40 Diamonds for 40: Awesome Aunties, Aunt Ruby

Part of the reason I love being an auntie is because of the influence of my great-aunts, the sisters of my maternal grandmother. For the first eight years of my life, while she was across the country in North Carolina, three of Grandma Ollie's sisters lived in the same town in Utah where I was born. There were family gatherings, phone calls, etc. where they stood in loco parentis et grandparentis.

While I was younger I didn't know Aunt Ruby as well. She had a crazy busy large family, and I was just trying to deal with my own siblings. It's only on the more recent visits, both for grandma's hospitalization and then later funeral in NC, and then many trips back to Utah, that I've really got to see how certain of my mother's characteristics are a genetic legacy. That Auntie Ruby. She's a PIP!

l-r: Uncle Gordon*, Grandma Ollie, Aunt Ruby*, Aunt Shirley**, and Aunt Dorothy, with Uncle Preston** on the floor (* spouses)

Aunt Shirley may be the only one who I'll let call me by a nickname, but that doesn't mean that her sister won't try to tease me too.

Dear [Auntie Nettie],

But who’s to say a bug is cute? We often hear of the ugly bug, potato bug, lady bug, tobacco bug oops! They are worms. Flu bug – enough already!

I admire our [Nettie] and love to see her interact with her Mom.

Your formal education and vocation are commendable.

You deserve congrats!

With love and best wishes,

Auntie Ruby

P.S. The pictures are a few we thought might fit someplace – although some are of your mother as a child and some maybe cousins, that visited.

Trust you’ll enjoy them and know the difference.

Letters from Ollie J - March 2, 1999

Photo of the Logan LDS Temple (at top right) courtesy of Rick Satterfield, c. 2005, and can be found here.

After her accident and some initial rehabilitation, Grandma went out to Logan to live with her sister Dorothy. It was originally thought that this might be an extended and permanent living arrangement, giving them both company, Grandma sisterly support, and access to extended geriatric care. However, Grandma had been too used to being the big sister and Ms. Independent for too long, and not long after this letter, for one reason and another, Mom and I traveled out West to bring Grandma back to North Carolina. (Needless to say, this was NOT an easy trip.) You can take the girl off the farm and out of the south, but ...

It's funny to read this letter now, to know some of what was going on behind the scenes, and hearing some versions of it from Grandmary and the aunties. It was one of those mixed blessing arrangements that actually did more good in the long run, despite the immediate difficulties.

The photo at the end of the letter is of the aunties and Grandmary c. August 2010, during our stopover on the River Trip. From left to right: Aunt Shirley, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Dorothy, and Grandmary. (How can you miss the family resemblance?)

[postmarked 2] March 1999

[Aunt Dorothy’s house, Logan, UT]

Dear [Granddaughter],

Thanks for your cards and letters. Your thoughts and Actions.

I do feal[sic] better. My sholders[sic] tire easly[sic]. Can walk better. Even quilted a quilt with help of Ruby, Shirley and Dorothy.

Have been to Temple LOGAN eight times. Does feal[sic] good to be in Temple again. Have see[sic] several people I worked with at Washington. Like Meeting some of Family.

Good you and Mom can go off together and do thing you like to do. You can have NY I’d rather shop in a smaler[sic] place. Oh yes I have been to NY once with your Mom.

We had fine snow falling most all day yesterday. Melted quite fast too.Am sure it was heaver[sic] than here.

Called Lucille A— a few days ago. She said they had a wind storm that took tin off Cow shelter. She went over to my house to see how storm was. Things weren’t too disturbed there.

Aunt Shirley has infection in her Right eye. Doctor and medicine is helping it heal.

Preston & Shirley went to Hawaii for a week had a good time.

You didn’t say a thing about your Brother. Hope they are well and Happy.

Hope you and your Mom has a good Flight out.

All the Sisters or Aunts are well – and busy – Yes Happy too.

Take Care of your self.

Be good to see you again

Love

Grandma

Recipes from Grandmary -- Fudge Frosting

Cakes usually come with frosting. Especially my traditional birthday cake, which I remembered more for the frosting than for the cake. It was the one time of year I was actually allowed to eat fudge without too much guilt.

I was even more anxious to make this frosting than the cake. For the cake I only called Grandmary in Utah once. The frosting merited two phone calls. (Next cellphone I'm getting will have video conferencing abilities, to make these types of calls easier. Take a note Grandmary. Cellphone cameras/video-calling for recipe testing from New York/Utah! Also, a.v. guys -- how's that smell-o-vision coming along?)

As for this frosting experiment, I'm not too old or proud to admit that I burst into happy tears when I tasted the final results. Just as I remembered. All of my various childhood memories and associations bubbled up and over. Needless to say, I'm not waiting another 18 years to taste this. Who needs a cake? I'll eat it off the beaters like I used to as a kid.

Frosting

2 cups white sugar
¼ cup white corn syrup
½ cup milk
½ cup shortening
1 ½ square unsweetened chocolate (cut-up)
¼ teaspoon salt

Boil 1 min.
Whip until good to spread.

Combine all in pot.
Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute. Stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Whip until gets thicker and starts to come away from side of pan – at least 5 minutes with a mixer, MUCH longer if by hand. (Whipping will cool the mixture – if it cools too much it’s hard to spread). Pour on cake and spread quickly.
Or, even better, eat with a spoonful when cool.

Half Batch:

1 cup white sugar
1/8 cup white corn syrup
¼ cup milk
¼ cup shortening
¾ squares unsweetened chocolate (cut up)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Same direction as above.



LEFTOVERS FOR ME! Yummmmmmmm

Recipes from Grandmary -- Auntie Nettie's B-day Cake

You know how every family member has that one treat that is theirs and theirs alone, and it only comes out on big occasions? (I've recently mentioned Grandma Roa's Red Velvet Cake, and Grandma Ollie's holiday fruit cake is a superb antidote to the stereotype.)

Well. This is the cake that is traditionally associated with my birthday. Three layers of chocolate cake smothered in the most delectable fudge frosting you ever did taste. The cake was only made for my birthday. Not the younger brothers' birthdays ... MINE. It is prominently featured in many a childhood birthday picture, staying timeless no matter the hairstyle, housing decor, or adolescent morphing.

It is the centerpiece of family lore, i.e remember the time Mom ruined the frosting by using salt instead of sugar? (Yes, it was that puckeringly bad!) Remember how the first year after the move saw a slightly deformed cake because of the altitude adjustments. It even made an appearance during my freshman year of college, much to the delight of my roommates -- garnering younger brother J a kiss by the mysterious and beautiful Belen of South America. Sadly, I think the last time Grandmary made it for me was my 21st birthday, and that was a very long time ago. [And! Hello! Now that I think about it, I only got a hunk of it because by the time she came down to visit, the other occupants of her house had eaten into the cake (Um, thanks DAD!)]

I've been saving this one to try. It has been a lifetime since I've had my birthday cake. Frankly, I was afraid to try it. Would it live up to the nostalgia? Could I replicate the taste? How would the recipe work in one 13x9 sheet cake versus 3 8" rounds? Would it be everything I remembered? Would it be gluttonous to eat the whole thing myself?

Despite this being my birthday cake, it actually still is a Grandma recipe. I got it from Grandmary, and then I found it in Aunt Ruby's box last summer (that's her card below, mine is above). So, that's three generations, at the very least, that have made this cake.

Walter Baker’s Prize Chocolate Cake

3 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup boiling water
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs (well beaten)
1 cup sour milk*
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour once, measure, add soda, salt and sift 3 times. Set aside.

Add boiling water to chocolate. Stir until well-melted. Set aside.

Cream shortening. Add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and beat well. Add cocoa mix and blend.

Add flour alternatively with milk in small amounts, beating after each addition until smooth.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in three 8” cake pans.

*Use 1 teaspoon vinegar to the milk to make sour milk.

I used a 13x9 pan, and ended up baking this closer to 50 minutes, until the center domed up. Sadly, after cooling, the dome collapsed. I let this sit for about four days, sealed in a lid, until I got around to frosting it. What the lid managed to do was keep in the moistness of the cake, and then the frosting helped. The frosting recipe -- actually my favorite part -- will be up next week.

I took it to work to share, without telling people the personal significance of the cake. They are so used to me baking by now, no one asks why I bring things anymore. It was gone in about 2 hours of me alerting various departments to come and share. I did manage to snag 2 pieces before it was gone. Next time, I'll be more greedy.

