88-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 22, 2003
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 a self-ad
dressed stamped envelope. 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 reci
pe. Sometimes we receive numerous answers to the
same request, 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@LNPNEWS.COM
QUESTION Jean Mitchell, Lewisburg, is
looking for a recipe to make blueberry whoopie
pies.
QUESTION J. Howdyshell, Bridgewater,
Va., would like to know how to preserve honey.
She was given some honey on the comb and
would like to preserve it for future use.
QUESTION David Manilla, Worcester, and his
family have enjoyed roadside and firehouse
chicken barbecues. He would like the recipe for
the spray that is applied at several intervals in
cooking. This spray, he says, appears to be a
combination of cider vinegar, Worcestershire
and soy sauce, butter or margarine, and an as
sortment of seasonings. There is also a variety
of seasoned rubs that may or may not be ap
plied in conjunction with this spray. He is inter
ested in a non-commercial rub that is not over
powering.
QUESTION A reader would like a recipe
for McKinley Pie and any history on the pie.
QUESTION Nancy Wallace, New Holland, is
looking for a place in Lancaster County where
she can purchase fresh coconut that is already
grated. She needs it to make Easter eggs and
fresh coconut cake for Easter. Years ago, she
writes, it could be purchased at farmers mar
kets.
QUESTION Peggy Thoman, Hanover,
writes that her church is planning for the first
time a pancake breakfast for Easter morning.
She would appreciate recipes for various
syrups other than the traditional syrups par
ticularly fruit syrups.
QUESTION Peggy Wilson, while reading a
1911 Inglenook Cookbook, found recipes call
ing for graham flour. In the miscellaneous sec
tion of the book she found that graham flour
was listed as 20 pounds wheat flour, five
pounds bran, and 2V2 pounds short. Peggy
would like to know what “shorts” are. In the
same book she found recipes were mixed in a
double boiler with boiling water underneath,
then put in a fireless cooker. She would like to
know what a fireless cooker is. Another utensil
that was used to bake breads was called a Gem
pan, and she asks, what is a Gem pan.
QUESTION Eileen Schuler, Fleetwood,
asks where chocolate confectioners’ sugar can
be found. The ingredient was listed in the prize
winning recipe for the Greatest Cocoa Cake
contest at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Sever
al other readers also inquired about this. We
asked the person who baked the prize winning
cake. She said it can be purchased at Weis
Markets in the Adams County area. However,
several people who looked for it in other areas,
said that Weis did not carry chocolate confec
tioners’ sugar. No problem, according to the
champion, Krista Cunningham. She said, “Make
your own.” She adds about V 2 cup baking cocoa
powder to a pound of regular confectioners’
sugar or more to taste. If any of our readers
know where chocolate confectioners’ sugar can
be purchased, let us know.
QUESTION Richard Deckner, Quakertown,
wants a recipe for a dropped Welsh cookie.
QUESTION R. Diehl, Bloomsburg, wants a
recipe for hamburg pin wheel with gravy.
QUESTION Shirley Schwoerer, Wysox,
wants to know if sesame seeds can be
sprouted. She is familiar with alfalfa seed
sprouting.
QUESTION - Ralph Kieffer, Halifax, wants a
recipe for Aunt Flossie’s tomato soup, which he
heard is printed in a Lancaster County cook
book.
ANSWER For Albert Condon, who wanted
vegetarian recipes, here is a recipe from Laßue
Herriman, Hughesvilie.
Old Fashioned Potato Soup
With Dry Rivals
4 medium-sized potatoes
1 Vi quarts water
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Vi cup flour
1 egg
V* cup milk
Vi cup cream
Cook diced potatoes in salt water until soft.
Add butter. To make rivels, rub egg and flour
together, then add milk. These are best made
by cutting through mixture with two forks. Drop
rivels, which are no larger than a cherry stone,
into boiling potatoes, stirring to prevent pack
ing together. Cook five minutes with kettle cov
ered. Add cream. Garnish with parsley.
ANSWER Mrs. Esh requests recipes to
make cookie bars such as oatmeal raisin that
tastes like those made by Kitchen Kettle, Inter
course. She also sent in varieties made with
rhubarb and with zucchini.
Thanks to Margaret Koser, Lancaster, for send
ing a recipe for bars. Also Laßue Herriman,
Hughesville, sent a recipe for oatmeal raisin
cookies.
Oatmeal Raisin Bars
V* cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
2 cups raisins
Cook together sugar, cornstarch, water, and
raisins until mixture is clear and thick.
Cream:
Vz cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
Add:
1 Vz cups flour
Vz teaspoon soda
Vz teaspoon salt
1 Vz cups oats
1 tablespoon water
Put half of the crumbs in BxB-inch pan. Pat
firmly. Pour on raisin mixture. Then add 1 table
spoon water to remaining crumbs then crumble
over raisins. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min
utes.
Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars
1 Vz cups flour
Vt cup chopped walnuts
1 cup brown sugar
Vz teaspoon cinnamon
1 Vz cups rolled oats
Vz teaspoon salt
% cup butter
10-ounces strawberry-rhubarb jam
Combine flour, oats, sugar, salt, and cinna
mon. Add butter and blend to produce coarse
crumbs. Press half the mixture into a greased
19x13-inch pan. Spread with jam. Top with re
maining crumbs and walnuts. Bake at 375 de
grees for 25-30 minutes.
Cinnamon Zucchini Bars
3 /« cup butter
1 /j cup sugar
Vz cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3 /« cups flour
1 Vz teaspoon baking powder
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup coconut
3 /« cup walnuts, optional
Frosting:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients together and bake in
9x13-inch pan for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Mix frosting and spread on warm bars.
Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup raisins
1 cup water
1 cup soft shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
3 /« teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 Vi cups rolled oats
Cook raisins and water in saucepan until only
five tablespoons of liquid are remaining; drain
and reserve liquid. Mix shortening, sugar, and
eggs together; stir in cooled raisin liquid and
add vanilla. Sift flour, soda, and salt together;
add to raisin liquid mixture. Stir in oats and
cooked raisins. Drop by teaspoons about two
inches apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
Cook for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.
ANSWER Thanks to Anna Seller, Gordon
ville.for sending a recipe for potato doughnuts.
Kay Wildasen, Seven Valleys, had requested a
recipe for potato doughnuts that taste like
those served at the Food Court during the
Pennsylvania Farm Show. Anna writes that she
never tasted those at the Farm Show, but her
hubby and their six children love the potato
doughnuts made with this recipe.
Potato Rolls Or Doughnuts
2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 packages yeast
4 teaspoons salt *
1 cup melted shortening f
5 beaten eggs
2 cups mashed potatoes
10 cups bread flour, more or less as needed
Boil potatoes and mash with milk. Dissolve
sugar in warm water and add yeast. Add eggs
and shortening, then 5 cups flour and salt, and
beat well. Add potatoes and beat again. Add
remaining flour. If dough is too stiff, add some
water. A stiff dough makes a drier doughnut.
Punch down in 15 minutes, and again in 30
minutes. Let rise again for one hour. Roll out
one-inch thick and cut shape of doughnuts
preferred. Let rise at least one hour and fry in
hot oil. She prefers using Fry Mas.
For a delicious cinnamon doughnut, use
ends. Roll out like sticky buns, but add just
enough water to dough to make ends stick to
gether. Sprinkle with cinnamon, roll tight like a
jelly roll. Cut one-inch widths with knife. Let
rise and fry like doughnuts.
4 cups 6X sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
V 2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
Vanilla to taste
Mix first three ingredients until smooth. Add
the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling
point. Keep warm while dipping doughnuts into
glaze.
For Cream Filled:
3 pounds 6X-sugar
IVi pounds Crisco or Quik Blend
1 cup cold water
Vfe teaspoon salt
V 2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat on high speed until it is at least doubled
in size. Fill doughnut shells and coat with
doughnut sugar.
Freeze all leftover doughnuts the same day
they are made to preserve freshness.
ANSWER Joyce Shoemaker requested a
recipe to make old-fashioned caramel custard.
Thanks to the Newswangers from Narvon for
sending this recipe.
Old-Fashioned Caramel Custard
In a 4-quart kettle, melt Vs cup butter until
browned. Add 2 cups brown sugar.
Stir over heat until dark brown and smooth.
Remove from heat, about 2 cups or more milk.
Scrape the sugar loose from the bottom of the
kettle. Put 3 quarts milk in the kettle. Let
stand. Beat 4 eggs, add 1 scant cup Clear Jel
OR cornstarch, Va cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt,
add enough water until mixture is of pouring
consistency, beat until smooth. Pour mixture
into the milk and put back on heat stirring con
stantly until thick and boiling. Remove from
heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool.
ANSWER - T. C. Wills, Frederick, requested
a recipe for a cheese pineapple pocket that she
remembers her grandmother making during the
Easter season. Thanks to Lee Laverty, Mount
Joy, for e-mailing the recipe. Lee writes, “My
Baba used to make this delicious pastry when I
was little. I remember visiting my grandparents
and when you walked into the house, you could
smell all the wonderful pastries she had been
making all day before our arrival.
This is a Slovak recipe and I hope that you
enjoy it as much as I did.”
Pineapple Slices
% cup milk, scalded and cooled
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cake yeast
1 cup butter
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk, set
aside. Sift flour, then measure. Add butter and
mix as for pie crust. Add yeast and milk mixture
and yolks. Mix well. Divide dough into two
parts. Roll one part to fit 12x18-inch cookie
sheet, then spread with the cheese filling and
top with cooled filling over the dough. Roll re
maining dough to fit over the top. Let rise until
light, about one hour. Bake at 350 degrees for
45 minutes or until brown. Frost with thin frost
ing and sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut.
Fillings:
Cheese Spread
2 eggs
V 2 cup sugar
Vz teaspoon salt
1 pound cottage cheese (small curd)
Put cottage cheese into a bowl and whip
until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and
mix well. Set aside.
(Turn to Page B 9)
Glaze: