Frozen Ambrosia- Joys of Jello


I am thinking of giving myself a retro challenge of making a gelatin recipe once a week. There are so many weird and wonderful gelatin recipes out there is would be fun to give some of them a try. This one from Joys of Jello sounds quite good.
I have several copies of Joys of Jello but I like this one as the former owner made a lot of notes in it and wrote a list of the recipes she liked in the back of the book. I always find it interesting to read any notes people have written in their old cookbooks. Occasionally someone will even cross out a recipe and write no good over it. For some reason that always gives me a laugh.


Frozen Ambrosia


"A wonderful substitute for ice cream or sherbet that's just as refreshing"


1 package (3 oz.) Jello-O Orange gelatin


1/4 teaspoons salt


2 tablespoons sugar


1 cup boiling water


2 oranges, peeled and sectioned


1 cup whipped cream or prepared Dream Whip Whipped Topping


1-1/2 cups (about) Baker's Angel Flake Coconut


1 teaspoon grated orange rind


2 tablespoons mayonnaise


Dissolve Jello-o Gelatin, salt and sugar in boiling water. Drain orange sections, measuring juice and adding cold water to make 1 cup. Add to gelatin. Chill until very thick. Fold in whipped cream, coconut, orange sections, orange rind and mayonnaise. Pour into freezer tray or shallow pan. Freeze until firm. Makes about 4 cups or 6 to 8 servings.

Today is National Devil's Food Cake Day

Yes Devil's Food Cake has its' own day and I have a tried and true recipe. As you can see from the scan this recipe is old. It came from my Moms Mixmaster instruction booklet in the late 40's or very early 50's. She has made it countless times and I have made it a lot also. We always make it with the coffee. It is so good with a thick fudge frosting.

Black Devil's Food Cake

1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon double-acting or 1/2 teaspoon fast-acting baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup hot water or hot coffee

1/2 cups shortening

1-1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, unbeaten

1 teaspoon vanilla.

Put into large bowl of Mixmaster the shortening, sugar eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Mix together cocoa and hot water or coffee.

Beat together the shortening, sugar, eggs and salt for 2 minutes at no. 8 speed scraping bowl while beating. Turn to no.1 speed. Add cocoa mixture alternately with sifted flour mixture. Scrape bowl while beating. Beat only enough to blend well- about 3 minutes. Pour batter into greased and floured 8-inch layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.

A confession


I must admit that I am computer retarded. I check out other peoples food blogs and they are so nice looking with all sorts of things on the side bar. Photos, awards, favorites, links etc, etc. I have been blogging for over a year and all my sites are just as bare bones as you can get. Witness my homemade banner that doesn't fit the space correctly. Half the time I can't even post links that work. Occasionally someone has tagged me or given me an award and I can't even seem to respond properly. I actually paid for a web site and domain and it is just sitting there forlornly because I can't figure out how to customize it and post on it correctly.

If I knew what I was doing I would cleverly write "Blog" over the word health in the scan. Alas I haven't a clue how to do that. So please bear with me as I stumble along.

A Vintage Dinner


Tonight I cooked dinner using all vintage kitchen items. My stove is from 1957, it was originally my Grandmothers and she gave it to me 31 years ago and I have used it every since. The cast iron skillet belonged to my other Grandmother, it is from the 50's. I use it all the time. It never sticks and I don't have to worry about fumes from non-stick pans harming my pet birds. My silver-plate was a wedding present to my parents in 1948. They gave it to me several years ago.
My "new" vintage item is the Guardian Service saucepan. It is pre-WWII because it has a metal lid. I was very excited to find it at The Salvation Army a few weeks ago. I also got the Guardian Service chicken fryer. Both pieces were only $4.50 each. Guardian Service is very collectible. It was sold at home parties as one of the first waterless cooking sets. It was quite expensive for it's time. The quality is so good that a lot of collectors still use their pieces. I intend to use mine. I never have had luck frying chicken but maybe my "new" pan will help.
The green beans in my "new" pan were grown by my husband, he also parboiled and frozen them. They are so good, I wish he would grow some this year. A few weeks ago we went to The Carlsbad Flower Fields to see the flowers they were beautiful. We stopped at a European Market-Deli nearby and bought the yummy smoked pork chops I cooked tonight. They were much larger than the puny ones in the local grocery stores.
I will be posting photos of more of my vintage items in the future.

"New Style" Pancakes

The publicity department for Aunt Jemima was really working overtime to come up with the idea of equating "a new style show" and evening-wear with pancakes.

Their new idea was "pancakes in modern dress". All that means is they are suggesting that you make the pancake batter in a shaker. You could get the "plastic self-measuring special Aunt Jemima Shaker" for only 25 cents and a box top.

