Green Tomato Chutney

 Its been a busy week here at our little Blue House. With the Victory Garden is coming to an end, the harvest has to be preserved. Although we are still getting a few 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

Wartime Rock Buns

Fifty years ago, when Home Economics was a 'thing' in Secondary Schools, I made Rock Buns for the first time, Rock buns are similar to a scone but not rolled but dropped on baking parchment, and when baked have a rough surface resembling a rock! I cant remember the recipe we used back then, but the buns definitely came out bigger than these buns from the Ministry of Food during the Second World War. 

This recipe requires less eggs and sugar than ordinary cakes, which are important savings during the strict rationing. They were very quick to throw together and baked in about 15 minutes. They really did look like little rocks when they came out of the oven, but once the hard outer layer was broken they were soft and scone like. The raisins and golden raisins (sultanas ) I used added a little moistness and the mixed spice added a subtle flavour.

 

Delicious eaten warm or cold with a dollop of your favourite preserve

8 oz wholemeal/wholewheat flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice/all spice
2 oz margarine
2 oz sugar
2 oz sultanas or dried mixed fruit
1 egg or 1 reconstituted dried egg
milk
2 teaspoons sugar for topping

• Sift the flour, baking powder and spice
• Rub in the margarine
• Add the sugar, dried fruit and the egg
• Gradually add enough milk to make a sticky mixture
• Put spoonfuls onto parchment paper on baking tray 
• Sprinkle with the sugar
• Cook in a hot oven for 12-15 minutes

Eating For Victory
Collection of Official WW2 Recipe Leaflets

Creamy Potato and Celery Soup

I'm feeling a little better today.. although still very sniffly.

Not wanting to get anyone else sick.. we decided to  listen to the church radio broadcast and study from home. I must say... it made a cosy change but all being well.. we should be back there next week.

Taunton, Somerset, on a Sunday afternoon during 1942

Its a little chilly here at our Little Blue House... and with feeling under the weather I needed something warm and comforting. 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

Elmer’s Tune - 1941

Glenn Miller with Ray Eberle & The Modernaires

We're ending the day relaxing.. MrD working on one of his many projects... me working on my knitting and both of us listening to our favourite tunes including this one..

Thank you for popping by...

Enjoy your Sunday

Love and Blessings

Mrs D x

Chili Con Carne

And so it begins..I woke up this morning with an awful head cold and cant stop sneezing.. Its been coming on for a few days.. but today its hit with a vengeance

I have a terrible sore throat...hardly any voice..(rest time for hubby!!) and a nose that Rudolph would be proud of.

 
Im dosing myself so hopefully I will be better in a few days... but its a sign of whats to come as winter approaches

So its  been a "take it easier" kinda day.. snuggled on the sofa with hot drinks watching movies. I really like this one from 1948. "Apartment for Peggy" is an American comedy-drama film directed by George Seaton and starring Jeanne Crain, William Holden, and Edmund Gwenn. Very enjoyable.. and followed by a bowl of homemade chili .. made the sniffles feel a little better

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

Thanks for popping by

Love and Blessings

Mrs D x

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Good Morning Lovelies..

and welcome to my Kitchen

Of course I have to start the day with a coffee... 

Im going to need all the help I can get today

Photo 1941

Today is Shopping Day...and its our monthly stock up.. Hubby finishes work early on a Friday so Im really glad I have his help today..  Hopefully we will make good time and get home early. Putting everything away is a real chore

The dehydration process has finished and the potatoes are lovely, hard and crispy

They are now stored in jars, ready for the winter months and will  be perfect for hotpots, au gratins and soups

photo 1949

So its time for a bit more baking... and these little Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies 

A crisp little cookie from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, November 1940. Hubby says they have a soft shortbread quality to them. They are smaller than I imagined... but as hubby said they are perfect with a cup of coffee. 

I've never made a pinwheel cookie before.. and although a bit fiddly... they are quite easy. But next time I will make sure I have a better knife for slicing so thy dont look so squashed

½ cup shortening

½ cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons milk

1-ounce square unsweetened chocolate

• Thoroly cream shortening and sugar
• Add egg yolk and vanilla extract; beat well. 
• Add flour, sifted with salt and baking powder, alternately with milk. 
• Divide dough in half. 
• Melt chocolate in shallow round-bottom bowl over hot water
• Add to half the dough
• Mix thoroly. 
• Chill 1 hour. 
• Roll each half into rectangular sheet, 1/8 inch thick, on heavy waxed paper. 

Original Magazine Illustration

• Turn white part on chocolate with chocolate extending ½ inch beyond white part. 
• Remove waxed paper from white part. 
• Roll as for jelly roll. 
• Chill overnight. (Dont skip this step or they will be very difficult to slice)

• Slice 1/8 inch thick
• Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in hot oven (375°) 10 minutes. 
• Makes 4 dozen.

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
November 1940

Thank you for popping by..

Love and Blessings

Mrs D x

Irish Italian Spaghetti

Good Morning Lovelies...

As usual.. I've such a busy day today so it’s a quick breakfast this morning..

My American hubby still doesn’t understand the British staple of “Beans on Toast” but I love it. It took me a while to find a close enough match to my beloved British brand.. but he still asks “why???!!” when I serve it up.. so I tend to give him something else!

So first on the agenda this morning..

