Save Some for Santa

You'd be smiling, too. If you had these cookies from Good Housekeeping's Christmas Cook Book (c)'58 up to your chin. This paperback is full of "selections to brighten the holiday season." Really. It is. And here's the first tasty testament to it -
Peanut-Butter Krinkles
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teasp. baking soda
1/2 teasp. salt
1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 teasp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup smooth - or crunch-style peanut butter [I like mine like I like my gents, smooth]
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, unbeaten [I had to borrow one from my neighbor. Nice lady.]
confectioner's sugar

Start heating oven to 375 degrees [some might call that preheating, but who am I to judge?]. Sift together flour, soda and salt. With electric mixer at medium speed [or with spoon - but at what speed? Oh the tragedy of not knowing], thoroughly mix shortening with vanilla, peanut butter, brown and granulated sugar, and egg until very light and fluffy. At low speed, or "blend," [what a group of electric mixer showoffs] beat in flour mixture just until mixed. Form into 1/2" balls. Place 2" apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake 12 min., or until light brown [wait - isn't peanut butter light brown?]. Cool; roll in confectioners' sugar. Makes 6 1/2 doz [that is an outright lie].

These don't stick to the roof of your mouth, they melt in them. Santa won't need a milk chaser to wash these down. Wow. I have never tasted peanut butter done better. With the silky aid of [ugh - don't think about it] vegetable shortening these cookies are like Johnny Depp in Chocolat: smooth. Have I mentioned that these holiday cookies are smooth? And that they freeze well? And that they are smooth? Well they do. And they are. I am also demanding you triple the recipe, because I didn't get 6-and-a-half dozen balls [does any lady?] from this recipe. Just a mere 2.

Skirt Chaser

I'm pretty keen on Christmas - you, too?

This weekend my mom, Marge & I avoided the black Friday brouhaha and opted to thrift instead. I brought home this bevy of goods from Nebraska thanks to fam, flea markets & the dav store...The frilly aprons were my great Granny & great aunt Elsie's - the striped belonged to my mom, so it's being passed on to Marge! The felt tree skirt [adorned with angels, trees, reindeer, peppermint sticks & the like] is from the thrift store, my Gramps grabbed up the fat strainer at a tag sale and a fam friend picked up the Betty Crocker cake mix cookbook [can't wait to share that one!] - the gold recipe notebook is a goody from my sister-in-law. What a bounty!

Here's a closer look at the fab strainer - it puts me in the mood for a little meat.
I can't wait to tie my apron on and dish out some holiday favorites from Betty and company!

For now, it's back to the tinsel...

Cranberries + Gelatain = [heart]

Yesterday just thinking about Thanksgiving feasting was turning my stomach. I so wanted to bring you this dish [a mold!!] in person. But my hostessing has to miss the mostess-ing part on this post and you must trust in this retro recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cook Book (c)'59.
Cranberry Ring
1 package strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 cup hot water
1 10 1/2 or 11 ounce can (about 1 cup) frozen cranberry relish
1 13 1/2 or 14 ounce can (1 1/2 cups) crushed pineapple
1 package lemon-flavored gelatin
1 1/4 cups boiling water [and this is decidedly different than hot water how?]
2 cups tiny marshmallows [before mini became a bitty buzzword]
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

First layer: Dissolve strawberry-flavored gelatin in hot water. Add cranberry relish, dash salt. Pour in to 6 1/2-cup ring mold. chill till firm.

Second layer: Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Dissolve lemon-flavored gelatin in boiling water; add marshmallows and stir till melted; add reserved syrup. Chill until partially set. Blend cream cheese, mayonnaise, dash salt; add to marshmallow mixture. Stir in pineapple (if mixture is thin, chill till it mounds slightly when spooned.) Fold in whipped cream. Pour over first layer; chill until firm. Unmold. Serves 10 to 12.

I've got a feeling that this will be more flavorful and as charming as a Knox beauty - and you won't need to leave your apron on as long because it looks to be a little less work, too. Whew. These citrus-y flavors help trump the bitter of the cranberry while turning out its sweet spot. Truth be told, it's the mayonnaise on the ingredient list that yucks me out, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and when you're making your turkey-lurkey leftover sandwiches on Friday, you can hold the mayo and slather on some cranberry ring.

So add this to your marketing list before you dash off to the grocery to-day!

