Grandma's Vintage Recipes

1 Xs 4 COOKIES

2026-10-17T12:12:45.171-07:00

Have always loved this easy to remember recipe!

1 cup sugar
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together and mix well. Shape batter into small balls. Place cookies on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees until the cookies are light brown and flattened. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

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CORN FLAKES HAM LOAF

2026-10-15T16:23:59.054-07:00

1 lb smoked ham, ground
1 lb lean fresh pork, ground
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups corn flake cereal, do not crush
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp mustard
1 tbsp sugar

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp mustard

Combine the ham, pork, eggs, cereal, milk, mustard, and sugar together and pack into a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Make the topping and after the first 30 minutes of baking, baste every 15 minutes with the topping.
To make the topping, combine all the ingredients in a bowl stirring until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended. Use to baste the ham loaf according to the instructions above.

This is definitely a file photo for reference. I have never made this recipe.

BAKED FISH WITH MUSTARD & CREAM

2026-10-13T11:13:20.469-07:00

This is another recipe from one of the old recipe books in my late mother's collection. I must get my love of recipes from her. She shoeboxes of recipe clippings. Most of which I don't ever remember her making.

EASY PUDDING PRALINES

2026-10-12T14:15:25.357-07:00

1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla flavored pudding mix

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup pecan halves

In a medium saucepan combine the pudding mix, sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Boil gently, stirring often, until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (a drop of the mixture will form a soft ball when dropped into a cup of cold water or a candy thermometer reads 230 degrees.) Remove from the heat.

Stir the pecans into the hot mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Working quickly, drop by tablespoon onto waxed paper using back of spoon to make each praline about a 2-inch diameter. Let stand until firm.

Yield: 2 dozen pralines

NOTE: You can make chocolate pralines by substituting chocolate pudding mix for the vanilla. If you are feeling real adventurous, try butterscotch pudding. Yummy!

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JEWELED PINEAPPLE RINGS

2026-10-10T14:27:58.926-07:00

This is another old recipe from my late mother's shoebox collection.

A CAKE RECIPE

2026-10-08T09:15:01.394-07:00

Another old recipe I found in my late mother's recipe collection. She had looked up the scriptures and wrote the ingredients in.

HOMEMADE PUMPERNICKEL BREAD

2026-10-06T12:57:52.061-07:00

3 pkgs active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm (105-115 degrees) water
1/2 cup molasses
3 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp solid shortening
2 tbsp caraway seed
2 3/4 cups rye flour
2 3/4 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water. When yeast is dissolved, stir in the molasses, salt, shortening, caraway seed, and rye flour. Beat mixture until smooth. Mix in enough of the all-purpose flour to make the dough easy to handle.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Knead dough about 5 minutes until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, turn once so the greased side is up. Cover dough and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour. Punch down the dough; re-ball, cover, and let rise again until double. This will take around 40 to 45 minutes.

Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Punch down the dough again, then divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place loaves in the opposite corners of baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

After about 45 minutes, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.

Yield: 2 bread loaves.

file photo for reference only

L.S. AYRES TEA ROOM DATE PUDDING

2026-10-05T06:22:11.668-07:00

This recipe is part of Indiana history. Back in the day when large department stores had tea rooms and the ladies dressed up for the occasion. The L.S. Ayers tearoom in Indianapolis was also enjoyed by families. This was one of the favorite desserts there. Closed in 1990, some of the famous recipes are still being handed down in Indianapolis.

DIXIE PEACHY PRALINE PIE

2026-10-03T11:00:41.789-07:00

I found this recipe in a clipping from my late mother's shoebox recipe collection. It was in an Electric Consumer newspaper-type mailer. It was from the early 1980s. Some of the amounts are hard to read so here they are in order: 3/4 cup, 3 T., 4 cups, 1 1/2 t,,1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, 3T., 1/2 cup

GREAT NORTHERN BEANS SOUP

2026-10-01T10:10:12.844-07:00

1 lb Great Northern beans, soak overnight in 8 qts water; rinse and drain

1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 to 3/4 lb diced ham
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon basil
freshly ground black pepper

Add 6 cups water to the beans and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 1 to 2 hours until the beans are tender. Add more water during cooking, if needed.

