Bi6*Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 12, 1992 (Continued from Page BIS) The members of the Grange teamed how profitable selling cookbooks could become. But it wasn’t until the early ’sos that another cookbook was assembled and sold. Since then the famous white-covered cookbook and the current red-covered cookbook have been published in 1972 and 1984, respectively. Both the white and the red have sold well over 130,000 copies each. Miriam Forney, a membher of Star Grange and chairwoman of the red cookbook, feels the Grange cookbooks are so popular because they reflect local ways of cooking. “Our cookbooks are popular because they go back to the basic recipes, not boxes and mixes. Most start from scratch,” says Women’s Activities Director Becky Michalka. Forney and Michalka both said a lot of work goes into preparing a cookbook more than most peo ple realize. “You say you’re publishing a cookbook and people expect it to be out and ready to sell the next week,” Michalka commented. For this new cookbook, she received more than 4,000 recipes. That number had to be brought down to about 1,000 to fit into the cookbook. Cookbooks have changed quite a bit since when the first Grange cookbook was published, notes Forney. The first cookbook might say a pinch of this and a pinch of that. Today most cooks want to have specific measurements so their recipe comes out right. But lifestyles have also changed. “Today you need to include Multi Fuel Furnaces & Boilers Wood, Coal & Oil sbeqsshb ‘ '\ H 1 Hand fired wood & coal models also available for central heating. ■ PENN MFG. CO. 393 W. Lexington Rd., Litilz, PA 17543 Call (717) 626-1397 or 627-2303 Grange Cookbook low-fat and low-sugar recipes as well as microwave recipes for today's young couple who wants to cook fast meals for their fast paced lives,” Forney said. The Pennsylvania State Grange cookbooks aren’t restricted to Pennsylvania. Copies of the book can be found in states across the country. Lola Meffort, of Bell Flower, CA, has been baking and cooking for 45 years. She owns over 250 cookbooks and time and time again returns to the Pennsyl vania State Grange cookbooks. “I’ve won first place at the Los Angeles County Fair (the largest fair in the world) with Grange jam bars, lemon tart bars, and brow nies,” Mefferd said. “And I won first runner up in the California Crisco Pie Bake Off with a lemon pie recipe from the book.” Mefford, a regular contributor to the Los Angeles times food sec tion, even aroused the interest in die Pennsylvania Grange cook book from a free-lance writer at the paper. After trying some of the recipes, the free-lance winter “had to get a copy.” Stories are told of how the cookbooks pass down from gener ation to generation. And their popularity continues. Cookbooks are the number one selling kind of book, next to the Bible, and the Pennsylvania Grange cookbooks are just as popular as any. If you would like information for order ing a book please call 1-800-552-3865. Praline Brunch Toast 8 eggs l'/i cups milk 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 8 V* -inch thick slices of French bread 14 cup butter 'A cup packed brown sugar 'A cup maple syrup 14 cup chopped pecans Beat eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and vanilla in bowl. Pour half the mixture in 9x13-inch dish. Layer bread slices over mix ture. Pour remaining egg mixture over top. Chill, covered, for sever al hours to overnight. Melt butter in 9x13-inch baking dish. Stir in 'A cup brown sugar and maple syrup; sprinkle with pecans. Remove bread slices from egg mixture and layer over sugar mix ture. Pour any remaining egg mix ture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until puffed and golden. Yield: 4 servings. Ham Crepes Ensenada 12 thin slices of ham 12 flour tortillas 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, cut into Vi -inch sticks 14-ounce can green chilies, cut into 14 -inch strips 14 cup flour 14 cup melted butter 1 quart milk 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 14 teaspoon salt 14 teaspoon pepper Paprika to taste Place 1 slice of ham on each tortilla. Top each with 1 stick Monterey Jack cheese and 1 chili strip. Roll up; secure with wooden picks. Place in greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Stir flour into melted butter in saucepan. Add milk, Cheddar cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Cook until blended and smooth, stirring frequendy. Pour over crepes. Sprinkle with papri ka. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Yield: 6 servings. Best-Loved Lemon Bars 1 cup butter or margarine, softened Vi cup confectioners’ sugar 2 cups flour 'A teaspoon salt 4 eggs, slightly beaten 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 2 cups sugar '/< cup flour Confectioners’ sugar Combine butter, 14 cup confec tioners’ sugar, 2 cups flour and salt in bowl; mix to form soft dough. Press evenly into ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for IS to 20 minutes or until gold brown. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Combine eggs, lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar and 'A cup flour in bowl; mix well. Spread over baked layer. Bake for 25 minutes longer or until set Cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar. Cut into bars. Yield: 3 dozen. Since 1966, members of the National Christmas Tree Associa tion have presented a beautiful, fresh Christmas tree to the Presi dent and First Family. This tree is displayed each year in the Blue Room of the White House.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers