Cookbooks are to be bought and used... or so I thought before blogging and Weekend Cooking became part of my routine. Now, several new ones tempt me each week. Thank goodness for the public library, and inter-library loan in particular. I've gotten into the habit of taking some cookbooks for a 'test drive' before buying. Others are meant to be borrowed and read.
The Amish Cook: Recollections and Recipes from an Old Order Amish Family by Elizabeth Coblentz with Kevin Williams falls into that last category. Staci featured it on Six Sentence Saturday a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to take a closer look. The Amish Cook showcases many of Elizabeth's weekly newspaper columns on Amish life but, in addition, you'll find stunning photography and reflections on Amish traditions. Of course, there are also plenty of recipes organized into chapters titled: Breakfast, Dinner, Supper, Desserts, and Sundays and Special Occasions.
Margaret and I made Elizabeth's Applesauce Cookies. The recipe for these cake-like treats originally appeared in The Amish Cook column in September 1993.Applesauce Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together the butter, sugars, and egg. Add the applesauce, oatmeal, raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips. Add the sifted ingredients and mix real well, until the batter is smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls, spaced apart, onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, until the top and edges are slightly brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes 3 dozen cookies
Notes: We included walnuts, but omitted the raisins. Daughter #1 was home from college... and she hates raisins!
Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.
Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.
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15 comments:
Everyone's blog I have visited today, is showing food an it all looks good to me.
As there are only the two of us and neither of us can afford to stack on any more pounds, I don't bake any more, nor do we typically buy sweets, cakes or pastries.
It doesn't stop me looking and drooling over someone else's though!!
Not sure about the chocolate but I would add the raisins and the nuts! yum.
I do not believe this - I just got this same book from the library. We are on the same wave length. I'm about halfway through and I'm really enjoying it.
BTW - I love the plate the cookies are on. Perfect for Fall.
Hm, I'm not sure about the nuts, but I would definitely add lots of raisins. Yummy recipe.
Fiction-books - I'd be in tough shape (literally) if there weren't 4 or 5 people around to share the treats! We've also gotten into the habit of sending some in to my husband's office. Thanks for visiting!
Caite - Daughter #1 appreciated the raisinless cookies, but I'd like to add them next time. I'm sure it would taste even better!
Margot - That's so funny, especially since this has happened before! Glad you're enjoying it, too, Aren't the photographs beautiful?
Rikki - LOL! That's the great thing about recipes like this... we can customize them to our tastes!
applesauce cookies sound delicious! Thanks for sharing!
JoAnn--I had no idea you had this blog but I'm subscribing immediately. I love the idea of you and your daughter cooking together and then blogging about it-wonder if my mom would be up for such a task? :)
I admit I'm a little sad you opted out of the raisins but the rest looks delicious!
Yay!!! I must borrow this one from my friend again and make a few of those recipes for myself. I wanted to reach into the photo and grab a cookie!!!
Booksnyc - Oh, they were... and you're welcome!
Trish - We started this little project last spring and have been having a good time with it! I would have liked the raisins, and I'll be adding them next time around (when Daughter #1 isn't home).
Staci - And I wanted to jump into the photos in the book! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
These sound really good!
Kris - They were! Next time I'll add raisins, too.
Sorry I didn't get here sooner; I've been out of town since Friday morning.
Okay, so basically spice cookies (my favorite) with applesauce and chocolate chips? Oh yeah, I'll eat two or three.
Beth F - Hope you had a good weekend away! This was a nice twist on a spice cookie recipe.
Those sound delicious, although I'd leave out the nuts and keep the raisins.
Carolsnotebook - I love recipes like this where you can choose whichever add-ins you prefer.
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