. Mark while still warm and when cold break into pieces.

On OFL we have some great ideas for gifts from the kitchen!

Favorite Fudge Recipes

http://oldfashionedliving.com/fudge.html

Savory Gifts from the Kitchen

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

Muffin Mixes to Give as Gifts

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

~Brenda

Holiday Countdown: Cookies to Give

Christmas cookies are a tradition for a reason-- everyone loves cookies, they are for the most part inexpensive and easy to bake, plus they make lovely homemade gifts. This year I'm making special gift bags for the friends of my teens. I've been giving cookies as gifts for over 20 years now, and have learned a few things along the way.

1.Don't mix soft cookies with crispy cookies in the same container or they will make all of the cookies soft. Store crispy with crispy, etc.

2. Don't store cookies together that have completely different tastes. For instance, if you store a peanut cookie with something that doesn't have a nutty taste, it soon will. The flavors will meld somewhat.

3. Don't store fudge or candy with crispy cookies or bars. Again, it will soften the cookies.

4. Any cookie with confectioners' sugar will spread its white goodness to all the other cookies if packaged together.

5 .As a general rule, store cookies for up to a week in a container with waxed paper between the layers at room temperature.

What I'm going to do is make a selection of cookies that can be stored together, and make them smaller in size-about the size of a gingersnap. The recipes below have instructions for larger cookies, so it's important to watch the baking time. Smaller cookies WILL take less time to bake. Watch the first baking sheet of cookies carefully, and take note of how long you bake until they are done. Be sure to preheat the oven first, or this won't be accurate.

Microwave Melting: Place chocolate in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Mocha Cookies

Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. coffee or espresso powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a double boiler or a metal/glass/ceramic bowl set over a pan of hot water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips, and the butter. (this can be done carefully in the microwave as well)Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In another, larger bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until creamed. Beat in the coffee/espresso powder and the vanilla. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients, and finally stir in the remaining chocolate chips.

Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes or so. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake on middle rack for 8-10 minutes or until cracked on top. Cool on pan, transfer to baking rack.

Oatmeal Brownie Cookies

Ingredients:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup/1 stick margarine or butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups oatmeal, quick or old fashioned

Beat together cream cheese, margarine and sugars until creamed. Add the eggs and vanilla beat until creamed. Add the melted chocolate, mix well. Combine the flour and baking soda. Add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in oatmeal. Cover and chill for about an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. The center of the cookies will be slightly moist yet. Cool for about a minute on the pan, then remove to a wire rack.

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oatmeal
1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together the sugar, butter, egg, water and vanilla until light. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by tsp. on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes. Cool on racks.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pound butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups flour
5 cups quick oats
2 12 ounce bags semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream the butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together. Add the dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Add last. Stir with a sturdy wooden spoon until everything is mixed well. Drop by teaspoonfuls on parchment lined sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes.

On OFL we have more cookie goodness!

Cookie Baking, Storage and Shipping:

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

Christmas Cookie Swap Tips:

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

~Brenda

Holiday Countdown: Old Fashioned Menus

December is almost here, and I've been looking through all my cookbooks, trying to decide menus and baked items to give as gifts this year. I came across two menu suggestions from 1933, and thought it would be interesting to see how tastes have changed. I'm also sharing some of the recipes below the menus. Both are from the 1933 edition of Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking. Many of the recipes for similar dishes can be found on OFL in the recipe section: http://oldfashionedliving.com/recipes.html .

Christmas Dinner No. 1

Broiled Grapefruit

Olives, Celery

Roast Turkey

Oyster Dressing

Cranberry Relish

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Butter Brussels Sprouts

Harvard Beets

Swedish Tea Bread

Sunshine Salad

Ambrosia

Fruit Cake

Coffee

Candied Orange Peel

Candied Grapefruit Peel

Christmas Dinner No. 2

Tomato Juice

Roast Loin of Pork

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Baked Winter Squash

Buttered Greens

Spoon Cornbread

Waldorf Salad

Mince Pie

Hard Sauce

Coffee

Oyster Dressing

3 1/2 quart coarse bread crumbs

1 tsp. each salt and poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/4 pound butter

3/4 finely chopped celery

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped oysters

Measure crumbs. Add salt, poultry seasoning and pepper, and toss well. Melt butter in saucepan, add celery and onion and saute until onions are softened, then stir in oysters. Pour over bread crumbs and mix lightly with a fork. Stuff lightly in to turkey. Enough for a 12 pound bird.

Sunshine Salad

1 package lemon-flavored gelatin

1 1/4 cups hot water

1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

9 ounces crushed pineapple

1 cup grated raw carrot

lettuce or romaine

mayonnaise

Dissolve gelatin by stirring into the hot water. Add vinegar and salt, stirring to mix well, and chill until mixture becomes syrupy. Add the crushed pineapple with it's juice and the raw carrot. Pour mixture into a 4 cup mold that has been rinsed with cold water, and chill until firm. Unmold onto chilled serving plate. Surround with lettuce and serve with mayonnaise. 5 servings.

Mustard Greens and Spinach With Bacon

2 pounds fresh, tender mustard greens

1/4 pound bacon

1 quart boiling water

1/2 tsp. salt

black pepper to taste

1/2 pound spinach

Wash mustard greens very thoroughly, trimming off roots and tough stems; trim and wash spinach. Put mustard greens into pan with bacon, add water, cover and boil gently for 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and put spinach into pan, pressing down well. Again cover and cook until spinach is tender, from 10 -15 minutes. More water may be added as needed, but amount of pot liquor should be just right to serve greens when they are done. Serve piping hot.

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love and laughter. Drive safely and don't eat too much:) We are, as always, thankful for all of our readers.

~Brenda and all the OFL staff

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

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

Thanksgiving: New Side Dishes

Every family has their favorite holiday side dishes. At our table we always have mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and rolls. I like to mix it up each year and add a new side dish to the dinner table too. Below are several recipes that go well with just about any holiday meal.

Spinach Bacon Salad

Ingredients:
8 strips bacon
3 tbsp. bacon drippings
4 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. spicy mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hard boiled eggs
1 pound spinach leaves, washed and dried
Optional: Dried cranberries or cherries

Cook the bacon until crisp; remove from pan, draining on paper towels. When cooled crumble and set aside. Pour off excess bacon drippings, leaving 3-4 tablespoons in pan. Measure out 4 tbsp. of the bacon grease, remove the remainder and return the 4 tbsp. to the pan. Add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, spicy mustard and sugars to the pan, simmering until the sugars are dissolved. In a large bowl place the spinach and red onion. Pour over the warm dressing, tossing very lightly. Top with chopped boiled eggs and the cranberries or cherries.

Bean Salad with Herb Dressing

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce OR
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Combine the ingredients and whisk until mixed. Set aside.

Salad Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) can wax beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
1/4 c. diced red onion

Combine the salad ingredients. Whisk the dressing again and mix with the salad ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Ingredients:
1 lg. bunch fresh broccoli
5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked, drained,crumbled
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (light or regular)
1 tbsp. sugar

Cut broccoli into small pieces. Mix with the eggs, bacon, peas and cheese. Stir the sugar into the mayonnaise. Add to the salad ingredients and toss gently to mix. Keep refrigerated until serving time.

Dilled Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. butter
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Slice off ends of the brussel sprouts and remove any damaged leaves. Cut each brussel sprout into slices,. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the sprouts, cooking until coated with oil and bright green in color. Add the salt, pepper, dill, water and lemon juice; cover and cook 2-4 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat to a serving bowl. Toss with butter and Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

On OFL we have fresh cranberry recipes:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/cranberry.html

~Brenda