Waldorf Salad Cookies

I found this recipe in a magazine type publication Women's Circle Home Cooking- Christmas Snacks, 1989. This is the type of booklet in which home cooks contribute their recipes. Apparently some frugul housewife found herself with some leftover waldorf salad and didn't want to throw it out so she made it into cookies. Then she figured out how to write it up in recipe form. I can't imagine anyone making this with fresh ingredients.

Waldorf Salad Cookies
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
3/4 cups mayonnaise
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped apples
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, mayonnaise, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until smooth. Stir in apples, nuts and celery. Drop by level tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on racks completely before storing in tightly covered container.

Grandma's Pumpernickel Ice Cream

This recipe is from a Bon Appetit cookbook called Frozen Treats. It does not sound like a treat to me. I don't know what Grandma was thinking when she decided to put bread crumbs in ice cream but I think it was a bad idea.

Grandma's Pumpernickel Ice Cream

4 thin slices pumpernickel bread
2 tablespoons grated semisweet chocolate
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon margarine
Finely chop bread in processor. Set aside 2 tablespoons crumbs. Mix remaining crumbs, chocolate and lemon peel in small bowl. Stir into ice cream. Return to freezer. Combine reserved breadcrumbs, sugar and margarine in small skillet and stir over medium-low heat until mixture begins to caramelize. Cool slightly. Spoon ice cream into bowls. Sprinkle with crumb mixture and serve.

A Holiday Fruit Pudding Like No Other

No this recipe isn't for the one in the photo. That is one of my Ideals Magazine scans. This is something else entirely.

Sometimes we all think fondly of our favorite holiday foods of the past. But I doubt anyone is looking back with nostalgia over this recipe. I really can't imagine how anyone would think this recipe was worthy of publishing.

From my 1936 Royal Desserts and Salads I present to you: Holiday Fruit Pudding

1/2 pound prunes

1 inch stick cinnamon

6 whole cloves

1 package Royal Gelatin Dessert (lemon flavor)

1 cup hot prune juice

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sliced figs

1/2 cup seeded raisins

1/4 cup sliced citron

1/4 cup shredded almonds

Soak prunes in enough water to cover. Add cinnamon and cloves; cook slowly in same water until soft. Remove pits and chop prunes. Measure 1 cup prune juice, heat to boiling.

Dissolve gelatin in prune juice, Add sugar, orange and lemon juice. Chill until mixture begins to thicken; add prunes and remaining ingredients. Chill in pudding mould until firm. Serve with pudding sauce, flavored with grated orange rind. Serves 8 to 10.

Prune Aspic or should we say Dried Plum Aspic?

This is Helen Corbitt's recipe for prune aspic. Her comment: "Among the various fruits I have molded there have been more requests for Prune Salad than perhaps and other. Could be because it was so often served for a buffet and is striking to the eye? Simple beyond words. It is especially good with turkey and ham."
You can't get more retro than prunes. They have such a bad name that they are now called dried plums. What makes this weird? I doubt it has been made by anyone in many a year. It is a recipe that is just completely outdated. Molded salads are out, prunes are out and so is this recipe.
Prune Aspic
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
3 1/2 cups canned prune juice, hot
4 cups canned prunes, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dissolve gelatin in the cold water. Add to hot prune juice and when partially congealed add prunes and lemon juice. Pour into a ring mold and chill. Turn out on a silver tray and garnish with whatever you please. Fill the center with cream cheese beaten up with light cream until the consistency of whipped cream. Sprinkle top with grated lemon or orange peel.