Batter Bread – A 1940s Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.  

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

This is the only recipe in the book that uses yeast.  I substituted oil for shortening and I know the 1940s housewives were using cake yeast which is hard to find now.  I use fast-acting yeast (Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise yeast  – Quick-Rise in Canada) and a quick mix method for all of my bread-making.  That makes this batter bread even simpler and quicker to make.

Your choice of spices, herbs, cheese, etc., could be added.  For this test, I made it plain and it was delicious.  The bread is soft with a nice crunchy crust.

BATTER BREAD  (No Kneading)

• 1-¼ cup water, 130 degrees F
• 1 Tblsp. fast-acting yeast (Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise yeast – Quick-Rise in Canada)
• 2 Tblsp. oil (canola)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Grease a 1-½ quart casserole dish

In the large bowl of a mixer, place 1 cup of flour, salt, sugar and yeast.  Mix for 20 seconds to blend.

Add water and oil, beat on medium speed with paddle beater for 3 minutes.  Remove beater and insert dough hook.  Add remaining 2 cups of flour gradually while beating at medium speed for 6-½ minutes.   Dough will be like a stiff batter.

Cover and let rise in the mixing bowl in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Punch down dough with a spoon and place in a greased 1-½ quart casserole dish.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown.

Place casserole dish on wire rack.  With a knife, loosen around the sides of the bread and leave in the dish for another 10 minutes.

Then, remove the bread to a rack to continue cooling.

While still warm, cut into wedges.  Servings:  6 to 10, depending on size of slices.

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LeMoyne Star Blocks

I love LeMoyne Stars but have never felt completely satisfied with the ones I made.  I decided to devote some time this week to making some LeMoyne Stars and trying to get more comfortable with them.

I have a piece of software by one of my favorite designers, Judy Martin.   Stars and Sets has over 200 blocks for several types of stars – Ohio, Variable, Lone Star, Compass, Spikey Star and LeMoyne.  The software is difficult to find but the patterns I chose are also in her books as noted.

The patterns are rated 1 to 4 stars, with 1 star being the easiest.  There is no one-star LeMoyne block so I chose four two-star patterns to try.  I made all them in the 8-inch finished size.

SALSA – I combined rotary cutting and templates and it went together fairly well.  There are a couple of points that are a little short, but otherwise I like the block.  This block also appeared in Judy’s book, Block Book, pg 38

LAKE OF THE WOODS – I used Judy’s suggestion of cutting the center triangles from the same pattern of fabric to form a kaleidoscope.  The block went together well and I really like it.  Also in Judy’s book, Scraps, Blocks & Quilts, pg 33

BUILDING BLOCK – Made this block completely from templates.  Judy provides piecing diagrams for all of her blocks which made it go together fairly easily.  The center hexagon was quite small and difficult to sew with a partial seam.

While I was working on this block, it didn’t look promising but it was like a puzzle and other than wishing I had made a couple of different fabric choices, the block is impressive.

Also in Judy’s book, Judy Martin’s Ultimate Book of Quilt Block Patterns, pg 31

THE RIVER JORDAN – I used both templates and rotary cutting.  A nice pattern and not too difficult.  Also in Judy’s book, The Block Book, pg 34

I had a fun, challenging week, but now I’m ready to piece something a little easier.  Some day, I hope to actually make one of the 3-star or 4-star versions.

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Pause and Remember – 2/24/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

A Good Lenten Meal

For the next six weeks, this will be our lunch on Friday – salmon patties, macaroni and cheese and scalloped tomatoes.

Click here for the recipes:

Salmon Patties

Macaroni and Cheese

Scalloped Tomatoes

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A Birthday Lunch with My Favorite Cousins

Buddy and Carol Ann, ca 1942

When I was growing up in the 1940s, my favorite aunt was my mother’s sister, Mabel.  Her two children, 9 and 6 years younger than I, were my favorite cousins.  They were the babies of the family and I loved watching them grow up.

Carol, Buddy and Mabel

Every year on Washington’s Birthday, February 22, we had a holiday from school and went to Mabel’s house to celebrate her little girl’s birthday which fell on February 23.   Mabel would have a cake purchased at the grocery store and decorated with the little hard sugar flowers and letters to spell out Happy Birthday, Carol Ann.

Carol Ann, Third Grade

Yesterday, for the first time in over 60 years, I enjoyed a birthday lunch with my cousins.  My daughter and I invited them to meet us at the Cracker Barrel where we lingered for a couple of hours reminiscing.  As it turned out, it appeared to be a party for me because of all of the gifts Carol brought.  She has been an antique dealer for years and chose some special items from her personal collection that she thought I would like….

