The Dorothy Project: Spanish rice pilaf with zucchini and tomatoes.

As I’ve been browsing through my grandmother Dorothy’s “Kitchen Klips” recipe file, I’ve smiled as I discovered recipes that are very familiar to me. That’s because I sent them to her. Back in the 90s, Grandma published a cookbook, and she included many recipes from family and friends in addition to her own favorites. I sent her this recipe for Spanish Rice Pilaf with Zucchini and Tomatoes — it didn’t make the cut for her book, but Rob and I make it all. the. time. It’s the perfect summer-to-fall transitional dish. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

‘Lost and found’ zucchini casserole.

When you’re going through a collection of vintage recipes, it’s fun to imagine what prompted the person who assembled the collection to include a particular recipe. This recipe for a simple, one-bowl zucchini casserole just seems so much like my grandmother: it’s good, and not at all fussy. Here’s the next installment in The Dorothy Project: Lost and Found Zucchini Casserole, which she clipped from Gourmet magazine in the 1980s. Get the recipe on writes4food.com.

The Dorothy Project: Poppy seed cake.

Welcome to installment No. 1 of The Dorothy Project, in which I’ll cook my way through many of the recipes in my grandma’s old recipe file. First up: one of my favorite desserts from growing up. I loved poppy seed cake so much it was the top layer of our wedding cake. Get my grandma’s old-fashioned recipe on writes4food.com — it’s really easy!

The Dorothy Project: what do you think?

If you’ve been reading writes4food.com for awhile, you remember The Clara Project, inspired by a collection of vintage recipe cards I discovered at an antique store. Now, I’ve gotten my hands on my grandmother’s clip file of old recipes. I’m thinking of cooking my way through her library: The Dorothy Project. What do you think? Comment on writes4food.com if you’d be interested in following along!

Grandmother’s blueberry buckle.

Armed with a pint of fresh blueberries, I dug out my Grandmother Ruth’s recipe for Blueberry Buckle. I found it in her battered copy of “Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book” from 1950 and made several enhancements.

Grandma’s red raspberry chiffon pie.

This recipe for Red Raspberry Chiffon Pie is one of my favorite recipes from my grandmother Dorothy. She made it all the time when I was growing up, and no wonder: It’s so simple and so good. I think every day should include pie. You’ll want to give this recipe a try! Get the recipe on writes4food.com.

Dorothy’s homemade noodles.

My beloved grandmother, Dorothy, taught me how to cook many things; No. 1 on the list is homemade noodles. In her memory, I’ll be making a batch of these soon. They’re easy and fun to make, and don’t require a pasta machine — you can use these noodles as you would pasta, with a light sauce as they’re fairly delicate. Or, you know, in chicken soup. Here’s the recipe on writes4food.com.

Christmas cookie-palooza: Almond wreath butter cookies.

Me: I tinkered with this cookie recipe. Mom: How could you? Sorry, Mom, but my version of our family’s favorite Christmas cookie recipe is just, how to say it? Better.

Strawberry pie in a brown butter graham crust.

We’re on the cusp of strawberry season, and I plan to eat as many local strawberries as I can, prepared in as many ways as I can, for as long as I can. First up: my grandmother’s classic strawberry pie, moderned-up in a salted browned butter graham cracker crust. Yeah, you’re gonna want to make this. Get the recipe!

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recipes and wisdom from a Midwestern kitchen

Tag: Grandmother’s recipes