Homemade Butter - got extra whipping cream? Make butter using just a mason jar

 

Homemade butter!  I make this once in a while but with the cost of whipping cream being what it is, I'm not really saving money to make it myself so I just buy it.  However, sometimes I have extra whipping cream leftover from other recipes and making homemade butter is one of the ways I use it up.  It will take about 10 minutes or so and use nothing more than your leftover whipping cream (heavy cream) and a glass jar with a lid.

 
Homemade Butter (It's actually just home-shaken butter....)

Heavy Whipping Cream - any amount but it's best if you have at least 3/4 of a cup

Place the cream in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

Start to shake it.

Continue to shake it.
Keep shaking it.
It will turn thick, then will blend together to form whipped cream.
Keep shaking it.
Just when you are thinking you are bored and 'done' and there are other things you could be doing right now....

You'll hear it separate!  You'll hear the sloshing sound of liquid and a little thump of solid butter!

Open the container and you now have buttermilk and butter.
Remove the solid butter. Use the buttermilk for any other use (ranch dressing or bread!) or just drink it if you like buttermilk.
Add about 1/2 cup ice cold water to a bowl of butter and knead the butter a bit, working out the excess liquid - a cloudy, watery liquid.
If you want to add salt at this time go ahead and add a little dash to taste (amount depends on how much butter you made.)  Pour off the excess liquid and use your homemade butter!

That's it!  You made butter.

whipping cream in a jar

 

 

 

That awesome sloshing sound you've been waiting for that means your butter has separated from the liquid and you have made butter!

Open the jar and see your butter!

 

 

 

Poured out into a bowl.  Drain it and add your ice water to knead it and work it a bit to get out excess buttermilk liquid.

  Butter!

 

 

Cherry Dessert Trifle Recipe: Grandma's Vintage Cherry Dessert Recipe Meets White Cake and Becomes a Trifle

 

I love to look 'back' and see what I was doing on certain days in years past.  I did this when I was younger and kept diaries, I've done this with old calendars I've tucked into an office drawer or storage box and I do it with recipes as well.

It is a holiday weekend here in the States but I'm not out celebrating... I'm home.   I'm waiting on a refrigerator delivery.  If you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that story.  They didn't show up yesterday (well, they paused for 10 seconds in the street in front of the house and drove off, claiming no one was home so they didn't have to deliver).   After some phone calls they are supposed to deliver (again) today.  

Sitting here this morning, enjoying morning coffee, I briefly wondered what I was doing 10 years ago and what I was making.  I clicked back to 2012 and saw a yummy dessert I had made.  I blended my Grandma's Cherry Dessert recipe with an 'extra' white cake I had made and came up with this dessert. 

Cherry Dessert Trifle

______________________________________________

 

Original Post:  July, 2012

Just because I used a from-scratch white cake doesn't mean you have to.  Simple use a white cake of your choice.  You can also play with the filling.  Blueberry, cherry, strawberry...  whatever you wish.  I particularly like cherry pie filling with this and although I do sometimes make my own, I had a can of cherry pie filling in our camping supplies and it was the perfect 'quick' filling I needed.

Cherry Dessert Trifle

1 white cake of your choice
1 can cherry pie filling
1/2 cup (approximate) graham cracker crumbs
2 T melted butter
2 cups whipped cream (you could use spray whipped cream in a can)
1 c heavy whipping cream (or use 2 cups Cool Whip)
2 T sugar
1 package cream cheese

Cut the cake into cubes.  This is sometimes easier if it's frozen first.  But they don't have to be 'pretty' as no one will see them. Place 1 cup of the whipped cream in the bottom of a glass dish.  Top with the can of cherry pie filling and push down a bit into the crevices of the bowl between the cake squares.  Smooth evenly on top.  Mash the graham crumbs with the melted butter and place over the cherry layer.  Mix the whipping cream with the sugar and cream cheese.  Beat smooth.  Spread this over the graham layer.  Top with the last cup of whipped cream.  Add a cherry or strawberry or blueberry for garnish to compliment your filling.  Chill at least 2 hours if you can before serving but up to 6-8 hours.

I think this tastes best with cherry filling

I left off the melted butter this time but it was too powdery. Add the butter to the graham crumbs.

Mixing the cream, sugar and the cream cheese.  I love this layer.

 

 

 

 

 

Home Canned Pickled Beets - an old Amish recipe

Originally posted in August, 2008 - yes, over 13 years ago!  

I was looking over some old canning recipes and when I read this one, I noted I had said (in 2008) a can of beets at the grocery store was about $.50.  Just for the heck of it, I checked Walmart to see how much a can of beets is today and surprise!  Their Great Value brand was... $.50!  That was funny... and I decided what the heck - it's been over 13 years, let's post this old recipe again for 2022!

