BREAD - HOLIDAY BREAD

                      BY JOAN RICKETTS LOCKE

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine (I use Butter Flavored Crisco)
2 cups None Such Mincemeat
3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine sugar,
margarine and eggs, beat with rotary mixer til fluffy.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add milk to egg mixture and then slowly beat in flour
mixture.  Stir in mincemeat and nuts.

Pour into  two (2) well greased loaf pans or
one (1) angel food pan.
Bake 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Store in a cool place.

I drizzle on the top of bread, melted butter and brown sugar,
add enough confectionery sugar to make a glaze.

My brother, Billy, loves this bread!  He requests for me to make it every Christmas!

Photo of Grandma Joanie, Aaron and Maddy and "The Molly Dog"

Christmas 2009

BREAD - CORN BREAD

                                        BY JOAN RICKETTS LOCKE

This receipe was passed on to me from Momma.  It was passed to from her Mother, Ethel Farrell Cooper.

Ingredients:

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup melted shortening

1 1/2 cup yellow corn meal

3/4 cup sifted flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Beat eggs and milk.  Add in shortening and beat well.

Sift remaining ingredients together and add to liquid and beat well.

Pour into a greased shallow baking pan and bake at 400 degrees

until it shrinks from the sides of pan, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Photo of Momma (Louise Ricketts) and Nana (Ethel Cooper)

in the living room at Forestville, Maryland, 1966.

BREAD - BANANA NUT BREAD    

(GRANDMA RICKETTS' RECIPE)

                    BY WENDY REDELL BINKLEY

Ingredients:

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together shortening and sugar.

Add eggs and beat well.  Sift together dry ingredients, 

add to creamed mixture, alternating with the bananas.

Stir in nuts.  Pour in to a well greased 9x5x3 inch loaf

pan.  Bake in moderate oven at 350 degrees for 

45 to 50 minutes.

ENJOY!

A Note From Joanie:
 

No doubt about it, Mom's Banana Bread is awesome!

Want to snaz up a tried and true recipe?   I noticed when making this recipe in the past it didn't have salt, so I added 1/2 tsp. salt.  Also I've added the following ingredients for a tasty treat difference:  1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup finely chopped coconut, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips.  Add one or all of these additions to Mom's banana bread recipe.  The photo above has all the additions, except pineapple, plus it has a streusel topping!!

                                                                 

BREAD - ANGEL FLAKE BISCUITS

                                                                  BY BETTY LOCKE

This recipe makes 50 regular size or 100 appetizer/small size biscuits

Biscuits can be refrigerated 4 to 5 days.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. active dry yeast

2 tbsp. warm water

2 cups buttermilk

2 tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

5 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup Crisco Shortening

Dissolve yeast in water.  Mix yeast mixture with buttermilk, sugar and salt.

Set aside.  Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together.  Cut in 

shortening.  Add liquid mixture.  Mix lightly.  DO NOT KNEAD!

Refrigerate overnight.  Pinch off amount as needed.  Knead, roll, cut

and bake.  DO NOT ALLOW TO RISE.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Small size biscuits filled with country ham is a traditional Virginia appetizer.

They are great especially when they were made by Betty Sue!!

Betty Sue Enders Locke was the mother of Wayne, Debbie and Sherry; and the
mother-in-law of Joan Ricketts Locke.

Photo of Ron and Betty Locke                                                                      Photo of Ronald and Betty Locke

at Granddaughter Angela Locke Harper's Wedding                               on their wedding day, August 27, 1950

                May 17, 2008                                                                                                  Berryville, Virginia

APPETIZER  -  SWEET N' SASSY                

                 CHEESE SPREAD

                                                     BY JOAN RICKETTS LOCKE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark or light corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried fruit mix (I like cranberries, raisons,

   pineapple and cherries)

1/4 cup chopped fine pecans
1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 pkg 8 oz. cream cheese

Mix syrup, salt, fruit and pecans and chopped nuts in a saucepan.

Heat to simmer, stirring to blend all ingredients.  Remove from heat.

Let cool to room temperature. Only put in refrigerator to store, serve at 

room temperature.

Place cream cheese on a serving platter.  Top with fruit mixture and let

flow over the cream cheese.  Serve with Ritz or Keebler Club Crackers.

This is a great appetizer to serve at Christmas!

Photo of Momma, at Tippet's Cottage, Bethany Beach, Delaware 1972.   Momma... she was so sweet,

but doesn't she just look sassy!




This concludes the Appetizer/Beverage Section...now onto Breads!

APPETIZER - SHORE IS GOOD DIP

                                                 BY JOAN RICKETTS LOCKE

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked shrimp chopped

1 cup claw crab meat

1/2 can cream of shrimp soup

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup each, sauteed celery, green pepper and onion

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Spray an 8" square baking dish with PAM.

