We hope you enjoy this collection of recipes as much as we enjoy bringing them to you.
We have taken some liberties, updated the units of measure and adapted some modern ingredients, but the result is the same … just Plain Cookin' that is sure to make your meals into special occasions.
You won't find these recipes compiled into any other cookbooks. Many of the recipes we feature have been handed down from generation to generation. Even the newer selections are passed along from friends and family.
Happy Cooking!
Patty Baldwin & Kathy Quackenbush
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BEVERAGES
Summers in Kansas tend to be hot and the winters are absolutely frigid! Whether you are looking
for something cool for a hot summer day or something to warm the ‘innards’ on a cold winter
evening, you’re sure to find something to satisfy.
Cranberry Punch
1 3oz. pkg. cherry flavored gelatin
1c. boiling water
1 6oz. can frozen lemonade or pineapple - orange juice concentrate 3c. cold water
1 qt. cranberry juice cocktail - chilled
1 12oz. (1 pt.) ginger ale - chilled
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water, then stir in lemonade or fruit concentrate, cold water and cranberry juice cocktail. Place in large punch bowl with 2 trays of ice cubes or a molded ice ring. Pour punch over ice and slowly pour in chilled ginger ale. Add thin orange slices spiked with cloves for garnish.
Cranberry Lemonade
1/2 c. lemon juice
2c. cranberry juice cocktail (cold)
1c. sugar 1 6oz.. bottle club soda (cold)
Combine lemon juice, sugar, and cranberry juice cocktail. Chill. When ready to serve add club soda. (Ginger ale may by substituted)
Garnish with slices of lemon.
Golden Punch
3 x 3oz. pkg. lemon Jello™
1 16oz. bottle of Real™ lemon
9c. boiling water
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2 46oz. cans unsweetened pineapple juice
4c. sugar
2 qts. Ginger ale
Mix Jello™ and water as for Jello™. Add remaining water and sugar. Stir. Add lemon juice and pineapple juice and freeze.
Before using, thaw until slushy ( 3 to 4 hours) and add ginger ale. Pour over ice or ice rings made from part of the punch mixture (without the ginger ale).
Note: This is a very large recipe and very nice to use for such occasions as Golden Wedding etc. Can be made well in advance of use. Always add ginger ale right before serving.
Percolator Punch
Note: Use old fashioned percolator - not electric.
Place into the percolator basket:
1T. whole cloves
1 1/2t. allspice
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2t. salt
1/2c. brown sugar
Put in the bottom of an 8 c. percolator:
3c. pineapple juice
3c. water
Perk 10 minutes and serve hot.
Spiced Tea
6 qt. water
3c. sugar
4 lemons (juice and rind)
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6 oranges (juice and rind)
4t. whole cloves
6 cinnamon sticks
Mix together and pour over 3T. loose tea. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.
Note: If desired, this can be made in advance to serve later: Mix the lemon juice, orange juice, sugar and spices. Heat and simmer for 5 minutes using only 3 quarts of boiling water. Pour over the rinds of the lemons, oranges, and tea.
Let stand for 5 minutes. Strain each mixture and mix.
When ready to serve, heat the remaining 3 quarts of water to boiling and add to tea mixture.
Spiced Tea
Mix and bring to a rolling boil:
1c. sugar
1t. whole cloves
1t. stick cinnamon crushed
1qt. water
juice of 3 oranges
juice of 3 lemons
1/2c. black tea leaves
Add: 1/2c. black tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and add 3 quarts of boiling water.
Makes about 24 - 6oz. servings
Hot Mulled Wine
Combine:
1 pint Lambrusco wine
1 qt. Port wine
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2 quarts cider
½ c. brown sugar
Place 1t. whole allspice and 1 ½ t. in a tea ball or tie in cheesecloth. Add to liquid along with 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks. Heat until very hot (but do U boil) for 1 hour before serving.
A crock pot works well for this recipe.
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BREADS
Nothing beats that aroma of fresh baked bread! These are sure to please, especially if you throw
caution to the wind and slather butter on a warm slice!
Banana Bread
Cream: 2c. sugar and 1c. shortening
Add:
6 mashed bananas
Sift: 2 1/2 c. flour
1t. salt
2t. soda
Blend and divide dough into 2 greased and floured bread pans.
Bake in 350 degree oven.
Banana Nut Bread
Cream together:
½ c. shortening
2c. sugar
Add:
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas
Combine:
3c. flour
1t. soda
Add alternately with flour to banana mixture:
*½ c. sour milk
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Add:
2/3c. chopped nuts.
*Buttermilk may be substituted.
Mix well and pour into 2 greased pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Apricot-Date-Nut Bread
Cream together
1/4 cup butter or margarine--softened
3/4 cup brown sugar--packed
Add to above and beat 10 minutes 'til thick
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together and add to above.
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Add to above and mix
1 8oz. package pitted dates
1 6oz. package dried apricots
2 cups walnuts--halves or pieces
Pour into 3 small loaf pans, or regular loaf pan, and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hr. (or until toothpick tests clean)
Freezes well
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Blueberry Zucchini Bread
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups zucchini grated
3 tsp. vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup blueberries
Beat eggs, then add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and blend well. Add nuts and berries and then mix.
Bake at 325 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes in lightly greased and floured pans. Makes two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
Delicious White Bread
2pkg. dry yeast
2T. sugar
2 3/4 c. warm water
1/3c. c. cooking oil
1/2 c. nonfat dry milk
1T. salt
7 - 7 1/2 c. flour
Sprinkle yeast on warm water. Add dry mild, sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of flour. Beat till smooth. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover, let rest 15 minutes. Knead for 10 minutes.
Divide in half-shape into loaf and place in 2 9"x5"x3" pans. Let rise till double - about 1 - l 1/2 hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.
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Pinwheel Biscuits
Prepare: One recipe basic biscuit dough. Roll dough to oblong shape about 1/2" thick Spread softened butter over the dough and sprinkle with brown, white or maple sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough as for a jelly roll and cut in slices about 3/4" thick. Place cut side down on a slightly oiled pan and bake as directed for the biscuits.
Funnel Cakes
2c. flour
1/4 c. salt (optional)
1T. sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1t. baking powder
1 to 1 1/2c. milk
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the center. Into the well, add the eggs, vanilla and 1c. milk. Stir the liquid ingredients and slowly incorporate the flour mixture into it, making a smooth batter. Add more milk if it is too stiff to flow from a funnel with a 1/2 inch opening.
Heat a large cast iron skillet about a 1 1/2 inch of oil. When very hot (but not to the smoking point), pour a 1/2
c. of the batter into a funnel with a 1/2 inch opening, keeping a finger at the tip to stop and control the flow.
Positioned over the skillet, begin by releasing the batter slowly into the oil in a spiral pattern.. Fry for about 2
to 3 minutes on each side and then drain on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
These can be kept warm in an oven on the lowest setting. Repeat again, adding more milk to the batter if it becomes too stiff. Dust the finished cakes with powdered sugar and cinnamon (optional).
Mom's Waffles
2 eggs separated - beat the whites until stiff.
Add to the yolks - 1/2 c. cream and 1c. milk.
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Put together in a sifter: 1 1/2 c. flour, 3t. baking powder and 1t/ salt.
Add to egg mixture.
Fold in the egg whites last.
Poppy Seed Bread
3c. flour
1 ½ t. salt
2 ½ t. baking powder
Combine above ingredients, then add the following in the order given ( Part I – then Part II ).