Author: Michele Bruxvoort

Michele Bruxvoort is sure to draw you in with her delightful sense of humor and love for living life.   She enjoys reading, repurposing,  as well as remodeling the family home with her husband. Drawing from her life experience as wife, mom, and follower of Jesus, Michele brings you a very honest and real perspective on life.  When you don't find her writing, you can find her mowing lawns, stocking shelves, taking care of her grandbaby and tackling her latest life adventure. Wisconsin native and empty-nester, she now makes her home with her husband of 27 years in the South West Prairie plains of Minnesota.

Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook- Part Three

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I hope you have enjoyed our little tour through “Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook”. Today well will be sharing a few more recipes from their unique and fun cookbook! Sometimes when reading some of the “older ladies” recipes, I chuckle and wonder what was meant by a “hot” oven or a “moderate” oven. I jokingly want to write a letter.

The letter

Dear Mrs. Yoder,

I am writing you to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading “Our Favorite Recipes” by the Log Cabin School. I have also delighted in the successful results of your many and delicious recipes. To be certain, one must not be a novice in the kitchen as your vernacular lends to that of a seasoned cook, baker, and canner.

However, I have encountered several instances where I am left scratching my “English” head in wonder. Your temperature directions (ahem… lack thereof) lead me to wonder what degrees of Fahrenheit I should set my sights on.

Recognizing that you operate from sticks of wood. And this “wood” varies in nature from oak, ash, maple, and so on. I am sure that each wood brings its own “heat” as well as the timing of the heat with the number of “sticks of wood” required.

Seeing that I operate with an “electric” oven, I am wondering if you have a conversion chart for wood type, quantity to achieve a certain temperature? Do I need a “rip-roaring fire” or just some good hot coals? Do 8 sticks of Oak get me 350°? You can understand my angst.

I’m sure you can see our “worldly cooking divide”. Any help from you would be greatly appreciated. I will continue to do my “best English guessing” and “press on” cooking through your lovely cookbook.

Kindest Regards,

Michele

More Amish Recipes

Image by picturegal from Pixabay

Sour Cream Pumpkin Coffee Cake – Mrs. Roseanna Miller

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 c. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 1 3/4 c. cooked and mashed pumpkin or squash
  • 1 slightly beaten egg
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Streusel topping:

  • 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 c. butter
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 c. chopped nuts

STREUSEL: Cut brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon together until blended. Stir in chopped nuts.

CAKE: Cream butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla in mixer bowl. Add 3 eggs, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, and soda. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Combine pumpkin, beaten egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and pie spice. Spoon half of the batter into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; spread to corners. Sprinkle half of the Streusel cover batter. Spread pumpkin mixture over streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle remaining streusel over top.. Bake in slow 325° oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Lard Can Apple Butter- Mrs. Elenora Shrock

Cut up apples in half; cut the core out. Fill lard can with apples within 3 inches of the top. Then put 10 pounds of sugar over them. Add 1-quart Karo® syrup and cover. Let stand overnight. The next morning DO NOT UNCOVER! Put on the stove. When it starts to cook, have heat low enough to keep on cooking for 3 hours. Then put through a colander and cook 1 1 1/2 hours or less. – I’m not sure you can find a “lard can” in today’s market, much less feel confident in using it over direct heat! Find a tall cooking pot that should do just fine.-M

Mock Ham Loaf- Mrs. Perry Otto

-Here you go hot dog lovers… one more use for the hot dog. Enjoy!

  • 1 lb. hot dogs, ground
  • 2 lbs. hamburger
  • 2 c. cracker crumbs
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 3/4 c. brown sugar – I knew it! There had to be something in this recipe that makes you want to eat it-M
  • 2 tbsp. vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried mustard
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • dash of pepper

Mix hot dogs, hamburger, cracker crumbs, and eggs. Combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper with 3 cups water. Add 1/2 cup syrup to the meat mixture. Place in pan and pour the remaining syrup over top. Bake in 350° oven for 1 1/2 hours.

And that friends, is a wrap on my three-part Amish recipe series. Hope you enjoyed a slice of the Amish cooking life. Till next time. Here is to good food, good friends and simply delicious life.

Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook- Part Two

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We are back again with some fabulous Amish recipes in “Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook”. They are sure to please in both interest and deliciousness. I look forward to delivering to you more unique and yummy, tummy tempting Amish recipes. Enjoy!

Sourdough Griddle Cakes- Mrs. Elton Jr. Miller

Image by Tabeajaichhalt from Pixabay
  • 1 tbsp. yeast
  • 2 c. warm water
  • 2 c. whole wheat four
  • 1/4 c. cornmeal
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp. cooking oil

Dissolve yeast in 2 cups water; add sugar to yeast. Add flour and cornmeal; beat well. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. In the morning dissolve the baking powder in water; then mix the rest of the ingredients.

Buckwheat Pancake Mix- Miriam Mischler

You’ll be ready to roof your house after these hearty pancakes… or raise a barn- whatever you’ve got time for!-M

  • 8 c. sifted white flour
  • 4 c. buckwheat flour
  • 4 tbsp. salt
  • 3/4 c. baking powder (this recipe has to do some heavy lifting!)
  • 3/4 c. sugar

Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container. When ready to use, add 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 2 tablespoons melted shortening for each 1 1/2 cups pancake mix. Mix well and fry on a hot griddle.

White Bread- Amelia R. Mishler

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

WARNING! This bread recipe will make 6-7 loaves!

  • 6 c. liquid (all water or 1 cup scaled milk plus water or some potato water) -Go for the potato water!-M
  • 1 c. instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 3 tbsp. bulk yeast or 3 pkg. dry yeast
  • 1 c. oil
  • 2 tbsp. salt
  • 15-18 c. bread flour -Yep, Amelia isn’t kidding, you read 15-18 cups.-M

Pour hot liquid over instant potatoes. Stir in sugar, salt, and oil. Add yeast and enough flour to whisk or beat for a few minutes. Use a spoon to stir in additional flour; then knead until just before it becomes sticky. Let rise once; then form into 6 or 7 loaves. Let rise again. Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes.

Biscuits Supreme- Edna Mae Miller

This is my F A V O R I T E biscuit recipe. I make sure to fold the dough over several times making many dough layers to get the pull-apart, butter hiding, yummy biscuits! Enjoy!

  • 2 c. flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 c. shortening
  • 2/3 c. milk

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk all at once and stir, just until dough follows fork around bowl Roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet in a hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 16 medium biscuits.

Schnitz Pie- Mrs. Harry Mishler

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Okay, before we get in a fight over is it SCHNITZ or SNITZ, I need you to know that I’ve seen the Amish spell it both ways. I also will enclose this YouTube video and this gal has it spelled both ways… which is kind of crazy. You can view her video here. Basically schnitz is dried apples.

  • 1 lb. dried apple schnitz
  • 1 qt. cold water
  • 2 tbsp. cinnamon
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • grated rind and joice of 1 orange
  • pie pastry

Put the shcnitz and the water into a saucepan; cook to a soft pulp. Add cinnamon, sugar, salt, orange juice, and orange peel. Mix well. Set aside to cool. Line a 9- inch pie pan with pastry and fill with the schnitz. Cover top with pastry and cut in several slits. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 350° and bake 30 minutes longer.

Friends I am close to running out of space. Stay tuned next week for the last of my Amish recipes… well, at least for a little while. Until next week. Here is to good food, good friends and a great life!

Whole Creation Groans

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Welcome back to “Time in the Word”. It’s a pleasure to have you join us here. Our local area has recently suffered the loss of a community business owner, as well as seasoned members within our town and surrounding area. Losing people we love will be one of the hardest things we face. Many times I have taken comfort in Romans 8:22-25, placing my focus on “Whole creation groans…”

If you are reading this digitally, you’ll note that the scripture is linked. For the rest of us, we can pull out our bibles and turn to Romans 8:22-25, or I have included it here for you:

Romans 8:22-25 New International Version

22 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

Romans 8:22 has been a wonderful verse I like to share with friends who have lost loved ones, but especially their pets. I want you to know that losing a friend or family member (human being) certainly can’t be compared to losing a pet. We, humans as well as creation, do share a familiar bond, which is creation living on planet earth subject to sin.

