Shortbread (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 small egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Instructions:

1. Cream butter with sugars
2. Add eggs and vanilla
3. Blend in flour
4. Fashion into balls
5. Flatten with fork on cookie sheet
6. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes

Nutty Nuggets Cookies (untested)

I don't recognize the handwriting on this recipe. It may be a recipe that my Grammy wanted from a friend that was jotted down quickly on a piece of paper and never transferred to a recipe card.

Ingredients:

• 7/8 cup flour
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (fine)
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions:

1. Form into balls
2. Bake at 375°F about 15 minutes

Joanie's Kris Kringle Cookies

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting and is dated 1960. Joanie was Elsie's youngest daughter who ended up getting this recipe named after her because of her love for them (hence the well-worn recipe card seen above). This is a simple butter cookie that many families came to adopt as a Christmas tradition when the Mirro Cooky and Pastry Press came on the market (see ad below). I still have my Grammy's cookie press in it's original shipping box. Christmas just isn't the same until I've had one of these delightful morsels.

Grammy wrote some variant measurements, temps, and times in pencil. This may be what she found to be preferable in her kitchen at 3500 feet above sea level in elevation. I have yet to test these measurements in our kitchen (that is close to sea level in elevation) to find which is best for our locale. I've included the variants in parentheses below.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup margarine [butter is better]
• 1/2 (3/4) cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 (1/2) teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Cream margarine [butter], sugar, egg, and flavoring
2. Add flour and mix well
3. Put dough into cookie press and form cookies on ungreased cookie sheets
4. Bake in 350°F (400°F) oven for 10-12 (8-10) minutes.
5. When cookies are cool, decorate with colored butter icing as desired [my favorite is to sprinkle the cookies with colored granulated sugar before baking]

Chocolate variation:

1. Blend into shortening mixture a 1 ounce square of melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate

Erma's Raisin Criss Cross Cookies (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting. Erma was Elsie's stepmother and the great grandmother I was fortunate to know and love as a child. These cookies were among my favorites. Erma (I knew her as Grandma Munce) had a porcelain cookie jar stocked with cookies every time we came to visit her. The sound of the clink of a ceramic cookie jar lid takes me right back to Grandma Munce's kitchen.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fat
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped raisins and grated lemon rind (if desired)

Instructions:

1. Mix fat, sugar and egg thoroughly
2. Stir in milk and lemon extract
3. Sift together dry ingredients and stir into wet mixture
4. Stir in raisins and lemon rind (if desired)
5. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts
6. Place balls about 3-inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet
7. Flatten each ball with a fork dipped in flour, making a criss-cross imprint
8. Bake 8-10 minutes at 400°F

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

Napoleon squares (untested)

This recipe is written in ballpoint pen in my Grammy's handwriting.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup sifted flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1 package (3.25 ounce) vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
• 1 teaspoon shortening
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions for pastry dough:

1. Cut butter into flour with pastry blender
2. Stir in sour cream with a fork
3. Divide dough into 4 equal portions
4. Wrap each portion
5. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight
6. Roll out one portion of dough on well-floured board into a 12-inch by 6-inch rectangle
7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet
8. Repeat with other 3 portions of dough
9. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown
10. Transfer carefully to wire racks
11. Cool completely
12. Trim sides carefully with a sharp knife so all layers are the same size
13. Place one layer, puffed side up, on a separate wire rack set on a piece of wax paper to be decorated for the top of the Napoleon

Instructions for fillings, frostings, and assembly:

1. In a saucepan, combine milk, pudding (or pie filling mix) and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil
3. Cool
4. Chill mixture well
5. In a double boiler set-up, combine chocolate pieces and shortening and heat over hot water until chocolate melts
6. Stir to blend
7. In a saucepan, combine confectioners' sugar, syrup, water and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8. Cook mixture over low heat until frosting is smooth and shiny and coats a wooden spoon. Don't overcook or frosting will be too hard
9. Remove from heat, pour over top layer immediately and spread evenly
10. Pour chocolate mixture into pastry bag or tube with small writing tip
11. Pipe lengthwise strips 1-inch apart over frosting
12. With a toothpick make chevron marks 1-inch apart pulling the toothpick left to right, then right to left
13. Set top aside to assemble
14. Place an undecorated layer, puffy side up, on serving platter
15. Spread layer with 1/3 of chilled vanilla filled
16. Top with frosted pastry layer
17. Chill at least 1 hour before serving

Makes 6 servings

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

Oatmeal cookies (untested)

This recipe is written in pencil on a folded piece of paper with two other unrelated recipes. The handwriting may belong to Grammy's daughter Ann.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup Crisco
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup dates
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cups flour

Instructions:

1. Cream Crisco and sugar together
2. Add eggs, oats, dates, salt, spices, baking soda in milk and flour
3. Mix and bake in moderate oven (350°F–375°F) for 10-12 minutes

Makes 45 cookies

Chocolate crunch cookies (untested)

This recipe is written in pencil on a folded piece of paper with two other unrelated recipes. The handwriting may belong to Grammy's daughter Ann.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 pound Guittard chocolate [it appears this is a bar of baking chocolate]
• 1 1/8 cup flour

Instructions:

1. Mix ingredients as you would a cake
2. Add walnuts
3. Cut chocolate in half-inch squares and fold in to the batter as the last thing
4. Drop from teaspoon onto baking sheet
5. [No over temperature or baking time is provided but another cookie recipe on the same piece of paper uses a moderate oven (350°F–375°F) with a baking time of 10-12 minutes]

Butterscotch pie filling (untested)

This recipe is written in fountain pen. In the upper right corner are the initials "M.H.", so the handwriting may belong to Grammy's paternal aunt Maggie Munce Hansen. I found another copy of this recipe written in Grammy's early handwriting (below).

Although the original title of the recipe says "pie", it appears that this recipe is for a "no bake" pie filling. No instructions for the pie crust are provided. I don't know if it is supposed to be put into a graham cracker pie crust or pre-baked pie shell. Until we test this recipe, we won't know for certain unless someone in the family remembers eating this recipe years ago.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup canned milk [probably unsweetened evaporated milk]
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add flour, milk, water and well-beaten eggs
3. Put in double boiler and cook until thick
4. Add vanilla
5. Cool

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