Family Favorite Desserts From Our Family to Yours Maribeth Alexander www.foodandforte.com
COPYRIGHT 2017 By Maribeth Booe Alexander Cabot, Arkansas ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No portion of this book may be used, photocopied, or reprinted without sole permission of the copyright holder except in use of a review. DISCLAIMER Most of the recipes are from our family collection going back decades to the days of our Grandmama Hall. Others are from other family members and friends.
Recipes.. COOKIES Mama s Glazed Apple Cookies Grandmama Hall s Banana Nut Cookies Best Chocolate Chip Cookies PIES Grandmama Hall s Apple Pie Mama s Pie Crust Mama s Strawberry Pie Aunt Faye s Chocolate Pie with Cookie Sprinkles CAKES Mandarin Orange Cake Grandmama Hall s Chocolate Sheet Cake Banana Nut Cake Thunder Cake
COOKIES Mama s Glazed Apple Cookies
Mama s Glazed Apple Cookies Mama found this recipe years ago. She makes her own applesauce for this recipe. We think this is one of the best cookies you will ever eat! Ingredients for Cookies: 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon allspice 1/8 teaspoon salt ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup sugar ¼ cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup unsweetened applesauce* (We used storebought applesauce, but homemade will make them better!) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 medium Granny Smith apple, finely chopped 1 cup dark raisins, optional 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Ingredients for Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (Or use bottled lemon juice. Fresh squeezed will, of course be better:)) Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare 2 large cookie sheets by either greasing or spraying with non-stick cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt. 3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 4. Add egg, applesauce and vanilla and beat until mixed well. 5. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended. 6. Stir in apples, raisins and pecans with a spoon. 7. Drop by rounded tablespoons 1-inch apart on greased cookie sheets. (Or use non-stick cooking spray). 8. Bake 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned. 9. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. 10. Prepare glaze by mixing powdered sugar gradually into the lemon juice being sure there are no lumps. 11. Brush glaze over cookies with a pastry brush or drizzle from a spoon.
*Homemade Applesauce (You will need to make this ahead of time.) Ingredients: Apples A little water Instructions: 1. Peel, core and chop apples. 2. Put in a saucepan with a little water. 3. Bring to a boil; then turn heat on stove down to low. 4. Cook on low heat until apples are tender when forked. 5. Drain apples, then put back into pot and mash with a potato masher.
Grandmama Hall s Banana Nut Cookies
Grandmama Hall s Banana Nut Cookies Grandmama Hall would make these cookies for me every weekend when I came home from college. I would take them back with me, and ration them out through the week so I would have enough to last until I went back home. She knew I loved them, and she never disappointed me. I always had a box of her Banana Nut Cookies until Granddaddy passed away around Thanksgiving 1970. Ingredients: 1 cup sugar ¾ cup shortening 1 egg 1 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon allspice 3 or 4 mashed bananas 1 ¾ cups oats 1 (6-ounce) package chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and egg together. 3. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together. (I whisk the dry ingredients together.) 4. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with bananas to creamed mixture. 5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips and nuts. 6. Add vanilla. Mix well. 7. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. (I used a large cookie scoop which made 4-inch cookies when done.) 8. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on racks. (I baked mine for 15 minutes because they were larger cookies.) Yield: 6 dozen (Because I used the large cookie scoop, the halfbatch made 10 4-inch cookies. I m sure if I had used teaspoonfuls to drop the batter, it would have made 3 dozen cookies.)
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies This recipe given to my daughter by one of her friends seems to be the Best chocolate chip cookie recipe around. Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1/4 cup shortening 1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark) 2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoons vanilla 1 egg 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semisweet) 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (We used 1 1/2 cups because Papa Lynn liked LOTS of pecans!) Instructions: 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, combine softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. 3. Add egg into creamed mixture. Beat to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture mixing just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. 5. Drop by rounded tablespoonful s onto an ungreased baking sheet. (We used an ice cream scoop to make large cookies and used a silpat baking mat.) 6. Bake for 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies. (We increased the time to 10-12 minutes because the cookies we were making were larger.) 7. Cool 1 minute on baking pan, then remove to foil to cool completely. NOTE: My daughter says to place cookies on sheets of foil to cool. This will allow cookies to stay moist and chewy. Also, you can toast the pecans before adding to the cookie dough for another level of flavor! ANOTHER NOTE: Some family members liked pecans, others didn t. The pecans are in the recipe, but can be left out for those who prefer no pecans. You might want to add more chocolate chips if you leave out the pecans.
