Edible Epitaphs

A Good Carrot Cake

Christine W. Hammill's gravestone, Ferndale, CA

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1½ cups oil
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1 (8½ oz) crushed pineapple, drained

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat eggs, add sugar. Let stand 10 min. Stir in oil, pineapple, carrots, nuts, flour mixture. Turn into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 35–40 min. Cool in pans for 10 min, remove to wire racks, cool well.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 (8 oz) cream cheese
  • 1 pound powder sugar, sifted

Mix butter, cream cheese, vanilla then add sugar. Frost between layers, top and sides.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Red granite book-shaped gravestone

9 to 11 min — 375°F

  • 2¼ cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup Crisco
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups chocolate chips

Combine dry. Combine wet then add dry.

Connie's Date & Nut Bread

100% Good Stuff – 0% Bad Stuff

  • 8 oz. dates cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ cup chopped nuts

Pour boiling water (where 2 tsp. of baking soda have been dissolved) over dates and raisins. Cool. Add 1½ C. sugar and mix well. Add 2 eggs, well beaten. Gradually mix in 4 C. of flour and 2 tsp. of baking powder. Beat thoroughly. Add ½ C. of chopped nuts. Bake at 350 for ½–1 hr. Bake in tin cans. One batch = 13 small cans.

Easy Potato Rolls

In Loving Memory — Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Friend

  • 2 packages (¼ ounce each) active dry yeast
  • 1¾ cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees), divided
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ⅔ cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed potatoes
  • 2½ teaspoons salt
  • 6 to 6½ cups all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in ⅔ cup warm water. In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, potatoes, salt, yeast mixture, remaining water and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough ball. Shape into a ball; do not knead. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; divide into thirds. Shape each portion into 15 balls and arrange in three greased 9-inch round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pans to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 45 servings.

Everyone's Favorite No-Bake Cookies

Black gravestone with Cool Whip engraving

  • 2 cups of sugar
  • ½ cup of milk
  • ¼ cup of cocoa (Swiss Miss)
  • ¼ cup of margarine (1 stick)
  • 3 cups of quick oats
  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla

Bring sugar, milk, cocoa and margarine to a full boil in a sauce pan. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Then add oats, peanut butter and vanilla. Drop on wax paper and let set until firm.

Grandma Mary's Fruit Cake

  • 8 oz pineapple wedges
  • 8 oz red cherries
  • 8 oz green cherries
  • 1 C raisins
  • 1 C walnuts
  • 1 C pecans
  • ½ C butter, softened
  • ¾ C brown sugar
  • ¾ C white sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 2 tsp dark molasses
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1½ C self rising flour

Mix in large bowl. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Spread in a bundt pan. Spray pan. Oven 250 degrees for 1 hour or until done if the middle is brown.

Grandma's Spaghetti Chicken Casserole

Karen Nelson gravestone

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 med. red pepper, chopped fine
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 sm. onion, chopped fine
  • ¼ t. pepper
  • ¼ pound butter (cook 5 min)
  • ¼ t. salt
  • ½ c. grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 jar pimento chopped and drained
  • 2 c. diced chicken
  • 1–7 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained

Bake 350 degrees for 30 min. or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Served and baked with love every time.

Kay's Fudge

"Wherever she goes, there's laughter"

  • 2 sq. chocolate
  • 2 tbs. butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Pinch of salt

Melt chocolate and butter on low heat. Stir in milk. Bring to boil. Add sugar, vanilla and salt. Cook to softball stage. Pour on marble slab. Cool & beat & eat.

Kim's Carrot Cake

Kimette Lee DeCota, November 4th 1956 – August 28th 2014

  • Butter, for greasing the pan
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1½ cups corn oil
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups shredded coconut
  • 1½ cups shelled walnuts, chopped
  • 1⅓ cups pureed cooked carrots
  • ¾ cup drained crushed pineapple
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch spring form pans.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in the walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until the edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
  4. Cool on a cake rack for 3 hours. Fill and frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting (doubling highly recommended):

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Juice of ½ lemon (optional)
  1. Cream the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
  2. Slowly sift in the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps.
  3. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.

Serve With Love. We will always love you.

Memaw's No Bake Cookies

Pelpa Approved

  • 2 C. sugar
  • ¼ C. cocoa
  • ½ C. milk
  • 8 T. butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ C. peanut butter
  • 2–3 C. oats

Mix sugar & cocoa in a saucepan. Add butter and milk. Bring to a boil for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ingredients & mix well. Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper. Pelpa Approved.

