Carla usually picks this recipe, or Molasses Cake, for her holiday birthday cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9 x 13 baking pan. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside. In mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Slowly add molasses. Add egg and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour to the sugar mixture … Continue reading Gingerbread
Put water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Do not stir, but allow to soak for about 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, heat the eggnog until almost boiling. Remove from heat and add gelatin, stirring to dissolve. Add vanilla, and stir. Pour mixture into serving bowl or 6-8 individual custard cups. Do not cover. Chill for at least two hours; sprinkle … Continue reading Eggnog Cream Custards
Despite what we said in the introduction, we know our cheesecake recipe has previously appeared in a copyrighted work; but even though Nela’s Cookbook was a wonderful combination of recipes and memoir, we have no idea whether Aunt Nela got the recipe from Mamcik, or vice versa, or whether they both got it from someone else. Aunt Nela was our paternal grandmother’s younger sister – … Continue reading Cheesecake
Because both our grandmother Mamcik and Great-Aunt Nela made this recipe (it also appears in Nela’s Cookbook, and I’ve copied her citrus topping here), it most likely came from the kitchen of their childhood home, Ilgovo, in Lithuania. I keep telling myself I should ask Nela’s children (along with whether they know what happened to four of their seven siblings who survived childhood – we … Continue reading Mazourka
Our recipe for this is in Mamcik’s handwriting, in faded blue ink on a folded piece of yellowing paper. Like so many of our family recipes, it is more “notes to remind you how to do it” rather than exact instruction. For example, it doesn’t say a word about how to construct and assemble this famous dessert, so we’ve added that. It also doesn’t include … Continue reading Sachertorte
Another way to use all the lovely summer peaches at the markets. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Melt butter and combine with breadcrumbs. Add cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt to crumb mix. In separate bowl, combine peaches, lemon juice and rum flavoring. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with one-third of the crumb mixture, and top with half of … Continue reading Peach Brown Betty
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper. In a food processor, process shortbread cookies into fine crumbs; add butter and pulse until blended. Press crumb mix into baking pan and bake at 300 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until just lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then spread all but 3 tablespoons raspberry … Continue reading Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
TBH, she called it “five-cup salad,” but most people know this as ambrosia. As kids, we thought it was weird, but now we understand why this is a Southern staple. Combine all ingredients and chill overnight. Garnish with maraschino cherries; serve very cold. Continue reading Grammy’s Ambrosia Salad
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine peach slices with sugar and salt, and layer in an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle lemon juice over the fruit. In separate bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork. Add nuts and mix. Sprinkle mix over peach slices. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. It’s great served warm with ice cream … Continue reading Peach Crisp
Peaches we bring home from the farmers’ market almost always end up here. Mix 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, ¼ cup butter and heavy cream into dough; chill for 1 hour or more. While chilling, put peaches, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon into medium saucepan and allow to sit until syrup forms. When it does, bring peach mixture … Continue reading Peach Cobbler
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