. . . and other sweet treasures.
I couldn’t find the recipe. It wasn’t in my recipe files, nor was it in a small notebook with Hollie Hobbie on the cover, a gift from a student a long time ago. Inside it are old, faded favorites with tell-tale splatters.
No luck!
The recipe for Fruit Pizza was given to me by my friend, Linda, who first brought this delectable delight to my family many moons ago. Jennifer liked it so much that I asked for the recipe. Maybe it was in the Field School Cookbook. Linda’s children attended the same elementary school as Jennifer and Katy, so I thought it might be in there.
No luck!
I love these recipe books that come from PTA’s, women’s auxiliaries, civic organizations, etc. I call them church lady cookbooks, and I keep them, even if there is only one recipe in them that I use. These are the best of recipe books, for no woman puts in her worst recipe, does she (or he)?
At any rate, I could not find the recipe for Fruit Pizza, even in the school cookbook, but, I did come upon my friend Donna’s recipe for Lemon Sherbet! Donna served us this refreshing and sweet delight as desert for our book group’s annual Christmas Book Discussion in early December. The tartly sweet frozen sherbet, along with a tray of Christmas cookies, was a perfect complement to her dinner. Then and there, I decided to make sherbet for our Christmas Eve dinner. This young lass helped me. The Lemon Sherbet accompanied not only our Christmas Eve deserts, but, our Christmas Day festivities as well.
Ezra and Kezzie (and Papa) also frosted Ethel Cookies, an old family favorite. Our kitchen became a confectionary lab for young hands as we slid on a floor covered with powdered sugar and sprinkles.
Both children awakened before their Mommy and Daddy on Christmas morning. Kezzie was eager to make Pinch Cake, a Christmas morning tradition ever since our own daughters were young.
Unable to find the recipe for Fruit Pizza, it occurred to me that it was one of our Jennifer’s favorite treats and that I must might have put it in a cookbook I made her – and I had! She brought it over on Christmas. We made it later in the week to bring to Aunty Jenny’s.
It is always a joy for me to bake with our grandchildren. It is rewarding as well; not only for our taste buds, but, the for the ritual of baking for them, showing them how we prepare the food we eat, and, of course, eating the things we make.
The first step in making fruit pizza is to make the cookie crust. It is basically a sugar cookie base patted and rolled onto a pizza pan and baked.
Kezzie was quite the young expert at rolling out the dough and patting it in the pan.
When the cookie dough was done, we let it cool while we made a cream cheese frosting.
Then, like any good pizza, it needed toppings. Kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries were carefully placed around the pizza, with both children topping if off. Ezra LOVES fruit. It seemed the perfect kitchen activity for him (and it was).
Round and round the pizza they went with circles of fruit marching along in a palatable parade that made for a perfect desert at Aunty Jenny’s and Uncle Jason’s Gnocchi Night!
Do you have a church lady cookbook (or more)? How about a fun fruit desert? Are you doing anything to bring in the New Year, and, lest I forget, Happy New Year to all!
Lifeonthecutoff's Blog 
Well, your kitchen looks like it was filled with delights. Your kitchen helpers make everything even sweeter. I first came across fruit pizza in a home economics class. It was good, but yours looks better. I think the pizza we made had cherry pie filling or some kind of a jam on it. The fresh fruit looks much better.
I too love church lady cookbookd. I have one from my home church. I still use some of the recipes including a few that I contributed. It has recipes from many dear souls who have gone on to Heaven. Just glancing through the cook books brings back memories of church pot lucks and socials. I can see names and remember faces, or their laughter, anD their wisdom. I also recall coming into the kitchen after a soup supper for a youth group and seeing one dear lady sitting on the counter with her bare feet in a sink of cold water. She saw me and said, “Don’t worry, I will wash the sink out very well.” We both had a laugh as I climbed up on the other side and let my feet join hers. We did a complete cleaning of the sink. I still open that cookbook and smile. I have other church lady cook books, but that old stained one is my favorite.
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It was, Janet, and it was often chaotic :), but, fun.
I used to make this on the 4th of July with strawberries, blueberries, grapes and it was often a take-along to gatherings. I love cherry pie filling and can see how that would be used in home economics.
I know what you mean about dear souls now gone to heaven. These church lady cookbooks really do bring to mind those who came before us. I have one, from Tom’s great aunt, that was her mother’s from the late 1800’s. I don’t use it as it is falling apart – and there are ingredients and measurements that we just don’t have today, but, it is a little treasure. Inside it, there are other recipes sewn onto the pages. No scotch tape or staplers then, and pins would be used for sewing. 🙂
Oh, Janet, that is such a dear story! The sink ladies! I wonder how many times this happened in other kitchens. You know I would have joined you at the sink.You should write that down and fold it into the pages of the cookbook. I love it!
Happy New Year.
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I know exactly what you mean about “church lady” cookbooks being the best! When I got married in 1979 my mom’s twin brother, my Uncle Bud, gave me one of these cookbooks! It was so sweet of him to think of me and give me the cookbook – something I wouldn’t have expected. I don’t remember if it was from a Church or some other community group that compiled it as a fundraiser but I used it for years until at some point it disappeared. I honestly don’t remember what happened to it. What I do remember though is that it contained the best recipe I’ve ever had for dumplings, I think it was called ’15 Minute Dumplings”, which I would add to the top of hot, steamy food like stew or sauerkraut, bratwurst and potatoes – and my kids loved them! I’ve never been able to find a recipe as simple and fool proof as that one, even with google!
Your posts about your Christmastime with your grandchildren are so charming Penny! If everyone had a Yia Yia like you, the world would be a much better place!