 

My recipe is out of an old Amish recipe book that my FIL gave me and it used to be my MIL's years ago (she passed away in 1982). I love the recipes in this book because the Amish women assume that you know just what they mean and use as little words as necessary.

(typos are as typed in the Amish recipe book and are not mine);

How to Can Beets

To every quart vinegar add 1 tablespoon salt, 1 heaping cup sugar. If your beets are dark red use part white sugar. Spice whatever you like. Heat to boiling point and pour over beets. Can while hot.

That's it. The whole recipe.

So... here is my version - with just a few more details as I made them.

 

Home Canned Beets - Pickled

1 quart vinegar - cider/white (I used a mixture because I didn't have enough cider vinegar)
1 c water
1 heaping cup sugar 
1 1/2 T salt (I checked 3 recipes and there was a disagreement on how much so I did 1 1/2 T.)
1/4 t cinnamon more or less to taste
1/8 - 1/4 t cloves more or less to taste
10 lb. beets

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and optional cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil and simmer until ready.

Scrub fresh beets and cut off the roots and tops. Roast in a roasting pan in the oven, covered for an hour and then immediately fill the roasting pan with ice water or dump the beets into ice water so the skins will slip right off.

Dice or cut beets to size, or if they are very small, under 2 inches, leave whole if you prefer.

You can also boil them if you prefer although this will leak more of the red color out and they won't be quite as vibrant. Continue with the cutting and packing as above.

Pack into hot, sterilized jars. Cover the beets with the hot brine leaving 1/2 - 3/4 inch head space. Tighten lids and caps and water bath process for 35 minutes for quarts and 30 minutes for pints.

Let cool on the counter, making sure they 'pop' and store to use. I got about 3 quarts out of this.

Cutting off the roots and stems In the roasting pan (I removed the cover for the photo) Plunged into cold water Sliced or diced and packed into hot, sterilized jars After a 35 minute water bath let them set to cool and 'pop' and then store in a cool dry place like a cupboard.

Reposting from 2019: A perfect, chewy, homemade oatmeal cookie

 

I made these for house guests that were staying with us and have regular white and brown sugar in them (not sugar free).

Although many of our regular low carb, sugar free or keto recipes work perfectly for everyone, there are those that don't.  I found that when I made these with the natural sweeteners instead of brown sugar and white sugar, they puffed up too much and they got hard, while made with brown sugar and white sugar, they stayed flat and chewy, which was more preferable. 

As a matter of fact, these are still chewy and perfect 3 days later... although they are almost gone now.  But don't over bake them!  The oatmeal and brown sugar keep them pretty chewy and perfect but if you over bake them to death, they'll be hard no matter how hard the oatmeal and brown sugar try to save you.  There is no coming back from an over baked cookie.  If your oven is preheated completely, then about 11 minutes is right.  But 10-12 is what to aim for and watch for.  All ovens and the cookie sheet you bake them on make a difference!

Homemade Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
3 cups oatmeal - the quick cook style

Cream the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Shape into balls or use a scoop about 1 1/2 inch size and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Use an ungreased cookie sheet or bake on parchment.  Let cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before removing to a wire rack to cool completely (so they don't fall apart on you). 

Vintage Cookie and Candy Recipes: by Karo Syrup and Mazola Corn Oil "Fancy Cookies - Festive Candies - Delicious Goodies For Giving" circa 1956

 

This morning I was going through some of my cookbook 'booklets' to find a certain one I wanted, but I spied this one and had to pull it out and glance through it.  Oh, these old vintage booklets and recipe books from my Grandmother and Mother-in-law make me smile.   

This is one printed and distributed by Karo Syrup and Mazola Corn Oil in 1956. 

 

 

Quick Popcorn Balls
Sherry Christmas Cakes
Quick Party Punch
Holiday Punch

 

  

 

 

 

Crunchy Ginger Cookies
Fruit-Nut Bars
Sugar Cookies
Rich Fudge Brownies

 
 

 

 

Candy Apples
Butterscotch
Vanilla Fudge
Refrigerator Fudge

 
Lebkuchen
Chocolate Squares
Swedish Date-Nut Bars
Pecan Bars

 
Holiday Pie
Glazed Sweet Potato Pie
Mazola "No Roll" Pastry Shell

 
Fruit Cake
Glazed Hungarian Coffee Cake (yeast dough version)

   No-Cook Fondant
Peanut Butter Kisses   

I love how it says on the last page:

For other delicious recipes featuring Karo Syrup and Mazola Oil write:

Jane Ashley, Home Service Department
Corn Products Refining Company

17 Battery Place

New York, New York 4 

(Note the zip code... "4")

From my Grandmother's Recipe Box - Homemade Grape Nuts

 

____________________________________________

 

 

Homemade Grape Nuts

3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup dark syrup
2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix well and bake in a slow oven.  Cool.  Cut in squares and dry in oven.  When it is good and dry, grind it.