A Winner & A Wanna-Be

Congratulations, Barbara [that was my gmas name, too] - she'll get her hot little hands on a pot-warmer from the kitschen! I appreciated hearing what warms everyone on Thanksgiving. And I hope you let that cozy feeling follow you through the year.

I also got a warm feeling from my friend Rachel the coolest paper-ista you'll ever meet [who also has a big, big, big place in her heart for vintage goodies]. She has given me a nod at the kreativ blogger nom. There are some neat-o things to share when given this opportunity. But first, the necessaries:

1. thank the person who nominated you for this award [see above, miss rachel]
2. copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. link to the person who nominated you for this award
4. name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers
6. post links to the 7 blogs you nominate
7. leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated

7 things about me that people might find interesting:

1. i wouldn't mind being a crazy cat lady, but ironically my cat oona [who we've had since she was 4 weeks old] has never layed on my lap voluntarily in 12 years.
2. i wrote the little kid activities you find in your sonic wacky pack for a couple of years, also scribed for kids menus at chilis, houlihans, chick-fil-a and the like [all before i even had kids]
3. i gave my kids names with options [ben can go w/benjamin, ben, benny - but not benji (my fear is his high school sweetie will call him benji and it will make my skin crawl) & marge can go w/marjory, margie, marge] because my name is a one-namer [but i still love it, mom]
4. love sweet pickle relish, hate sweet pickles; hate dill pickle relish, love dill pickles
5. i am a crafter wanna-be, try as i might - i can never quite get it right [it's better for the world that i don't have a singer sewing machine]
6. i am glad margie is her own stylsit - i couldn't pull together outfits like that if i tried [i'm a little envious]
   
7. i love riding my bike. it makes me feel 10 years old every time!

7 blogs I can't keep my eyes off of/am nominating [bookmark them asap!]:
nellie loves vintage
[va-va-va-vintage inspiration, personal goodies and couture thrift store redux galore from a dear friend i met when ben was born, we've all been playing ever since]
rachie's place
[visit my friend rachel for an eyeful of sweet, inspiring, creative everything - plus paper crafting galore]
kitchen retro
[get a laugh from lidian every day! the writer in me envies the wit she turns out of retro ads]
vintage goodness
[a blog for all the vintage geeks! that's her banner and she sticks to it - yay!]
queen of fifty cents
[eye candy for 60s & 70s thrifters - satisfies my appetite every day]
bluebird vintage
[beautiful, inspiring, pretty much perfection]
the elegant thrifter
[a kc export [i'm an implant], stan is my fave thrifting gent - it's great to see nyc thrifting through his eyes]

Whew! I'm worn out - but so excited to share all these fabby bloggers with you!

kitschy-kitschy,
heidi

Tipsy Tuesday!

I feel like I've had too much to drink already - but it's a 24hr bug. Ugh. As promised last week, we're swapping Tippy Tuesday for Tipsy Tuesday! Fab timing since most have a long weekend off - or at the very least will be in close confines with their fam.

So throw one back while you throw a few candy canes on der tanenbaum post turkey time this weekend. It's about as retro as you can go from The White House Cookbook (c) 1887]

EGG NOG

What to grab:

• 12 eggs
• white sugar
• 1 glass of brandy
• 1 glass of old whisky
• 1 grated nutmeg
• 3 pints of rich milk

What to do with it:

Beat the yolks of the eggs very light, stir in as much white sugar as they will dissolve, pour in gradually brandy to cook the egg, old whisky, nutmeg, and rich milk. Beat the whites to a froth and stir in last.

Keep in mind, festive friend, that this recipe is fit for a pitcher or punchbowl - one wo/man alone could [and should not] consume this much of any cocktail. If you do, you're sure to see Santa up on the rooftop.

Yammed if you do. Damned if you don't.

Sweet potatoes with marshmallows do have a whole lotta vintage charm - but I worry about enough things sticking in my teeth at the turkey table. So I channeled Betty for a sweet plan b. Here's what she had for me in Betty Crocker's All-Time Favorites (c) '71 The best recipes - by popular demand. If you're like me, you demand second, third, hell - when no one is looking fourths - on Thanksgiving. And you'll be licking the china where this sweet side sits.

[that shadow is me lurking over your shoulder, wanting to snatch your sweet potato bake]

Sweet Potato-Applesauce Bake
1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (about 3 medium) or 1 can vacuum-pack sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (8 ounces) applesauce
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

If using fresh sweet potatoes [I did] or yams, cook unpared potatoes until tender, 30 or 35 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Slip off skins.