A tiny nesting hen covered dish…

A Jadeite hobnail bowl with handles…

A Snowbabies ornament, a Bakelite Scottie button, and a notebook dated 1939, filled with handwritten recipes.

In addition, she brought a stack of greeting cards that my family had sent to them in the 1940s and 50s ….

All of the things I love the most.

After all these years, they’re still my favorite cousins.  Happy Birthday, Carol.

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Cut Out Sugar Cookies – a 1940s Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.  

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

I cut this recipe in half and then increased the  flour so the dough would be easier to handle.  This recipe gave me a good opportunity to use my vintage hatchet cookie cutter just in time for Washington’s Birthday.

These cookies are like so many from that era – plain, good, inexpensive and easy to make.

CUT OUT SUGAR COOKIES

• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sour milk*
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3-½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. soda
• Colored sugar for sprinkling on top

*To make sour milk:  Place ½ Tblsp. white vinegar in a one-cup measure.  Add milk to make ½ cup.  Let stand 5 minutes before using.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream shortening, sugar, egg, sour milk and vanilla.  Whisk together salt, flour and soda.  Add gradually to creamed mixture, blending well.

Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board and cut out with desired cookie cutter.

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with colored sugar.

Bake @ 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies, depending on the thickness and size of cutter.

I’m displaying the cookies on a handkerchief commemorating Washington’s Birthday in 1932 – the year I was born.

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Jacob’s Ladder Quiltalong

Back on October 3, 2011, I joined a Jacob’s Ladder Quilt-along hosted by

http://imperamagna.blogspot.com/2011/09/ladies-start-your-engines_28.html

I explained in my post how I had started out to make a sofa topper but received a cute mini-quilt rack and decided to make a piece to fit it.  The original blocks were to be 9 inches finished and the mini-quilt blocks were 2-1/4 inches.

I used the original 9 inch block to make a backing.

The blocks were a devil to make and join in such a small size, but I have finished the quilt and in spite of a lot of “iffy” places, I like it.  The finished size is 10-1/2 x 12-1/2 inches.

The quilt-along is continuing with plenty of time to join and make something in the very pretty Jacob’s Ladder pattern.

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Pause and Remember – 2/17/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Lunch with my daughters on Valentine’s Day

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Poulet d’Artichoke

The recipe for this chicken and artichoke dish is adapted from a recipe in a favorite cookbook, Southern Sideboards, published in 1978.  It makes a nice luncheon dish when my daughters and I get together.

POULET D’ARTICHOKE

• One 14 oz can artichoke hearts (not marinated)
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
• One 10-1/2 oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp curry powder
• ½ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup bread cubes
• 1 Tblsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Oil a 9×9 inch baking dish

Drain artichoke hearts and arrange in an oiled 9×9 inch baking dish.  Spread cooked chicken on top.

In a medium bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder and pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with cheese.

In a small skillet, melt butter and toss bread cubes to coat.

Place cubes on top of chicken mixture.  Bake uncovered @ 350 for 25 minutes.

4 to 6 servings

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To My Valentine Cookies – a 1940s Recipe

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.  

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

This is a big, thick, old-fashioned oatmeal cookie.  It’s not fancy – just sweet and good.  With the lack of directions, I wasn’t sure until I had the dough mixed whether they would be drop cookies or rolled cookies.  I was glad the dough turned out to be very easy-to-roll so I could use my vintage heart cookie cutters.

TO MY VALENTINE OATMEAL COOKIES

• 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup oats (quick cooking)
• ¾ cup margarine
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Lightly grease cookie sheets

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and oats.

In a large mixer bowl, cream the margarine, sugar, egg and vanilla.

Add the whisked dry ingredients gradually to the creamed mixture and beat until blended.

Roll dough on lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness.

Cut out with 2-inch to 3-inch cookie cutters.

Place on greased cookie sheets, two inches apart.

Bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes until cookies are golden brown.

Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on size.

I also liked them with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar before baking.

These cookies are also good rolled 1/8 thick and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and baked until crisp (8-10 minutes).

I like to think about this mother in the 1940s, having these cookies waiting for her kids when they came home from school with their penny Valentines.

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Valentine’s Day in my February Kitchen

With the dreary weather we often get in February in southwestern Ohio, I’m happy to put up the cheery Valentine decorations that I’ve accumulated through the years.  The little red and white enamelware plate was from a set I had as a child over 70 years ago.

Most of the items were handmade by members of the family:  decorative painting on wooden pieces….

….some are quilted, appliquéd, crocheted.

Two pieces call to mind Valentine’s Day in the 1940s and my grade school parties.

The story of our Valentine’s Day celebrations at old Raschig School in the 1940s and a Valentine wall hanging are here…

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