Favorite Honey Bars by Vanna M.

I know I posted 2 cookies on the same day, but I have a big family and the kids take a cookie every day in their lunch, so we eat them quick.  I actually made the other cookies a few weeks ago and I decided to make these because they sounded easy.  Only, my honey had gone to sugar.  I didn't want to wait, so I melted it quick and put it in melted.  It seemed to work fine.  It was definitely easier to measure.

The cookies came out chewy and moist, you can definitely taste the honey, but they are missing something.  I don't know if they need chocolate chips or cinnamon or what.  They are almost really good.  I had some leftover penoche frosting in the fridge, so I tried that, and it isn't the answer.  I gave them 2.5 stars because they have definite potential, but they need some experimentation.

Favorite Honey Bars by Vanna M.

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c rolled oats
1 c coconut
nuts (optional)

Cream shortening, sugar, and honey until it is light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.  Sift flour, soda, and salt, and add to creamed mixture.  Add oats, coconut, and nuts if desired.  Spread in a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Ranger Cookies by Della G.

It has been a long time since I made ranger cookies.  I forgot how much I love them!!  They are chewy and crispy and delicious, especially if you sneak in some chocolate chips.

 Ranger Cookies by Della G.

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c quick cooking oats
2 c Rice Krispies
1 c coconut

Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Add cereal, coconut, and chocolate chips if you like.  Mixture will be thick, you may need to use your hands to finish mixing.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Makes 4-5 dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookies - Barbara B.

I am a great fan of Peanut Butter Cookies and these were OK but they lacked flavor and were quite crumbly.  I had to add extra cream and they still were crumbly after being baked.    I added Peanut Butter Chips in hopes they would have a little better flavor and it helped.  I also sprinkled a little granulated sugar on top because some recipes call for it.  There appeared a lot of fat ingredients compared to dry ingredients.  On regular cookies you have about 1/3 as much fat as flour.  (2 fat to 6 flour).  Peanut Butter cookies are usually higher in fat, but this was more like equal fats to a little extra flour.   The instructions were very simple so I mixed them together the traditional cookie way.  I have changed the instruction just a little bit.  With all that said they were OK.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES - Barbara B.

1 C  Peanut Butter                                                           3 Tbs. Cream
1 C  Shortening                                                                1 tsp. Vanilla
1 C  Brown Sugar                                                            1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 Egg                                                                               2 1/2 C. Flour
                        
Cream Shortening, Peanut Butter and Brown Sugar.  Add egg, cream and vanilla, mix well.  Sift dry ingredients and mix into creamed mixture.  Roll into balls or drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and GENTLY press dough with a fork in opposite directions to create a grid on the top of each cookie.       Bake at 350o for 10-12 min.

Apple Crisp Topping by Barbara B

This was excellent, although I'd make a slight adjustment to the recipe.  The instructions don't specify what size pan to use, so I assumed that it was for a 9x13 cake pan.  I didn't want too much of it, so I halved the recipe and used an 8x8 pan.  It was A LOT of topping.  I wonder if the recipe was for a large cookie sheet. It doesn't include any instructions for the apples, so I used 3 large granny smith apples.  I added some lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the apples until they tasted good raw.  It seemed to work because they tasted good cooked, too.  I only added the lemon juice so the apples wouldn't go brown when my kids interrupted. If I was doing it again, I'd halve the topping recipe, then use 6 large granny smith apples in a 9x13 pan.  I love the topping on apple crisp, and I didn't think I could ever have too much of it, but there really was just too much.

Apple Crisp Topping by Barbara B.
3/4 C soft butter
2 1/4 C sugar
1 C dry milk
2 1/4 C flour
Mix together until thoroughly mixed.  Put on top of sweetened apples, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees.

For apples, use 6 large granny smiths, sliced, spiced, and sweetened, then halve the topping recipe and use 9x13 pan.

Barbecue Beef by Mary N.

She should really call this sloppy joes.  It is similar to the sloppy joe recipe that Jennifer gave me a long time ago, but not as good.  Plus, when I hear the title barbecue beef, I think of shredded beef, not ground.  So, to save yourself the hassle of finding chicken gumbo soup, and trying to figure out a gluten free version, just use this one:

Sloppy Joes
2 lbs ground beef
chopped onion
chopped celery
1 C tomatoes or juice (I have used fresh and canned, and they both work well)
1 1/2 C ketsup
1/4 tsp each sage, mustard powder, chili powder, curry

Brown the beef with the onions and celery.  Add other ingredients and simmer until ready to serve.  The actual directions say simmer for 1 hour, but I've never managed to do that.  My family smells it, then come running for dinner.


