A collection of puddings, cakes, bread, cookies and candy. Recipes for those with not much time to bake and also for those who enjoy every minute of the process.

Grandma Hoover’s Date Pudding

This is very rich tasting, and it doesn’t take a lot to fill you up!

1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water mixed with one teaspoon of baking soda over 1 cup of chopped dates.

2. Let it stand until cool.

3. Mix the following ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cup flour
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• Pinch of salt

4. Add to dates, stir to mix.

5. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 45 minutes

Can be served with cool whip, whipped cream, or orange or lemon sauce.

Lemon or Orange Sauce

1. In a sauce pan mix:

• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• A dash of ground nutmeg

2. Stir in 1 cup of cold water

3. Cook and stir for 2 minutes

(Cornstarch is like the ocean – don’t turn your back on it for a second)

4. Stir in:

• ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (or orange peel)
• 2 tablespoons lemon (or orange) juice
• 1 teaspoon margarine
• ** For added color, add 1 drop of yellow food color for lemon sauce
• 1 drop of yellow & red food coloring for orange sauce

Makes about 1 cup. This is best if served warm over the pudding.

Cocoa Delight Cake

A personal favorite since high school days, where I was given this recipe in a home economics class. Note: There is enough batter for 3, 9 inch round layers, when filling the pans only ½ full! This cake rises nicely!

1. Spray 3, nine inch round cake pans with cooking spray, dust with flour.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F)

3. Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sifted cake flour OR all-purpose flour sifted 10 times.
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable shortening
• ½ cup double acting baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4. Directions

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder.
2. Add vegetable shortening plus 1 cup of milk
3. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes, OR 300 strokes by hand
4. Add eggs, ¼ cup of milk and the vanilla.
5. Beat for 2 minutes
6. Pour into cake pans, filling only ½ full
7. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 30-35 minutes.
8. Cool 10-15 minutes.

5. Decorate

After the cake is completely cool, carefully remove by flipping each pan over onto a plate.

Frost the two bottom layers with your choice of frosting (store bought or home made) Add the top layer; frost the sides, then the top. Decorate with Christmas candies, or finely chopped walnuts or almonds.

Upside Down Peachy Delicious Gingerbread Cake

(Easier to make than to say the title!)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F)

2. In a 9 inch square pan, melt ¼ cup margarine (or butter)

3. Mix in about ½ cup brown sugar

4. Mix well with the margarine.

5. Drain one medium can of slice peaches well

6. Arrange peach slices in any design you like.

*** Optional tuck a few maraschino cherries around the peach slices

1 package of Gingerbread Mix. Follow the package directions for making gingerbread cake.

Pour the cake mixture carefully over the peaches, so that all the peaches are covered by the batter.

Bake according to package directions

Cool completely before inverting onto a serving plate. Makes about 9 generous servings.

Cake can be topped with whipped cream or non-dairy whipping.

Panocha

Ingredients

• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 2/3 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Directions

1. Place sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan, cook, stirring constantly until the candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees (F), or until the mixture reaches the softball stage (where the candy will roll into a soft ball).

2. Remove from heat, add the vanilla

3. Cool to lukewarm without stirring

4 Beat until thick and creamy.

5. Pour into buttered pan and mark into squares (mark the size of candy pieces you want).

6. Finish cooling. Cut through marks made in number 5 above.

7. Store in a covered container.

Five Minute Fudge

A great candy which makes up quickly.

Makes about 5 dozen 1 inch squares.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 small can undiluted evaporated milk
• 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate bits
• 1 ½ cup diced marshmallows
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Directions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly
3. Remove from heat
4. Add the next 3 ingredients (chocolate bits, marshmallows, nuts)
5, Stir in vanilla, beat vigorously 1 minute or until chocolate and marshmallows melt.
6. Pour into a square or rectangular pan.
7. Top with additional nuts, if desired (This does make it extra tasty!)
8. Cool until firm (refrigerate may hasten this process)

Old Fashioned Candy Fudge

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder (NOT cocoa mix)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 2 ounces of walnuts.

Directions

1. Butter sides of a 2 ½ to 3 quart saucepan
2. Mix sugar, cocoa, salt, cream, and corn syrup
3. Stir over moderate heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil.
4. Cover for 2-3 minutes
5. Uncover and place candy thermometer in mixture.
6. Boil without stirring until 230 degrees (F) or soft ball stage.
7. Add butter – Do NOT stir
8. Let mixture stand until thermometer reads 110 degrees
9. Beat with wooden spoon until very thick
10. Stir in nuts and quickly put into pan to harden

*** Pan should be wax paper or aluminum foil lined! (As the candy will stick to the bottom of the pan)

Divinity

Delicious. But extremely sweet.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup water
• 14 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• ½ cup chopped nuts (any kind you like. Walnuts and pecans are good)

Directions

1. Place sugar, corn syrup, water, salt in 1 ½ quart saucepan.
2. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Cook without stirring until syrup forms a very firm ball when dropped in cold water OR
Until temperature reached 252 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer.
4. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry (egg whites beat best when at room temperature)
5. Pour syrup slowly over egg whites beating constantly
6. Continue beating until mixture holds its shape well.
7. Fold vanilla and nuts into mixture.
8. Drop quickly from the tip of a spoon onto wax paper (a dinner teaspoon is good)
9. Cool. Makes about 1 ¼ pound of candy

Russian Tea Cakes

Very good. But extremely rich tasting. (Good with a cup of brisk cup of tea or a stout cup of coffee)

Tip: Cookies tend to be greasy when coming out of the oven, use paper toweling to absorb the grease before rolling in powder sugar. Place toweling or wax paper under cookies after rolling in powder sugar.

