There is nothing more delectable than a delicious piece of German Butter Cake from the street's end bakery in Philadelphia. These images remind me of a bakery once owned by my grandfather who produced such a gooey
delicious delight that could be found rendered at no other.   It was quite a gift on Sunday morning after church service to be devoured by young and old alike.

This type of cake won't be found mass produced in your corner supermarket. Rather it takes a bit of time and an injection of ultimate love to complete this feat. Once accomplished you'll taste or take no substitutes again. It's unique consistency will have you coming back for slice after slice.

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 envelope of yeast
1/2 cup warm milk
2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tab. vanilla
Butter Cake Topping

Mix sugar, shortening, and salt.  Add egg and beat one minute.  Dissolve yeast in warm milk.  Add flour and milk/yeast mixture.  Mix well and add vanilla.  Turn dough out on floured board and knead for one minute.  Place dough in greased bowl and cover with towel.  Set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour until doubled. 

Prepare topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
2/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
4-5 tab. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter. Stir in flour and sugar.  Beat mixture on high.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add just enough milk to make the mixture a spreading consistency.  Don't make it too runny.

Divide dough into two.  Place in two well-greased 8 inch pans.  Or one 9x13 pan.  Crimp edges halfway up sides of pan to hold topping in.  Prick lightly with fork to prevent bubbling.  Spread topping over dough.  Let cake stand for 20 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.  Do not over bake.  Topping with be crusty but gooey.  Let cool before cutting.

If you are used to having a box of Bisquick Baking Mix on hand for easy homemade cooking, yet find it a bit impossible to fit into the budget lately, don't despair.  Those monster food moguls would love to have you believe you just can't live without their products.  But, the sad part is, these recent creations have had a strong hold in our diet from years gone past.  Yes, our grandmothers once made these concoctions and kept them at easy arm's reach on their cooking shelves.

I recently heard about the recent food stamp budget cuts.  The average member allotment per meal is at $1.40 presently.  How can one survive on less?  For those recently unemployed, this will shake your foundation more trying to keep abreast.  But, with recipes such as these, you can still incorporate wholesome, thirfty meals into your family's budget.


3  cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening or margarine 

Mix dry ingredients in bowl.  Sift three times if you have a sifter to lighten it.  Add shortening and work with your fingers or pastry blender until mixture looks like small crumbles.  Add to any recipe asking for "bisquick mix"

This recipe was recently founded by accident.  And with such rich bacon flavor, it is a commonly asked for side dish since.   Before even attempting this recipe, you must first render bacon fat.  To do so, once you fry your bacon, let it cool, and keep the remaining fat in a plastic container in the back of your refrigerator for future uses.   Yes, there are quite a bit of uses for this once household staple of yesteryear.  You can use it to fry up pork chops and other meats adding a delightful bacon flavor to everything it touches.

4 -5 potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes (wash, don't peel)
2  heaping tab. of bacon fat
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. basil

You're going to use your toaster oven for this one as it can be set and forgotten about for awhile.  Place potatoes in a metal dish such as a bread loaf pan.  Add all ingredients and toss to coat.  Set your toaster oven a 425 degrees
and rotate that toaster knob around to 15 minutes.  Allow potatoes to cook.  When bell chimes, take out potatoes and toss them again gently.  Put back in toaster oven for another 15 minutes.  Done!

Here's a delicious breakfast that can be made ahead of time, frozen, and served up heated  during the morning rush.  No matter how busy your schedule may be, you can be self-assured that a good wholesome breakfast can be waiting in your freezer with just a bit of weekend preplanning.

In advance I am known to purchase rolled breakfast sausage when they are on sale.  I then pre form my patties placing them on a 8 x 8 inch pan.  Simply place them in the freezer and you can pop them out and place each in a resalable bag for future use.  Then pop a couple in the toaster oven, still frozen, for 25 min. while you nuke up some corncakes.  Fresh breakfast served!

2 cups cornmeal
1 heaping tsp. four
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbs. melted butter
2 eggs beaten
2 tab. plain yogurt
milk

Add dry ingredients to bowl.  Mix in eggs, butter, and yogurt.  Begin adding milk until you have a pancake batter consistency.  Ladle on hot skillet and flip when golden brown.  Serve with syrup.  Freeze leftover pancakes.

Here's a great breakfast treat packed with wholesome goodness.  Or,  a delicious, light after dinner treat for your families' favorite meal.  Anyway you cook it, you're sure to enjoy this authentic, homemade pudding that has lost its foot in the American diet. 

What a shame, some of the best recipes are becoming obsolete!  Once you try this version, you'll be making this treat often for those you love.

1/2 cup small Pearl Tapioca
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine Tapioca, milk, and salt in 1 1/2 quart pan.  Stir until boiling.  Simmer three minutes and add sugar cooking three more minutes.  Add 2 tab. of this mixture to beaten eggs and then add to pot.   Cook until thickened on the lowes possible heat.  Cool 15 min. and stir in vanilla.  Serve warmed or chilled.

Happy Labor Day!  I know I shouldn't be on here "laboring", but I just had to share a quick recipe incase you needed an extra treat tonight to serve to your family.  After all, it is a national holiday and on these days it is important to implant a memory for those beloved children of ours.  Enjoy!

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 tbs. flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
2 tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cooked pie shell
Cool Whip

Combine sugar, flour, salt and milk.  Boil until thick with a double boiler, or on VERY low on your stove top.  Cook 10 min. longer and add egg yolk.  First, add a bit of the hot mixture to egg yolk, then slowly add to hot filling, whisking while doing so.  Take off and add vanilla and butter.  Set in refrigerator for at least an hour. Top with Cool Whip.