MY GRANDMOTHER HATTIE OWENS’S FRUITCAKE

1 lb. each: flour, butter and sugar
1 doz. eggs, separated
2 boxes dark raisins
1 box currants
½ lb. pineapple
¾ lb. cherries
¾ lb. citron
¼ lb. orange peel
¼ lb. lemon peel
1 box dates
1 lb. blanched almonds
1 lb. pecans
1 lb. English walnuts (or 2 lb. black walnuts)
½ tsp. mace
½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon
1 tsp. baking powder
½ c. whiskey

Cream butter and flour together; beat egg yolks well, add sugar, and mix well. Combine with first mixture; beat well. Beat egg whites until stiff; cut fruit and nuts and flour lightly; add nuts and fruit alternately with egg whites to first two mixtures folding in egg whites last. Add spices and baking powder. Bake about 4 hours in a 275°F. oven. Pour whiskey over cake; wrap tightly in cheese cloth or cotton tea towel. Store in cool, dark place.

NOTE: “I cooked mine about 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.”

HAZEL’S FRUITCAKE
“I’m not for sure if this is Hazel Winder or Hazel Davis.”

6 eggs, separated
½ lb. butter
2 c. flour + 1 c. extra for fruit
2 c. sugar
3 c. pecans
1 c. English walnuts
½ c. black walnuts
½ lb. slivered almonds
1 lb. white raisins
½ lb. cherries
½ lb. pineapple
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter and flour together. Beat egg yolks with sugar (by hand). Add flour mixture to sugar mixture in four installments. Fold in beaten egg whites a little at a time. Add vanilla. Pour this mixture to fruits and nuts gradually. Bake in cold oven at 200°F. for first hour, then 275°F. for 2 hours (3 hours in all). Pour ¼ c. brandy over warm cake.

“MISS” MAE HUDGINS FRUITCAKE
“Her daughter Dianne would come down from Richmond and we would all make our fruitcakes together.”

3 c. flour + 1 c. added to fruit
2½ c. sugar
2 sticks butter + ½ c. Crisco
1 scant tsp. yeast powder
¾ lb. red cherries
¼ lb. green cherries
2 slices white pineapple
2 slices green pineapple
2 slices red pineapple
1 apple cut in very small pieces
1 orange cut in very small pieces
½ jar maraschino cherries and a little of the cherry juice
2 c. black walnuts
1 lb. English walnuts
5 eggs
1 c. raisins

Put in cold oven. Bake at 200°F. for 1 hour then at 275°F. for 2 hours. Total of 3 hours.

CRANBERRY FLUFF SALAD

2 c. fresh cranberries, ground
3 c. miniature marshmallows
¾ c. sugar
2 c. diced, unpared Gala apples
½ c. seedless green grapes
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. broken English walnuts
1 c. whipping cream, whipped

Combine cranberries, marshmallows and sugar. Cover and chill overnight. Add apples, grapes, walnuts and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Chill. Turn onto a lettuce-lined serving bowl. Trim with a cluster of green grapes. Makes 8-10 servings.

CORN PUDDING

2 cans whole kernel yellow corn, drained
4 eggs
8 Tbs. sugar
4 Tbs. flour
1½ c. whole milk
1½ c. evaporated milk
2 Tbs. butter, melted

Beat eggs until well beaten. Combine sugar and flour and then stir in sugar mixture and melted butter. Add both milks and well drained corn. Mix well. Set oven at 400°F. and bake until pudding is stiffly thickened, approximately 30-40 minutes. Serves 12 or more. Recipe can be halved. “During baking I stir mine every 10 minutes until thickened.”

STRAWBERRY SALAD
“This will be introduced at The Island Stop for Thanksgiving sales.”

3 pkg. (3 oz. each) strawberry Jell-O
3 mashed ripe bananas
1 c. chopped black walnuts
20 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed and cut in pieces
1 can (1 lb. 4½ oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
1 c. boiling water
1 pt. sour cream

Dissolve Jell-O in the hot water. Mix Jell-O, strawberries, pineapple and bananas. Pour ½ of Jell-O mixture in a 13×9-inch pan and chill until firm. Mix the nuts with sour cream. Add layer of sour cream mixture and then layer of remaining Jell-O mixture and chill overnight.

COUNTRY HAM AND GLAZE

Cover ham with water and soak for 2 days. Place ham on a rack in roaster pan; add 4 c. water and cover pan tightly with heavy duty foil. Put in cold oven; set oven to 400°F. When oven reaches this temperature let it cook for 20 minutes. Turn oven off for 3 hours. Then turn back on to 400°F. until it reaches this temperature again and cook 20 minutes. Turn oven off and leave ham in oven overnight (6-8 hours). DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR AT ANY TIME until next morning. Then remove skin, leaving ¼-inch fat covering on ham for scoring. Dot the surface of ham with cloves and brush on Ham Glaze.

Ham Glaze

¾ c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground cloves
½ c. white vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Brush ham with glaze several times during browning in a 350°F. oven for 30 minutes.

Storage

After serving ham, cover with foil or place in large plastic bag to prevent dehydration and store in refrigerator. Flavor is best if ham is served at room temperature.

FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Friendship cake is a delicious substitute for a fruitcake and makes great gifts for neighbors, friends and shut-ins. The intent of friendship cake is for the recipients to add ingredients and pass it on. The starter is inexpensive and creates five starters from the initial recipe.

Initial Starter

Mix 1 c. cubed pineapple, 1 c. sugar and 2 Tbs. brandy (optional). Pour the mixture into a gallon jar. Stir every day for two weeks. Combine 1 c. maraschino cherries, 1 c. sugar and 2 Tbs. brandy (optional) and add to the gallon jar mixture and stir daily for 2 weeks. Mix 1 c. canned peaches, 1 c. sugar and 2 Tbs. brandy (optional) and add to the gallon jar mixture. Stir daily for 2 more weeks. Drain liquid into a separate bowl. Do not refrigerate it. Reserve

1½ c. for five friendship starters. Use the remainder for another purpose such as a topping for ice cream. Starter must be used within 5 days. After 30 days the mixture will make 3 cakes. Place in large covered bowl at room temperature. Stir every day and keep a lid on. During the 30 days never refrigerate. Cakes may be frozen but not starter mixture.

Day 1

Add to 1½ c. starter:

1 16-oz. can diced peaches and juice (can use sliced peaches and dice them)
2½ c. sugar

Mix together, stir every day and keep covered.

Day 10

Add to above mixture:

1 16-oz. can chunk pineapple and juice
2 c. sugar

Mix together, stir every day and keep covered.

Day 20

Add to above mixture:

1 16-oz. can fruit and juice
2 c. sugar
1 10-oz. jar maraschino cherries

Together, stir every day and keep covered.

Day 30

Drain juice from fruit, divide fruit into thirds (3 cakes), divide juice into 1½ c. portions. These 1½ c. portions (should make 5) are how starter continues. Store in tight containers and give to friends with a copy of this recipe.

For Each Cake

1/3 of fruit mix
4 eggs
1 box yellow cake mix
1½ c. nuts
2/3 c. oil

1 small box vanilla instant pudding

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Bake in greased and floured Bundt cake pan at 350°F. for 50 to 60 minutes. If top begins to burn, cover with aluminum foil.

“This sounds like a lot of trouble but it really isn’t and you get 3 cakes with every 1½ c. starter. One year I kept all of my starter and made 15 cakes for friends and neighbors.”