BfrLancaster Farming, Saturday, July 1, 2000
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If you are looking for a recipe but can't find it, send your recipe
request to Lou Ann Good, Cook's Question Corner, in care of
Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. There’s no
need to send an SASE. If we receive an answer to your question, we
will publish it as soon as possible. Check your recipe to make sure
you copy the right amounts and complete instructions for making
the recipe. Sometimes we receive numerous answers to the same re
quest, but cannot print each one.
Answers to recipe requests should be sent to the same address.
You may also e-mail questions and answers to lgood.eph@lnpnew
s.com
QUESTION Eva Mae Oberholtzer, Ephrata, would
like recipes to make goat cheeses and soaps. She writes
that Michelle Good, Beavertown, had sent in a dairy con
test recipe for a goat milk pudding and Eva Mae asks if
she would send in more recipes using goat’s milk.
QUESTION A reader writes that she is new at can
ning and freezing and would like a good recipe for toma
to pasta sauce and instructions on how to freeze it.
QUESTION Shirley Schwoerer, Wysox, wants to
know where to buy vanilla beans in bulk other than in a
health food store.
QUESTION Like many of our readers, Bonnie Koons,
Harrisburg, writes that she loves B section and all the
recipes she tries from it are great. She wants a recipe for
cheesecake cookies, which have a snickerdoodle recipe
base, cheesy center, and a cherry on top.
QUESTION Dawn Black, Chambersburg, is looking
for a recipe for homemade butter pecan ice cream. She
had clipped one from this column several years ago but
misplaced it. If you clipped the recipe, please send it in
since we do not keep a file of recipes.
QUESTION It’s canning season, writes C. Alleman,
Hummelstown. She wants recipes for Vidalia onion relish,
pepper cabbage, tomato salsa, and pickled vegetables.
Any helpful hints will be appreciated by Carol, who writes
that she grabs the paper to read “Cook’s Corner” first.
She loves cooking and collects cookbooks and recipes,
which she uses.
QUESTION A mother wants ideas and recipes to en
courage her children to eat more vegetables.
QUESTION Judy Ulrich, York, wants the recipe for
Honey Pecan Crunch, a pie that she heard was a winner
in state Farm Show competition. The pie was shown on
television, and she remembers the pecans were lined up
beautifully across the top of the pie.
QUESTION Shirley Miller, Nazareth, would like to
find a recipe or booklet about potato flour.
QUESTION Maria Dalrymple, Shinglehouse, writes
that a deceased aunt used to make a fabulous strawberry
pie. Unfortunately the recipe was never given to the fam
ily in written form, and they miss it every strawberry sea
son. The pie was called President Dwight David Eisen
hower’s Favorite Strawberry Pie. Any readers have a
copy to send?
QUESTION Herman Bean, Easton, writes that he is
78 years old. He remembers his grandmother made mo
lasses cookies when he was a small boy. His mother still
made them at 95 years of age but died 10 years ago and
took the recipe with her. The dough was cut with flower
or boy and girl-shaped cookie cutters. When baked, the
cookies were about an inch thick, 4-inches high, and 2-
or 3-inches wide. They were sort of a grayish color, soft,
and had to be put into a can for a couple of days before
eating. Bean said, he believes the cookies are a “Dutch
favorite.”
QUESTION A Lititz reader is having a houseful of
company for a week. This means lots of meal ideas. She
desperately needs recipes that can be prepared ahead of
time or quick ones to put together at the last minute and
any other helpful hints to remain sane while preparing
food and entertaining guests.
QUESTION Summertime brings lots of reunions and
gatherings where participants are asked to bring a hot
and cold dish. Several readers have requested recipes to
take to these events. Send your favorite recipe and any
hints to ease the time crunch working mothers face
when these events are held in the evening.
QUESTION Shirley Schwoerer, Wysox, requests a
recipe for canned pickled sausages or ring bologna.
QUESTION A reader would like recipes for blueber
ries, raspberries, and other summer fruits.
QUESTION Ruth Erb, Beavertown, wants a recipe
called Ann-Margaret’s Favorite Chocolate Cake.
QUESTION Steven Skramko, Richfield Springs, N.Y.,
would like a recipe to make Shoe Top cookies, which
look like leather used for repairing shoes. He writes the
recipe is from 60 years ago.
ANSWER For the reader who requested a recipe for
apricot bread, Lois Sensenig, Coatesville, sends this reci-
pe.
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Vi teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 Vfe teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 small jars apricot baby food
Vi cup chopped nuts
I V2 cups vegetable oil
Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar, and salt in a
large bowl. Add eggs, baby food, nuts, and oil. Mix well.
Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake
60 minutes at 350 degrees.
ANSWER Janet Spangler, York, sends a recipe for
French Filler, which can be inserted inside doughnuts or
as an cake icing. She writes that the icing is creamy and
smooth.
Cook together over low heat until thick, stirring con
stantly:
1 Vi tablespoons flour
Vi cup milk
Cool thoroughly. Then mix with the following ingredi
ents:
Vz cup shortening
Vz cup sugar
Dash salt
Beat until smooth with electric mixer as flour mixture
is lumpy.
