Broiled Ham Sandwiches

Another busy Saturday at our Little Blue House. After a breakfast of vegetable omelettes.. courtesy of our ladies and the Victory Garden.. MrD started a new house project.. replacing the floorboards in our hallway. 

He made a good start.. but will have to finish it next weekend. As with many jobs that we try to do in this old house... we always manage to open a can of worms!!

As for me I thought MrD needed a bit of a treat.. so I made one of his favourites 

Fanny Farmers Banana Bread.. 

with a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top

For lunch I tried a new recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, July 1940.. and it used a 1940s staple.. Spam!

Broiled Ham Sandwiches  were supposed to be an open faced and you toast the topping and put on bread. But I had some National Loaf that was a little stale as its coming to the end of the week. So, I ended up making a glorified cheese on toast. I halved the recipe as it was only the two of us.. and the leftover Spam will be used in breakfasts and in sandwiches this week

Original Magazine Illustration

To be honest.. it was really flavourful.. and added to a little fresh salad from the garden.. made a lovely filling lunch. I will be making it again

¼ cup chopped cucumber pickle 

1 cup grated American cheese (or any melting cheese)

3 tablespoons mayonnaise. 

12 ounce can pork-ham luncheon meat 

• Toast bread slices and spread with butter
• Combine grated cheese, mayonnaise and chopped pickle 
• Cut Spam Luncheon Meat ¼ inch thick slices
• Place a slice on each piece of toast
• Spread with cheese mixture. 
• Broil until cheese puffs. 
• Serve hot. 
• Makes 8 open sandwiches

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine 
July 1940

Pork on Skewers

As soon as MrD left for work this morning, I jumped straight in the shower,  got myself ready for the day and got my morning started bright and early. I was on a race to beat the heat. The first thing I did was make the dough for this weeks baking of bread. 

I wanted them out of the oven by 10.30 am.... and I succeeded.. if a few minutes late!

The only good thing about 105° weather.. is that it dries the laundry incredibly fast. This heat reminds me that deep down I am still a Country girl from Wales... and Im still not used to Southern California temperatures

Today was also our grandsons eighth birthday. Where have the years gone. He's such a kind, loving boy... but with a wicked sense of humour..just like his daddy had at the same age. He loves his cat Meow Meows with all his heart even though they fight like crazy. He's going to be an excellent big brother when the new baby arrives at Christmas

Dinner tonight was Pork Skewers from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, March 1942. They were really nice.. very easy to make, cooked \ to perfection and with a lovely earthy flavour from the spices. 

Original Magazine Illustration

I made no changes to the recipe... and served them on a bed of Vegetable Fried Rice. MrD thoroughly enjoyed them.. even though he couldn't quite describe the flavour!

2 pounds pork shoulder, cut in 1 1/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Original Magazine Clipping

• Make a paste of coriander, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. 
• Add lemon juice, sugar, soya sauce, and cayenne; blend well. 
• Rub spice mixture over meat; let stand 1 hour. 
• Place four cubes on each skewer. 
• Bake in moderate oven (350°) 30 to 40 minutes. 
• Stick radishes on skewer ends (optional)

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine 
March 1942

Denver Sandwiches

My goodness it was hot today... there seemed to be no air in church this morning

MrD and I forwent our stroll home and travelled in the car.. We have done well recently saving our gas, Im sure just one day wont harm...will it? We were home pretty quick and spent the rest of the day just relaxing by the radio... knitting for me and reading for MrD... with the same meal for lunch and dinner.,, cold cuts, cheese, crusty bread and lovely salad from our garden. I guess summer has finally arrived in Southern California

 Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) Moonlight Serenade 

Featuring Skip Nelson; Tex Beneke; Harry Bruff (Announcer); 

The Modernaires; Glenn Miller and His Orchestra

July 26, 1942

So...Sunday breakfast was from The Modern Family Cookbook by Meta Givens, 1942. These  Denver Sandwiches were so easy to make.. eggs, onions and green pepper, everything fresh from our Victory Garden. 

The egg mix was firm and sliceable.. and reminded me of a fritata. I made them as directed.. but would be lovely with added mushrooms or tomatoes... a bit of ham and a sprinkle of cheese. The variations are endless.

Oh and I sliced it into four instead of five... it filled us more..

5 eggs
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
salt and pepper to taste
10 slices buttered bread or toast 

• Beat eggs and mix with onion and pepper. 
• Butter a 9 or 10 inch skillet and cook eggs over low heat until firm.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cut into 5 pieces. 
• Put pieces between bread or toast. 
• Makes 5 servings.

The Modern Family Cookbook
by Meta Givens 1942

Barbequed Pork Chops

Oh boy... what a scorcher its been today. The barometer in the hall read a sweltering 105 this afternoon

All the housework was done by 11am and I made sure our ladies had lots of cold water and plenty of shade. We are all really uncomfortable in this heat.

Before work this morning MrD suggested I don't cook today.. and volunteered to barbeque a couple of chops and potatoes on the grill outside.. leaving the house somewhat cool. So I put a two chops to marinade and brought in a little harvest from the Victory Garden and made a lovely salad to go with it.

I spent the afternoon listening to the radio.. finishing a little dress for the Ladies Aid Committee.. and trying to keep cool by the fan

Dinner was absolutely delicious. The recipe was from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, October 1940... and it was suggested that the chops be cooked in the oven. But there was no way I was putting the oven on with the weather so hot. So our barbeque was a real blessing. The pork was tender and the sauce was flavourful... and as the caption on the recipe read..

"You'd swear an expert chef whizzed up the sauce"

8 lean pork chops

1½ cups ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 teaspoon celery seed

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 bay leaf

• Brown chops in hot fat. 
• Pour over combined remaining ingredients. 
• Cover and bake in moderate oven (325°) 1 1/4 hours. 

or the way we did it...

• Place pork chops in a deep dish
• Mix all the other ingredients together
• Pour over chops reserving some of the sauce for basting
• Marinate  for at least `2 hours and not more than 12hours
• Preheat the grill to  450°F heat and oil the grates.
• Put the pork chops on the grill, cooking for 2-3 minutes on the first side
• Then, turn them over and brush some BBQ sauce on the tops and sides. 
• Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Flip the pork chops again, brushing the BBQ sauce all over the tops and sides again. 
• Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
• Move to indirect heat and cook until the thickest part hits 145°F.
• Take the pork chops off the grill and rest for 5 minutes

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
October 1940