Here's the picture and recipe from the cook book:

Barbecue Beef by Mary Mae Nelson
3 lbs ground beef
chopped onions
4 T prepared mustard
1 can chicken gumbo soup
1 1/2 C catsup

Brown ground beef with onion.  Add other ingredients, simmer for a few minutes and serve.

Skillet Corn—Mildred M.

So I realize this does not look very appetizing, and I wish I could say differently, but it was only so-so.  I think if I had rinsed the beef better it would have tasted better, but I don't know that it would solve everything.  I have to say I was incredibly disappointed, I really thought it would be amazing.  I did run the beef and the onions through the food processor after cooking it since my husband just had mouth surgery so he couldn't chew too well.  I also added a can of green chilies (you can say New Mexico has grown on me).  That said, it was just not amazing.  It is one recipe I might see if I can  tweak since it is super easy, but I am not sure that I am all about it.  Anyway, here it is.

Skillet Corn
2 1/2 oz shredded dried beef  (by the Spam)
2 T minced onion
2 t butter
1 T flour (or cornstarch)
3/4 milk
1 can creamed corn
Buttered toast or mashed potatoes

Rinse beef.  Lightly fry beef and onion in melted butter until the edges of beef curl.

If using flour: Stir in flour.  Add milk stir until thickened and add the corn.  Turn to low and add cheese and cook just until melted.  Serve at once in buttered toast or mashed potatoes.

If using cornstarch: Add milk, reserving  2-3 T, and the corn, cook until boiling then add cornstarch to reserved milk and combine then add milk mixture to corn mixtures and stir until thickened.   Turn to low and add cheese and cook just until melted.  Serve at once in buttered toast or mashed potatoes.

Pizza Macaroni Casserole by Marjorie C.

 This was yummy.  My family loved it.  I only gave it 3 stars because it tastes a lot like spagetti, and spagetti is easier and cheaper to make.  Plus, I always have spagetti sauce, but I had to buy pizza sauce and tomato juice special for this recipe.  So, use spagetti sauce if you want to make this. I used mozzarella cheese on top and I highly recommend that.

Pizza Macaroni Casserole by Marjorie C.

3 c macaroni
3/4 lb hamburger
1 can pizza sauce
1 c tomato juice

Cook and drain the macaroni according to package directions.  Brown hamburger and season with salt and pepper.  Put all ingredients in a casserole dish and stir together.  Cover with cheese if you like.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Baked Beans - Lillian G.

There are some really great tips for cooking with beans in this recipe.  Some I had heard before but forgot so I liked the way she explained some of them.  I am going to divide the instructions into general instructions for cooking dry beans and the actual recipe for the baked beans.  I am taking this for lunch to Grandpa's. 

General bean instructions in recipe:
1. They are never the same as I accumulate the makings as other people accumulate hash or stew.  We grow pioneer pink eye beans.  See me for seed to grow your own, or use a white bean. (I don't think I will be seeing her for bean seed, I HOPE NOT SOON!  I just used white dry beans (black eyed peas that I had).
2. Remember, adding cold water or liquid to hot beans stops the cooking process so always add hot liquid unless you do not want the beans to be tender.
3. Pick over and sort out bad dry beans.  Wash remaining beans in water.
4. Generously cover beans with hot water and let soak overnight.  OR, Quick Soak Method.  Bring water and beans to boil, turn off heat and let stand for 1 hour.  Turn stove back on to low heat and let the beans simmer until as tender as you desire.  (She let hers cook to a mushy stage, I didn't).
5. Salt and tomato products toughen the skin so add these after the beans are cooked.
6. Using potato water with beans takes care of the discomfort some people get from eating beans.

These have really good flavor.  If I didn't have the convenience of modern day luxuries, this is a great recipe.  I would definitely double the spices.  I might even cut down on the potato water (to 2 cups) and replace it with tomato base of some kind.  The sweet pickle juice gives it the tangy flavor the vinegar in most recipes adds.  I was really surprised at how good they were.   I love baked beans when done right!


Baked Beans Lillian G.

