This week’s recipes are courtesy of Donna Derrico, of Baggs, Wyoming. Donna has contributed recipes to this column previously, and it’s great to hear from her again!

Donna wrote that the mock mincemeat pie recipe came from her grandmother, so it is an old recipe. The candied fruit cake is Donna’s recipe, and she wrote that, though people tell her they don’t like fruit cake, most like this one. She uses raisins as part of the dates.

She hopes you like the recipes.

Do you have recipes you would like to share with readers, perhaps some hot soup recipes for the cold days ahead? If so, call me at 970-824-8809 or write me at PO Box 415, Craig, CO 81626.

Mock mincemeat pie

12 soda crackers, rolled fine

2 cups boiling water

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

6 tablespoons vinegar

8 tablespoons sorghum

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup dates or 1 1/2 cups raisins

Cook for 30 minutes. Pour into 2 pie crusts. (You can also use cooked, dried prunes with seeds removed.)

Candied fruit cake

3 (8-ounce) packages pitted dates

1 pound candied pineapple

1 pound whole candied cherries

2 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 pounds (8 cups) pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Grease pans well with butter. Line bottom and sides with brown paper, cut to fit. Grease paper. Cut dates and pineapple into bite sizes. In a large bowl, add whole cherries. Sift flour, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons baking powder. Sift into the bowl. Mix well with fingers, separating pieces of fruit so all pieces are well-coated with dry ingredients. Beat 4 eggs until frothy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar. Add fruit mixture. Mix well. Add 2 pounds pecans, mix until nuts are evenly distributed and coated with batter. Pour into pans, pressing down with the palms of hands. Rearrange pieces of fruit and nuts to fill empty spaces. Bake about 1 1/2 hours. Tops of cakes should look dry but not brown. When done, remove from oven and let stand five minutes. Turn out on racks, and carefully peel off paper.

Recipes courtesy of Donna Derrico, of Baggs, Wyoming.