Heat oven to 375. Cut each sweet potato lengthwise in half. Place halves in an ungreased baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Sprinkle with salt and spread applesauce on potatoes. Mix sugar, nuts and cinnamon and sprinkle over the applesauce. Dot with butter and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Your ratio of turkey to sweet potato shopping should be 1:1. If you pick up a 15lb bird, tote home 15lbs of yams. The recipe is that easy. And that tasty. The flavors are sweet without being syrupy and the pecan is such a petite, non-offensive nut [unlike Bruno's pair] that its crunch adds to the crave of this dish. It will be amazing as the base of a left-over casserole. So hold a bit back because leftovers are not likely. And on this Thanksgiving, give thanks to Betty. Where would we be without her?

Thanks-Give-Away!

Give thanks & I'll give-away a vintage potholder![this is my personal stash - yours will be a surprise - and a feast for the eyes!]

Let me know what warms you around the Thanksgiving holiday [your granny's quilt, your silly kids, your health, the sun shining on your face - all things I am appreciating today, and try to every day] and I'll pick a kitschy guy or gal like you at random to receive a little piece of retro for your warm kitchen conquests!

Comment before Wednesday and I'll post the lucky winner that morning! Now, off to pull the pumpkin pies from the oven with my aunt Elsie's holders in hand...

Meet Pilgrim John

I can't say that if I was an American Indian I would be the least bit threatened by this wallflower that floated over on the Mayflower. [I soooo wish he was photographed in technicolor!]
Here, per Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book(c)'59 is the most puritan pilgrim place card you'll ever craft.

And how.
[1] To make shoulders for pilgrim, split 1 3/4 inch cork lenghtwise; glue large ends together. Cut off center hump, making flat surface for head. Cut 2 1/2-inch fabric or paper circle for collar; cut out wedge, glue in place over shoulders.
[2] For head, cut 3/8-inch off small end of a second cork, slanting the cut slightly. Glue cork, narrow end down, to collar. For hat brim, glue cork coaster atop. Glue on third cork, large end down. Add black paper hat buckle and nailhead eyes.
[3] Try not to laugh at your forefathers.

Come back tonight for a sweet side dish recipe...

Premature Decoration.

There is no cure.
And I am so okay with that.

You, too?

Pinch Some Off

Okay. That sounds vulgar.
Better Homes and Gardens Fish and Seafood Cook Book (c) '71 features this appetizer of the sea:

Potted Shrimp and Cheese

"Trim this spread with tiny fluffs of parsley or a bouquet of watercress"

1 4 1/2 ounce can shrimp, drained [better chase some lemon rind down that disposal or your kitchen will smell like the garbage chute in Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]
4 ounces natural Cheddar cheese [imagine, something natural, not processed, in a retro cook book], shredded
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon milk dash cayenne pepper

Finely chop shrimp. Have cheese at room temperature. In small mixer bowl beat cheese, butter, milk and cayenne till fluffy. Blend in shrimp [when is the last time blend and shrimp shared a directive?] Press mixture into 10 ounce custard cup [or kickass mini-lobster mold]. Chill. Unmold onto serving plate. Let set at room temperature 10 minutes [ugh. room temp shrimp? I thought that was a Vegas thing]. Serve with assorted crackers.

Something's fishy here... I would absolutely suggest subbing cream cheese for the butter. I don't know wtf [what the fish] was up with butter, but it didn't blend with the shrimp - so it DIDN'T MOLD! Ugh, so much for the potted part [unless they were smoking it when they opted to add butter to the recipe]. I was crushed. And then I was a little too yucked out to put it on a cracker, but did. That nibble tells me to also add a dash of cocktail sauce [that + the cream cheese makes for a dip similar to the shrimp/cream cheese/cocktail and a triscuit snack that's second only in popularity to cocktail weenies] and maybe a little red hot sauce, too. Then maybe, just maybe, it will take shape. I'll try harder to reel this recipe in next time.

Have a swell weekend - next week I'll have some Thanksgiving doozies to share!

kitschy-kitschy,
heidi

Are you as kitchen-savvy as a 5th grader?

I'm not convinced that I am.

