A pair of Forum cooks jumped right on the request for lemon snickerdoodles and provide the following two-recipe windfall.
Mary Taht of Marysville starts us off, supplying a unique whipper-upper made with cake mix and whipped topping.
“This is from a Pillsbury ad from years ago,” she says, “and I’ve shared it often. It couldn’t be easier or tastier, and any cake mix brand works.”
And Marysville cook and cookbook author Dianne Berst antes up with a totally different take and mentions, “This recipe for lemon snickerdoodles, submitted by my friend Laura Day, is on page 193 of ‘I Like Cookies.’”
Before we get to the recipes, though, you’ll be glad to hear that copies of Dianne’s “I Like Cookies” are still available and sell for $15 each, plus either $5 per book for postage and handling for Priority Mail, or $3 postage and handling for fourth class Media Rate (slower delivery).
Note that two books, at $15 each, can be sent to the same address for a total of only $3 p/h, using the media rate. Make checks payable to Dianne Berst, and send to her at P.O. Box 82, Marysville, WA 98270.
Lemon whippersnaps
1package (18.25 ounces) lemon cake mix
2cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1egg
1/2cup sifted powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, topping and egg. (Batter will be stiff and sticky.) Drop by teaspoon into powdered sugar to coat (keeping the spoon wet helps).
Place on cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick coating and bake at 350 degrees 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Makes 4 dozen.
Lemon snickerdoodles
1/4cup canola oil
1cube butter, softened
Zest of 1 large lemon
1teaspoon lemon extract
11/2cups sugar, plus extra for coating
3large eggs or 2 extra-large eggs
23/4cups flour
1teaspoon baking soda
11/2teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4teaspoon salt
Preheat ove to 400 degrees.
In mixing bowl, mix together the oil, butter, lemon zest, lemon extract, sugar and eggs. Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and mix thoroughly.
Chill dough. Form cold dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Arrange on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees 8 to 10 minutes, less in a convection oven.
SOS: Judy Miller over there in Meridian, Idaho, writes, “I have been an avid reader of your Forum column for many, many years, and am hoping you can obtain a very, very special recipe for me.
“I attended schools in the Seattle area — namely, Hamilton Junior High and Lincoln High, in the 1950s and 1960s — and they used to serve one of the best meals ever that I would love to duplicate. So I wondered if you could ask your readers if they might know all of the ingredients the school used to make this, because I know it isn’t served for today’s school lunches.
“It was a wonderful hamburger gravy served over mashed potatoes. The gravy had pieces of hamburger in it and was so delicious. It obviously was so special that it is still on my mind 38-plus years later.
“So, I am hoping you will be able to obtain this recipe and print it in your Forum. I am such an avid reader of The Herald and your column that, even though I now live in Idaho, I receive The Herald paper here daily — and also still make trips to Everett, Marysville, Seattle and, of course, Arlington, where my daughter (Kimberly Peterson) lives.”
Now then. It’s my belief that this particular hamburger gravy, which my husband, sister and I also all ate at various Seattle schools, is a brown gravy. Not white.
If you can share this recipe, or a good one that’s very similar, please write to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
We are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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