Great Grandmother Lizzie’s Fruit Cake

My great Grandma's recipe. I had to research to find out why this cake, made with raisins, is called a fruit cake - originally they we called "plum" cakes in the old world...even tho they aren't made with plums, just dried fruit. Anyway, it's like a delicious spiced cake.

I was very excited to come across this recipe for Fruit Cake In my Grandmother’s recipe box. It came down from her Mother, Lizzie Maloney. It’s a rich, moist and lovely Gingerbread type cake and the spicing is beautiful.

Fruit Cake or Plum Cake (a very old recipe)

Fruit Cake or Plum Cake (a very old recipe)

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My Grandmother’s Pie Crust

This is an easy pie crust - has vinegar AND an egg! So old, it originally calls for lard, but butter or shortening both work fine.

I might have to clarify on this recipe: This is just ONE of my Grandmother’s pie crusts. She was a great baker of pies. People fought over her pies. Seriously. I chose this very old-fashioned crust for my Sour Cream Raisin Pie because I believe both to be from around the same era. It’s delish, a bit like a shortbread and quite a bit different from the recipes I’ve seen or used.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie, showing my Grandma's Pie Crust

Sour Cream Raisin Pie, showing my Grandma’s Pie Crust

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Garden Chili Sauce - small batch, 4 pints

Garden Chili Sauce

This is gonna blow you away!!

In honor of the upcoming New Year’s (and to use up a bag of black eyed peas and a couple of ham hocks languishing in my freezer) I decided to make Black Eyed Peas. And there is no better accompaniment to Black Eyed Peas than a my home-made Chili Sauce.

Garden Chili Sauce - small batch, 4 pints

Garden Chili Sauce – small batch, 4 pints

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