Virtual recipe exchange: A delicious event

 
A Delicious Event!
Yummy-sounding recipes such as Scott Waldron’s Fiddle Diddles were the topic of a Rotary Ottawa virtual old-school recipe swap, on Saturday, November 28. All five participants coincidentally made sweets, and most of them were old family recipes. The hour online went by quickly with each person describing their recipe and telling a story about it such as when Kateri Clark realized, many years ago, that her Matrimonial Cake recipe was known to others as date squares. Participants got to spend an hour getting to know each other personally beyond Rotary business. However, true to many gatherings by Rotarians, a fundraising idea emerged. More on that at another time as well as about future recipe swaps!
 
The recipes have been compiled for you including a link to this YouTube video by President Colin Rousseaux about how to make his “killer” chocolate chip cookies. 
 
 
Fiddle Diddles
Scott Waldron’s grandma Edith Waldron would make this great recipe for a last-minute no-bake dessert. It takes no longer than 10-15 minutes to make.
 
1⁄2 C                                        shortening (Crisco Vegetable preferably)
2 C                                           white sugar
1⁄2 C                                        milk
6 Tbsp                                     cocoa
Bring the above ingredients to a boil in a large pot and then mix in:
 
1 tsp                                        vanilla extract
3 C                                           oatmeal
1⁄2 C                                        shredded coconut
Stir until all ingredients are incorporated and drop onto wax paper in any size you wish. Cool. For faster cooling, place in the fridge or freezer.
 
Scott’s note: We like to keep them in the freezer/fridge until we are ready to eat them. If leaving them at room temperature, make sure it’s not in a warm area.
 
 
Almond Cookies
Ché Weist’s great grandmother would make these cookies to serve with fresh mint tea.
 
A
Mix/sift together:
2 + 1/4 C                                  almond flour
1/3 C                                       sugar
1 tsp                                        salt
1 tsp                                        baking powder
 
B
Mix together until smooth:
4                                              eggs
1/3 C                                       soft butter
2 tsp                                        fresh lemon juice
1 tsp                                        lemon zest
1 tsp                                        orange flower water*
 
C
3/4 C                                       icing sugar
 
Combine A and B mixtures together using a wooden spoon. Cover with plastic and leave the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Form 2-inch balls, roll them in icing sugar, and place them on a cookie sheet 3-inches apart. Bake at 350° for about 14 minutes, until golden.
 
*Orange flower water can be bought at stores selling Middle Eastern and German speciality baking products.
 
 
 
Great Grandma Bernice’s Matrimonial Cake
Kateri Clark’s grandmother’s recipe is found in the family cookbook: Hurd Family Favourites Cookbook. They are also called date squares.
 
1 C                                           sugar
2 C                                           dates (pitted)
2 C                                           water
2 T                                           lemon juice
 
Put all in a pot and cook until soft. Near the end add the lemon juice.
 
2 1/2 C                                    flour
2 1/2 C                                    oatmeal
2 C                                           brown sugar
2 tsp                                        baking soda in a little hot water
1 1/2 C                                    butter (or 1 C butter + 1/2 C canola oil)
 
Mix the ingredients together until it makes “crumbs”, put half in the bottom of a large glass baking pan. Add a layer of the cooked dates. Put a layer of the remaining crumbs on top.  Bake at 375F until golden brown (approximately 20 minutes).
 
 
 
Lemon Squares
Linda Scales’ grandmother, Elizabeth MacAusland, would make these delicate lemon squares topped with meringue: sweet, tangy and creamy with a crunch of toasted coconut. Makes about 16 squares.
 
Base
1/2 C                                       butter
1/2 C                                       white sugar
1                                              egg
2                                              egg yolks
1/2 C                                       flour
3/4 tsp                                    baking powder
1/8 tsp                                    salt
1/2 tsp                                    vanilla
 
Filling
1 can (300 mL)                        sweetened condensed milk
2                                              lemons, juiced and zested
 
Meringue
2                                              egg whites
1 C                                           white sugar
1/2 C                                       coconut
 
Method
Base: Preheat oven to 350F. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the egg and egg yolks and add to your butter mixture. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Put into a greased 8-in. square baking pan.
 
Bake for 9-10 minutes until a very light colour and your finger leaves a dent after lightly touching the cake. Don’t overbake. Let cool.
 
Filling: Preheat the oven to 350F again. Beat the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon’s zest and juice. Pour the filling on to the cooled base and smooth it evenly to the edges.
 
Meringue: Beat the egg whites adding the sugar gradually until soft peaks form. Spoon the meringue onto the filling and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the coconut over the top. Bake at 350F until the meringue is lightly browned. This could take 5-10 minutes.
 
Linda’s note: If taking these to a dinner party or a friend’s place, for example, take the whole pan and cut them after arriving.