The amounts are as written in the book.  I 2x's the Brown Sugar & Dry Mustard because it seemed too bland for my taste. I was right.
Prepare and cook beans as directed in General Bean instructions.  In baking pan mix:
4 Tbs. Brown Sugar or molasses                                  2  tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Dry Mustard                                                   1/2  tsp. Pepper
Humor part - Now rinse out all the ketchup bottles you have about used up, or use:
1 C. Ketchup                                                               1/3 C.  Sweet Pickle Juice (if you have it - I did)
approx. 1 qt.  Potato water.  I used potato water from my potato salad potatoes. 
2 cans. tomato sauce                                                    1 C.  Chopped Onion
All the potato water you drained from potatoes and stored in the refrigerator.  Use up any tomato juice or bottled tomatoes you have left over.
Add the beans and mix together. 
1/3 lb.  Bacon cut into approx 1" squares.  I placed them on uncooked_____________________
Add any ham bones or bacon rinds you cut off and saved.  Or put strips of bacon or a slice of ham on top. 
Bake for 4 hours or more.  I used my oven but a crock pot would work well if you cut back on some of the liquid and cooked the bacon ahead.  Baking in the oven evaporates the extra liquid and cooks the bacon.
Taste for salt.  You may need to add more.  Chopped onion may be added or a whole onion buried in the beans will add the same flavor.  If you don't have potato water, peel a potato and cook with the beans.  Good Luck
                                                         

Apple Walnut Cobbler - Mildred M.

When I first saw this recipe I thought it looked yummy, and I was right.  It wasn't the most amazing recipe I have ever tasted, but it is a pretty good cobbler recipe and if you were camping it would probably be good in a Dutch oven.  I followed the recipe exactly, and the ran an errand thinking to be back before it was out of the oven.  I ended up being back late, but a helpful child turned the oven off when the timer rang, and, not realizing something was in there, left it in the oven and so it sat in the oven for about 20-30 extra minutes, and in my opinion it was cooked perfectly so you may want to extend the cook time up to10 minutes.  Best part about the recipe, I finally purchased mace!

Apple Walnut Cobbler
1/2 C sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t mace
1/2 C walnuts, divided
4 C thinly sliced tart apples*
1 C flour
1 C sugar
1 t BP
1/4 t salt
1 beaten egg
1/2 C milk
1/3 C butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325.  Mix sugar, cinnamon, mace and 1/4 C walnuts. Place sliced apples in a greased 9x13 pan and sprinkle cinnamon mixture over top.  combine remaining dry ingredients (not remaining walnuts) in a small bowl.  In a medium bowl combine melted butter, milk, and egg and and then add dry ingredients and mix until smooth.  Pour over apples in the pan and then sprinkle remaining walnuts on top.  Bake for 50 minutes or until done.  Serve warm with whipped cream or cold.

We are having it for breakfast!

Potato Chocolate Cake by Pearl H. with Fudge Icing by Della G.

This cake took me all day to make and dirtied every dish in the house, but it might be worth it.  I always put garlic in my mashed potatoes, so I didn't think they would work well.  Luckily, I found a box of instant in the back of the cupboard, so I used those.  Once I got the potatoes ready, I realized I had to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites, so I did that.  Then, I got the dry ingredients ready because they alternate with the potatoes, and melted the chocolate so it could cool.  I felt like a cooking show with all my little bowls sitting there ready to make my cake.  The recipe says nothing about how you should cook it, so I guessed and it worked perfectly.  The cake is dense and moist, kind of like my applesauce cake.  It has a really mild chocolate flavor, in fact that is the only complaint we had.  I would experiment with adding more chocolate if I made it again.  The frosting is super fudgy, so that helped with the flavor.  I might have been too much if the cake had more chocolate.

I did have some trouble with the frosting.  I accidentally cooked it too long and it went to sugar.  I ended up adding more milk and cooking it down again, and it worked great.  I think you could cut the salt in half because it is a little too much.  I also proved that you can just dump everything together and boil it for a couple minutes if you don't want to mess with all the steps.  If you cook it less, it would also make a great hot fudge topping.

Potato Chocolate Cake by Pearl H.

1/2 c hot milk
1 c mashed potatoes
2/3 c shortening
2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg yolks
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
4 egg whites
1 c walnuts (optional)
1/2 c maraschino cherries (optional)

Beat milk and potatoes together, cool.  Cream shortening and sugar, add vanilla and egg yolks and beat well.      Combine flour and baking powder.  Alternately add potato and flour mixtures, beating after each addition.  Add walnuts or cherries with last flour addition if desired.  Add chocolate.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into batter.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool and frost.

