More Desserts

Granger Pie

This recipe for Granger Pie is from Earl. I've included a bit of the history of how he got the recipe, I thought you family history buffs would enjoy. This recipe goes back a long time, so it's tried and true. Thanks for sharing it with us Earl!

To give you a little background-----This was given to my wife by my mother in 1984. She was 86 at the time. She stated that it was the original recipe of her grandmother who died in 1926.

The grandmother of who she spoke was Elizabeth Houser Lyle. Born in 1847 and died in 1926. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of Jacob Houser who founded the town and woolen mill at Houserville, Pa. The town still exists and is just outside of State College on the road to Bellefontre.

The recipe was for two pies. I have cut it in half and arranged the sequence of ingredients so it makes a little sense.

For Topping

• 1 1/4 C Flour
• 1/2 C Sugar ( I have used both granulated and brown, it seems to make little difference).
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 C Butter

For Bottom

• 1/2 C Molasses ( I have used Grandmas unsulphured and Brer Rabbit - I think that Brer rabbit is better in this case).
• 1/2 C Boiling water
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda

Crumb flour, sugar cinnamon and butter. (I use a pastry blender) Mix molasses , water and soda and pour into an unbaked crust. Put crumbs on top.

Baking time and temperature are not shown in this old recipe. I used 375 degrees for 35 minutes.·

Mammy's Chocolate Cake

Here's a recipe for Chocolate Cake from Sherri in Pennsylvania. It looks delicious and as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too much Chocolate Cake! Thanks Sherri!

• 2 C sugar
• 1/2 C butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 6 Tbs cocoa
• 1 C milk
• 3 C flour
• 1 C boiling water
• 2 Tsp baking soda

Cream first three ingredients. Add cocoa. Gradually add flour and milk alternately. Mix baking soda with boiling water. Add to the rest of the mixture. Blend smoothely. Bake 375 for 10-15 minutes. The cake is very moist and makes a large cake or many cupcakes!

Peanut Butter Balls

Here's a popular candy recipe from Gerald. Peanut Butter Balls are popular anytime, but especially at Easter or Christmas when candy seems to be on everyone's mind. It certainly looks easy, and delicious. Thanks Gerald.

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons soften butter (not melted)
• 16 ounce bag of chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together peanut butter, confectioners sugar and butter.

Melt chocolate chips and vanilla together in microwave *careful not to let burn

Roll peanut butter mixture into 1" balls, dip in melted chocolate. Put on waxed paper cookie sheets. Put in frig until firm. And enjoy!

Here's a recipe I've gotten a lot of requests for. It's not quite a milk tart, but it's similar.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 1/4 c. milk (heated until hot but not boiling)
• 10 Tbsp. butter (melt with milk)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9 x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

For the taffy lovers:

Molasses Taffy

• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Cook at a brisk boil until smooth, be careful not to burn it. It's "done" when you can drop a small piece into a glass of cold water and it forms a soft ball. Pour into a buttered pan and cool. Or, you could pull into balls and "roll with your hands" into logs. If you wrap it, use waxed paper.

Peaches & Cream Cheese Pie

This is a wonderful recipe for a versatile pie. It's great to make and take to a covered dish dinner, picnic, holiday dessert, whatever. It's delicious and easy. I wouldn't try to freeze it though, it's been my experience that cream cheese does not freeze well. Besides, you probably won't have much leftover to freeze. This is from my good friend Pat.

Grease bottom and sides of a 9" or 10" deep dish pie plate.

• 3/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. cook & serve vanilla pudding mix (3 oz.) (use light for lower cal pie)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. milk

Combine above in a large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour into pie dish.

1 large can of sliced peaches (you can use light syrup for a lower calorie pie) drained well, reserve the juice. Arrange the peaches over the batter.

• 1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened (you can use light cream cheese for a lower cal pie)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 tsp. reserved peach juice

Combine in a small bowl. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon over peaches to within 1 inch of the edge of batter. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.·

Poorman's Cake

So many people have written me and asked for this recipe. I finally found it so here it is. Please take note to my personal note at the bottom.

• 1 box of raisins
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. nutmeg

Combine raisins and water. Cook for 15 minutes and let cool. Mix together shortening and brown sugar, then add 5 cups of flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Ad raisins last. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until it tests done.

