Monday, May 7, 2012

Finishing Up in the Old Ledgers' Cookbooks - Ohio Methodist Ladies' Group

           We could probably browse through these old ledger cookbooks for months, but I have some more interesting people to share with you via their recipes.   We'll take one last ramble down through the pages from the past and give you a few interesting tidbits more before we close the covers.
         
          One of the things that I found over and over in those pages (besides the great assortment of cake recipes) was the number and variety of salad and dessert recipes using Jello!  They had pages and pages of Jello using vegetables, Jello using fruit, and Jello made into dessert!  If you think about it, these were the days before so many "quick and easy", "instant", and "family-pleasing" boxed dinner helpers...something that could be made ahead and put in the refrigerator, like a Jello salad, was a definite plus!  This one had (to me) a surprise ingredient:

Nippy Salad (I thought at first it read "Nifty"!!) - from Blanche

1 pkg. lime jello
1-1/4 c. boiling water
1 c. well-drained crushed pineapple
2 pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 3 oz. size
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbls. horseradish

          When jello is partially set, add pineapple, cheese, mayonnaise, and horseradish.  (Note from Blanche:  I put mayonnaise, pieapple, horseradish, and 2 Tbsp. cream cheese and stir well until smooth, then put in jello when partially set.)
          I'm not really sure whether this note meant that she only used the 2 Tbls. rather than the 2 pkgs. or whether she mixed the small amount of cream cheese with the other items and then put it altogether! 
         Since I'm still coming to grips with the addition of the horseradish, I'll let you use your own judgment......


Treasure Pudding


1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. honey
2 beaten eggs
1 c. chopped fruit
1 Tbls. lemon rind
1 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. walnut meats
2-1/2 c sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. sweet milk
           Cream shortening, add honey and blend.  Add eggs, beat together.  Add fruit, rind, carrots, and nuts.  Sift dry ingredients.  Add alternately with milk.
          Bake in tube pan 1 hour, 15 minutes at 325 degrees.  If baked in other kind of pan., bake 1 hour.


Orange Sauce

3 Tbls. flour
3/4 c. sugar
Mix together.  Add:
1/2 orange juice
1 c. hot water
Cook until thick.
Add:
1 Tbls. grated orange rind  and
3 Tbls. butter

Serve hot over pudding.


          Two little recipes to give you a smile....

Scrambled Eggs

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder (do you suppose this was to "fluff" them a bit?)
1 slice bread, cubed
Mix all together.

I wonder if the cubed bread was to stretch the recipe.  Any ideas?

          This last recipe was definitely created before the influence of the American Heart Association!

Royal Meat Balls

3/4 lb. ground round steak
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
A little chopped onion
3 Tbls. catsup
Form into patties and roll in Farina.  Fry in (get ready for this...)  bacon drippings and butter!

             I suspect in the era these recipes were used that most everybody worked harder, walked more, and in general, had a healthier life style!  They certainly were an active group from what they've left for us in these ledger pages!

            Thanks again, ladies!!