Fudge Icing by Della G.

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c cream or evaporated milk
1/4 c water
1 T corn syrup
1/2 tsp (1/4 tsp) salt
2 sq melted unsweetened baking chocolate
2 T butter

Boil sugar, cream, water, syrup, and salt until soft ball stage.  Cool to room temperature and add chocolate, butter and vanilla.  Beat until thickened.  Or, Dump everything, but vanilla, in the pan and stir until it boils.  Boil 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  Add vanilla and beat until thick enough to spread.  

Apple Pudding - Maurine G.

This pudding cake is wonderful!!!!  I took it to the dinner last night (that I thought was last week) with the homemade butterscotch ice cream.  They were a hit.  A definite 4+ according to the dinner guests.  I had no complaints or challenges with this recipe.  I chose to use Rome Beauty apples with a smooth sweet taste.  The sauce was easy but it does boil over easy so make sure you use a high top pan and stir it down.  Luckily I remembered what Sego milk was.  I don't think you can buy that brand anymore.  I used the whole can of evaporated milk and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly.  I like a lot of sauce on my pudding and this way the rest of the can of milk won't go bad.  I chose to stir it the whole hour.  I had to finish my book (Suzanna and The Spy).  Stir & read, Stir & read.  The recipe was straight forward and easy to follow.  It tastes a lot like regular applesauce cake with carmeal sauce on top, but the apples are in chunks.  Try it,,,,,You'll like it!!!!!!!!!!

Apple Pudding - Maurine G.

4 C. Chopped Apples (about 3-4 lg. apples)                  3 C. Flour
1 C. Chopped Nuts (walnuts are great)                          3 tsp. Cinnamon
1 C. Shortening                                                              2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 C Sugar                                                                      2 tsp. Baking Soda
3 Eggs                                                                           1/4 tsp. Salt

Mix shortening and sugar.  Mix in eggs, one at a time.  Sift dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients.  Add apples and nuts, mix well.  Bake in greased 9x13 pan for 45 min. at 350o.  Serve warm with sauce.

Sauce    (adjusted to use a 12 oz. can of  Evaporated Milk)

1  12oz. can Evaporated Milk                                         3/4 C. Sugar
3 TBS. Butter
Simmer together for one hour stirring occasionally.

Chocolate Mountain Cookies - Lillian G.

I thought these sounded yummy, marshmallows and chocolate. And they were good, but not great.  They use shortening and I would be interested to see how they tasted with butter.  They are also a little gummy, I did add some flour for high altitude and I am wondering if I shouldn't have, since they were a little too dry.  That said, these were worth making again, I think I might do so and use butter and see what happens.  I'd expect they would be a little more moist and the flavor would be better.  As for the frosting, I used a can - not my favorite, but it is easy.  I microwaved the can for 15 seconds to get a better frosting consistency.  If I did it again, I would just make a glaze or ganache.  I think it would go over the cookie a lot better and look prettier.

The only real issue I had with the recipe was that it says to drop the cookies by 2 tsp drops.  That is too big if you want to have the 48 cookies it calls for.  I used my 1 tsp cookie scoop and that turned out perfect.  Also, I didn't have a nut half so I just sprinkled chopped walnuts on the top of the dough in the center and squished it in.  The pieces kind of spread, but it tasted good.  I think it would be even better with a pecan.

Chocolate Mountain Cookies
1 3/4 C flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa
1/4 t soda
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/2 C shortening
1/2 C evaporated milk
1/2 t salt
2 T water
24 Lg Marshmallows
1/2 C chopped nuts
48 Nut halves (opt)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Combine four, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add shortening, milk, water, egg, and vanilla.  Beat for 3 minutes, add nuts.  Drop on a cookie sheet in 1 to 1-1/2 tsp sized drops, about 2" apart.  If desired, place a nut half on top of each cookie.  Bake for 10 minutes, the cookies will be slightly soft in the center.  While they are baking, cut the marshmallows in half.  When the cookies are removed from the oven, immediately place the cut marshmallows on the cookies with the cut side down in the center of the cookie.  Place cookies on a cooling rack and frost with chocolate icing.

Icebox Cookies by Mildred M.

