Tag: recipe

Matzo Balls (and Andi’s No-Fail Broth)

Matzo Balls (and Andi’s No-Fail Broth)

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from Florence Jones’ Recipe Box (????)

About the Recipe

This year, I had the pleasure of hosting a family Passover Seder. And when I say host, I mean the whole darn thing, including the Festive Meal. For those not familiar, there’s some ceremony and storytelling that come before anyone can eat. Sometimes it’s a lot, and sometimes it’s short and sweet. But any way you do it, the highlight is always the Festive Meal. And the Festive Meal must have matzah ball soup.

I had planned on grabbing a matzah ball recipe from my cousin, or perhaps sourcing from the internet. But, by chance, I was going through Grandma’s recipe box and I stumbled on this recipe! It was no doubt cut from the back of the matzah meal box. There are layers of tape on it. Knowing my grandma, she probably taped it to her cabinets each year for easy reference during the holiday season.

A reverse image search on Google says that this is probably Manischewitz, likely from the late 20th century. That sounds about right. Let me tell you – they’re floaters, and they’re delicious.

Some tips on making a great matzah ball:

  • Seltzer instead of water or broth is said to make extra fluffy balls
  • Make the batter and then let it sit in the refrigerator. The recipe says 15 minutes, experience says at least a few hours.
  • Cook the balls in water the day before your Seder. Drop them in your broth and let the broth and balls sit in the refrigerator overnight.
  • A little extra salt never hurts
  • Use one of your balls as a tester for done-ness. Remove it from the pot and cut it in half. If it’s not done, pop the halves back in and cut one of them again to test again. It almost always requires at least 10-20 minutes more than the recipe to get them fully cooked and fluffy.

For more recipes from my family recipe box, check out my Recipes from Grandma page.

A vintage Seder

I love using my family heirlooms and vintage Pyrex to make a celebration dinner beautiful. I used my great-grandfather’s dining table, my great-aunt’s tablecloth, grandma and great-aunt’s china, grandpa Koppelman’s kiddush cup for Elijah… and so much more. Everything was topped off with a Pyrex Seder Plate and Matzah holder.

Andi’s No-Fail Chicken Broth

A great broth is an absolute must when cooking Matzah Ball Soup. Here’s how I do it:

  • I make turkey stock from my Thanksgiving turkey bones. If you can’t make your own stock, don’t stress. Penzeys has some great bases.
  • Line a big stock pot with cheese cloth. Put in the cheese cloth one roaster chicken, some onions, some carrots, some celery, and one big sweet potato (don’t sleep on the sweet potato). Cut your veggies into chunks before putting them into the cheese cloth. You’ll want to save them for when you serve the soup.
  • Gather the corners of the cheese cloth together and bind them at the top with a rubber band or some twine. The goal is to be able to lift the whole bundle out of the soup when it’s done.
  • Add your stock or soup base, a little salt, a little pepper.
  • Cover the bundle with water, just until you hit the twine. Cover and simmer for 4-5 hours.
  • Let it cool enough to handle the bundle. Take the bundle out and put it into a bowl. It’s going to drain some more delicious broth, so don’t put it into a colander or over the drain!
  • Open your bundle, but don’t get rid of the cheese cloth yet. Get rid of the sweet potatoes. Pick the meat off the chicken and put the meat along with your veggies in a container and into the fridge. You’ll want to put that back into your soup before you reheat it.
  • Re-bundle your cheese cloth and squeeze all of the broth out of what’s left. Throw out the bundle and put the additional broth back into the pot.
  • Matzah balls go into the broth and the whole pot goes into the fridge overnight. When you’re about an hour away from the Festive Meal, take the pot out of the fridge and skim the fat. Put the pot back on the stove and add back in the chicken and veggies. Simmer until it’s time to eat.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

2 T vegetable oil
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Manischewitz Matzo Meal
1 t salt, if desired (from Andi: yes, you’ll want to add this)
2 T soup stock or water

Directions:

Blend vegetable oil, eggs, matzo meal and salt together.

