rhubarb jam

Recipe 11

Rhubarb Jam

5 c. rhubarb- cut in small pieces

3. sugar

Let stand until it makes it's own juice.

Boil until quite thick over slow heat. Then add  pkg. strawberry jello. Stir until it dissolves. Pour into glasses or jars. Seal with melted paraffin. Put ion covers and seal. 

Mrs. Wigdahl

This recipe is from my Grandma Bea's Mother Galena Wigdahl. My Grandma once told me she learned a lot from her Mother and Grandmother; sewing, canning and the piano. Her father Oliver was a Lutheran Pastor and she had 3 sisters and 1 brother, who are all now gone. We had a lot of fun with her family over the years, such wonderful people that are so missed.

This recipe is easy and I bet very yummy! I have never canned anything, but maybe this winter I will give it a try. I love mason jars for other uses, and these little ones are so cute. I could see making jam or caramel and giving them as gifts with homemade bread! Oh boy, I am suddenly sounding like Laura Ingalls Wilder :)

love, krissy girl

upside down cake

Recipe 10

Upside Down Cake-Bernice

1 c. brown sugar, melt- add to cooked fruit and few nuts-grease pan

Cake

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

Bake in moderate oven- 350 degrees. Turn over on plate, whip cream on top.

This recipe must have came from my Great Grandmother Bernice. I love the history in picking each card. My Aunt Sonni mentioned a lot of these recipes came from the "church ladies". My Grandma Bernice was a hoot!! She lived in California, and we loved to visit her! We watched her put white powder all over her face, bright lipstick and wear her huge rings and jewelry. She would have been in style now with the chunky jewels!

When I think of cake, I do not like to think of fruit with it. Frosting is my only way! However when searching for pictures of an Upside Down Cake I saw a lot of them with raspberries, blueberries, rhubarb and this one with cherries, that I could do. I hope to make a lot of these recipes with Lily in the near future. Right now I am focused on just getting them on the blog to share :)!!

love, krissy girl

edith lee's hot dish

Recipe 9

Edith Lee's Hot Dish 62'

Island House-Belle Isle, Minn

1/2 c. wild rice

1/2 c. white rice

1 lb to 1 1/2 lbs. cubed veal, cubed pork

2 medium onions chopped

2 c. diced celery

4 c. boiling water or beef broth

3 T. Soya sauce

1/2 c. sliced almonds

Brown meat, celery, onions

Grease dish and bake 2-3 hrs at 350 degrees

Mushroom sauce

2 cans mushroom soup

3  cans mushrooms (browned)

add (mushroom juice) as it cooks (thin if needed)

Serves 10-12

T

This recipe is from old friends of my Grandparents, the Lee's from 1962. They owned WKTY radio station in La Crosse, where my Grandpa Milo was the news director. They must have enjoyed it at their Island House, as stated by my Grandma on the card. Hot dish and casseroles were very popular in the 60's.

This actual sounds really good. Sounds like everyone could enjoy it in my family, even the picky ones. I would use pork or chicken, not veal. I have never tried veal, and probably never will. Look who's picky now! :)

love, krissy girl

ripe cucumber slices

Recipe 8

Ripe Cucumber Slices

12 ripe cucumbers

1/2 c. salt

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 T. whole cloves

1 T. whole allspice

1 long stick cinnamon

1 T. mustard seed

1/2 t. whole black pepper

4 c. vinegar

This recipe did not have instructions on the card. I am assuming this is a picking recipe for sweet cucumbers, so any canning recipe would work to finish it. This could have come from my Grandma Veronica, she made these all the time. I really like them, but most people do not. However, I like anything that has sugar in it!

Canning is very popular with some people, who grew up with it. I remember my Mom made jam a few times, but we were not "canners" like my Grandma Veronica. I do not think my Grandma Bea ever canned foods. In my lifetime with her she did not have a garden, but I have a feeling she tried this recipe many times for fun.

love, krissy girl

norwegian christmas cookies

Recipe 7

Norwegian Christmas Cookies

2 egg yolks

1/2 c. margarine

1/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 egg white beaten

10 sugar cubes crushed

Gently drop egg yolks into boiling water 20 mins. 350 degrees, grease sheets. Margarine and sugar- egg yolks- flour and cream. Roll 1 " balls into 4 " strips. Sprinkle crushed sugar. Bake 20 mins- 25 cookie.

I love finding her Norwegian recipes. I know these were so special to her. I can almost bet there are more to be found.

Isn't it funny that we can recognize someone by their penmanship. I could spot my Grandmother's, Grandfather's, Father's, Mother's, Husband's Sister's....etc. It's like a little piece of them is left behind, left so we don't forget. A mark to let people know they were here, and to remember who they were. 

love, krissy girl

oatmeal macaroons

Recipe 6 

Oatmeal Macaroons

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

1 c. melted shortening

2 eggs (separated)

1 t. baking soda

1/4 c. hot water

1 c. shredded coconut

1 t. vanilla

1 3/4 c. sifted flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

4 c. oatmeal

Combine sugars and melted shortening. Add egg yolks. Dissolve soda in hot water. Add to first mixture. Stir in coconut and vanilla. Mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in oatmeal to flour and add to mixture. Fold in stiff beaten egg whites. Drop on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 mins.

These look so yummy for fall.Coconut and oatmeal...yum! I see shortening in a lot of these old recipes. I have not baked with shortening for years. Isn't it a artery clogger :( ? I am sure we could find an alternative...butter??

This recipe and the next one were written on pieces of small notebook paper. I remember when we were cleaning out her house, you could open a drawer and find 50 pieces of scrap paper filled with notes. Notes from shows she had watched, ideas for decorating and lots of recipes. She had a very creative mind. She had so many ideas and thoughts. Even though we live in an electronic age now, I still like to write notes, lists, ideas and recipes, I get that from her :)

love, krissy girl

red devil's food cake

Recipe 5

Red Devils Food Cake

2 1/2 c flour

3/4 c. sour milk (2 T. lemon juice)

1/2 c. carob powdered cocoa

1/2 c. water

2 t. soda

1 3/4 c. sugar

2/4 c. butter

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 egg whites

1/2 t. vanilla

Add cocoa, soda and water (let stand in bowl). Cream sugar, butter, add beaten yolks, add flout and milk. Add cocoa, fold in egg whites, add vanilla. Pour into 9 x 12 cake pan. Bake in moderate oven 350 degrees  for 60 mins. Cool. White Frosting, pour on better chocolate. 

I don't make cakes by scratch very often, but when you do there is nothing better. I especially like making cakes in layers like this one. My grandma's recipe does not call for red food coloring, but I think I would add it to get the really red color. Make a cake for someone this weekend, it will make their day!

My Grandma made cakes for certain occasions,  Christmas (Baby Jesus, save for another day) or for birthdays, and she always put it on a cake plate. If she had little Norwegian flags on toothpicks available, those would go on top. She loved her heritage and her "home" country Norway. So many memories of her Bunads, jewelry and songs. More on that to come!

love, krissy girl