Tempting apple crisp (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. Although it is undated, I can guess this is probably from the early 1970s based on the recipe card it's written on. It is attributed to Quaker Oats.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups peeled and slice cooking apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sifted flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Instructions:

1. Place apples in shallow baking dish
2. Sprinkle with lemon juice
3. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients
4. Add melted butter to dry ingredients and mix until crumbly
5. Sprinkle crumble mix over apples
6. Bake in 375°F oven for 30 minutes or until apples are tender

Sweet tart pastry (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. It is dated 1971 and is attributed to "Norfolk". It is a versatile recipe for making tart shells that can be filled with a filling of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsifted flour
• 3/4 cup margarine [I'd use butter]
• 2 eggs yolks
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind [lemon zest] (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons ice water

Instructions:

1. Put flour in mixing bowl and make a well in the center
2. Cut margarine [butter] in thin slices
3. Place margarine [butter] slices, egg yolks, optional lemon zest and sugar in the well
4. Work ingredients in well with fingertips until creamy
5. Gradually blend in flour
6. Sprinkle with ice water and knead gently with fingertips just until dough holds together
7. Pull into a ball and flatten slightly to hasten chilling
8. Wrap in paper or foil and chill for several hours
9. Cut chilled pastry into 10 to 12 equal pieces
10. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to 5-inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick
11. Fit in 4-inch scalloped tart pans, pressing pastry well into scallops.
12. Even off edges with thumb
13. Prick bottoms with fork
14. Set pans on cookie sheet
15. Bake in moderate oven (375°F) for 10 to 12 minutes
16. Cool slightly, then carefully turn out on hand and put on cake rack to cool completely
17. Just before serving, fill with berries or fruit, pudding, ice cream or a combination of fillings

Pineapple tartlets (untested)

This recipe is written in fountain pen and appears to be my Grammy's early handwriting.

Ingredients:

• Patty shells [probably tartlet-sized pre-baked pie crust; get the recipe for baking tart shells by clicking here]
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup shredded pineapple
• 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• merinque Click here for a detailed recipe for Eight-Minute Meringue

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil and add sugar and flour
2. Cook until there is no starchy taste
3. Add pineapple, egg yolks and salt and stir
4. Pour mixture into tartlet shells
5. Cover with meringue
6. Brown in oven [no oven temperature is provided]

Parfait pie (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. It is dated March 1970 and attributed to Better Homes & Gardens.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fruit cocktail
• 3 ounce package of orange gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 baked 9-inch pastry shell [get the recipe for Never-Fail Pie Crust by clicking here]

Instructions:

1. Drain syrup from the fruit cocktail into a measuring cup
2. Add enough water to the syrup to make the total volume 1 cup
3. In a saucepan, heat diluted syrup
4. Dissolve gelatin in hot syrup mixture then add cold water
5. Spoon ice cream into gelatin mixture
6. Stir until melted
7. Chill mixture for 40-45 minutes until it thicken and mounds when spooned
8. Fold in 1 1/2 cup fruit cocktail
9. Turn into pastry shell
10. Chill until firm (20-25 minutes)
11. Garnish with rest of fruit before serving

Mixed fruit cobbler (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in Grammy's handwriting. It is dated September 1975 and attributed to "FJ".

The recipe doesn't indicate a specific fruit so I am guessing that any dehydrated fruit you want to use would work. You could combine fruits to make it truly a "mixed fruit" cobbler or make it with just one kind of fruit. This recipe seems like a great way to use food storage.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cup dried fruit
• 4 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Cut up dried fruit
2. Place fruit and water in a 3 quart saucepan
3. Bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat
5. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until fruit is tender
6. In a separate bowl, combine corn starch, 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon 
7. Stir sugar mixture into hot fruit mixture
8. Pour into 11-inch by 7-inch by 1.5-inch pan
9. Sift together flour, baking powder, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt
10. Cut in butter until crumbly
11. Add milk
12. Stir just until moistened
13. Drop crumble by spoonfuls over the top of the fruit mixture
14. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden brown

Serves 6

Golden peach pie (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in handwriting belongs to Grammy's daughter Ann.

Ingredients:

• 2 1-pound cans sliced peaches
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons margarine [I'd use butter]
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pastry for 2-crust pie [get the recipe for Never-Fail Pie Crust by clicking here]

Instructions:

1. Drain peaches, reserving 1/2 cup of the syrup (you should have about 2 2/3 cups of peaches)
2. Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg and salt
3. Add 1/2 cup of syrup you reserved 
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens
5. Add margarine [butter] and lemon juice
6. Add peaches
7. Pour peach mixture into 9-inch pastry-lined pie plate
8. Moisten edge of pastry dough
9. Add top crust
10. Seal the edge of the dough and flute the edge
11. Cut vents in top
12. Bake at 400°F for 40-45 minutes

Glazes for tarts or fruit (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in Grammy's handwriting. It is dated 1971 and attributed to "Norfolk".

