Spaghetti and Meat Balls

I dont know what it is about 1940s recipes, but they are really tasty. These meatballs from Better Home and Gardens Magazine, September 1942, are no different. Using Italian seasoning, garlic and parmesan cheese the flavours really hit the spot. 

There were plenty of meatballs so I froze some for a later date and there was enough sauce leftover to mix with pasta for another meal.

1 onion, chopped 

3 tablespoons fat
1 No. 2 can (2 1/2 cups) tomatoes
2 6 ounce cans tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bay leaf
3/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 sprig parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
Salt and pepper
18-ounce package long spaghetti

• Brown onion in hot fat
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, sugar, and bay leaf. 
• Cook slowly 1 hour. 
• Combine remaining ingredients except spaghetti
• Mix thoroughly; form in small balls. 
• Brown in hot fat.
• Add to sauce and cook over low heat 15 minutes. 
• Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water until tender
• Drain and rinse with hot water. 
• Pour sauce and meat balls over spaghetti in serving dish. 
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. 

Magazine illustration

Better Home and Gardens Magazine, 
September 1942

Jackpot Casserole

 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

September 1948

Honey Brownies

This Brownie dessert comes from the Your Gas Range Cook Book, 1940. They were quick to make and surprisingly tasty, but don’t make this recipe if you are craving chocolatey brownies. They tasted more like honey than chocolate. At first hubby wasnt impressed."Where's the chocolate?" he asked. But the more he chewed, and they were very chewy, the more he enjoyed. Good thing he likes Honey

1/4 c fat
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c honey
2 eggs
2 squares (2 oz) chocolate
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c nut meats (optional)

• Cream the fat and add the sugar gradually. 
• Add the honey and mix thoroughly. 
• Beat the eggs and add to the creamed mixture. 
• Add melted and slightly cooled chocolate. 
• Mix well. 
• Sift flour before measuring and then sift the flour, soda, and salt together. 
• Add the sifted ingredients and nuts to the first mixture. 
• Pour into a greased 9×9 inch square pan. 
• Bake at 300°F for 55 minutes. 

Your Gas Range Cook Book, 1940

Hamburger Pie

A very simple dish from Better Homes and Gardens, August 1946. It makes and tastes almost like a Cottage Pie.. but Im not sure why we leave the middle of the mashed potato topping open!

The only changes I made to the original recipe.. was to add some chopped carrots that were leftover from another meal... and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. 

Not too bad at all!

4 potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• Peel and quarter potatoes, and introduce into boiling water; 
• Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. 
• Drain and mash. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown. Drain. 
• Stir in tomato soup and green beans. 
• Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. 
• Top with well seasoned mashed potatoes in a ring around the meat mixture (do not cover meat).
• Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until potatoes are golden

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
August 1946

Wartime Cauliflower Cheese with Bacon

This  Cauliflower Cheese is based on a war time recipe by Marguerite Patten. I make it quite often served with potatoes and vegetables, or as a side dish to meat, We have even been known to have leftovers for breakfast with bacon or sausage. You can leave out the bacon, but it does help the flavour

1 fresh cauliflower

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 pint milk
1 onion or 1 leek
2-4 oz of bacon
2 oz cheese
salt and pepper to taste
horseradish or mustard to taste
knob of butter

• Steam or boil the cauliflower and then drain well
• While it’s cooking make the sauce. 
• Mix the cornstarch into a thick paste with a little of the milk
• Add the rest of the milk and add a knob of butter.
• Place on heat and slowly bring to a simmer stirring all the time
• Lower heat and add in salt & pepper, a little horseradish or dried mustard
• Fry onions or leeks and chopped bacon in a separate pan
• When browned add to white sauce and mix in well
• Place cauliflower in an overproof dish
• Pre-heat grill/broiler to quite high
• Pour THICK sauce over the top
• Grate the 2 oz of STRONG cheddar over the top, sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Place under grill until topping is nice and browned

Spanish Shrimp

A  quick and easy dish from "Your Gas Range Cook Book" 1940. The amount of chili in the recipe gave it a slight warmth but not overwhelming. A very flavourful and tasty dinner

3 cups hot boiled rice

2 tablespoons fat

2 onions  sliced

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon flour

2 cups tomatoes

2 cups canned or cooked peas

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ cups cooked shrimp

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 cup water

• One cup raw rice cooked in 3 cups boiling water yields 3 cups cooked rice
• Cook the onions and celery in the fat until brown, 
• Add flour, seasonings. and slowly add the water. 
• Cook 15 minutes. 
• Add tomatoes, peas, vinegar, sugar and shrimps 
• Continue cooking 10 minutes more or until shrimps are throughly heated 
• Mold rice either in cones or ring, and surround with Spanish shrimp. 
• Serve from large chop plate.
• Amount-6 servings.

Your Gas Range Cook Book 1940

Grandma Addi's Leftover Meatloaf Chili

 As in my Grandmothers day, I am a believer of waste not want not. In my kitchen, no food is ever thrown away. It is either frozen, canned or as in the case of  these leftovers, repurposed into a different dish. This recipe comes from my mother in laws kitchen, scribbled on a piece of paper with the words "from Mom" and "very good" in the top corner.

So last weeks meatloaf was made into this incredibly quick and easy chili. Her recipe says to divide into two serving bowls and sprinkle with cheese, but I wanted it to go a bit further and served it over rice with a cucumber and tomato salad 

A very tasty dish, not too spicy, and I will make it again

1 1⁄2 - 2cups leftover meatloaf 
1⁄4 cup chili powder
1(15 ounce) can undrained kidney beans
1(14 1/2 ounce) can undrained diced tomatoes
1cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided (optional)

• In a medium sized saucepan, combine beans, tomatoes, and chili seasoning.
• Heat and stir until seasonings are well blended.
• Add meatloaf and stir until meat is heated, about 15 minutes.
• Divide into two serving bowls, and if desired top with equal amount of cheese.

