Sand Tarts

by Mrs Marvel

Keeping with yesterdays geological theme, today we have sand. Tarts, that is. Sand Tarts.

This is also one of my favorite recipe comments practicality. Gram says “use the old aluminum cup & fill to the brim.” Well, my mom revealed that the old aluminum cup had a dent in it, so it would never get completely full to it’s designated measure. That cup was perfect for this recipe – and probably many others – because the dent in its side did not mandate that it be retired. It gave a slightly less than perfect measure, making it the perfect measuring cup.

Sand Tarts

1 1/2 cups butter – too much use old al. cup & fill to brim

2 cups sugar

2 3/4 cups flour

2 eggs – save whites for top

Bland (blanched?) almonds

Roll very thin

Brush tops with egg white, sprinkle with nutmeg & cinnamon, & place 1/2 almond on each

Rocks

by Mrs Marvel

Here’s a little mystery recipe because I’m not really sure how these should be shaped or baked, but the title suggests small balls baked for a long time. Rocks doesn’t really sound like a yummy dessert. I’m wondering if these are more like the consistency of a pecan sandie. I wonder if my mother has anything to add?

Rocks

2 cups brown sugar

Scant cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts

1/4 cup sour milk

1/2 tsp soda dissolved in milk

3 cups flour

Pumkin’ Cookies

by Mrs Marvel

I wonder if this could be made as a scone as well as a cookie. I have no idea who Charlene was, maybe someone who came in to help Gram out in her later years, or maybe someone she knew from church. Pumkin’ – pumpkin of course – cookies look to be sweet, and of course are a chocolate alternative. I was speaking with a friend of mine recently about how modern desserts and treats are so focused on chocolate, but there are so many treats that are good. It makes me wonder how we got to the point in America that dessert is synonymous with chocolate. I’ll keep that in mind the next time I’m on the hook for a dessert. Which by the way I am, for my mom’s birthday in July, and I’m going to be bringing Angel Pie, a non-chocolate dessert. :-)

Pumkin’ Cookies (Charlene)

1 c Crisco

1 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 can pumpkin (1 lb)

2 c raisins

1 c chopped nuts (app)

4 c flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Soak raisins in boiling water until soft. Drain. Cream Crisco & sugars. Add pumpkin, vanilla. Mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients gradually. Mix well & add raisins & nuts.

Drop by tsp & pat down a little. Bake at 350 10-12 min. Take out before brown.

Icing

Cream stick of oleo, 1 lb confectioners sugar 2 tsp vanilla. Add a little milk for right consistency. Frost cookies while warm.

Peanut Butter Cookies

by Mrs Marvel

Who doesn’t love peanut butter cookies? Well, lots of people, ha ha, but here is a nice recipe for the lunchbox standard all the same.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 c shortening

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 cup peanut butter

2 scant tsp soda or 1 tsp soda and 1 tsp B.P.

1 tsp vanilla if desired

Orange Cookies

by Mrs Marvel

I don’t recall ever having these, but they sound sweet and somehow refreshing, reminiscent of the lemonade cookies I posted the other day. In all my baking over the past few years, I have always trended toward chocolate or oatmeal treats, and hearing from my baking colleagues they seem to do the same. But, maybe I ought to widen my horizons and try some of these more unusual cookie recipes, simply because they are different. There are times the very different and unexpected is exactly what hits the spot, so to speak.

I think this recipe might be from when Gram was younger, so in the 20s-30s, simply because her handwriting is more neat. As she aged, like many of us, her handwriting became a bit messy.

Finally, I figured out that a quick oven is a hot oven, about 400 degrees, and you may want to watch them after 6 minutes to ensure they don’t burn.

Orange Cookies

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c butter (generous)

Creamed

Juice & grated rind of 1/2 orange

1 egg

1/2 c sour milk

1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 c Swansdown flour

1 tsp baking powder

Bake in quick oven

Frosting: 3 tbsp confectioners sugar, creamed w 1 tbsp butter. Add enough orange juice to make it spread.