But this tutorial from Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cookbook (c)'73 [I can't put it down this week, eh?] proved that when armed with a paring knife, boys and girls of all ages can do anything. So I followed Betty's steps regarding crisp relishes. Looks easy enough, right? Radish Roses:
[1] Scrub fresh red radishes. Cut off the root end. Leave a bit of the stem and leaf.
[2] Then, with a small paring knife, cut thin "petals" around radish from root end almost to stem end.
[3] Place "roses" in iced water to "blossom." (The cold water makes the radish open its petals.)
Carrot Curls:
[1] Wash, then pare raw carrots with a vegetable parer [that's peeler to you & me]. For long, very thin slices, slice the length of carrot paper thin with a parer. Always cut away from your hand.
[2] Roll each slice around your finger, then hold it together with a toothpick [frilly, of course!].
[3] Chill curls in iced water about an hour so they will hold their shape. Then remove toothpicks.

Drat! I totally skipped the chill steps - so my radishes have yet to blossom and my curls are still holding themselves in place with their frilly friend. Here's what a 5th grader + 25 years is capable of. I think I passed. Just barely:


And, hey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom today - the lady that opened this book up for me and started this whole thing 30 years ago [and I'm pretty sure she let me hold a paring knife]! xoxoxo!

Shades of Grey

These cold, grey days will drive a housewife to do two things:

Drink [Hot Toddy, anyone?]
& Bake [Oatmeal Cookies ala Betty's New Boys and Girls Cookbook]

So, don't mind if we do - do you?

The recipe for this gullet-warming drink will cure what ails you, and if you like brandy [she's a fine girl], it suits you to a tea:

Hot Toddy
1 tbsp honey
3/4 glass hot tea [of choice]
2 shots [or whatever your day demands] brandy
1 slice lemon

Brew tea and fill a tall glass 3/4 full. Mix in honey. Mix in brandy shots [definitely plural]. Add lemon slice and get under an afghan, already!

Next, preheat [then repeat - with another Toddy]
You can judge a cookbook by it's sticky pages [no, I'm a lady and I'm not going there]. And just looking at the love Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cookbook (c)'73 reprint has received for this recipe alone shows you how stellar these cookies must be:

Stir-'n-Chop Oatmeal Cookies

"Just about the best cooky there is for an after-school snack...with a tall glass of milk."
[...or a hot toddy, for mommy]

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Stir together in bowl:
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger [pssst... this is the secret ingredient!]

Add:
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup rolled oats (that's old-fashioned nowadays)

Mix in thoroughly:
1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons milk 1 egg

Stir in:
3/4 cup chopped walnuts if you like [nah, we like chocolate chips better!]

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies [if you're stingy - plan to double this recipe to achieve 3 dozen - otherwise, after you've gorged on dough you're down to about 12 cookies w/the recipe Betty suggests].

This cooky [that spelling is kooky - don't you just love it?] recipe is the equivalent to a quickie - in any form. You don't have to get out the mixer. You really - really - do just stir it by hand. I was done mixing and baking [two batches] in way under 30 minutes. And by way under, I mean in 27 minutes [forget you, Rachael Ray]. The cookies are more cushy than crunchy, so if you like them soft, what are you waiting for? In less time than it takes to watch an episode of Donna Reed [or Real Housewives] you can have a batch. Baker beware: they will fall apart in your hot toddy when they become saturated with whiskey.

kitschy-kitschy,
heidi

Something Fishy This Way Comes

I'm going to do it.

I'm going to channel the chutzpah of the fishermen on the east coast.

I'm going to wrangle the chickens of the sea.

And press them into my lobster mold.

Stay tuned - and hold your nose - the stank is going to be pretty fierce.

Tippy Tuesday!

[not to be confused with "Tipsy Tuesday," which some of you may celebrate...hey, maybe we'll do that next week.]

Betty Crocker's "Dinner for Two Cook Book" (c)'58 has a bevy of tips on preparing meals perfectly for pairs. Every bride, business girl, career wife and mother whose children are away from home will appreciate tips like these, on marketing:

"Good marketing is as important as good cooking, and the good shopper will always be prepared for any emergency. Dinner for unexpected guests, snacks for friends who drop by on a Sunday afternoon, ingredients for a last-minute hurry-up meal - all this should be on your shelves within easy reach. This will make your reputation as a good homemaker and a cordial and unflustered hostess, and without any strain on you."

[And ladies - gents, too - as we all know, without your good reputation you have nothing. Well, nothing anyone else gives a hoot about.]