Just over 15lb potatoes.. 

peeled...

blanched and plunged into ice water

 then layered into the dehydrator

Mrs. Frank Rogers looking at a tray of blanched pencil pod beans

on the dryer of a coal and wood range,

the beans will dehydrate in the dryer....

Also a tray of plums waiting to turn into prunes...

Canfield, Ohio September 1942.

Did you know that dehydrating vegetables was done in the 1940s (and before). Dehydrators were either big and bulky... or like this one placed over the top of the cooker range. Things have changed slightly since then.

Mine is not quite the 1940s dehydrator, but the best I have.. and it uses  my Victory Garden produce which is preserved for the winter months

And finally today... Thursday is the day I menu prep and make my shopping lists ready for tomorrows grocery shopping. I check my pantry and cupboards to see what I have on hand... then I look through the store weekly ads and see what the best buys are. Finally I look through my recipe collection.. and plan what we are eating next week.

I find that not only does it save me money... but it saves time and hassle when it comes to cooking for the family. And... I dont need to visit the store more than once a week

Cheeze-it Ad 1948

And I must remember to add Cheeze-its to the list.. 

MrD has run out...

Eating spaghetti 1940s style..
Life Magazine 1942

Dinner tonight is a delicious plate of spaghetti from the early 1940s

Im always on the look out for a good pasta recipe and I found this recipe for "Irish Italian Spaghetti" in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, January 1940. Im a bit puzzled about the name... I get the Italian part, but not sure what makes it Irish

I must say it was an easy recipe, pan browned ground beef and onions in a sauce made from a mixture of mushroom and tomato soup with added chili powder, tabasco sauce and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, served on a bed of spaghetti. The only change I made to the recipe was to add some chopped green pepper and sliced mushrooms that had been looking very sorry for themselves in the fridge

I must say I was a bit dubious, as the meat mixture was very thick and looked more like a stroganoff, rather than one made from jarred pasta sauce

But it was really tasty and my hubby helped himself to seconds.. something he normally doesn't do. So this was another winner that I will be making again..

1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp salad or olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 dash red pepper
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
10 ½ oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup
10 ½ oz can condensed tomato soup
1 pound long spaghetti
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Brown onion in hot fat
•  Add meat and seasonings and brown lightly. 
• Cover and simmer 10 minutes. 
• Add soups; cover and simmer 45 minutes. 
• Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water until tender. 
• Drain and rinse with hot water. 
• Arrange on hot platter.
• Pour over sauce. 
• Sprinkle with cheese. 
• Pass additional sauce and cheese.

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

January 1940

Thank you for stopping by

Love and Blessings

Mrs D

Grandma Mary's Corned Beef Pie

Good Morning Lovelies

Can you believe its October already??

Its the month I actually start planning for Christmas

For breakfast I had an English Muffin topped with a lovely poached egg.. 

personally laid by one of Our  Girls

Thomas bread products early 1940s…
Includes English Muffins, Raisin Bread and Sliced Loaves

Wednesday is the day I give my kitchen a good clean... paying special attention to the fridge as tomorrow is shopping list day and I need to see what I need or dont need to buy.

Photo: February 1942

And dont forget the fridge top needs a sort out too

Dinner tonight is a delicious Corned Beef Pie... handed down by my Welsh Great grandmother Mary.. and probably her mother before

This family favourite has been shared for quite a few years.. and I know for a fact that corned beef was around in the 1940s as my auntie still has the small scar on her chin where her older brother threw an empty can at her.. Their Grandma, Mary, was not happy. But thats another story.. suffice to say those can edges are sharp!!

Grandma Mary in 1933

Anyway.. this is a really tasty pie that's quick and easy to throw together...as long as you make sure the filling is completely cool before putting in the dish..as it can make the pastry soggy... and no one needs a soggy bottom...right? Its delicious eaten hot or cold

Also, the recipe says salt to taste but it really doesnt need much because corned beef is already salty

Shortcrust Pastry:
12 oz plain flour 
6oz butter 
cold water 
pinch of salt

Filling:

1 12oz tin of corned beef, cut into small cubes
2 to 3 potatoes, peeled and diced 
1 large onion, chopped
4oz cups carrot diced
2 stalks celery diced

2 teaspoons garlic minced

1/2 pint beef stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2  teaspoon English mustard such as Colman's

1 egg, beaten for the glaze
Salt and pepper to taste

• Make a basic Short Crust Pastry by sifting flour and salt in your mixing bowl
• Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough. 
• Do not over mix
• Put dough in the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins and start your filling
• In a large pan melt the butter over a medium heat 
• Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. 
• Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
• Stir in the potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes
• Mix in the corned beef, stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and seasoning
• Mix until combined, cover and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are cooked through.
• Pour the filling bowl and allow to cool throroughly
• When the filling is cold, preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until about ⅛ inch thick. 
• Grease a 10 inch pie plate  and line the base with the pastry, trimming off any excess.
• Evenly spread the filling in the pastry-lined dish
• Brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg.
• Roll the remaining pastry and cover the pie with it. 
• Press down the edges to seal, then trim off the excess pastry. 
• Crimp the edges as desired, brush the top with beaten egg and cut a few vent holes in the top.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp;
• Cover the edges with aluminum foil if they brown too quickly.
• Let the pie stand for about 15 minutes before serving.

Thanks for popping by...

Mrs D