Sin is destructive. It seeks to tear down, remove and destroy any representation of good within creation. Whatever God has meant for good, Satan is sure to have the reverse. We, as well as the rest of creation, groan under the weight of this all. Stuck here in bodies of flesh, exposed to the “elements” of this world through sin.

As believers in Christ, we are all waiting to be “redeemed”. Waiting for God to return the earth and all creation to the harmonious, sin-free existence it once had. We all suffer loss, betrayal, disease, and death. We know that earth and current earthly living is not our destination. We all are merely passing through with our own God-given assignments to complete, to grow more and more daily into a Christ-likeness, till our old self can’t even be seen.

Photo by Michele Bruxvoort

Tucker had spent an enormous amount of time with our family. He lived in our home, rode around with us in our travels, hunted pheasant with pure joy, and was a faithful companion to and lover of people in general. Tuckers disease pain had exceeded what medicine could control. He was on a steady decline since December and in the last two weeks, he began to withdraw from his normal joys.

It was painful to decide to “put him down”. Loving him and being loved back by him was a special treat. As he peacefully drew his last breath I knew he was set free. Free from the burden of life here. His suffering was over and I believe that someday I will see him again. That might be a stretch for you, but the more I come to know God and read of His love for His creation, the more I believe he gives them earthly assignments as well.

Tucker was God’s holy instrument. Tucker hung on with my care and attention to deliver only what faithful dogs do; unconditional love, devotion, and dedication. Tucker deserved nothing less than the sacrificial gift of being set free. It is the least I can do for God’s animal creation. I was tearfully honored and humbled that God would work so lovingly through him in the ways that he did.

Waiting patiently for this hope. The hope of restoration and peace to which we all will be set free someday.

Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook

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If you haven’t guessed, I like cookbooks. Right now, as I am typing you this article, my foot is resting against a stack of twelve, rummage sale bought, dandies-of-a-cookbook. The trashier the cover the better. A trashy cookbook means it was loved. Rips, tears, splotches, grease stains… I will take it! I hope you enjoy my Dear Mrs. Yoder: Recipes from an Amish Cookbook… I sure have some questions for these gals.

I bought the “Our Favorite Recipes” by the Log Cabin School of Pardeeville, Wisconsin at the Mischler’s Country Store. It was one of the first cookbooks I bought after getting married. I enjoyed their little introduction “We tried to put in something for everyone. Enough recipes for the cooks, a little food for thought, a few laughs, as they are the best remedies, enough mistakes so as not to disappoint those who are always looking for them.”

I’m sure the grammarians and punctuationists have a field day with my articles. Somebody has to keep you folks occupied!

If you’re not familiar with Amish folk, you will find that there are lots of Miller’s, Yoder’s, Bontrager’s, Christner’s, Mullet’s Schrock’s, Mast’s, Schmucker’s. And it is not uncommon to find Rachel, Anna, Katie, Susan, Mrs. E. Miller, and so on. I did write an article about the Amish folk, https://www.mandyandmichele.com/amish-people-in-rural-wisconsin/, in the area we used to live in Wisconsin. Wander back and give it a read!

Photo by Michele Bruxvoort

Log Cabin School Recipes

-Disclaimer. These ladies are no slouches to cooking, canning, and baking. They are very short with most directions and assume you come equipped with a general knowledge of “the trade”.

Salad Dressing Pickles- Erma D. Miller

  • 12 large cucumbers
  • 12 onions- (holey moley, don’t forget some of these recipes are for their picnics, barn raisers)
  • 1-pint vinegar
  • 1-pint water
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper (scant)
  • 2 sweet peppers (if desired) – (I think Erma was trying to play it safe. Didn’t want to get too wild.-M)
  • 1/2 c. flour
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 1 tbsp. turmeric
  • 1 tbsp. celery seed

Peel and slice cucumber; let stand overnight in brine made of 1/2 cup salt and 3 quarts water (drain). Add onions. Mix sugar, spices, and vinegar; add to cucumbers. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes and put in jars. Seal. Good to eat on sandwiches or with meat. (I’m thinking the meat is the “chaser” after eating the dressing… uffda!-M)

Spaghetti Sauce- Mrs. Daniel Schmucher

  • 1 scant bushel tomatoes
  • 4 green peppers (sweet)
  • 4 stalks celery (Yes! Celery is a part of Italian cooking.-M)
  • 2 hot peppers
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 tbsp. oregano
  • 5 tbsp. slat
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 c. brown sugar

Wash, cut up, and cook tomatoes; put through a sieve. Chop remaining ingredients and add to tomatoes. Cook until thick; then add 1-pint vegetable oil. Cook another hour. Makes 8 – 10 quarts. Add 1 can bought tomato soup for each quart of sauce. Put in jars and cold pack 15 minutes.