Recipes from Aunt Ruby -- Candi(e)d Nuts

Here's another gem from Aunt Ruby's recipe archives. I like how you can be candid about how much you like candied nuts.

For this test, I used the much cheaper peanut.


Candid (Candied) Walnuts

Put in saucepan.
1 1/2 cup sugar (white)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
(I actually added the cinnamon to this step -- and the apartment smelled lusciously of cinnamon and honey for a few days.)

Boil until firm ball (use candy therm. with this marking, over 200 degrees)

Take from fire (stove) and add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon vinegar (white).

Stir until creamy. (Color if desired) (no coloring for this test, don't know what creamy was supposed to be, but there were no lumps?)

Add 2 cups nuts and stir until covered.

Spoon out on wax paper.

When cool break apart.

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional?)

As the nuts cooled, the excess liquids turned creamy in some places, but was still sticky in others. This is an old-fashioned flavor. I enjoyed it, but I think it may be an acquired taste. After 2 days in one office, I tried another. It disappeared there. I assume it got eaten.

Maybe if you use the walnuts, the extra liquid covers the nuts? Next time, we'll test with pecans or walnuts.

Recipes from Aunt Ruby -- Ginger Bread Cookies

When I initially got this recipe from Aunt Ruby I had no idea when I'd make it. I have never baked with molasses before and I wasn't going to go out and purchase any.

And then Mom and Dad moved and I got many large containers of molasses.

No excuses left, and it being the holidays, I decided to experiment with these, but only after some consultations and research.

This is not a "normal" recipe, meaning that I had to consult many search engines, peruse my cookbooks, and show this to expert baker Tori. I still haven't found anything like this. No eggs? Hot water? How much flour yields a stiff dough?

Ginger Bread Cookies
(About 45 men)

Mix together in bowl:
1 cup sugar (white)
1 cup shortening (used stick of butter-flavored Crisco)
1 tablespoon soda (baking)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
1 cup Gold label molasses
a little salt (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
Pour over above: 2 cups hot water
Add flour to make still dough (7 cups!)
350 degrees 10 (inches? minutes? probably!)

Since the dough was a little hard to handle, I popped it in the fridge for about an hour to stiffen (and then 2 more hours in the freezer to stiffen even more). I did this based on other recipes I had seen. My research was also the reason I hadn't panicked when the cups of flour reached 5 cups, and started to approach 7 cups. (Good thing I have 50 lbs of flour!)

Rolling out the dough and cutting them into shapes was also an adventure. Turns out I don't have the usual holiday cookie cutters. I have circles, hearts, a cow, and oddly, a Hanukkah dreidel was hiding in my freezer. It being the season of Chrismukkah, I went with the dreidels.

There was so much dough. I kept rolling, and cutting, and baking.

This isn't a typical "hard" gingerbread - like is usual for decorating cookies. It's a cross between gingerbread "cake" and cookies. Since it stayed so soft, I didn't even frost it. Various offices consumed the results, with nary an audible complaint, and the mass amounts of dreidels disappeared in two days, so all in all? A success.

Don't ask me why some of these photos formatted one way, and the others, another. I have no idea.

Recipes from Ollie J -- Cabbage Casserole

Actually, it's Recipes from Aunt Ruby ... it's still in the family, so that's close enough for me.

Cabbage Casserole

Brown one pound hamburger and 1 onion.
Shred 1/2 cabbage and put in a baking dish.
Sprinkle 1/2 raw rice over the top of cabbage.
Spread the hamburger and onion over that.
Mix 1 can tomato soup with 1/2 soup can water.
Pour over cabbage, rice, and meat.
Pour one can Manwich Sauce over that.
Top with grated cheese.
Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.

I don't know who transcribed this recipe card, but the family tendency to assume that the cook has watched someone else cook this is in effect once again.

How much raw rice? 1/2 cup? 1/2 tsp? 1/2 a pound. Yes, I realize it's probably 1/2 a cup ... but come on!
How big a baking dish?
How large a can of Manwich Sauce?
How much grated cheese?

But seriously, how much can't I stand the smell of cooked cabbage?
I do remember eating this one as a small child, back in the B.C. years (aka Before Connecticut/1980), but it was never my favorite. Not that I had a choice. It was eat or wear!

