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Favorite Old-Fashioned Recipes from Family Tree Magazine

By Family Tree Editors

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These old-fashioned recipes are family recipes from the readers, writers and editors of Family Tree Magazine; which means that they’ve been tweaked, perfected and burnt over the generations! Have fun and feel free to substitute as need be for food allergies or preferences. Click here for an old measurement conversions chart you can download for free.


Zucchini Bread

Andrew Koch, editor of Family Tree Magazine, cherishes this zucchini bread recipe. “My mom makes this for my sister and me on special occasions: Christmas Day, first days of school and birthdays,” Andrew writes. “When I was in college, she even made some for me and my roommates during final exams!”

You will need: 

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups zucchini, unpeeled and grated
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice

Grease and lightly flour two loaf pans. Mix eggs, vanilla, oil and zucchini in a large bowl. In another large mixing bowl, combine both mixtures and stir well. Pour half of mixture into each loaf pan and bake at 325 for one hour. Cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on wire rack. Makes two loaves.

Andrew Koch


Mocha Cream Cake

This is a family recipe, and does miss a few details like temperature of oven. Experiment with this recipe to create your own unique twist.

You will need:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 and a ½ cups sifted flour
  • 1 and a ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 egg whites, beaten to a stiff froth
  • ½ cup sweet milk
  • ½ cup of strong mocha-java coffee

First, cream the butter and sugar together; add milk, then flour and baking powder; last, the egg whites. Bake in three layers in a moderate oven.

For the filling: make a scant ½ cup of strong mocha-java coffee, reserving 2 tablespoons for the icing; to the remainder, add sweet milk to make one half pint; put this in a double boiler and heat; when cool, stir in 1 teacup sugar; 2 tablespoons flour; yolks of 4 eggs, thoroughly beaten together. Cook 15 minutes, stirring often; when lukewarm, beat in slowly 2 tablespoons of butter. Spread the filling between the cake layers and finish the top with the following icing: Beat together 1 teacup powdered sugar and white of one egg; add the two tablespoons coffee and beat until light and smooth.

Mrs. A. E. Goodrich


Scripture Cake

This recipe is the perfect Christmas family treat. It’s a simple cake with raisins, figs and almonds. Each ingredient and step cleverly nods to passages from the Bible. Feel free to substitute with what may be in your pantry.

You will need:

  • 1 cup butter (Judges 2:25)
  • 3 and a ½ cups flour (I Kings 4:22)
  • 3 cups sugar (Jeremiah 6:20)
  • 2 cups raisins (I Samuel 30:12)
  • 2 cups figs (I Samuel 30:12)
  • 1 cup blanched almonds (Genesis 24:17)
  • 1 cup water (Genesis 24:17)
  • 6 eggs (Isaiah 10:14)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (Exodus 16:21)
  • A pinch of salt (Leviticus 2:13)
  • Spices to taste (I Kings 10:10)

As for directions for this special recipe, Mrs. A. A. Anderson advises, “Follow Solomon’s advice for making good boys, and you will have a good cake. Proverbs 13:24.”

Mrs. A. A. Anderson


Diane’s Cupcakes

This recipe comes from Family Tree Magazine‘s former editor, Diane Haddad. She writes, “My sister taught me the secret of starting with cake mix and making it more special with some easy substitutes.”

You will need:

  • Your favorite cake mix
  • Butter
  • Milk
  • Your favorite frosting (Mine is cream cheese from my mom’s old cookbook: I beat together 1/2 cup softened butter and 8 oz. softened cream cheese, add a splash of vanilla and 4 cups powdered sugar, plus a tablespoon or two of milk)
  • Sprinkles, mini chocolate chips or other decoration

Prepare your favorite boxed cake mix, except use melted butter instead of oil (the same amount) and the buttermilk instead of water (also the same amount). If using a chocolate mix, try sprinkling a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder into the dry mix. Beat the batter with an electric mixer instead of by hand. Fill cupcake liners and bake according to the instructions on the box. Let cool, frost and decorate.

