As the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail continues I think more and more about the women, and the children who traveled it. I was at the dedication of the marker  for the Plum Buttes Massacre.
For a person not born and raised in Kansas I considered the winds to be "Gale Force" . Standing in the swales, in the gale force winds, made me wonder how the women with children coped with heat, rain, dirt, and the wind. Winter would not be any better cold, snow, dirt, and wind.
I was very thankful for my snug little house when I arrived home.
For them every day would have been a struggle for food, shelter, and water.

This Spice Cake recipe is from Mrs. Roy McKee, Bellefont, Kansas 

​One cup of sour cream, 1 small teaspoonful soda, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoonful each of cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, nutmeg and salt, as much grated chocolate as one desires, 2 eggs well beaten and 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Snow Pudding
​from Mrs. Carrie Smith R.R. 3 Sterling, 

Put 3 cups of milk and 3 tablespoons of sugar on and boil, then stir into it whites of 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, stirred smooth in a little milk. when it thickens, empty it into 8 cups, wet them first. This will fill them abought half full. When they are cold empty them them out in sauce dishes. if you have it cooked right, they will be molded the shape of the cups. Now take 2 cups of milk,2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, yolks of 3 eggs. Cook into a sauce and pour over each of these molds. You can flavor with any flavoring desired.

Todays recipe is from Mrs. H.W. Lehnus R.R. 1 Frederic, Kansas

Mountain Dew Pudding

One cup sweet milk, 1 cup rolled cracker, 1/2 cup sugar, yolks of 4 eggs, 4 tablespoons of cocoanut, a pinch of salt. Bake 1/2 hour, then spread with frosting made of whites of 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar, flavored with lemon or vanilla. Set in oven to brown.

I don't know that I would ever eat Snow Cabbage or Stuffed Rabbit Roast. but it is interesting to read these old recipes. Very few directions or instructions. Guess they thought everybody knew how to mix and cook !

This is the home of my maternal grandparents. It's been empty many years now. Back in the day you could smell the chicken and dressing the minute the car door opened. That front room on the right was the parlor, no kids allowed. Her flowers are all gone and her fig bushes. The magnolia tree has survived. I can still hear the cousins screaming and laughing.

     Ginger Bread Recipe
 Mrs. Erma McHarris, Louisville, Kansas

 Take 1 cup butter, 1 cup sour milk, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups of flour, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 teaspoons soda, (spices if you like), 1 cup of molasses.

Snow Cabbage

Chop very fine a medium-sized head of cabbage, add 1 cup rich sour cream, 2 tablespoons good cider vinegar, 1 large tablespoon sugar, salt and pepper to suit the taste. Beat all together until white and creamy; then pour 0ver cabbage.-----Hattie E. Mozley  R R 1 Mapleton, Kansas

This recipe is from Mrs. Carrie Smith  RR 3 Sterling Kansas
My Aunt Daris still makes hers this way. She calls them dumplings.

Noodles
Make very stiff dough out of 3 eggs, a little salt and flour. Roll in to very very thin sheets, let it lay a while until it begins to het dry, then dust flour, roll up and with a very sharp knife cut into very fine strips and shreds. Let these dry a little, then drop into beef or chicken broth. They must be stirred occasionally as they stick easily.  

I found this book in the research room while looking for something else. It brought back a lot of memories Mother's bread, grandmother's chicken and dressing (the southern style), Aunt Betra's rice pudding, Aunt Helen's squash casserole, and Aunt Daris's chocolate pie ! Interesting recipes in this book, anybody ever tried this ?
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Rabbit Roast

​Stuff with a dressing made of bread crumbs, chopped salt pork, thyme, onion, pepper, and salt. Sew up, rub over with a little butter, or pin on it a few slices of salt pork, and baste often._________Mrs. A.P. Bishop, Miami, OK