This is one of the treasure trove recipe cards. It contains three glaze recipes. The recipes included are:

• Apricot or red-jelly glaze [a great way to use preserves that you may have in your pantry] 
• Fruit juice glaze
• Syrup glaze

Although the title says the glazes are for tarts, the text indicates that they can also be used for glazing fruit. I'm certain they are versatile in their uses and could probably be applied to other foods as well.

Ingredients for apricot or red-jelly glaze:

• 1 cup strained apricot jam, strawberry jam or raspberry jelly
• 2 -4 tablespoons of fruit juice OR water

Instructions for apricot or red-jelly glaze:

1. Melt jam or jelly with fruit juice or water
2. Cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes
3. Paint on top of fruit [or pastry] while hot

Ingredients for fruit juice glaze:

• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 3/4 cup fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions for fruit juice glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, blend corn starch and fruit juice
2. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened
3. Add lemon juice

Ingredients for syrup glaze:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• unsweetened cream

Instructions for syrup glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, boil sugar and water together until it reaches 232°F
2. Pour hot over berries or fruit [or tart]
3. Serve at once with unsweetened cream

Boysenberry pie filling (untested)

This recipe is written in pencil in a handwriting I don't recognize. This recipe seems incomplete but is decipherable enough to the experienced baker that it can be followed. No pie crust recipe or baking instructions for the pie are included.  Get the recipe for Never-Fail Pie Crust by clicking here

Ingredients:

• 1 can boysenberries [no exact measurement is given]
• 1/2 sugar [no exact measurement is given but it is probably 1/2 cup]
• 1 teaspoon lemon [probably lemon juice]
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons corn starch

Instructions:

1. Boil berries, sugar and salt
2. Mix corn starch with water in a separate bowl
3. Add corn starch mixture to berries and cook until clear

Banana cream pie (untested)

This recipe is written in fountain pen in what appears to be Grammy's early handwriting. In the upper right corner it says "Maggie's". Maggie Munce Hansen was Grammy's paternal aunt.

A notation at the bottom of the recipe notes that pineapple can be used instead of bananas. I've never heard of pineapple cream pie, but I'm intrigued.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoons corn starch
• 2 eggs, separated
• 3 bananas*
• 1 tablespoon butter
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar (for meringue)
• 1 cold pre-baked pie shell [get the recipe for Never-Fail Pie Crust by clicking here]

Instructions

1. Boil milk
2. Add salt and sugar, stirring constantly
3. Add butter
4. Add corn starch moistened with a little cold water
5. Add egg yolks
6. Let custard mixture cool
7. Slice bananas and place on the bottom of the cold baked pie shell
8. Pour cooled custard mixture over bananas into pie shell
9. Cover with a meringue made of the egg whites and 2 tablespoons of sugar [no instructions are provided but egg whites are probably beaten until they form stiff peaks and then sugar is gently folded in] Click here for a detailed recipe for Eight-Minute Meringue
10. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F–375°F) until set and brown

*Pineapple may be used instead of bananas [no amount is given]

Applesauce chiffon pie (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. It is dated September 1975 and attributed to "Alta Hall".

Technically, this is a "no bake" pie, although it does require stovetop cooking of the applesauce filling in what appears to be a makeshift double boiler setup.

Ingredients:

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1 1/4 cup thick applesauce
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 9-inch graham cracker crust
• Whipped cream and/or graham cracker crumbs for garnish

Instructions:

1. Soften gelatin in water
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks
3. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, applesauce and milk to beaten yolks
4. Cook applesauce mixture over hot water for about 15 minutes or until mixture thickens [this appears to be similar to a double boiler set-up]
5. Remove from heat
6. Add gelatin mixture and stir until it dissolves
7. Cool
8. Add lemon juice
9. Beat egg whites until frothy
10. Gradually add remaining sugar to egg whites, beating until stiff peaks form
11. Fold egg whites into applesauce mixture
12. Chill until it mounds a little when dropped from a spoon
13. Spoon into pie shell and chill until firm
14. Serve garnished with whipped dream or graham cracker crumbs

Apple-raisin crunch (untested)