Diane Haddad


Fairy Gingerbread

This recipe is marked as perfect “for the little ones”.

You will need:

  • 1 cup of butter
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon soda
  • 4 small cups of flour, sifted

Beat the butter and sugar together until light, then dissolve the soda in the milk. Mix the milk and soda into the butter and sugar, then add the sifted flour. Turn your baking pans upside down and wipe until very clean, then butter well. Spread the mixture upon them very thinly, bake in moderate oven until brown. While the gingerbread is still warm, cut into squares and slip carefully off.

Mrs. T. W. Brotherton


Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

This oatmeal pecan cookie recipe is from former associate editor Madge Maril’s Grandmother Fern’s personal recipe box. However, the handwriting doesn’t quite match the other ones. “I wonder if it may be one of her sisters’ recipes,” she wonders.

You will need:

  • 4 cups oatmeal
  • 1 cup oil
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Pecan halves

Mix the oatmeal, oil, brown sugar and salt. Let that mixture stand overnight. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Drop batter by teaspoonful onto a grease cookie sheet (or non-stick pan). Place one pecan half on top of each cookie. Bake in a 375° oven. Let the cookies stand for a couple of minutes before eating.

Madge Maril


“Maw-maw” Marge’s Coffee Cake

Marge and her family lived next door to former Family Tree University editor, Vanessa Weiland for 21 years. “She became another grandmother to me. She still likes to tease me about how I’d often come over for my second breakfast at her house when I was a toddler. My mom got this recipe from her, and it’s her yearly contribution to Christmas brunch.”

  • 1 box of yellow cake mix (plain, not the one with pudding)
  • 3 eggs (1 for the base, 2 for the filling)
  • 2 sticks of butter, each melted, but not hot (1 for base, one for filling)
  • 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups of confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13×9 baking pan.     For the base: Hand beat the yellow cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick of butter, melted, together. Spread in the bottom of the pan.     For the filling: (you can use an electric mixer for this) Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 eggs and the vanilla, and continue to mix until blended well. Add in melted butter, then carefully add confectioner’s sugar a bit at a time to avoid it making a mess. Once blended well, spread over the cake mix. Bake for 40-50 minutes; center should be a little soft and leave a few crumbs on a toothpick when pressed into the center.

Vanessa Wieland


Lyonnaise Potatoes

This family recipe is signed “H.F.G”.

You will need:

  • 1 quart cooked potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

First fry the onion in the butter until it is slightly browned, then add the sliced potatoes, well salted and peppered. When thoroughly heated, add the parsley and cook two minutes.  

Vanessa Wieland


Cheese Straws

You will need:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 2 ounces of butter
  • A pinch of salt
  • A dash of cayenne
  • Water

Roll in sheets quarter of an inch in thickness, cut in strips and bake in a moderate oven. The dough should be the consistency of pie crust dough.  

Mrs. C. B. Woodhead


Sweet Potato Casserole

You will need:

  • 6 to 8 sweet potatoes
  • 1 stick of melted butter
  • Salt
  • ¾ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of all-spice
  • ¾ cup of orange juice

Boil 6 to 8 large sweet potatoes until soft. Cut them into and boil with the jackets on. Let cool, then take skins off and place in large mixing bowl. Add the rest of your ingredients. Use a potato masher and mash to the consistency you like. Place in a 9 X 11 pan. Bake at 350° until heated through. For the last 10 minutes you can add marshmallows and let them melt until a little browned on top. You can also add a bit of bourbon into the mix if you cut the orange juice down.


Grandma Fern’s Chili Sauce

Grandma's Chili Sauce | Tasty Family Recipes from FamilyTreeMagazine.com

Madge Maril


Vegetable Soup

Grandma's Vintage Vegetable Soup Recipe Card | Tasty Family Recipes from FamilyTreeMagazine.com

Since this recipe card, also from Grandma Maril, is a bit more difficult to read, here is a typed version.

