Depression Salad

This is another recipe from Granny. It is something her mother, Verna Daniels, used to make.

chopped iceberg lettuce
carrots, peeled and grated
chopped celery (optional - if you have it)
chopped green onion (optional)
sliced cucumbers (optional)

Dressing:
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. vinegar
milk (to thin as desired)

(The optional items were added to the recipe later, when times were better)

Rhoda's Macaroni Salad

This also comes from my Granny. It is a recipe from my paternal great-grandmother: Rhoda McConnell.

cooked macaroni
mayonnaise
sweet pickle relish
chopped hard-boiled eggs
chopped red onion
chopped canned red pimentos

*Tip: soak chopped red onions in ice water for 10 minutes, so they won't be hot.

Mix all ingredients together. Sorry there are no amounts! Guess you have to eyeball it!

Verna's Salad-Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a recipe given to me by my Granny, Helen Mesa. It was something her mother, Verna, used to make.

Shredded cabbage (about 1/2 c. per bell pepper)
Bell Peppers, de-stemmed and de-seeded
Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Lettuce leaves

Mix the cabbage with some vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Pack this mixture into the bell peppers. Cut the bell peppers cross-ways into 1-inch rings. Serve the rings flat on the lettuce leaves.

Rocks

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes. Don't worry, these won't break your teeth, in spite of their name.

 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 c. raisins
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. clove powder

Cream sugar and butter. Add the eggs, walnuts, raisins, flour, soda, and spices. Drop by tsp. onto a cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Put them in at 350 degrees, and raise the temperature to 400 degrees.

Orange Cinnamon Ice Box Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. shortening
3 Tbsp. orange peel (I assume, grated)
2 eggs
5 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. cinnamon powder

*Cream powdered sugar and shortening. Add egg, and beat.
*Sift dry ingredients and combine the two mixtures.
*Form into cookie rolls (refrigerate 1 hour for better handling), slice and bake.

(Once again, I assume a baking time of 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees).

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 6-oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Mix ingredients. Drop by tsp. on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.

Sour Cream Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1 c. shortening or butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 c. flour
1/2 c. sour cream

Mix all ingredients well. Shape into cookie rolls and wrap rolls in wax paper. Refrigerate until the rolls are firm enough to be sliced (about 1 hour). Can also be frozen, and baked without thawing.

(That is the end of Granny's instruction. I'm not sure the cooking time, but I'm assuming the neighborhood of 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees - maybe extra minutes if frozen).