Pesto from Carol Jensen

3 packed cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pulverized almonds (this is the secret ingredient)
`/2 plus of good olive oil
1/4 cup melted butter (another secret ingredient!)

Puree everything together in a blender or food processor.
Enjoy!

Russian Apple Cake from Molly Whitcomb

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This is a delicious yet wonderfully simple recipe. It always succeeds. I got the basics of the recipe in a Russian cookbook. But the title was Moscow apple cake. I know I’ve tweeked the recipe, but I’m not sure how. I saw a recipe from Volgograd that was very close to mine. The difference was no salt, cinnamon, or lemon. The lemon is my addition, for just incase your apples aren't tart.

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice of 1/2 of small lemon, optional
2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced/sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a flat bundt pan, with spring-form edge.
Put the eggs, sugar, flour, salt, soda and cinnamon into an electric mixing bowl and beat until light in color.
Peel and cored and quarter the apples.
Take each quarter, cut in half the long way, and slice the short way.
Toss apple slices in lemon juice if desired for tartness.
Fold apples into the batter and spoon mixture into the pan.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. This depends on how much apples you have used and how wide your pan is. The cake should spring back when touched if it is done.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Chocolate Birthday Cake from Joan Jensen

I no longer have Mom's original birthday cake recipe, but this one is just as good. Mom used to wash and boil coins (2 each of quarters, dimes. nickles, pennies). After the layer cake saw baked but before frosting, she would cut slight small slits near the edge of the cake, equally spaced and radiating out from the center. Then she would slip a coin into each slit. Half the fun of eating the cake was to fine the coin!

3 squares melted cooled chocolate (unsweetened I assume)
1/2 cup soft butter
2 1/4 cup brown sugar (one box)
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt and cool the chocolate. Prepare cake pans. (2 or 3?) Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Mix in the baking soda and salt, then flour until completely combined. Fold in the sour cream. Add the boiling water, mix quickly, pour into pans and bake.

After completely cool and coins are added, frost.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

4 squares milted cooled chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 package powdered sugar (about 2 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup milk or cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Gramma's Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Molly Whitcomb

I title these Gramma's because it's my girls who love these pancakes. I don't know if I've ever eaten them, as cottage cheese is never in my house. The girls loves staying over at Gramma's and having her make these for them at breakfast. One day recently, when poking around Mom's kitchen looking for something, I noticed that she had three recipe cards in the cupboard. This was one of the recipes I found.

Combine in a blender:
... 1 cup cottage cheese
... 4 eggs
... 1/2 cup flour
... 1/4 cup oil
... 1/3 cup milk
... 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cook as for pancakes or waffles. Also makes wonderful crepes.

Mom's Sweet and Sour Meatballs from Nancy Hemenway

Way back when, I bought a huge Chinese wok at Import Plaza for $5. I think I may have been 13 years old. Well, that wok was one of the greatest pans Mom ever had. She is an expert at stir-fry, and she can whip up an incredible spaghetti sauce in that wok. But, bu far the best is these wonderful meatballs from the Chinese Gourmet cookbook. Nowadays, I substitute lean ground turkey for the beef, and nobody is the wiser. Notice in the recipe that you will need a green pepper and pineapple chunks at the very end!

Meatballs

Combine:
... 1 pound ground beef
... 1 egg, beaten
... 1 Tbl cornstarch
... 1/2 tsp salt
... 2 Tbls chopped onion
... pinch of sugar

Make into meatballs the size of large marbles.
Saute in 1 tsp of oil until lightly brown.

Sauce

Combine:
... 1 cup pineapple juice (drained from the chunks)
,., 1 Tbl soy sauce (Mom uses more!)
... 3 Tbls vinegar
... 2 Tbls water
... 1/2 cup sugar (Mom uses less!)
... 5 Tbls cornstarch.

Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until the juice begins to thicken. Add the meatballs and allow them to heat through. Cut a green pepper into 1 inch squares and add it and the pineapple chunks just before serving. This is great over white rice for dinner or served in a crockpot using toothpicks at a party.

Molasses Crinkles from Molly Whitcomb

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This recipe could be found on the Brer’ Rabbit molasses bottle. It can also be found in the I Hate to Cook Book as The Elevator Lady’s Cookies. Except I use butter. I LOVE these cookies.

¾ cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp powdered cloves

¾ tsp powdered ginger

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugar.
Add the egg and then the molasses. It will look a bit curdles, but it's okay.
Combine the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture.
Put about 1/3 cup sugar into a flat dish and using a small scoop, drop into the sugar dish, about six at a time. Toss the dough balls in sugar and roll.
Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 9 to 11 minutes. Place on wrack to cool.

This recipe is also found, with a bit of variance in the Betty Crocker Cookbook. They used 1/4 cup more flour and brown sugar and a slightly different configuration of spices.

note: Martha Stewart has a cookie a lot like this. The difference is that she uses 1/2 tsp less baking soda, adds 1/2 tsp nutmeg instead of the ginger and clove, and 1/4 tsp more salt. She also bakes them for 10 to 15 minutes at 350, instead of 9 to 11 minutes at 375. All together that's not much difference. Her name for the cookie is "chewy molasses-spice cookies".