Cabbage Salad to Can- Roseanna Miller

  • 1 large head cabbage
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • celery (optional)
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 medium onion (optional)

The Dressing- to put over cabbage

  • 2 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 c. vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. mustard seed
  • 1 tsp. celery seed
  • 1 c. water
  • 1 tsp. salt

Put in cans; then let the water just come to a boil and turn off.-Obviously, Roseanna knew this water bath had an end, go with your “English” (that’s the term for non- Amish folks) canning gut!-M

Tomato Soup- Barb Schmucker

  • 1 lage pail ripe tomatoes
  • 1 bunch celery, chopped
  • 7 large onions, chopped
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 butter
  • 1/4 c. salt (yes a 1/4 cup)
  • pinch red pepper
  • 3/4 c. flour

Boil tomatoes, celery, and onions together for 1 1/2 hours. Pu through a sieve. Blend butter with the rest of the ingredients; add to juice. Boil until thickened. Put into jars. Cold pack 30 minutes.

Alright friends! That was just a little taste of Amish cooking. In the next few weeks, I hope to deliver some more recipes from each section. I hope you found the recipes interesting. Till next time. Here is to good food, good friends and a very good life.

A Ride On The Train

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As a child living in Friesland, sooner or later you’d wander on down to the tracks. We did a great deal of playing on the tracks. Grabbing a ride on the train was often discussed, but nobody appeared serious about it… until. Until one day, someone’s brain advanced far beyond the rest of us and suggested, that with proper planning, it could be done.

If we had watched it once, we watched it 100 times. The train would come in from either the south or the west. It would slow as it hit either curve coming into Friesland. But the west curve was sharper and so the train always slowed down more at that point. However, many years later Union Pacific did some enhancements to the curves so they could travel faster through Friesland.

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Concord Grapes!

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I planted concord grapes here in Minnesota about 7 years ago. It has been a bit of a battle trying to keep them growing. Of the three concord grape plants that I have planted, only one has survived while the other two have been replaced with new plants several times.

This year was the very first year we got a harvest of grapes. We were able to eat bowl fulls several times and are in the process of making grape juice and grape jelly. The vines have slowed their grape production, but I have sure enjoyed eating them fresh off the vine. My grandson and I visit the vines daily. We pluck some grapes off and we sit and enjoy them one by one.

The grapes have been very sweet this year. We occasionally hit a sour grape, which gets interesting facial expressions from my grandson. I ask if him “Was that a sour one?” To which he replies (like any good dutchman) “Ja!” It’s fun watching him experience life.

Grape results ahead!

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Just Peachy: Peach Recipes, Part Two

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Hello! Welcome back to more “Just Peachy: Peach Recipes, Part Two”. It’s been a bit of a workout trying to find you some more peach recipes. Like I said last week, I can find a ton of recipes for apples, cherries, and even lemons… but not so with poor peaches.

We will kick off our peach recipes with Gloria Roemeling who got this recipe from Larissa Caspersen, who got this recipe from Jana Top, who to this from Evonne Top. Phew… this is a bit like Dutch Bingo, but Recipe Bingo instead. Enjoy!

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Just Peachy: Peach Recipes

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Alright! It’s my fault. I should have been “on the ball” when I saw peaches advertised at the store. I could have sent this out earlier to meet your peach recipe need. But, alas… I did not. Today, though, I am thinking about it, and isn’t that “just peachy”. Stay tuned for some peach recipes for the pile of peaches you bought.

Peaches are August’s favorite fruit. Lots of folks can’t wait to sink their teeth into a sweet ripe peach. I think the most fun is biting into a peach and letting the juice drip down. Georgia is known as the “Peach State” but South Carolina and California are the top peach producers.