You will need: 

  • Stewed tomatoes
  • 2-8 ounce cans of tomato sauce
  • 1 package of dried soup mix
  • 1 can of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup
  • 1 head of cabbage
  • 1 small celery
  • 1 bell pepper

Add any other vegetables to taste. Simmer until tender.

Madge Maril


Frankie’s Creole Shrimp

While we’re not sure who Frankie is, we’re happy Grandma Maril passed along this great family recipe.

Grandma's Recipe for Creole Shrimp from a vintage recipe card | Tasty Family Recipes from FamilyTreeMagazine.com

Madge Maril


Gramma’s Cranberry Sauce

This recipe comes from Andrew’s grandma.

You will need:

  • 12-ounce package of cranberries
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup of pulp-free orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the berries, sugar and juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly until berries pop (about five minutes). Remove from heat. Let stand five minutes, then stir in the vanilla. Allow to completely cool before serving.  

Andrew Koch


Easy Happy Birthday Cupcakes

This recipe comes from former Family Tree Magazine editor Allison Dolan. She says, “My sister, arguably my family’s best chef, taught me the secret of starting with boxed mix and making it better with a few adjustments. My husband is a big fan of homemade frosting so I make my own (though I do keep a backup tub of store-bought in the pantry just in case).”

You will need:

  • Your favorite cake mix
  • Cocoa powder if using chocolate cake mix
  • Butter
  • Milk
  • Your favorite frosting (Mine is cream cheese from my mom’s recipe: Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 8 oz. softened cream cheese, then beat in a splash of vanilla and 4 cups powdered sugar, plus a tablespoon or two of milk.)
  • Sprinkles, mini chocolate chips or other decoration

What to do:
Prepare your favorite boxed cake mix, but use melted butter instead of oil (the same amount) and milk instead of water (also the same amount). If using a chocolate mix (which I do 99% of the time), sprinkle a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder into the dry mix for more chocolately-ness. Beat the batter with an electric mixer (instead of by hand) for about 2 minutes.

Fill cupcake liners and bake according to the instructions on the box. Let cool and frost, Be sure to add sprinkles or other decorations before the frosting sets.

Allison Dolan


Vanessa’s Pear, Chicken and Walnut Salad

This is a festive holiday salad that can also be made from leftovers for a lighter, post-holiday meal. It’s hard to go wrong with salads, and the measurements are loose. Leave the chicken out for a side salad to go with a larger meal, or make this salad an entree with a side of fresh bread.

You will need: 

  • 8 cups of baby spinach
  • 1 large, boneless chicken breast, cooked, cooled, and sliced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup walnuts (candied or raw; either will work)
  • 1-2 pears, sliced thinly
  • ¼ cup goat cheese crumbles 

Add ingredients together with spinach as the base, layering the others on top. Add balsamic vinaigrette dressing to taste. Balsamic vinaigrette dressing: ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper 1-2 tspns honey for a sweeter taste Blend together, and pour over salad to taste.

Vanessa Wieland


Boiled Ham

Love holiday ham? Check out this retro recipe for boiled ham.

You will need:

  • 1/2 ham or shoulder
  • 1/2 cup of vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar

Soak ham in cold water if very salty. Place it skin side up in the cooker kettle. Cover with water, add sugar and vinegar, and cook slow over the fire. Quickly place the kettle, covered, in the fireless cooker, and do not open for twelve hours. If the ham is tender, let it stand until perfectly cold, then remove from water, and skin. If not tender, reheat on the stove, and repack in cooker three hours longer.


Kathy’s Christmas Lasagna   

Vanessa says: “We have this every Christmas eve for dinner. You can’t go wrong with lasagna served with garlic bread and a side salad. There are tons of lasagna recipes, of course, but in our family, we tend to go with simple and easy – especially on busy days.”