Add soup stock or water and mix until uniform. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes

Bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to a brisk boil

Reduce flame and drop balls approximately 1-inch in diameter formed from refrigerated mixture

Cover pot and cook for 30-40 minutes

Makes about 8 matzo balls

Hamburger Pie

Hamburger Pie

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A Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens (1951)

About the Recipe

It’s Pi(e) Day 2026! I always like to make a savory pie to go along with the sweet. Honestly, this year I was at a little bit of a loss. I kept looking through book after book, but nothing was inspiring me. At the same time, I was thinking of my grandma, who passed away a few months ago. Pies always make me think of her. Some of my earliest baking memories are rolling pie dough in her kitchen. So I picked up the Better Homes and Gardens that she gifted me. And what a gift it turned out to be.

This recipe is deceptively simple, and would be so easy to adapt depending on your circumstances. Have access to fresh green beans? Steam them quickly and pop them in! Don’t want to spend time boiling potatoes? Use instant! Not a red meat eater? Use ground turkey! No matter how you choose to make it, this one will turn out delicious.

For more Pi(e) Day recipes, click here!

About the book

My grandma gave me this book several years ago. It was a gift to her when she married my grandpa Marvin, after whom I’m named. It’s stuffed to the gills with updated pages and little notes. She left a page of lined notebook in the front where she wrote down (and crossed out) recipes that she tried. And most importantly, there’s this inscription:

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
salt and pepper
1 No. 2 can (2 1/2 cups) or 1/2 pound cooked green beans
1 10.5 or 11-ounce can condensed tomato soup
5 medium-sized potatoes, cooked
1/2 cup warm milk
1 beaten egg
salt and pepper

Directions:

Brown onion in hot fat; add meat and seasonings; brown. Add drained beans and soup; pour into greased casserole. Mash potatoes; add milk, egg, and seasonings. Spoon in mounds over meat. Bake in moderate oven (350*F) 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Seafoam Cantaloupe Pie

Seafoam Cantaloupe Pie

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A Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Pies and Cakes (1966)

About the Recipe

It’s Pi(e) Day 2026! I just got this cookbook a few weeks ago, and I’ve been waiting for Pi(e) Day to use it. I was paging through and I saw this light green mid-century nonsense. As a joke, I snapped a photo and sent it to my brother who usually joins me for the holiday. His response: “That’s some 50s house wife bullsh*t if I ever saw it…But yes.” And so it was!

I’m slightly annoyed because I screwed it up. Learn from my mistake – watch your filling once you put it in to fridge and make sure you fold it in before it sets into jell-o. Oops.

Other than that, this was actually really delicious. It’s a chiffon pie, so super light and fluffy. The lime with the coconut is fabulous. It’s perfect for a summer party as a chilled dessert. I honestly can’t wait to make it again.

For more Pi(e) Day recipes, click here!

About the book

I was so excited to have this book in my collection. Pies and Cakes are my favorite, and having this resource at hand just sparks so much joy. As always with BHG, the tips and tricks are as wonderful as the recipes. Enjoy!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 envelope (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t salt
4 slightly beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup water
1 t grated lime peel
Few drops green food coloring
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 1/2 cups cantaloupe balls
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell
additional whipped cream 
toasted coconut

Directions:

Combine gelatin, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Stir together egg yolks, lime juice, and water; add to gelatin mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat just till mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; add lime peel and food coloring. Chill, stirring occasionally, till mixture mounds. (Note from author: Do not let it set! You want that magic period where its starting to set and forming little mounds, but still fairly liquid.)

Beat egg whites to soft peaks; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beat to stiff peaks. Fold in gelatin mixture. Fold in whipped cream and cantaloupe. Pile into cooled pastry shell. Chill till firm. Top with a wreath of additional whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Dixie Crab Bake

Dixie Crab Bake

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A Recipe from Betty Crocker’s Dinner-in-a-Dish Cookbook (1965)

About the Recipe

The other day, my local grocery store had fancy canned crab on sale. The kind of canned crab that you get in the fish section, not the canned section. My original plan was to make crab cakes, one of my son’s favorite dinners. But then, I was paging through this lovely cookbook and, well – sometimes the recipes guide the ingredients, and sometimes the ingredients guide the recipe.

