Grandma's Recipes for Mother and Daughter

Logically Molasses.... GINGERBREADS • BREADS

Reading edition

GRANDMA’S FAVORITE GINGERBREAD

2½ cups sifted enriched flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon double-acting or 1½ teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder 1 teaspoon ginger 2 teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon cloves ½ cup shortening ½ cup sugar ¾ teaspoon soda 1 cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 2 eggs 1 cup hot water

Heat oven to 350° F. (moderate). Sift together first six ingredients. Cream shortening, sugar, and soda. Add molasses. Stir in ½ cup flour mixture. Beat in eggs. Add hot water alternately with remaining flour mixture (about ⅓ of each at a time). Beat ½ minute. Bake 45 minutes or until done in a well-greased, lightly floured, 9x9x2-inch pan.

YIELD: 9 to 12 servings.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN GINGERBREAD

Topping

1 tablespoon butter or margarine ⅓ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ¼ cup sugar 6 slices pineapple 6 maraschino cherries

Cake Batter

1½ cups sifted enriched flour ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon double-acting or 1¼ teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder ½ teaspoon each, ginger and cinnamon ¼ teaspoon cloves ⅓ cup shortening ⅓ cup sugar ½ teaspoon soda ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 1 egg ½ cup sour milk

Heat oven to 350° F. (moderate). Melt butter or margarine in 8×8×2-inch pan. Stir in molasses and sugar; heat just to boiling point. Over this, arrange pineapple and cherries; set aside. TO MIX CAKE: Sift together first six ingredients. Cream shortening, sugar, and soda. Add molasses. Stir in ¼ cup flour mixture. Beat in egg. Add sour milk alternately with remaining flour mixture (about ⅓ of each at a time). Beat ½ minute. Pour batter in pan over pineapple and cherries; spread to sides and corners. Bake 1 hour or until done. Cool 15 to 20 minutes before removing from pan.

YIELD: 9 servings.

Pear Upside Down Gingerbread: Replace pineapple with pear halves.

FRENCH TOAST

1 egg, beaten ½ cup milk 2 tablespoons GRANDMA’S MOLASSES Dash of salt 4 to 5 slices bread

Mix first four ingredients. Dip each slice of bread into mixture. Fry until golden brown in a little hot fat. Serve with butter or margarine and GRANDMA’S MOLASSES.

YIELD: 4 to 5 slices of toast.

WHOLE-WHEAT GRIDDLE CAKES

1 cup sifted enriched flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons double-acting or 4 teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder 1 cup unsifted whole-wheat flour 2 eggs, separated 3 tablespoons GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 2 cups milk 2 tablespoons shortening, melted

Sift together first three ingredients; mix with whole-wheat flour. Combine egg yolks, molasses, milk, and shortening; stir into flour mixture. Beat egg whites stiff, but not dry; fold into batter. Bake a spoonful at a time on a lightly greased, hot griddle.

YIELD: 12 griddle cakes.

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes: Replace whole-wheat flour with 1 cup quick oats.

WHOLE-WHEAT WAFFLES

1 cup sifted enriched flour 1 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons double-acting or 4 teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder 1 cup unsifted whole-wheat flour 3 eggs, separated 3 tablespoons GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 1½ cups milk ¼ cup shortening, melted

YIELD: 8 waffles.

MOLASSES FRUIT BREAD

2 cups sifted enriched flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon soda ¾ teaspoon double-acting or 1¼ teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder 1 egg, beaten ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ⅓ cup sugar ¼ cup shortening, melted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1½ teaspoons grated lemon rind ⅓ cup chopped figs or dates ¼ cup sliced citron ½ cup chopped nuts ⅔ cup milk

Heat oven to 350° F. (moderate). Sift together first four ingredients. Add egg, molasses, sugar, shortening, lemon juice and rind, fruit, and nuts. Mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Mix only until ingredients are blended. Bake one hour or until done in well-greased, lightly floured, 5x9x3-inch bread pan.

