Buttermilk Rolls

This is from the recipe drawer of Pauline.  On a recent visit to my sister's house, she pulled out a lot of recipes and cookbooks that she had up on her shelf.  Knowing that I had been looking at old recipes, she said that she had several things that belonged to both of our grandmas.

We found this recipe on the inside front cover of a cookbook.  As you can tell from the picture, it was a well-used recipe; lots of spatters and stains.  I always find that my most used and beloved recipes look like this.

This recipe intrigued me, because I have never heard of a hot roll recipe that called for buttermilk.

1 cup lukewarm buttermilk
1 cake yeast (soak or dissolve in warm milk) (a "cake" of yeast is the same as an envelope)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp soda (baking soda)
3 Tblsp shortening
Flour enough to make a soft dough, like biscuit dough

*Cream shortening with salt, sugar & soda, then add flour, alternating with milk & yeast (flour approximately 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups)
*Let this dough rest 30 min., covered
*Then make into rolls or cut with biscuit cutter
*Place in greased pans, let rise until doubled in bulk
*Bake in 450 degree oven for 12 to 14 min.
Do not have milk too warm for yeast - just lukewarm

I really do want to try this recipe.  It intrigues me also because I know that my grandma used to work at the school cafeteria...You don't think this might be a recipe for those famous, awesome, school cafeteria rolls, do you??

Banana Nut Bread

This is from the recipe drawer of Minnie.  You know that I love quick breads of all kinds...pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, and especially banana bread!  There are so many different recipes circulating around for banana bread and so many of them are good...

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cup ripe banana
3 tablespoon milk
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 egg
2 cup flour
1 teas soda

Mix well
Put in greased loaf pan
Bake 350 - 45 min

As a banana bread aficionado, I think I had better give this one a try.

Mexican Cornbread

This is from the recipe drawer of Maxine.  Cornbread is such a classic.  No southern lady would be without her go to recipe.  But there is always that occasion when you need something a little special or maybe with a little kick!  Maxine had this one in her drawer.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

2-3 eggs beaten

1 reg. size cream corn

1 cup milk

1 1/2 - 2 jaleppano peppers chopped fine

1/2 cup bacon drippings or oil

Mix & set aside -- Blender is real good

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion chopped

1/2 lb graded cheese

1 bell pepper

garlic powder or salt

Brown meat & pepper & 1 t. salt to taste.

Drain on paper towel.

Take 10" skillet & heat on top of stove & sprinkle cornmeal lightly & brown slightly

Pour half of cornbread mixture in skillet & put cheese (grated) over meat mixture then onion & rest of cornbread mixture

Bake 350 degrees - 45 min.

This is a hearty cornbread.  Even though it could be a bread, it is more like a side dish or even a main dish if you are eating light.  I know that there are a couple of misspelled words, but I didn't want to change what is written.  I figured that you all would understand.  The layering instructions are not well written, but my understanding is to put half of the cornbread mixture, then the browned meat/peppers, then the cheese, then the onion and finally the remaining cornbread.

I find the instructions on heating up the skillet (I would assume that this would mean a cast iron skillet) very interesting.  I actually learned this trick when watching my own mother, Pat, make cornbread, and my husband's grandmother, Lola, (Maxine's mother) make biscuits.  Pat would put the shortening called for in the recipe in her iron skillet, stick it in the oven and allow it to melt while the oven and the skillet heated up.  She would then pour the hot, melted shortening into the batter as the last ingredient, stir it in and then pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet.  This made the cornbread very crisp as it almost "fried" in the skillet.

Lola, on the other hand, left the melted shortening in the skillet and she would place her biscuits into the pan, thus causing the same effect, basically "frying" the biscuits just a little, making them very crispy.

While interpreting a recipe for biscuits that my mom's aunts had written down, belonging to my great-grandmother, Stella, I noticed that there were a few tablespoons of oil.  Since there were no instructions to this recipe, just a list of ingredients, I chose to follow this train of thought.  Heating the oil in a cast iron skillet and basically "dipping" both sides of the biscuits in the hot oil.  My husband really likes these biscuits, with the very crispy outside.  You might give this a try the next time you have some oil or shortening in one of your quick bread recipes.

Old Time Bread Pudding

This is from the recipe drawer of Maxine.  There are so many versions of Bread Pudding and each cook probably changes the recipe just a little to create thousands of versions.  So this is the version I found in Maxine's drawer.  Notice that it was written on a "Shopping List" note pad.

