Saturday, October 18, 2014

The Joy of Church Cookbooks



I am a fan of the links and postings shared on the internet via blogs, Facebook, and Pinterest.  Nothing though warms my heart and makes my tummy rumble more though than seeing an old church cookbook.  I found my motivation today, and it was looking at me from the corner of my kitchen counter where my cookbooks are stored.  This particular one was a wedding shower gift I received in 1987, and reading the recipes is remembering the women, some long past away, and others that were probably about my age, just becoming empty nesters, and now are the elders in the church.  These were the women that were called upon to bring salads and bars for funeral lunches, or after women's circle's service projects, or bible study lunches.  They were the women that generously donated their baked goods for youth group fund raisers so all kids could go on retreats and ski weekends, and share and deepen their faith.  I received one from a friend from her church the same year.  It is lovely, but it doesn't quite hold the same appeal-no familiar names.  Two years ago, our church published a new version.  It is good, and has the names are my friends and parents of my children's friends, and yes, the women who are now the elders. The recipes call for a lot less butter, and ingredients that were not in the 1987 version like quinoa, chick peas, greek yogurt, and avacado's.

On my  motivational list was baking.  I was less than prepared, as I was down to my last two eggs.  DD#2 learned a recipe in FACS class (family and consumer science) called Egg in a Frame where you cut a hole in the middle of bread, grill it like a grilled cheese, and fry a scrambled egg in the middle.  She has mastered it, so has been making them all week for us for breakfast. I knew I had pumpkin in the pantry and was pretty sure I could get a single batch of a bread recipe with just two eggs.  Here is the recipe I used. Notice how messy it is-I've used this dog eared and tattered page a lot, as evidenced by spills.


I use these little loaf pans, a gift from my sister in law for my birthday about 10 yeas ago.  They are perfect for quick breads as the four hold one recipe, they bake faster, freeze easy, and make a cute little mini slice perfect for packing in lunches, or putting out on a plate when hosting people for brunch or just an afternoon. I was a little messy with my spooning, and pup came running when he heard the batter hit the floor, he just gave it a curious look, which surprised me he didn't just lick it up.  I'll add pumpkin batter to coffee as the two things he won't eat indiscriminately.

I hope to be  able to get one of these wrapped up for my father-in-law who had a birthday earlier in the week. Normally I would have doubled the recipe, and baked two smaller, but regular size loafs for our own eating, along with the mini loaves. I keep looking for these mini pans at a fair price but they are quite expensive, so am making due with just the four. My last picture is the finished loaves.  I made the girls not cut into either until I could get a picture, but I am sure when I hit "publish" one loaf will be gone. 

Do you have a go to cookbook that you use as much for sentimental reasons as for the recipes? Are there recipes that you know could be healthier or made cheaper, but you never mess with?  I'm off to the next thing on my list. Later I'm meeting DH, and a few sisters and their husband for happy hour at the local bar and grill.  Nice cheap beers, and tasty $5.00 appetizers, so not worrying about dinner tonight as there are leftovers for the girls. I'll be home early, in my jammies to watch Doctor Who, quite possibly nibbling on a piece of bread. Enjoy your Saturday.





7 comments:

  1. These look gorgeous! The other good thing about mini loaves is you're much less likely to overeat on bread!

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    1. Now, I can report, there is officially no bread left!

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  2. Maybe-we showed some good restraint today since I only made one batch.

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  3. Those eggs I learned long ago, as Eggs in Top Hats! now I feel like having one..

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    1. Oh, that makes sense as the little piece you cut out then sits like a little hat on top of the egg frame when you serve. I'll ask my daughter to tell her teacher that. I must say, I have enjoyed having a nice little breakfast made by someone else to start the day.

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  4. I love those old cookbooks, too. Even if you don't know the recipe authors, it can give you an idea of what was popular in a certain area at the time the book was published. When I see them for sale, I always buy up the most tattered ones because they were clearly loved at one point.

    P.S. My dog Daisy wants your dog to know that pumpkin is delicious. Her brother, Arlo, disagrees. :)

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    1. We love going into second hand book stores on vacation, and you just gave me an idea on a fun way to remember the area by buying a local old cookbook. I want to get around to copying and reassembling the 1987 version for my daughters, and for my son too. Most of their favorite childhood memories probably involve a recipe from that cookbook.

      P.S. Pup happily snitched a taste of the baked pumpkin bead from the plate of crumbs my
      daughter left beside her bed.

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