Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Sweet Treats ~

it's that time of year ~
time again to start preparing for Thanksgiving Day & Christmas 
and
everything that goes along with...
...including the baking ~

I usually start dreaming of my mom's peanut butter fudge, or her molasses cookies 
when the weather hints of changing her summer cottons to her winter woolies...
actually, I dream about them all through the year.


little baking table

I've mentioned before that my mom's heritage is Pennsylvania German, or PA Dutch...
she was born in Harrisburg PA and grew up on the outskirts close to Lancaster.

she & her family moved to Bridgeport CT,
and that's where I was born.

all the ingredients ready...

 I remember how my aunts, Mim & Dot, 
...along with my mom would drive to PA to visit their relatives when I was young
and how I hated when she left because I missed her so very much.
but
I also knew that upon her return
she would bring me back candy.
not any candy, but PA Dutch candy!

watermelon slices, clear-candy pops, all sorts & licorice...
and of course, hands-down-thee-best,
C H O C O L A T E


some of my early molds & cutters...
 she would also bring home fresh-baked goodies too ~
wet-bottom shoo-fly pie, peanut butter cookies, whoopie pies 
and fried apple-cakes that were small & tiny and just the perfect size for my little hand....


a dusting of freshly fallen flour...
 I love reminiscing about those days now...
although mom still makes us peanut butter fudge and molasses cookies each year...
still using the same old water-glass to cut out the circles of cookie dough.


~ my small wooden woodsman springerle cookie mold, tin star, flower & tree cutters ~
 when I gather all of my ingredients together for a morning of baking,
I choose carefully...
I want to keep that feeling of homemade alive within me & my family.

...so I use old my egg beaters, butter paddles & wooden rolling pins.
I use our fresh chicken eggs and whole spices ~

beautiful star anise on one of my old butter paddles
 I want to make memories for Hannah & Peter
and for the many friends we have,
I want them to have a happy memory of being here...
being ~
H O M E

colored sugar & sprinkles for a festive touch ~
 I turn to my OLD favorite recipes...
the ones found in a yellowed book that I've had since childhood ~
one that shares secrets of my family's baking history...
recipes with intriguing names like
Christmas Biscuits
Moravian White Christmas Cookies
and
Gutmusser's Apple Cake


my favorite little cookbook
 actually,
I have three of these little cookbooks ~
each one a little different than the next
but
all three dear to me ~

 ~ baking memories ~
 I'm sure that each of you reading this has their own special recipes ~
some old, some new...
and here is a very simple one from me to you:

Graham Cracker Cherry Chip Blondies
1 box graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

mix cracker crumbs and condensed milk
stir in chocolate chips & cherries
pour into a greased glass baking dish and bake at 350* for 35 min.
check with a toothpick for doneness and then dust with a little powdered sugar.


~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~::~
enjoy!

* Blessed be * 
Lori

20 comments:

HomeSpunPrims said...

A beautiful post Lori! Thank you for sharing your sweet memories. Hugs, Lori

Linda said...

Wonderful post, brings back memories of childhood days of mine in W.PA. I still have my mothers rolling pin and some old cookie cutters.

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

Love your pictures and the sweet treat recipe!! Thank you!

moosecraft said...

Ummmm... did I hear someone say "peanut butter fudge"? lol! Mmmmmmm... this blondie recipe sounds good too (and simple enough to make).... thank you! :-)

Jeanne said...

Wonderful post...thank you for the recipe too!

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

your welcome friends! let me know how your blondes came out!!
~ L

~Sara said...

What a "sweet" post. Memories~ one of the best parts of the holidays. Thank you for sharing with us. I can smell the aroma of all of the fresh baked goodies already.
Blessings~Sara

Jeanne said...

Lovely memories!
The Blondies sound good. What size pan should I use?
Thanks, Jeanne

1890* said...

Such dear cook books and beautifully warm photos.. I hope to find some peace this month for some baking with fond memories.. Thank you for sharing your recipe -Blondie's with cherries YUMMO!
OMGoodness....now if you say you were born at St Vincents Hosp in Bridgeport too..that would really be kismet! lol Bridgeport -Sandy Hook ..we have a path together dear Lori!
Wishing you all the joys the holidays can bring {{HUGS}}

Unknown said...

this post is as sweet as the cookies you bake....wonderful memories........

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

MISI! I just emailed you!

Anonymous said...

Growing up in Pa, my mother had all of those cookbooks and used them regularly. I hadn't thought of them in years. Thanks for sharing them.
Stephanie

Dogwood Farm said...

A most wonderful post Lori! Makes me feel so good inside, warming my heart and soul.
Thank you for sharing this delicious cookie recipe.
xox

Annemieke said...

Just found your blog and love the pictures and the stories from your childhood. The cookbooks are lovely. It always intrigued me to see things from Pennsylvania (Dutch). To me it feels if it is a combination from the past from Germany and The US but the name Dutch means from the Netherlands so that is a bit confusing for me. I'm Dutch myself (so from the Netherlands) and hope to visit Pennsylvania some time.

Groetjes
Annemieke

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

Hello Annemieke! Welcome!
Thanks for your comment ~ the word "Dutch" actually is from the word "Deutsch" which means German ~ the immigrants moved to PA from Germany & carried so many of their beloved traditions :)
~ Lori

Anette kincsei said...

Pennsylvania!!!!!

Dog Trot Farm said...

Thank you for such a heart warming post Lori...Thought you might like to know...today...out of the attic came your "Candy Cane Santa" painting which I won a couple of years ago...I simply love him...Greetings from Maine, Julie.

Raymond Homestead said...

Such great pictures and memories!

primnproper said...

What wonderful memories you have of growing up and the joy of keeping those memories alive for the next generation. I am lucky enough to live in Lancaster County Pa, where I can enjoy all of those yummy goodies that you mentioned. Blessings for a Happy Thanksgiving and a joy filled Christmas.

Barbara said...

I was surprised to hear you were born in Bridgeport, CT. I live in New Haven,CT. Love all your stories and of course wonderful things!