Wednesday, November 24, 2010

"The Modern Cook Book" circa 1892....

I love old cook books... and use them, quite often...{John loves them too...!} I like the way they are written... Here are a couple recipes I pulled out, to try today... and Like 'Em! { I used Mrs.E.'s Crust Recipe...and Mrs. A.L. Fish's Squash Pie Recipe...}
Barb C.
{this is one of 3 of the Squash Pies....I tweaked the recipe a bit... I used 6 heaping tea cups full of squash... 2 cans of condensed milk... a half of a stick of meted butter...7 eggs, and a little more sugar, than the recipe called for... and lots of allspice... cinnamon...and nutmeg... to taste...remember... I didn't salt the squash, until I had it mixed in the bowl... I have never added flour to a Squash, or Pumpkin Pie...or, butter, for that matter... but, it sounds good to me...}

Pies... Iowa Farmhouse Style.....


Here are two Apple Pies, I made this afternoon... I decided to make the crust, this time too.... It's been a long time since I made a crust.... so I got out my favorite old cook books... The one I chose, was written in 1892.{ The Modern Cook Book}  It is great... I also found a wonderful recipe for Squash Pie... I always have tons of squash, of all varieties, from displays, at the Fall Harvest Sale... and by now, they are starting to go bad.... I halved, and seeded, a dozen or so, different varieties, and put them in the massive cast iron pot I use, for such things... and went to town!  I gotta tell ya.... I really like this Squash Pie Recipe!{ I usually just use a pumpkin pie recipe...and use squash} Mmmm...Good! Easy as...well, pie.... I loved it, where it said, 'to every tea cup full of squash, add an egg'... see.... this is Farmhouse Style Cookin'! I added butter, and loads of Nutmeg, Allspice and Cinnamon... to the recipe, as well...{to taste, of course...} I have three baking, now...
These are the Dutch Apple.... They will never win a beauty contest.... but... oh my... are they ever good...I have been baking this pie recipe, since I was 15 years old... These pies are Big...{almost a foot, in diameter...} I use lots of Butter.... Sugar... Cinnamon... more Butter... Raw Sugar.... {I press raw sugar, into the crusts, before I fill them, in all pies I make} I use the hardest, tartest, Granny Smith Apples I can find... If they are sweet, or soft... they won't do....{These pies talk to me when they come out of the oven... you can here them perking.....}

This is our Old Stove... It's wood/ gas combination, but we only use the gas side... the gas oven, is the one on top left... I can bake 3 to 4 pies at a time...or 2 of my Dutch Apple... I love this old Gal... It's tricky to bake with.... no thermostat... and you light it manually...but, once you get the hang of it... it's a breeze...{Thanks Cindy B. {Lady Bug Antiques} I bought this from her, many, many years ago, when my other vintage stove's oven spring hinges broke... that was a sad day...but, there isn't much that can go wrong with this old Darling... no springs... }
For all I have cooked today, I didn't even get a mixer out... Everything by hand... and very little clean up... I'm likin' that!



I really like the Crust recipe... Lots of butter, and Lard.... I tasted a morsel, that fell off the pie plate... and... it's mighty tasty!
{I always roll the crust out, on a floured piece of wax paper... then turn the pie plate upside down, on top of the crust, then flip... much easier, than trying to peel it off of the dough board...}

Feather Bed...

Disgusted... That's what Polly was, this morning, when I took this image of the Rope Bed, with the Feather Tick, on it...When I found this song, yesterday, by John Denver... 'Grandma's Feather Bed', I had to snap a picture of this bed, again... The Old Rope Bed, sits up tall, anyway.... then you throw a feather bed, or'tick', on it... and you are up to nearly 4 feet tall!  I remember my sister Chery, talking about Grandma, and when she would stay with her...on the Farm.... Grandma would throw little Chery, up in the air, and she'd drop onto that Magnificent Feather Bed.... again and again... I wish I would have known my Grandparents.... I have not slept in this bed, yet... it's in Justin's old room.... I'll have to get a step stool, for Polly! Liz was over a while back, and checked it out.... She didn't get on it... she, like me... just stood there...in awe...You want to just jump in... but... you don't want to mess it up....
I have a friend to go see this morning... and... I'm already running behind... what's new....
Hope Everyone has an Amazing Day... and Safe Travels...
Barb C.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Cranberry Relish....


What you need....
3 lbs. Granny Smith Apples...{or....any tart, crisp apples you like!
4 medium oranges...
2 lbs. Cranberries...
1 and 1/2 cups Brown...
1 and 1/2 cups White Sugar...
8 ounces of Nuts....
{ I like Walnuts... I used mixed nuts, this time, and they are Great!}
Wash all the fruit well... I even soak everything in a little fresh lemon, then let it all dry...
I chop the Cranberries first, in the blender... a handful, at a time... then the nuts... then stir the chopped Cranberries, nuts and sugar together.... {The Cranberries start dissolving the sugars, right away...} Then, I core the apples, leaving the peel on... and chop...in the blender... then, the Oranges... I simply cut the ends off,
 {seed if not seedless} 
Then, I quarter them, and chop, in the blender...peel, and all! {it's best to use an orange, that has a thinner skin.... the white, fleshy part, tends to be bitter...}
This makes about 8 to 10 cups... Mmmm. Mmmm! 

I Love this relish! It's Great with Turkey and Stuffing, and is mighty tasty with Pork, as well!{it keeps for several days, in the fridge and actually tastes better, if you can make it a day or two, ahead! It's so Festive, 
 I always serve it in a pretty footed glass Compote, or a White Ironstone Bowl... it's become a
 Holiday Tradition....
{ I only use vintage serving pieces... because, that's all I have....I think food looks like Grandma made it, when served in them... and I like that... Some of my old bowls, have cracks, and if they are leakers.... they only hold dry stuff...but, they still find a place on the table...When I talk about amounts.... well... I'm one of those, "a pinch here, a dash there... a dollop of this, and yes.... butter, the size of an egg"... I don't own a measuring cup, or measuring spoon.... so.... tweak to your heart's desire...and taste, taste...taste away! This is the way I grew up, and observed Farm Women, in their kitchens... It's all about how you, and your Family like it... Just have fun!
I'll be posting some of our other Holiday Favorites, this week... our Thanksgiving 'Soul Food!'
Barb C.
{I'm going to try and use the hand crank food grinder, next time... I think it may take less time, than with the blender!}