Sydney’s Cookbook

Being in the kitchen has always brought our family together.  From backyard BBQ’s to the Holidays, my favorite part of any meal is the desserts!  One of my earliest memories in the kitchen was baking banana bread with my mom as a toddler.  Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays always include baking pies with my Grammie and Grandma Sharon’s fudge is a must! All of my great-grandmas, grandmas, and now my mom love baking and have brought that love of baking down to me! This book includes some of our favorite recipes that have been passed down generation to generation in our family.  Enjoy!

                Table of Contents

Introduction………………..page 1

Bread/ Cakes……………..pages 3-10

Cookies/ Candies…………pages 11-

Pies…………………………

Grandma Hay’s Banana Bread

This recipe is my great-great-grandmothers and it has been passed down generation to generation

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

3 bananas

2 c flour

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c nuts (optional)

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar/ beat in eggs and bananas beat well/ add in dry ingredients then pour into a greased pan bake for 1hr & 10min at 350 degrees.

Monkey Bread

          Monkey bread is a Christmas morning favorite in our house. We’ve have been making money bread on Christmas morning since I can remember. My sister, Grammie, and I prepare it after presents!

Ingredients:

3 cans of biscuits (10 per can)

1 3/4 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Cut biscuits into 6 pieces, then shake biscuits in sugar until coated. Grease a bundt pan or square pan and place your sugar-coated biscuits in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Wacky Cake

    My grandma used to make this recipe for my mom and now my mom makes it for us. My mom shares stories how her dad let them eat this cake for breakfast.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c flour

1 1/2 c sugar

4 1/2 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp vinegar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

11 c shortening

1 1/2 c water

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients, then melt your shortening and add wet ingredients, after add in dry ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fernie’s Brownies

These brownies are so yummy that they usually aren’t around for long. Sometimes we make a double batch and freeze.

Ingredients:

4 squares chocolate

2/3 cups shortening or vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Optional:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt chocolate with shortening. Add in sugar and beaten eggs.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder and add to chocolate mixture.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Bake 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Sugar Cookies

          Sugar cookies are a favorite at our house. At Christmas, we bake sugar cookies and then have a big decorating party.  We also bake sugar cookies just for fun!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 c unsalted butter ( room temp)

1 c sugar

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar ( for rolling)

Directions: Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl set aside, Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add your egg and vanilla extract mix well, Add dry ingredients until well combined (don’t over mix). Roll dough in individual balls and roll in the additional sugar creating a sugar coat. Repeat and place in the oven for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees.

Grandma Dorotha’s Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were my Poppie’s favorite!  His mom made them for him as a child and now my mom makes them for us.

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 package of chocolate chips

Directions:

Blend oil, sugars and eggs.   Add flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.

GG’s Vanilla Ice Box Cookies

My great-grandma, she liked to be called “GG”, used to make slice and bake cookies before Pillsbury. This recipe has been made many times at our house.

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Cream shortening and sugar, then add eggs and mix well.  Stir in vanilla.  Add dry ingredients.  Shape into two rolls and wrap in wax paper.  Refrigerate over night.  Cut 1/8 inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake 375 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.

Aunt Barb’s Monster Cookies

All my favorite cookies combined into one Monster cookie! My mom will bake these after Halloween using some of our trick or treat goodies.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/2 pound margarine or butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 pound peanut butter

9 cups oatmeal

4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 pound M & M candies

1/2 pound chocolate chips

Directions:

Blend sugars, corn syrup, and margarine together. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add peanut butter, oatmeal, baking soda, and vanilla.  Hand stir in candies and chocolate chips.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degree.

Grandma Sharon’s Peanut Butter Fudge

My grandma’s peanut butter fudge is a classic! My grandma has been making it every year for our family Christmas eve party since I can remember.

Ingredients:

4 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups evaporated milk

2 cups peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Jar of marshmallow creme

Directions:

Boil sugar and evaporated milk for 10 ish minutes at 235 degrees. Remove from heat and add your marshmallow creme, peanut butter, and vanilla stir until mixture is smooth. Melt your chocolate chips. pour fudge mixture into buttered pan. Swirl melted chocolate chips around and through the fudge mixture. Let cool for 1-2 hours.

Homemade Caramels

Homemade Caramels make a great holiday gift for friends and neighbors.  Wrap in wax paper to make individual treats.

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 pound butter

1 3/4 cups white corn syrup

1 (14 1/2 oz) can unsweetened canned milk

1 Tbl vanilla

Directions:

Place ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan and cook on high heat for 5 minutes, or until 210 degrees on candy thermometer. Drop heat to medium and cook until it reaches 244 degrees, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Place into a buttered baking dish.  Cut into squares before it cools completely.

Grandma Bailie’s Pie Crust

This recipe has been passed down four generations. My great- great-grandma Maggie Bailie came up with this recipe and it never fails to deliver a flaky crust.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 1/4 cup shortening

1/3 cup water

1 egg

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Mix flour and shortening until crumbly.  In a separate bowl mix together water, egg, vinegar, and salt, then add to flour mixture.

Mom’s Peach Cobbler

My Sister, my grandma, and me go pick peaches almost every year towards Thanksgiving time. My mom then uses then to make this Peach Cobbler and has been making this Cobbler every Thanksgiving since I was little.

Ingredients:

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

2 cups sugar (divided)

1/2 cup water

8 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees, Combined peaches, sugar, and water into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 min (remove from heat). Put butter in dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining cup of sugar, flour, and milk, pour into melted butter. Do NOT stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in the syrup. Sprinkle cinnamon on top if using. Let bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

My Grandma makes these for our family Christmas eve party along with her peanut butter fudge!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

5-10 oz. chocolate kisses

Directions:

Cream sugars, butter, and peanut butter. Beat eggs,milk, and vanilla. Mix flour, soda, and salt and mix into cream mixture. Make into balls and roll into addition sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min.

Aunt Brenda’s Cheesecake

My aunt makes this cheesecake for family dinners as dessert.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups crushed graham crackers (honey)

2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp butter (melted)

16 oz. Cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Directions: Pour crushed graham crackers and sugar into a mixing bowl. Melt butter and add to graham cracker mix. Stir until evenly combined. Pour crust mixture into bottom of a pan and press mixture firmly to the bottom and sides. Blend together cream cheese, sugar, cream, flour, and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time mix until combined. Pour filling into pan, on top of the crust. For 1 hour & 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

Grandma Munn’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My Grandma used to bake these cookies for my dad and his brothers when they were little. Sadly she passed so she couldn’t make them for me and my sister. But on occasion we still make them.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

In a bowl add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg thoroughly. In another bowl combined applesauce, egg whites, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until everything is fully incorporated. Fold in raisins. Bake on cookie sheet for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. let cool for 2-3 min.