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2005

TODAY's CASES:

Butter Shingles

On 4 Aug 2005 at 5:57, Joe:

> Hi mine name is Joe, I am researching this for a friend...Can you
> provide any info.
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Joe
> 
> This request, I know, is really a long shot. My father's parents came
> to America from Germany. My dad is 88 years old and his health is
> poor. When I was a child, my dad would make a dessert called "Butter
> Shingle." The only ingredients Daddy can remember is flour, milk and
> two eggs. The mixture is put into a skillet and cooked pretty much
> like a crepe, except they are very thin. He then would spread them
> with strawberry jelly/jam and roll them up. They were so good. I'd
> love to be able to make Butter Shingles for him. Can anyone help me
> with a recipe for these, please. Thanks so much.
>

Hello Joe,

I could not find anything called "butter shingle" or "butter shingles", either in those English terms or in the German "butterschideln". However, in searching for "German crepes" recipes, I came across the below recipe for "Frühstück Crepes", which, translated, means "breakfast crepes". It sure sounds close to what you describe.

Phaed 

Pop’s Frühstück Crepes

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tbl sugar (or 3/4 c. sugar substitute granules)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. milk (or skim milk)
2 eggs (or 1 carton egg substitute)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbl butter/margarine, melted (or butter flavored no-stick cooking spray)
Jam, jelly, preserves, or other filling
Confectioner's sugar or Dr. Oettker's Vanilla Sugar
  
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients.  
Mix until smooth. Lightly spray or butter 8” skillet; heat skillet; pour 
scant 1/4 c. of batter into skillet; immediately rotate the pan until batter 
covers the bottom. Cook until light brown; turn and brown other side. Fill 
and roll the crepe with jams, preserves, jellies. Sprinkle with sugar.  
Makes 12 crepes.

Modjeskas

On 4 Aug 2005 at 15:26, Katie wrote:

> Hello,  my name is Katie.
> Im looking for a recipe for modjeskas. I found this one and tried it--
> it didn't work out too well. Any other ideas? Thank you very much!
> Love the website! Katie
>

Hi Katie,

Well, you didn't send the recipe that you tried...

Below are the only two recipes that I can find.

Modjeskas, candy treats made of marshmallows dipped in caramel, were created by Louisville candy maker Anton Busath in the 1870s. When Busath saw famed Polish actress Helena Modjeska perform in Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" on December 7, 1883 at the old Macauley's Theater, he was so impressed that he presented samples to her and asked if he could name the confection in her honor. Apparently. she agreed.

Phaed 

Modjeskas
  
       1 pk Regular sized marshmallows
       2 c  White sugar
       1 c  White Karo syrup
       1 lg Can evaporated milk
       1 sm Can evaporated milk
     1/2 lb Margarine
         pn Baking soda
       1 ts Vanilla
  
Allow one full hour for preparation and follow instructions exactly! Do not 
attempt on a damp and rainy day. 
Boil the sugar and white Karo until it  reaches 254°. Add the margarine and 
stir until melted. Keep the syrup  boiling. Keep it boiling also as you add 
the milk a little at a time and stir constantly. Add a pinch of soda and boil 
and stir until it reaches  237° (or soft ball stage). Pour into a buttered 
pan, without scraping sides of pan. Allow to cool until comfortable to the 
touch. Cut in 1 " squares. Take each square of caramel and stretch out flat 
enough to fold around a marshmallow. Wrap in wax paper squares. Or cut caramel 
into smaller squares and dip in chocolate. Or just cut in squares and wrap as
caramels. A  modjeska is the caramel-wrapped marshmallow. 
---------------------------------------------
Modjeskas

 Ingredients :
 2 c. sugar
 2 tbsp. butter
 1 1/4 c. white corn syrup
 1 tsp. vanilla
 2 c. heavy cream (do not substitute evaporated milk)
 Pinch of salt
 3/4 lb. marshmallows, cut in half with scissors

 Preparation :
    Combine sugar, 1 cup of cream, butter, syrup, and salt in a heavy
 3 or 4 quart saucepan.  Put remaining cream in a small pan and heat
 it separately.  Bring sugar-cream-butter mixture to boil, stirring
 constantly.  Wipe down sides of pan with wet cloth or cover with lid
 briefly to dissolve remaining sugar crystals.  When it begins a
 rolling boil, dribble the hot cup of cream into the boiling mixture,
 stirring.  Don't let the boiling stop.  Cook over medium heat,
 stirring as necessary to prevent scorching until thermometer
 registers 238 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Allow
 cooked caramel to stand 10 minutes before starting to dip.  Drop
 marshmallow half into caramel, then with fork, turn it over to coat
 completely and lift out, pulling the fork over edge of pan so
 surplus runs back into pan.  Place each piece on buttered or oiled
 surface, such as cookie sheets or waxed paper.  When set, wrap each
 piece separately in waxed paper.  (You can also melt Kraft caramels
 or sue the sheets of caramel for wrapping apples.)  Dip in melted
 caramels or cut sheets and wrap around marshmallow and place in oven
 as for apples.