Because I am now ostensibly an adult (depending on how I'm acting and who you ask), I am exerting my right not to try this recipe and have my studio kitchen reek of cooked cabbage for days.

If some brave reader would like to try it and send in the results and/or edits, I welcome your feedback.

Recipes from Aunt Shirley -- Night Before Coffee Cake

I was served this delicious Coffee Cake during a multi-generational family breakfast this past summer during the River/Road Trip. We built in a rest-day in Logan, Utah on our way back south, and stayed over at Aunt Ruby's house. Aunt Ruby made the famous family Wedding Breakfast Casserole (see forthcoming 12/27/10 entry), and Aunt Shirley brought this treat. She was concerned that she didn't get the center quite cooked through, but we all didn't mind too much.

Night Before Coffee Cake [from someone named Annette]

Mix [in one bowl]:
2 cups flour (white)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda (baking)
1 teaspoon b.p. (baking powder)

Cream [in another bowl]:
1 cup sugar (white)
1/2 cup b. sugar (brown)
2/3 cup shortening

add 2 beaten eggs

Add [creamed mixture] alternately [to] dry ingredients & [add] 1 cup buttermilk

Pour in 9 x 13 pan

[Top with topping]

Topping:
1/2 cup b. sugar (brown)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup dates
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Refrigerate over night

Bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes*.

*watch cooking time. Test out the center for firmness with a knife. If gooey, cook for 5-10 minutes and test again. Repeat as needed.

Here's Uncle Gordon serving up the cake. Certain family members ate theirs with a side of melon, but I like mine uncontaminated by health food.

Also, the large tablecloth pictured here? My mother's grandmother (Great-grandma Bertha) made that -- Grandma Ollie, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Dorothy, and Aunt Shirley's mom. By hand. One tiny cross-stitch at a time. In essence there were four generations represented at that breakfast -- with that tablecloth being one, all the way down to me. That's over 100 years of history around one table.

I'm finally getting smarter about documenting the original recipe cards and asking more questions when I have queries about abbreviations.

I forsee a few problem with making this recipe:

1) I can barely get up in enough time to get ready and get out the door for a 8:00 ish train. Building in more time in the morning so I can get up, put this in my oven which is already notoriously slow, and then give it enough time to cool is not something of which I can conceive right now.

Plus
2) How I will transport a hot 9x13 dish through my crazy 1 hour commute, without
a) ruining it,
b) getting burned,
c) devouring it myself, or
d) getting mugged by my fellow commuters and/or the train conductors.

Dilemmas to be sure. Maybe I just make one up for me and the neighbors. I doubt they'll turn away baked goods.

Recipes from Grandmary -- Peanut Clusters

Grandmary recently spent her 13-week “sabbatical/grandmother family leave” whipping up various creations for her sons and grandchildren. One of the concoctions that were requested were these Peanut Clusters that Jed/Max Jr. asked … nay, demanded that Grandmary make. To emphasize the point that he really wanted these treats, he handed over a bag of Spanish peanuts, his cast iron skillet, and his kid. I saw Drew later, but I never saw the Peanut Clusters. I think my brother ate them all himself.

When I was trying to get some background on the recipe, Grandmary did cop to the fact that she actually got the recipe from her Aunt Ruby, one of her mother’s sisters. It may be a southern recipe that Ruby and Ollie J had growing up on the family farm, way down in North Carolina.

Grandmary/Aunt Ruby’s Peanut Clusters

2 cups raw peanuts [used Planters unsalted, dry roasted]
1 cup sugar [white]
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water

Place all of the ingredients in a large thick pot* and cook at a slow boil until it crystallizes, approximately 11 minutes. Pour on a cookie sheet. Bake in oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Stir. Bake for 15 more minutes. Take out of oven and let cool.

*Grandmary says that a cast iron skillet is best.

I don't have an iron skillet, so I used a coated saucepan. It took longer than 11 minutes for me to feel like the boil had crystallized. The sauce turned thicker and started to turn brown before I turned out the mix on a sprayed down cookie sheet. After the first 15 minutes of baking in the pre-heated 300 degree oven, the peanuts still didn't look or smell done. The second 15 minutes of baking gives them more of the golden brown color.

Aunt Ruby with Elle and Amber, March 2010

Courtesy of J