CRANBERRY WALNUT STREUSEL MUFFINS

2026-09-30T06:51:35.220-07:00

An old recipe a coworker gave me many years ago. She used to bring these into work in the Fall.

OLD KENTUCKY PECAN CAKE

2026-09-29T16:20:38.094-07:00

As the name implies, this is an old, very old, Kentucky recipe. Many who didn't like the traditional "fruitcake" made these cakes instead. 1 pound sugar (2 cups) 1 pound chopped pecans 1 1/2 pounds seedless raisins 1 pound regular flour 1 cup butter 6 eggs 1 pint wine Line a 3-quart tube pan with greased, heavy brown paper. Cream together the butter nd sugar. Add the egg yolks and combine thoroughly. Add the flour alternately with the wine. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites, the nuts, and raisins last. Bake 4 hours at 300 degrees. When cold pour more wine over the cake. If you prick the surface with a long pin the wine will penetrate the cake better. Pour wine over the cake each day for three days. Store away. Ready to serve in a month.

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SOUR CREAM RAISIN DROPS with ORANGE FROSTING

2026-09-24T11:47:11.860-07:00

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup raisins
Orange Frosting (recipe follows)

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; blend in the egg and vanilla extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream. Mix well after each addition. Stir in the raisins. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack until completely cool and frost with the Orange Frosting below:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp grated orange peel
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
4 tsp milk

Beat the butter; blend in the orange peel. Add sugar alternately with the milk until light and fluffy.

Yield: Approximately 5 dozen cookies

File Photo

POPOVERS

2026-09-23T15:34:01.115-07:00

This is another recipe from my little 1980s booklet.

GERMAN ANISE DROPS

2026-09-21T12:01:46.621-07:00

This recipe is from an old 80s recipe book. I have never made this recipe since I got this little book from my late mother's collection of recipes. I have been a diabetic for almost 20 years now so I stay away from most sweets.

WHITE FROSTING

2026-09-19T12:33:59.692-07:00

Here is another old frosting recipe. Notice the person who sent this last statement. The recipe is from a 1980s Home Cooking paper recipe book.

GRANDMA'S CHOCOLATE FUDGE

2026-09-16T13:01:52.897-07:00

This is a delicious chocolate fudge made with marshmallow creme, chocolate chips, and evaporated milk. My mom always made her fudge with evaporated milk and I still like mine that way today.

4 cups sugar
2 cans (5-oz each) evaporated milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pkg (12-oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 jar (7-oz) marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts*
1 tsp vanilla

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and extend the foil over the edges. Butter the foil and set aside.

Butter the sides of a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Combine the sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in the saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat to boiling. Continue to cook while stirring until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage or 236 on a candy thermometer. This will take 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, walnuts, and vanilla. Stir hard until the chocolate melts. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. While still warm, score the candy into squares. When firm, cut all the way through the squares. Store in refrigerator or a cool place.

Yield: Aproximately 3 1/2 lbs

*We had a black walnut tree across from our home in Southern Indiana. We used them or hickory nuts in our fudge. For you who don't know what a hickory nut is, it is a lot like a pecan, and we used them in recipes that called for pecans. I later, as a mother living outside Indiana, I started using mostly pecans. Since I live in Texas now, we have pecans instead of hickory nuts. And my children never cared much for walnuts. In my opinion, just about any nut would be good in this fudge.

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BLACK WALNUT BARS WITH SAUCE

2026-09-15T11:52:39.594-07:00

This is another old Indiana Recipe. We had lots of black walnut trees there and found lots of uses for the nuts. As a child, I hated gathering the nuts and cracking them. But I sure enjoyed the goodies made with them!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease and flour a 15-inch jelly roll pan and set it aside.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, unbeaten
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ground coconut
1 cup black walnuts, chopped fine

Sift the flour and salt together; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla to the butter mixture, beating well. Gradually blend in the flour. Add the coconut and walnuts, stirring to blend in well. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan; set aside.

