The recipes in the yellowed pages of the Spoon River Co-op Cookbook are diverse. Some reinterpret classics with healthy ingredients, like the brownies below.

Some are family favorites: Grandma Sakolsky’s Chopped Chicken Livers, Mama Rosa’s Lasagne, Redge’s Grandma’s Oatmeal Bread, and Aunt Hattie’s Ice Cream. Some utilize that post-WWII recipe staple, canned soups. And there are ethnic recipes, some of which are now mainstream, but must have seemed pretty exotic back then. Which is probably why a recipe for hummus was entitled:

HUH? Zug spice mixture for Hummus and other Middle Eastern dishes 1 tsp. peppercorns 1 tsp. caraway seeds 1 T. dried parsley 2 strong [hot] dried red peppers 3 pods cardamom 1 clove of garlic

Roast caraway seeds in a heavy skillet until flavor is released. Remove black seeds from cardamom pods. Grind all ingredients with a pestle and mortar [or, today, in a coffee/spice mill], store in jar.

1 c. puréed chick peas ½ c. tahini [roasted sesame paste, available in groceries’ ethnic sections] dash of Zug 3 tsp. lemon juice one crushed garlic clove

Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Drain.

Add fresh water and a little salt. Cook until tender (90 minutes). Purée the chickpeas. Add garlic, tahini, lemon juice, zhug. Mix until smooth. Garnish with paprika and parsley, etc.

PSALMS FUDGY BROWNIES 8 oz. Baker’s [unsweetened] chocolate 1 c. butter 2 ½ c. honey 4 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 c. whole wheat pastry flour ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. soda 1 ½ c. chopped walnuts

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler.

[This recipe comes from pre-microwave days; I prefer to melt the chocolate and butter in a covered bowl on the lowest microwave setting, stirring occasionally until both are melted.] Beat together honey, eggs and vanilla.

Add chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients, with walnuts being the last addition. Bake in a 12"x18" edged cookie sheet or cut the recipe in half and bake in a 9" x13" pan. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.