One of their ideas did sound good- Orange juice pancakes. "Now you can drink your orange juice and have it too- in delicate orange-flavored Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Pancakes." All you do is add 2 tablespoons undiluted frozen orange juice concentrate to the basic batter made with 1 cup of mix. They suggest servings them with butter and cinnamon sugar or syrup.

Pizza. I don't know about this idea. I think I have my doubts as to how this would turn out. "A tender, crisp crust is a must for good pizza. It's a snap with Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix." Just put 1-1/2 cups mix in bowl; stir in 1/4 cup melted or liquid shortening with fork. Add 2/3 cup milk, mixing lightly. Form a 12-inch circle on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in 450 degree oven 10 minutes. Filling: Pan-fry 1 lb. pork sausage meat; drain. In some of the dripping brown 3/4 c. chopped onion till transparent. Add 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can tomato paste, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. oregano and the sausage. Cover and simmer 20 min. Pour over fresh crust; top with 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Return to oven till cheese melts. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

I think I will stick with just plain pancakes and maple syrup.

Appetizing Sandwiches- vintage phamplets



I recently bought a lot of twenty three 50's food pamphlets on eBay. As soon as I saw the photos I knew I didn't have any of them which is unusual. Most of the time I already have quite a few of the booklets in any given lot.. When I received the order I was pleased that they were all in mint condition. They all seem to be from different public service type publication companies. Some are from Tested Recipe Institute, Inc., Good Reading Rack Service, Inc., A Help-Your-Self Booklet from Employee Relation, Inc. and Stevens Publications

Most of them have the cutest vintage illustrations. This little sandwich one features recipes from Best Foods. It is the only booklet that uses brand names. It was not published by Best Foods however, it is one of the Help-Your-Self Booklets.

Here are some of the tea time sandwich ideas:
Apple Caramel Spread: Cream 1/4 cup margarine and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Add 1/4 cup grated apple, 2 tablespoons shredded coconut, and 1 teaspoon ginger. Spread on 8 slices of brown bread.


Chicken Almond Fingers: Combine 1 cup finely diced chicken, 2 tablespoons slivered almonds and 1/4 cup Real Mayonnaise. Spread on white bread. Cut into fingers. Garnish with tinted cream cheese.


Mushroom Mounds: Mince 1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms and saute slowly in 1/4 cup margarine. Season with a drop or two of onion juice and salt. Spread rounds of whole wheat bread generously with Real Mayonnaise. Spread half with sauteed mushrooms, close.


Ham Cornucopias: Blend 1 cup ground ham, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons margarine. Spread on white bread and roll diagonally into cornucopias. Garnish with parsley.


These two "lunch box luggers" are way to vintage for today's tastes.


Tongue and Pickle Sandwich: Cream 1/4 cup margarine and 1 tablespoon mustard with horseradish (I guess this was a combo mustard). Spread on white bread. Lay slices of tongue on bread. Sprinkle with chopped pickles. Top with second bread slice to make 3 to 4 sandwiches.


Chopped Egg and Sardine: To 3 chopped hard-cooked eggs, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard and 3 tablespoon sandwich spread. Spread on whole wheat bread, Mash 1 (3-1/4 oz.) can sardines; mix with 1/4 teaspoon minced onion and 1 tablespoon sandwich spread. Spread on whole wheat bread. Combine slices. Yields: 3 to 4 sandwiches.
These are two of the snack ideas:
Cream Cheese and Pickles: To 1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, add 2 tablespoons Real Mayonnaise. Blend. Add 3 tablespoons finely chopped pickles. Spread on rye or whole wheat slices.
Peanut Butter Giants: Toast one side of bread slices. Spread untoasted side with Real Mayonnaise, then peanut butter. Top with slice of American cheese, then tomato slice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese is melted. Serve open.

For Those on a Budget- Mock Steak

Here is a retro idea for those of us who can no longer afford a steak dinner. Just fake it with hamburger! This idea cracks me up. I am sure anyone who actually tried it didn't have it come out looking anything like the one in the ad. I bet it would fall apart when you tried to turn it to broil the other side. Basically it just sounds like a glorified broiled meatloaf.

