Sugar cookies are one of those basic recipes that you can change up a ton of ways: chocolate chip, frosted, shapes, sprinkles. All from one super-simple recipe. … [Read more...]
All-time Favorites
How To Make Yellow Cake
April 29, 2010 (Updated December 3, 2016) by
Today is the second recipe out of the Ohio State Grange Cook Book, Eleventh Edition, 1949. It's the yellow cake to go with the chocolate frosting. It's not a lemon cake, it's yellow. The flavor is actually vanilla and almond, and very subtle. It's very nearly a blank canvas to support the frosting, so mild I can't imagine any frosting that it would clash with. If you're a cake fan who usually scrapes off the frosting, you probably want something with more flavor. If you just need … [Read more...]
Chocolate Frosting Recipe #1
April 27, 2010 (Updated December 3, 2016) by
My wife found me a new stack of old recipe books a few weeks ago. She's been going through them looking for ideas, and the first one she came up with is out of the Ohio State Grange Cook Book, Eleventh Edition, 1949. I like all the oddball recipes she's finding. But what really tickles my funny bone is every ten minutes or so when she asks, "What the hell is a quick oven? And 'Bake in two layers' ... at what temperature and for how long?!" Welcome to my world, sweetie! :-D So … [Read more...]
How To Make Crêpes
April 20, 2010 (Updated March 20, 2014) by
Crêpes are one of the simplest pastries you can make quickly for breakfast. Four ingredients (plus water) that you can put together in any order and be ready to cook in about 2 minutes. And half that is melting the butter. You'd think they'd show up on the menu more often, except that the technique can be a little tricky. No, that's not right. It's not the technique so much as the hardware. You need a really good pan to cook them in: heavy bottom (cast iron is best), non-stick (well-seasoned … [Read more...]
How To Make Shepherd’s Pie
April 15, 2010 (Updated March 20, 2014) by
Everywhere on Earth, there's a dish that people use to hide their leftovers. Sure, you can make it from scratch, but the beauty of these recipes is that you can throw in whatever you've got on hand and it's just as good. Today I've got one that for some reason I don't do nearly often enough: Shepherd's Pie. Meat, potatoes, and whatever vegetables you've got handy and you're ready to go. … [Read more...]
