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...