At Bethany Village, many of our residents grew up during the 1920’s-1950’s. These were times of unprecedented change in our country and around the world. One of the things that gave everyone comfort then, as now, is a focus on holiday togetherness and traditions.
This year we celebrate these traditions by sharing some holiday recipes from the 1940’s. Try out one or two of these this year and tell us what you think!
Mincemeat Christmas Cake
In the 1940’s, as today, many advertisers shared recipes in their product ads. The following ad for mincemeat Christmas cake comes from a Hellman’s ad dating back to this era.
Mix 1 cup prepared mincemeat, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tbsp. rum flavoring (even better, use rum). Blend 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 cup buttermilk. Over mixture, sift 3 cups sifted flour, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt. Add grated rind of 1 orange, mix thoroughly. Stir in mincemeat mixture. Line bottom of 9-inch tube pan with brown paper, pour in batter, bake at 325?F for 2 hours.
Star Corn Pudding
Creamed corn, like many condensed soups, was all the rage during the war and post-war years. This recipe comes from a 1948 ad for Del Monte.
Sauté 3 tbsp. onions in 2 tbsp. butter till soft. Blend in 1 tbsp. flour. Add ½ cup milk gradually, stirring constantly till smooth and thick. Stir slowly into 2 slightly beaten eggs. Add 1 lb 4 oz cream corn; then season. Wash and core 4 firm tomatoes. Cut 3 times across blossom end to within 3/4 in. of stem end. Place in shallow 1 1/2 qt. baking dish and open segments. Pour corn mixture around tomatoes. Place dish in pan of hot water and bake in moderate oven (350?F) about 40 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Apple Muffins
Betty Crocker was a fictional character created by the Washburn-Crosby Company (now General Mills). She first appeared in 1936, and her face became synonymous with the brand. This apple muffins recipe is from a Betty Crocker advertisement in the 1940’s.
Sift together into bowl: 2 cups sifted flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, 4 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Then blend in 1 well-beaten egg, 1 cup milk, and 1/4 cup shortening, melted and cooled. Stir just enough to mix the ingredients. Carefully fold in 1 cup sliced apples that have been sweetened with 1/4 cup sugar. Pour into well-greased muffin pan. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 400°F.
For more fun retro recipes, click here.
