The Dairy Blog

I know I should submit these recipes to Mayfield's Recipe of the Month Club, but since I am writing about Grandmother’s oatmeal cookies, I’ll just submit them in my blog. My cousin, Emily Cate, now lives in Grandmother’s house with her artist husband, Don Wilson.

Just looking at the driveway reminds me of how Grandmother collected walnuts this time of the year from all over the farm and drove over them with her car to help remove the hulls. Grandmother would bake and freeze the cookies so she could serve them when grandchildren, like Scottie and I, would drop in. Grandmother’s house is featured on the mural that is painted on the building near the Mayfield Dairy Farms Visitor Center.

Scottie’s sister, Elaine Cathcart, has published the recipe in the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum cookbook: 

            Grandmother Mayfield’s Oatmeal Cookies

            Cream together 2 sticks butter and 2 cups sugar; add 3 eggs

            Add to above ingredients:

            ½ cup milk

            ½ teaspoon soda (put in milk)

            Sift together and add to above mixture:

            4 ½ cups flour

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            1 teaspoon cinnamon

            1 teaspoon allspice

            1 teaspoon cloves

            Stir in:

4 cups oatmeal

½ large box raisins

1 cup black walnuts

Spoon onto greased baking sheet with teaspoon; cook at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Bullet Boyer was one of Howard Bales’ best friends. Howard was Mayfield Creamery’s original Public Relations representative. Mr. Bales arranged tours of the dairy for church and civic groups during the 1960’s through 1980’s. Because of the positive impact the tours had on our business, we have the Visitor Center today. Both Mr. Bales and Bullet Boyer are remembered as “characters” in the Athens Community today because of their pranks. But, Bullet’s chicken sauce is the absolute best anyone ever made.

Cook chicken over grey charcoal for 30-45 minutes without sauce on it, turning every 2-3 minutes to keep it from burning. Then, brush on the sauce and turn frequently.Enjoy!

BBQ Sauce for Six 2 lb. Chickens

1 lemonjuice

1 quart  vinegar

1 pound butter

1/3 cupsalt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 teaspoons chili powder

½ jar mustard

½ jar horseradish

½ bottle Worcestershire sauce

Note:  The recipe was written before we had different container sizes, so just use a standard jar size for mustard, horseradish, etc.Heat all ingredients on the stove before brushing on the chicken.