This covers a 9x13-inch cake. Janet often makes a
cake using a white or yellow cake mix. She adds 1 tea
spoon coconut extract and mixes according to package
directions. After it is baked, she adds Vz teaspoon coco
nut extract to the French Filler and frosts the cake.
Sprinkle with shredded coconut.
Janet writes that this is delicious. She believes any
flavor desired can be substituted for the coconut extract.
Diabetics can substitute Frutose for sugar.
ANSWER Gloria Sweigart, Manheim, sent some reci
pes requested for hot and cold dishes for picnics and
covered dish meals. More are needed, readers, so keep
sending them.
1 pound box macaroni
Cook macaroni as directed on package. Rinse in cold
water in large colander, drain well. Add:
4 to 5 ribs chopped celery
Vz cup diced onion
Vz cup shredded carrot
4 hard cooked eggs, diced
Toss all ingredients together, set aside.
In large saucepan, combine the following:
6 eggs, well beaten
1 Vz cups water
IVz cups apple cider vinegar
1 Vz cups granulated sugar
2 heaping tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
Cook mixture over medium heat until smooth and
thickened. Cool. Add macaroni mixture. Mix together.
Makes 1 gallon.
Note: This dressing can also be used for potato salad,
but omit the carrots and use 6-8 slices crisply fried and
crumbled bacon.
Baked Scalloped Potatoes
6 cups potatoes
1 medium onion, sliced thin
Grated parmesan cheese
Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Peel and slice pota
toes. Layer potatoes, onion, and cheese in casserole. In a
mixing bowl, combine:
3 eggs, beaten until fluffy
% cup milk
3 /» cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
Mix well and pour mixture over potatoes. Top with sea
soned bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 350 de
grees for 45 minutes or until done.
ANSWER J. Alleman, Hummelstown, wanted a fool
proof recipe for Montgomery Pie. Thanks to Gloria Swei
gart, Manheim, for sending this one.
Montgomery Pie
Prepare three 9-inch pie crusts, set aside. In large
bowl, mix together the following batter for the bottom
part:
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
Vz cup shortening
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
Mix like a cake, divide batter into three pie shells.
In another bowl, mix together:
1 cup molasses
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 pint boiling water
1 tablespoon flour
Pour top mixture over batter in pie shells. Bake at 450
degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and
bake for 30 minutes. Pie reverses mixtures as it bakes.
The juicy party will be on the bottom and the cake part
on top when baked.
ANSWER To the Lititz reader who wanted ideas on
fast meals, here are some from a Manheim reader.
Apricot Bread
French Filler
Macaroni Salad
(Turn to Pago B 9)
Mulched To Death?
NEWARK, Del. Accord
ing to Bob Mulrooney, Cooper
ative Extension plant patholo
gist at the University of
Delaware, mulching trees and
shrubs is a yard maintenance
practice with many benefits
such as holding in moisture
and keeping down the growth
of weeds. But, he warns, over
mulching kills plants.
“A mountain of mulch, piled
high against the tree trunk,
does not kill a tree immediately
it’s a slow death sentence,”
says Mulrooney. “In fact, over
mulching is a leading cause of
death in azaleas, rhododen
drons, dogwood trees, and hol
lies.”
Oxygen starvation is one rea
son plants die under too much
mulch. Tree roots can suffo
cate.
Symptoms, which may take
several years to appear, include
off-color, yellowing foliage, ab
normally small leaves, poor
twig growth, and dieback of
older branches. By the time the
symptoms are noticeable, it is
generally too late to correct the
problem.
An even more serious prob
lem occurs at the root flare
when piles of mulch are placed
directly against the trunks of
trees and shrubs. Trunk tissue
cannot survive a continually
moist environment. When
mulch is piled against trunks,
gas exchange decreases, stress
ing, and ultimately killing, the
inner bark issue.
This leaves the trunk open to
fungal and bacterial diseases,
which need moisture to spread
and reproduce. Trunk diseases
gain a foothold into the moist,
decaying bark tissue under the
mulch. Once established, the
disease organisms invade the
inner bark, starving the plant
to death. Then the bark beetles
and borers come, attracted to
stressed plants. These insects
expedite the decline.
“Once the inner bark dies,
the system for transporting
water and nutrients is im
paired,” Mulrooney says. “The
entire health of the plant is af
fected. If wet conditions contin
ue long enough, the next layer
and the roots starve since they
receive none of the essential
photosynthates produced by
the leaves.
“Piles of mulch next to the
trunk may also provide cover
for chewing rodents such as
mice and meadow voles,”
warns Mulrooney. “These ro
dents live under the warm
mulch in the winter and chew
on the nutritious inner bark, an
activity that often goes unno
ticed until the following
spring.”
When using mulch in the
landscape, do not exceed a
three-inch depth. The excep
tion is on poorly drained soils
mulch depth should be no more
than two- inches, especially on
shallow-rooted plants such as
annuals. Coarse-textured
mulches can be deeper because
of better oxygen diffusion into
the soil. For fine-textured
mulch, such as the double
shredded varieties, you may
need only one to two-inches.
“Dig down to see how deep
the mulch really is,” advises
Mulrooney. “A light raking of
existing mulch may be all that
is needed to break through the
crusted or compacted layers
that repel water. Pull mulch
back from plant stems and
trunks three to five-inches
away from young plants, and
eight to 12-inches away from
mature tree trunks.”