Dear Friends,

Unearthing old family or magazine recipes can be fun.  But they often cause consternation because they use measurement terms that aren’t common anymore.  For instance, if you use the recipe in the title, you will end up with 27 gallons . . . → Read More: Just Add One Firkin of Lemon Lime Soda to One Runlet of Cranberry Juice]]>

Mystery Salad recipe found in my grandmother's green recipe box. Personal collection.

Dear Friends,

Unearthing old family or magazine recipes can be fun.  But they often cause consternation because they use measurement terms that aren’t common anymore.  For instance, if you use the recipe in the title, you will end up with 27 gallons of punch.*

So, where can you go to translate some of those vintage measurements into modern terms?  The trusty Old Farmer’s Almanac website, that’s where.  Since they’ve been around since 1792, they’ve seen measurements come and go.  Their website has several different pages that offer measurement conversions (including metric equivalencies).

One of the recipe roadblocks I’ve run into with Depression and War era recipes is the use of numbers for can size instead of the modern method of indicating ounces.  For example, a recipe often will call for a #2 size can of tomatoes.  In modern terms, a #2 size can is the same as 2 1/2 cups or 20 ounces.  The food historians at The Food Timeline help us understand the history of these terms and how to translate it into modern cooking terms.  They have a whole bunch of PDF’s that can be downloaded/printed out for easy referencing.

I’ve received a lot of letters from readers who feel intimidated by vintage recipes because of the outdated terminology.  I’m here to encourage you to go ahead and give them a try!  We have this vision of our grandmothers spending hours in the kitchen creating these complicated dishes when, in fact, most older recipes are actually rather simple in comparison to modern cooking show creations.  In most cases, the hard part is figuring out the modern measurement equivalent.

By the way, The Mister says he can understand how “firkin” fell out of favor but he kind of likes “runlet…”

To your modern retro life!

Dr. Julie-Ann

*Truth be told, the original recipe, from the 1950s, only called for two quarts of cranberry juice and a quart of lemon lime soda topped with two cups of frozen strawberries.  I don’t have any recipes that call for firkins or runlets.

It didn’t.

Around 6:00, the dough had finally risen.

Punched down and shaped before resting for 15 minutes.

Dough cut into four . . . → Read More: Let Us Make Bread Together (On Our Knees) Part 2]]>

When we left my bread making adventure the other day, we wondered whether the bread would continue to rise enough for us to have it with dinner that night.

It didn’t.

Around 6:00, the dough had finally risen.

Punched down and shaped before resting for 15 minutes.

Dough cut into four loaves.

I tucked them all into their respective loaf pans and covered them with their plastic wrap blankets. The Mister said it looked like a nursery. We waited. And we waited. Finally around 11:00 they had doubled in size. I forgot to take a photo before putting them in the refrigerator. I was tired and wasn't going to stay up to bake bread. I'm not THAT dedicated!

The poor guys didn't like being in the fridge. They got all shrivelly. I took them out to bring them back to room temperature. In theory, it should just take a couple of hours for it to come to room temperature and the yeast be all happy and gassy again. So, I took them out at 7:30 in the morning and it took until almost 5:00 for them to get back to baking condition. *sheesh!* Good thing I wasn't in a hurry or anything!

Still not as high as I would have liked but they were going in! The one on the right was our little runt loaf. He was The Mister's favorite.

Forty-five minutes later, not perfect looking but everyone was happy and the house smelled fabulous!

Dumped out of their pans.

Cooling their heels.

It was worth the wait. The time in the refrigerator acted as a yeast retarder so that would have more time to do something or another with the net result of a tangier flavor. Perfect!

Pumpkin Pecan Pie by Mrs. Myron Leitz

I love pumpkin pie. Well, homemade pumpkin pie. I usually end up disliking the pumpkin pies that I order at a restaurant. And the frozen pies? *phhht* Why bother?

My . . . → Read More: From the Archives: Pumpkin Pecan Pie {Vintage Recipe}]]>

This vintage recipe for pumpkin pecan pie was originally posted exactly two years ago, November 11, 2009.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie by Mrs. Myron Leitz

I love pumpkin pie. Well, homemade pumpkin pie. I usually end up disliking the pumpkin pies that I order at a restaurant. And the frozen pies? *phhht* Why bother?

My Honey loves pecan pie. He tells me not to bake any pecan pies for him because it would be too tempting. But, whenever we are out and he spies a pecan pie in the pie safe, I know he’s going to order a slice.

Leave it to one of my grandmother’s cousins and The Box to come up with a variation of our two favorite pies: A Pumpkin Pecan Pie.