Bubble and Squeak Patties

Bubble and Squeek is a British dish that is a brilliant way of using up your leftover veggies. Mash it all together and fry it in a pan until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. There is no set recipe, just use any vegetables that you have on hand, but half of the mixture must be mashed potato, as this is the 'glue' that binds it all together

Originally it utilised left over roast beef with cabbage, fried up with lard until all lovely and crispy. The change to potato for bubble and squeak came because of rationing in WW2 where beef was a luxury 

I have taken the recipe one step further, and made the mixture into patties. Hubby sometimes likes a little grated cheese added to his. And I have been known to dip them in breadcrumbs just before frying. I like to make a batch and freeze them so I always have them on hand for one of our favourite weekend breakfasts

Mashed potatoes
Left over boiled vegetables e.g. cabbage, carrots, parsnips, turnips, brussels sprouts (chopped)
Small onion (chopped)

A little grated cheese (optional)

Dried breadcrumbs (optional)

• Soften the onions in a pan with a little water (you can use fat but water will save your ration)
• Put the mashed potatoes and vegetables in a large bowl
• Add the onion and mix well
• Take scoops of the mixture, press into a ball then flatten to form a circle
• Put a large knob of margarine or lard in a frying pan and heat until it bubbles
• Carefully drop the patty into the hot fat
• Fry until the edges are brown and crispy
• Turn over and fry the other side
• Drain on a little kitchen paper

British Wartime Flapjacks

Not to be confused with American pancakes, British Flapjacks are a baked goodie made from a mixture of oats, sugar, butter and golden syrup. The thinner you spread the mixture the crispier they get... so an 8x8 tin gives the perfect chewy crunch

8oz oats
2oz butter or margarine (plus extra for greasing)
2oz golden syrup
2oz light brown sugar
optional extras: coconut, dried fruit

The Ministry of Foods Recipe for Flapjacks

• Put the butter or margarine and the golden syrup into a saucepan and melt gently. 
• When the mixture becomes liquid mix in the sugar and stir.
• Remove from heat and add in the oats.plus any additional ingredients you want to add 
• Grease an 8x8 pan and press in the flapjack mixture with the back of a spoon.
• Place in a pre-heated oven at 350F for 30-35 minutes until edges are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and set aside. 
• Cut into square or rectangular pieces immediately
• Leave in the tin until completely cold before removing.

Family Meat Loaf

This Meatloaf comes from Recipes For Today a handy World War 2 booklet produced by General Foods Corp. in 1943. It covers food shortages and rations in the US and includes helpful tips and creative recipes for working with  limited food supplies.

The only ammendment I made to the recipe was that I used 3 cups saltine crackers (which were available in the 1940s) instead of the breakfast cereal as I had them on hand...and I wasnt going to buy cereal that isnt in my budget

We really liked this recipe. It was tasty and perfectly cooked. Plus there was plenty left over for meatloaf sandwiches, and another new dish I want to try at the weekend

4 cups Post’s Corn Toasties, or 3 cups Grape-Nuts Flakes or Post’s 40% Bran Flakes
2 pounds ground meat
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup milk or stock

• Crush cereal flakes slightly. 
• Combine remaining ingredients in order given; mix well. 
• Add flakes. 
• Pack into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. 
• Bake in moderate oven (375° F.) 1 hour and 15 minutes. 
• Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Recipes For Today
General Food Corporation 1943

Onion and Cheese Supper Dish

Another Wartime Wednesday recipe using the good old spud. This time a very simple and tasty dish from the excellent book Eating for Victory. It can be used as a main dish or can spread a bit further by using as a side...which we prefer. Just mashed potato, sauted onions and a little cheese...and there you have it. But dont limit yourself to just potatoes though. Throw in any leftover root vegetables eg carrot and turnip, to add to the potatoes and it will be delicious!

1/2 oz. dripping or cooking fat

4 oz. finely chopped onion
2 oz. grated cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
6-8 oz. mashed potato
1/2 -1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper

• Melt the dripping or cooking fat in a saucepan
• Fry the onion till golden brown and tender
• Add 2/3rds of the cheese, the parsley and seasoned mashed potato. 
• Mix well together over the heat till the mixture is warmed through.

It may then either be put into a dish with the remainder of the cheese sprinkled on top and grilled or.. 
placed on four slices of toast and finished in the same way. 
Serve very hot with vegetables or salad.

Eating For Victory Recipe Book

Jambalya

At the weekend we had a large chicken for Sunday dinner. There was plenty of meat left on the bird so I stripped it down and used the carcus and vegetable peelings to make a lovely chicken stock. This and the meat were used in last nights dinner, which was another family hit. This Jambalaya recipe comes from the January 1940 edition of the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

I made a couple of ammendments to the recipe to suit our tastes. The vegetables were softened in a spray of oil rather than 1/4 cup, I only had half a pepper in the fridge, I only used 1/3 a cup of ham as I needed the rest for sandwiches,..and I didnt add any extra salt and pepper as my homemade stock had enough. Plus, I also omitted the canned oyster..Im not a fan!!

This dish was flavourful, with a slight kick from the tabasco sauce and was quick and easy to throw together.  And seeing as hubby had double hepings, Im sure I will be making it again

1 large onion, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced parsley 

1 cup chopped ham

1/4 cup fat 

Salt and pepper 

Dash of thyme

Few drops Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons flour

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup rice

1 cup canned or fresh shrimp

10 oysters, if desired

Original Magazine Clipping

           

• y

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
January 1940