This recipe creates a creamy and delicious casserole version of a crab cake. It’s a little mid-century nonsense (you can’t ignore the chopped hard-boiled egg). It’s a little heavy on the cholesterol clogging (so creamy). Wow, was it delicious.

A few quick notes on this one:

  • Use high quality crab meat. Do it. Stretch the budget a little and get the good stuff. Or don’t! I’m actually a big fan of canned crab, especially out of season.
  • I only used about half the bread crumb topping, and it was still way too much. Next time, I’ll probably use crushed Ritz crackers tossed in butter instead of a plain crumb.
  • The canned carrots were surprisingly good. You could definitely steam your own and they would work just fine. Either way, they need to be cooked before they get folded in.
  • You’re making a roux for this dish so please (PLEASE!), set your mise-en-place. This dish comes together quickly and having everything close at hand and ready to go is so important.

Bonus tip in my video here:

About the book

I love this cookbook so much. A friend of mine recently gave me a few boxes full of old books that she was cleaning out. A copy of this one was near the top of one of the boxes. I handed it back to her and said, “Keep this. It’s a great one.” The recipes are always good. The illustrations are just wonderful.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 T flour
1 cup light cream
1 t prepared mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t mace
1 T lemon juice
1 can (1 lb.) sliced carrots, drained
2 cans (7.5 oz. each) crabmeat, drained and cartilage removed
2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 T butter, melted
Lemon wedges

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*F. Melt butter in heavy saucepan; stir in flour. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.

Stir in cream; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min.

Gently fold in seasonings, carrots, crabmeat, and eggs. Pour mixture into 1 1/2-qt. casserole. Toss breadcrumbs with butter; sprinkle over top.

Bake uncovered 45 min., or until bubbly. Serve with lemon wedges. 4 to 6 servings.

Little Brioches

Little Brioches

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A Recipe from Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery Vol. 2 (1967)

About the Recipe

My son Maxx has been reading a book called The Bakery Dragon. It’s about a little dragon who is not great at stealing gold, but after getting stranded with a baker in her bakery during a storm, discovers that he’s very good at baking gold. So what does Maxx say to me this morning? “Mommy, I want to make some gold!” Into the stacks we went to find the perfect golden bread recipe.

This was actually my first time making a brioche, outside of a challah loaf here and there. The dough is so sweet and buttery delicious. This was actually a fairly simple recipe, especially if you learn from some of my mistakes:

  • Let your butter get soft and your eggs come to room temperature. The butter is meant to melt down after you pour the hot milk over it. Mine… did not. And I spent about 10 extra minutes at the microwave slowly melting my butter down 10 seconds at a time.
  • Don’t rush to get your butter to melt. You’ll lose some of the tenderness to the bread if you just melt the butter down all at once. Take your time.
  • I only used about 5 1/2 cups of flour all told. Don’t forget that the water content in your butter and milk, the size of your eggs, even your elevation will change how much you need. Go one cup at a time and slow to a few tablespoons as you get closer to dough texture.
  • I highly recommend beating and kneading this dough by hand. I use a wooden spoon to beat and my own two hands to knead to the right texture. I swear it comes out better. And you’ll get to know what dough feels like when it’s ready to prove.
  • Check your oven for a Proof setting. It makes a massive difference in rise.

These little buns were so yummy coming out of the oven with just a little bit of good butter. Can’t wait to have one with breakfast!