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What a great gift for your uncle to give you, Janet, especially when you consider it was in 1979. I’m sorry it has disappeared, but, you never know – it just might pop up one day when you least expect it. Good dumpling recipes are hard to find. I use one from Cooks Illustrated. It’s easy and once you drop the dumplings in, you cover it with a towel around the cover to catch the steam. Sounds complicated, but, is wonderful. At any rate, I do love these church lady cookbooks.
Thank you, Janet. You have touched me dearly with your words and made my day. I hope they have some memories as good as my own have been.
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I always love hearing about your special times with Kezzie and Ezra, Penny! They are really growing up quickly! Mmmmm! Even sweeter than the cookies and Fruit Pizza were the sweet memories of baking with you that your grandchildren will hold in their hearts forever! ♥ So glad that you took lots of pictures. It’s such a wonderful tradition that you share with them every year, Penny!
We do have some ‘church lady’ cookbooks here. One of my favorites is a PTA cookbook. There is a section with recipes invented by the children! 🙂 Sending warm wishes for a very healthy, Happy New Year! ♡
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I’m so happy to hear this, Dawn, and I thank you. Memories ARE the sweetest of gifts, aren’t they? They are certainly growing quickly. 🙂
Those children’s sections are the best. Everything from making PlayDoh to Rice Krispie Treats and beyond – made all-the-more-special if you know the children. I’m sure you favorite all your cookbooks, but, especially this one.
Warm wishes back to you, Dawn, and a Happy New Year.
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Yum! What adorable memories.
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Thank you, Brenda and a very Happy New Year to you.
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Likewise!
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The “church lady” cookbooks are indeed the best cookbooks. They’re so used to cooking for a large crowd. A friend of mine is one of those “church ladies” who makes the best meals! Anyway, that fruit pizza looks heavenly! I love fruit pizza. And it’s usually served at showers given by some of the women at church. 🙂
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They are, and they have tried and true recipes.
We hadn’t made fruit pizza in a long time. With a young lass who loves to bake and a young lad who love fruit, I knew it was time to make this again. They loved it. L. Marie, and Ezra was so careful at where he put the fruit, especially the kiwi. It’s hard to see in the photo, but, in the center is a blueberry snowman, Ezra’s idea.
Happy New Year!
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The fruit pizza must have been one of the best goodies from your kitchen! Ezra and Kezzie are more helpful with each visit and are learning such good things to bake. It seems the time is flying by with them. I know you treasure each minute.
I have a collection of hospital employee cookbooks. The one I edited was “From our Family to Yours” and I have my favorites in it. It was a LOT of work but so worth it!
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It was, Marilyn. We had a baking/cooking frenzy while they were here. The fruit pizza was one of the last, and it made it easy to include Ezra, who loves fruit, and was excited to decorate the “pizza”.
One of Kezzie’s gifts was a cookbook, which is what she is reading on the top of the post. It’s made to grow with her and to encourage her to ask relatives and friends for recipes. I included three of mine, and she asked for several more while she was here, including the fruit pizza.
Oh, your cookbook, “From our Family to Yours” sounds wonderful! I know how much these books can involve, Marilyn, but, the treasure chest they become is always appreciated. I can only imagine the many tasty morsels in the one your edited.
Happy New Year!
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Your grandchildren are beautiful and sweet. Baking and cooking seem like a great activity to do with them. You asked what we did to bring in the New Year. My husband and I have alternated hosting New Year’s Eve with my neighbor Carol for the past 28 or 29 years. It is a cozy, comfortable gathering — I’d say it was hygge. We had a fire in our fireplace, ate appetizers and dessert, and toasted the New Year at midnight. Sometimes we have as few as five people, sometimes more. This year we had ten. I am also thinking about my New Year’s resolutions. Since they will probably look much like last year’s, this time I will include my “Big Why” for each goal. Happy New Year to you and your readers!
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Thank you, Susan. They are! 🙂
Your New Year’s Eve sounds delightful. I like the idea of appetizers and dessert; both filling and good and takes the pressure off of a full blown meal on what is always a late night – and perfect way to bring in the New Year. Thank you for sharing it here.
While I don’t make resolutions, I do mentally set a few goals for myself (be a better person, eat better, the usual suspects of January 1). The “Big Why” is meaningful for any goal and I will remember it as a move forward with 2017.
Happy New Year, Susan. Thank you for all your words and inspiration.
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I almost missed this beautiful post, having grandchildren and making fruit pizza, it can’t get any better. I have two “church lady” cook books, one from Germany and another one from a small town in the California Central Valley. Both are treasures.
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I’m so pleased that you stopped by, Gerlinde. Thank you.
I know. Baking with these two, especially fruit pizza, was the best of all things. Your “church lady” cookbooks sounds wonderful and an equal measure of both facets of your life.
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Delicious memories (in all senses of the word). We used to make fruit pizza — and yours looks amazing! In our former life, I had a whole shelf of cookbooks above the kitchen desk. When we sold out to travel, I copied the favorite pages we couldn’t live without for a notebook that we carried in the RV — and which I still have and use. Our daughter has all the original books on her shelf now.
Have I read about your pinch cake before? If so I’ve forgotten (getting older by the minute, so that happens).
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Just this afternoon I read a piece that mentions how the joys of Christmas are sensory, and that most of them come together around the table. 🙂 We did, indeed, make delicious memories, Sallie. It has been many, many years since I’ve made this. I don’t know why the gap, but, the fact that Kezzie loves to bake and that Ezra’s favorite thing is fruit compelled me to do this. I’m glad I did.
Someday, I, too will need to part with all these cookbooks. It was good that you copied your favorites, and how wonderful that your daughter is the keeper of them now. I will keep this in mind.
I’m not sure if I have written about pinch cake (I’m getting older, too). I’ll check. It is very much like what some call Monkey Bread. I used to make it more, Sallie, but, these days, it just makes an appearance on Christmas morning.
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