Grandma's Cookbook

So I've been typing up the recipes from Grandma Tucker's cookbook. Imagine my joy when I came into the computer room and found that my computer had automatically shut down for updates. Apparently I hadn't saved all the ones I typed last night. Nice.

Still, with each recipe a decipher (most of them are written in her handwriting) I think about Grandma and my mind wanders back to the many years I had with her. Living on the farm. Spending summers there when I wasn't living there. And many of my memories are in the kitchen. It was the main part of the house. The main gathering room. There wasn't a computer room. There was a t.v. but we rarely watched it. Our main time was spent outside tending the farm, playing in the yard, or hanging out in the kitchen. She was always fixing something or canning something or playing cards.

Her recipes tell a story. For example, every time I read "sifted flour" I flash back to the flour sifter and watching her actually sift it into the bowl. I also think of the cloth flour sacks (which later became towels) and the big white, round tin that she stored the flour in. And how about that Kraut Cake?! Yep, actual recipe. Or there's the sacchrien pickles, canned beets, or homemade hand cream using "Sister Katherine's" recipe. The nuns shared their recipes with Grandma. There are lots of homemade cakes (which I intend to try making) and some baked squash recipes that I remember eating. I am just getting started so I have many memories to review, but I never dreamt that typing up the cookbook would be such a walk down memory lane. I think I'll share some of the recipes on here as well, so here's the first one:

Spicy Oatmeal Cake

1 ¼ C. Boiling Water
1 C. Rolled oats
1 ½ C. Brown Sugar, firmly packed
½ butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs beaten
1 ½ C. flour
1 tsp. each of Soda and Cinnamon
½ tsp each of salt and nutmeg

Pour boiling water on oats. Cover and set aside.
Gradually add sugar to butter creaming well.
Beat in Vanilla and eggs.
Add oat mixture and stir well. Sift together remaining ingredients.
Stir until well blended.
Pour batter into 9x2 greased pan and bake 25 or 30 minutes until test done in 350 Degree oven.

Frost in pan with LAL Daisy Frosting

¼ C. butter
½ C. Milk
½ C. brown Sugar firmly packed
1 C. Coconut
½ C. Chopped walnuts
Heat butter and milk until heated. Stir in rest of ingredients
Pour over hot cake.
Place under broiler until brown

This recipe was obviously used a lot because there were a lot of smudges and food drippings on it. 