She then goes on to share info every lady of the house can't dare live without: Choosing a good head of lettuce. I don't want to find you stuck in the produce section of the market hemming and hawing over a head of leafy greens, so I'm passing this tip on to you:

"Weigh the heads of lettuce with your hand to see whether they are firm and heavy or lighter and more loosely formed. [oh my - Betty you dirty bird!] A heavy head is the best buy for tossed salads. A lighter head will be easier to handle if you want lettuce cups in which to arrange a salad."

So now, when you're standing mid-aisle with two handfuls of lettuce, loose [the lettuce, not you] or otherwise, don't feel like a ninny, feel like a smarty pants.

Condiments Commune in Casserole

Better Homes and Gardens Casserole Cook Book (c) '68 is a mecca of menus that mix and mingle meats and miscellaney. Tonight I opted for a slice of their salt laden strata, the:

Sausage Strata
[is more appetizing than it appears here!]

6 slices white bread [no, that's not my nickname on the block]
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
4 ounces process [what happened to the -ed in the 60s?] Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)
3 slightly beaten eggs [spanked, then?]
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup light cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce [how'd you like to be the Dutchess of Worcestershire - what a mouthful. awkward.]

Fit bread into bottom of greased 12x7 1/2x2-inch baking dish. Brown sausage; drain off all excess fat [might be a good time to throw back a tall glass of Knox gelatine]. Stir in mustard. Spoon sausage evenly over bread; sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs, milk, cream, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt, dash pepper, and dash ground nutmeg; pour over cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or till set.

Mmmmm...sodiYUM! This strata was pretty run-of-the-mill. But I am a believer that the Worcestershire [madame] served as it's salty piece-de-resistance. This condiment casually comingles with mustard pre-bake, but lives out loud when pulled out of the oven. This casserole definitely needs a chaser. I think a mimosa would provide a nice balance of salty and sweet [although too many might throw you off-balance].

(And hey, ladies and gents, get a helping of sass with a side of crass on frothygirlz.com - I'll be contributing horoscopes, a KitschenFeast column and a retro happy hour recipe weekly!)

Sweet & Sour

"End dinner on a perfect note with this unbelievably light Lemon Chiffon Pie. It's so lemony and so good."

Really, Knox? Lemony? Wow. It is, after all, a LEMON Chiffon Pie. Catering to the assumed ignorance of the housewife, again I see.

This recipe appears in my favorite gag-reflex-inducing gel-cookery cook book: Knox On-Camera Recipes (c) '62

1 envelope Knox Unflavored Gelatine
1 cup sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water [I subbed lemonade for fear of bland behavior on the pie's part]
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 9-inched baked pie shell [I took this as a cue to buy a frozen pre-fab crust at the grocery]

1] Mix gelatine, 1/2 cup of the sugar and salt thoroughly in top of double boiler.
2] Beat egg yolks, lemon juice and water together; add to gelatine.
3] Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until gelatine is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
4] Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon rind.
5] Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.
6] Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
7] Fold gelatine mixture into stiffly beaten egg whites [like a Gap retail employee, you'll be folding for what seems like eternity].
8] Turn into a baked pie shell.
9] Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.*

*10] Whip 1 pint whipping cream until bitter. As in frustrated. Plain Jane whipped cream has the flavor of a packing peanut, so I took liberties, adding 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 T vanilla and a little lemon zest. I absolut [as in you'll need a shot of vodka before you finish up this dessert]-ly advise you do the same. Upside to this pie - aside from the crust, it's a no bake dessert.

Yummmm...
This dessert was worth the blood, sweat and gelatine [is it me or is that spelling awkward? it, like the texture of Knox, leaves a bad taste in my mouth]. I was proud to serve it to my friends - and want to make mention that it goes well, really, really, really well with a bottle of pino. If I had the time and energy that the bouffant on-camera ladies of Knox had, I would have crafted a crust from scratch. But I didn't. This chiffon pie is a kindred spirit of mine - sweet and sour [just ask my darling husband].

TGIHappy Hour!

Not a damn thing says, "hey, it's Friday!" like the champagne of beers.

Here's a mod Miller High Life ad that whets your appetite for a tall, cold one - and some Betty-esque finger foods from the '50s. I think that lobster wants to get his claws on one...

Here's to a helluva High Life - enjoy your weekend!

** find a happening happy hour drink recipe every Friday on frothygirlz.com ! **

WWBH&GD? BBQ!

Swell day for a barbecue, eh? Daddy-o sure thinks so.

