Ginny’s Oatmeal Cookies

 

This recipe comes to us from Nancy King,  It is her mother’s - Genevieve Robbins - who was Jerome Robbins' daughter. Nancy and I found one another via the internet, doing genealogy, and we finally met, face-to-face, in 2001. The 'net is a genealogist's goldmine... and here's one of the nuggets:

 

1 cup shortening                        

1 teaspoon soda

1 cup white sugar                     

˝ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, well beaten                 

1 ˝ cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon vanilla                     

3 cups 3-Min oats, uncooked

 

Cream shortening, add sugar gradually, and mix well.  Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Stir in sifted flour, soda, and salt, then oats.  Form small balls, place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.  “Nuts may be added if you wish”. Yields  5 dozen cookies

 

Vernon's and Evert's Bachelor cookies

 

2 cups Brown sugar      

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs beaten            

2 teaspoons soda

2 teaspoon baking powder    

4 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons vanilla       

Raisins and nuts to taste.

 

Sift soda and baking powder with 2 cups of flour. Mix well with other ingredients, then mix in reminder of flour. Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet. Put nuts on top. This is a large recipe - if you want to make half, you use 2 eggs and reduce other ingredients accordingly.

 

(From Leona Anderson: I talked to Gwen (who is married to Emil Olson, brother to Vernon and Evert) about the lack of temperature/time to bake the cookies. She reminded me many recipes didn't have those listed back then due to the wood range they used. If it got too hot they opened the oven door or had to put more wood and cobs in to get it hotter. She thought one could say 375 and bake until they get a light brown. Vernon was the one who helped his mother bake. Aunt Anna had 7 children - the 4 older ones were boys who were in their teens when their mother died suddenly. The 5th and 7th were girls - Evert was number 6.  Mom said Aunt Anna said Vern could bake as well as she did but didn't get as many cookies or donuts. I think he must have sampled the dough. Leona)

                                                                                                             

Mable's Molasses Icing

 

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

pinch salt

2 tablespoons un-sulfured molasses

 

Directions for Icing:

Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt in a large double boiler over simmering water and beat at high speed with a hand-held mixer for five minutes. Be careful with the mixer, not to spill the boiling water ! (This is necessary to cook the raw egg whites.) Transfer icing to a bowl and add molasses. Beat at high speed until stiff, 5 minutes more.

 

Marie's Date Cookies (from Leona)

 

Another wonderful recipe from the Marie (Nordstrom) Anderson collection...

 

2/3 cup shortening                      

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar          

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs well beaten                        

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 Tbs. sour cream                         

1 tsp. cloves

1tsp. soda dissolved in sour cream 

3 cups flour

 

1 cup chopped dates \

1 cup chopped nuts   / could use less of either

 

Cream shortening and sugar. Add well-beaten eggs and sour cream and soda. Sift dry ingredients together and last add the dates, nuts and flavoring. Chill all night and in the morning make into small balls, flatten down with a folk and bake at 350 for about 15 min. or until done.

 

 

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"Of soup and love, the first is best." ~Spanish Proverb

 

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