Molasses Cookies

This cookie recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, March 1940. The are simple to make, not very sweet, with a rich molasses flavour and a hint of coffee. Hubby said they are lovely with his morning coffee.

This recipe makes a LOT of cookies.. so I halved the recipe and they were still a success. 

3/4 cup shortening 

1 cup sugar  

2 beaten eggs 

1 cup light molasses 

4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon soda 

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ginger 

3/4 cup cold, strong coffee 

• Thoroly cream shortening and sugar
• Add eggs and molasses; beat well. 
• Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with coffee. 
• Drop from teaspoon onto greased cooky sheet. 
• Bake in moderate oven (350°) 15 minutes. 

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine 
March 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

Pigs in 'Taters

This potato recipe comes from the 1942 Breakfast and Brunch Cook Book. Its an interesting little book with some unusual recipes. But it also goes back to basics.. e.g how to cook bacon... fry or poach an egg... and even how to make coffee.

 

I thought I would try this one as I would never think of having baked potatoes for breakfast, To me its more of  a lunch or an accompaniment with dinner, which is how we ate them.

I didnt change the recipe and were quite tasty.  However,  I did cook the sausages first..as suggested... and my hubby had grated cheese on his. He was quite surprised when he cut into his and found the sausage.

6 large potatoes 

6 tablespoons butter 

4/2 teaspoons milk 

1/2 teaspoons salt 

Dash paprika 

1/2 pound small sausages

 

• Bake potatoes. 
• Cut a slice from 1 side of each, then scoop out the inside. 
• Mash with butter, milk, salt and paprika
• Beat until fluffy. 
• Refill potato shells
• Make a hollow in the center of each and fill with sausages. 
• Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) until potatoes are brown and sausages are thoroughly cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Sausages may be fried first, then the filled potatoes heated under moderate broiler heat.

Breakfast and Brunch Cook Book
by the Culinary Arts Institute ~ 1942

Apple and Banana Crisp

This was a delicious dessert from Woman's Day Magazine, March 1940. I had never thought of putting apples and bananas together but they complimented each other really well. 

We thoroughly enjoyed it...especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

4 cooking apples, cored
Juice of 1 lemon
3 bananas
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
Brown sugar topping

• Peel and slice apples and bananas into greased baking dish. 
• Add water and lemon juice, sprinkle with spice. 
• Spread topping over fruit 
• Bake in moderate oven, 350° F., 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. 
• Serve warm. 
• 4 to 5 servings.
  

Brown Sugar Topping

1/2 cup sifted flour

Few grains salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

• Mix flour, brown sugar and salt. 
• Work in butter with a pastry blender, or tips of fingers; do not cream.

Woman's Day Magazine 
March 1940

Tomato Cheese Savoury

Another Ministry of Food breakfast recipe, and again using potatoes. Thank goodness for the good old spud. This simple and tasty dish is just as it sounds...a layer of mash, a layer of tomatoes... and topped with cheese.

Now I did make a couple of changes.. and in the wartime spirit.. used leftovers. Last nights leftover mash and some canned chopped tomatoes. Plus.. because I was using leftovers.. I popped it in the oven to heat through. .

I got three breakfast servings from it.. and will I make it again. Yes! And I think it would also be good with some mushrooms, spinach and even a bit of bacon. A great way to use you leftovers

4 tomatoes or 1 lb. cooked mixed vegetables.

1 lb. mashed potatoes.

3 oz. grated cheese.

Salt and pepper.

• Cut tomatoes into slices or dice the cooked vegetables and place on a bed of mashed potatoes. 
• Sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper. 
• Put under the grill until cheese has melted and browned
• Serve hot.

Eating for Victory

Sausage Macaroni Casserole

This quick and easy recipe comes from a 1947 edition of Woman's Home Companion magazine. A creamy, comforting macaroni casserole thats on the table in under an hour

I did make a change to the instructions. I actually made a white sauce first, using a little butter. with the flour, milk and seasoning. I then added the veg and sausage meat to the sauce

As with most casseroles, this one can be adapted. You could swap the sausage for lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey and change the peppers for broccoli, corn or frozen mixed veg (just as I did)

 And it was really delicious... with clean plates all round

1package (8-ounce)Elbow Macaroni

½ pound sausage meat

1 onion, sliced

½ green pepper, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups milk

½ pound American cheese (2 cups grated)

• Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. 
• Fry sausage, onion and green pepper until lightly brown. 
• Stir in flour and salt. 
• Add milk; cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. 
• Place alternate layers of macaroni and cheese in greased 1½-quart casserole. 
• For sauce over all. 
• Top with cheese. 
• Bake in hot oven 400°F for 25 minutes. 
• Garnish with sautéd apple rings. 

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

Chicken Cackle

Another 1940s recipe with an intriguing name. Chicken Cackle? I have no clue why... have you? 

This simple skillet chicken dish comes from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine September 1944. Its basically Chicken in tomato sauce.. with a bit of a kick.

We enjoyed it.. and the only change I made was to use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken.

1 3-pound chicken

2 medium onions.