So humor the gent and put some meat in his hands. Then head to the kitchen to do your due diligence [aside from grooming the children and holding melamine plates at the ready], simmering the sauce. Like this Louisiana finger-licker from Better Homes & Gardens Barbecue Book (c) '67

French Quarter Sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup salad oil
1 8-ounce can (1 cup) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook onion in hot oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer uncovered 15minutes. Makes enough sauce to baste 4 pounds loin back ribs or spare ribs. Or whatever meat you throw on the grill while you get sauced.

I wouldn't say that this sauce was a Mardi Gras parade in my mouth, but, like tourists on Bourbon Street, the flavors mingled nicely. Slathered on chicken and paired with a brew or two or...where were we? Anyway, simmering the sauce on the stovetop several more minutes to thicken is a go next go-round.

Now, let me hand you a Hamm's! Cheers to barbecues and beers!

Winner! Winner! Retro Dinner!

Everybody give STAN a round of applause!

He won the random-my-kids-pulled-it-out-of-a-Pyrex, comment-inducing...
RETRO COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY!

Stan wins his very own copy of Good Housekeeping's

Around The World Cook Book (c)'58
- specialty recipes with a foreign flavor

I can't wait to hear about his Pork-and-Pineapple Packages (on page 29, you dirty birds!), Can you?!

Thanks for bending my ear, everybody - I think it's ab fab when you comment on any and everything kitschy. And feasty. And I'll do this giveaway thing all over again.

(pssst, Stan: e-me at the.algers@comcast.net w/your addy and I'll drop it in the mail!)

Warm & Fuzzy

Good Morning!I wish I was feeling as perky as these slippers look at 6am-ish.

Want to help make me feel warm & fuzzy? You do?! Swell.

Use this Wednesday post to rant & rave retro - remember, I'll be awarding a kitschy cookbook to one of you fabulous people tonight! So go ahead, don't you dare be shy.

Shuffling off for a cup of joe,
heidi

Quickie Tip Tuesday!

Look who was flirting with me at the flea market over the weekend -

Betty!

with her Guide To Easy Entertaining (c) '59

I could hardly wait to share bits of Betty with you! Like today's tip on guest etiquette:

"The guest who arrives exactly on time has the blessing of any hostess, but better ten minutes late than ten minutes early! Nothing is more awkward for the hostess who has her time carefully planned than the arrival of early birds while she is making gravy, feeding children, or racing through her shower."

...or throwing back a few highballs [one can only assume...]

In short, take your time, or you're wasting her time [pay attention, gents - truer words were never spoken].

Got a tip? Share you're do nots & dos - and enter to win that retro cookbook I've been raving about tomorrow!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

The Eyes Have It

Now I sympathize with the Irish potato famine folk. Those lads were missing out on doozies like this one from Cooking with Sour Cream and Buttermilk from the Culinary Culinary Arts Institute (c) '56

Scalloped Potatoes

Simply...
Butter a 1 1/2-qt casserole [yes! an excuse for butter and pyrex!]

Wash and cook [I microwaved - oh the shame]
6 medium size/2lbs. potatoes
Cook about 25 to 35 min, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes. Dry them by shaking over low heat [huh? or just play a game of hot potato with the kids until they cool]. Peel and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Arrange slices in neat, close layers in casserole [because in the '50s, housewives gave birth to OCD].

While potatoes cook, grate and set aside
2 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese [about 1/2 cup, grated]
Heat in saucepan over low heat
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Add and cook over medium heat, occasionally moving and turning with a spoon
1/3 cup chopped onion
Blend contents of saucepan with a mixture of
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup thick sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Spoon sour cream mixture over potatoes in casserole. Top with the grated cheese.
Bake at 350-degrees for about 35 min.

Like a potato farmer, you're gonna dig it! Nothing bad can ever come from starch, cheese and sour cream. Ever. This scalloped side is no exception. Although I must admit, amping up the flavor is in order the next time I serve heaping helpings of this dish. Rosemary would be a heckof an herb to add. Don't be afraid to add more mature cheeses like parm, swiss, or asiago either - or bacon. Sausage or ham would make this into, literally, a meat-and-potatoes meal. I can't wait for a do-over.

]]don't forget to comment - it enters you in the retro cookbook drawing that everybody's talking about. well, somebody's talking about. and that somebody is probably me, but hey - let me know what you think & get on my best side! have a fab day![[

If you don't have anything nice to say...