About the book

I inherited my grandma’s entire Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery. It’s a 12-volume set published 1966-67, created by the editors of Woman’s Day Magazine. It’s in alphabetical order, and Volume 2 goes from Beef Cook Book to Canapes. I’ve tried a few recipes from various volumes, and it was clearly well used by my grandma. Definitely a winner of a set with delightful photos to boot!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast or 2 cakes compressed yeast
1/4 cup water*
3/4 cup milk, scalded
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
5 eggs (room temperature)

Directions:
Sprinkle or crumble yeast into water. *Use very warm water (105*F to 115*F) for dry yeast; use lukewarm (80*F to 90*F) for compressed. Let stand a few minutes; then stir until dissolved.

Pour hot milk over butter, sugar, and salt; cool to lukewarm. Add 2 cups flour and beat well. Add yeast and beat. Cover and let rise until bubbly. Stir down.

Add 4 eggs and beat well. Add enough more flour to make a soft dough. Turn out on floured pastry cloth or board and knead until smooth and satiny. Put into greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down and divide dough into 24 small pieces. From each piece, cut a small piece. Shape large pieces into balls and put into well-greased 2 3/4-inch muffin cups. Shape small pieces in balls. Make indentation in center of each large ball by pressing with thumb. Press small balls into indentations.

Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Mix 1 egg and 1 T water. Brush rolls with mixture.

Bake in preheated moderate oven (375*F) for 15 minutes. To freeze, wrap in foil. Reheat, wrapped, in slow oven (300*F).

Spice Cake

Spice Cake

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A Recipe from Florence Jones’ Recipe Box (19??)

About the Recipe

As happens sometimes, I woke up yesterday with a baking itch. I felt like I needed to try something new, but I had no idea what. I went to one of my cookbook shelves and saw my grandma’s recipe boxes. I’ve actually been a little bit wary of sifting through them. They look a mess. But actually, behind the last few shoved in the front, they’re meticulously organized. I found this little gem filed in the “Cakes” section.

When I looked at the method, I thought it couldn’t possibly make a cake. It’s strange to put an unpacked crumb on the bottom of a cake. And then stranger still to mix the crumb with sour cream, an egg, and some baking soda and call it a cake. But maybe worth a shot?

I messaged my dad to see if he remembered it. His response? “Yes, very good.” Okay then!

Reader, this cake is magnificent. It’s almost like an upside down coffee cake. The texture is light and fluffy from the chemical reaction of the sour cream (acid) and baking soda (base). The flavor, light on spices though it be for a spice cake, is divine. Dad suggested some icing on it. A cream cheese frosting would go well if you want to ice it, but it’s fine standing on its own.

No notes. Thanks, Grandma.

For more recipes from my family recipe box, check out my Recipes from Grandma page.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 t salt
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

Directions:

Combine brown sugar, flour, butter, salt, nutmeg in mixing bowl. Blend with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly and completely blended. 

Butter 9-inch square pan, spoon in half of crumb mixture. Stir soda into sour cream. Mix with remaining crumbs along with egg. 

Pour batter over crumbs and bake at 350*F 40-50 min.

Little Orange Layer Cake with Simple Orange Butter Frosting

Little Orange Layer Cake with Simple Orange Butter Frosting

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A Recipe from Sunset Cook Book of Favorite Recipes (1952)

About the Recipe

When my friend asked us to join her and her family for New Year’s Eve this year, I had one ask: can I bring dessert?

A good party is always a good excuse to try a new recipe. When I saw this little orange layer cake, I knew it would be perfect for our intimate gathering. It also would compliment the brownies that I knew another friend was bringing. And reader – it absolutely was.

A few little learnings to help you make this cake successfully:

  • Make the cake in 7 or 8-inch layers. I did 8 inches, and I wish I had gone one size smaller.
  • The recipe says to bake for about 20 minutes. In my oven, which usually runs cold, the layers baked for about 18 minutes before I pulled them out. That was probably a minute too long.
  • I added fresh mandarin zest to the frosting. It was a little thing that made a massive difference in making the orange flavor pop.
  • This frosting is outrageous. Perfect for a super chocolatey fudge cake.
  • When you cut the butter into the frosting, take it right from the fridge. Cold butter is easier to cut with a pastry blender than warmer butter.