Combine all ingredients, except Parmesan cheese, 

in baking dish.  Top with the cheese and bake at 

325 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or 

until bubbly.

Serve hot with an assortment of crackers 

or small pita breads.

I tried Paula Dean's "Shore Is Good Dip" and then I tweeked it a little to suit my own tastebuds. 
Thanks to Paula Dean for the original recipe.

Delicious snack while decorating the Christmas Tree!

Photo of Ricketts Family Christmas Dinner "in the garage."  The cars were moved out, the carpet rolled out 

and we all had some Great Times!  The last Christmas Dinner in the garage was December 1991.

APPETIZER - ROSIE'S GREEN PEPPER                  JELLY AND CREAM CHEESE

                               BY MARGARET ROSE "ROSIE" RICKETTS MENCER

Look under canning recipes and make Rosie's Pepper Jelly

Ingredients:

1 jar Pepper Jelly

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese

Place cream cheese on a serving platter.  

Pour jelly over cream cheese.

Serve with your favorite crackers.

Great Christmas holiday appetizer!

                                                           Photo Rosie, Billy and Buddy having some snow fun

                                                           at home, 3500 No. Forest Edge Rd., Forestville, Md. 1967

APPETIZER/BEVERAGE - PLANTERS PUNCH

                                                           BY LOUISE AND JOANIE

                                        

Ingredients:

1  can 16 oz frozen orange juice

1  large bottle of Pineapple juice

2  12 oz. bottles of Roses Lime Juice (minus 4 oz)

3  cups Simple Syrup (3 cups. water boiled 

      with 1 cup sugar)

1  cup of Roses Grenadine Syrup

Mix above ingredients in large punch bowl.  

Add 1 pint of Jamaican Rum.  (very tasty with 

     coconut rum)

Serve cold

This recipe was created by Mom and Joan.  We

were trying to replicate the famous "Peter Pan Inn"

Planters Punch.

Photo of Momma and Joanie                                                      Photo of Momma and Joanie

The Ricketts Farm                                                                          Nightingale Farm for Angela's HS Graduation 

1040 Lower Pindell Rd., Lothian, Md.                                       June 1999                         

September 2002                                                                           

APPETIZER/BEVERAGE - 

MOMMA'S FRUIT PUNCH

                                                           BY MARGARET LOUISE PUMPHREY RICKETTS

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. frozen grape juice

1 12 oz. frozen orange juice

1 12 oz. frozen lemonade

Empty each juice individually into a
large punch bowl.

Add three juice cans of water (three
for each juice) and stir.   Serve cold.

Variations:
 Add 1 large bottle of gingerale for a
 sparkling punch.  Freeze orange and

 lemon slices. Place on top of punch
 before serving.

For a festive holiday punch, add one bottle of Champagne. Top with frozen fruit slices and
frozen cherries or cranberries.

Momma made this punch for her family.  She always took this when we went on picnics.

Daddy still enjoys drinking this punch.

Photo: front row right/Buddy, Billy, Terry                                     Louise and Tommy Ricketts

back row right/Joan, Momma, Daddy and Rosie                         at home in Forestville, Md. 1972

Easter 1963, 5513 No. Forest Edge Rd.,

Forestville, Md.

APPETIZER/BEVERAGE - MOM'S EGG NOG

               BY BUDDY RICKETTS

Ingredients:

12 Eggs 

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

6 to 8 quarts of Half-n-Half
 Cream

1 Fifth of Whiskey

1 Fifth of Rum

Separate the twelve eggs (yolks and whites) beat the eggs yolks and place in extra large mixing bowl.

Add sugar, vanilla and half-n-half to egg yolks and mix.  Slowly, add the spirits, stirring constantly.

Place egg nog in refrigerator and let egg nog set until very cold.  Buddy lets it set for several days to cure.

Place egg whites in refrigerator and save until ready to serve egg nog.  

On the day you serve egg nog,  bring egg whites to room temperature. Place egg nog in festive punch bowl.  If your preference is meringue on top of egg nog, then beat the egg whites in mixing bowl on high until egg whites are frothy. Slowly add 1/3 cup sugar and beat on high until whites form a stiff peak.  Place meringue on top of egg nog.

Egg Nog must be kept very cold.  

Buddy says, "Enjoy and have a good time!"

Momma and Buddy made this Christmas Egg Nog together every year since he was a teenager on Christmas Eve.  Bud still makes this spirited beverage, keeping up a "Ricketts Family Tradition!"

Buddy Ricketts and Momma.  Buddy escorted Momma to her 40th High School Reunion

 of Maryland Park High School.