Interestingly enough, peaches are still hand-picked. Once picked they are sent through a hydro-cooler, which is an ice-water bath. The ice-water bath prevents the fruit from ripening further. From there it goes into a “de-fuzzer” to remove all the fuzz. Each peach is sorted for size and blemished peaches are culled. Peaches make it from the tree to your local store in three days!

The average peach tree lives for twelve years and annually produces 66 pounds of fruit. Peaches were originally found in China, but we can thank the English settlers who brought the peach tree over on their second and third trips to America. Peaches are either “freestone” or “clingstone”. Meaning they either freely release the pit or the peach pit clings to the fruit.

Recipes to enjoy

Gather around friends. I have to be honest and say overwhelming, in most cookbooks, there is NOT a lot of recipes for peaches. Many recipes for apples (like a ton of recipes), pumpkin, and cherry, but the ole peach, like the cheese in the song “The Farmer in the Dell”, the cheese, or peach, in this case, stands alone.

Peach Jam- Kerr Home Canning Book, 1943

Cut well-ripened peaches into small pieces. Put into a large kettle without the addition of water. Cook slowly for about 20 minutes or until peaches are slightly softened. Measure peach pulp and for each cup of peaches add 1 cup of sugar. Return to fire and cook until of desired consistency. Pour into sterilized KERR Jars and seal while hot.

This next recipe comes to us via an un-named cookbook because somehow I lost the cover and the first 22 pages of the book. But I do know it was from Iowa, it has a light blue back cover. I’m thinking it was from a church group in Sheldon, Iowa, typed out on ye ole typewriter … that’s all I got friends.

Peach Coffee Cake- from the kitchen of Mrs. Wes Elgersma

Ingredients

  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 Tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 2 tsp. lemon flavoring
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. flour

Directions

Mix. Arrange 2 cups peaches on top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. This is a large recipe. Put in a cake pan.

– Mrs. Elgersma sounds like she didn’t mess around with her baking. In almost military fashion you had better mix, arrange and bake! And side-note- it’s large use a cake pan. I got a good chuckle… I like recipe writers that are bossy.

Image by Couleur from Pixabay

Fresh Peach Pie- from the “Recipes, Remedies and Hints”, circa 1982

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup fresh mashed peaches
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Cook these four ingredients over low heat till thick and clear. Pour over peaches that have been sliced into a baked pie crust. Put in refrigerator several hours before serving. Top with whipped cream. Can use graham cracker crust.

Peach Sauce- Michele Bruxvoort

Ingredients

  • 10 peaches, skinned. You can either cold skin them and remove the pit or score each peach, drop them into a boiling water dip for 30 seconds, followed by a 10- second ice water bath, and then skin and remove the pit.
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice- I prefer fresh- squeezed, but if you don’t have fresh lemons use 1 tablespoon lemon juice concentrate. The lemon juice prevents your peach sauce from discoloring.
  • 1/4 cup sugar- I don’t like to sugar up my sauce. I like to have it as natural as possible. I suggest tasting your peaches first and decide. If they are a bit tart, then add a bit more sugar as you see fit.

Directions

Cut up your skinned peaches. Taking a large tall pot, fill the bottom with a little bit of water, add the cut peaches and bring them to a simmer over medium heat and cook them for 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally so they don’t burn to the bottom. Once cooked add them to your blender, or use an immersion blender and blend till smooth. Return the peach puree to the cooking pot and add the lemon juice and sugar. Reheat till the sugar dissolves, this will take approximately 10 minutes. After thoroughly reheating your peach puree, I pour into canning jars, seal, and process.

Friends! I ran out of space, but not peach recipes… so see you next week with some more peach recipes! Till then. Here is to good food, good friends and a good life.

Rummage Sale Cookbooks I Couldn’t Resist: Part Two

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This week we continue our adventure through “Rummage Sale Cookbooks I Couldn’t Resist” and tackle some great home remedies for skin and face. Some of these home remedies are, in a word, risky… so I wouldn’t suggest trying them. Simply enjoy reading what folks used to try as home remedies “long ago”. I guess it’s true what they say sometimes “the cure is worse than the sickness”.

