Wacky Cake and Fudge Frosting

Guess what I just had to do? Find the recipe for Wacky Cake! :-)
I will attempt to write it here from memory now, but I have the recipe card just in case.

I remember making this cake ALOT, and it was easy to do because I just mixed it up in the cake pan. Michael and I would make roads and holes and hills, and when we added the liquid ingredients to mix in, the roads and holes became rivers and lakes! The hills sometimes turned into volcanoes and erupted, spilling lava down to the rivers. It was great fun, so the recipe was easy to remember.

When I was in Kindergarten, Mom came home from Parent/Teacher Conferences and said that my teacher, Mrs Combs had not believed me when I said I'd made a cake the night before. I then recited the entire recipe for her! I guess she had to double check with Mom about the recipe, because she couldn't write it down as quickly as I said it! Ha. She just didn't believe me!

-Donna Joy Hendrickson
daughter of Maurice and Marie Miller

(Now to see how my memory is 40+ years later!)

Wacky Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 tbsp Cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

(YES! So far so good...)

2 cups water
2 tsp vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

(Okay, I only messed up on the vinegar. I knew something was 3/4 cup, but it sure wasn't the vinegar! :-+ Oh, I'd also only written 1/3 cup oil...wouldn't do so good on a test, would I?)

Mix all dry ingredients in the cake pan.

Don't forget to make roads and hills!

Mix liquid ingredients in a pitcher, then pour into cake pan and mix well.

Tap the pan to get rid of bubbles, and wipe the edges clean. 

(I guess we were messy!)

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This recipe will make 2 and 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

Bake cupcakes 20 to 25 minutes.

Now, this Wacky Cake was not complete without the fudge frosting on top!

Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp Karo syrup
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Cook to a soft ball: sugar, cocoa, salt, Karo syrup, and milk.

Cool. Add butter and vanilla.

*Note: That was all that the recipe card said, but...

We cooled the first part by placing the hot pan in a larger pan or bowl with cold water. Changing the water often, or keeping the cool water running into the outer pan/bowl.

Tip fudge pan away from running water, being careful not to let any water get into the fudge. We had to stir this vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon. Then add the butter and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. When it starts to stiffen, pour on top of cooled cake, and spread out.

You can make fancy swirls too! If you wait too long to pour, the frosting will clump up really stiff all in the center of the cake! It still tasted good, but didn't look so pretty.

Grandma Joy's Cole Slaw

Growing up most of my favorite memories revolved around Grandma Joy's house and our family get togethers. Whether it was playing croquet in the front yard, smacking the birdie over the badminton net...well, mine never really made it over the net... or just swinging under the big willow trees, family was always the key.

Now that summer is officially here it's time to break out the barbeques and sharpen up the hotdog sticks! I can't say that I remember what we had to eat other than the main events: hotdogs roasted on freshly cut sticks and smores browned to perfection! ...well unless you're Donna and then you burn 'um to a crisp ;-) ... You just can't go wrong with that combo. Throw in some simple salads and you have a perfect recipe for family memories that last a lifetime.

One of my current favorite summer salads is Grandma Joy's cole slaw.  I'm sure as a kid I glanced over it and went straight for the good stuff... you know the jello kind with tiny marshmallows! As an intermediate adult I have learned to broaden my scope to include more than just jello deliciousness on my plate. :-)

-Jennifer Figgins
daughter of Jesse Figgins and Mary Bryan

Grandma Joy's Cole Slaw

Ingredients: 

1 bag of shredded cabbage
1 apple (optional)Dressing:

1 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/8 cup cream

Blend together Miracle Whip, sugar, and vinegar.

Add cream and mix well.

Core and slice apple into bite sized pieces.

In a bowl mix together the shredded cabbage and apple pieces.

Pour dressing over mixture and toss to coat.

Saturday Night Pizza

We have had a tradition of making pizza for supper on Saturday night for many years. Shirley first started making homemade pizza when we lived in Berea, Ohio in the early 1960’s. At that time pizza was just starting to become popular in the U.S. In the beginning she used a Chef Boyardee pizza box mix. The box contained a dry crust mix, some grated Parmesan cheese, and a can of tomato sauce as near as we can remember. Shirley added browned sausage and probably more cheese to complete the pizza. As time went by she started making her own dough and bought the other ingredients separately. Over the years she has tried many good dough recipes, but the recipe below is the one she currently uses. We settled on sausage and mushrooms as our favorite toppings although you could substitute other toppings. We have used several types of sausage over the years and two of them are mentioned in the recipe.

-Max J. Miller
son of Hollis and Joy Miller

Shirley’s Saturday Night Pizza 

(for a 17 inch round pizza pan)

Ingredients:
Toppings
8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 oz. jar of sliced mushrooms
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (sometimes more)
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1 1/2 lb. Italian sausage or 1 lb. of Schwan’s cooked sausage links

Thin Crust Pizza Dough
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 packets quick-rise yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups warm water (120 to 130 deg.)

Place the flours, yeast, and salt in a food processor equipped with a dough blade and pulse until blended. 

Add honey.  

Process more, gradually adding water until a ball forms.  

Once ball has formed, process 60 seconds more to knead dough.

Turn dough onto floured surface and shape into a ball. 

Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half.

Each half will cover a 17 inch round pan.

Use dough immediately or freeze for later use.

Brown the Italian sausage or cut the sausage links into 1/8 inch slices.

Spray pizza pan with Pam and stretch half of the dough to form a 17 inch crust.

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the crust. You may not need the whole can.

Then sprinkle the garlic over the tomato paste.

Distribute sausage over the crust and then add the mushroom slices.

Finally sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes until it is done.

_  ________________  _

 

Here is another pizza recipe called Crazy Crust Pizza that you might like.  It is fun to make!

Grandma Ridlen's Coffee Cake

Every Christmas my mother would make Grandma Ridlen’s Coffee Cake, which was made in a loaf, like a quick bread. Because it is made with molasses and coffee it can be rather strong flavored and some people don’t like it.

- Mary Bryan   

daughter of Hollis and Joy Miller

Margaret Ridlen's Coffee Cake
  

Joy Miller's handwriting. Grandma (Margaret) Ridlen's recipe.

Ingredients: 

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp cloves

1 cup warm molasses

1 cup strong coffee

2 tsp soda

2 tbsp boiling water

1 pound raisins or currants

1 cup nut meats

4 cups flour

Cream sugar and butter together.

Mix in beaten eggs, spices, molasses and coffee.

Dissolve soda in boiling water and stir into mixture. 

Then add flour, raisins and nutmeats.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cool.

Wrap and place in an airtight container.

Makes 2 loaves.

Improves with age!