Positively No End to Prunes

I was cleaning out a cabinet and came across this gem. No date, possibly late 50's early 60's. It is a product cookbook, and I have a few of these. This one highlights Solo fruit fillings, which are still around. I've used the apricot and strawberry in some Christmas cookies. Many dessert recipes are in here, glazes, then it goes downhill when it deviates into 'Main Dishes'. It was hard to choose which to put on here, and I can't promise there won't be another post, between the 'Solo Meat Glaze', or the 'Fruited Pot Roast', or the 'Fruit Potato Casserole.' But I went this with gem instead, one of no less than 7 prune recipes in this little cookbook:

Ham-Prune Fritters

"This is a very delicious and unique way to serve ham which will more than please your family and friends. We suggest you try this." (Amy's note: I suggest you stick to the cookies and cakes.)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon melted fat (Um, any more clues here? So shortening would work here?)

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 12 oz. can "Solo" Prune filling

3/4 cup finely diced cooked ham

1/2 cup corn syrup

Combine eggs and milk. Sift dry ingredients and beat into egg and milk mixture. Add fat, parsley, 1/4 cup SOLO Prune filling and ham. Drop by spoonfuls into a vessel of hot fat (360 degrees) (Again, a 'vessel' means what? and again with the 'hot fat') and cook until brown and done. Drain and serve with remaining Solo Prune filling that has been thinned with corn syrup and heated (How? Do you drink it?). Yields: 15 - 20 small fritters.

Just when I think I've found the weirdest prune recipe, I unearth another one. I keep calling my mother to ask if she remembers these recipes, and she has begged me to stop with the prunes. I really could fill a year with prune recipe blogs. But I won't.

In two weeks, the anthology Missing: A Mysterious Gathering of Tales will be out. I had the privilege of editing these wonderful stories. One was by J.A. Konrath and Henry Perez. Joe Konrath has been a mentor for me with my writing and I really like the story these two gentlemen did. It is part Chicago police procedural, part collectible story, part newspaperman. It also had lots of humor. I have a story in there too, about Alana the antiques store bookkeeper with the savvy teen son. Alana's sister-in-law goes missing on the anniversary of Alana's husband's death. Don't worry - I edited better than I do my own sentences. Missing will benefit missing persons organizations.