2 cups water

2½ cups (1 No. 2 can) tomatoes

1 cup (18-ounce can) tomato sauce

1 clove garlic

1 small hot red pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon sage

• Cut chicken in serving pieces. 
• Rub with seasoned flour. 
• Brown on all sides in hot fat. 
• Remove chicken. 
• Cook onions in the hot fat until golden. 
• Drain off excess fat. 
• Add remaining ingredients to skillet. 
• Blend. 
• Cover. 
• Simmer 30 to 45 minutes. 
• Add browned chicken. 
• Simmer tender, about 1 hour. 
• Serves 4.

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
September 1944

Rumford Apple Corn Muffins

With sugar rationing during WWII people started to experiment with recipes to find substitutions for the difficult to get sweetener. Honey, corn syrup, and maple syrup were common swaps.  Food companies took the opportunity to publish cookbooks and flyers that included recipes that omitted or reduced rationed items. All touted to be the answer for frustrated homemakers

This recipe for Apple Corn Muffins comes from The Rumford Sugarless Recipes pamphlet 1944 , which provided recipes for sugarless cake, muffins, cookies and a bread recipe.

What were they like? Well.. they were easy to make.. smaller than I thought and as the recipe suggests.. not very sweet at all. I found them a little dry... but a lot of corn muffins can be. Nevertheless... they were all eaten.. some with butter.. which somewhat defeats the object of rationing... I also think they could stand having more apples added. 1/3 cup didnt go that far and would help with sweetness and moisture

¾ cup sifted flower
1/3 cup cornmeal
3 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp salt
¼ cup sliced raw apple
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp melted shortening ( butter was a rationed item)

• Sift together flour, cornmeal, Rumford Baking Powder, and salt.
• Wash, pare, and cut apple into eighths.
• Remove core and cut crosswise in very thin slices.
• Combine egg, milk, and honey.
• Add to dry ingredients, stirring only enough to dampen well.
• Stir in melted shortening.
• Fold in apple.

• Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full 
• Bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degrees) for 25 minutes

• Makes 12 medium sized muffins.

Let’s face it: America has a sweet tooth. We love our cookies, cakes, pies, and ice cream. Sugar rationing during WWII put a damper on desserts until folks started to experiment with recipes to find substitutions for the difficult-to-get sweetener. Honey, corn syrup, and maple syrup were common swaps.


Food companies took the opportunity to publish cookbooks and flyers that included recipes that omitted or reduced rationed items. All touted to be the answer for frustrated homemakers.
The following was on the back of the Rumford Sugarless Recipes pamphlet:


“When you view your half-empty sugar bowl with alarm…when your sugar ration runs short…when you pine for a good Rumford cake, shortages or not – that’s the time to dip into this little treasury of
Rumford Sugarless Recipes. There’s not a spoonful of sugar in any of them – but they taste mighty good just the same! Baking without sugar is no secret of the wizards; it’s a little different, that’s all.”
The leaflet cautioned cooks to:


“Follow the recipes given here exactly. The experts have worked out just what happens when you switch to syrups, etc. and you will have the best results if you follow directions to the letter. Generally speaking, you can replace one-fourth the sugar in any recipe with corn syrup (although our recipes here use no sugar). Another thing to expect is slightly different texture from what you’re used to.”

Canadian Potato Salad

Its Superbowl Sunday so we're having an easy dinner of fried chicken and potato salad before we settle down for the game

This Potato Salad from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, August 1942,was lovely, though Im not sure why its a Canadian one. Creamy potatoes, with simple crunchy vegetables and seasoned with a little pepper (not in the recipe) makes for a side dish which the family enjoyed. One little amendment to the original recipe though. I only used 1/2 a cup of mayo. For us, 1 cup was far too much.

2½ cups diced, cooked potatoes
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 cup chopped spinach
½ cup mayonnaise

• Season potatoes with salt. 
• Add onion, celery, and spinach. 
• Add mayonnaise and toss lightly until mayonnaise coats all vegetables. 
• Serve on spinach. 
• Garnish with crisp carrot and turnip sticks. 
• Serves 6.

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
August 1942

Creole Beef and Rice

I wasnt too sure what Creole Beef was but this recipe from the Pet Milk Company 1942 looked interesting for dinner. It is another dish that turned out looking nothing like the photo. But... I will say.. for such simple ingredients..it was quite flavourful.

The recipe gives quantities for three different serving sizes. I chose the one for four people

1 pound lean beef (chuck or shoulder)
4 teaspoons shortening
2/3 cup chopped onions
10-oz. can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup green pepper sliced
1/2 cup Pet Milk

• Cut beef into inch cubes
• Heat shortening in pan until hot
• Add beef and brown on all sides in 3
• Add onions and cook slowly for 5 minutes..
• Stir in the soup, water vinegar salt and pepper
• Cover and simmer for 1 hour until the meat is tender
• Add green pepper
• Cook for a further 5 minutes or until pepper is tender
• Remove meat from heat
• Stir in milk
• Do not cook after combining.
• Serve at once in nest of boiled rice

Pet Milk Company 1942

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