Other than that, this is a really simple, delicious cake. It was just the right amount of cake for our gathering of 10 adults. And decorating it was such fun. Happy New Year!

About the book

This book is a recent find at West End Antiques Mall in Richmond, VA. I don’t usually advocate for specific stores, but wow this one blew me away. A mid-century lover’s paradise!

The book itself is so well loved it’s falling apart at the seams. It’s a collection of recipes featured in Sunset Magazine. My favorite part is the dedication in the front. That’s me to a t! And I’m willing to bet that’s you as well (at least a little bit…).

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 t lemon extract
1/2 cup strained orange juice

Orange Butter Frosting:
4 T butter or margarine
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 t vanilla
Hot orange juice (about 2 Tablespoons)
A little lemon extract and/or grated orange or lemon rind. 

Directions:

Cake:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cream shortening and sugar together until fluffy; beat in well-beaten egg yolks, lemon extract, and orange juice; add sifted dry ingredients. Last, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour into 2 greased layer pans (author’s note: I used 8″ pans, but 7″ pans will also work) and bake in a moderately hot oven (375*F) about 20 minutes (author’s note: about 17-18 minutes if you use 8″ layers). Remove from pans, cool on rack, and then spread with Orange Butter Frosting.

Orange Butter Frosting:
Blend butter thoroughly with sugar, using a pastry blender; add vanilla. Work in hot liquid and rind or extract until mixture is pliable and a little softer than you wish the finished frosting. Spread. 

The frosting becomes firm as it stands. This makes sufficient frosting for the tops and sides of 2 8-inch layers, the tops of 2 9-inch layers, or 2 dozen cup cakes.

Piquant Dip

Piquant Dip

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A Recipe from Betty Crocker’s Cooking Calendar (1962)

About the Recipe

It’s Christmastime, and my Christmas dinner table is never complete without a new mid-century delight to try. Now, I don’t know about your friends, but mine love a dip. When I saw this masterpiece, I knew it was the right recipe to try this year.

As is, this dip is a winner. It’s a great alternative to the Lipton Onion Soup + sour cream mix (though, no shade – that’s a delicious dip). We all agreed that it was a solid base for a creamy dip.

There were a few thoughts from the crowd that I’ll share here:

  • It could use more of a kick. I would even go so far as doubling the horseradish for that lovely, low-level heat. A dash or two of Tobasco or Crystal would also go a long way toward taking this dip from good to great.
  • It absolutely needs the 2+ hours in the fridge for the flavor to come together. Make it a day ahead and stick it in the fridge.
  • This would go really well with some bagel chips or a garlicky pita chip.
  • This is a great centerpiece dip for a veggie platter.
  • I added the green pepper garnish. It felt very mid-century table in the moment. 10/10 would garnish the same way again.

The short story here is that this is honestly a great dip. A perfect make-ahead for appetizers or to bring to a potluck. Enjoy!

About the book

I was so excited to actually cook out of this book. Every month comes with its own introduction and a note on seasonal fruits and vegetables. And then the weeks are broken up. Each day has a quote or note, and each adjacent page has 2-3 holiday or seasonally appropriate recipes. It’s just delightful.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup commercial sour cream
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1 T catsup
1 1/2 t prepared horse-radish
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t salt

Directions:

Mix cottage cheese and sour cream thoroughly. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and chill 2 hr. to blend flavors. Serve as a dip for crackers, potato chips, or vegetable relishes. 

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Grape Pie Supreme

Grape Pie Supreme

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A Recipe from Good Housekeeping’s Complete Christmas Cookbook (1967)

About the Recipe

It’s almost Christmas, and the hubs requested something festive for his office holiday party. As I was browsing my books, this recipe grabbed my eye. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The grapes. The glaceed cherries. The mid-century of it all! So of course I decided to give it a try.

Reader – it was delicious. The almond gives it a slight marzipan taste, but it’s so well balanced between sweet and savory. I used crisp autumn grapes which, while huge, were big bursts of flavor. And it was one of those wonderful dishes that’s better out of the fridge on day 2. It was gone by day 4 (and not because we brought it to share anywhere.)