YIELD: 1 loaf.

SWEDISH YEAST BREAD

2 packages granulated yeast ¼ cup lukewarm water 2 cups sour milk ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 2 cups sifted enriched flour 4 cups unsifted rye or whole-wheat flour 3 teaspoons salt 4 teaspoons caraway seed (optional)

Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Heat sour milk; cool to lukewarm, and add to yeast. Add molasses. Mix enriched flour, rye or whole-wheat flour, salt, and caraway seed if used. Gradually add to yeast-milk mixture. Mix well. Turn dough onto floured board. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead until smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Place dough in a greased bowl. Coat all sides of dough with grease by wiping it against sides of bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80 to 85° F.) until double in size. Knead dough on floured board a few seconds; cover, and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in greased 5x10x3-inch bread pans. Let rise in warm place until double in size. Bake in hot oven (425° F.) 30 minutes or until crust is well browned and shrinks from sides of pan.

YIELD: 2 loaves.

REFRIGERATOR WHOLE-WHEAT ROLLS

2 packages granulated yeast ¼ cup lukewarm water 1¾ cups milk ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 2 eggs 3¾ cups sifted enriched flour 3¾ cups unsifted whole-wheat flour 3 teaspoons salt ½ cup shortening, melted

Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Scald milk; cool to lukewarm, and add yeast. Stir in molasses and eggs. Mix enriched flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt; add 4 cups to yeast-molasses, etc., mixture. Beat batter until smooth and elastic (falls in sheets from spoon). Add shortening; beat thoroughly. Add remaining flour; work it in well. Turn dough onto bread board; cover and let rest 10 minutes. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in greased bowl. Coat all sides of dough with grease by wiping it against sides of bowl. This prevents a crust from forming over dough. Store in refrigerator overnight or 3 to 4 days. Knead a few seconds; shape into rolls; place 1 inch apart on greased pans. Brush tops with melted butter or margarine. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85° F.) until double in size. Bake in moderately hot oven (400° F.) 12 to 15 minutes.

YIELD: 5 to 6 dozen rolls.

Poppy Seed Rolls: Brush tops of rolls before they rise with frothy egg whites; sprinkle with poppy seed.

STEAMED BROWN BREAD

1 cup sifted enriched flour 2 teaspoons soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup quick oats 2 cups corn meal 1 cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 2 cups sour milk 1 cup raisins

Sift together first three ingredients. Add quick oats and corn meal (save ¼ cup in which to coat raisins). Stir in molasses and sour milk. Mix raisins with the ¼ cup dry mixture; add to batter. Mix well. Pour into 4 greased No. 2 cans, filling each ¾ full. Cover with metal foil or 2 layers of brown paper tied in place with a strong cord. Steam 2 hours, counting from the time water begins to boil.

YIELD: 4 loaves.

SWEET BRAN MUFFINS

2½ cups sifted enriched flour 2 teaspoons double-acting or 3 teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder ½ teaspoon soda 1½ teaspoons salt 1½ cups bran 1 egg, beaten 1 cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ¾ cup milk ¼ cup shortening, melted

Heat oven to 400° F. (moderately hot). Sift together first four ingredients. Add bran. Mix egg, molasses, milk, and shortening; add to flour-bran mixture. Stir only until blended. Fill well-greased muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 20 minutes or until done.

YIELD: 16 large or 24 small muffins.

WHOLE-WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 cup sifted enriched flour ¾ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon soda 2 teaspoons double-acting or 3 teaspoons cream of tartar baking powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¾ cup unsifted whole-wheat flour ½ cup shortening ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 1 egg ¾ cup milk 1 cup blueberries

Heat oven to 375° F. (moderate). Sift together first five ingredients; mix with whole-wheat flour. Cream shortening and molasses. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Stir in blueberries. Fill well-greased muffin pans ¾ full. Bake 18 minutes or until done.

YIELD: 24 small muffins.