Ruth's Raisin Cake

1 Box Seedless Raisins

2 Cups Water

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Stick Butter

2 Eggs

1/2 Teaspoon Each: Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger

3 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon soda

(may add nuts if desired)

Cook raisins with 2 cups water for 10 minutes, then add butter and sugar to mixture and let cool. Sift dry ingredients, add to cooled raisins. Beat eggs and add. Bake for 1 hour. 350*

Molasses Cookies

I found this recipe tucked inside one of Mommom Franklin's cookbooks, 'very good' written in the margin.

Molasses Cookies

1 cup melted shortening

1 cup pure molasses

1 egg, beaten

4 1/2 cups flour

1 tbs ginger

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon extract

Combine shortening and molasses and lemon extract. Add egg and stir until mixture is blended. Mix and sift dry ingredients and add. Chill dough until firm enough to roll. Roll about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, cut and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375* 12 to 15 minutes. Makes five dozen 2 1/2 inch cookies.

Mommom Franklin's Cookbooks

My Grandmother Franklin passed away ten years ago this past August. I was given two large containers of her cookbooks. Tucked inside each one, cards from her children, memory cards of favorite Bible verses, hand written recipes, notes written in margins. Through her cookbooks, I've learned more about who this woman was. Recently, I gave several of these books to my daughters so they can have a glimpse in the life of their great-grandmother. Who would have thought cookbooks could help share the story of someones life!

Grandma Tramonte's Tatales (Itailian Cookies)

My husband grew up in an Italian family in Pittsburgh. This is one of his childhood favorites.

Grandma Tramonte's Tatales

Cookie Mixture

4 cups flour

6 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup Crisco

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp anise oil (you may have to get this at the pharmacy)

1 cup sugar

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together and put aside.

Beat the eggs and mix with Crisco, anise oil and sugar.

Mix in the ingredients that were set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350*.

Knead the cookie mixture until an imprint of your finger will rise and spring back and mixture should look shiny.

Make shapes like balls or knots, but make and bake only one shape at a time.

Bake at 350* for 15 minutes until bottom is brown and tops are light.

Icing Mixture

2 tbs butter

1tsp vanilla (pure, not extract)

2 lb confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 drop anise oil

Melt butter on low heat.

Add vanilla.

Add confectioner's sugar, mix well to a somewhat thick consistency . The consistency should be like melted ice cream or thin pudding.

Optional: add food coloring. (just a few drops)

Cookies must be cool before application of icing. Encase entire cookie and let the icing dry completely on wax paper, then flip over to another piece of wax paper so both sides dry.

Mommom Farmer's Apple Cupcakes

These are really nice in the fall. Not too sweet and moist and appley! I am going to make a batch this weekend with my daughter. I remember going to my grandmas and the counter full of these yummy cupcakes! Mommom says be sure not to use apples that are too sweet. My grandma is eighty four years old and lives in Lancaster County PA. Enjoy!

Mommom Farmer's Apple Cupcakes

2 1/2 C Flour

1 C Brown Sugar

1 C Sugar

2 Eggs

1 C Oil (Wesson or Crisco)

1 Heaping t Baking Soda

1/4 t Salt

2 t Cinnamon

• Mix Above Ingredients
• Add:

3 C Chopped Apples

1/2 C Chopped Nuts

• Mix
• Pour into lined Muffin Pan
• Sprinkle Butterscotch Morsels On Top
• Bake 350* for 15 to 20 Minutes