We will kick off part two with some risky remedies …

Kerosene home remedies

Image by (El Caminante) from Pixabay
  • Kerosene cleanses and heals cuts and prevents infection.
  • Kerosene applied over any burn removes pain and soreness, and doesn’t blister.
  • Kerosene in water to wash out head lice.
  • If you stepped on a nail soak your foot in kerosene.
  • A teaspoon of sugar with just a drop of kerosene for a sore throat. Kerosene is good to heal small cuts or scratches.
  • Gargle with kerosene for a sore throat.

Now, I think it’s only fair to give you a little background on kerosene. Kerosene got its start in Persia, where they, according to the Grow Youthful website, “distilled crude petroleum fossil oil into hydrocarbon fractions, taking off kerosene, bitumen (tar) and other fractions”.

The Persian’s used kerosene for heating, lights, and medicinal purposes. I guess you could say it was their all-around “go-to” product. It is still used today by many poor “non-Western” countries where “Big Pharma” doesn’t have as much of a hold on the population.

Kerosene is powerful:

  • Powerful antifungal and antiviral
  • Treatment for parasites throughout the body. Eliminates parasites including worms in the blood and bowel.
  • Kills bacteria, especially mycoplasma (bacteria without cell walls). Eliminates pathogenic microbes from the blood and bowel. Especially useful for eliminating CWD (cell wall deficient) microbes while not harming normal gut bacteria.’

I think I’d be okay with dabbing some kerosene on ringworm, but not so sure I’d drink it… yikes! However, the jugglers/flame throwers are avid users of kerosene. But enough of kerosene! Let’s get to some facial treatments.

Beauty treatment home remedies

Image by Natalija Tschelej-Kreibich from Pixabay
  • Take yellow carrots, scrape them and fry slowly in fresh lard till brown. Drain off the lard and melt 1 tablespoon of powdered resin. Stir well, put in a jar and when cool, mix in 1 tsp Sulphur. Apply each day. The cure will be speedy.
  • Mix 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice with 1 tsp honey and rub into skin. Let it remain 20 minutes, rinse with warm water then cool water. Pat dry. Use daily until the condition improves.
  • Equal parts cumber juice and witch hazel. The mixture removes skin oils and as a bonus, tightens pores. Improve diet with Vitamin B-rich foods and Brewer’s yeast.
  • Don’t use soap if you have dry skin, instead increase vitamin A-rich foods. Wash with oatmeal milk and treat to avocado facials.
  • To get rid of warts apply milkweed milk or juice from a dandelion plant several times. It works, I know. – BTW the “I know” isn’t me… -M
  • Place one grain of flaxseed in your eye which will help push the object stuck under your eyelid out.
  • Use salt after having hands in dish or scrub water for a length of time. Try using salt to keep them smooth and white. First wash your hands with soap and water. While wet, rub with a handful of dry salt. Rinse with clear water. Do it constantly for pleasing results.
  • Almond meal to soothe sensitive skin: one handful of almonds in 1 pint boiling water, and let stand with lid on until skins shrivel. Then dry nuts overnight. Grind them into a fine meal. Apply with fingertips, rinse and pat dry.
  • Vanilla is good for sunburns.

A Few “strange things” for home remedies

Image by flockine from Pixabay
  • If a hot pad for children or a person is unsafe, heat a large catalog in the oven, turning a group of pages at a time until the entire book is heated through (an iron can also be used). This stays warm for hours.
  • Wind a string safely around the little finer to stop a nose bleeds.
  • For irritation of skin on open areas of the body such as arms, legs, and back… use a warm milk and bread wrap poultice with a gauze bandage, put onto irritated area and rewet with quite warm milk each hour or two. I do this about four or five times in about ten hours or so. The swelling and irritation will come out of the bandage. This is also very good to draw out a boil.

I hope you enjoyed our little dive into the “Remedies, Recipes and Hints”. Aren’t some of those home remedies dandy? Next week I will have some great peach recipes for you. I should have been more “on the ball” with peaches coming into Edgerton Food Center… better luck next year I guess. Till next time, here is to good food, good friends and a very good life.

Resources:

Rummage Sale Cookbooks I Couldn’t Resist

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About two weeks ago I was at my neighbor’s rummage sale. As I weaved in and out of the crowd, I could spy a stack of books at the back of the garage. Trying to contain my excitement and play it cool (just in case there were other cookbook seekers) I moved as quickly as possible to the pile. SCORE! Add this pile of SIXTEEN cookbooks to the rummage sale cookbooks I couldn’t resist.

