RECIPE SWAP

One of the best things about community cookbooks is all the names they contain. It’s one of the things Yvonne Jansen cherishes most about the cookbook she and three other local women created in Cypress River in 1995.

“You know the people in it,” she says. “It makes you think of home.”

1995 was the year Cypress River Agricultural Society marked its 100th anniversary. As a commemorative project, the four women collected about 100 recipes which were published in a coil-bound cookbook titled A Century of Home Cooking. About 400 copies were made.

This is a book of names as well as recipes. Past and present ag society life members are listed in it. Names accompany each submitted recipe. Many recipes were submitted on behalf of someone, notes Yvonne, president of the ag society. That makes their cookbook a record of mothers and grandmothers, sisters, and aunts and anyone else with a great time-tested recipe.

The cookbook is testament to the longevity of agricultural societies too. Many societies are well past their 100th birthday now. Approximately 12,000 members carry on the work of this province’s 59 active societies.

Cypress River’s ag society is typical of them all, as its history describes in the cookbook’s opening pages. Contributions made decades ago continue to serve their community, like the exhibition building erected here in the spring of 1911 and still used today. Land purchased in the 1890s north of town is still used as the community’s fairgrounds. Today, though, the town has grown around it.

Much changes in a century, and so do people’s diets. But A Century of Home Cooking is no museum piece. This is a cookbook people keep right on using. We’re always looking for favourite recipes from readers. Do you have one to share? Can we help you track down a specific recipe? Let us know if you’re looking for something and we’ll publish your requests.

Here are three recipes selected from Cypress River Agricultural Society’s A Century of Home Cooking.

AIR BUNS

The late Esther Campbell Submitted by Betty Campbell

Make the salad 1 to 2 hours before you serve it. It should not be made the night before as apples will go brown. Note: this can be made with 1 pkg. of Dream Whip or Miracle Whip.

Manitoba Canola Growers has just released Canola Oil -Fresh and Flavourful Pasta Recipes – a brochure containing 10 delicious pasta dishes for any occasion. You can download a copy by logging on to www.canolarecipes.caand clicking on “Recipe Brochures” or contact the Manitoba Canola Growers at 400-167

Lombard Ave. Winnipeg, Man. R3B 0T6 or by telephone (204) 982-2122.

Try making your own homemade pasta using this recipe found in Canola Oil.

Ora Dunbar kindly obliged us last week with a recipe for Don Harper who was looking for one to make soup using canned tomatoes. This is her own recipe and used many years in their family. Thanks, Ora!

CAN STOCK PHOTO INC.

1/2 c. warm water

1 tsp. sugar

1 pkg. yeast

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. shortening

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. vinegar

3-1/2 c. warm water

Mix first three ingredients and let stand 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients and enough flour to stiffen. Let rise 2 hours. Punch down and let rise for 1 hour. Shape into buns and let rise 3 hours. Bake at 375F.

MOM’S APPLE SALAD

Sharon Cain (Campbell)

1 c. farm cream

2 to 3 tbsp. homemade

salad dressing or enough

dressing to suit your taste

6 to 8 apples peeled and

chopped

3 large eggs

1/3 c. water

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. sifted all-purpose

SEND RECIPES OR RECIPE REQUESTS TO:

Manitoba Co-operator Recipe Swap

Box 1794, Carman, Man. R0G 0J0

or email

[email protected]

PLAIN JELLY ROLL

flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Icing sugar

1 c. thick jam or jelly

Heat oven to 375F. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Line bottom with well-greased heavy brown paper. Beat eggs in small bowl with electric mixer at high speed or until very thick and fluffy, about five minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating very well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in water and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to egg mixture, beating at low speed until smooth. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake until top springs back when touched lightly in centre, 12 to 15 minutes. Shake icing sugar generously through small sieve over warm cake to prevent sticking. Loosen cake all around and invert on a large rack covered with a clean tea towel. If necessary, pry paper loose from pan at one corner, so cake falls free. Remove pan, strip off paper, roll paper and towel up together loosely from one end and let stand until cool. Unroll and spread cake with jam. Roll up and sprinkle with more icing sugar.

CLASSIC PASTA DOUGH

1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cake flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten slightly

2 tbsp. canola oil

1 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. chopped chives

Place all flours, salt, eggs, canola oil, water and chives into a stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Mix until mixture begins to form a ball. If the dough is dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time. The dough should be firm and not sticky. Knead for five minutes by hand. Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for one hour. The dough is now ready for ravioli, lasagna, fettucine, or cannelloni. Roll out on a floured surface to desired thickness or through a pasta machine. Boil in salted water for two minutes.

You can watch a video online at www.canolarecipes.ca.

CANNED TOMATO SOUP

1 medium onion,

chopped

1/2 c. chopped celery,

leaves and stalks

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. butter or margarine

In a large pot, sauté onions and celery in butter or margarine over medium heat until tender. Add flour and a large can of tomatoes or a quart of home-canned tomatoes to mixture and cook for 3-5 min. or until flour is cooked, stirring so it will not burn. Add 1/4 tsp. baking soda (this prevents curdle). Add enough milk to the desired creaminess, but no more than the tomato mixture. Reheat just to boiling, but do not boil as it will curdle. Add some fresh chopped parsley or dried parsley flakes if desired. Serve and let everyone add their desired amount of salt and pepper. Enjoy! I sometimes add a bit of cream to add extra creaminess.