I must confess that this didn’t have as much pumpkin flavoring as I would have liked but My Honey really liked it and it will probably join the dessert rotation.

Watch your baking time. Mine burnt a little but I don’t know if it was the recipe or that I was having trouble with my oven again (my landlord thought that having the regulator repaired, yet again, was too annoying and a new range arrived on Monday).

Pumpkin Pecan Pie by Mrs. Myron Leitz, Topeka

Combine the first 7 ingredients, pour into unbaked pastry shell. Top with pecans. Bake at 350* F. about 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

For Thanksgiving dinner no one would wish to other than old-fashioned. There are no short cuts…The more each person in . . . → Read More: Just Say No to Dinner in a Box]]>

This post is part of a series on being a hostess with the mostess using Successful Entertaining at Home: A Complete Guide for Informal Entertaining written by Carolyn Coggins and published in 1952 by Prentiss-Hall.

For Thanksgiving dinner no one would wish to other than old-fashioned. There are no short cuts…The more each person in the family takes part, the more fun Thanksgiving dinner. There are no short cuts for preparing the dressing or roasting the turkey, or for all the polishing and preparation that goes before a big family dinner. ~ Carolyn Coggins

Cover of the November 1954 issue of Family Circle magazine; Image courtesy of Clotho98 on Flickr.com

We have a little over two weeks before we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the United States (Canadians, it should be noted, have already had their Thanksgiving. Being ever practical, they don’t jam all of their holidays together like we do). The Sunday newspaper was filled with advertisements from local grocery stores touting their time saving “holiday dinner in a box.” At different price points, you get a meat and your choice of side dishes.

Bleh.

I know all about those dinners in a box. I have family members who swear by them, even though I offer to prepare the entire meal from scratch. I swear at them (the dinners, not the family members). The food tastes chemically and bland and institutional. You don’t think the stores are actually preparing those meals in the back, do you? They are made in a factory and shipped to the store.

Morrison's Cafeteria would take care of the Thanksgiving turkey (and dressing) for Jacksonville, Fla., housewives in 1963 for only $10.95; Image courtesy of DSL in Jax (Dennis Lewis) on Flickr.com

Here’s the thing. You still have to reheat everything. And the process takes almost as long as it would have if you made everything from scratch. The difference is that it requires some planning. And confidence in your menu. Because the cooking part is really rather easy if you take it step by step. It is even easier if you make some “do ahead” dishes that only take 15-30 minutes to prepare and just require either reheating or taking out of the refrigerator before serving. And, it is even easier, still, if you are able to have family members contribute to the meal by bringing a dish or two.

I think the greatest enticement toward the dinners in a box is that it seems like all of the planning is done for you already. But, don’t people usually add extra stuff to those boxed dinners? So, you’re going to be doing some menu planning anyway.

Don’t confuse Thanksgiving Dinner with a Bacchanalian feast. Your guests will enjoy a simple and elegant meal much more than a feeding frenzy.

Here are three vintage menu ideas to get your mental juices flowing:

The Family Thanksgiving

Clam Juice Cocktail

Canapés

Minted Cream of Pea Soup with Croutons

Roast Turkey

Brazil Nut Stuffing

Giblet Gravy

Creamed Corn

Mashed Potatoes

Molded Cranberry Pineapple Salad

Ginger Pumpkin Chiffon Refrigerator Cake

Coffee

Raisins and Nuts

Port

1940s COCA COLA Thanksgiving vintage illustration family advertisement; Image courtesy of Christian Montone on Flickr.com

Feast for Thanksgiving

Harvest Fruit Cup

Roast Rock Cornish Game Hen

Mushroom Wild Rice

Asparagus Spears with Lemon Wedges

Baked Butternut Squash

Waldorf Salad

Pumpkin Chiffon Tarts

Hot Coffee

Thanksgiving meal from freezer cookbook

A Thanksgiving Dinner (Gourmet)

Hors d’ oeuvres

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Roast Turkey with Fruit and Chestnut Stuffing

Yams with Apricots and Sunflower Seeds

Brillat-Savarin’s Spinach

Marian’s Cranberry-Orange Relish

Apples Molded in a Scarlet Overcoat

Demitasse

Preparing Thanksgiving dinner will take longer than a typical evening meal but it doesn’t have to be stressful nor elaborate nor Martha Stewart or Food Network-ish. Pretend you are the cook in your own Food Network or PBS show and have fun!

Remember: If you’re not having fun, neither will anyone else.

