COCOA

This is taken from the White House Cookbook, 1894.

Six tablespoonfuls of cocoa to each pint of water, as much milk as water, sugar to taste. Rub cocoa smooth in a little cold water; have ready on the fire a pint of boiling water; stir in grated cocoa paste. Boil twenty minutes, add milk and boil five minutes more, stirring often. Sweeten in cups so as to suit different tastes.

Note: File Photo

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

This recipe is from an old cookie cookbook. I can't find a date on the book but it has a retail selling price of 15 cents printed on the front cover. I think that should say something about it being vintage!

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Sift together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter thoroughly to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and shape into two balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets and flatten into 7-inch circles, about 1/2-inch thick. Flute the edges to form a scallop. Prick lines on the circles by using a fork, outlining 12 wedges on each circle. Bake in a moderate oven of 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. While still warm, cut along the pricked lines but do not cut all the way through. Cool and break into wedges.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies.

It says in the cookbook that this recipe actually came over to America from Scotland.

 Note: File Photo

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM

This quick and easy pumpkin ice cream recipe was published many years ago in the local newspaper of my hometown when I was a kid. (Many, many years ago!) It was from a local home extension service's home economist.

1 cup pumpkin pulp
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 quart vanilla ice cream

Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg together. Soften ice cream and blend with the pumpkin mixture. Freeze until firm and you have your own homemade pumpkin ice cream.

 Note: file photo

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 

BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH QUICHE

1 pastry crust for a 9-inch quiche pan

1 1/2 cups Half & Half cream
4 eggs
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to suit your taste
5 slices bacon, cooked (just until done)and drained
5 links breakfast sausages, (cooked just until done) and drained

Line the quiche pan with the pastry crust. Toss Swiss cheese with the flour. Add the onion, parsley flakes, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture on the bottom of the pastry shell in the pan. Using a whisk, mix eggs with half and half until well whisked. Pour into the pastry shell. Bake 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Place bacon and sausage on top of the quiche in a pinwheel fashion rotating the bacon then a sausage. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.

Note: File Photo

FROZEN CRANBERRY DESSERT

 

1 pkg cranberries, ground (redder if frozen when ground)

2 cups sugar
1 No. 2 can pineapple, crushed, drained
1 lb marshmallows, cut-up (or use mini marshmallows)
1 pint whipped cream

Mix cranberries and sugar together in one bowl. In another bowl, mix pineapple and marshmallows. Let mixtures sit in the two bowls overnight. Mix both mixtures together with 1 pint of whipped cream in the morning. Chill and eat or freeze and eat. Use two large bowls.

 Note: File Photo

DUTCH APPLE BREAD

  This recipe is from a very old Southern Indiana rural electric co-op newsletter.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup peeled chopped apples
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:
1/3 cup flour
2 tbsps sugar
2 tbsps brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsps butter

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat eggs and vanilla into the creamed mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in the apples and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch loaf pan. For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Note: File Photo

SOUTHERN INDIANA PERSIMMON COOKIES

 

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups persimmon pulp
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat in eggs and pulp. Add flour and mix in. Add remaining ingredients in order listed. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Note: File Photo

BEET RASPBERRY JELLY

This is another old Southern Indiana recipe from a Nazarene minister's wife.

5 med beets
1 - 1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 pkg (3/4-oz) powdered pectin
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 box (3-oz) raspberry gelatin

Wash the beets thoroughly and cut off roots and tops.  Place in a large kettle with the water.  Boil until you have 3 cups of beet juice.  Strain the beets through a strainer, retain juice and discard beet mush.

In large kettle, combine the 3 cups of beet juice, lemon juice, powdered pectin, sugar, and gelatin.  Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove mixture from the heat.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and add hot 2-piece lids.  Listen for jars to seal.  When jars seal they make a popping sound and indent slightly in the center.  Refrigerate any jars that do not seal!

This is a file photo for reference only.

FROZEN FRUIT SALAD

This is from a very old recipe clipping and was recommended as a handy "make ahead" recipe for a hot weather day!

1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup halved strawberries
1 cup drained pineapple chunks
1 cup canned peaches, drained and chunked
quartered marshmallows
1/2 cup salad dressing (mayo-type)
2 sliced bananas
1 cup whipped cream
chopped nuts
dash of salt

Combine the cottage cheese, pineapple, strawberries, and peaches and bananas.  Add the chopped nuts and as many marshmallows as desired (use large ones, quartered). In a separate bowl, add the salad dressing to the whipped cream and then fold into the cheese and fruit. Spread the mixture in 2 refrigerator trays and freeze until firm.  Each tray serves 4 to 5.  Remove this salad when ready to serve, cut, and by the time you are ready to eat, it will be thawed enough.

Note:  Never did say where to use the salt!  Refrigerator trays?  Also the last sentence doesn't make a lot of sense but these old recipe are often that way!

INTERESTING GROCERY PRICES FROM EARLY 1900s

Instead of a recipe, today's post is just a list of a few interesting facts I came across in an old fashion cookbook.  With today's grocery prices I thought you might be interested in knowing some grocery prices for baking needs in 1900.

• Sugar - 4 cents per pound
• Eggs - 14 cents per dozen
• Butter - 25 cents per pound

It was also during the early 1900s that tuna was first put into cans.

KITCHEN TRIVIA FROM THE SECOND DECADE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

1910 through 1919 was the second decade of the twentieth century. A terrible thing for all Americans was WWI from 1914 to 1918 resulting in the following:

• The war brought serious food shortages which caused soaring prices making life hard in the American kitchens. 
• More Americans planted gardens for their food.
• Eggless and butterless cakes became popular from necessity.
• Meals without meat often became necessary.
• Rationing of sugar in 1918.
• Vegetable shortening often replaced hard-to-get lard.
• America saw a rise in processed foods such as Oreos, hamburger buns, and Hellmann's mayonnaise.
• Self-service grocery stores were introduced in California in 1912.
• Piggly Wiggly was the first supermarket chain after it opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1916.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? 2

More fun facts from the early 1900s. I love trivia and tidbits of history. I hope you enjoy these, too.

Ever wonder where the brand Le Sueur peas,etc came from?  In the early 1900s the Minnesota Valley Canning Company began packing corn and peas in cans.

America's 1st pizzeria opened in New York City. I wonder how many pizzeria's are in NYC today. When I worked in NYC in the 1980s it seemed there was a pizzeria on almost every block.

Housewives and cooks were excited with new kitchen items that came on the market: Drip coffeemakers and Electric toasters.

Chocolate lovers rejoice. The first recipe for Devil's Food Cake was printed.

file photo

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Thinking of our supermarkets today it is amazing to think of the following facts from the early 1900s:

• Tuna was first put in cans to be sold on store shelves.
• Sugar was 4 cents a pound.
• Butter was 25 cents a pound.
• Eggs were 14 cents a dozen.

I can remember as a young girl going with my grandma to a neighbors farm and buying eggs for some change. This was in the 1950s.

BIRDIE CAKE

Another old recipe from my home state of Indiana.

2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2-lb can crushed pineapple with juice (don't drain)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream the eggs and sugar together.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well blended.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

TOPPING:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 lb powdered sugar

Soften the butter and cream cheese to room temperature.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.  Spread on the cake while the cake is still warm.

This makes a very moist cake yet uses very little fat.

file photo for reference only