TEENY MCMUNN: MY RECIPE BOX

Dorothy Dean---Does that name sound familiar? When I was somewhat newly-married and had a young family, the Spokesman Review featured recipes from Dorothy Dean. They sent out pages that used the alphabet as their organizer. Every letter had an index of recipes, organized as to which collection it was-Cookies, Candies, Salads, Meat, etc, with specials like Baby Shower recipes. So it would be A-1, A-2, etc. I don't think I have all but I'm sure I have 80% of them. I can't remember if there was a cost or simply a sign up to receive these pages, of which we also were sent a three-ring green binder with "Dorothy Dean, Homemakers Service" on it.

It has always been my tried and true, go-to book for recipes I know to be simple, yet delicious. And it was easy to scan the index for a recipe long before the computer. Below is a copy of a paragraph that came from an article off the computer, and I encourage you to also Google it if you are interested. The article says that last year Spokesman Review has brought Dorothy Dean back, much to the delight of some of us old fans. It also noted that some of the recipes are outdated and perhaps "dangerous," probably using raw eggs.

Dorothy Dean offered recipes that were budget-friendly and easy to prepare. Instructions weren't elaborate, usually running just a few, simple lines. That no-nonsense, three-hole-punch approach to home cooking endured through the war years and baby boom and past the Summer of Love and the 1970s until the Dorothy Dean Homemakers Service was shuttered in 1983.

The cake recipe is copied from page S-26. The ingredients are itemized, but the directions all run into each other.

INGREDIENTS:

1-4 oz package sweet cooking chocolate **

½ c. boiling water

1 c. margarine **

2 c. sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla

2 ½ c. sifted cake flour

1 tsp soda

½ tsp salt

1 c. buttermilk

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Directions:

Melt chocolate in ½ cup boiling water, cool. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and melted chocolate, mix until blended. Sift flour with soda and salt. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn batter into 3 deep, 8 or 9 inch pans, greased on the bottom or lined with wax paper*. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool, fill and frost top of cake with COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING: Measure 1 cup evaporated milk or half' n' half, 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, and ½ cup margarine into saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring until mixture boils and thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspon vanilla, 1 cup flaked coconut, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Beat frosting until cool and of spreading consistency.

MY NOTES:

Yes, you can cheat and get a cake mix but the difference is like homemade bread versus bought bread.

**I'm pretty sure you can buy German chocolate bars for baking

**I will substitute butter for margarine

**I wouldn't trust greasing the bottom of the pan, and will use wax or parchment paper.

When I was reading the directions, it says 3 deep, 8- or 9-inch pans. I thought it suggested 3-inch deep pans, but I believe it means, 3 ea., deep 8 or 9 inch pans. The recipe also assumes one would know to beat the egg whites.

I think this would make a great project on these grey dreary days. If you have any questions or if something is not clear, please ask.

ENJOY