This recipe is written in my Grammy's handwriting. It is dated May 1974 and attributed to "Sphere". Notes on the recipe indicate that it is a camping recipe and a dessert to boot! Grammy notes that the seasonings should be packaged in advance of the camping trip. In reading the ingredient list it is interesting to note that all the fruits are dehydrated. This could also be a good recipe for using food storage.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dried apples
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup plain granola

Instructions:

1. Mix apples, raisins, sugar, cinnamon and salt*
2. Add water
3. Cook, stirring frequently, until apples are tender (about 5 minutes)
4. Sprinkle with granola

*Seasonings should be packaged in advance of camping trip

All-American apple pie (untested)

This handwritten recipe may have been written by Grammy's daughter Ann. I think I recognize Ann's handwriting from the note on the back that has a helpful hint regarding the apples. It reads:

A note to you:
If you rinse your apples after you peel them and then slice, they'll be good and damp so the sugar stuff will stick!
Happy eating!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
• 5 cups thinly sliced apples (5-6 large apples)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Pastry for double-crust pie [get the recipe for Never-Fail Pie Crust by clicking here]

Instructions:

1. Combine sugar, spices, salt and lemon juice
2. Add apples and toss to mix
3. Roll out pastry
4. Line pie pan
5. Trim overhang
6. Roll pastry for top
7. Put half of the apples in the pan
8. Dot with butter
9. Add remaining apples
10. Moisten rim of the dough with water and place the top crust
11. Trim
12. Seal rim by pressing together and flute the edge
13. Cut vents in top
14. Bake at 400°F for 50-60 minutes

Sunkist Orange Pie Filling and Eight-Minute Meringue

Click on image to view larger

This recipe is one of a set of gorgeously illustrated vintage Sunkist recipes I found in Grammy's recipe box preserved in nearly pristine condition. Feel free to download the image so you can print it out and use it in your kitchen.

Ingredients for pie filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Grated rind from 1 Sunkist orange
• 1 cup Sunkist orange juice
• Juice of 1/2 Sunkist lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 egg yolks, beaten light

Instructions for pie filling:

1. Mix sugar, flour, salt, and grated rind
2. Add fruit juice
3. Cook in double boiler for ten minutes, stirring until thickened, and afterward, occasionally
4. Add butter and beaten egg yolks
5. Cook two minutes
6. Cool
7. Put in a pie crust that has been baked on the outside of a tin pie plate
8. Prepare meringue (see below)

Ingredients for Eight-Minute Meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/6 cup granulated sugar
• Grated Sunkist lemon rind [lemon zest]

Instructions for Eight-Minute Meringue:

1. Beat egg whites with egg-beater until stiff
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating vigorously
3. Fold in granulated sugar
4. Add lemon zest to flavor

Instructions for finishing pie:

1. Cover pie filling in pie crust with meringue mixture (see below)
2. Bake for 8 minutes in a moderate oven (350°F-375°F)

Pineapple Nut Bread (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting. It is dated 1955 and is attributed to "PGE School" with the note "Oven Meal". PG&E stands for Pacific Gas & Electric. They had (and still do have) a significant presence as a large landholder in Plumas County because of the hydro power plants that were built along the Feather River. I know there were (and still are) several mountain camps that were PG&E. There is still a PG&E school in Quincy. I wonder if that's where she got this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fat, melted
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup crushed pineapple

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs and sugar together
2. Stir in melted fat
3. Add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt
4. Add nuts and pineapple (do not drain the juice off the pineapple)
5. Stir just enough to combine
6. Pour into loaf pan
7. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes 

Pumpkin Raisin Loaves (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting. It is dated January 1970 and attributed to Better Homes & Gardens. It is noted as being one of their "Fast Bread Ideas".

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1-14 ounce package apple cinnamon muffin mix
• 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:

1. Combine pumpkin, water, egg, and spice
2. Add muffin mix and raisins
3. Stir until just moistened
4. Turn into 3 greased 5.5-inch by 3-inch by 2-inch loaf pans (one 9-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch loaf pan)
5. Bake small loaves in 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes (bake large loaf for 50 minutes)
6. Turn from pan; cool on rack
7. Drizzle loaves with confections sugar icing

Confections sugar icing
Add enough milk to 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar to make it a good pouring consistency

Prune or Date Bread (untested)

This recipe is written in fountain pen in a handwriting I didn't recognize. But my mom helped me identify it. The handwriting belongs to Grammy's stepmother, Erma Munce! My mom said:

"I remember her hand so well because I have more of her cookie recipes and she'd always write a note in birthday cards, etc. She was a wonderful person."

