So, I have a small collection of vintage Southern Living cookbooks from the 80s and 90s with incredible (and sometimes funny) recipes. I was thinking one day about how I could share them with more people, because I think they are just so special! Obviously y'all came to mind immediately, so I thought what better way to showcase them AND give y'all some ideas for the coming holiday season than to feature them for a Recipe of the Month!!
and y'all, these are gonna be a HIT at your Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, whatever it is y'all have. I dug out my 1988 edition of Southern Living: Annual Recipes to give you two homemade holiday CLASSIC recipes. I've included the original source of the recipe, as well; each of the two sweet ladies who submitted these recipes to Southern Living in the '80s absolutely deserve their due, of course. We thank them for their contribution to society <3
Anyway, not trying to be an annoying food blogger. Here ya go homies!!!
Applesauce Cake with Bourbon Frosting
Cake:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups golden raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cup applesauce
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Dredge raisins and chopped walnuts in ½ cup flower; set aside.
Combine remaining flour and next 5 ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in raisins and chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350* for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cook cake in pan 10 mins; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.
Once cool, Spread Bourbon Frosting on top and sides of cake; garnish with walnut halves.
Bourbon Frosting:
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 ½ tablespoons milk
Cream butter at medium speed of an electric mixer; gradually add sugar, bourbon, and milk, beating until mixture reaches spreading consistency. Yield: frosting for a 10 inch cake.
Peggy Wilson Witherow
Pelham, Alabama
October, 1988 pg. 236
Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms
1 ½ pounds medium mushrooms
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed
½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
2 drops hot sauce
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
Clean mushrooms with damp paper towels. Remove mushroom stems, and reserve for other uses.***
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain and press dry.
Combine spinach and next 5 ingredients, mixing well. Stir two thirds of bacon into spinach mixture. Spoon spinach mixture into mushroom caps.
Arrange stuffed mushrooms on a microwave-safe platter. Sover with heavy-duty plastic wrap; fold back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at MEDIUM HIGH (70% power) 7 mins or until mushrooms are thoroughly heated, giving dish a half turn after 4 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Yield: about 30 appetizer servings.
NOTE: spinach stuffed mushrooms may be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to cook.
Janet McIntire
Marietta, Georgia
November 1988, pg. 261
*** after reserve stems for other uses: mushroom stems can be eaten and everything, of course, but they're actually AWESOME for homemade veggie or bone stock. Take your leftover veggies from all your prep for the holiday (cabbage, lettuce, and kale stems, mushroom stems, celery bits, onion and garlic rinds, etc.) to make them into veggie stock, or they can flavor your chicken (or other meat) bone broth. WASTE NOT WANT NOT Y'ALL!
Ok, hope you guys have loved these recipes!!! Let me know how they do at your holiday parties!!!