Note: it doesn't say if you drain the liquid from the raisins after you cook them. I would assume not because there isn't really any additional liquid. If you make it, write me and let me know.·

Sue sent me this recipe for Chess Pie. It sounds really different. Thanks Sue!

Grandma's Chess Pie

• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 stick real butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 3 eggs beaten
• pinch salt
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 t. vanilla

mix all dry ingredients.

mix all wet ingredients.

mix together.

pour into deep dish pie shell.

bake 350 till deep brown. at least 30 min. depends on oven. a knife will come out clean.

let cool. needs no garnish......

To me this is like pecan pie without the pecans...

Here are a few desserts from Ken. Thanks Ken!

11-28-1997

RIBBON SALAD

• 1 PKG CHERRY GELATIN
• 2/3 CUP MILK
• 16 MARSHMALLOWS
• 1 8 OZ PKG CREAM CHEESE
• 1 PKG LEMON GELATIN
• 1 SMALL CAN CRUSHED PINEAPPLE
• 2/3 CUP NUTS
• 1 CUP WHIPPED WHIPPING CREAM
• 1 PKG ORANGE GELATIN

PREPARTE THE CHERRY GELATIN ACCORDING TO PACKAGE, AND POUR IT INTO AN OBLONG CAKE PAN. CHILL IT TO SET.

HEAT MILK, MARSHMALLOWS AND CHEESE IN A DOUBLE BOILER UNTIL ALL IS MELTED, THEN ADD THE LEMON GELATIN. LET THE MIXTURE COOL BEFORE ADDING THE PINEAPPLE, NUTS, AND WHIPPED CREAM. POUR OVER THE FIRST LAYER OF CHERRY GELATIN AND CHILL.

PREPARE THE ORANGE GELATIN ACCORDING TO THE PACKAGE DIRECTIONS, THE POUR IT ON TOP OF THE SECOND LAYER. LET IT SET IN THE REFRIDGERATOR.

OATMEAL PIE

• 9 INCH PREBAKED PIE SHELL
• 4 EGGS
• 1 CUP SUGAR
• 2 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON
• 1/4 TEASPOON SALT
• 1 CUP LIGHT CORN SYRUP
• 2 TABLESPOONS MELTED BUTTER(1/4 STICK)
• 1 TEASPOON GRATED ORANGE RIND(OPT)
• 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 CUP UNCOOKED ONE MINUTE OATMEAL

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350. SET OUT PIE SHELL. IN A LARGE BOWL, BEAT THE EGGS UNTIL FROTHY. COMBINE THE SUGAR, FLOUR, CINNAMON, AND SALT IN A SMALL BOWL. ADD TO THE EGGS AND BLEND. ADD CORN SYRUP, MELTED BUTTER, ORANGE RIND, AND VANILLA AND BLEND AGAIN. MIX IN THE OATMEAL, AND POUR INTO THE BAKED PIE CRUST. BAKE FOR 45 MINUTES. LET COOL COMPLETELY AND SERVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

11-28-1997

AMISH BROWN SUGAR PIE

INGREDIENTS:

• UNBAKED 8 PIE SHELL
• 1 CUP BROWN SUGAR
• 3 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• SPECK SALT
• 1 12-OZ CAN EVAPORATED MILK
• 2-1/2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
• GROUND CINNAMON

DIRECTIONS:

SUGAR MILK PIES WERE CALLED MILICHE FLITCHE, OR "POOR MAN'S PIE," BECAUSE OF THE SIMPLICITY OF THEIR INGREDIENTS.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350. IN THE PIE SHELL, PLACE BROWN SUGAR, FLOUR, AND SALT.

MIX WITH YOUR FINGERS. POUR THE EVAPORATED MILK OVER THE FLOUR AND SUGAR,

BUT DO NOT STIR OR MIX THIS IN. DOT WITH BUTTER, AND DRIFT WITH CINNAMON

LIBERALLY OVER ALL. BAKE FOR 50 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THE FILLING JUST BUBBLES UP IN THE MIDDLE. THE FILLING WILL NEVER COMPLETELY SET, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT SUPPOSED TO BE. THIS PIE IS BETTER EATEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. IF YOU REFRIGERATE LEFTOVERS, REHEAT THEM IN THE OVEN BEFORE SERVING.

NOTE: RECIPE CAN BE DOUBLED AND PREPARED IN A 10 INCH PIE SHELL. FOR THAT SIZE, BAKE 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES. (YEILD: 12 SERVINGS)