Grandma Munce was the only great grandmother I knew on my mom's side of the family. Grandma Munce always had a wonderful cookie jar full of homemade cookies ready for us when we would visit her. I remember her chewy oatmeal cookies so well. She passed away when I was 10 years old. I was fortunate to be the recipient of several of her "less valuable" tchotchkes and enjoy them to this day. I'm so happy that I now know this recipe is from her!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup prunes or dates
• 2 1/2 cups graham flour OR 1 cup flour & 1 1/2 cups graham flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon shortening, melted

Instructions [mixing instructions are incomplete]:

1. Stone and chop fruit (prunes can be used after soaking several hours and draining or used right after washing thoroughly)
2. Put in greased bread pan and allow to stand 20 to 25 minutes in warm place
3. Bake 1 hour in moderate oven at 375°F

Orange Walnut Bread (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting and dated February 1975. The only attribution are the initials "FJ". I wonder if this was a holiday recipe. Walnuts and oranges are good holiday flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3/4 cup finely chopped dates
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange rind [aka "orange zest"]
• 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
2. Combine orange juice, sugar, egg, and butter; mix well
3. Gradually add wet mixture to flour mixture; stir well
4. Combine remaining ingredients; stir into batter
5. Turn into greased 8.5-inch by 4.5-inch by 2.5-inch loaf pan
6. Bake in 350°F oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until done

Makes 1 loaf

Diamond Walnut Bread with 3 variations (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting. I am guessing based on the title that she probably got this off a package of Diamond walnuts. Based on the card stock she used, this is probably from the early 1970s.

There are three variations included: regular, Streusel, and candied fruit.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup melted fat
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Additional ingredients for Streusel variation:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Additional ingredients for candied fruit variation:

• 2 teaspoon grated orange peel [aka "orange zest"]
• 3/4 cup chopped candied fruit

Instructions:

1. Resift flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt
2. Add egg, fat, milk, and vanilla
3. Stir just until flour is moistened
4. Add walnuts
5. Turn dough into greased 9-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch loaf pan or divide batter between to greased #2.5 cans
6. Bake at 350°F about 1 hour 20 minutes for loaf pan or 1 hour 10 minutes for round

Streusel variation:

1. Prepare batter as above
2. Turn half into loaf pan
3. Blend brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter
4. Sprinkle over batter
5. Top with remaining batter
6. Bake as above

Candied fruit variation:

1. Prepare batter as above
2. Add orange zest to egg and milk mixture
3. Stir in candied fruit with the walnuts
4. Bake as above

Cranberry Christmas Canes (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting. It is dated December 1971 and is attributed to one of Grammy's best friends Vivian Naseath. I personally knew Vivian and adored her. She was like an aunt to my mom and my aunts, so I always saw her as a great-aunt.

One important note in this recipe: it states that you need to refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. So this is a dough that can be made in advance during the busy holiday cooking season and then bake it when the oven is free.

Ingredients for dough:

• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups unsifted flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel [aka "lemon zest"]
• 1 cup margarine [I would use butter]
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 beaten eggs

Ingredients for filling:

• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel [aka "orange zest"]

Instructions for dough:

1. In a saucepan, scald the milk then let it cool to lukewarm
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest
3. Cut in the butter with bladed dough blender (aka "pastry cutter") until like a coarse meal [click here if you need to see what this tool looks like] 
4. Dissolve package of yeast in warm water
5. Combine flour mixture, yeast, milk, and eggs
6. Cover dough tightly
7. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days)
8. When ready to bake, prepare filling

Instructions for filling:

1. In a saucepan, mix cranberries, sugar, raisins, pecan, honey, and orange zest
2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat
3. Cook for 5 minutes
4. Cool

Instructions for constructing Christmas Canes:

1. Divide dough in half
2. Roll each half of the dough into an 18-inch by 15-inch oblong rectangle
3. Spread half the filling mixture on the oblong piece of dough
4. Fold dough into 3 layers in 15-inch long strips
5. Cut into 15 strips
6. Holding ends of each strip, twist in opposite directions
7. Pinch ends to seal
8. On greased baking sheet, shape top of each strip into a hooked cane
9. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes
10. Cool
11. Frost with confectioners' sugar frosting (click here for recipe)

Apple Flaps (untested)

This recipe is written in Grammy's handwriting. It is attributed to Better Homes & Gardens and is dated May 1969.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 beaten eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup applesauce

Instructions:

1. Sift dry ingredients
2. Combine eggs, milk, butter, and applesauce
3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened
4. Use about 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake
5. Bake on hot, lightly greased griddle, turning once, until golden

Makes 18 pancakes