Monday, June 07, 2010

Lookin' For Lost Recipes

I've had lots of lost recipe requests over the past few months.  Many of them I have been able to answer quickly through Google searches.  Here are the ones that I haven't been able to answer.  Any help is always appreciated.  Below I have posted the actual requests...

Ribsticker
"My mom has been searching for a recipe from her childhood. It's called 'Ribsticker'. Its flour and milk, steamed, then served with a sauce of sweetened milk and vanilla. Have you heard of such a thing? Thanks, Christie"

Lost Frosting Recipe
"When I was young (50 years ago) my aunt made a white cake with a lemon and orange zest icing/glaze. It (the frosting) was tart, colorful and was more like a thick glaze. She died many years ago and there is no one to ask about it in the family."  FOUND: Click here to see Orange Lemon Icing recipe.

Banana Cream Pie with a Peanut Butter/Cornflake Crust
"In the 1960's my mother cut out a recipe for a banana cream pie with a peanut butter/cornflake crust. It was very delicious and rich. I think she cut it from a magazine and she thinks it was from a box of corn flakes. My whole family would love to have this recipe. Does anyone have it?"

Kilfin
"Just found your site, and wow! My mother use to make cookies that she called Kilfin. It may be of Viennanese background. Basically, they contained blanched finely ground almonds, butter and very little flour. They were rolled into a log, refrigerated, and sliced and hand shaped into elongated ovals; she told me they were supposed to be in a crescent shape but that the tips broke off too easily. After they were baked, cooled slightly but still warm, they were very carefully rolled in a powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture. They were exceedingly delicate, melt-in-your mouth cookies that were stored in an air tight container. Any help finding this recipe would be greatly appreciated! Thank you. Nancy"  Found. Click here to see recipe.

Italian Rum Cake
"When I was a child, my family always celebrated birthdays with a rum cake from an Italian bakery near my house. It was unlike any "rum cake" I have never encountered since. It had several layers, each one different - chocolate cream, red fruit jam, custard cream, rum-soaked yellow cake. I think there were seven layers in all. The icing was a sweet cream icing, and the sides were coated in something slightly crunchy and sweet; I remember it tasting like almonds. I don't know if this is a classic Italian recipe or if it was created at that bakery, but it was a truly heavenly cake! If anyone has ever seen or read a recipe like this, I would be very grateful to have it. I've missed those cakes like you wouldn't believe, as the place closed around thirty years ago."  This recipe may be the one: Rum Cake Italian Style

Cherry Roll Cake
"I am looking for an old recipe my husband says was called Cherry Roll, that his mom made when he was young. He said it was off the Bisquick box back in the 50's. It was not a roll, but a cake with the consistency between cake and cheesecake and the cherries were in the batter. No icing or topping. He says it was VERY moist. I've never seen nor had it, so I'm going on his memory. Thanks."

Needs Help with Lefse
"My sister and I and spouses are trying to resurrect our mom’s Lefse recipe. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us to help. We have numerous questions in our effort to fine-tune (what type potatoes, type cream, volume of flour etc. I was hoping your website would have a forum for this type discussion, but apparently not. Do you have any suggestions on where we can get help like that? Gary"

Chocolate Fudge Recipe
"I am looking for the receipt for chocolate fudge that was on the back of the Hershey chocolate can. Thanks, Norma"        FOUND:  Click Here to See Angel Fudge Recipe

Sausage and Grits Baked and Fried

"When I was growing up my father was in the Army. He said that he worked in the kitchen and they boiled the grits then in another pan they cooked ground pork then they mixed them together put them in the oven till they were done, then they cooled them, then they cut them in to slices and fried them they were good. But I can't find the recipe any where -- it must have been in the 40s or 50s. Please help me find it -- my father died when I was young."

Martini Salad
"A couple of months ago I came across a "martini salad" in a magazine which I have since misplaced. I don't remember which magazine it was nor the date of the publication. As best I can remember the ingredients were shrimp, avocado, seeded cucumber, onion (I think), grape tomatoes and either shredded lettuce or field greens and it was served in a martini glass. I don't remember the exact dressing ingredients, but it was not a creamy dressing. I would be so appreciative if someone can help me find this recipe!"

Potato Walnut Bundt Pan Cake
"I'm looking for a recipe I got from a long lost friend about 40 years ago. I lost it about 20 years ago. It was a cake and the main ingredients were riced or mashed white potato and (?black) walnuts (ground very fine). It was baked in a Bundt pan. It did not contain chocolate, sweet potato, or fruit (e.g. banana or cranberry). It was not a spice cake. It did not use any pre-packaged cake mix as a base. I have a vague memory that the "frosting" was powdered sugar but it might have been nothing at all. Are you able to help? Thanks! Stephanie"

Knopp
"Every Christmas my father would make a hash he would call Knopp. He would boil a pork shoulder and grind up the meat. Then would add barley, allspice, salt and pepper. I'm not sure if these are the only ingredients and have no idea of the amount of these ingredients. He would pack it into a container and refrigerate. Then we would brown it in a pan and serve with fried eggs on top and maple syrup. It was so good. I would like to make it for my son who never had the chance to have Grandpa make it for him. Appreciate any help. Kathy"

Chicken Cacciatore, Salmon In a Blanket and Mac and Cheese
"Looking for a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore, published in Cosmopolitan Mag in the 70's,
Salmon In a Blanket with Bisquick (I think it was on the box), and a mac and cheese by my German grandma with egg noodles, eggs, cheddar cheese, milk, butter, cooked on the stove top in a cast iron pan till crusty on bottom. And (I think ) Kraft green goddess dressing . Thanks, Laura"

If you have the recipes or comments about any of these searches, please post them in the Blog comment section.

Answers:
Cheery Chowder Answer from Deborah
"Regarding Cheery Chowder. I have the actual magazine clipping and Colleen has the ingredients almost exactly as written. The exceptions are as follows:

Colleen’s recipe uses 1 lb low-fat sharp Cheddar, grated. The clipping is written using- 1 pound extra sharp cheddar, grated. Also, Colleen’s recipe does not list broccoli, but the clipping is written using- 1 cup broccoli flowerets, cooked until tender.

My clipping is pretty tattered and most of the directions are missing from the abuse of my stuffing other clippings into my recipe book. This is definitely a motivation for me to organize my recipes. Thank you for providing the venue."

Seafoam Frosting Answer from Lanelle
"I was just online looking at recipes and found the posting on your site about Boiled Frosting. In my family we often made the Boiled Frosting but another variation we used was Seafoam frosting. Our version of Seafoam frosting substituted brown sugar for the sugar in the recipe and left out the corn syrup because of the molasses in the brown sugar. The procedure is basically the same, we boiled it in a double boiler for 7 minutes over simmering water. The tell tale sign of it being ready is that it loses some of its shine when perfect to spread. I remember my mother making this every year for my birthday and putting it on a devil's food cake. The recipes she used were from a Swan's Down recipe booklet that was often included in the flour sack or box up until the 50's. I am in my 40's now and I make the cakes for her. We still love the recipes and recall my grandmother who started us both on this path so many years ago."