Aunt Shirley

On September 3, my Aunt Shirley, one of my father's little sisters, passed away. I remember her as a doting mother who was also interested in her children's cousins. She was very sociable - like both of her parents. She was a little on the fussy side - sort of like her mother and my father. She probably could have used a little more self-confidence - sort of like me.

Uncle Bill and Aunt Shirley were always taking Bill Jr., Gary and Janet on camping trips to places which were further away from home than the day-trips to the mountains which our family often took. Shirley never seemed quite like the "camping type" to me. Maybe I was projecting some of Dad's characteristics onto her. She seemed enthusiastic when talking about their trips.

Shirley loved to go to meetings of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers with Aunt Beverly. Sometimes they got my Mom involved, too. Shirley was on the Cookbook Committee. When David and I got married, she gave us one of my favorite presents, a copy of the cookbook she had helped to produce, with a personal note. I remember Aunt Beverly's enthusiastic endorsement of the cookbook.

It's one of those volunteer group efforts filled with wonderful surprises. Many of the recipes are pricelessly delicious. Others sound a little scary - like "Chocolate Goo-Goos" - containing both sourdough starter and marshmallows. I saw one recipe for doughnuts in which the contributor seems to have left out the flour. There are pioneer poems and stories, like "When Grandma Was Ready for Winter". And there are many historically interesting recipes. Older historical recipes include those from real pioneers. Some would be difficult to replicate now. Some you would not want to replicate. Others are worth keeping in mind for times we may lack modern conveniences. More recent recipes of historical interest to me are a few from the middle decades of the 20th century (when food manufacturers were promoting new ways to use processed foods) which could have been featured in James Lileks' "The Gallery of Regrettable Foods".

There are useful and humorous entries - like "Recipe for a Happy Day" and "How to Cook a Husband". The latter is in "Main Dishes". In part, it advises wives, "If he sputters, do not be anxious, for some husbands do this until they are quite done. Add a little sugar in the form of what confectioners call kisses, but use no pepper or vinegar on any account. Season to taste with spices, good humor and gaiety. Avoid sharpness when testing him for tenderness."

Looking through the cookbook today, I saw five recipes from Aunt Shirley, three from Aunt Beverly and one from Mom, for Cherry Bars, which I don't remember her ever making. It was sweet for the family to list Mom, Shirley's sister-in-law, as a survivor in the obituary.

We're going to miss Aunt Shirley, like we miss her bolder sister, Beverly. Our hearts are with Aunt Shirley's remaining siblings, her children and her grandchildren today.

Below are two recipes from Aunt Shirley's book. One is for her own Date Nut Bread, which I remember fondly from Christmases past and which Mom especially looked forward to each year. The other one is for Aunt Beverly's Banana Bread. I added a few details to both for the sometimes inexperienced bakers of a new generation.

DATE NUT BREAD - Shirley Lyells

1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup pitted dates, cut up
3/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp. soft butter or margarine
1 cup sugar (or less)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Pour soda and boiling water over dates and raisins. Cream butter and sugar, then add vanilla and egg. Beat well, add flour and mix lightly. Pour in fruit mixture, water and nuts; mix. Grease the bottom of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or grease and line the bottom with waxed paper. Scrape dough into the pan, smooth the top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck deep into the center comes out clean. If dividing dough into smaller pans, shorten baking time.

Cool for 5 minutes, run a knife around the sides of the loaf, shake and remove from pan to cool bread on a wire rack. Cover tightly after completely cool.


BANANA BREAD - Beverly Bennion

Mash 3 bananas and add 1 teaspoon soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Set aside.

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar

Beat in two beaten eggs. Stir in just until blended:

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup nuts
Banana mixture

Grease the bottom of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or grease and line the bottom with waxed paper. Scrape dough into the pan, smooth the top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until the crack in the top of the loaf looks dry and a toothpick stuck deep into the center comes out clean. If dividing dough into smaller pans, shorten baking time.

Cool for 5 minutes, run a knife around the sides of the loaf, shake and remove from pan to cool bread on a wire rack. Cover tightly when completely cool.