PIES Grandmama Hall s Apple Pie
Grandmama Hall s Apple Pie This is the best apple pie you can eat! While you can use a different variety of apples, Granny Smith makes the best pie. Ingredients: 7-8 apples, peeled and sliced thin (Granny Smith) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup oleo ¼ cup water (only use if using Granny Smith apples) 2 crust pie crust (we double Mama s pie crust) Directions: 1. Make your pie crust and set aside. 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 3. Place apples in a medium bowl. Stir into the apples: cinnamon, sugar, salt. 4. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt oleo with ¼ cup water. (If using Granny Smith apples) 5. Place apples in the bottom crust in the pie pan. 6. Pour liquid over apples before placing top crust on. 7. Bake 1 hour.
Ingredients: Mama s Pie Crust (Adapted for using a mixer) 1 ¼ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup shortening ¼ cup water (I use ice water. Geraldine) Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Mix together 3. Add shortening. (I take a spatula and add it in scoops, dropping around the mixing bowl in different places) 4. Turn on the mixer and mix until the dough looks like little peas. 5. While mixer is running, add water. Continue beating until dough forms a firm ball. 6. Remove dough from mixing bowl and shape with your hands into a round, flattened ball. 7. Roll out on a floured board. 8. Place in pie plate, press on the bottom and around the bottom of the pie crust to eliminate air bubbles. 9. Roll edges of dough under and crimp. 10. For a baked pie shell, prick around the bottom of the dough, and around the sides. (See picture above)
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes until brown. NOTE: Grandmama Hall would roll her dough a few times, then lift the dough up, sprinkle flour under, turn the dough over and continue rolling. She also would turn the dough at times to the side somewhat (45 degree angle) to help make the crust stay in a circle as she rolled it. If making a two-crust pie, like Grandmama Hall s Apple Pie, double this recipe.
Mama s Strawberry Pie
Mama s Fresh Strawberry Pie An updated version of Grandmama Hall s Strawberry Pie recipe, which had whipped cream instead of whipped topping. It is best made with fresh strawberries when they are in season in April and May. Ingredients: 1 quart fresh strawberries ¾ cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1/3 cup water 4 ounces cream cheese ¼ cup powdered sugar 1 (8-ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed reserve ½ cup (We use Cool Whip) 1 baked pie shell (we make Mama s pie crust) Instructions: 1. Cut 1 pint of the strawberries in half. Place in a medium saucepan. 2. Add the ¾ cup sugar, flour, water to the berries. 3. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. 4. In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese with powdered sugar. 5. Fold in the ½ cup thawed whipped topping. 6. Spread cream cheese mixture on bottom of baked pie shell.
7. Slice remaining berries and place on top of the creamed cheese mixture. 8. Pour the cooked and cooled mixture on top of fresh berries. 9. Top with remaining thawed whipped topping and refrigerate.
Aunt Faye s Chocolate Pie with Chocolate Cookie Sprinkles
Aunt Faye s Chocolate Pie with Chocolate Cookie Sprinkles With or without the chocolate cookie sprinkles, this pie is a winner! Super easy and delicious! Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) chocolate graham cracker crumb crust (these are found on the baking aisle) 4-ounces cream cheese ½ cup sifted powdered sugar 1 (8-ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided 1 (4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix 1 ½ cups milk 6 cream-filled chocolate cookies, coarsely crumbled and divided (we use Oreos) Instructions: 1. In a mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. 2. Fold ½ cup whipped topping into cream cheese mixture. 3. In a separate bowl, mix instant pudding mix with milk. Beat 2 minutes on low speed on mixer. 4. Combine instant pudding mix and cream cheese mixture. 5. Pour into cooled crust.
6. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the crumbled cookies on top of the pie. 7. Spread thawed whipped topping on top. 8. Sprinkle remaining cookie crumbs on top of the whipped topping. Refrigerate.
