Recipes for Thanksgiving dishes from the Maricopa Historical Society

While you prepare your Thanksgiving feast, take a moment to review some recipes that Maricopans have shared through the years. 

Right out of a historic cookbook titled “Maricopa Farmers’ Favorite Foods” you can see what people cooked for their day of thanks in the 1950s.  

 

One Bowl Corn Bread by Ginny Storie 

Ingredients: 

1 cup of cornmeal 

1 cup of flour 

1 teaspoon of salt 

1 tablespoon of baking powder 

1 egg 

Quarter cup of salad oil 

1 cup of milk 

Put all ingredients into bowl, add egg, oil and milk. Stir just until well mixed. Pour into greased pan or skillet. Bake 20 minutes in 400-degree oven. 

 

Arizona Beets by Susie Smith 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of cooked diced beets 

1 and quarter cup grapefruit sections 

Quarter teaspoon of dry mustard 

Half teaspoon of salt 

Three quarters of a cup of grapefruit juice 

6 whole cloves 

Quarter cup vinegar 

1 tablespoon of sugar 

Place beets and grapefruit sections in bowl. Combine and mix dry ingredients. Stir in vinegar and juice slowly. Mix and pour over beets and grapefruit sections. Add cloves. Chill in refrigerator. 

 

Refrigerator Rolls by Bobbie Honeycutt 

Ingredients: 

2 packages of dry yeast 

1 cup of water 

1 teaspoon of sugar 

4 teaspoons of salt 

2 cups of milk (scalded) 

Two third cups of melted shortening 

Three quarter cups of sugar 

2 beaten eggs 

10 to 11 cups of sifted flour 

Soften yeast in warm water (110 degrees). Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add cooled milk, shortening, sugar (¾ cup) and salt. Add eggs, beat well. Add flour to make soft dough. Let stand for 10 minutes, knead on lightly floured surface till smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once to greased surface of dough. Cover and store in refrigerator. Shape rolls about 2 hours before serving. Let rise till double in bulk. Bake in 425-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Pinch down unused dough and return to refrigerator till needed again. 

See below for a copy of pages from “Maricopa Farmers’ Favorite Foods,” provided by Maricopa Historical Society.