This past Christmas I officially became a woman. Now, I know I'm already twenty-something, but while I was in Portland visiting my family something monumental happened. My mom passed down my great-grandma's cookbook to me. It had been passed from my great-grandma to my grandma to my mom and now to me. "The Modern Cook Book" published in 1947 by Pearl V. Metzelthin has seen many kitchens, cross-country moves, and oil-stains. Thinking about what this new year will hold and my list of goals and aspirations I never want to forget where I came from or the simple things that make life beautiful. As life's pace get faster and faster I want to be careful to not become too busy to cook!

So bring out your mixing bowl and try this Vanilla Cupcake and Soft Vanilla Icing recipe from The Modern Cook Book:

Cupcake Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 2/3 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Cream together butter and sugar; add well-beaten eggs. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add alternately with milk, a little at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla. Fill liners to 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cakes. Cool, frost (below), savor!

Icing Ingredients: 2 egg whites 1 cup confectioner's sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions: Beat egg whites stiff, adding sugar gradually while beating. When mixture is light and fluffy, add vanilla.

Looking forward to the day I get to pass this treasure on...but not until after I've tried all the recipes.