Looking Good, Tasting Better

There was a time some years past when you just didn't see miniature cakes and cupcakes on a regular basis.  Now, of course, you see them almost anywhere.  But in those olden days I worked at a school as a speech-language pathologist.  All staff members were required to attend certain designated PTA meetings as well as staff meetings at times when refreshments were required.  Meaning we each had to prepare something for the meeting.

My go-to recipe at the time was Finger Cheese Cakes. My mother gave me this recipe and it was used a lot those years.  Compliments were given each time. They looked absolutely wonderful and the taste was compatible with the looks.  I was given credit for being a great cook based on this recipe alone.

What I particularly liked was that they were quick and easy to fix.  I always did get up early and I could make a batch in time for 7:30 a.m. check-in time. One recipe fixed in the miniature pans would produce about 54 cheese cakes.  Absolutely beautiful, tasty, with a small size that allowed folks to have a small amount with other foods without getting stuffed.


                                                          FINGER CHEESE CAKES

               2 (8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
               2/3 cup sugar
               1 tsp. vanilla
               2 eggs
               1 Tbsp. lemon juice
               crushed graham crackers (I'd break off small pieces and crush with fingers as needed)
               1 can cherry or blueberry pie filling

1)     Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2)     Line 4  miniature cupcake pans with miniature paper liners
3)     Place a thin layer crushed graham crackers in bottom of each tin.
4)     Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, eggs and lemon juice together until smooth.
5)     Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full.
6)     Bake 15 minutes or until set
7)     Cool and top with pie filling.  You can also top with thawed whipped topping if desired.

When taking to a meeting, I'd refrigerate the pie filling on site and put on top of the cheesecakes just before serving.

Enjoy.

Fire House Wieners

                            (from my unpublished cookbook Fighting Fires and Feeding Firefighters)

 

    

 

 

Ingredients:  1 can (14 1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes     2 or 3 heaping Tbsp. salsa

                      1/2 pound wieners                              black pepper to taste

 

To prepare:  Put tomatoes and salsa into saucepan.  I use salsa strength preferred by the family.  Add pepper to taste.  Bring to boil over medium flame and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Cut wieners

into about 1/2 " lengths.  Add wieners to tomatoes and cover.  Continue cooking until wieners are nice and plump, about 10 minutes.  Serves 2 or 3 people.  Serve with cheese toast.

 

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City Ordinance, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1866:

     The Fire Engineer in command was given the authority to direct the hook and ladder men to cut down and remove any building, erection or fence, for the purpose of checking the progress of the fire.  With the advice and agreement of two City Aldermen, the Engineer is also given the power to blow up and building or erection during the progress of a fire for the purpose of extinguishing the fire.