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!

My Mom, Will and the Egg

Sometimes as you grow older you learn things about your parents that never quite fit into your perception of who they are.  One of my stories involves my Mom, Will and an egg.

Will, 6, and Jenny, 4, had spent some time on the farm with Grandma one summer. A few days after they returned, I was stirring up some cookies in the kitchen. They were intently watching (and waiting to slick the dish) until I got to the point of cracking the eggs. They asked excitedly if they could crack the eggs, assuring me that Grandma had let them when they were staying with her.

Now I have to insert here that I didn’t grow up getting to crack eggs for my mother when she was cooking. I’m not sure whether it was because it was easier to do it herself or whether it had to do with not making messes, but either way, I didn’t “help” when my mom baked.  So, when they assured me that Grandma had let them do that, I relented and gave Will the first egg to crack and a bowl to crack it in. I expected that he would crack the egg against the bowl. But no, he took the egg and immediately cracked it against his forehead!!

I was shocked! What, I asked him, was he doing???

That’s how Grandma showed him to do it, he said hesitantly, clearly not having gotten the positive response he expected from me. Jenny backed up his story. They seemed to be telling the truth. Was my mother going crazy? What on earth had happened?

I went straight to the phone, I didn’t even finish stirring up the cookies, and called my mother. When I told her what had just happened, she laughed and assured me that she had indeed taught him to crack eggs on his forehead.

Was she going crazy? I asked, pointing out that she never let me crack eggs, let alone on my forehead.  Of course not, she answered. Her grandmother had taught her to crack eggs on her forehead, so she was passing it along to her grandchildren.

This event will forever remain one of the great mysteries of life for me.  I’m not sure I will ever reconcile it with my perception of my mother. The one thing I did learn from it was that as a grandparent I could teach my grandchildren a lot of things that I would never have taught my children. Pursuant to that, I taught my grandchildren to crack eggs. Not on their foreheads, just on the dish.  And that brings me to the sequel to the story about my Mom, Will and the Egg.

My grandson Tony liked to watch me doing things in the kitchen and, remembering the lesson of my Mom and Will and the Egg, I taught him to crack eggs into a dish when he was 3 or 4. He did a great job and I gave him lots of praise about how good an egg cracker he was. He went home and the next time Sara was cooking with eggs, Tony asked to crack them for her. She declined his offer and he started crying, saying “But Grandma says I’m a good cwacker!”  She called me and I said, yes, I let him crack eggs.  

The cycle continues.

- Mary Bryan  

daughter of Hollis and Joy Miller 

Grandma Spratt's Everyday Cookies

Joy Miller's handwriting. Grandma Spratt's recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp sour milk
2 tsp soda

_  ________________  _

Neoma Ridlen's Peanut Cookies

Joy Miller's handwriting, Neoma Ridlen's recipe

Ingredients: 
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup crushed salted peanuts
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients together.

Drop cookies (about walnut-sized balls) onto a cookie sheet

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown around bottom edges.

_  ________________  _

 Mama's Cookies

Joy Miller's handwriting and sugar cookie recipe, Margret Ridlen's cookie recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar (1/2 could be white)
1/2 cup lard
3 eggs beaten
1 cup thick sour cream
1 tbsp soda or 1/2 tsp soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder or 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
raisins and or nuts (optional)

Cream sugar, lard.

Add beaten eggs.

Add soda to sour cream then add to sugar mixture.

Sift flour, cinnamon, and baking powder/cream of tarter.

Add raisins, nuts, and vanilla.

Drop walnut-sized cookie balls onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350  degrees.

_  ___  _

Joy's Sugar Cookies

Ingredients: 
1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter 

1 egg beaten

2/3 cup sweet milk

Cream sugar and butter together.

Add beaten egg.

Sift soda, baking powder, flour, and salt.

Add flavoring and enough flour to make a soft dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill.

Roll out dough and cut shapes or make balls and flatten.

Bake at 350 degrees until edges just start to brown.   

Neoma Ridlen's Salad Dressing

Remember Time before bottled salad dressing?  Ahh, maybe not ...anyway, here’s a recipe from my mother.

 

- Mason Ridlen

son of Ben and Neoma Ridlen 

 

 

MOM RIDLEN’S SALAD DRESSING

 

Ingredients:

1  cup vinegar

1  cup water

1  cup sugar

4  level tablespoons cornstarch

4  eggs

1  cup Half & Half

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Combine the vinegar and water in saucepan and bring to boil.

 

Add the sugar, cornstarch, eggs, half and half, and salt to the pan all at once (so it won’t curdle).

 

Mix with beater, cook until thick.

 

Note: Sometimes when stored in the refrigerator, this will separate.  If this occurs, simply beat well before using.

 

 

Oyster Stew

While I was growing up it was the custom in my family to cook oyster stew to celebrate after we finished picking corn. In those days corn was picked in the ear and stored in corn cribs. We typically finished picking corn late in November, so fresh oysters were in season. Oyster stew was a special treat because fresh oysters were rather expensive then, just as they are today. My mother sometimes told about inviting my father to dinner while they were courting and serving oyster stew as a special treat. Only later did he admit that he didn’t like oysters. However, his taste changed, and he developed a liking for oyster stew. After Shirley and I were married we continued the tradition of celebrating the end of my parent’s corn harvest with oyster stew.

I don’t know what recipe Mother used for oyster stew, but this is the recipe that we use. It is a modified version of the recipe in Betty Crocker’s Good and Easy Cook Book, first edition, seventh printing.

     OYSTER STEW 

2 quarts whole milk

1 pint half and half or 1 cup cream

1 quart fresh oysters (with oyster liquid)

½ cup butter (not margarine)

2-3 teaspoons salt

2-3 dashes each of pepper and cayenne

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Heat the milk and half and half to boiling (do not scorch). Heat oysters, butter, and seasonings until edges of oysters curl. Pour into hot milk. It can be served immediately, but the flavor improves if it is simmered for a while. It is even better when warmed up the next day.

It is best to use Eastern oysters. Use small Western oysters only if Eastern oysters are not available. Smaller oysters are better than large ones. Serve with round oyster crackers. Avoid so-called oyster crackers with straight sides.  If your budget is robust, you can use 1 ½ quarts of oysters or just use a pint if cost is an issue.

-Max J. Miller

Son of Hollis and Joy Miller.

Joy's Oyster Stew

Mary Bryan's handwriting. Dictated by Joy Miller

Ingredients:
oysters

milk

salt

pepper

butter 

Put oysters in a pan and boil in own juices until the edges of the oysters curl or add oysters directly to milk and heat.

Season with salt, pepper, and butter.