...is that why you're not talking?

In an encouragement [don't be discouraged] to get you retro foodies to comment, I've got a plan - an equation of a giveaway kind.

You + Comment = Drawing for a Retro Cookbook on Wednesday!

Speak up! I've got my hair tucked behind my ear - ready to listen - and I can't wait to hear what you think about molds, Betty, mystery meats and the like! Go ahead, be a blog busybody and yap about it!

Swell, huh? Thanks for keeping KitschenFeast on your daily menu!

Sweet & Moldy

"Attention all chocolate lovers! This is for you - a sheer bit of goodness you'll want to whip up often." - Knox's On Camera Recipes (c) '62


And was I ever whipped after preparing this Knox "camera-ready" recipe:

Chocolate Chiffon Dessert

1 envelope Knox Unflavored Gelatine [look on the high shelf in the jell-o section - which is a shame because the sweet little old ladies that were the housewives in the 50s & 60s can't reach it]
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
whipped cream

[Here is your fair warning - this, to me, was more labor intensive than I'd like. But it is a housewive's duty to suffer in the name of dessert.]

1] Mix gelatine, 1/4 cup of the sugar, salt and cocoa in top of double boiler.
2] Beat egg yolks and milk together. Add to gelatine.
3] Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until gelatine is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
4] Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Chill to unbeaten egg white consistency. [Knox suggests submerging the mixture in an ice bath, like Huey Lewis in I Want a New Drug]
5] Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
6] Fold chocolate gelatine mixture into egg whites.
7] Turn into a 4-cup mold or individual molds.
8] Chill in refrigerator until form.
9] Unmold on serving plate and garnish with whipped cream.

Ugh. The un-molding did not go according to plan. Taking care not to gouge the edges of the mold with a knife I opted to submerge it in a warm water bath - a little sauna of sorts. And, unfortunately, it opened up it's little chocolate chiffon pores in a jiffy. The tears ran down my face as I watched my gelatinous labor of love run all over the plate. Okay, so it wasn't that dramatic. I mostly cursed like a sailor, hoping that the kids were out of ear shot. But in the end, beauty lies in the eye of the spoon-holder. Knox's Camera-Ready Chocolate Chiffon Dessert was still a sheer bit of goodness.

TGIKnox

Ooooooooooooooh.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
This new-to-me mold will soon be full of a Knox dessert that's old hat.
What's that? Wait and see.

In the meantime, make it a gelatinous weekend!

Technicolor Dreams

...of Knox gel-cookery.

I pilfered through a pile of cookbooks at the flea market yesterday - and came up with another Knox knockout:Mod mold mania waits for no one - I'm about to pick out a recipe and share the jiggle fun!

Quickie Tip Tuesday

It's about time I get regular.
Not prune regular.
Posting regular.

So, with the help of my dame Betty, every Tuesday I'll bring you a quickie tip straight from the faux hostess with the mostess.

Like this Skillet Quick from her Dinner in a Dish cook book circa '65:

"When the situation calls for super speed [no, not the minithins from the 7-11], get out your trusty skillet or electric frypan and stir up a delectable, easy one-dish dinner. Serve right from the skillet if you like; many skillets are so attractive you can proudly place them on the table to keep food hot and to simplify serving."

In short, less is more. Words to live by.

Bye.

Bun in the Oven

Want a dessert that's virtually labor-free?

Try McCall's Easy Cherry Cobbler from their Practically Cookless Cookbook (c)1981, sweetie!
You'd need more ingredients than this just to get pregnant:

2 cans prepared cherry-pie filling
1 pkg [9 1/2oz] refrigerator cinnamon rolls
1 pint vanilla ice cream

[1] Preheat oven to 375F.
[2] Pour cherry-pie filling into an 11-by-7-by-1 1/2-inch baking dish [nice measurements!]
[3] Heat, in oven, until cherries are bubbling - about 25 minutes. Remove from oven.
[4] Place cinnamon rolls on cherries; then bake 20 minutes more.
[5] Serve warm, topped with ice cream.

Hmmm...
Take that, Sandra Lee! You did not give birth to semi-homemade cooking. In fact, in my book, you are McCall's bitch. That felt good. Honestly, this dessert is the perfect spawn of carbs: pie filling [I totally licked the spatula] and tube rolls. It gets no better. Well, it does, with ice cream. You just might like Easy Cherry Cobbler more than your firstborn.

Sweet.