4 slices buttered bread - toasted
1/2 c raisins
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cut bread into cubes & place in a greased 2-qt baking dish.
Sprinkle with raisins.
Mix eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, milk & water
Pour over raisins
Let set 10 mins.
Add vanilla & stir
Sprinkle with remaining sugar & cinnamon
Bake 350 degrees 30 minutes

I really do love almost anything with raisins and cinnamon.  Maybe I had better give this one a try!

Easy Hot Rolls

This is from the recipe drawer of Maxine.  Hot rolls are a staple at any southern holiday meal.  They are meant to be served hot out of the oven, hence the name.  These are different from biscuits as they are made with yeast and take much longer to prepare... so many times these would only be prepared and served on a holiday or very special occasion.

Into large bowl, put:
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 t. shortening
1 t. salt
1 c. boiling water

In the meantime, soak:
1 yeast cake*
1/4 c lukewarm water
and let stand.

*Dry yeast may be used according to directions on package.

When the first mixture is tepid, add:
1 beaten egg

Sift:
4 c flour;  Add 2 c to the first mixture and then beat well.

Add the yeast mixture and beat for 3 minutes.
Then add the remaining 2 c flour  (The last cup will have to be kneaded in.)
Knead well and let rise in greased bowl for 1 1/2 hours.  (Cover dough with wax paper and a moist towel.)
When double in bulk, punch down, and make clover leaf rolls; (you make clover leaf rolls by pinching off small pieces of dough and rolling them into balls-put 3 into each space in the muffin tin) put in greased muffin tins, let rise about 1 hour
Bake in 425 degrees oven for about 10 minutes or until brown

These may be made the day before and put in the pan; just takes about 1/2 hour to rise when they are real cold.  (I assume this means that you would make them out and put in refrigerator.)
They freeze well after baking.
For leftovers they are delicious if split, buttered & toasted.

I don't ever remember eating these rolls at one of Maxine's dinners, but I have certainly eaten my share of many other versions at holiday dinners!

Melt In Your Mouth Biscuits -- Yes!!...They Do!

So the end of last week I posted a biscuit recipe from the drawer of Maxine.  As I told you all at that time, biscuits have always been an issue for me and I am constantly looking for just the right recipe.  I think I may have found it.

Since this recipe called for only 2 ingredients, I just had to give a try:  biscuit mix and cream... how much easier could it get.

1 3/4 c. prepared biscuit mix
1 c. cream

At first I thought that it looked like too much liquid for the amount of mix, but I just decided to follow the recipe as written.  I used a fork to stir it together.  It was very sticky!

Next, knead a few times on a floured surface.  I tried be very gentle here... remember you want your biscuits light and tender.  The flour on the counter worked into the dough and it became a really nice consistency.

It said to roll out the dough, but I just patted it out.  Then I used a round biscuit cutter that I stole from my mom when I left home.  From the looks of it, I think she had probably done the same thing.  There was a little cream left in my measuring cup and I just really didn't want to waste it...so I brushed the tops of the biscuits with just a little bit of cream.

10 minutes at 450 degrees.  The timing was spot on.  I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the biscuits actually split in the middle.  They were ready for my butter and homemade raspberry jam!  The only thing I think I will do differently the next time I make them...and I will make them again...is that I will roll them out just a little thicker and adjust the cooking time by a minute or two.  You have got to try these biscuits... their name does not disappoint!  Get the full recipe here.

Melt In Your Mouth Biscuits

This is from the recipe drawer of Maxine.  Is there anything more finicky than making biscuits?  This recipe that was in Maxine's drawer and with only 2 ingredients, looks pretty simple.  I, for one, can't wait to give it a try.

1 3/4 c. prepared biscuit mix
1 c. heavy whipping cream

Measure biscuit mix into mixing bowl.
Stir in cream lightly.
Gather into a ball.
Knead for several seconds on floured board.
Roll out 1 inch thick.
Cut with small cookie cutter.
Place on baking sheet.
Place in middle of oven.
Bake at 450 degrees; 10 minutes

Making biscuits has never been my forte.  As a matter of fact, through the first 20 years of my marriage, my husband often declared that he preferred "whop-um" biscuits (you know, the ones that you buy in a can and "whop um" on the counter to open) to the ones that I would make with my trusty biscuit mix.  It hurt my feelings at first, especially since I consider myself a pretty good cook.  Then came frozen biscuits and that became the standard in my house until just recently.

In the last couple of years, I have started trying several different biscuit recipes and lo and behold, my husband has liked them.  This recipe looks like it will be a hit... what made of cream isn't good??