Cookbooks and Recipes 

(Old & New)

The First Heart & Hand Cookbook was published to raise funds for the new church building that was completed in 1920.  The surviving portion (all but the front cover and one page of recipes) of this book is posted on OKGenWeb's oLD tIME rECIPES site.  This link opens a new window, which you can simply close to return here.

I understand that at least one other cookbook was distributed during the intervening years, although I have found no surviving copies.  [If you have one, PLEASE do get in touch with me.]   Our Friendship Cookbook was published in 1948.   To old-timers, this was the "new" cookbook -- much larger than earlier ones -- and a later edition even refers to it as the "first" H&H cookbook.   

The above link is to a clickable index that takes you directly to the appropriate page of the cookbook for any recipe.  You can also browse by category:  Breads, Cakes (a very large section, slow to download), Candies, Cookies,  Desserts, Drinks, Meats and Meat Substitutes, Pies, Pickles & Relishes, Salads, and Vegetables. 

I'm posting some of my favorites along  with comments regarding modern equivalents, but you should always bear in mind that measurements are approximate and each recipe is meant to be adapted to your own taste.  These are in the large-print section of this site, accessible through Roberta's Recipe Index .  It includes a symbol from the list below for each recipe.  If there are enough recipes in a category to merit a separate list, you can reach it from here by just clicking on the symbol.

Special treats for special occasions.  Some very old recipes, some modern adaptations. 

Easy-to-make and very convenient because they can be eaten while still warm from the oven instead of having to be cooled & iced.

In some families, a meal is not complete without desert. These are appropriate for light meals, like lunch, or can be a satisfying alternative to the calorie-laden ones.

Everyday fare.  Easy to prepare, yet tasty, whether made in a slow-cooker, a skillet, a stew pot, or oven-baked.  Many of these recipes have grown out of my efforts to produce something that resembles the taste of one of my grandmother's farm- fresh-but-time-consuming recipes using today's convenience foods.

Pies are traditional company fare, while old-fashioned cobblers are easier to make, everyday deserts.  The "Instant" ones do require baking time, but preparation time is minimal and they're still pretty tasty. 

"Quick" because they are made with baking powder or soda instead of yeast, so you don't have to wait for the dough to rise.

Old-Fashioned delicacies, recipes adapted for the convenience of today's automatic bread makers.

 E-mail to Sharon McAllister