Colorvision Cake

This ad from the Feb. 1952 issue of Better Living promotes the idea of flavoring and coloring your cake with fruit flavored gelatin, "Your cake will have a wonderful, tempting fruit flavor."

When this ad came out there were only three flavors of Betty Crocker Cake Mixes. The colorvision cake called for the Party Cake mix that made a yellow cake. To make it you added three tablespoons of your favorite fruit flavored gelatin as you started to mix the cake.

To make the Icing : Mix, in top of double boiler all the remaining fruit gelatin in package, 1/4 cup egg whites, 1 cup sugar,1/8 tsp. cream of tartar, 1/4 cup water. Place over boiling water and beat with electric mixer on high speed, or rotary beater, until icing holds stiff peaks. remove from over boiling water and beat about 1 min. longer.

I don't recall seeing this idea in later Betty Crocker booklets so I wonder if it really turned out very well. It seems like it would work. Remember the gelatin poke cakes? You don't hear about them much any more either. Maybe this idea just came and went.

Orange Chiffon Cake- Betty Crocker Chiffon Cake recipes and secrets

Today I was going through some booklets in my original collection and I came across this vintage Betty Crocker booklet from 1948. Betty is looking quite severe on the cover, not even a smile. The title is Betty Crocker Chiffon Cake recipes and secrets. The small words at the top are: First Sensational Collection. On the back cover there are quotes exclaiming the wonders of chiffon cakes. "McCall's Magazine- It's the fastest to make, one of the biggest and certainly one of the best tasting cakes ever tested in McCall's kitchens!" I have only made a chiffon cake once, a long time ago but I remember it took quite awhile to make. The booklet describes a chiffon cake as "combining the lightness of angel food with the richness of butter cake." There are quite a few recipes; plain, orange, cherry, marble, cocoa, chocolate chip, butterscotch, bit o'walnut, maple pecan and spice cakes. An interesting feature is that each recipe is given in two proportions one for a large cake serving 16 to 20 and the other for a small cake serving 8 to 10.
Here is the recipe for a large orange chiffon cake:

Orange Chiffon
2 1/4 cups sifted Softsilk Cake Flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
MEASURE and SIFT together above ingredients in mixing bowl. Make a well and add in order:
1/2 cup cooking (salad) oil
5 unbeaten egg yolks (medium size)
3/4 cup cold water
grated rind of 2 oranges (about 3 tablespoons)
Beat with spoon until smooth.
Measure into large mixing bowl:
1 cup egg whites (7 or 8)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
WHIP until whites form very stiff peaks. They should be much stiffer than for angel food or meringue. DO NOT UNDERBEAT.
POUR egg yolk mixture gradually over whipped egg whites-gently folding with rubber scraper just until blended. DO NOT STIR! POUR into ungreased pan immediately. BAKE in 10-inch tube, 4-inch deep at 325 degrees 55 minutes then 350 10 to 15 minutes. or 9x13x2-in. oblong 350- 45 to 50 minutes. or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately turn pan upside down, placing tube part over neck of funnel or bottle, or resting edges of square, oblong, or loaf pans on 2 other pans. Let hang, free of table, until cold. Loosen from sides and tube with spatula. Turn over and hit edge sharply on table to loosen.

Fluffy Orange Icing
Ideal for your orange Chiffon... Cream one and one half 3 0z. pkg. cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat well. Stir in grated rind of 2 oranges...1 1/2 tbsp. If too thick to spread, add a few drops of orange juice.

This booklet certainly went all out with the italics and capital letters!

Zucchini Salad- Betty Crocker's Family Dinners

This recipe is from Betty Crocker's Family Dinners In a Hurry published in 1977. This cookbook has some really great quick and easy family dinners, it really lives up to it's title.

Zucchini Salad

1 small head lettuce, washed and chilled

2 small zucchini

1/2 cup bottled Italian salad dressing

1 can (3 ounces) French fried onions

Into salad bowl, tear lettuce into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups). Wash zucchini; remove stem and blossom ends. Cut crosswise diagonally into thin slices; add to lettuce. If desired sliced mushrooms can be added. Pour salad dressing over vegetables; toss. Arrange onions over salad.

Variations

Tossed Radish Salad: Substitute 1 cup sliced radishes for the zucchini and add 3 green onions, sliced.

Gold and Green Salad; Substitute 1 cup cooked green peas, 1/4 cup cauliflowerets and 2 carrots, slice for the zucchini.

Chicken-Squash- Betty Crocker Picture Cookbooks-Casseroles

This recipe is from a little Betty Crocker cookbook from the picture cookbook series simply called- Casseroles. Each recipe has a picture of the finished dish and 2 or more photo of it's preparation. This chicken dish sounds suitable for a fall dinner.
Chicken-Squash Fricassee
2 1/2 to 3 pound chicken, cut up
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 bay leaf
1 pound soft-shelled summer squash (crookneck, zucchini or scalloped)
1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut lengthwise into strips or 1 package (9 ounces) frozen French-style green beans, thawed
2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Brown chicken pieces in oil in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven; drain. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the instant bouillon, basil and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove stem and blossom ends from squash, but do not pare. Cut crookneck and zucchini lengthwise in half; cut scalloped crosswise in half. Place squash, beans and onions on chicken. Sprinkle with salt. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until chicken is done and vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove chicken and vegetables to serving platter; top with olives. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into liquid in skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Serve over chicken and vegetables.

Far East Eggplant- Betty Crocker's Cooking Calendar

This cookbook is a small spiral bound that was published in 1962. It is unique in that it is a combination date book and cookbook. There is a dated entry for each day of the year with a little quote and place for you to write something. It is divided in chapters, one for each month of the year. This recipe is from the October chapter. I reminds me of Ratatouille. I certainly don't know where the "Far East" part of it is.
Far East Eggplant
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cubed
4 tomatoes, cut up
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices crisp crumbled bacon
Cook ingredients except cheese and bacon in skillet until tender. Top with cheese and bacon. Brown under broiler. 4 servings