I think these should really be called Spiced Ice Box Cookies.  They are basically a sugar cookie with the same sort of spices you would find in a spice cake.  The icebox name simple comes from refrigerating them before slicing and baking them.  I should have tried just dropping them onto the cookie sheet, because I think they would have also worked that way.  The cookies are fine, but I prefer just regular sugar cookies.  If I'm going to eat all the spices, I need Cream Cheese Frosting on top.

Spiced Ice Box Cookies
1 C shortening
1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 Tbsp cream (I used water so the Bubba could eat them, and I think it's fine)
3 eggs
5 C flour
2 tsp soda dissolved in a little water (I used about 2 tbsp, but I wonder if this step is really necessary)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 C nuts (which I left out because my kids won't eat them)

Shape into loaves and leave in refrigerator over night.  Slice and bake at 350 until light brown (9 minutes)

Improvement Era Brownie by Lillian G.

Improvement Era Brownies by Lillian G

2/3 c shortening
3/4 c cocoa
2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt (This is a correction)
4 eggs
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c nuts, optional

Melt shortening and cocoa in a saucepan or a mixing bowl in the microwave.  Remove from heat and, using a spoon, not a mixer, add sugar, vanill, and salt.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with the spoon each time.  Alternately add milk and flour.  Add nuts.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.  Brownied will shrink away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched in the center.  Frost while warm, if desired.

This is the second brownie recipe I have made that came from the Improvement Era.  Whoever they had in charge of recipes for the magazine in the 60's had great taste. These brownies  were really fudgy and easy to make.  Unfortunately, they had at least 1 typo.  I am sure it is supposed to read 1/2 tsp salt, not 2 tsp salt.  Luckily, I caught that before I started.  I am also wondering if there is supposed to be baking powder.  Notice how flat they are. It was perfect for the recipe I had planned, but I think I like thicker brownies better.

I cooked them in these strange pans so I could make Raspberry Brownie Torte.  You can find the recipe on  Melissa's blog here: http://melsrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/02/raspberry-brownie-torte.html  It has raspberries and whipping cream and I throw in a brick of cream cheese to make it extra yummy.  I highy recommend it when you want something fancy.

Cherry Noels - Louise M

I did two kinds of cookies to go with homemade ice cream for a dinner we were going to.  What a huge mistake of a try.  Neither kinds of cookies were very good.  What beat all of that was... THE DINNER IS NEXT WEEK.  Someone was looking down on me smiling and chuckling at me knowing I would have a week to redeem myself and no one would ever know.

I really think something is missing from this recipe.  They do not come out of the pan very well.  I remember having these when I was young and I loved them.  I have tried this recipe before and had the same result again this time .  You end up with a puff of nuts on top of carmely goo.  It really is not mixed after it cooks.  It falls apart and leaves powdered sugar all over you unless you put it in you mouth really fast.  If I tried this again I think I would add extra flour (I don't really know how much) or something else in hopes it would be a real cookie not a sticky, crumbly, dry mess.  I gave it a 2 only because I know I loved it before and I know something has to be wrong in the printing.  I have adjusted the recipe so make sure you do.  I looked in Grandmas copy (the old version) of the book and the flour is 1/3 C. not 1/8.

CHERRY NOELS - Louise M

2 Tbs. Butter or Margarine                                          1 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Sifted Flour  (corrected amount)                         1/2 C. Chopped Nuts
1/8 tsp. Soda                                                               2 Beaten Eggs
1/8 tsp. Salt                                                                 1 tsp Vanilla
Confectioner's Sugar

In 9"x9" pan melt butter or margarine.  Sift together flour, soda and salt.  Stir in brown sugar and nuts.  Stir in eggs and vanilla.  Carefully pour batter over melted butter in pan.  Do not stir.  Bake in 350o F. oven for 20-25 min.  Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.  Cut in 1"x2" rectangles.  Let cool and remove from pan.  With green or red confectioner's icing write Noel on each cookie.  Delicious! (Supposedly)

Bon Bon Cookies - Mildred M

I was not overly impressed with the finished product.  I think I mixed it too long .  My hands are so hot that if I used my hands the butter would melt and all the dough would stick to my hands so I used the food processor.  They were very hard when cooked and not enough flavor.  The recipe says to make a center if you want and put dough around it.  So.........o, I tried a date, almonds and left some dough just plain.   I iced them with the chocolate frosting as listed and the flavors of all three clashed.The icing has little flavor also.  It needs some butter and salt or something.  I baked about 12 min.

