Saturday, January 28, 2012

For the Love of Cookbooks


You might say I have way too many cookbooks!  I admit that I have a slight addiction.  My Hoosier Cupboard is full and this is only part of my collection - not to mention the sewing machine drawer full of favourite recipe cards or the box full of looseleaf recipe copies!  I've decided to challenge myself and try to use these resources to the fullest, over the next year (one of my resolutions for 2012). Besides, it's fun trying new recipes - right?







Today I pulled "Favourite Family Foods" compiled by the sisters of the Markham Waterloo Mennonite Conference.  Since it's a stormy Saturday I decided to try making "Pluckets".  I enjoy doing yeast baking and this is one I've never made before.  The book has a similar recipe as well called "Monkey Bread"(instead of rolling the dough into small balls, this is flattened dough and cut into wedges) - might have to try that one sometime too.








The recipe (with a few alterations):
1 yeast cake dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
(I used 1 Tbsp. Instant Yeast)
1 Cup milk - scalded
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1/3 Cup melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs well beaten
3 3/4 Cups all purpose Flour (I used about 4 1/2 Cups) - enough to make a stiff dough.
Add sugar, butter and salt to scalded milk.  Cool to lukewarm and then add dissolved yeast, eggs and flour to make a stiff dough.  Knead and let rise till double in bulk.  Punch down and let rise again.  With buttered hands, roll small pieces of dough into walnut size balls.  Dip balls into melted butter and then roll the balls into a mixture of 3/4 Cup brown sugar, 3 tsp. cinnamon and finely chopped pecans (optional).  Pile balls loosely into an ungreased tube pan.  Let rise for 30 minutes and then bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Turn upside down onto a plate.  Wait a few minutes before removing pan.  Serve warm - pluck buns off as desired.  There's a note on the bottom of this recipe that reads "Dough should be started in morning for dinner" :).

This is how they turned out


I've tucked the book back into it's spot and closed the door for now.
  Time to make a pot of tea and
  pluck me one of those buns!

My antique sewing machine drawer full of well used and favourite recipe cards!

5 comments:

  1. oh my ... those look scrumptious!! Would you like some MORE cookbooks? I just cleaned out my whole drawer & am only keeping the Betty Crocker one I got for a shower gift & my Mary Moore one from 1974. And I finally threw out the 736 recipes that I cut out of the Beacon Herald that I never used ;-) All because I don't cook or bake. lol But I sure do love looking at the pictures & I love reading about YOUR baking!!!

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  2. Oh, we love "Monkey Bread" at this house! I can almost smell it from here! I can see your Mennonite Community Cookbook in your row of cookbooks. It is one of my sentimental favorites.

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  3. a pot of tea pulled buns a warm fire and a cozy blanket.what a way to spend a winters day.sounds great !!!

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  4. I love Monkey Bread! That does look so tempting to bake up sometime soon. My theory is one can never have too many cookbooks!

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  5. Wow...that is some fantastic looking monkey bread! You are so much like me...with my rows of old cookbooks that I love looking through!
    I'd love tat cup of tea with you Rosella.

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