From my Grandmother's Recipe Box - Vintage Recipes: Salted Peanut Cookies

It's been a long time since I've pulled a recipe out of my (late) Grandmother's recipe box and posted.   I chose this one today for a couple reasons.  The first, I have salted peanuts in the freezer leftover from Christmas baking and I need to do something with them.

Second reason, I have oatmeal on hand (also leftover from Christmas baking) so I could kill two birds with one stone so-to-speak here.  These do call for sugar and brown sugar - which I would switch out for natural sweeteners like Lakanto and Swerve of course.  So, it's tempting.

The other reason I'm posting this one is the chance to smile and nod knowingly that so many, many old vintage recipes are simple like this when it comes to the directions because back then everyone had a bit of common sense about them and everyone basically knew how you would bake a cookie... so need to write that part out.  The important thing in this recipe was obviously just to make sure the baking sheet was greased (as compared to cookies that are baked on ungreased sheets).  So it would somewhat assumed you would bake these at 350 until done, which was probably around 8-10 minutes as most cookies are.

Salted Peanut Cookies

1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c shortening
3 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 c flour
1 tsp soda
3 c oatmeal
1 c salted peanuts
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and drop on greased cookie sheets

The name on the recipe card (and the handwriting) is of a friend of hers at the time.

 

Vintage Candy Recipes from the 1941 Candy Booklet: "The Candy Book"

 

 

 

 

When December started, I thought it might be fun to feature some vintage candy recipes from my collection.  I got as far as scanning a couple of the pages and then life took a different turn.  We had some unplanned things pop up and priorities changed; holiday baking and goodies took a backseat to life and of course, posting vintage recipes from an old 1941 candy booklet was so far down the priority list that it literally was off my radar.

I now have zero interest in posting this fun vintage recipe run that I had planned.  I happened to see these unused files on my laptop today and realized I should probably just post all of them here along with the images - in one post.  This way, if anyone in the universe is looking for any of these old vintage candy recipes that their grandmothers or great-grandmothers (or even great-great-grandmothers) made, they can be found.  

If you right click on the image and open it in its own browser window it will be very large and easily readable if you are having trouble reading the print in the current fit-to-page size.

Cocoa Fondant Fudge
Condensed Milk Candy
Whipped Cream Fudge
Caramel Cream Squares
Malted Milk Nut Dainty
Nut Kisses
Baked Fruit Fudge

 

Barley Sugar
Brittled Almonds
Horehound Candy
Tropical Nuggets
Ginger Bars
Stick-Jaw
Butterscotches
Almond Butter Crunch
Rice Flakes Candies

 

Fruit Creams
Gingerees
Peppermint Creams
Baltimore Layer Candy
Maple Creams
Maple Brittle
14-Minute Maple Candy
Maple Molasses Gems

 

Coconut Caramels
Coconut Drops
Coconut Dainties
Coconut Cones
Coconut Straws
Coconut Squares
Simple Cooked Marzipan
Uncooked Marzipan

 

Make Up And Use Later Marzipan
Marzipan Goodies
Golden Marzipan
Honey Glazed Cherries

 

Chocolate Fudge
White Fudge
Almond Fudge

Chocolate Maple Fudge
Sour Cream Candy
Molasses Fudge
Panocha
Maple Panocha
Coffee Panocha

Gumdrops
Pralines
Turkish Paste
Rainbow Candy

 

 

 

From my Grandmother's Recipe Box: French Cream Pie (a fruit and cream ice box pie)

 

French Cream Pie

1/2 lb. graham crackers - rolled fine - butter a cake pan (large) put in 1/2 of the crax crumble. 
1/2 c butter (very soft) add 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 unbeaten eggs, mix thoroughly and pour over crax crumbs.

Whip 1 pt. cream add to 2 cups diced peaches and 1/2 cup nutmeats.
Pour over the egg mixture then cover with rest of crax crumbles.

Let stand 12-24 hours in ice box or a cool place.  

Serves 12 generously. 
Can use other fruit instead of peaches but I like peaches best of any I've tried.

From My Grandmother's Recipe Box: Vintage Recipes.... Devil's Food Chocolate Cake and Cream Puffs

If you've followed this series previously, then you already know that a number of years ago I inherited my grandmothers cookbooks and her old, metal recipe box.  These are recipes that she started to collect and hand write around 1940 when she was in junior high school and continued until the 60's and 70's. 

