Monday, November 2, 2009

Compliments of the Season...and Vintage Recipes Found!

Good afternoon! Hope your day is going beautifully! Speaking of beautiful, I need to show you what autumn looks like today in my front yard...



Sorry to do that to those of you in cold and blustery places!



A couple of cards Christmas cards to share with you today. I had also done a Thanksgiving card yesterday, but I'm just really not happy with it, so I'll either redo it or scrap it--not sure which!

This first card uses a beautiful image from Crafty Secrets' new "Christmas" Creative Scraps--love this set of images!



Something scrumptious about a big, fat tartan ribbon! I bunched up some jingle bells and stitched them in place on the bow. Lots of German gold glass glitter around the image, and some Dazzling Diamonds on the flowers on the image--doesn't show up much, though!



My second card for the day uses some beautiful images from Graphic 45's new "Christmas Past" collection--such a beautiful grouping of images & designer papers! I'll be doing much more with this set! I just love the sentiment: COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON...no one says beautiful things like that anymore! (Hence my title--I needed a reason to use it!)



I added some beautiful creamy lace, more tartan ribbon (never too much tartan at holiday time!), buttons to mimic holly berries, glittered gold leaves, and some of my beautiful gold glass glitter again. Here's a closer look:



On to something deliciously decadent! I had a few over-ripe bananas this morning, and needed to find something besides banana bread to do with them...so I searched a bit on line, and Oh, my! Wait till you see what I found! Don't you just love finding something unexpected?!



A whole blog dedicated to vintage recipes, found in old recipe boxes, books, etc., at estate sales, flea markets, and so forth. There are some amazing recipes there, all for sharing, and some even have scanned images of the original hand-written recipe! What a find! The site is called "Recovered Recipes", and I can't wait to try more of them!




Here's what I made today--an old recipe for Banana Cake:




It looks small in this picture, but it's an 8 x 8 size cake on a large platter...




Look at all that caramelly frosting--I'll get to that in a minute!



Ahhhhhh! My daughter made very happy sounds with each bite she took (me, too!)

Here's the recipe:

BANANA CAKE
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 egg yolks
4 Tbsp. "sweet milk"***
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)


Combine the two sugars, butter, egg yolks, milk and soda in bowl. Sift baking powder and flour into batter. Stir. Add mashed bananas and mix until blended. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
(The recipe said this would fill 2 round cake pans--it won't! I tried...not enough batter. So I just put the batter in an 8" square pan and it was perfect. I would double the recipe for the 2 pans.

***Interesting note found on the recipe site: in old recipes, you'll see the reference to "sweet milk"--this simply means fresh milk. Before we had refrigerators in our kitchens, milk was delivered every day or so, and fresh milk was "sweet", older milk was "sour", and there was buttermilk. Interesting, huh?

I decided to find yummy recipe for frosting, and immediately thought of Gooseberry Patch--they never let me down! Looked in their fabulous cookbook "Christmas All Through the House" and found the perfect frosting recipe:

Quick Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla


Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 3 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.


Stir in milk and bring to a boil; remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Use immediately. Makes 3 cups.


DELICIOUS!!!

Hope you enjoy this sweet, delicious discovery--I wonder what you might find there...?

15 comments:

  1. I am starving after reading your post! The recipe reminded me of a few that are in my Grandma's handwriting that I treasure (no bake cookies is one) as she passed away when I was 20. Also love the vintage Christmas piece..I am a softie for anything with tartan on it (my heritage)...beautiful!

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  2. Oh my.. beautiful..I want to know if you collect this lace u use..gorgeous
    stuff..breathtaking..Yummo cake..I am making applesause tomoro..maybe cake now too.... :)

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  3. Love the new cards Julie, You amaze me with your productivity and your amazingingly creative eye!!! I love vintage recipes. In fact I published a cookbook filled with them, called Recipes From the Big Blue Binder. There's a link on my Oak Cottage Blog. It's full of recipes that I have collected through the years and handwritten into an old blue binder, all my tried and trues, old family recipes, friendship recipes, memories, etc. That banana cake recipe looks like a real keeper, especially with your additon of that lucious looking caramel glaze!!

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  4. You made me smile this morning, beautiful photo of the roses, it's 7.30am here in UK, raining cats and dogs, been out with my dog and got absolutely soaked. Anyway what lovely cards, beautiful, I love the lace and tartan you've used. I am going to have to try this recipe though, even though I'm on a diet!!! :)))

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  5. Those Graphic 45 papers are perfect for your style - great cards again! And just look at your roses, how perfect are those?! It's very grey and wet here today so those were a lovely breath of colour, thanks!

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  6. Your cards are stunning Julie, I love the way you assemble everything and it looks perfect. As for that banana cake - where's my apron, I'll just get the oven on? Yum yum. x

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  7. these cards are just so festive and fancy! and that cake - yum!

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  8. Oh my gosh girl ... these creations are just dripping with vintage beauty!! Love that recipe too ... yummo!!!
    I need to go back in your blog and read more about that one cookbook ... I think that would be an awesome gift for my daughter if I can locate one. (you are such an enabler!!!!!)

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  9. Yum! That banana cake looks de-lish! I got the CS Christmas Scraps today too! That and the angel were my favorite images! Love your beautiful roses. Our flowers are done for the year but we're suppose to have a warm week/weekend (maybe the snow will melt)!

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  10. Your cards are gorgeous, Julie - gifts in their own right! So fun to use a vintage recipe, too... I have some of my grandmother's that I love! My mouth is watering:)

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  11. Miss Julie,
    I loved your vintage recipe so much I have featured your post on my blog!!! I told all to stop by and see your goodies!!! I can't wait to make this cake!
    http://nobodyputsmamainacorner.blogspot.com/2009/11/yummy-banana-cake-recipe-from-mama.html

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  12. wow,this looks so yummy! Very decadent. I looooove Caramel anything. ;D Will definitely be making this recipe. Thanks for sharing it. What a fun concept with the recipe blog. Love that!
    Xo,
    Tammy

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  13. What a beautiful treat that you're still being blessed with roses this late into the year - thank you for sharing their beauty with us!

    Tremendously big thanks as well for your immensely kind words about my Halloween outfit, they mean a great deal to me.

    Oodles of hugs!
    ♥ Jessica

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  14. So glad you liked the post!! I can't wait to try this cake!!! Yummy for my tummy! I will be following your site!!! Thanks for sharing!
    Mama Holli

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