Elevator Lady Spice Cookies from Nancy Hemenway

When we were growing up, it was a heavenly day when we'd come home from school and smell sweet warm molasses cookies cooking in the kitchen. These remain a favorite to this day for me. Mom and I made a batch of these the night before Clarice was born. I recently made them for my 2nd grade class at Crown Valley Elementary School.

Mix together:
... 3/4 cup shortening
... 1 cup sugar
... 1 egg, beaten
... 1/4 cup molasses

Sift together and stir in:
... 2 cups flour
... 2 tsp soda
... 1/4 tsp salt
... 1 tsp cinnamon
... 3/4 tsp cloves
... 3/4 tsp ginger

Now, mix it all together, and form into walnut-sized balls. Roll the balls in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, then place them two inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 to twelve minutes.

Serve these with a cold glass of milk!

Chewy GInger Cookies from Joan Jensen

If you put in the cayenne, when you bite the cookies they bite back!

Cream together:
... 1 cup sugar
... 1/3 cup oil
... 1/3 cup butter
... 1/4 cup colasses
... 1 egg

Add:
... 1-2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
... 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
... 2 teaspoons baking soda
... 1/4 teaspoon salt
... (optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
... 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Shape into balls the size of walnuts.
Roll in granulated sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.


Even better with Orange Icing!

2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
2-3 Tablespoons orange juice
1-2 teaspoons grated orange peel.

Jane's Favorite Rolls from Joan Jensen

Mom made these home-made tolls for Thanksgiving.

1 cup scalded milk
1/4 cup margarine (butter)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt

Mix these together and add 1 cup flour.
Cool to luke-warm.
Dissolve 2 packages of dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water.
Add to the above mixture 1 egg, beaten.
Then add to the liquid mixture about 4 cups of additional flour, beating thoroughly after each cup.
[Note" the recipe does not say to knead the bread]

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover.
Let rise until double in bulk.
Form rolls with floured fingers as dough tends to be sticky.
Place in greased pans. Brush tops lightly with milted butter.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Banana Tea Bread from Joan Jensen

1/3 cup shortening (I use oil)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

note from the transcriber:
This recipe contained only the ingredients, so I will create directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the dry ingredients.
Cream the shortening and the sugar.
Add eggs and beat well.
Stir the lemon juice into the mashed bananas.
Slowly add flour mixture, alternating with bananas.
Stir in the dates and nuts.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake 1 hour, or until cake tester comes out clean.

This could also be baked in a bundt pan, or two smaller loaf pans,

Mom's Waffles

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4 eggs, separated
... beat the egg whites
... beat the yolks
Add to the yolks 2 cups milk
Stir together:
... 3 cups flour
... 1 tsp salt
... 2 tsp sugar
... 4 tsp baking powder
Mix the dry ingredients with the milk mixture.
Fold in 2/3 cups melted butter.
Fold in the egg whites.

Caesar Salad Dressing from Julie Cantrell

This is one of my all time favorites and I think it is the best Caesar dressing I've ever eaten. I much prefer it to the creamy ones. I got the recipe from my daughter Maggie about 12 years ago.

Mix together:

1 clove garlic, or more
2 tsp anchovy paste or 8 anchovy fillets
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbl lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
freshly ground pepper

Toss with 1 large or 2 small bunches Romain lettuce, croutons, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Eat as a side, or top with grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, or whatever suites your fancy.

Strawberry Spinach Salad from Julie Cantrell

1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbl sugar
2 Tbl cider vinegar
1 Tbl chopped onion
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp Winchester sauce
chopped or sliced toasted almonds
baby spinach leaves
Strawberries

Slice the strawberries and add to the washed baby spinach along with the toasted almonds.
Mix the dressing together, pour over the spinach mixture and enjoy.

Shrimp in Green Sauce from Julie Cantrell

If you like garlic and cilantro, you will love this shrimp.

3 1/2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup green onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/3 pound (1 Kilo) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup dry white wine.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Place the olive oil and garlic in a food processor and process until the garlic is finely chipped, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add the green onions and cilantro in food processor and pulse until minced.

Spoon garlic mixture into a large bowl and add the the remaining seasonings and the shrimp and toss well to coat.

Spoon the shrimp mixture into a shallow roasting pan and add the wine. Bake at 500 degrees for 7 minutes or until the shrimp are done, stirring once.

Hot Mustard from Julie Cantrell

1/4 cup Coleman's hot mustard
1 1/2 Tbl cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar

Mix the mustard with a little water.
Add in the cornstarch, salt, and sugar with the rest of the water.
Add the vinegar.
Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, until it's thickened and clear.
Remove from the heat and cool.
Add the mustard.