Only a few quick notes on this one:

  • While the grapes were delicious, a smaller, sweeter red grape would probably suit this dish a little better.
  • A pre-made crust will do just fine. If you do make your own crust, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours if not overnight. This will allow the butter to firm up a little more to give you flaky layers. It also allows the flour to fully hydrate, which makes the dough easier to handle.
  • Separate your eggs while they’re cold, then let them come to room temp before you use them. The whites will hold their structure much more effectively.
  • If you can get your hands on red and greed cherries instead of just red – do it. Take the plunge and go all out on Christmasing up this delightful pie.

If you’re wondering about the decorations and how to lay them out, take a peek at the video below.

About the book

Another year of Good Housekeeping’s set of cookbooks. This 1967 set comes in a lovely hard-sided holder for all 13 different books. I was lucky enough to be gifted these a few years ago and I love to cook out of them. There’s a great range of quick and simple to dishes that test your skill. I’ve yet to try one I didn’t like out of this set.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

6 T butter (cold from the fridge)
1 cup flour
2 T ice cold water
2 1/2 cups seedless grapes
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar, separated
3 eggs, separated
2 t grated lemon peel
1 T lemon juice
4 1/2 oz blanched almonds, ground
Red glaceed cherries (optional)
Whole blanched almonds (optional)

Directions:

Early on day:
1. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut 6 tablespoons butter into flour until like coarse corn meal; add 2 tablespoons water and toss quickly together, forming a smooth ball. (Blogger’s note: wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before the next step)

2. Roll out pastry; use to line 9-inch pie plate, making fluted edge. (Or use 11-inch flan pan with removeable bottom, trimming pastry even with edge.) On bottom of pastry place grapes.

3. Start heating oven to 350*F

4. In medium bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 cup sugar until creamy. Now beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then lemon peel and juice and ground almonds.

5. Beat egg whites until peaks form; gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff. Carefully fold into almond mixture; pour over grapes. 

6. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until top is firm and a dark golden. Let cool on wire rack.

Just before serving:
Decorate top of pie with glaceed cherries and whole almonds if desired. Makes 8 servings.

The Video!

A quick video of this gem just before I served it. Christmas-y goodness.

Silver Dollar Pancakes

Silver Dollar Pancakes

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A Recipe from Country Inn Cookbook – a Berkshire Traveller Book (1970)

About the Recipe

Get ready friends, it’s time for another fab recipe out of Becky’s collection! The two of us pored through book after book to figure out what we wanted to make this time. This simple recipe turned out to be the perfect breakfast treat. Small, light, and supremely satisfying.

We did use canned (evaporated) milk as it says in the recipe. I’m not sure they were any lighter than any other pancake I’ve ever made. Everything else about this recipe is perfect as is. The only note I have is in preparation technique. If you have one, using a squirt bottle to make perfect little circles will make this not only tasty, but also charming.

For more recipes from a Weekend at Becky’s, click here!

About the book

What a cute little cookbook! There are a few versions of this little book published from the 1960’s – 70’s. Most commonly you can find the 2 other versions from the ’70’s floating around. How special to have access to this earlier edition.

Each page features a country inn and a signature recipe from that inn. Somehow we managed to dial into the recipe from the west coast made for east coasters! Definitely a fun way to explore food traditions across the country.

About the glassware

One of the other great pleasures of cooking out of Becky’s kitchen is access to her collection of vintage glassware. When we found this beautiful depression glass cake plate lurking in the back of the cabinet, it seemed the perfect fit! The shape looked just like the picture and added a little bit of extra charm to our table setting.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 egg
3/4 cup canned milk [I used evaporated]
1/2 cup water
2 t melted butter

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients, beat egg, milk and water. Add to dry ingredients. Whip well, adding melted butter. Pour enough batter on the griddle to cover a silver dollar. Make as many as possible at one time. Serve by the plateful as in the picture.Â