Farm recipes from my grandmother

This week, I received a gift I never thought I'd see: My grandmother's cookbook.

Five Christmases ago, I came up with the idea of combining our grandma's recipes, which were stockpiled among various relatives, into a cookbook. Little did I know. The seemingly small project became a 150-page tome -- and I was still informed there were recipes missing!

While I had an electronic version - I never did make a copy for myself - I've really enjoyed flipping through the cookbook I made for Grandma, which she took upon herself to embellish with family photos and pictures from her garden. It's a real treat.

I thought I'd share a few recipes from the book. While I haven't had an opportunity to try them all, they've graced her dinner table many times. I will note that these aren't 100 percent healthy, but at least lard wasn't an ingredient for these! Got to love Depression-era cooking...

Gazbacho
3 large or 6 small fully ripe tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 small onion
1/2 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup water

Blend all together in blender. Chill. Serve with side dishes of chopped cucumbers, green onions, green peppers and ripe tomatoes. Garnish with sliced cucumbers. (Good in hot weather.)

Grandma Stasek’s Garlic Dill Pickles
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 quarts water
1 quart vinegar
1 cup pickling salt
1 piece of garlic and some dill for each jar
Cucumbers
Bring to a boil. Pour hot over cucumbers and seal.

Butternut Squash Delight
3 pounds butternut squash
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Dash of pepper
4 or 5 medium sized Jonathan apples (unpeeled)
1 1/2 tablespoon shortening or margarine
A little sugar

Nutty Topping:
1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes or
other cereal (slightly crushed)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons melted butter or
margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Cook until tender. Cool. Scrape out pulp and mash. Add 1/4 cup margarine, salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and pepper. Set aside.

Core and slice unpeeled apples about 1/2-inch thick. You may use any variety of apples that holds its shape when cooked. Sprinkle each slice with a little sugar. Saute apple rings in hot shortening in a skillet. Turn slices once until apple is barely tender. Arrange slice in bottom of greased 8 or 9-inch baking dish. Spread mashed squash over apples.

Combine ingredients for topping in a bowl. Blend in butter and sugar. Sprinkle over squash. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until squash is completely heated through and topping is lightly browned.

Dutch Apple Pie (because you have to have dessert!)
1 quart peeled and sliced apples
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoon flour
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1 cup sour cream

Mix and pour over apples that have been put into unbaked crust. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes – reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 to 40 minutes more.

Apple Kuchen
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cups sugar (divided)
3/4 cup margarine
1 quart cut up apples
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sour cream or buttermilk
2 eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oatmeal & 3/4 cup sugar. Cut in margarine and mix until crumbly. Press into ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Build up edges quite high (it shrinks). Bake 10 min. Add apples on warm crust. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg, 3/4 cup sugar, sour cream or buttermilk and eggs. Spread over apples. Bake 30 to 40 min.

Serve warm or cold with ice cream. Even good with milk poured over the top.