Mama fondly remembered for fabulous cookies and pies

With Mother’s Day coming up, it’s natural to remember some of the endearing things about our respective Mamas.

Mine was petite – not quite five feet tall, fragile-looking and always nicely dressed whether at home or out to town. Her dainty demeanor notwithstanding, however, she was a fireball around the house – always cleaning, sewing outfits for me or baking something good in the kitchen woodstove. Proud of her Norwegian ancestry, she lived up to it with her spotless housekeeping and kitchen wizardry.

I’m afraid I didn’t inherit her housekeeping capabilities, nor her talent with the sewing machine – but in the kitchen I find redemption, so in loving memory of Iva Clarabelle (nee Davidson) Riesland, I dedicate this column of recipes – some from her own files, others personal favorites. Enjoy!

We’ll begin with one of Daddy’s favorites, which she often made for him. In the early ‘40’s chocolate chips weren’t available (especially during the war - World War II), so she would chop up a large 8-ounce bar of chocolate. Thankfully, we don’t have to do that.

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup real butter, softened

1/4 cup firm-packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 8-ounce pkg. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (or coarsely chop whole chocolate.)

Set oven at 375F. Mix flour, soda and salt in bowl. In larger bowl, cream butter, gradually beating in sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Blend in vanilla, egg and sour cream. Gradually add flour mixture, beating after each addition till smooth. Stir in nuts and chocolate. Drop 1/4 cup measure onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove carefully with spatula onto racks. Makes 2 dozen large cookies.

I must add a funny – but poignant story here. Mama passed away in 1976, and Daddy, living alone, not only missed her but her cookies. When he was in his ‘80’s, he found her chocolate chip cookie recipe and decided to try his hand at them. Daughter Diane and I happened to drop by that afternoon and with a funny, rueful look, he offered us each a cookie. They were delicious – until one bit into a “chocolate chip” – Diane almost broke a tooth – and discovered that what Daddy thought was a bag of chocolate chips was really dry beans! The small reddish-brown beans had looked to Daddy’s failing eyes like chips – otherwise the cookies were perfectly baked!

Dad handled the large vegetable garden at our Coeur d’Alene home, and Mama utilized the harvest delightfully. Following are two great cookies featuring fresh carrots.

Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

1/3 cup EACH vegetable oil, brown sugar, molasses

1 egg

1 cup white flour

½ teaspoon EACH baking powder, baking soda, salt (if desired)

¼ teaspoon EACH nutmeg and cinnamon

¼ cup dry milk

1 cup grated carrots

½ cup raisins

1 ¼ cups quick rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, molasses and egg.

In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and combine together. Add to the oil mixture. Stir in carrots, raisins and oats and mix ingredients well. Drop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart on lightly oiled baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned around edges; remove to a rack to cool.

Oatmeal-Carrot Shaggies

(2½-3 dozen cookies)

2 cups Quick Quaker Oats, uncooked

1 cup finely shredded carrots

1 cup firm packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 tsp. EACH baking powder, baking soda, salt

½ tsp. EACH cinnamon, cloves

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup BFC, melted, cooled

1/3 cup milk

1 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Frosting:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 Tbs. real butter, softened

2 tsps. Grated orange peel

1 Tb. plus 1 tsp. real orange juice

Heat oven to 350. Grease baking sheet. For cookies, combine oats, carrots, brown sugar and raisins in large bowl. Combine dry ingredients (flour through cloves) and stir into oat mixture with spoon.

Combine eggs, BFC, milk; stir into carrot mixture. Stir in coconut and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2½ inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack; cool completely.

Make frosting. Combine all four ingredients in small bowl, stirring until smooth and easy to spread. Frost cooled cookies.

Our illustration is of a beautiful cherry pie – it could easily have been one of Mom’s own, baked for her own mother, Grandma Davidson, who often spent two or three months a year with us. It was Grandma’s favorite, and often a special Mother’s Day gift. Here’s the recipe.

Granny’s Cherry Pie

Pastry for double-crust pie, rolled out and bottom crust in pan awaiting filling

Filling:

1 cup pure cane granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

3 1/2 cups fresh pitted tart red cherries

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 Tbs. real butter, melted*

Heat oven to 425F. For filling, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon together well in a bowl, add cherries and almond extract. Mix and fold all together gently but well; spoon into bottom pie shell. Drizzle with melted butter. Trim pastry crust edges for evenness. Moisten with water and cover with top crust. Fold top edge under bottom crust and pinch together securely, fluting for attractiveness. Cut slits or design into top crust for steam escape.

Place on center rack of heated oven and bake 40-45 minutes, checking to ensure that edges are not browning too heavily. If necessary, shield crust edges with a ring of foil. When nicely browned and bubbly, remove from oven and cool until barely warm before serving.

* You may dot filling with unmelted butter if you prefer.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mommies – young and old – on our special day!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688.