A Wacky, Yummy Recipe

This picture of my mom was taken in approximately 1959, when I was around 12. She would have been all of 30 years old. The picture accompanied a newspaper article in the local paper in International Falls, Minnesota. I'm not sure why she was chosen for this article, but there was most likely a series featuring local housewives with interesting recipes.

I remember this little 8x8 pan Mom used for many years. I wonder what happened to it. I hadn't tasted this cake in years, but decided to make it the other day - again for the Wednesday night meal at church. I made it in a loaf pan, and did not add the frosting. It was delicious, and was quite a hit.

1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. baking soda
1/3 tsp. salt
and . . . TA DA . . . the secret ingredient . . .
1 can TOMATO SOUP!

Cream shortening and sugar, add beaten egg, soup, then flour, soda, salt, cinnamon.
Bake in greasedloaf pan for about an hour at 350 degrees.
Raisins and nuts may be added (I didn't)
Spread with powdered sugar frosting, if desired

Let me know if you try it! I'd love to hear what you think.

Recipe Tutorial

When I posted recently about DC's 65th surprise birthday party, I told how I "got rid of him" so I could set up the party by asking him to go home and bake the rolls I had put out to rise during church. Somebody asked me for the recipe to these delicious, light-as-a-feather crescent rolls. I am going to do a step-by-step tutorial, because they can be sort of tricky.

EDIT: Lest you think I am better than I am, I must admit that I only make these for special occasions. It's usually the Pillsbury Doughboy and me, as Diane commented below! I happened to have two special occasions in the last two weeks, so did them twice. One was particularly calculated to get DC home and away from the church so I could set up for above-mentioned surprise pot luck birthday party! ;-)


This recipe came from a great recipe book called Sunday Dinner Cookbook. The rolls are designed to be mixed late on Sunday evening, to sit on the cupboard all night, to be rolled out in the morning, to rise for 6 hours (less if you use Rapid Rise Yeast), and baked when you get home from church. Remember this was written in the "olden days" when Sunday School was at 9:45, church at 10:45 or 11:00, to get home a little after noon. They never foresaw all the different scenarios for church that were coming! Anyway, here goes:

Hot Rolls

1 pkg. yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp. salt

4 cups flour

Mix dissolved yeast, sugar, eggs, warm water. Add oil, salt, and flour.

Let stand, covered, 8 hours or overnight.

Roll lightly, divide into 2 parts; roll out as if you were making pie crust.

Cut into 8-12 sections the shape of pieces of pie.

Roll wide edge into the point, like crescent rolls.

Place on greased cookie sheet, let rise 6 hours.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees, until golden brown.

Keep in mind that I am not a Better Homes and Gardens or Good Housekeeping kind of cook or baker. I'm pretty plain. I did bring out my beautiful hand-painted wooden spoon given to me by a missionary from Italy, so it could show off a bit!

This is what the dough should look like when everything's mixed.

Tuck it in for the night with a nice blanket - mine is an old-fashioned one embroidered by my sweet mother-in-law - oops, it says Tuesday, not Saturday!

The next morning, it's nice and puffy in the bowl,

I use a very old, wearing out Tupperware mat to very lightly and gently form it into an elongated ball - dust the mat with a bit of flour, and use a little more as your roll it out. I use a wooden spoon to release it from the sides of the bowl - and I dip the wooden spoon in flour as well. Be very gentle as you knead.

Divide into 3 even portions. Put two of them aside, on a little flour.

Roll each ball into a circle. Cut into 8 or 12 triangles, depending upon whether you want petite crescent rolls, or if you want them to be more substantial.

I'm only showing you my two decent cookie sheets - the other one looks like I've had it since my bridal shower 35 years ago - it could be that I have!

Cover again with light cloths and let rise for 4-6 hours. If you use the Rapid Rise yeast, it will be 4.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Let me know if you try them. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. I seem to bring them to most family celebrations on both sides of the family. I think Kristen can eat about 10 at a sitting - but then they are really small when I make them. They are so light and fluffy and delicious.