Prepare the following sauce:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a saucepan combine the brown sugar, butter, cream, and corn syrup stirring until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to the soft ball stage (234 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Drizzle over the prepared batter before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until done. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes then cut into 54 bars. To serve, remove carefully from the pan.

EASY HUSH PUPPIES

2026-09-11T13:27:59.429-07:00

2 1/4 cups cornmeal

1 tsp salt
2 tsp onion flakes
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
hot fat (in the interest of health, I recommend updating to a healthy oil)

Combine the cornmeal, salt, onion flakes, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk to the cornmeal mixture and mix well. Heat canola oil (1-inch deep) until hot. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil an cook until browned. Cooking should take a couple of minutes.

Yield: Approximately 2 dozen hush puppies.

Excellent served with fish.

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GINGER BEER

2026-09-08T13:42:12.890-07:00

Ginger beer is like root beer; no beer is involved.

2 quarts water

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp grated lime rind

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Pour ginger mixture through a wire -mesh strainer into a large pitcher, and discard solids. Chill until ready to serve. Serve over crushed ice.

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MOM'S WASHDAY DINNER

2026-09-05T11:14:49.871-07:00

Remember when it took all day to do the family laundry with the old wringer washer and clothes lines? I can even remember watching my grandmother washing clothes in the big old black pots over a fire in her backyard. There was little time left for cooking, thus washday dinners. This one is made with potatoes and smoked sausage.

1 T. butter
1 medium onion, sliced
2 to 3 large potatoes, sliced
2 T. flour
1 can tomato juice, or V8 juice
1 pkg smoked sausage, sliced
water
salt to taste
1 cup shredded cheese

In a large casserole pan, melt butter. Line bottom of pan with thick layer of onions. Add generous layer of potatoes, sift flour over potatoes. Pour can of tomato juice over top. Cover with thinly sliced sausages. Add water to cover. Add salt to taste. Bake slowly for 3 hours. If sausages begin to brown too much, turn them over. When done (potatoes are tender and casserole is bubbly), sprinkle with the cheese and bake 10 more minutes.

OLD FASHION BLACK FOREST TORTE

2026-09-04T10:17:55.314-07:00

This is an old recipe from Imperial Sugar shared during their 150 year anniversary celebration.

1 3/4 cups Imperial Granulated Sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup (2 sticks) softened margarine
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs

Combine all ingredients except eggs into large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed to blend, then beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes longer. Pour one-fourth of batter into each of four greased and waxed-paper-lined 8-inch layer cake pans; layers will be thin. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Two layers may stand while first two bake, if necessary. Cool slightly; remove from pans and continue cooling. Fill and frost layers with chocolate filling and whipped cream, alternately. Makes 16 servings. Frost and fill with chocolate frosting of your choice and whipped cream. Top off with maraschino cherries.

OLD TIME THREE CHEESE ENCHILADAS

2026-09-04T10:01:05.707-07:00

8-oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
8-oz Cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cut-up
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1 lb hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
8-oz tomato sauce
22 flour or corn tortillas, your choice

In a skillet cook the hamburger and onion until meat is crumbled and browned and onion is transparent. Drain and return to skillet. Add the chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce; cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheeses. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the evaporated milk, green chilies, undiluted cream of chicken soup, and Velveeta cheese. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a long casserole dish. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll to form the enchiladas. Place side by side in the prepared casserole dish. Spoon the cheese/soup mixture over the enchiladas.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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MUSTARD-GLAZED HAM LOAF

2026-09-03T12:44:00.866-07:00

This is a recipe from a small old cookbook from my late mother's recipe collection.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

2026-09-02T17:09:04.590-07:00

This is another recipe that my mother clipped from an old newspaper years ago. I found it, after her death, among her boxes of clippings.

six or seven slices of white bread (I would recommend whole-wheat)
12 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb sausage, browned, crumbled, drained
1 tsp fennel seed
3 1/2 to 4 cups milk
2 tbsp chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or pan. Line the bottom of the dish with the bread. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the bread. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until bubbly and browned. Done with a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serves 12.

file photo for reference

Note: May also add some cooked, crumbled bacon, if desired.