Flour Tortillas

 I don't remember mom actually making tortillas.  She always bought the store-bought ones.  But, this recipe was in her file and in her handwriting. 

I do remember my friend Debby's mom (Francis) making tortillas.  Man, were they good!!  Imperfectly round, with little brown spots on the white flour tortilla. They were deliciously stretchy and a bit thicker than store-bought. 

We'd get them hot off the griddle and rub a stick of margarine all over the hot tortilla -- nobody in our social circle even knew what real butter tasted like!  Then we'd roll the tortilla up and eat it with the margarine running down our faces.  

I wonder if this might be Francis' recipe?  I'd like to think so, though I do remember Francis patting the tortillas instead of rolling them. 

2 C flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp b. powder

1 tbsp lard

Add enough water to make dough smooth + pliable.  Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll thin. Cook each tortilla apx 1 min on each side + store in covered plastic bowl or plastic bag.

Makes apx 18 to 20

Buttermilk Cake

 I don't remember mom making this, but I do remember how much she loved buttermilk!  The very clean nature of the recipe card indicates that maybe she never got around to using it, or didn't use it a lot.  But, the recipe looks really good.  I think I'll have to try converting it to gluten-free.

2 1/2 C flour

3/4 c. w. sugar

1 c. b. sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

1 " salt

3/4 c. oil (glaze)

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp b. powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 c. chopped nuts

3 tsps. cinnamon

Mix flour, sugars, nutmeg, salt + oil to make a crumbly mixture. Save 1 cup mix for topping. To rem. mix add eggs, b. powder + buttermilk mixed with soda. Stir together until smooth. Pour in greased 12x8x2 baking dish. Sprinkle 1 C reserved crumbs on top, then mixture of nuts + cinnamon. Bake in 350 oven till done. prepare glaze + let cool 10 mins + pour over top of cake. Serve warm.

Glaze

1/4 c. butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 C powdered sugar

3 Tbsps hot strong coffee

Combine + pour over cake

This one is in Mom's writing. Look how clean this one is compared to the Peanut Blossom recipe!

Peanut Blossoms

I'm not sure the origin of this recipe. I think nearly everyone in the 70's had a copy of this or a similar cookie recipe.   I have no idea why the recipe says "candy kisses" instead of "Hershey's kisses." Was there ever any other kind?

1 3/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

48 candy kisses

Yield approx. 48 cookies

Bake 375 degree oven

Combine all ingredients except candy on low speed until dough forms. Shape in balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookies sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Press candy kiss in each cookie.

Why This Blog?

This blog is really just a place for me and my sister to share our mom's recipes and reminisce a little about  our mom, Bettye Jo. Mom was an amazing cook. She could go to a restaurant, eat something, then come home and make it -- better. 

About a year ago I promised my sister I'd send her copies of mom's recipes.  Scanning them and everything else I could think of seemed daunting, and my hands hurt, and and and... Then I realized that typing in a blog post is pretty painless, and a blog can't get lost in a move.  So, time to get on it.  

Be sure to check back.  More recipes should gradually start appearing.

Mom as a teenager in the late 40's or early 50's

Mom in KY, probably in her early 20's

Mom in Modesto in her late 30's, goofing around

Mom in KY, probably in her late 20's or early 30's.

Mom during her working years, probably in her 20's.