Chili Con Carne

An easy chili recipe that cooks on the stove top to warm you on a cold day. From the "Better Homes and Gardens" Magazine October 1943.. its a perfect meal on a cold day. Serve with your favourite toppings like sour cream, cheese, onions, jalapenos alongside cornbread or buttered biscuits. 

I have made this recipe a few times and its very straight forward.. hubby really enjoys it. I have used canned kidney beans as well as soak your own and they are both very good.  

I did season the meat before browning. I also cut back on the salt slightly.... I would use your own judgement on that. And I did add a teaspoon of cumin as we like it... but as the original recipe says...

"Season as you like it from a whiff to tablespoons of chili powder"

1 pound cubed beef or pork

1½ cups red chili beans

31½ cups (1 No. 21½ can) tomatoes

1 large onion, sliced

1½ teaspoons salt

1 green pepper, chopped

Paprika

Cayenne pepper

3 whole cloves

3 tablespoons fat

1 bay leaf

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

 

• Soak chili beans overnight. 
• Simmer (do not boil) in salted water until tender. 
• Brown onion, green pepper, and meat in hot fat. 
• Add tomatoes and seasonings. 
• Simmer 2 hours, adding water if necessary. 
• Add beans; heat thoroly. 
• Serves 6.

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
October 1943

Creamy Potato and Celery Soup

Its quite chilly here at our Little Blue House. So, its officially soup season.  One of our favourites is my grandmothers recipe for Creamy Potato and Celery Soup. 

My Grandad had a Victory Garden which provided so many veggies during the war.. growing in the ground, tubs, window boxes, hanging baskets and his homemade greenhouse made from old windows. Plus he and Uncle Bill shared an allotment behind the village bowling green, created just before the war, where they grew onions and potatoes. 

So, vegetable based soups were often on my Nanas stove. She even made her own stock from all the vegetable peelings which she canned and stored in her large pantry. In Nanas house...nothing was wasted

Now...this recipe says creamy...but theres not a drop of cream in it. The creaminess comes from the potatoes which when cooked long enough breaks down. A quick blend in the mixer and it becomes thick, smooth..... and creamy

Absolutely delicious and filling. My hubby loves it with a bit of ham added. This soup freezes well... but make sure you whisk well when reheating

1 bunch celery, diced

3 large potatoes, diced (for best results use Russet)

1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon celery salt (or sea salt)
3 pints /6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon oil

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
• Saute onion and potato for 3 minutes or until the onion has turned translucent.
• Pour in chicken stock and bring to the boil.
• Once boiling, add celery.
• Bring back the boil and lower the heat.
• Add celery salt.
• Let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Puree the soup with blender, until smooth

Crisscrosses

Every afternoon, before my dear hubby gets home from work, I like to take some time for myself, and put my feet up for an hour. Sometimes I read..sometimes I sew.. and sometimes I knit. Sometimes I will listen to music... sometimes I will listen to an old radio show. Sometimes I will have a little snack.. but always I will have a nice cup of tea

Todays little snack was a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine September 1948. Crisscrosses are basically a Peanut Butter Cookie..and I dont think the recipe has changed over the decades...just the name. 

Original Magazine Photo

Quick and easy to make, they grew quite big... and packed with peanut butter flavour

1 cup shortening

2 beaten eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 cups enriched flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons soda

• Thoroly cream shortening, vanilla, and sugar. 
• Add eggs; beat thoroly. 
• Stir in peanut butter, then sifted dry ingredients. 
• Form into tiny balls with the palms of hands
• Place on greased cooky sheet.
• Press with back of a fork to make criss- cross. 
• Dough may also be rolled and cut if desired. 
• Bake in moderately hot oven (375°) 10 minutes. 

Original Magazine Recipe

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
September 1948

 

Green Tomato Chutney

 Its been a busy week here at our little Blue House. The Victory Garden is coming to an end and so the harvest has to be preserved. Although we are still getting red tomatoes..many many are still green. So, following in my grandmothers footsteps, Ive been making Green Tomato Chutney.

Nanas original recipe came from the Ministry of Foods Leaflet "Pickles and Chutney" but she ammended it slightly to include apples from Auntie Jeans tree and added raisins...and I have continued with this recipe for many years.

I must say.. its absolutely delicious, especially when its served with a little cold meat or cheese. And for you Brits out there..tastes just like Branston Pickle

2lb (6 cups) Green Tomatoes, skinning is optional

2lbs (6 cups) onions,chopped

1lb (3 cups) apples, chopped
5oz (1 cup) raisins
3 Garlic cloves
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Black pepper
2 tsp Sea salt
1lb (2½ cups) Brown sugar
32fl oz (4¼ cups) Malt or Apple Cider Vinegar

• Peel, core and chop the apples
• Chop the tomatoes, onions, and raisins roughly and mince the garlic.
• Place all ingredients into a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to low and then simmer uncovered for an hour. 
• Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.