 

This is what happens when you try, as suggested by someone I really love, to put left over fondant inside the dough.  It becomes a really sweet and yummy mess when it cools.  I thought a lot about what I may have done wrong.  I have decided if I ever make them again, I will add some chopped pecans and mix them into the dough with the flour then roll them in finely chopped pecans it would probably taste like a Pecan Sandie and be really good.    If anyone has had these and can let me know what was wrong, please do.

BON BON COOKIES

1/2 C. Soft Butter                                                  Food Coloring - optional
3/4 C. Powdered Sugar                                         1 T Vanilla 
1/8 tsp. Salt                                                           1 or 2 Tbs. Cream
1  1/2 C. Sifted Flour

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and food coloring together.  Mix flour in with hands.  If dough is dry add cream.  Make a center if you want and put dough around it.  Put 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake until set but not brown  approx. 10 to 12 min.  Dip tops of warm cookies in icing below.  Decorate with nuts, coconut, fruit or chocolate. 

French Dressing by Hilda G

This dressing was good, but I don't think I would make it again.  French dressing in a bottle from the store is cheaper, ounce for ounce, than the ketchup and oil required to make this, and I don't think this was really any better.  AND buying it in the bottle means you don't have to wash the blender.  Plus, I'd just skip right to the ranch dressing, which tastes a whole lot better, anyway.

French Dressing by Hilda G.

1/2 C salad oil

1/2 C ketchup

1/4 C sugar

2 T vinegar

1/2 t paprika

1 t salt

1 onion (I used 1/2 tsp onion powder)

1/4 C lemon juice

Mix in blender for 2 minutes; chill in the refrigerator

Fruit Salad - Maurine G.

So I decided the salad section should be "jello salads."  While mine doesn't have "jello" anything, you do make a pudding-like mixture to fold into whipped cream with marshmallows.

That said, while I love jello salad, I could do without this one.  It was flavorless.  I added some salt and then some powdered sugar to see if it made a difference, and it helped, but it couldn't rescue this recipe. It really is boring.  I did use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh, and while I think that could help, I don't know if it would make enough of a difference to have this be a staple in our home.  I have a lot of other jello-type salads I would prefer before this one.

UPDATE: I made this a second time (on accident, forgot i made this salad) and decided I liked it, go figure!  I did add some salt to the salad.  And allowed it to sit.  I shared it with friends and they really liked it too.

I have decided a more modern (easy) version would be  1/4 of a recipe of lemon jello instant pudding, 1 C cool whip, marshmallow, pineapple, and nuts.

Fruit Salad
2 eggs
3 T sugar
1/4 C cream
1/2 C chopped walnuts or pecans
juice of 1 lemon (2-3 T)
1 C whipped cream, whipped (I would add 1 sprinkle of salt and 2 T powdered sugar)
1 C crushed pineapple (1 lg can, drained)
1 pkg, tiny marshmallows (I did 1/2 a 1 lb bag)

Cook eggs, sugar, cream, and juice until thick - allow to cool.  Whip whipping cream and fold in pudding-like mixture, pineapple, nuts, and marshmallows.  Refrigerate.

Chocolate Pecan Roll - Helen J

Horrid photo, I know.  I must admit, I was a little disappointed by this recipe.  I figured, chocolate, butterscotch chips, and sweetened condensed milk, and nuts, how can it go wrong.  And, while it didn't really go wrong, I would prefer Grandma's pecan log or plain fudge.  This was good, and very sweet, but it just wasn't what I wanted.  That said, it is insanely easy (unless you melt the chips in the microwave for too long and they burn and melt the bowl -- not that that happened or anything....)  That said, it was a perfect Christmas treat when you are in a pinch for time.

Chocolate Pecan Roll
6 oz (1 C) milk chocolate chips
6 oz (1 C) butterscotch chips
2/3 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 C chopped pecans

Melt chips together (over hot water or in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time - not 1 minute).  Stir in milk then stir in nuts.  Chill until firm enough to handle or just pour onto wax paper and roll into a log.  Refrigerate until firm and then slice.

Orange Sherbet SALAD - Mary DS

Try #1 - I thought I was a responsible cook and could follow a recipe.  I was wrong, it pays to read a little more closely.  The recipe states "Whipped" cream.  I did not interpret as 'whipped' because the instructions did not specify to whip the cream.  I changed that in my instructions.  I just dumped in the whipping cream.  I also forgot to let the mixture cool first so after it set up I mixed in about 8 oz.of Cool Whip and it is OK.  A little lumpy but I think that is because I let it set up not just "GEL" before I added the cool whip.  I also used orange juice concentrate because it says to dissolve it in the boiling water. I don't have to dissolve my orange juice so I thought I needed frozen concentrate.  The orange is a little strong.  The cool whip helped tone down the flavor. Not that this version is bad because it isn't.  It is just not right.  Looks like scrambled eggs!