Mock Steak (serves 8)

Mix 2 lbs. ground round, 1/2 lb. lean pork, 1 env. dry onion soup mix, 2 Tbs. Lea & Perrins, 2 cups stuffing mix, 1 -1/2 cups tomato juice. Form into steak shape 1 inch thick. Wrap 2 strips thick bacon at outer edge to resemble fat. During broiling brush with mixture of 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 Tbs. Lea & Perrins, 3 Tbs. catsup. Broil 10 minutes each side. Use carrot strip to make bone.
From a 1968 Family Circle

Igloo Meat Loaf

In the Jan. 1967 Family Circle I found a five page spread by the American Dairy Association - Kid-Pleasin' Meals start with the basic 4 food groups. Most of the ideas were ordinary but the Igloo Meat Loaf really stands out. The suggested menu was Igloo Meal Loaf, Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole, Gelatin Salad, Sour Cream Dressing, Rolls, Butter, Cinnamon Apple Crisp ,Vanilla Ice Cream and Milk

Igloo Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf:
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
6 tablespoons instant minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1-1/3 cups evaporated milk
Potato Frosting:
1-1/2 cups water
2/3 cups evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 envelope (3-1/2 oz.) instant mashed potatoes
Cheddar cheese slices
To prepare Meat Loaf: In a bowl lightly mix ground beef, crumbs, onion, salt, pepper and evaporated milk just until blended. Pack firmly into a 1-1/2-quart bowl; turn out of bowl onto a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. To prepare Potato Frosting: In a 1 -1/2-quart saucepan combine water, evaporated milk, salt and butter; bring just to boiling. Remove from heat; with whip or fork stir in potatoes; whip briskly. Frost loaf with potato mixture. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Place Cheddar cheese slices on top of Igloo; return to oven just until cheese starts to melt. Serves 6 to 8

Frankfurter Spectacular

I belong to the Flickr group vintage recipe cards. I just saw this one tonight and I am so envious. I would love to have this little beauty of a card in my collection. I don't think I have any Weight Watchers cards. Didn't someone publish a snarky book about the Weight Watcher cards? Click on the photo to get the recipe if for some unknown reason you would like to try making this.

Three Random Things about me

I just see I got tagged by Retro-Food (thanks) to tell three random things about myself. I am link challenged so I hope the link works. I guess that is my first random thing. #2 I graduated from high school in Japan. It was a military dependents school, my Dad was in the navy. I have a lot of great memories from living there. #3 I am very short- five foot even.
I think most of the blogs I read have been tagged in some way recently. If there is someone who hasn't been, please consider yourself tagged.

Deviled Rock Lobster Tails- A true Big Promotion Meal


This is another of my odd recipe cards. It is copyright 1972, I wonder what the price of lobster tails was back then. I thinks this recipe would cost a small fortune now days- I just did a quick web check and you can get six 5-6 oz. lobster tails FedEx overnight for only $129. Now this does sound like a Big Promotion meal unlike the pork and bean recipe I posted the other day. It does sound good thought. I bet you could make it with the surimi lobster sticks and bake it in shallow ramekins. The card suggests serving it with parsley buttered potatoes, green bean salad and apple cobbler.

Deviled Rock Lobster Tails
6 (5 oz.) Rock lobster tails
1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup milk (or half and half)
1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne
Tabasco, few drops
1/2 cup coarse soda cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
Drop lobster tails into boiling salted water (1 tsp. salt per quart of water). When water reboils, cook lobster tails for 2 min. Drain immediately and drench with cold water. Cut away underside membrane, remove meat and reserve shells. Dice lobster meat and mix with bread crumbs, milk, egg, dry mustard, salt ,cayenne and Tabasco. Spoon mixture into reserved shells. Place filled shells in a shallow baking pan. Mix cracker crumbs and butter, sprinkle over top of filled shell. Bake in a moderate oven 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until crumbs are richly browned. Makes 6 servings.

Strawberry Mousse- Retro Betty Crocker


Today being the last day of the month we visited several thrift stores. My husband gets his retirement check on the last day of the month and usually runs a lot of errands for things he needs and I usually go along to see that his spending doesn't get out of control :). He has a thing about buying books to put in his eBay store and then just leaving them sitting and never getting around to posting them.
Today we did find several interesting books. One was a copy of Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book (1961). I was actually the one that spotted this book and wanted it for myself. When I got home I looked it up on eBay and was surprised to see it sells for an average of around $30. I only paid $1 and had a 20% off coupon.
The book is known for its' whimsical pen and ink illustrations. They have such a nice vintage appeal. Here is the retro recipe for Frozen Strawberry Mousse, definitely before the cool whip era.

Strawberry or Raspberry Mousse

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon liquid (fruit juice or water)
1 cup mashed strawberries or raspberries
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Soften gelatin in liquid. Dissolve over hot water, Stir into fruit. Combine cream, confectioners' sugar and salt in chilled bowl. Whip until stiff. Fold into fruit mixture. Turn into refrigerator tray; freeze 3 to 4 hours, or until firm. 6 servings