Cucumbers Sliced

large bowl

2 medium cucumbers; thinly sliced
1 medium onion; thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

Wash your cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers thin. Lay them neatly in a large bowl or canning jar. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Next, add a layer of thin sliced onions. Repeat the process until all the cucumbers and onions have been used. Mix the vinegar and water together and gently poor over the cucumber mix. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Good for up to three days.

Tidbit: General Ulysses S. Grant ate cucumbers every morning with his breakfast.

Homemade Apple Sauce

Large saucepan
8 cups good cooking apples, washed, pared and cored
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons homemade brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 freshly grated nutmeg

Wash, pare, core and slice apples. Place them in a large saucepan with 1/2 cup water to keep them from burning. Add the grated lemon peel. Stew the apples until quite soft and tender. Mash the apple mixture. Add the brown sugar, butter and nutmeg. Mash the apple-sauce one more time. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Apple Fritters

Apple Fritters
Large Dutch-oven
small saucepan
1 large bowl, 1 medium bowl, 2 small bowls
slotted spoon

lard
1 cup whole milk, warmed slightly
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon homemade baking powder
2 large eggs separated; whites and yolks slightly beaten in separate bowls
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sour apples, washed, peeled, cored and chopped
maple syrup

Heat approximately 3 inches deep of good sweet lard in the Dutch-oven until it reaches 370 degrees.

In the meantime, heat the milk in a small saucepan until it is luke warm. Have ready a large bowl with the beaten egg yolks and sugar creamed together. Add the warm milk.

Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Slowly add this to the milk mixture. Next, add the beaten egg whites. Fold in the chopped apples until they are incorporated.

Golden Spice Cake

Golden Spice Cake

(2) 8x8 round or square baking pans
preheat oven to 350 degrees
egg separator

7 egg yolks from large eggs, beaten and room temperature
1 large whole egg, room temperature
2 cups homemade brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon soda
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups raisins

Beat eggs, sugar and butter to a light batter; then add the molasses and buttermilk.

Whisk the soda and seasonings into the flour well. Add a small amount of the flour mixture at a time to the batter. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and then fold in the raisins.

Bake in a two 8 x 8 buttered and floured pans in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.