Oatmeal Macaroons

On 4 Aug 2005 at 18:58, Ellen wrote:

> My older brother was recently bemoaning the fact that he doesn't have
> the recipe for oatmeal macaroons.
> 
> He made them when he was in high school-that was in the forties. My
> mom's handwritten recipe book is long gone.
> 
> I have searched recipe sites on the internet to no avail.
> Interestingly enough, there is NO coconut in them at all. I wonder if
> it was a wartime recipe when many things were restricted.
> 
> He contacted Quaker Oats. They sent him recipes, none by that name but
> they were not THE recipe. He remembers their being lacey and crisp. He
> is coming to visit and I'd like to surprise him if I could.
> 
> Any help is greatly appreciated!!
> 
>  Ellen

Hello Ellen,

See below for four recipes. No way for me to tell which ones might turn out lacy and crisp. These cookies date back at least 100 years.

Phaed 

Oatmeal  Macaroons

 Ingredients :
 1 1/4 c. sifted flour
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. salt
 1 c. shortening
 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
 1 c. sugar
 2 eggs, well beaten
 1 tsp. vanilla
 3 c. quick cooking oats

 Preparation :
   Sift together flour, soda and salt; set aside.  Work shortening
 with a spoon until soft.  Gradually add sugars, then beat until well
 blended.  Add eggs.  Beat until fluffy and light.  Add vanilla.
 Beat well.  Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing well after each
 addition.  Add oats.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie
 sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly
 browned.  Don't overcook!  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  
----------------------------------
Oatmeal  Macaroons

 Ingredients :
 1 c. shortening
 1 tsp. salt
 2 tbsp. molasses
 2 eggs
 2 c. rolled oats
 2/3 c. raisins
 2/3 c. nuts
 2 tsp. cinnamon
 2 tsp. vanilla
 2 c. sugar
 2 c. flour
 1 1/2 tsp. soda

 Preparation :
   Combine and mix well.  Shortening, sugar, salt, molasses,
 cinnamon, vanilla and egg.  Add flour, soda, oats, raisins and nuts.
  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.
----------------------------------
Oatmeal  Macaroons

 Ingredients :
 1 c. shortening
 1 c. brown sugar
 1 c. sugar
 1/2 tsp. vanilla
 2 eggs, unbeaten
 1 1/4 c. flour
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. salt
 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
 3 c. Mother's oats

 Preparation :
   Place ingredients from first column in mixing bowl and beat
 thoroughly.  Sift flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; add to other
 mixture and mix thoroughly.  Fold in oats and drop by teaspoon on
 greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Cool
 slightly before removing from baking sheet.
----------------------------------
President  Tyler's  Oatmeal  Macaroons

 Ingredients :
 2 eggs, beaten
 1 c. brown sugar, packed
 1 c. white sugar
 2 tsp. cinnamon
 2 tbsp. molasses
 1 tsp. salt
 1 tbsp. vanilla
 1 c. oil
 2 c. flour
 1 tsp. soda
 1 c. chopped nuts
 2 c. seedless raisins
 2 c. quick oats

 Preparation :
    Do not blend or mix with electric mixer.  Put all ingredients in
 a large bowl, blend well by hand.  Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

A reader sent this: 

From: "nancy " 
To: 
Subject: oatmeal lace cookies
Date: Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:38 PM

Hi...
   Just discovered your website and I am looking for a way to make flour candies...ie; 
Liquorice Allsorts or the caramel flavored candy called Cow Tails...Flour type candy is 
chewy but not sticky.....Came across one of your archived recipes for oatmeal macaroons....
Aug 4 2005 ...from Ellen....  By the description of lacy and crisp I think German oatmeal 
lace cookies are a better fit for what they are looking for.....

German Oatmeal Lace Cookies

2/3 c quick oats
1/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp each salt , ground cloves and ginger
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter
2  Tb   cream

in saucepan , cook all ingredients until bubbly. Take off heat , stir and drop 1 t. of dough 
at a time on greased cookie sheet....3 or 4 cookies will fit on one sheet. Bake @ 375 * for 
5 - 7 min...... leave them flat or you can roll or shape while they are warm makes 36 cookies
Thanks and you have a wonderful site.    Nancy

Weight to Volume Conversions

Outside America, and in military and many food service recipes, ingredients - particularly dry ingredients - are not measured by volume (cups and fluid ounces and tablespoons), but by weight (pounds and dry ounces - 16 ounces in a pound). The best way to cook with these recipes is to have a kitchen scale and to use weight to measure the ingredients, but if you have to convert a recipe, here is some help.