You will need:

  • Pre-cooked lasagna noodles (who needs the extra step of cooking noodles on Christmas Eve?)
  • 24-ounce can spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 large tub ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 large package shredded mozzarella
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop or mince garlic clove and in a large skillet, brown with Italian sausage in olive oil, along with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Once meat is browned, turn down heat and add spaghetti sauce; stir and let simmer until it’s heated through and mixed well (generally at least 10-15 minutes). In a large bowl, mix ricotta, egg, parmesan, and 4/5 package of shredded mozzarella cheese together until well-blended. In a 13×9 baking dish, pour a small amount of sauce into bottom, then set a layer of noodles. Add a bit more sausage mixture, then a layer of cheese mixture.

Follow with another set of noodles and repeat until pan is filled. Add remaining shredded mozzarella to top. Back on middle rack for 45 minutes to an hour and noodles are soft.

Vanessa Wieland


Pierogies

Lisa Alzo, author of The Family Tree Polish, Czech & Slovak Genealogy Guide, shares her family’s recipe for making pierogies, a traditional Eastern European dish.


Madge’s Lazy Latkes 

There is nothing traditional about this recipe, but it is perfect for the day after a big holiday dinner. If you have a tupperware full of mashed potatoes in your fridge that you don’t feel like snacking on the next day, transform them into potato pancakes. This recipe is also incredibly easy and kid-friendly; loop in the little ones by letting them form the pancakes.

You will need:

  • Cold mashed potatoes
  • Flour
  • Butter 
  • Optional: egg. I usually make my mashed potatoes thicker to begin with, but if you find the mixture is too runny, add an egg to help bind the potatoes together.

Heat up a skillet with plenty of butter. Flour a surface to use and your hands, then form the cold mashed potatoes into pancake shapes. A thinner pancakes fries up crispier and a thicker pancake has more substance. Drop the pancakes gently into the heated butter and cook until brown and crispy on both sides. Serve with your favorite condiment.

Madge Maril


Theodore’s Orange Pie

Oranges were (and still are) a popular Christmas stocking stuffer, perhaps due to their rarity and popularity during the Great Depression. My grandma gave me an orange each Christmas as a child.

You will need:

  • The juice of 1 orange
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 grated rind of 1 orange
  • 3 eggs
  • The juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • Nutmeg, if desired

To prepare, cream the butter and sugar and beat in the orange and lemon until very light. Then add the beaten yolks of eggs and bake with bottom crust. When done, cover with the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth and sweetened with two tablespoons of sugar. Brown the pie in the oven.

Mrs. Theodore W. Hyde


Bread Pudding

You will need:

  • 1 cup of bread crumbs or broken bread
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 2 egg yolks (and the whites)
  • A pinch of salt

Soak the bread crumbs or bread in the milk until soft, then beat them until smooth. Add a mixture of the milk, egg yolks, half a teaspoon of vanilla, and a tablespoon of sugar. Bake 15 or 20 minutes in slow oven, placing pudding dish in pan of hot water. When done, cover top with jam or jelly, and then with a meringue made of the whites of one of the eggs. If desired, omit the jelly or meringue, and serve with the following sauce:

Put the two cups of water and one cup of sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, slowly add one tablespoon of cornstarch that’s been mixed in cold water. When cooked clear, remove from the stove and add two teaspoons of vanilla.

Mrs. Olga Gilbert Imperatori


Gould’s Carrot Pudding  

While simple, this pudding recipe is a delicious and nutritious treat for a cold December night.

You will need:

  • 1 cup currants
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup suet, chopped fine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1 cup grated potato
  • 1 and a ½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon soda 

The directions simply read: “Steam three hours, and serve with hard sauce.”   

Mrs. George Gould


Coffee Cream with Meringues

This recipe combines two favorite things: coffee and sugar. It does contain uncooked eggs, so please dine with caution or take alternative measures to prepare safely.

