Who am I to complain, so I won’t; who am I to say, okay I will. These new mornings have been a hint of what is to come. We need to plan a little more time to successfully maneuver through the early hours. It is a bit more chilly, some hours it’s darn right cold. Taking the dog out for his early relief and snout root into the soggy fallen leaves is a shivering one. No more just stepping outside for a quick minute, today he wants to take more time, I don’t have the reserve warmth for the added stretch.

Do I choose dew or do I choose frost? A damp dewy morning means the temperature is above a certain mark, the cold mark, and my stocking feet quick-slipped into my flip-flops will soak up what dampens my path. If I choose frost, my toes will not freeze because my bedtime boot socks will remain dry, but I may have to curl my toes to generate more heat.

There is no layer of snow yet, there has been no overnight dump down yet, but our neighbors to the east have certainly been placed into an early winter season. They are putting on their boots, while I am still slipping on the flip-flops, but I got my socks on and I’m not going anywhere beyond my home boundaries. Flip-flops get me to the barn, but soon my fur-lined snow boots will be dug out from the bottom of the boot box and aired out.

You’ll get no grumbles from me because the seasonal menu has changed. I prefer a busy hot oven; baking and roasting and broiling. I like the steam of boiling pasta, the simmering of soups, and the bubbling of stews. I love the warm aromas of chocolate baked goods, fruit pies cooling, and biscuits browning; all carried through the house by an old farmhouse draft.

When my closed in porch becomes a full-size walk-in cooler, I know that the walk-in freezer will be delivered in the coming weeks. If my antique deep freeze decides to pop a top or give up the goose, the contents will not be lost.

The habit of kicking off our shoes on the front porch has ended; the line-up of sneakers and sandals is gone, but the work boot and shoe drop off just inside the front door has increased to cover entirely the wipe-your-feet rug. And those slippers that soak up the dew when they walk beyond the cement patio, they cover up the register, waiting for the furnace to kick on. And it will, very soon, again.

In the evening, after dinner, when everyone in the family seems to head off in different directions what great aroma brings them back into the kitchen; popcorn popping, brownies baking, apples simmering? Mail recipes to: Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Road, Wooster 44691. Emails are always welcome to thewritecook@sssnet.com.



Coffee Punch

1 gallon strong cold coffee

2 cups sugar

1 gallon vanilla ice cream

1 pint whipping cream

Brew coffee as directed on coffee can. Add sugar to hot coffee, cool. Stir half of the ice cream into the coffee. Then pour into punch bowl. Dip remaining ice cream over the top to garnish. Whip the cream and place a dab on top of each cup as you serve.



Delicious Maple Milk

1 cup cold milk

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix ingredients. Serve chilled or hot.



Butterscotch Steamer

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 quarts milk

Melt butter and brown sugar in saucepan. Add milk, heating until hot, but not boiling (about 165 degrees). Serve in hot mugs sprinkled with cinnamon.



Pumpkin Bread

3 eggs, well beaten

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/4 cups canned pumpkin

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chopped dates or chopped raisins

Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients and blend into beaten mixture. Fold in nuts and raisins. Pour into two greased 9-by-5 inch loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.



Soft Gingerbread

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup soft margarine

2 eggs, well beaten

1/2 cup sorghum molasses

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cream thoroughly the sugar and margarine. Add eggs and molasses. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with combined water and soda. Pour into greased and floured 9-by-13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or topping.



Pecan Crunch Cake

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 (18 ounce) yellow or white cake mix

Pat butter, sugar, and pecans over bottom of a greased 9-by-13 inch pan. Prepare cake mix according to package directions and pour over mixture in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then turn out on tray to cool. Cut in squares and serve warm with whipped cream and lemon sauce.

Lemon Sauce:

1 cup water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon margarine

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Combine in saucepan and cook until thick and clear; stirring constantly. Cool.



Upside-down Chocolate Nut Cake

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup cream

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 (18 ounce) chocolate cake mix

Heat butter and brown sugar in saucepan until bubbly. Add corn syrup and cream; heat just until boiling. Pour into greased 9-by-13 inch pan. Sprinkle walnuts over sugar mixture in pan. Mix cake mix according to package directions. Pour over mixture in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert onto tray. Serve warm with whipped cream.



Never-Fail Cupcakes

2 eggs

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup shortening

3 cups flour

1 cup thick sour milk or buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup hot water

Measure all ingredients into mixer bowl in order listed. Beat until smooth, approximately 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. Pour into cupcake papers and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and frost as desired.



Fruit Filled Oatmeal Squares

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal

1 (21 ounce) can fruit pie filling (cherry, blueberry, etc.)

Mix together butter, flour, sugar and oatmeal until crumbly. Press 2/3 crumbs in a 9-inch square pan. Reserve other 1/3 crumbs. Spread with pie filling. Sprinkle with reserve crumbs. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.