If you’re here on a regular basis, you know that years ago I found a privately produced cookbook called Cross Country Cookery. The cookbook was compiled by Mrs.N.C. (Helen Bemis) Black who passed away in 2015.
Imagine my sheer amazement when a family member reached out to me in November. I about dropped the spatula and cookie tray while trying to dance with glee.
Sabrina (the wife of author Helen Beamish Black’s grandson) told me the story of how the family had lost their copy of this cookbook:
I know her cookbook remains somewhere, but between multiple moves and several storage units no one can seem to find it. On a whim I googled her name and cornbread and up came your site. You have no idea how much happiness this has brought our family.
This is such a familiar story to me, and the reason I started My Great Recipes Collection. One little blog post a couple of years ago got so many comments that I knew I needed to make a separate blog just for recipes.
Almost every week I have one or two requests from folks who have lost a specific recipe or the whole collection of My Great Recipes. And I get such a kick out of being able to find that recipe and make your day!
Cross Country Cookery
Many years ago, I typed all of the recipes from Cross Country Cookery, so I whisked all of that off to Sabrina along with the scans and photos I have of the cookbook. She planned to share those with other family members and whip up some of the favorites from years gone by.
The other thing Sabrina said was, “I don’t know if you made all of them, but her cookies were legendary in our family. This brings back so many amazing childhood memories. ”
Legendary cookies, eh? I’ll just have to share a three of those: almond macaroons, cheese dreams, and coconut-almond cookies.
Almond Macaroons
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond paste
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 egg whites unbeaten
Instructions
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Soften almond paste with wooden spoon. Blend in sugar and egg whites. Mix well.
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Place on bake sheet lined with brown or parchment paper. Drop by teaspoonful and flatten with bottom of glass dipped in cold water. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.
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Bake at 350 till lightly browned. Cool. Remove by moistening back of paper.
Cheese Dreams
These are different and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1 3 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1 egg white
- 1 package pitted dates
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup nuts finely chopped
Instructions
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Cream butter and cheese. Add flour and knead until mixture is like pie crust. Wrap in waxed paper and chill.
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Roll very thin on lightly floured board and cut into circle large enough to wrap around date. Then drop into unbeaten egg white and roll in sugar and nuts.
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Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in hot oven (400) for 15-20 min.
Coconut Almond Cookies
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
For the filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
- 2 large egg whites stiffly beaten
Instructions
Make the base
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Heat oven to 350. Line bottom and sides of 2 (9x9x2") baking pans with aluminum foil.
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Cream butter and confectioners sugar until fluffy. Mix in egg yolks.
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Beat in 2 1/4 cup flour gradually until soft dough forms.
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Pat half of dough into bottom of each lined pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Make the filling
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Mix eggs and brown sugar until blended.
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Stir in coconut, almonds, 2 tablespoon flour, baking powder, almond flavoring and salt. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
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Spread mixture evenly over partially baked layers. Return pans to oven.
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Bake 20 min - or util well browned. Cool completely on wire racks. Lift cookies from pan. Remove foil. Cut into squares.
Don’t forget that you have until Friday to register to win a copy of McCall’s Christmas Cookie Collection. Jump over to that post and register today!
I have a batch of cornbread in the oven as we speak. I’ll report back with John’s verdict
Thank you again. You have performed a miracle for us. Merry Christmas.