Vintage Recipe

When I was in high school, in the sixties, (WOW, am I that old?) I would often go to the cafeteria or the student lunch counter and buy flying saucers!  What are those, you say?  They are incredibly large oatmeal spice cookies--about five inches in diameter--thus the name! I loved them, and my mom, who collects recipes, happened to see the recipe, shared by the high school,  in the local newspaper. Of course she clipped it and I have had this recipe for years and years and years--did I say that I am old now???  hee hee!  Here's the 'vintage' recipe:

Flying Saucers

1/2 c.  shortening

   1 c.  sugar

   1      egg, slightly beaten

1/4 c.  honey

2-3 T. milk

1/4 c.  raisins

1  1/2 c. oatmeal (old fashioned)

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

Wash and soak raisins in hot water, and set aside to drain well.
Cream shortening and sugar until light.  Add egg, honey and milk and continue to cream.  Combine oatmeal and reserved raisins to the mixture. 

Sift together all dry ingredients;  then add to the mixture. Mix well until well blended.  Dip with No. 16 scoop (or 1/4 c.) onto well greased cookie sheet.  Make sure you leave plenty of room around the mounds for flattening.  With a glass dipped in water, flatten slightly.  Bake at 300 degrees 10-15 minutes.  Cool to set. 

Makes 12 saucers (approx. 4 1/2" in diameter) 

Note: These will be soft when you take them from the oven.  This is what makes them so good, because the are a soft cookie--DO NOT over cook!  I also increase the spices just a little bit, but I like them that way.

Morning Coffee

"Rooster's crowing, it must be almost dawn. I better get up, so much to do today!" As Abby's feet hit the rag rug on the floor, Sasha only squirmed and repositioned herself on the bed.

"Come on, Sasha, Let's go down and get your breakfast--busy day ahead."

Downstairs Abby crossed the living room and entered the big country kitchen, going straight to the pantry for expresso beans and cat food. After preparing Sasha's breakfast and setting it on the floor for her, Abby set about to make the world's best (at least, Abby's best) latte to start her day!

"Now for my 'simulated' breakfast. Sasha, I really learned a ton, from Shirley, since she became a barista! Let's see now, proper grind, lighter to the finger touch than sugar grains, seven grams worth; cold whole milk for me, I need the protein; and of course, sugar free syrups, which I should always add first to prevent curdling. But not today, though. My breakfast is a Cinnamon Roll Latte. And I don't have any sugar-free Cinnamon Syrup!"

Cinnamon Roll Latte
Pour 1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup in your cup
Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
Stir
Add your expresso
Fill with foamed and steamed milk
Top with whipped cream
Dust with powered cinnamon

Enjoy!

Quick facts about our Coffee culture:*
1. Gourmet coffee became a social beverage in the 90s because the ten year total of teetotaloers was up by 28%. We started drinking mochas, not martinis.
2. Seattle is the expresso capital of the world with gourmet coffee sales reaching 40% of the total coffee market share. National average is about 30%
3. Why do we say "coffee beans" when coffee comes from berries? Because each berry has two beans.

* Facts from Espresso, Quick Reference Guide by Phillip Janssen (you know, an old fashioned BOOK :)