Throwback Thursday: Family Fare, Food Management and Recipes (1950)

Flipping through this cookbook, I came across this recipe for Seven Minute Boiled Icing and instantly had memories of licking the icing off the beater, and later of learning how to make it myself without overcooking it and ending up with it being crunchy. (The step of removing it from the heat is important!)   Aim for 235°F to 245°F (113°C to 118°C), if you have a candy thermometer.

I've paired it with Chocolate Crazy Cake, which not from this cookbook in particular but rather a recipe that I've just had for ages.  It's not only really good, but also works if you need a cake that is safe for multiple food allergies as it's got no eggs, dairy, or nuts.

 "Seven Minute" Boiled Icing

• 2 egg whites
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• Few grains salt
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients except the vanilla. Beat over boiling water until mixture stands in soft peaks, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Beat until very thick. Enough for two 9-inch layers.

Chocolate "Crazy" Cake
Makes one 8" square cake or 12 cupcakes

• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until smooth. (Batter will be more watery than normal cake batters.)

Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

"If it's good food, don't throw it away."

Family Fare: Food Management and Recipes, 1950

(Available for free online at the Internet Archive)

Eating in Season: Stewed Rhubarb

My rhubarb patch is happy right now.  Like, VERY happy.  As we get into summer, we're taking advantage of what's growing in the yard! 

Stewed Rhubarb

• 3 cups rhubarb, chopped into chunks (about 3/4 inch)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon water
• Optional: a pinch of cinnamon or a splash of orange juice

1. Place all ingredients into a large saucepan and stir together.
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer.
3. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb completely breaks down into a thick sauce.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Serving ideas: I like this warm over ice cream or oatmeal, or mixed into yogurt and topped with granola.

(Depending what kind of rhubarb you are growing, this might be a pretty shade of pink, or it might be more greenish, which is less esthetic but still tasty!)

FREE e-book version of Dining on a Dime Volume 1

 

I don't know how long this will last, but the e-book version of Dining on a Dime Volume 1 is FREE right now!  Hop over to Living on a Dime, click to the e-books section, and grab your copy today!

Throwback Thursday: 7 Steps to Rock-Bottom Food Costs: A Guide to Kitchen Economy (1976)

"There are, alas, many people who don't know how it is possible to make soup without opening a can, just as there are people who don't know it is possible to make pancakes without buying a package of pancake mix, or cornbread without a prepared mix. Soup used to be a regular item on the household cooking list. Everyone who knew how to boil water knew how to make soup, and actually soup making is easy, fun, and a good way of using up odds and ends."

Salley Sherwin (7 Steps to Rock-Bottom Food Costs: A Guide to Kitchen Economy, 1976)

(Available online for free from the Internet Archive)

Basic Soup Stock.

To make a basic stock, put bones into water, adding about one ounce vinegar per quart of water up to a maximum of four ounces vinegar no matter how much more water you use. Vinegar draws out the calcium from the bones and you won't taste it when the soup is done. Add bay leaves (one or two), or basil, or thyme, or dill weed, or combinations of them, or any herbs you like; let the stock simmer a few hours, about two or three, longer if you like. Strain out the bones and return the stock to the pot.  

Any meat on the bones can be picked off and returned to the pot; vegetables and any other thickeners you may wish can also be added at this point: grains such as oats, barley, rice; beans, potatoes

Stock may also be made without bones, just from vegetables or a vegetable alone.

Dry Bean or Pea Soup
Serves 4

• 1 cup dry beans or peas
• 1-1/2 quarts cold water
• Ham bone
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Few stalks celery and leaves
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Boil beans or peas in half the water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak 1 hour, or overnight if more convenient.

Add rest of water, ham bone, onion, and celery. Simmer until beans or peas are tender. 

Remove bone. Put soup through a sieve or food press. 

Cut any meat from bone into small pieces. Add to soup. Stir in flour mixed with a little cold water. Cook soup until thickened and hot. Season.

Eating in Season: Rhubarb Breakfast Cake

As kids, we mostly ate rhubarb raw, fresh from the garden and dipped in white sugar.  We have many go-to recipes that use this fast-growing plant, like Rhubarb Breakfast Cake, which I personally think is quite suitable for breakfast or dessert! 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see substitution below)
  
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tsp for sprinkling
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F 
• Grease a 9×9 square baking pan
• In a large bowl, cream the soft butter and sugar until fluffy
• Beat in the egg and vanilla
• Toss the rhubarb with 1-2 tbsp of the flour to coat it well
• In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Mix well, but don't overmix.
• Fold in the rhubarb.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with a little sugar if desired.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is turning golden and a toothpick in the center comes out dry.
• Serve warm.

Substitutions:

• If you don't have buttermilk, substitute 1/2 cup half and half, cream, or milk, plus 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar.  (Skim milk will not be great.)  Mix as your first step and set aside.
• For a dairy-free version, substitute 1/2 cup almond milk plus 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• If you don't have butter or need to be dairy-free, margarine can be used, but soft margarine won't give quite the same final texture. I have also used half margarine and half shortening. You could also try coconut oil plus about a tsp of extra water.