Top of the heap was circa 1982 “Remedies, Recipes and Hints” by the Pipestone County Senior Citizens. Towns participating in this fun cookbook were: Edgerton, Jasper, Holland, Pipestone, Ruthton, and Woodstock. Its cover is a lovely yellow with someone’s drawing of a “Maitre D'”. I believe this person contributed to the rest of the book’s artwork and that makes it special. All credit is given to the contributors.

Let’s begin with some great home remedies of yesteryear. The more I read about home remedies, the more I understand folks had to use what was available to them. In addition, going to the doctor was expensive and not close by. Some of the remedies seem very harsh, but wisdom and trial have produced some effective measures which may not be seen as “acceptable” in our time. Enjoy this trip through home remedies, and my occasional commentary.

-Disclaimer- I don’t recommend using these remedies. But you’re gonna do, what you’re gonna do. Carry on!

Colds/Chest Rub

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
  • Coal oil, turpentine, lard, mix and rub on chest for a cold.- I guess the lard was redemption in this recipe.-M
  • Warm camphorated oil and rub chest and put on flannel clothing.
  • In a small jar, put equal parts of turpentine and lard melted together. If one shows a sign or hoarseness, give the neck and chest a vigorous rubbing with this homemade liniment.
  • Boil onions with milk together, drink the hot milk.
  • 1 cup water, juice of 1/2 lemon or teaspoon frozen lemonade and 1 teaspoon honey or sugar.
  • For flu and bad chest colds, congestion: Fry onion peelings and all. Put in cloth bag. Apply to chest and back. Relief very evident in several hours.- Probably the relief came for everyone in the house when you finally left!-M
  • Place 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and a little cream in a cup. Fill cup with hot water, drink and cover up in bed to keep body warm.
  • 1 tablespoon flour, mix 2 tablespoons dry mustard and 1 egg white to form a past. Add water to soften if dry and spread between two layers of cloth (muslin or white flannel)and place on chest for 30 minutes or more. But DO NOT LEAVE ON TILL SKIN TURNS RED.- Seriously, mustard is very powerful, you’d turn red quickly, followed by blistering. Be really careful.-M

Cough Syrups/Sore Throats

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
  • Mix three parts honey and two parts lemon juice. Put in a pan and slowly bring to a boil, stirring often. When cool, take a spoonful in the mouth and let it slowly trickle down your throat. Just a teaspoonful of pure honey, slowly melting in your mouth will help a sore throat.
  • For coughs that won’t let up, try a cold wet cloth applied to the throat usually gives relief especially at night. Also, a spoonful of melted butter sometimes helps.- Take that Mary Poppins!-M
  • Do for colds. Make onion syrup. Slice onions in a small amount of water, simmer, and cool.
  • Boil 1-pint water, juices from 2 lemons, add four tablespoons honey. Drink as hot as you can.
  • Fry onion in lard, warp in cloth, wool is best. Pin around the neck while warm.
  • Two tablespoons of honey mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar and stir well.
  • Take equal parts of lemon juice, honey, and water and dissolve it and drink it warm. Helps relieve cough and sore throat.
  • Two tablespoons medicinal glycerin. Cook one lemon for 10 minutes in a little bit of water. Squeeze pulp and juice into an 8-ounce measure. Add glycerin, fill the remainder of the measure with honey. (VERY GOOD).

Hiccoughs- hiccups

  • Suck on a slice of lemon.

Tranquilizing Nightcap

  • Mix one-ounce dry mint leaves (natures digestive), 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves (natures tranquilizer), and 1 teaspoon sage leaves (natures sleep producer). Mix and keep in a tightly closed jar. Use 1 heaping teaspoon to 1 cup boiling water. Let steep one minute. Strain. Sweeten with honey and sip. The amazing tranquilizing effect, with no side effects.- You brandy people were probably pretty disappointed with this one.-M

Friends! I am going to have to stop here, but we will continue next week with part two of some great home remedies. Till next time. Here is to good food, good friends and some interesting home remedies.