CAKES Mandarin Orange Cake
Mandarin Orange Cake This is my sister, Jeri s, recipe. It is a refreshing cake for the Easter season. Ingredients: 1 butter recipe golden cake mix ¾ cup oil 3 eggs 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges and juice Instructions: 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until well-blended and oranges are chopped up. 2. Bake at 350 degrees in either 2 (9-inch) layers for 25 minutes or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan for 30 minutes that have been greased and floured. (If baking in layers remove from pans and cool when done.) NOTE: Cake must be completely cooled 4 to 6 hours before icing.
Mandarin Orange Cake Icing Ingredients: 1 (15 ½-ounce) crushed pineapple and juice 1 (5 3/8-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix 1 (8-ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed Instructions: 1. Combine pineapple and juice with instant pudding mix. Blend well. 2. Fold in whipped topping and spread between layers and top and sides of cake. Refrigerate.
Grandmama Hall s Chocolate Sheet Cake
Grandmama Hall s Chocolate Sheet Cake This was Daddy s favorite cake. Mama had to keep it made all the time. Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 stick butter 3 ½ tablespoons cocoa 1 cup water ½ cup shortening ½ cup buttermilk 2 unbeaten eggs 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, mix together flour and sugar. 3. Put butter, cocoa, water, and shortening in pan and let boil. 4. Pour over dry ingredients while hot and mix well. 5. Add buttermilk, unbeaten eggs, soda and vanilla. Mix well. 6. Grease and flour a sheet pan (11 x 16-inch). 7. Pour cake batter in and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven. Frost with Chocolate Sheet Cake Frosting while cake is still hot. Chocolate Sheet Cake Frosting Ingredients: 1 stick butter 3 ½ Tablespoons cocoa 1/3 cup milk 1 pound powdered sugar ½ cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, mix butter, cocoa, milk and let boil 2 minutes. 2. Add powdered sugar, chopped pecans, vanilla. Mix well. 3. Pour over hot cake. NOTE: Grandmama Hall said to always use real butter when baking you can use oleo if you desire.
Grandmama Hall s Banana Nut Cake with Creamy Nut Frosting
Banana Nut Cake One of Grandmama Hall s friends gave her this recipe probably in the 1930 s or 1940 s. Mama says it is the best Banana Nut Cake you will ever eat! Ingredients: ½ cup butter or shortening 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs 2 cups flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt ¼ cup buttermilk ¾ teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 mashed bananas Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar together. 3. Add eggs and mix well. 4. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together. 5. Combine buttermilk and soda, stirring to blend.
6. Add flour mixture and buttermilk to batter alternately beginning and ending with the flour mixture. 7. Add vanilla and mashed bananas. (You can add chopped pecans, if desired.) 8. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured square (8-inch) cake pans and bake 30 minutes. Ingredients: Creamy Nut Icing 1 stick butter 2 ½ teaspoons flour ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup milk ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 (1 pound box) sifted powdered sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ cup chopped pecans Instructions: 1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. 2. Blend in flour and salt. 3. Slowly stir in milk and bring to boil, stirring constantly. 4. Boil 1 minute. (If mixture is curdled, the icing will not be affected.)
5. Stir in brown sugar. Remove from heat. 6. Add powdered sugar. 7. Put pan in cold water until the icing reaches spreading consistency. 8. Add vanilla and pecans and spread between layers, on top and sides of cake.
Thunder Cake
Thunder Cake Hailey said she ate this cake one time, and it became her favorite! It s easy to make and a sure to please cake! The only thunder you will hear will be cheers with this cake! Ingredients: 1 German chocolate cake mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 jar hot fudge sauce 1 (16-ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed Toffee candy bars, crushed Instructions: 1. Make cake according to package directions. Cool. 2. Poke holes with a wooden spoon handle in the cake. 3. Spread cake with condensed milk and let sit for 5 minutes. 4. Spread with hot fudge sauce and let sit 5 minutes. 5. Spread with whipped topping. 6. Sprinkle with crushed candy bars. 7. Chill before serving.
ABOUT Family Favorite Desserts from Our Family to Yours Cooking has always been a passion in our family. The legacy began with Grandmama Hall. She planted seeds in each of us to love cooking, which included favorite desserts. The desserts recipes in this collection represent some of our very favorite desserts. From cookies and pies to cakes, all are tried and true... our favorites for decades! From Our Family to Yours... Life is too short not to have dessert! Maribeth Food and Forte