Hurricanes & Peach Pie

My local farmer's market had a Hurricane Irene special on peaches this week: "Buy them now, before they blow off the trees." Today, the storm hit. We're all fine, but going a little stir crazy being trapped in the house all weekend.

I decided to test out Grammy's Peach Pie recipe. It came out delicious!


Here's the link to Grammy Gertie's Peach Pie recipe.

Concord Grape Pie

Grammy Gertie told me recently that she and her friends in Pittsfield will be making Concord Grape Pie as a cooking demonstration. They're waiting for the Concord Grapes to come into season, which should be soon.

Here's the recipe so that the rest of us can cook along:

Concord Grape Pie

4 cups concord grapes
1 cup sugar
3 TB flour
1/8 tsp salt
pie crust

-Slip the skins off of grapes.
-Heat grape pulp to boiling, then press through a sieve/strainer to remove the seeds.
-Add grape skins back along with sugar, flour and salt... and...
(technically difficulties -- we're missing the other side of the card!)

-Pour mixture into pie crust, top, and bake for... I'm going to say 350 degrees for 60 min
(but let me confirm that with Grammy)

Quick Peanut Cookies

Ah, the days before everybody had peanut allergies. If you're still able serve nuts to company, here's a cookie recipe:

Quick Peanut Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 ts vanilla
2 cups flour
1 ts baking powder
3/4 ts salt
2 TB milk
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

-Cream together shortening and sugar. Beat egg with vanilla extract and mix in.
-Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to wet mix.
-Shape into 2 rolls in 2" diameter, and wrap in waxed paper.
-Chill until firm.
-Slice into rounds, place on greased baking sheet, brush with milk and sprinkle with nuts.
-Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Waldorf Salad

Here's another version of the famous Waldorf Salad (a salad so famous, it has its own Wikipedia page), which Grammy adds her own twist: cranberries and pineapple. It's easy enough to make:






Waldorf Salad

apples, cubed
celery, sliced
dried cranberries
pineapple, cut into chunks
walnuts, chopped
mayonnaise

-Mix all of the above!

Scotch Scones

There were hundreds of recipes in Grammy's cookbook from the 1940s, but I only copied the ones that were well worn.

I'm assuming you can add raisins, blueberries or whatever you like (chocolate) to this recipe.

Scotch Scones

2 cups flour
2 TB sugar
3 ts baking powder
1/2 ts salt

1/4 cup shortening
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup light cream
1 egg white

-Sift together dry ingredients.
-Cut in shortening into dry mixture with 2 knives.
-Beat egg yolk, mix with cream, and add to dry ingredients.
-Roll out dough to 1/2" thick. Cut into triangles and place on baking sheet.
-Beat egg white, brush on triangles. Sprinkle with sugar.
-Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.