Mom, Granny & Gigi's Butterfinger Ice Cream

Sudan, Texas — Traci is buried at the Estacado Cemetery, TX

  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups of sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • ¼ cup of peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 6 (1.9 oz) Butterfingers, crushed
  • 1 pint of whipping cream
  • 1 – 3oz can evaporated milk
  • Regular milk to fill container

Beat eggs until lemon color. Add sugar, salt; beat until thick. Add peanut butter & vanilla. Add cream, milk & candy; pour into 1 gallon freezer can and finish filling the can with milk. Freeze.

Mom's Christmas Cookies

Maxine's gravestone

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup oleo (margarine or butter)
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup cream

Cream sugar and oleo. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt alternately with cream. Chill and roll out with flour. Bake 350 degrees oven, and frost.

Natalee's Famous Brownies

Gravestone at Lake Lawn Metairie

  • Two boxes Betty Crocker Supreme Triple Chunk Brownie Mix
  • ½ cup tap water
  • ⅔ cup Crisco vegetable oil
  • Five large eggs (preferably at room temperature)
  • Two cups Nestle's Toll House Milk Chocolate Morsels
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 9x13 metal pan (or two 8x8 pans) with "PAM" non stick spray. Set aside.
  3. In large mixing bowl, crack open the five eggs. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Whisk in the oil and water. No dry pockets in the batter!
  4. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate morsels, and mix well.
  5. Pour the batter into the sprayed brownie pan(s). Bake for 50 minutes. It's done when toothpick comes out clean. If not, give it an extra 5 to 10 minutes, no more!
  6. Let cool on a cooling rack. The brownies may shrink from the sides. When the pan is slightly warm (not hot) cover with aluminum foil. Crimp the edges to preserve the moisture.

Note: Can be done a day in advance, especially if planning to ship. These brownies freeze well — cut into squares and save for a rainy day! For variety, substitute white chocolate chips or Reese's peanut butter chips for the milk chocolate. Thank you for keeping her alive in your heart!

O'Neal's Peach Cobbler

Gravestone dated September 24, 1914 – July 1, 2005

  • 1 c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ⅔ c. sugar
  • ½ c. butter
  • ¾ c. milk

Mix topping ingredients. Add milk. Put fruit into pan. Pour on topping. Bake at 350 until done.

Peanut Butter Cookies

  • ½ C. brown sugar
  • ½ C. white sugar
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • ½ C. crunchy peanut butter
  • ¼ C. butter shortening
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda

Mix in order given. Roll into balls then roll in sugar. Cross mash with fork. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Place chocolate kiss on top of cookie while still warm.

Peg's Sugar Cookies

Neal family gravestone

  • 2 cups sugar
  • ⅔ cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbls. water
  • 1 teas. vanilla
  • 3½ cups flour
  • ½ teas. salt
  • 2 teas. baking powder

Mix all together. May have to add more flour as rolling out. Cut into cookies. Bake on greased pan at 350° for 6–8 minutes.

Red Lantern Cheese Dip

  • 8 oz spreadable sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup real mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried minced onion
  • Splash of milk
  • Handful of dried bacon bits

Combine all ingredients in a mixer. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Scotcharoo Bars

Kari's gravestone — "Kari was an avid baker. Here is one of her favorites."

  • 6 cups crushed Rice Crispies
  • 1¼ cup corn syrup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ bag butterscotch chips
  • ½ bag chocolate chips

Crush the Rice Crispies in a big bowl and then measure them out. In a pan add sugar, corn syrup, peanut butter & honey. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Do not bring to boil. Put in pan and melt chips over top and that's it!!

Snickerdoodles

  • 1 cup soft shortening (part butter)
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2¾ cups Gold Medal flour
  • 2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Measure flour by dip-level pour method or by sifting. Blend all dry ingredients. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in mixture of 2 tbsp. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. These cookies puff up at first then flatten out.

Spritz Cookies

Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson, Nov. 26 1921 – June 11 2005. Beloved Mother, Aunt, Grandmother & Great-Grandmother.

  • 1 cup of butter or margarine
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 2¼ cups of flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Press dough through a cookie press onto ungreased baking sheets.

Tea Biscuits

Debbie McNutt gravestone

  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup sugar

Mix in 4 heaping tbsp. lard. Stir in 2 cups of milk.

Texas Sheet Cake

Made with love by Helen Sweers

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tbs cocoa
  • 2 cups flour, sifted
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup sour milk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Bring butter, water, cocoa to a boil. In a bowl mix flour, sugar, sour milk, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well. Add boil mixture to flour mixture. Pour on a greased jelly roll pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Frosting:

  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2 tbs cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 box powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

Cook on stove top. When mixed, add powdered sugar. Pour onto hot cake. Spread. Top with walnuts.