You will need: 

  • 1 pint cream
  • 1 pint milk
  • ½ pint ground coffee
  • ½ box of gelatin
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ pint granulated sugar 

Begin by putting the coffee and milk together on the stove and simmering (not boiling). Then take off and strain through a fine sieve or a napkin. Put back on stove and add the yolks of the eggs and the sugar. Let mixtures get thick as custard, then take off the fire and add the gelatin, which should be soaked two hours before you start the cream. Let the whole mixture cool. Then add beaten cream and whites of eggs. Pour into moulds and put on ice.

For the meringue topping, beat whites of 4 eggs as stiff as possible, and add a cup of granulated sugar. Flavor it with vanilla to taste. Drop on a buttered pan. Bake in a moderate oven. When ready to serve, lay the meringues around the cream on a platter.

Mrs. E. Williams


Butterscotch

Once you had homemade butterscotch, you will never go back to eating it from the candy store!

You will need:

  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • A pinch of soda 

To prepare, simply boil until it hardens in water, and pour the mixture in thin sheets then cool.  

Miss Helen Cleveland


Diane’s Mom’s Easy Pecan Pie  

Diane writes, “Mom would bring this pie to Grandma’s house for Christmas every year.” It may become a tradition in your family, too!

You will need:

  • 1 cup white corn syrup
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup melted butter
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • Dash vanilla
  • Pinch salt
  • 9-inch unbaked pie crust (store-bought is fine) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and pour into pie crust. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Center will be slightly jiggly. Let cool completely before serving.

Diane Haddad


Grandma Fern’s No-Bake Cheesecake

Madge writes, “This is a recipe I found in my grandma’s recipe box. My grandma raised three boys, so it’s no wonder she had easy recipes like this on hand.”

You will need:

  • A 9″ graham cracker crust
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 ounces of condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • 1/3 cup of lemon juice 

Mix the cream cheese, condensed milk, and lemon juice together. Pour into the pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. It’s that easy!  

Madge Maril   


Spicy Hot Chocolate with Homemade Whipped Cream

Spicy Hot Chocolate with Homemade Whipped Cream recipe

There are plenty of ways to make hot chocolate from scratch, but I admit: I generally use a packet. However, it’s easy to add a few items here and there to make it extra special, especially for the holidays. Everyone else can keep their peppermint; my favorite method is to add a bit of a kick, Southwestern style.  

You will need:

  • Hot chocolate packet or mix
  • 8 ounces milk (full fat)
  • Chili powder
  • Homemade whipped cream

Heat the milk. I prefer to do it on the stove, as it makes it easier to control the temperature. Remove it just before it starts to boil—it needs to be hot enough for the chocolate mix to dissolve, but not hot enough to scald. Pour into a mug nearly to top; add in chocolate mix and chili powder, and stir. Top with homemade whipped cream (which tastes so much better than the stuff in a can).

Homemade Whipped Cream

You will need:

  • 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
  • 1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Optional: make a grown-up version with a teaspoon of bourbon added to the mix

Chill a metal bowl and spoon for several minutes, then add the cream to the bowl. Whip the cream until it starts to form peaks, then whip in sugar and vanilla. Cover the top of your hot chocolate and sprinkle with cinnamon or chocolate shavings to make it fancy.


Vanessa’s 25% Irish Coffee

Vanessa's 25%-Irish Coffee with medium roast coffee, Irish cream liqueur, bourbon, Irish whisky, and Bourbon whipped cream

This is to coffee what a mimosa is to orange juice, but while mimosas pair well with brunch, Irish coffee goes perfectly with a late night of wrapping presents—and pairs especially well with a chocolatey dessert. Top off with some of that tasty whipped cream you’ve made for the hot chocolate.

