Inspired by this post from RecipeGirl, I dug out grandma’s snickerdoodle recipe today and made it a little more “fall-friendly.” Yum.

PUMPKIN SNICKERDOODLES

Mix:

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

Sift and stir into creamed mixture:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll into walnut-size balls, then roll in sugar mixture:

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until lightly brown on edges, about 8-10 minutes.

Ah, the humble Golden Delicious, that girl next door, mild-mannered and sweet. She’s never turned heads like that pretty Pink Lady, never sassed up a crowd like that tart Granny Smith. A little bit plump, with a blush on her cheeks, she was content enough to spend her days lounging about unnoticed.

That fellow Winesap, more than 70 years her senior, took one look at that blushing maiden in her soft yellow gown and declared her his own. He’s rough around the edges and scarred with age, a hard man really. She softens his edges though, she sweetens his tartness. And he, well, he helps that girl to stand up tall.

~

Here at Frog Creek, the apple pies are not too tart, not too sweet, and they come out of the oven just as tall as they were when they went in. The applesauce is perfectly sweetened by nature’s goodness: 50 percent Winesap, 50 percent Golden Delicious and not one pinch of refined sugar. Thank heaven for this perfect match.

Some strawberry jam in the making…

and with the strawberry tops…

…strawberry vinegar!

A little gardening to pass the time…

…and a day well spent.

For the strawberry jam recipe, check here. For the vinegar, just let those berry tops marinate for 12 hours or so, strain the vinegar out and boil it for a bit (you can add some sugar here if you like, but I just left it as is with plans to mix it up with honey and oil for salad dressings this summer). Process the vinegar just as you did your jam.

This recipe in its original form came off the back of a box of granola. We’ve made a few adjustments to it since then.

INGREDIENTS:

3 bananas

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup granola

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mash bananas.  Add sugar, vinegar, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs and mix.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and mix until almost combined.

3. Add granola and chocolate chips.

4. Pour into a greased and floured angel food cake pan.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Because we’re still elbow-deep in peaches at Frog Creek…

INGREDIENTS:

6-8 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped

2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix (and manufacturer’s required ingredients to make pudding)

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk pancake mix

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

First, make the sponge cake:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 15×10x1 inch cookie sheet.

2. Beat eggs, salt and vanilla four minutes on high speed. Add granulated sugar and beat at medium speed for 4-5 minutes. Add pancake mix until combined.

3. Spread batter in pan. Bake 8-10 minutes, until golden and cake springs back at touch.

4. Loosen edges and turn onto towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Cool on wire rack.

5. Make pudding according to package directions.

6. Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

7. Tear cake into bite-size pieces.

8. Spread layer of whipping cream in bottom of trifle bowl. Top with layer of pudding. Add peaches and sponge cake. Repeat with one or two more layers, until all of the ingredients have been used. Reserve whipping cream and a few peaches for top layer.

Store in refrigerator.

It’s peach season at Frog Creek. Enjoy a taste of our corner of the world:

VANILLA BEAN PEACH SYRUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 vanilla bean

2 cups sugar

5 cups pureed peaches (peeled and pitted first)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Two days before you want to make the syrup, slice a vanilla bean or two in half lengthwise and place them in a covered bowl with your sugar (two cups sugar for one batch, four cups sugar for two, and so on).

On day three (or whenever you’re ready), combine pureed peaches and lemon juice in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and vanilla bean and stir to combine. Bring to a boil again and let boil for a minute. (Don’t let it boil for too long or your syrup will be too thick to pour.)

Pour into prepared jars and process in a boiling water bath. (See canning instructions here.)

And now for the WAFFLES… more proof that the old so often outdoes the new. My search for the perfect waffle recipe ended with the discovery of Fannie Farmer’s Raised Waffles, originally published in the 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cookbook (see page 81), and more recently given new life in Marion Cunningham’s Lost Recipes.

FANNIE FARMER’S RAISED WAFFLES

(begin preparing the night before)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast

2 cups milk, warmed

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups flour

—

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

To prepare the sponge: Select a large mixing bowl. Add water to bowl. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Add milk, melted butter, salt, sugar and flour. Beat until smooth and well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

Just before cooking waffles, beat in eggs. Add baking soda. Stir until well mixed. Batter will be very thin.

Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of batter into very hot waffle iron. Bake until golden and crisp. Makes about 8 waffles.

(aka the best Chocolate Fudge Cake ever)

FOR THE CAKE:

INGREDIENTS:

3 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

2 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt chocolate in small bowl over hot water; cool.

2. Grease and flour two 9 x 1 1/2-inch layer cake pans.

3. Sift flour, baking soda and salt onto waxed paper.

4. Beat butter until soft in large bowl. Add brown sugar and eggs. Beat with mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and cooled melted chocolate. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition until batter is smooth. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.

5. Pour at once into prepared pans. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until centers spring back when lightly touched. Cool layers in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen around edges with a small knife or spatula; turn out onto wire racks and cool completely.

FOR THE FROSTING:

INGREDIENTS:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1 (1 pound) package confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine chocolate and butter in small heavy pan. Place over low heat, just until melted. Remove from heat.

2. Combine sugar, milk and vanilla in medium size bowl; stir until smooth. Add chocolate mixture.

3. Set bowl in pan of iced water; beat with wooden spoon until frosting is thick enough to spread and hold its shape.

4. Frost the cake and enjoy!