A timely new quick bread, shared by Gloria Davis of Kirkland starts us off today.
“This is rhubarb season,” she says, “and I’ve been going through some older cookbooks and found this recipe in a Betty Crocker book. I haven’t made it in a long time but remember it being very good.”
And Patricia Lindell of Everett gives us another chance to make Welsh cakes and writes, “this recipe was in the 1995 edition of the ‘Spirit of Christ Church Recipe Book.’ Norma Saefke was a dear friend of mine and I had these Welsh cakes at her home many a time.
“Norma was 96 when she passed away several years ago, and she often told me that her mom baked them on top of her wood stove instead of using a frying pan. Her recipe calls for granulated sugar, not powdered sugar.”
Pear-rhubarb quick bread
1 1/2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled or unpeeled pears (1 1/2 medium pears)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of two (4-by-8-inch or 5-by-9-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray.
In large bowl, mix rhubarb, pears, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove loaves to cooling racks. Cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Makes 2 pans.
Norma Saefke’s Welsh cakes
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder
1 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
6 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup currants
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and baking powder, butter or margarine and sugar and mix until crumbs form. In a small bowl, mix egg and milk with a fork; add to flour mixture, then add currants.
On a lightly floured board, roll dough out until about 1/4-inch thick. Cut with cookie cutter, and bake on griddle heated to 350 degrees for about 5 minutes on each side.
The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Good Life section.
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