This beef roll has all of the flavor of my favorite pizzas without all of the after effects.  It hits the spot for dinner and it pretty . . . → Read More: Modern Retro Recipe: Polpettone alla Siciliana (Sicilian Beef Roll)]]>

I found this recipe in an international meat cookbook published in 1967.  I’ve discovered that starchy food and I don’t get along but I sure miss my pizzas!

This beef roll has all of the flavor of my favorite pizzas without all of the after effects.  It hits the spot for dinner and it pretty darn good as a cold lunch, too!

No need to get fancy with this recipe.  I just used packaged uncured ham and packaged mozzarella cheese from Trader Joe’s.

Click here to download a free copy of the recipe in PDF format for your Modern Retro Recipes notebook:  Sicilian Beef Roll

Click here to visit the Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter chock full of Thanksgiving recipe ideas!

Polpettone alla Siciliana

(Sicilian Beef Roll)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons dried minced parsley
8 slices cooked ham (approximately)
8 slices mozzarella cheese (approximately)

Method

Mix everything but the ham and cheese together.

On a large sheet of plastic wrap, pat the meat mixture into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches.

Arrange the ham and cheese on it and then roll up like a jelly roll, using the plastic wrap to help guide the roll.

Place the roll into a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake in 350ºF. oven for 1 hour.

Let the roll stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing it.

Enjoy!

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter to you, I am giddy with delight!  Put on your party hats, crank up Dino and Frank, and join with me in celebrating the launch of the first issue of the Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter today!   The twenty page newsletter is filled with vintage and retro inspired . . . → Read More: Bring Out the Party Hats: It’s a Retro eNewsletter Launch Party]]>

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter to you, I am giddy with delight!  Put on your party hats, crank up Dino and Frank, and join with me in celebrating the launch of the first issue of the Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter today!   The twenty page newsletter is filled with vintage and retro inspired recipes.

Here are ten reasons why you should subscribe to the Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter:

#10.  It’s dirt cheap for what you get–only $3.50 for the inaugural issue.

#9.  There’s no waiting for it because it is delivered digitally.

#8.  There aren’t any weird ingredients in any of the recipes.  Everything should be available at your  local grocery store.

#7.  The recipes include background information about the origin of it and helpful hints to ensure its success.

#6.  It is often more satisfying and faster to cook at home than to go out to eat or wait for take-out.

#5.  There are just enough recipes to inspire you but not so many as to overwhelm you.

#4.  The recipes have been adapted and updated for today’s modern world.

#3.  The recipes are accompanied by mostly step-by-step color photos.

#2.  You can be part of the “Retro Cuisine” movement.

#1.  You’re a Modern Retro Woman, always on the lookout for great retro-inspired recipes!  Subscribing is a “no brainer” for you!

Click Here For More Information About The Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter

Click Here For More Information About The Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter

How about you?  Why do you think people should buy the Modern Retro Recipes eNewsletter?

To Your Fabulous Technicolor Life!

Dr. Julie-Ann

Dear Friends,

I know I’ve shared this recipe with you before.  However, it is one of The Mister’s favorite casseroles and as I prepared it for dinner Sunday night, I decided I should share it with . . . → Read More: Modern Retro Recipe: Grandma Lois’ Tuna Noodle Casserole]]>

That's my Grandma Lois in the corner. Doesn't she look like she should be a grandmother?

Dear Friends,

I know I’ve shared this recipe with you before.  However, it is one of The Mister’s favorite casseroles and as I prepared it for dinner Sunday night, I decided I should share it with you again because I’ve made a couple of changes to it to try to make it more “calorie friendly.”

One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to put together.  Some casserole recipes require you to use your entire collection of pots and pans in order to create your “one dish meal.”  Not so with this one.  There is the pot to boil the noodles, the colander, the casserole dish and a measuring cup, spoon, and knife.  Easy!

Grandma Lois’ Tuna Casserole

(Serves Eight)

• Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.  Pour into a large-ish casserole dish.

• Add the tuna.
  

  No, cat food cannot be substituted for the tuna...

• Add the onions and green pepper.

• Mix together with a fork.

• Add the cream of mushroom soup.
  

  Doesn't that look appetizing?

  

  The flash didn't help any. Even with the "soft focus." You're just going to have to trust me that this turns out yummy.

• Fold the soup into the noodle, tuna, onion, and green pepper mixture.

• Spread the cheese on top.

• Bake in a 425ºF. oven for 25 minutes.  Remove and let cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
  

  I really should get in the habit of wiping off the extra schmutz before putting in the oven if I'm going to take photos of these casseroles.

• Enjoy!

