Observation

I'm quite sure that Claire has contributed more to the blog in one day than all of us have combined over the last two years. Surprising? Not really....just very exciting.

My Mother’s Mother’s Banana Nut Bread

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp soda

¾ tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2-3)

1 cup nuts

Directions:

Mix flour with baking powder, soda, and salt. Cream shortening and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add bananas and mix. Add flour in 4 portions and beat until smooth each time. Bake in load pan (well greased.) 350 oven for 50 monutes.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

¼ cup molasses

1 egg

2 tsp baking soda

2 cup flour

½ tsp cloves

½ tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

Directions:

Melt shortening in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, let cool. Add sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Mix together flour, soda, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add the first mixture. Mix well. Chill. Form in 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheets two inches apart. Bake in oven 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Grandmother William’s Labkuchan

Ingredients:

(all fruits can be combined and can simply use a candied fruit mix)

1 quart molasses

1 qt. sour cream

½ pound citron

½ pound almonds

¼ pound orange

¼ pound lemon

2 tsp nutmeg

1 tablespoon cloves

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons soda

1 pound brown sugar

3 qt. flour

Directions:

Batter must be very stiff. Chop candied fruit to smaller pieces. Chop the almonds but not too fine. Mix the nuts with the candied fruit and flour and soda. Mix with rest of the ingredients and let stand over night.

Springerly (more German cookies)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 ½ cup sugar

1 tsp lemon rind

1 tsp anise seed

2 ½ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Directions:

Beat eggs until thick, add sugar gradually. Beat 10 min. Add flavorings and flour. Roll to ¼” thick. Stand until dry, emboss, let dry on board overnight. Bake 300 degrees for 25-30 min.

Jean’s Powdered Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter or margarine

1 ¾ cups powdered sugar

1 egg, unbeaten

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Cream shortening and butter, gradually add powdered sugar, creaming well. Add egg and flavorings. Beat until fluffy. Mix flour with soda and cream of tartar, add and mix well. Stir in pecans. Drop small spoonful on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes, or until creamy tan color. While hot, roll in powdered sugar. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Grandma William’ Pfeffer Nissly (German Cookies)

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 ½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

pinch of pepper

1 even tsp soda

2 tsp cream of tartar

4 cups flour

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Should be very stiff. Put in a few chopped nuts. Drop a teaspoon of batter on buttered cookie sheet and bake in moderate oven. May add glaze of powdered sugar if desired once cookies are baked.