My sister and I spent the day baking what we call "Grandma's recipes". These treats are as much a part of our Christmas as carols, gifts, a lights on the tree.
We started this morning and are still going (just a few more loafs of pumpkin bread to go). We even skyp'ed my mother in on the fun.
The pictures are for my mom and grandma...the recipes are for everyone else.
Great Great Grandma Weins' Honey Cookies
1 Quart of Honey
6 Eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
2 Tbls Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Quarts (more or less) Flour
Cream eggs, sugar, and butter. Mix all dry ingredients. Blend the two, and drop by spoonful and press with the floured end of a glass. You can also roll the dough and use cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Do not over bake. When cool, frost or shake in a bag of powdered sugar.
Yields: A ton! After everyone snacked on a few we ended up with 7 dozen
Grandma Ratzloff's Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup
(Cook in Microwave for 4:20 on power level 7)
Add 1 Cup Salted Peanuts
(Cook in Microwave for 4:00 on power level 7)
Add 1 tsp Butter
Add 1 tsp Vanilla
(Cook in Microwave for 1:30 on power level 7)
Add 1 tsp Baking Soda
Stir quickly, but not too much. Pour quickly onto a buttered pan. Cool. Break into desired pieces.
Mom's Pumpkin Bread
3 Cups Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Flour
2/3 Cup Water
1 Cup Oil
4 Eggs
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 Can Pumpkin
Mix sugar, eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin. Mix all other dry ingredients. Blend the two at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Divide batter into two large greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, increasing temp to 350 for an additional 15 minutes. Can also be baked in 4 small loaf pans, but may need to adjust baking time.
Grandma Ratzloff's Popcorn Balls
Big Bowl of Popcorn
1 Cup Cream
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Karo Syrup
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbls Butter
Boil cream, sugar, syrup, and butter until a light brown color (about 5-8 minutes). Grandma drips some into a glass of water. If it forms a ball when dropped in the water...it's ready. Mix in vinegar and soda. Pour over popcorn and mix gently with a spoon. Form popcorn into balls as soon as it is cool enough to handle. It helps to add butter to your hands.
Yields: Around 20 - the size of a large apple
We started this morning and are still going (just a few more loafs of pumpkin bread to go). We even skyp'ed my mother in on the fun.
The pictures are for my mom and grandma...the recipes are for everyone else.
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| Grandma bought all the women in the family matching aprons. |
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| Popcorn Ball Production |
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| Honey Cookie Production. I promise Kelly didn't do all the work. |
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| Peanut Brittle Production. With coffee and a Diet Coke to sustain me. |
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| Most of the Spoils |
1 Quart of Honey
6 Eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
2 Tbls Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Quarts (more or less) Flour
Cream eggs, sugar, and butter. Mix all dry ingredients. Blend the two, and drop by spoonful and press with the floured end of a glass. You can also roll the dough and use cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Do not over bake. When cool, frost or shake in a bag of powdered sugar.
Yields: A ton! After everyone snacked on a few we ended up with 7 dozen
Grandma Ratzloff's Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup
(Cook in Microwave for 4:20 on power level 7)
Add 1 Cup Salted Peanuts
(Cook in Microwave for 4:00 on power level 7)
Add 1 tsp Butter
Add 1 tsp Vanilla
(Cook in Microwave for 1:30 on power level 7)
Add 1 tsp Baking Soda
Stir quickly, but not too much. Pour quickly onto a buttered pan. Cool. Break into desired pieces.
Mom's Pumpkin Bread
3 Cups Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Flour
2/3 Cup Water
1 Cup Oil
4 Eggs
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 Can Pumpkin
Mix sugar, eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin. Mix all other dry ingredients. Blend the two at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed for 5 minutes. Divide batter into two large greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, increasing temp to 350 for an additional 15 minutes. Can also be baked in 4 small loaf pans, but may need to adjust baking time.
Grandma Ratzloff's Popcorn Balls
Big Bowl of Popcorn
1 Cup Cream
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Karo Syrup
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbls Butter
Boil cream, sugar, syrup, and butter until a light brown color (about 5-8 minutes). Grandma drips some into a glass of water. If it forms a ball when dropped in the water...it's ready. Mix in vinegar and soda. Pour over popcorn and mix gently with a spoon. Form popcorn into balls as soon as it is cool enough to handle. It helps to add butter to your hands.
Yields: Around 20 - the size of a large apple