I chuckled to myself as I sat down to write to you.  The irony that I’m sharing a cake recipe just two days after Jack LaLanne told us to go easy on the sweets is not lost on me.  The truth is, I baked this cake on Sunday and I think Mr. LaLanne . . . → Read More: Peach Upside Down Cake]]>

Dear Friends,

I chuckled to myself as I sat down to write to you.  The irony that I’m sharing a cake recipe just two days after Jack LaLanne told us to go easy on the sweets is not lost on me.  The truth is, I baked this cake on Sunday and I think Mr. LaLanne would agree that if we have to have cake, this World War II sugar rationing era cake is better than modern cakes.

While looking through my “Your Share” Betty Crocker Cookbook for the Pinwheel Meat Roll recipe, I happened to see the recipe for Upside Down Cake.  I used to make pineapple upside down cakes during the early years of our marriage.  I’m not sure why I stopped.  Anyway, it seemed easy and straightforward, so I whipped it together after I got the meatloaf into the oven.  (Click on the photos to enlarge them for easier reading and/or printing out)

As you can see from the recipe, you simmer some fruit in a cake pan and then pour cake batter over it.  I don’t have a metal cake pan and my Pyrex pan specifically says “Not for stovetop use.”  So, I did that step in my skillet. I was using canned peaches so I simmered it in the fruit juice.  It wasn’t until I was done that I realized that the purpose of simmering it was to really just cook and/or heat the fruit.  You could probably do this step in the microwave, if you have one.  I’ll probably just use a sauce pan the next time I make this cake.

When it says “well greased,” it means it.  Apparently I didn’t grease my pan well enough because part of the cake stuck to the pan when I flipped it over after baking it.  It didn’t keep us from enjoying the cake, though!

I really like this cake recipe.  It isn’t as sickly sweet as modern cakes. It has a rich flavor that is reminiscent of a pound cake but lighter (since it doesn’t have a pound of butter in it).

SOFTASILK is General Mills’ cake flour.  I used Swan cake flour…but only because I had some I needed to use up because it was just past the “best by” date (that’s how often I make cake, these days!).

I needed to bake mine for about 10 minutes longer than the recipe indicated.  At 35 minutes, my finger left an indentation in the middle.  At 45 minutes, the cake sprang back just like it should have.

I was a bit confused about the different measurements for the baking powder so I looked it up.  Thank goodness for Marivene who took the time to type out all of this over at The Dollar Stretcher forum a couple of years ago:

I looked in my Meta Given’s Modern Encyclopedia of cooking, copyrights 1945, 1955, 1959, 1966 & 1969, and on page 112 she writes the following. It is long, but thorough::

“Two different types of baking powder are commonly used in the home, both containing baking soda and cornstarch, plus certain acid reacting compounds which vary in nature and amount. The powders derive their names from the acid reaction ingredients. They are: 1) sulfate-phosphate, so called combination (or double-action) baking powder, containing soldium aluminum sulfate and calcium acid phosphate.  2) Tartrate baking powder, containing cream of tartar and tartaric acid, and phosphate baking pwder, containing calcium acid phosphate.  Since food laws in general require that the ingredients be named on the label, you can readily determine which type of baking powder you are using.

The leavening gas given off by both types is the same, but the rate of formation and residue varies considerably. Baking soda is the alkaline compound in baking powder which, in the presence of water, reasts with the acid ingredients of baking powder to form carbon dioxide, which is a gas.  In this reaction, the batter or dough is permeated with very fine bubbles of the gas which make the batter light.  The only function of the cornstarch is to keep the active chemical ingredients separated and inactive while in the container. It has been found that a major portion of the cornstarch formerly used in combination-type baking powders may be replaced with a specially precipitated calcium carbonate, which, not only keeps the baking powder stable but also has the health advantage of enriching baked foods with substantial amounts of much needed calcium.

The rate of gas formation differs according tothe type of baking powder.  Sulfate-phosphate (Combination-type) baking powders have their lesser action in the cold batter, with the greatest action in the oven.  That is why these baking powders can be sifted witht he dry ingredients.  Such batter or doughs, after being poured, or rolled out and cut, may stand a short time without much effect on the leavening power.  Tartrate and phosphate baking powders have the major portion of their action in the cold batter and the lesser action in the oven.  For this reason, these baking powders are sprinkled over cake or other batters the last minute of beating.  As soon as the beating is finished, the batter is promptly poured into the pans and is promptly placed in the oven.”

I guess the point is, look at your can of baking powder to see if it is “double action” or not.  If it isn’t, you need to adjust your recipe accordingly.

This is a super easy cake to make that you don’t need to have frosting/icing for  and I highly recommend it!

Best,

Julie-Ann