APPETIZER - MARTY'S SAUSAGE 

CHEESE BALLS

          BY MARTHA "Marty" GORHAM

Ingredients:

3 cups Bisquick

1 lb uncooked pork sausage

4 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp parsley flakes

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a large rectangular baking dish.

Stir together all ingredients, using a spoon or your hands.  Shape mixture

into 1 inch balls.  Place in pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown.  Remove from pan and serve warm.

Joan met Marty when working for Secret Service in 1970.  She brought Marty and 

2 year old daughter, Shelly, home to meet Momma and Daddy (Tommy and Louise Ricketts).

Marty has been their "adopted daughter" ever since!

Momma (Louise Ricketts), Joanie Ricketts Locke, Marty Gorham

and daughter, Shelly.  Marty's wedding day to Doug.

APPETIZER - HAM AND ASPARAGUS ROLL UPS

              BY APREL MENCER GREEN

Ingredients:

1 lb. of sliced deli ham

1 can of long asparagus

16 oz of cream cheese

Let cream cheese come to room temperature.  Drain the asparagus.

Lay out one piece of ham and spread with cream cheese.  Place one asparagus at one short end of ham and roll.  Cut into about six pieces/spirals.  Place on a festive tray.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes and serve.

"Mom (Rosie Ricketts Mencer), Aunt Joanie and I first made these tasty roll ups

for a bridal shower at our home at 3500 North Forest Edge Rd., Forestville, MD."

 

Special Note from Joanie:  You can also place the roll-up in a crescent roll and bake according to crescent roll package directions.  Place on serving tray with your favorite dipping mustard.

                                                  

Aprel Ann Mencer Green and daughter Rose Green

APPETIZER -  CRAB DIP


                                        BY JENNIFER MENCER




Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Crab Soup
1 lb. of crab meat
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Old Bay seasoning to taste
4 oz. butter
8 oz. cream cheese

In sauce pan, melt butter and cream cheese.  Add the Old Bay seasoning
and the worcestershire sauce.  Mix Well.
Once the butter and cream cheese are melted,
add the Cream of Crab Soup and the crab meat.
Cook until warm.

Serve with club crackers!

Jenny and Chris Mencer (son of Rosie Ricketts)

APPETIZER -    BLT DIP

                            BY ANGELA 

Ingredients:

2 cups (16oz.) Sour Cream

2 cups Mayo (or 1 cup mayo and 1 cup Miracle Whip)

2 pounds sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

    *if in a hurry, you may use a large bag of bacon bits

6 plum tomatoes, chopped

3 small onions (more or less to suit your taste)

Combine all ingredients together.  Place in a large bowl, refrigerate.

Serve with Frito, Frito Scoops, Chips, Crackers or Pinta Breads!

"This is Jeff, Uncle Buddy and Andrew's favorite!"

Angela, Jeff and Maddy  at Topsail Beach, NC Aug. 2010
(Angela is the daughter of Joan Ricketts Locke)

APPETIZER -   BEAN DIP

                              BY   TERRY RICKETTS REDELL 

Ingredients:


1 can  lowfat refried beans

1 pkg  Taco Seasoning

1 pint  sour cream

1 med. jar salsa

1 med. pkg. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Place beans in a square or rectangular dish.  Cover with salsa.
 Mix sour cream and taco seasoning together, put on top of salsa. 
 Cover with the grated cheddar cheese.

If desired, top with fresh chopped tomatoes and fresh chopped green onion.

Chill to let set up and ENJOY!

This dish is also great warmed in the microwave!  Serve with FritoScoops or 
Tostito chips.

The Ricketts Family Cookbook

Photo: Home of Tommy and Louise Ricketts, Lothian,  Maryland

                                A house is not home unless it contains good food.

Home has so many meanings for different people.  It can be a refuge of peace and solitude, a place filled with noise and people, tears and laughter.  Regardless, home is one of the best places on Earth.  We heal and love, rejoice and celebrate, nourish and comfort, grow up and grow old within home's walls.  Home provides the foundation for our lives, a place worth celebrating, a place to always cherish.

Join me now in honoring some time treasured recipes of our home, from Momma, Grandma Ricketts, Nana, daughters, granddaughters, brothers, sisters, Aunts and cousins, in-laws and extended family members.






Special Note from Joanie:  This cookbook was originally published and printed in  December 2010 for Christmas presents to my family members.  With so many requests for this book, and the price of paper publishing continually rising, it was suggested to me to publish "The Ricketts' Family Cookbook" online.  All the recipes, photos and stories were presented by family members and they have been published as presented to me for publication in the paper form.  However for the online version, some alterations have been made to recipes in the form of photos.  Some personal family photos have been replaced  with  recipe photos.    What a joy to gather stories from  Dad and other family members.  It was my extreme pleasure to prepare this book, definitely presented with a lot of love, a project from the heart!    
So here we go...