Vintage Recipes:

 

 

Devil's Food Cake

1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 teasp vanilla

Cream Puffs

1 c water
1/2 c butter
Let come to boil

Stir in quickly - 1 cup flour
Beat until smooth
Beat in 3 egg - beat until smooth

Drop on buttered pan and bake in quick oven.

 

Vintage Recipes From my Grandmother's Recipe Box - Granny's Fudge

This vintage recipe is interesting to me because it makes me wonder who 'Granny' was.  In our our family no one uses that term of endearment and never has as far as I know.  But then again, perhaps my Grandmother's Grandmother was called 'Granny' waaaay back when?

Granny's Fudge

2 c sugar
4 T cocoa
1 c milk
butter
salt

Boil to soft ball stage.  When cool add 1 tsp vanilla, beat until thick and looses its gloss.

My Grandmother's Recipe Box: Devils Food Cake

The first week of October I did a post to explain a new series I was doing on An American Housewife after I decided to photograph & post-to-save old handwritten recipes of my grandmothers.

Today has been an emotionally 'busy' day and I need to just decompress a bit and focus on something else for a bit so I decided to do the next recipe in the series.

This one gave me a heck of a time trying to figure it out!  It's so incredibly loved that it's impossible to read.  I had my husband and one of my daughter's give me their best guess and then I took a photo of the card and blew up to about 400%, changed the contrast, etc. and I finally got it based on what I could read and the list of ingredients. I've traced over the ingredients to make them easier to read.

Devils Food Cake

1 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
2 tbsp cocoa
1 teasp vanilla

My Grandmother's Recipe Box: Uncooked Fruit Cake

I explained in a previous post how I came to own an old metal recipe box that was my grandmother's.  She just passed away in February and although I've had this box in my possession for a few years, I hadn't used the recipes in it much as I didn't want to keep touching them and flipping through them.

Some are 'newer' meaning; gathered in the 1970's but many are from the 1940's and are handwritten - a couple in 'dipped' ink - and many are so faded I can barely decipher them.

I was going through them this week and lamenting the fact that a couple are ripped and edges breaking off the brittle cards and it suddenly hit me; I need to take a picture of the card and type out the recipe on my site so they are 'saved' not only for me but for my three kids (all of whom love to cook and bake!).  So dear readers, you will be on the receiving end of some tried and true (and loved) recipes straight from my grandmother's recipe box.

This first recipe is neither hard to read nor as old as some.  But I chose it because not only was it easy to read, but the name of my grandma's friend and neighbor is written on it and on a whim I popped her name into the internet search engine and found a wonderful 'background' story about this interesting lady.  I loved learning about her and her family - knowing that she and my grandma were friends and neighbors - having coffee together and swapping recipes.

 


12# Uncooked Fruit Cake

2# graham crax
1# ginger snaps
2#nut meats
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1 t Allspice
1/2 # dates
1/2# fig
1/2# candied cherry
2# raisin
2#red and green gum drops
1 c jelly or dark syrup
1 1/2 c fruit juice

Mix well and press in loaf or shallow pan.  Store in cool place.

___________________________________

This was readily available on public websites and I just loved the childhood stories she told.  The woman who gave my grandma this recipe was born in 1897 and walked 1 1/2 miles to school starting when she was just 5 years old. 

Apparently she wrote out a bit of her life story in 1969 - and her family included it with her obituary on a public obituary page.  I've taken out names - but left portions of it that had some wonderful stories.


The following written by her in 1969:

Born in 1897. Started to school at age 5 years. Walked 1 1/2 mile to school and the same home. In March 1907 the family moved to Montana where Dad homesteaded. We arrived at Mondak where we had to cross the Missouri river on a cable ferry boat. The ice in the river was just breaking up so had to stay there for six weeks until the boat could cross. May 8th we got across and drove all day with our household goods and stock to our homestead which was our home for several years and we children grew up there on the plains of Montana. All open range country at that time with no neighbors for miles.

The first summer a big prairie fire went past our house. It had burned for around 30 miles. My mother must have been scared when she sit in the house with we four children. For many miles around all men were out fighting the fire with barrels of water and gunny sacks. They got it out a short ways past our house. I never will forget how dark it got and how the range stock was running ahead and bawling.

The first school we attended here was 4 miles distant. We drove a horse and buggy. Believe we went there 2 or 3 years then another school was built 3 miles distant. Was in this little country school where all 4 of us graduated 8th grade. Building not very big but a lot of pupils. The teacher then had to walk 1/2 mile or more, build her own fire and do all the sweeping etc., and teach all 8 grades.

In 1916 our neighbors little girl came to live with us. Her mother died when she was born. She lived with another family for about 3 years before she came to us. From then on Mother and Dad raised her to a young womanhood. We all dearly loved her, to this day we still do.