You will need:

  • 1 cup hot-brewed medium-roast coffee 
  • 1.5 ounces Irish cream liqueur
  • 1.5 ounces bourbon or Irish whisky
  • Bourbon whipped cream

I’m one-quarter Irish (hence the name), but 100% Kentuckian, so our family uses our state’s finest bourbon instead of the traditional Irish whisky, but there’s nothing wrong with sticking with the full Irish version. While the coffee finishes brewing, pour bourbon into a large mug. Add coffee, leaving room for the Irish cream, and top off with regular or bourbon-flavored whipped cream.

Vanessa Wieland


Egg Nog

As it turns out, tea was not the only beverage to cause a riot in the US, though the Eggnog Riot of 1826 at West Point didn’t start any wars, even if it did get several cadets at the military academy expelled. This British drink has evolved from a hot winter drink over the years to a Christmas drink served cold. Serve the non-spiked version to relatives inclined toward drama, or those who simply prefer to remain sober. 

You will need:

  • 3 cups milk 
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup sugar (add more to make it sweeter)
  • 4 cups light cream
  • 12 egg yolks
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (keep the 1/2 teaspoon separate)
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • Optional: up to 2 1/2 cups light rum
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine the milk, cream and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a pan and heat on lowest setting, bringing it slowly to a boil. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until it’s fluffy, then slowly whisk in milk mixture, then add back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick (about 3 minutes). Remove before the mixture boils and let cool. Stir in cream, remaining vanilla, nutmeg and rum; refrigerate overnight, or for several hours before serving. Serve topped with the homemade whipped cream.


Christmas Brunch Mimosas

Annual Christmas brunch mimosa recipe

Mimosas are perfect for my contribution to our family’s annual Christmas brunch – in my opinion, the best meal all year. Best of all, they’re easy to make. Fair warning, though: they do pack a punch!

Of course, last year, we had two moms-to-be, some designated drivers and several kids who wanted pretty drinks, so there are non-alcoholic versions, such as the one I made using ginger ale instead.  

Holiday Mimosa

You will need:

  • Dry white wine or champagne of choice
  • Orange juice
  • 100% Cranberry juice
  • Vodka (plain, orange or cranberry)

Fill one-third of the glass with the champagne, and add another third of orange juice. Add a splash of vodka, and fill the rest of the way with cranberry juice. Mix and garnish with an orange slice or other piece of fruit to add a festive touch.

Non-alcoholic Holiday Mimosa

You will need:

  • Orange Juice
  • Sprite, Seven-up, or Ginger Ale, chilled
  • 100% Cranberry juice
  • Optional: a splash of Grenadine to add some sweetness

For this kid-friendly version, the mixture is about about equal parts orange juice, cranberry juice, and soda. This can be served over ice or in a chilled glass, and garnished with fruit.


Mulled Wine 

Making mulled wine serves two purposes: creating a warm, tasty beverage, and making your home smell delicious! I like mine a little more spicy and a little less sweet, but there’s really no wrong way to do this.

You will need:

  • 12 cloves, whole
  • 2 bottles of red wine (I prefer a red blend like Apothic red, but any type of red will do)
  • 1/2 cup of sugar  
  • 1 cup apple cider 
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 pinch ground nutmeg
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks

Pour wine and apple cider into a sauce pan, turn burner onto medium. Shave curls of orange peel, then cut and squeeze oranges into mixture. Add in sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg, and allow to warm, stirring occasionally. Heat it slowly; don’t let it boil. Allow to cook for at least 20 minutes; pour into a mug, and enjoy.


Mom’s Applesauce Cake

You will need:

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 egg
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 cups applesauce
  • 1 cup nuts (your choice)
  • ½ cup maraschino cherries

Cream first two ingredients. Add egg. Mix in next four ingredients. Dissolve soda in small amount of water. Add soda. Add nuts and cherries (save some to sprinkle on top of cake before baking). Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour in an ungreased tube (angel food cake) pan. Let cool before removing from pan. You can cool on a baking rack, but Mom always put her cake on a coke bottle (the neck of the coke bottle went into the tube part of the pan). This allows the cake to cool really well from all sides.

Nancy Hendrickson

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