• The chutney will turn brown and will have reduced down within that hour's cooking time. 
• Spoon the chutney into warm, sterilized jars and seal with lids.  
• There is no need to water bath chutneys...but I do for 10 mins
• Label the jars when cool and store in a dark cupboard. 
• Refrigerate the jars once opened

When it's time to eat your chutney, make sure to open a sealed jar at least half an hour before you want to eat, otherwise all you taste is vinegar

Ministry of Food Leaflet, no.6

Fried Green Tomatoes

So the summer Victory Garden is almost at an end... and a couple of squirrels have moved into one of our trees and have helped themselves to some of whats left. There is just one spicy pepper plant producing, and I have removed the remaining red tomtaoes, and a dozen or so green ones. Some I have put on the kitchen window sill to hopefully ripen, some I have sliced and frozen, and this morning we had delicious Fried Green Tomatoes for breakfast.

The recipe comes from the 1949 Good Housekeeping Cookbook... and I made both the plain and the breaded versions...using just green tomatoes. Both equally yummy

• Cut unpared green tomatoes in 1/2-inch slices. 
• Dip into flour, salt, and pepper. 
• Fry slowly in hot fat until browned. 
• Turn and brown on other side.

• Dip 1/2-inch ripe tomato slices into beaten egg mixed with water
• Then dip into crumbs until well covered
• Fry quickly in hot fat 
• Season with salt and pepper.

Meat Pie with Biscuit Topping

I have a large collection of 1940s cookery books and recipe clippings... the majority being the authentic publications from that era. I'm always excited when I find a new addition to my bookshelf.. especially if its good condition and in my budget. 

This week I found the a copy of "57 Ways to Use Heinz Condensed Soup" from 1944.. and of course I gad to try a recipe straight away. This Meat Pie with Biscuit Topping was a good choice

I made a couple of changes. I used ground beef because thats what I had in the freezer. I made smaller biscuits as they fit my dish better.. so I made 12.  And I topped it with some Italian herbs 

A lovely flavour and a homely dinner... which hubby thoroughly enjoyed..so I will be making it again

1/2 lb. raw beef, diced, or 1 cup diced, left- over meat
2 tablespoons fat
1 11-oz. can Heinz Condensed Vegetable Soup with Beef Stock
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper 
Dough for 1/2 standard recipe for baking powder biscuits

• Brown meat in fat. If raw meat is used cook thoroughly. 
• Combine meat, Soup. water and seasonings 
• Pour into a well- greased casserole (5" x 81/2" x 3"). 
• Pat biscuit dough to 1/4" thickness and cut with a 2" biscuit cutter. 
• Arrange 8 biscuits on top of meat mixture. 
• Bake in a hot oven (400° F.) for 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. 
• Serves 2 to 3.

57 Ways to Use Heinz Condensed Soup
1944

 

Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies

Hubby wanted some chocolate cookies so I pulled out my Christmas Cookies Booklet from The Electric Company Home Service Bureau, 1944

These are nice soft cookie, not too sweet but with that hint of chocolate and the crunch of walnuts. My MrD said they are a perfect cookie to have with coffee. Now the recipe says to bake for 15 to 20 minutes, but for my oven that was too long..and the first batch started to catch slightly. For me 10-12 minutes was perfect.

To save your rations, they can be eaten as they are, or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar... but of course we had to try the whole thing. 

Now...I must admit..I was a bit distracted while making the icing and it was a bit thick.. but my "Cookie Monsters" enjoyed them that way. Next time I will make it a bit thinner.

½ cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 quares /2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 ½ cups cake flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup water
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting
1 ½ squares/1 ½ oz unsweetened chocolate
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten (can add extra tbsp of evaporated milk instead)

5 tbsp evaporated milk
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

• Cream butter, add sugar and blend well.
• Add egg, beat until light and fluffy.
• Melt chocolate
• Cool
• Add chocolate and blend well.
• Sift dry ingredients together; add nuts. 
• Dilute evaporated milk with water.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to creamed mixture. 
• Add vanilla.
• Drop by tablespoons onto greased or parchment covered cookie sheets. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed and springy in the center.
• Spread with frosting while still warm.
• For the frosting..Melt chocolate and cool slightly
• Stir in egg yolk (if using) and milk into melted chocolate
• Add powdered sugar slowly until consistency to spread.