Ingredients (Russian Tea Cakes)

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup soft confectioner’s sugar (powder sugar)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 2 ¼ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup finely chopped nuts

Directions

1. Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly
2. Measure flour by dip-level-pour method.
3. Blend flour and salt. Stir into mixture.
4. Mix in nuts.
5. Chill dough for about an hour in the refrigerator
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees (F)
7. Roll dough into 1 inch balls
8. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
9. Bake 10 -12 minutes.
10 Cool slightly until warm enough to handle
11. Roll in powder sugar
12. Cool, roll in powder sugar again.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Christmas Confetti Cookies

Just an excellent cookie, not too sweet…great with a glass of milk.

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• ½ cup granulated sugar (white)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped red and green gum drops
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup finely chopped nuts (walnuts work best, but pecans are also okay)

Directions

1. Blend shortening and sugars.
2. Add egg and vanilla – mix well
3. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Combine the sugar mixture with the flour mixture, mix well
5. Stir in gum drops and nuts.
6. Drop from a teaspoon onto an un-greased cookie sheet
7. Bake at 375 degrees (F) 10 -12 minutes

*** Chocolate chips could be substituted for the gum drops.

Peanut Blossoms

(Truly a great peanut butter cookie)

Directions:

1. Sift together 1 ¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
2. Cream together ½ c. vegetable shortening, ½ cup peanut butter
3. Gradually add, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, Cream Well.
4. Add 1 unbeaten egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Beat Well
5. Blend in the dry ingredients with the moist ingredients. Mix Thoroughly
6. Shape into balls, about 1 inch in diameter. OR just enough batter to fill a dinner
teaspoon.
7. Roll balls in sugar (white granulated) and place on a greased baking sheet.
8. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven – top each cookie with a chocolate candy kiss, press down firmly
with a fork until cookie cracks slightly at the edges.
10. Return to oven to bake 2 – 5 minutes more, until golden brown and the chocolate kiss
is melted.

*** I have made these without the chocolate kiss and they are excellent this way also.

Snowballs

Excellent! A Christmas tradition in the Hoover house, for years.

Note: Watch size of cookie when making into balls, these gems expand greatly! Too large and they will fall apart.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter, softened (stick margarine works just as well)
• (Don’t use creamed butter or margarine, cookie falls apart during baking)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups sifted flour (use pre-sifted)
• 1 – 6 ounce package of chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet)

Directions

1. Combine first 5 ingredients, blend well.
2. Stir in flour and chocolate chips.
3. Form into 1 inch balls, place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 300 degrees (F) for 30 minutes.
5, Roll in sifted powder sugar while warm.
6. Cool on paper toweling

***Cookies could be rolled in crushed pecans before putting into the oven; this is another version of this cookie and then rolled in powder sugar after baking.

Swedish Cookies

Truly excellent in every way. A tradition in our home from the 1960’s.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of butter, softened (stick margarine doesn’t work well – don’t substitute)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 ½ cups sifted (pre-sifted) flour
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Roll onto a pastry board. Cut with cookie cutters.
4. Bake at 325 degree (F) for about 10-12 minutes the first couple batches. Watch time
On later batches, (8 to 10 minutes, especially if cookie is rolled thin.)
5. Cool. Frost, decorate, however you please…or just eat these plain.

Banana Bread

(With or without nuts and done in a hurry)

Ingredients

2 cups biscuit mix
2/3 cups sugar (either brown or white)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium bananas)
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts (if desired) Walnuts improve the texture of the bread
2 eggs

Directions

1. Combine biscuit mix, sugar, and baking soda.
2. Add bananas, nuts, and eggs.
3. Beat to blend thoroughly.
4. Turn into a 9 by 5 inch greased loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees (F) about 40 to 45 minutes.
6. Cool on a rack, remove and wrap in wax paper, then aluminum foil, store in
refrigerator.

Traditional Banana Nut Bread

Scrumptious!

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 medium bananas)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy
2. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg
4. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with mashed banana.
5. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Gently stir in nuts.
7 Pour into 9 by 5 inch greased loaf pan.
8. Bake at 350 degrees (F) 45 to 50 minutes or until tooth pick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean.
9. Cool. Remove from pan, wrap in wax paper, then aluminum foil, store in refrigerator
(The double wrap helps to hold the flavor and moisture of the bread).

Orange Nut Bread

A marvelous bread that could be used as a dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups sifted (pre-sifted) flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cups raisins
• ¼ cup ground (grated) orange rind
• 1 egg, well beaten
• ½ cup milk (2% milk works fine)
• ½ cup orange juice
• (Fresh squeezed orange juice works the best)
• 2 tablespoons of melted vegetable shortening

Directions

1. Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar together.
2. Add nuts, raisins, and orange rind.
3. Combine egg, milk and orange juice, add to flour mixture with
shortening.
4. Mix until all the flour is dampened and fruit and nuts are well distributed
5. Turn the batter into a greased 9×5x3 loaf pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 1 hour or until done.
7. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes then turn out of pan and let stand until cold.
8. Double wrap the bread, first wrap in wax paper, second in aluminum foil.
9. Store for at least 12 hours before serving to allow for the flavors to blend.

Makes 1 loaf.

Notes: Orange juice and rind give just the right tartness – raisins and nuts furnish the texture. This bread does not need any spread to improve its flavor. It can be eaten plain.