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Cheesecake Bars
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JuliKellner
Juli Kellner
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Copies of Around Our Table are available for $14 (includes tax and shipping) from the Grand Marais Historical Society. By contacting Janie Dowe at P.O. Box 332, Grand Marais, MI 49839.
I confess … I’m addicted to church cookbooks. If not for these fund-raising communal recipe boxes, how would we know what Funeral Salad is, or Wedding Jell-O?
Where else to find every “go to” recipe from a community and an era? Such cookbooks should be approached as the treasure trove of heirloom recipes that they are.
Of course, not all “church” cookbooks come from churches.
From “the ladies of the church” and service organizations to fire departments and historical societies the tradition continues to this day. Recently I came upon a copy of the Grand Marais (Michigan) Historical Society cookbook Around Our Table.
The book got broad support, says Pat Munger, president of the historical society. “We asked for recipes not just from our members, but from the entire town. We were especially looking for good recipes with great stories behind them. I remember someone mentioned that they wanted to make a certain dish, but didn’t have the recipe. They went to our cookbook, looked it up and there it was. I love to hear stories like that.”
Janie Dowe, historical society member and fellow cookbook lover, spearheaded the project. “We put a small ad in the newspaper, and the response was tremendous. People were very generous with their recipes.”
One of Janie’s favorites is on page 139. “Everyone loves the Cheesecake Bars. They are just wonderful.”
But this cookbook, like traditional church cookbooks, doesn’t hide the truth behind the recipes … which makes for fun reading.
For instance, the directions for Grand Marais Double Dark Sheet Cake clearly indicate: “WARNING!! This dessert is very rich and may keep you up nights!”
After testing the Cheesecake Bars, I’d have my own instruction: “Wait until you try the Cheesecake Bars!!!”
Around Our Table is in its second printing. The Grand Marais Historical Society uses the proceeds to support ongoing restoration and upkeep of their three museums - the Old Post Office Museum featuring a unique five-sided design, The Lightkeepers House Museum and The Pickle Barrel Museum built as a summer cottage by cartoonist William Donahey, creator of the once popular “The Teenie Weenies” comic strip.
Not too many years ago, I was reading through an aged copy of my hometown church cookbook and discovered a recipe submitted by my great grandma, Christina Ostlund. The cookbook is filled with recipes from “Mrs. John Olson” and “Ida Johnson.” I salute the women of fundraising cookbooks past who quietly kept life on time and on budget at home, work, church and the community at large. And I commend the folks who do the same work today … keeping recipes and traditions alive for future generations to discover.
Juli Kellner knows her salads and shows, directing programming and production for the public channel, WDSE/WRPT, in Duluth.
Cheesecake Bars
My rating: Wonderful
Lake Superior Magazine staff rating: Marvelously rich
- 2 cans Pillsbury original crescent rolls
- 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese
- 1c. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Topping
- 1/2 c. butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread one can of crescent rolls onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix one cup sugar, vanilla and cream cheese together. Spread over the crescent rolls. Spread another can of crescent rolls over cream cheese mixture forming a top crust. Melt butter and spread over the top crust. Mix cinnamon and remaining sugar together and sprinkle on top. Bake for 20 minutes. (Staff recommendation: Refrigerate at least one hour before serving and serve chilled.) This was submitted by Joyce Hayka of Alpena and Grand Marais.
Grand Marais Double Dark Sheet Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1c. sour cream
- 2 sticks butter/margarine
- 5 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa
- 1 c. water
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 c. flour
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Beat eggs, baking soda, vanilla and sour cream together until smooth. Set aside. Boil butter/margarine, cocoa and water together in a saucepan. In a large bowl mix sugar, flour and salt together. Pour butter mixture over the flour and sugar. Combine and beat by hand until smooth. Add egg mixture and continue to beat until smooth. Pour into a greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
Icing
- 1 stick butter
- 5 Tbsp. milk
- 5 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 dash salt
- 1 lb. powdered sugar
Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and beat in powdered until thick and smooth. Immediately pour over the warm cake. WARNING!! This dessert is very rich and may keep you up nights! Recipe submitted by Pat Matthews Grand Marais, Michigan.