My Grandma is such a lovely, sweet, tender hearted woman and these apple rolls are her recipe from over 100 years ago at least (although I did modernize them with butter instead of lard)

I loved going to Grandma’s house, sitting on her lap to read a bazillion stories and have her tickle my arms or back until both of us were out cold. She still lives in the same, cute house in Jerome, Idaho and I don’t know that many people had a backyard quite like her’s. We would have summer picnics where all the cousins would come over and we’d run around playing games while the adults prepared the food and Grandma made homemade ice cream.

The weather was always perfect, the grass green and the trees were strong and tall to climb in. You could always find my older sister up in an apple or apricot tree reading another book.We loved visiting the cows on the farm to give them bottles, collecting “cat tails”, playing in the ditch,  and creating “circus acts on the swing set during family picnics under the fruit trees. Grandma’s house is and was magical.

This Apple Roll recipe has sooo much sentimental value to me. This is a recipe that just keeps getting passed down through the generations, and I cannot wait to teach my darling girls to make them for their families. Grandma says that this recipe was passed down through the “Mamas” to their new families clear until it got to my mom, who hates cooked apples and dropped the ball. I’m lucky that Grandma taught me to make them so I can continue the tradition. I love how much she loves this recipe and her memories of her mother making them and the kids being so excited and mouths just watering while they waited to eat them.

Here’s what Grandma has to say about the rolls,

“We used to be so hungry for them, and mama would put them in a big square pan and that’s all we would eat for dinner. We would eat them with fresh cream and we just couldn’t wait to eat them up!”

Grandma is just darling. Seriously, just look at how cute she is! Mary Tyler Thueson is  an incredible storyteller. In fact, she wrote a book and gave it to each of her kids and grand kids  So, I thought it would be fun to share her stories every now and again. Plus, I love that these old recipes use ingredients that are simple and have been around forever.

Robin’s Lace

It had been a long, cold winter but today was warm and sunny. The new leaves on the big popular trees had already unfolded and little green plants were pushing their way up through the warm, rich soil. It had only been a few short weeks since the young farmer had come in from doing chores and said, ‘The snow has begun to recede from the Tetons; Spring is on it’s way!’ Even though the Grand Tetons were many miles away, their three stately spires could be seen reaching high into the clear blue sky.

This day, the young mother took her chair out on the lawn to be near her children as they gathered rocks from the little stream behind the log house. She was busy sewing lace on a tiny white frock but took the time to wipe a little nose or look at the pretty colored rocks the children brought to her. 

The robins who were noisily gathering twigs and bits of string to build their nest seemed to sense the mother’s secret held close beneath her heart. They wanted to be the first to tell the whole world. 

Summer was busy and passed quickly, as they always do on a farm with baby calves to feed, long rows of potatoes to cultivate, hay to mow and stack, and wheat to thresh. There were no tractors or other motorized conveniences on this farm. The machinery was all pulled by horses, who were cared for and treated like family members. 

It was the last of October when the farmer announced to his family that winter was on the way because there was fresh snow on the Grand Tetons that very morning. On the 26th of October a baby girl was born to the young farmer and his wife. The baby was named, “Mary” for a grandmother this child would never know. 

Thus, my happy life began on our farm west of Ucon, Idaho. I not only joined six brothers and sisters but also shared the lace from my very first dress with a nest of baby robins.”

 

I love discovering my family history. When I read my grandma’s stories I feel not only closer to her, and better understand who I am, but it makes me want to be a better mother myself. What a different time she lived in. Sometimes I think I was born during the wrong time, there’s just something lovely about farm life, and when Grandma tells me about playing outside in the creek, and spending time on her mama’s lap I can’t help but want to make sure that my children have time to just be with me. No crazy distractions just simple time together.

A Few Tips

Make sure that you cut the shortening/butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a sandy like texture. Then, roll out to about 1/4″ thick, spread with the brown sugar/cinnamon and then one by one grate the apple over all of the dough. Don’t grate the apple into a bowl ahead of time or it will quickly brown. I actually prefer to peel my apple and then grate the whole apple until I get to the core, turning as I go. This way I always have something to hold onto.

Lastly, I prefer to cut my rolls with unflavored floss or thread. It’s how my mom did it and I find it quicker and easier. Just slide the thread under the dough, cross on top and pull tight to cut through. Slide the thread back under the dough, and repeat until done.

What Apples are Best for Baking?

When it comes to cooking with apples, not all apples are created equal.

The best apples for baking keep their structure and don’t turn to mush when baked.

Granny Smith apples are an all time favorite, but there are others that are excellent choices also.

Johnny Gold, Braeburn, Winesap and Pink Ladies are all great choices for baking.

Are Cooked Apples Nutritious?

Cooked apples are a good source of vitamin C.

Both raw and cooked apples are a great source of polyphenols, although the amount decreases when apples are cooked.

Cooked apples are also a good source of fiber.

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