Tag: Family Cookbook

Aunt Betty's Spicy Oatmeal Cookies stacked on a white plate.

Aunt Betty’s Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

A measure of cloves rounds out the sweetness of cinnamon and dark brown sugar to create an intriguing flavor in Aunt Betty’s Spicy Oatmeal Cookies. The spices lay down a lingering impression on the tongue to sweeten the bitter notes in the coffee Aunt Betty loved to share. They also taste great with cold milk in a wide glass for dipping.

Mama Jean's Great Cobbler baked with Blackberries in a 9"x13" glass pan and served in a basket set on a vintage floral handkerchief.

Mama Jean’s Great Fruit Cobbler

The directions for this old-fashioned Fruit Cobbler are short and sweet. It is a great recipe to feature seasonal fruit in a deliciously satisfying conclusion to any meal. While still warm, top with whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Aunt Hen's Chocolate Bar Pie topped with chocolate curls beside vintage apron.

Aunt Hen’s Chocolate Bar Pie

Chocolate Bar Pie is a simple recipe. All you need to make it is two basic ingredients along with water, a pinch of salt and the pie shell of your choice. Still it is a crowd pleaser. Aunt Hen recognized the value of such a recipe. Classically light and sweet, it was easy to make, easy to enjoy and still made her guests feel special.

Cranberry Eggnog Salad on crystal plate

Family Traditions – Cranberry Eggnog Salad

Last year I read a piece in Southern Living magazine that had me laughing out loud. “Taking Sides” by Allison Glock described a formidable family tradition in the form of The Cranberry Salad, a side dish that nobody liked but was made and served each Thanksgiving day as a matter […]

Aunt Hen’s Cinnamon Toast

This is not exactly a recipe. It’s more like a memory. Or maybe a mindset, intent on those old-fashioned basics, pared down and well executed. And it’s not exactly news. It’s been written about by food bloggers everywhere, some who have great thoughts on the matter, some who get right […]

Dad's Plain Bread Stuffing made with rustic sourdough bread in a ceramic casserole dish.

Dad’s Plain Bread Stuffing

Dad’s Plain Bread Stuffing is home cooking at its best. It takes a basic recipe from an old cookbook and, without any special ingredients, creates a side dish that always earns compliments.

Derby Classics – Benedictine Spread

Benedictine Spread is a delightfully fresh tasting spread for tea sandwiches. It makes a perfect addition to a classic Derby Day celebration, a Mother’s Day Tea or any spring gathering. It can also be served as a tasty dip for fresh vegetables or as a spread for crackers. As my sister-in-law promised, it is easy to make and surprisingly delicious.

Aunt Hen’s Beef Barley Soup

After I was married and had left my home the boisterous family of five that had gathered around Aunt Hen’s dinner table every week night for years had dwindled to two. She and Aunt Bet were next door neighbors and still ate together but the big meals she cooked every […]

Mama Jean's Barbecue piled on a sesame seed hamburger bun with a checkered tablecloth in the background..

Mama Jean’s Barbecue – Old Style Sloppy Joes

While there are hundreds of Sloppy Joe recipes out there, the addition of cloves and celery seed make this recipe for Mama Jean’s Barbecue deliciously unique. In fact that small pinch of cloves, when simmered down with the ground beef and tomatoes, is the secret ingredient that takes me back to my childhood and makes this vintage recipe one to keep.