Jumbo Gingersnaps

 Jumbo Gingersnaps

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup salad oil (presumably vegetable oil?)

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves (or cardamom)

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

Mix at low speed until well blended. Shape dough into balls 1/4 cup size. Roll in extra sugar in a bowl. Place balls 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 10 large cookies. Stores well in tightly sealed container.

Vintage Fruit Cake

 Vintage Fruit Cake

Half pound candied cherries

Half can candied pineapple

2 cans southern style coconut

1pound dates

2 cans condensed milk

Approximately 1 quart chopped nuts

Cut up fruit, pour in milk, stir. Let stand one hour. Bake at 275 for 90 minutes. Cool completely.

(I'm not sure what size a can of candied pineapple comes in, or even where such a thing exists these days. Same with southern style coconut. I do know that 20+ years ago Angel Flake came in a small can. It was grated finer than the standard bags of sweetened coconut today. But those cans are long gone. I pulse regular coconut a few times in a food processor to get the finer size. Occasionally you can find the Baker's Angel Flake coconut in a bag, but it's not really the same as the old canned version.)

Coconut Oatmeal Orange Slice Cookies

This is a vintage recipe found on a handwritten notecard that was in Lorraine's paternal grandmother's collection. It is noted as being from Mrs. Brown, which should be her great-grandmother.

Coconut Oatmeal Orange Slice Cookies

1 cup shortening (Or butter! Or for a modern option, coconut oil!)

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

2 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup diced orange slice candies (or gumdrops)

1 tsp vanilla extract

The only instruction are to bake in a moderate oven and leave space between. 

My plan: cream together the sugars & shortening. Add the eggs and mix well. Mix the other dry ingredients together and gradually add to the sugar mixture. Add in the oatmeal, coconut, orange slice candy, and vanilla. Drop by tablespoons onto non-stick baking sheet and cook at 350 until brown around the edges.