Try #2
For this one I followed the recipe a little closer.  The orange juice is still a little strong.  I diluted the orange juice by only half.  I should have used regularly prepared orange juice or even a less bitter brand of orange juice.  It does have a smoother flavor and the texture is more like smooth jello not lumpy scrambled eggs.

I would make this recipe again, but I would use prepared orange juice (like Tropicana or something like that) not orange juice concentrate to take away the bitter flavor.


Orange Sherbet Salad - Mary DS.

1  6 oz.pkg Orange Jello                                                    1 1/2 C. Boiling Water
1  pkg. Gelatin (softened in 1/4 C. Cold Water)                   1 C. Whipped Cream
1 C. Orange Juice (not just concentrate)                              2 C. Crushed Pineapple-Drained
2 Tbs. Sugar                                                                       16 Marshmallows
Nuts (optional)

In boiling water dissolve jello, softened gelatin, and sugar.  Add orange juice and cool until mixture gels.  Whip the whipping cream. Fold whipped cream, pineapple and marshmallows (nuts if desired) into orange mixture.  Allow to set and serve.  Approx. 18 - 1/2 C. servings.

Fruit Salad by Mary Mae N.

Mary Mae was a huge fan of fruit salad.  She had 3 recipes she submitted with that name, and they were all assigned to me.  I made 2 of them, but the third recipe seems incomplete.  I will post it here, and if anyone knows what it means by dressing, please comment.

Fruit Salad

1 c mandarin oranges
1 small can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 pt sour cream
1 c small marshmallows
1 c coconut

Mix fruit together, add dressing and sour cream.  Let sit overnight before eating.


I call this the orange fruit salad.  Isn't it pretty in the pan?  It did not taste very good, but, with some adjustments, it could be yummy, so I gave it 2 stars.  I wonder if there are some differences in sizes of containers and products available.  For instance, how small is a small can of frozen orange juice?  I used a regular can of frozen concentrate because that is the smallest can I could find in my grocery store, but I wonder if they used to come smaller, or maybe you could get full strength orange juice in the freezer, because the salad tastes like straight orange juice concentrate.  It is really strong.  Even my husband who loves orange juice thought it was a little much.  I wasn't sure what a package of lemon chiffon pudding was either, so I used instant lemon pudding.  When I mentioned the shredded cheese, my family made a collective gagging sound, so I left it off.  They probably wouldn't have tasted it over the orange juice flavor, but I wanted them to at least try the salad.

Fruit Salad by Mary Mae N.

2 small packages orange Jello
2 c hot water
1 med can crushed pineapple (I drained it and used the juice for part of the water)
1 small can frozen orange juice
1 c cold water
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Dissolve Jello in boiling water.  Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate for 4 hours.

TOPPING
1 package lemon chiffon pie filling
whipped cream
shredded cheese

Follow directions on the box to prepare the pie filling.  Spread over salad and chill.  Spread cream over the top and sprinkle with cheese.


This last salad is definitely the best.  It is pretty in the pan, and so yummy.  The pineapple topping was the best part.  If I were to change something, I would double the topping to make it even better.  Now for some confessions.  I did not add the sugar to the Jello layer.  I coundn't imagine needing it, Jello and all the other ingredients are plenty sweet.  I wonder why she added sugar to this sweet salad, but not to the other, extremely tart one? The, I had half a tub of Cool Whip in the fridge, so I used it instead of whipping cream.

Fruit Salad by Mary Mae N.

2 small packages lemon Jello
1 c bouling water
2 c 7-up
2 c tiny marshmallows
1/4 c sugar
3 sliced bananas
2 c drained pineapple, reserve juice

Dissolve the Jello in the boiling water.  Add everything else and chill overnight.

TOPPING
1/2 c pineapple juice
1 egg
                                                                                                        2 T lemon juice
                                                                                                        1/4 c sugar
                                                                                                        1 c cream, whipped

Cook first 4 ingredients until thick.  Cool.  Fold in whipped cream, and spread over salad.  Chill.