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----- Original Message -----
From: Sheri
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 3:59 PM
Subject: Baking Power Biscuits Made with Cream instead of Shortening
Hello, Phaedrus!
My uncles and mother (now in the mid to late 80's) remember my grandmother
making baking power biscuits with cream only, no shortening. They are
described as light and airy, flavorful and utterly delicious. Both my
uncle's wives report that my grandmother was quite famous for them, although
she would probably be surprised to here that.
My grandmother was raised on a farm with a dairy. Her father would separate
cream from milk and take it to the local creamery to be processed and sold.
My mother and uncles claim magical cooking came from my great grandmothers
kitchen, which always smelled of sugar cookies, and I having had the privilege
to actually have known her, I can remember the same. Both great grandparents
came from Germany in the late 1800's, if that helps.
I can't honestly say I remember my Grandmother being much of a cook, but I am
guessing her recipes came from my great grandmothers kitchen, albeit perhaps
not executed just the same. My grandfather, although not raised on a farm,
also had dairy cattle and he saved the buttermilk to drink from the kerosene
refrigerator they kept on the porch. Perhaps it was not cream at all, but
buttermilk. My mother says no, it was cream. She suggests Grandma may have
used cream just because they had so much of it, or perhaps it got started
because someone along the ancestral line lacked lard and cream on a dairy
farm was plentiful.
None of the aunts have the recipe, neither my mother. All are amazed that
they don't have it, and seem to agree that it must have been so simple, they
probably just thought they would never forget it. I have also questioned my
great aunts, two of whom are still living. Neither has such a recipe, but
they were the youngest children and aren't really into cooking. They don't
even have Great Grandma's cookbook any more.
I've search on the Internet for keywords such as baking powder biscuits, cream,
buttermilk, etc, but I only get recipes that include some kind of shortening.
If you might find such a recipe out there, I would surely appreciate it. I am
assembling a book for my mother, based on my cousin's genealogical work, but
primarily revolving around family memories, recipes and family culture. It has
been a wonderful experience, but oh, Phaedrus, oh, would I love to make the
family their biscuits just one more time. Thanks for your help.
Sheri
Hi Sheri,
I actually found several of these recipes. The reason that you did not find
them is probably because you did not deduce that they might be called "cream
biscuits" rather than "baking powder biscuits". See below for three recipes.
Note that the butter in the second recipe is used as a flavorful coating, not
like a shortening. These sound quite tasty.
Phaed
Sweet Cream Biscuits
4 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. heavy light cream
Blend together flour, salt, baking powder. Stir in cream with fork just until
all flour is moistened. Add water (about 4 tablespoons) if necessary. Knead
on lightly floured surface about 10 times. Roll 3/4 inch thick, cut with cutter
or knife into small squares. Bake on ungreased baking sheet in very hot oven
(450 degrees) for 12 minutes. Makes 36 small biscuits.
------------------------------------
Cream Biscuits
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
3/4 stick butter, melted
2 tsp. sugar
Combine flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in bowl. Slowly add cream,
stirring constantly. Gather dough together. If it sticks, knead it on
a lightly floured board for 1 minute. Divide into 12 pieces. Dip each
piece into melted butter. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake
at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve hot.
-------------------------------
Cream Biscuits
3 c. sifted flour
6 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. heavy cream
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add cream, stirring just enough to
dampen all the flour. Knead lightly for a few seconds using as little
flour as possible on board. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with
floured cutter. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake in hot 425 degree
oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 30 biscuits.
----- Original Message -----
From: hayden
To: Phaedrus
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 9:29 AM
Subject: Angel Pillow Cookies
Hello Uncle Phaedrus,
This is Hayden in Cincinnati. "Dingo Don" at work brought in some delicious
homemade cookies for a Christmas treat yesterday. He told all of us a slightly
different name for these cookies each time we asked him the name. Ever hear
of something called "Angel Pillow Cloud Cookies" or some variation of that name?
I searched your website and didn't find any recipes that seemed similar to these
treats, although some of the recipes I found on your site certainly seemed
interesting in themselves.
Anyway, these cookies were quite large and round, very soft, tender, sweet,
and with a nice mild spice (cloves I think, pretty sure not cinnamon or nutmeg),
crushed pecans in the batter, then a nice cream cheese(?) light frosting with
small little dots of a bright yellow jam dotted lightly over the frosting
(peach or pineapple maybe), and sprinkled with coconut. Delicious.
Don only brought 10 cookies for four of us. Only got 1. Would have loved 2 or
3 or 8 or 9. "Don" was very evasive about saying what was in them or who made
them (him or his wife), then again Don is evasive about a lot of questions we
ask him like "Do your piercings and tattoos hurt"? "What exactly did you do in
the army in Vietnam during the Vietnam war"? I'm guessing these very nice cookies
came from his "square, German immigrant/All-American/Cincinnati upbringing" side
as opposed to his "white-headed/ still a hippie" side. Thank you for any assistance.
Also, wishing you a wonderful Holiday and Happy 2011. Hayden
Hello Hayden,
I found a recipe called "angel pillows" that sounds quite close. It does have cinnamon
rather than cloves. See below.
Happy Holidays to you, too.
Phaed
Angel Pillows
1/2 c. butter flavor Crisco
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. milk
1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet with butter flavor Crisco.
Cream 1/2 cup butter flavor Crisco, cream cheese, and milk at medium speed
of mixer until well blended. Beat in brown sugar. Beat in 1/2 cup preserves.
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix into creamed mixture .
Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Drop by measuring tablespoonfuls on baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before
moving to cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
1 c. confectioners sugar
1/4 c. apricot preserves
1 tbsp. butter flavor Crisco
Coconut (optional)
Combine confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup preserves, and 1 tablespoon butter
flavor Crisco. Beat until well blended. Frost cookies; sprinkle coconut
over frosting if desired.
-----------------------------------
Angel Pillows
1/2 c. shortening
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. shortening
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans or coconut
1/4 c. apricot preserves
Finely chopped pecans or coconut (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet with shortening.
Set aside. Cream 1/2 cup shortening, cream cheese and milk in
medium bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
Beat in brown sugar. Beat in 1/2 cup preserves. Combine flour,
baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix into creamed mixture.
Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Drop 2 level measuring tablespoons of dough
into a mound to form each cookie. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute.
Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For Frosting: Combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup preserves and 1 tablespoon
shortening in small mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer until well
blended. Frost cooled cookies. Sprinkle finely chopped pecans over
frosting, if desired.
---- Original Message -----
From: kelly
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 1:43 PM
Subject: Lemon Bar
I've lost my aunt's recipe for tart lemon bars. What made these so tart,
was that she used whole lemons, sliced paper thin, rind and all (seeds removed).
When I search the internet, I keep finding recipes for lemon "slice", which
must be a British term.
Any help???
In harmony,
Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Yes, particularly in Australia, a bar cookie or similar dessert is
referred to as a "slice".
Kelly, I cannot find a lemon bar recipe that uses whole lemon slices
like you describe. However, "Shaker Lemon Pie" uses them, and may be
similar. It's supposed to be a tart, delicious lemon pie, and you may
want to try it, or you may be able to adapt it to make lemon bars.
See below.
Phaed
Shaker Lemon Pie
6-8 slices per pie
2 large lemons (thin-skinned)*
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
Slice unpeeled lemons paper thin*. Remove seeds, add sugar, and mix well.
Let stand 2 hours or a little longer, stirring occasionally. Thoroughly
blend beaten eggs into the lemon mixture. Turn into an unbaked 9-inch pie
shell, arranging lemon slices evenly. Cover with a vented top crust. Bake
at 450 degrees for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake 20 minutes
longer or until a silver knife inserted near the edge comes out clean.
Cool before serving.
*The key to success is to use lemons with thin skins, which have less
pith - the white stuff on the inside of the peel, and to cut very thin
lemon slices. A mandoline - type slicer is helpful for this.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You genius you!!!! Once you referenced “shaker”, I found two on the internet.
I’ve attached the first in a word document because it sounds like it might be
the same as my aunt made with whole lemon slices. The other is a Martha Stewart
recipe in which the lemon rinds are processed into smaller pieces. Either one
sounds good. Martha’s is also made in a larger pan and cut into smaller bite
size pieces. It is very tart and the small pieces are party size and just
enough to make you pucker!
PC Cuisinet
Martha Stewart
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!!! Till next time!
In harmony,
Kelly
----- Original Message -----
From: Tina
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 7:19 PM
Subject: Creamy macaroni tomato soup
Hi Phaedrus,
This is my first time E-mailing you, but I am going thru your archives
one year at a time. I think my husband may be a little upset with you
for having so many wonderful recipes for me to search LOL.
I'm looking for a recipe my mother used to make, with macaroni, tomatoes,
milk, and either baking soda or baking powder. The powder in question was
put in with the tomatoes to prevent the milk from souring due to the acidity
of the tomatoes. My mother is Irish, but I do not think this is an Irish recipe.
Love your site, hope you can help, because if you can't, I don't think anyone can, LOL
Tina, Ont. Canada
Hi Tina,
Well, I found several "close, but not spot-on" recipes. I did not find any
recipes with the specific name "creamy macaroni tomato soup." I did not find
any tomato soup recipes at all with "baking powder". In all of the cream of
tomato soup recipes that called for such an ingredient, it was always "baking soda".
This one is made with tomato juice rather than tomatoes:
Macaroni Tomato Soup
This one doesn't call for baking soda (or powder):
Tomato Macaroni Soup
The first recipe below sounds quite good, but the macaroni is not an
integral part - instead, it is offered as an optional ingredient.
The second recipe below doesn't call for baking soda (or powder)
(you could add it anyway - try 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.).
Hopefully you can re-create your mother's soup from one of these.
Phaed
Cream Of Tomato Soup
3 tbsp. butter
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 (16 oz.) cans whole tomatoes, pureed
2 c. milk
2 c. chicken or beef broth
Optional: macaroni
1. Saute green onions in butter in a heavy saucepan.
2. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and baking soda.
3. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Return
to heat and slowly bring to a boil.
Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
----------------------------------------------------
Tomato Macaroni Soup
1 cup macaroni
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and
cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large saucepan combine cooked macaroni, milk, margarine and salt
and pepper. Then stir in tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until quite hot.
----- Original Message -----
From: Terry
To: Phaedrus
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 7:28 AM
Subject: Poppy Seed Povitica
Dear Phaedrus,
Because of the nearing holidays, I started thinking of poppy seed povitica.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any recipes for the poppy seed
filling. Although it is not as popular as the walnut filling, I find it to
be even more irresistible! If you could find a recipe for this temptation,
I would again be forever grateful.
Sincerely,
Terry
Hi Terry,
I had no problem finding recipes for it. The Croatian word for poppy seed
povitica is "Makovnjaca". See these sites:
Big Oven
Astray
Ultimate Recipe
"Makowiec" - very similar to povitica
"Makovnjaca"
"Makovnjaca"
Phaed
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