Uncle Johnny's Nabisco Torte

John Penne, circa 1942

While organizing my recipes I came across this one from my Great Uncle, Johnny Penne, and knew immediately it should join the “Family Recipes” on this blog. However, after reviewing the recipe, which is written in Johnny’s hand, I could see it was clearly abbreviated AND unreadable on the left margin! Luckily Google provided many similar recipes filling in the gaps.

Uncle Johnny was a mess sergeant during World War II and this was a mess hall favorite! It’s definitely a retro recipe and many of you most likely have tasted a similar dessert. Gelatin has been around since 1845 but it wasn’t until 1897 when a cough syrup manufacturer began experimenting with gelatin that the brand Jell-O was born. Personally, dessert recipes similar to the one below (or Jell-O shots!) should be the ONLY way Jell-O should be used. Take my word on this as someone who lived through the “savory” Jell-O phase before the 1980’s when cooks added coleslaw, carrots, olives, shrimp etc. to unpalatable concoctions. Many a time I sat at the dinner table wondering why my Mom ruined the Jell-O by adding carrots or fruit cocktail! Plain Jell-O in a bowl with whipped cream, that’s how to serve it Mom!!! haha

After reading other similar recipes online here is my extended and more complete recipe, final result photos included! Please comment if you try Uncle Johnny’s Nabisco Torte! Hey it’s way better than Jell-O and carrots!!

For other stories on John Penne and his life check out these links to my blog.

https://www.treeofmanyleaves.com/treeofmanyleaves/2015/02/the-tavern_15.html

https://www.treeofmanyleaves.com/treeofmanyleaves/2015/02/pennes-haven.html

Two of Auntie Marlene's Delicious Recipes

Uncle Howie and Auntie Marlene in their younger days.

A visit to Uncle Howie and Auntie Marlene’s house always means sampling her wonderful baked goods. As a child, I remember seeing them both at Christmas and she would open a round tin full of cookies all different shapes, sizes and colors-green Christmas holly cookies with dried cherries or red hots as the berries, English toffee, Hello Dolly bars, pecan fingers, date nut pinwheel cookies, shortbread and probably more I am forgetting about. My aunt always makes time to bake during the holidays, something I do as well no matter how busy I may be. Many people won’t share recipes but my aunt has always shared with anyone so I know she won’t mind me posting her English Toffee and Shortbread recipes. Both are delicious and I only wish I had time to make them today and share photos!

I love collecting my family’s recipes, especially when they are written in their own hand as is these two.

Another Family Recipe...

My Grandma, Marie

Willing Atwell,

circa 1920's

Shredded Wheat, most likely, is one of those cereals that kids  never want to see at the breakfast table.  I was one of those kids who rarely made it my first choice in the morning, that is, until my Auntie Marlene made me her mother's recipe  (circa 1970's).  She took those bland, wheaty biscuits and created a warm, crispy, sweet, buttery bowlful of goodness!   It's the perfect hot cereal for a cold winter's morning.  Yes, I know.  I should have posted this 2 months ago!

Shredded Wheat was first introduced to the American public in 1893 during the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Although first marketed as a cold, "cookless", cereal today many variations of the warm cereal and other recipes incorporating shredded wheat can be found online.

Me and Grandma Atwell

circa 1964.

My Grandma Atwell's recipe can be found on

the Family Recipe Page.   Give it a try!  It's good any time of the year.

Credits/Additional Information

http://www.vintagerecipeblog.com/2014/12/1931-shredded-wheat-ad.html

For a little history:  

http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2013/06/25/that-momentous-filamentous-introduction-in-chicago/

Family Recipes, Traditions and Preservation

I'm a big fan of recipe preservation and the accompanying traditions whether it's family recipes, heritage recipes or both.  I get even more excited when I find cookbooks on the subject so when I stumbled across this Internet article "Appetites: Preserving Iron Range Recipes" by Minnesota Public Radio News I decided to change topics this month and expand on November's potica post.  In addition to providing another potica recipe, there are recipes for porketta and pasties.  Pasties became a convenient lunch staple of the miners in the Iron Range.  My great grandfather, Anton Pene, worked the mines for years and probably ate his share of these delicious meat pies. Interesting timing/side note, my daughter cooked porchetta/porketta for Christmas dinner last month and learning to make meat pies are on my "to-do" list this winter!  The featured cookbook, "Come, You Taste-Family Recipes from the Iron Range" by B.J. Carpenter is available through the Minnesota Historical Society using the link provided in the article.  I have ordered, but not yet received my copy, however, I'm excited to read this "cultural record" of the Iron Range and my heritage. A new cookbook is also available through The Slovenian Union of America ,"The American-Slovenian Table", which contains traditional Slovenian recipes and holiday menus.  Chapter 1 starts with New Year's Eve-Silvestrovo and highlights significant holiday events in Slovenian culture and ends with Chapter 11 Christmas-Božič.

As families grow and relocate to different states and even abroad, upholding and celebrating family traditions become more important because they are at risk for being lost.  Let's make the effort to keep those holiday traditions and old recipes you might inherit. You never know who might really be missing Aunt Mabel's famous chocolate cake recipe!