Olga Lueke Wagner

Wagner Cafe was opened in Yoakum, Texas, around 1937 when Olga Lueke Wagner was widowed by her husband, Benjamin H Wagner, Sr., and had three small children to support.   

Ben and Olga Wagner in Galveston

Wagner Cafe was located in downtown Yoakum, Texas, offering economical homestyle meals, with daily specials, to local diners.  Olga Wagner had always been a good home cook since childhood, growing up on a farm in nearby Moulton, Texas.  Born in 1901, Olga married her childhood sweetheart, Ben Wagner, and they moved to Galveston, Texas, with their three children, where Ben died on the operating table for appendicitis.

 Her cafe patrons enjoyed her fresh yeast rolls and bread, stews, coffee cakes with streussel topping, turkey and dressing, and many of her other favorites.  Sunday breakfast specials included her famous chocolate waffles, which she often made for her kids in Galveston.

Olga became known to her grandchildren as "Nannie".

 

Seating was small, but adequate for local patrons

Nannie's Rice Waffles

1 cup flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup melted shortening
1-1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup cooked white rice

Sift flour.  Measure and re-sift with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar

Melt shortening.  Add egg yolks and buttermilk .   Add to dry ingredients, mixing well.

Beat egg whites till stiff, but not dry.  Fold egg whites and rice in6o fist mixture.

Bake on hot waffle iron and serve with maple syrup and butter.

Nannie's Quick Coffee Cake

Mix 1/2 cup oleo, 1 cup sugar until fluffy

Beat in 2 eggs
Sift flour, then measure 2 cups and re-sift with a t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 1 t baking soda
Add 2 cup sour cream to the above and beat well.

Put 1/2 of batter in greased pan.   Slice apples real thin over dough.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. 

Add remaining dough snd sprinkle with cinnamon asnd sugar.

Bake 375 F for 40 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Nannie's Pickled Beets

Beets, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar

Nannie's Snickerdoodle Cookies

Nannie's Snickerdoodle Cookies

Mix together:

1 cup shortening
1-12 cup sugar
2 eggs

Sift and stir in 2-3/4 cup flour, t t cream of tarter, 1 t soda, 1/4 t salt. 

Form into small round balls and roll in 1 T sugar, 1 t. cinnamon.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

Nannie's Hot Rolls

Nannie's Hot Rolls

Soak 1 package yeast in a little warm water
Then add:  1 cup milk, 1 cup water, 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 2 t salt, 5+ cups flour -- Beat the wet ingredients, and add flour a little at a time.  This will make tender dough.  The dough will be sticky, so flour the board you are working on.  Take out enough dough to make roll for  cinnamon roll.   Roll out about 1/2-inch thick.  Spread on melted butter, then cinnamon and sugar.   Roll together until 1 inch thick and cut.  Place in greased pan, cut side up.  Let rise until double, then bake at 375 F till light brown.

I make my dough real soft, a little stiffer than cake dough.  Let rise till doubles in bulk.

Bake at 375 F.    When done, put powdered sugar glaze on while hot. 

Nannie's Bread and Butter Pickles

Nannie's Bread and Butter Pickles

This recipe is for 1 qt sliced ccumbers

Sliced cucumbers with rind
Slice one large onion to 1 qt cucumbers
1 t salt
Sprinkle over cucumbers and onions - let stand for 1-1/2 hours
Add 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegsr
1/4 t tumeric
1/4 t mustard seed
14 t celery seed
Simmer slowly till tender
Put in jars, seal hot