Some of the very best recipes come from people who live close by my family. I wanted to pay tribute to a sweet lady from my beautiful Ellison Ridge community who passed away several years ago, and we still miss her—Miss Fanny Hisaw. My daddy sang for her beautiful funeral, as she had requested that he do for her many years ago. She was the sweetest and kindest lady anyone could ever meet. She was good friends with my grandmother (my daddy’s mother), and traded recipes with her all the time at church. Miss Fanny, an accomplished cook, in fact used to teach my parents in Sunday school when they were children. She and her sister, Ms. Bert Hisaw, also an experienced cook, have prepared wonderful caramel cakes and desserts that I have enjoyed for years. But the clearest memories I have are when we all used to trick-or-treat for Halloween as children. I would always tell my mother that I wanted to go by Fanny and Bert’s house first because I knew they always had something good to give me. We miss you Miss Fanny. I have printed three recipes of hers that are perfect for the beginning of the upcoming fall season! Miss Fanny, I hope you are making those scrumptious caramel cakes up in heaven right now! Enjoy, readers!
Miss Fanny’s Homemade Sugar Cookies
Note: These are not your ordinary cookies, my friend. These are better than ordinary. Every time I would stop by Fanny’s house, she had these made up and in Ziploc bags. The last time I saw her, she even gave me a huge bag to take home with me. These are very crunchy sugar cookies and almost taste like a butter cookie! So good! These are perfect to give as fall gifts!
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter or margarine (butter makes them richer)
Half cup oil
1 egg
Two and one half cups all purpose flour
Half tsp. soda
Half tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter. Mix with oil, egg and vanilla really well. Mix dry ingredients together, and add a little at a time to mixture. Pinch off in little balls and flatten with your fingers. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325 degrees until light brown around edges (about 10 minutes). Do not over bake. Let cool and store in Ziploc bags.
Miss Fanny’s Homemade Rolls
Note: Miss Fanny was always known for her caramel cakes as well as her delicious homemade rolls. This is her recipe for those famous rolls! Serve them hot with plenty of butter for your next meal!
6 cups self-rising flour
3 cups lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
Three fourths cup shortening
2 pkg. yeast
Sift flour and sugar together. Dissolve yeast in half cup lukewarm water (this is part of the 3 cups). Melt shortening (just so it will run). Mix water, shortening, and yeast mixture. Stir into flour. Mixture will be thin. Put in large bowl and put in refrigerator and cover. Make out rolls as needed and put butter on top before you let them rise. Dropping the rolls out in a long, greased pan with a spoon is best. Bake at 350 until lightly golden brown on top. Serve hot with more butter.
Miss Fanny’s Homemade Apple Crunch
Note: This is one of the easiest recipes for a simple apple crunch dessert from Miss Fanny! It only has four simple ingredients and is wonderful with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream as a compliment to a cool, autumn dinner. Simple yet delectable!
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
2 cups regular applesauce
Pour applesauce in a small greased casserole dish. Mix flour, sugar and butter together. Mixture will be crumbly. Put over apples. Bake 1 hour at 350. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Brock Wetherly Rogers is an educator, an overseas traveler, an award-winning southern food writer and a passionate student of the culinary and pastry arts. E-mail him at brockrogers1@gmail.com.
