Pie Crust

Recipe from: Kay Ferguson (via BH&G), adapted by Christa Platt

Single crust:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 to 5 Tablespoons cold water (Christa uses a fraction of this to make it flaky!)

Double crust or lattice-top:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

5 to 7 tablespoons cold water (Christa uses a fraction of this to make it flaky!)

Sift flour and salt.

Cut in shortening till pieces are size of small peas.

Sprinkle water over, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tossing mixture after each addition. 

Form into ball; flatten on lightly floured surface.

Roll 1/8 inch thick from center to edge. 

Pecan Pie

Recipe from: Jayne Ferguson

Beat 3 eggs

Add:
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup white Karo (corn syrup)

Beat all above ingredients together.
Pour into a 9" unbaked crust.

Sprinkle chocolate chips (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) evenly into pie.
Add 1 cup pecans into pie. They will float to top.
Dot evenly on top with about 4 dots of dime-sized drops of butter.

Bake it in the oven at 350º for 15 min.
Then turn the oven down to 325º and bake for 30 min.

Test with knife, it should come out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray pan with vegetable pan spray.  In a large bowl, cream butter with sugars.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread dough into prepared pan with spatula.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool on rack 5 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool before cutting.  Decorate.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Mom's Apple Crisp

Recipe from: Kay Ferguson

8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 to 1 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Stir together all of the above. Pour into 9” x 13” baking pan.

Topping:

1 cup melted butter 1 cup quick cooking oats
1-1/4 cups brown sugar, packed 1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together above ingredients for topping. Crumble on top of the apples.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until apples are tender
and bubbly. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream of ice cream.

Carmels

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson who received it from her mother, Marion Jo McCrary (1950's)

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white corn (Karo) syrup

2 cups cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup walnuts (optional)

Mix together sugar, syrup, butter, and 1 cup cream, then boil in a buttered pan.  When boiling hard, add the other cup of cream slowly so as not to stop the boiling.  Cool until light tan or until it forms a firm ball (240-245˚) in cold water.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and walnuts (optional).  

Do not stir while cooking and only enough afterwards to mix in the nuts.  Pour into buttered pan.  Cool and cut into squares.  Wrap in waxed paper.  

Sarah's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Recipe from: Sarah Keleise Ferguson.  A beautiful presentation and big hit with everyone for Thanksgiving 2004!  Received from Paula Deen's Home Cooking show on the Food Network.

2-14oz. pkgs. gingerbread mix

1-5.1 oz. pkg. vanilla pudding mix (cooked or instant)

1-30 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 tsp. ground cardamom or cinnamon

1-12 oz. container frozen whipped topping or whipped cream 

1/2 cup gingersnaps, crushed

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions and cool completely.  Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside.  Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding.  Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large trifle bowl or any pretty bowl.  (Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.)  Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping/cream.  Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping/cream.  Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps.  Refrigerate overnight.  

Pecan Ice-Box Cookies

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received from Mimi, Jennie Miller Ferguson (1960's)

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups broken or chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and beat well.  Measure flour and add cinnamon, salt, and pecans.  Add this to butter, sugar, and egg mixture, kneading into a stiff dough.  Mold into rolls and refrigerate about 24 hours.  Cut into thin slices and bake in 425˚ oven.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received it from her California neighbor, Sandy Brown (1973)

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

4 tsp. baking soda

4 cups flour

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Melt shortening in sauce pan over low heat.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Add sugar, molasses, and egg.  Beat well.  Sift together flour, soda, and remaining ingredients.  Add to first mixture.  Mix well and chill.  Form into 1" balls, roll in granulated sugar and place on greased cookie sheets 2" apart.  Bake at 375˚ for 8-10 minutes. 

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received it from Jeannine Johnson, Primary President, Richardson, Texas Ward (1960's)

1 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

4 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

4 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Roll out dough on floured surface.  Cut cookies with cereal bowl.  Bake 375˚ for 12-15 minutes.  Frost with orange icing and decorate with candy corn to look like a Jack-O-Lantern.  Makes about 20 large cookies.

Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson who received it from the Senior Citizens in Farmington, Iowa (1967)

1 cup butter or shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1 1/2 cups raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips (or combination)

Cream butter/shortening, sugars, and eggs.  Mix raisins/nuts/chips with dry ingredients, then add.  Next add and mix vanilla.  Shape into rolls, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.  Slice into 1/2" slices.  Bake at 350˚ for 10-15 minutes.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  

"Seeky" Christmas Cake

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received from Texas neighbor, Pat Secrest (1970's).  It soon became a family tradition to always have "Seeky" Cake on Christmas morning.

Cake:

Sift together and set aside:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

Cream well:

1/2 cup better or margarine

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

To creamed mixture, add:

3 eggs

one at a time, beating well after each.

Next, add flour mixture and beat well.

Then fold in:

1/2 pint sour cream and set aside

Topping:

Mix to crumbly mass:

6 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup ground walnuts

1-3 tsp. cinnamon

Bake in an angel food cake pan which has been heavily greased and floured.  Fill pan as follows:

First 1/2 cake batter, then 1/2 of the topping sprinkled over it, then the other 1/2 of the cake batter and the remaining topping.

Bake at 350˚ for 50 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan before removing.  DO NOT INVERT PAN to cool.  

Wrap in foil and deliver to family, friends, and neighbors, especially at Christmas time!

Cocoa Apple Cake

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, originally from the C&H Sugar company (1960's)

Cream together until fluffy:

3 beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup water

Sift together: 

2 1/2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. cocoa 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

Add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Fold in:

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups grated apples

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well.  Grease and flour 10" loose bottom tube pan.  Bake at 325˚ for 60-70 minutes.  Serves 12.

Laura's Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Recipe from: Laura Anne Ferguson Platt Mammen.  A big hit with everyone for Thanksgiving 2004!

2-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1-9" graham cracker pie crust

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 cup whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325˚.  In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Blend in eggs, one at a time.  Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.  Add pumpkin and spices to remaining batter and stir gently until well blended.  Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.  Bake in preheated 325˚ oven for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set.  Allow to cool, the refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.  Cover with whipped cream before serving.

Terry's Carrot Cake

Recipe from: Terry Ferguson, originally received from Jayne Brownlee Ferguson (1960's).  This family recipe has been requested and served at several family weddings.

Cake:

Combine all ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups corn oil

3 cups grated carrots

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

Bake in 3 layer cake pans or a sheet cake pan at 350˚ for 25 minutes.

Frosting:

1 stick softened butter

1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine and spread on top of all 3 layers.

Chocolate Scotch Cake

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received it from her Texas neighbor, Betty Sue Inman (1950's)

Cake:

Sift Together in Large bowl:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

In sauce pan combine:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 rounded Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Bring this mixture to a rapid boil, and pour over flour and sugar.  Mix well.

Then add:

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. soda dissolved in buttermilk

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix well, pour into large 9x12 loaf pan or broiler pan.  Bake 350˚ for 30 minutes.

Frosting:

Mix in a sauce pan and bring to a boil:

1 stick melted butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

6 Tbsp. sweet milk

Remove from heat and add:

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup coconut

3/4 cup chopped pecans

Spread frosting on cooled cake.

Apple Pudding Cake

Recipe from: Mom, Erin Kay Smith Ferguson, who received it from her sister, Ardy (1960's)

Sift into a mixing bowl: 

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Add:

1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups chopped apples

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix together and bake in greased 8x8" square pan at 375˚ for 45 minutes.