The weight of a substance depends on it's density, or it's specific gravity. Every substance has a different specific gravity and therefore will have a different volume to weight conversion. For example, a cup of juice will weigh more than a cup of water and a cup of honey will weigh even more than either one. So, there's no simple conversion that will work for every ingredient.

One thing that confuses some people is the fact that we have two kinds of completely different "ounces" - one that's a volume or capacity measure("fluid ounces" - 8 of these ounces make a cup. This kind of ounce is measured with a measuring cup.) and one that's a weight measure ("dry ounces" - 16 of these ounces make a pound. This kind of ounce is measured with a scale.)

These websites have some tables and converters, if you don't find what you need below.

Gourmet Sleuth

Cooking Conversions

More Conversion Information

Weight to volume approximations of common recipe ingredients:

1/4 lb stick of butter = 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons
1 ounce by weight of butter = 2 tablespoons
1 lb of cornstarch = 3 cups
1 ounce by weight of cornstarch = 1.5 fluid ounces
1 lb of flour (regular) = 3 cups sifted
1 ounce by weight flour (regular) = 1.5 fluid ounces
1 lb of flour, cake = 4 3/4 cups sifted
1 ounce by weight flour, cake = 2 1/3 fluid ounces
1 lb of sugar, granulated = 2 cups
1 ounce by weight sugar, granulated = 1 fluid ounce
1 lb of sugar, powdered = 3 3/4 cups unsifted; 4 1/2 cups sifted
1 ounce by weight sugar, powdered = slightly less than 2 fluid ounces unsifted
1 ounce by weight sugar, powdered = 2 1/4 fluid ounces sifted

Here are some more common approximations:

1 Tablespoon flour = 1/3 oz by weight
1 oz by weight of flour = 3 Tablespoons
1 cup flour = 5.3 oz by weight
1 oz by weight flour = 1/5 cup
1 teaspoon sugar = 1/6 oz by weight
1 Tablespoon sugar = 1/2 oz by weight
1 oz by weight sugar = 2 Tablespoons
1 cup sugar = 8 oz by weight

Phaed

Metric to American Conversions

Yet another problem with recipe weights and measures is that in the United States, we still use the Imperial system of weights and measures for cooking, while most of the world uses the Metric system. So, if you want to use a European or Australian recipe that's in metric, you have to use a gram scale or else convert it. Below are some metric to U.S. conversions that might help. There are also conversions from U.S. to metric for our friends outside the US.

Metric to U.S.:

Volume:
10 milliliters = appr 2 teaspoons
236.59 milliliters = 1 cup

Weight:
28.35 grams = 1 ounce by weight
10 grams = approx. 1/3 ounce
1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs

Volume:
1 teaspoon = 4.93 milliliters
1 tablespoon = 14.79 milliliters
1 fluid ounce = 29.57 milliliters
1 cup = 236.59 milliliters

Weight: 1 ounce by weight = 28.35 grams
1 pound = .454 kilograms or 454 grams

So,

10 grams of butter = about 1/3 ounce by weight = 1/3 fluid ounce by volume = 2 teaspoons
10 grams of cornstarch = about 1/3 ounce by weight = 1/2 fluid ounce by volume = 1 tablespoon
10 grams of flour = about 1/3 ounce by weight = 1/2 fluid ounce by volume =1 tablespoon
10 grams of granulated sugar about 1/3 ounce by weight = 1/3 fluid ounce by volume = 2 teaspoons
10 grams of powdered sugar about 1/3 ounce by weight = 2/3 fluid ounces by volume = 4 teaspoons

and (U.S. to metric)

1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup = 1/4 lb = 4 ounces by weight = 113.4 grams
1 tablespoon of butter = 1/2 fluid ounces = 1/2 ounce by weight = 14.2 grams
1 tablespoon of cornstarch = 1/2 fluid ounce = 1/3 ounce by weight = 9.7 grams
1 cup of flour = 8 fluid ounces = 1/3 lb = 5.3 ounces by weight = 151 grams
1 cup of sugar = 8 fluid ounces = 1/2 lb = 8 ounces by weight = 226.4 grams
1 cup of powdered sugar = 8 fluid ounces = 4 ounces by weight = 113.4 grams

Phaed

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