Helen's Pumpkin Pie I

This is not your standard pie recipe, but a chiffon pumpkin pie which is fuller and fluffier than a conventional pie. It is something a bit different and might add a surprise to your holidays. Make sure you read through this recipe before making as the steps are not as clear as they could be.

Helen's Pumpkin Pie I

1 Tbls. gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/3 cup pumpkin
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1- 9" baked pie shell
3 egg whites*
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6Tbls. sugar

Soak gelatin in cold water till soft, then mix sugar, salt and spices together in top of double boiler. Stir in pumpkin. Beat egg yolks and milk together, then add to pumpkin mixture. Place over boiling water and cook until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in gelatin. Cool until it begins to thicken. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar until stiff. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour into pie shell. Chill.
*If you do not want to use raw egg whites then buy pastuerized ones from the store.

Helen's Hard Sauce

I obviously was not around when Aunt Helen would have made this sauce, but I do remember grandma making a mince pie or two at every holiday, though she never made this sauce. Most likely because grandpa didn't like it. I don't care for mince pie, though I remember most older people loved it when I was a kid. People must still love mince pie as you see the containers of mince pie filling disappear from grocery shelves at Christmastime. This hard sauce just might be what it needs to give it some pizzaz.

Helen's Hard Sauce

1 Tbls. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup instant dry milk
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

Mix water, vanilla, and dry milk until smooth. Stir in and beat until smooth the butter and sugar. Chill until needed. Makes about 3/4 cup. Serve over warm mince pie.

Helen's Butter Rum Chiffon Pie

Helen's Butter Rum Chiffon Pie

2 cups milk

2 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbls. gelatin*

1/4 cup cold water

2 tsp. rum flavoring extract

1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped

Crushed Butter Rum candies for garnish

Scald milk in double boiler. Beat egg yolks with sugar and add slowly to milk and cook constantly unil mixture coats spoon.  remove from heat and add gelatin (soften gelatin in 1/4 cup water first). Stir until dissolved. Cool until almost set. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites, flavoring, and half cup whipped cream. Pour into cooked pastry shell and chill till firm. Decorate with whipped cream and candies.

*Use the Knox Unflavored Gelatin brand.

If you are worried about consuming raw egg whites then buy pastueized egg whites sold in groceries.

Helen's Meringue

Helen's Meringue

6 egg whites

2 cups sugar

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

This recipe has no directions except to bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour.

For your convenience I have searched for a similar recipe and added the directions below.

Please note that this recipe is probably enough for 2 pie shells as the recipe that came with the directions below had half the ingredients as listed above.

Directions: In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form. Add vanilla, and slowly beat in sugar until very stiff and glossy. Spread mixture into a 9 inch pie plate to form a shell.

Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Turn oven off, and leave meringue in oven for 1 hour. Cool.
You can fill these meringues with fresh fruit, similar to the one pictured above.

Helen's Pie Crust

Helen's Pie Crust

1 cup lard*
3 cups flour
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

pour boiling water over lard and beat until creamy. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir mixture together thoroughly to cool.  Put on well-floured board and roll out.
*Make sure you use pure lard. Most lard sold in the store is hydrogenated and very bad for you. The lard in my picture above was purchased at Ashery Farms, Heath, Ohio. It is a pure lard.
This recipe would make enough for 2 -10" pie crusts. Any leftover can be used to make cinnamon rolls.

Helen's Bing Cherry Salad

This would be a good recipe to use in the heat of summer when cherries come into season. Bing cherries usually come ripe in July just in time for family reunions, cookouts in the backyard, and entertaining the neighbors. Since I know that Helen enjoyed entertaining, I am sure this one was on her list of summer treats to razzle and dazzle her friends. I think it will also razzle and dazzle your family and friends.
I can see Aunt Helen with her shimmering Bing Cherry Salad on beds of lettuce, served on china plates, and passed around to all of her high society friends. I am sure they were more than impressed.

Helen's Bing Cherry Salad

6 1/2 ounce Cherry Jello (2 boxes)
1/2 pint grape juice*
1/2 pint cherry juice
1/2 pint pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups bing cherries stuffed with nuts
Juice of one lemon
Add 1/2 cup cherry juice

This recipe has no directions and so I am going to hoof it here and give you what I think the correct directions would be. Make sure that you use real fruit juices in this recipe. Please try to avoid juice "cocktails" that are full of high frcutose corn syrup. Only real juices will do. These juices can be purchased in the produce section of your local grocery. Pineapple juice saved and frozen from canned pineapple will do.
* A half pint equals 8 ounces or 1 cup.
Stuff the cherries with your choice of nut (walnuts or pecans would be good). Pit and stem the cherries and stuff a halved nut meat into the center of each one; set aside.
Bring the grape, cherry, and pineapple juices to a boil in a 2 quart sauce pan. Stir in gelatin to dissolve; stir about 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and half cup of cherry juice. Place into a large pan and chill until almost set. Stir in cherries and return to refrigerator to continue to set up until fully set. You can add all ingredients at once and allow the cherries to settle in bottom of your mold, if you want. Cut into slices and garnish with whipped cream and a cherry half, if desired.

Helen's Frozen Fruit Salad

I made a very similar recipe to this one quite a few years ago. The recipe I had said to use the old metal ice cube trays as a mold. The recipe amount fits in one of these old cube trays perfectly. Personally, I don't care much for the taste of the Miracle Whip in this recipe and think I would prefer either mayonnaise or even some sour cream with a bit of powdered sugar to sweeten it up some. Without digging out all of my recipes and checking the one I used against this one, I am positive they are about identical. At one time, this was a very desirable and popular dessert in many homes around the country, and it still may be today. Give it a try, it is not bad. It just might be the highlight of your Bridge or Euchre club.

Helen's Frozen Fruit Salad

1 1/2 packages cream cheese*
1/4 cup Miracle Whip dressing
1/2 pound miniature marshmallows
1/2 pint whipped cream
1 can crushed pineapple

Mix cheese and Miracle Whip together. Drain pineapple. Stir in cream, pineapple, and marshmallows. Chill.
*Use 12 ounces of cream cheese and soften it to room temperature before combining with other ingredients.
Though this recipe is not very well-written you need to be aware that when it says to "Chill" that it means you need to freeze the salad for a few hours before slicing and serving. Maraschino cherries added are a nice touch, and you can also garnish with additional whipped cream and a cherry as in the picture.