My Favorite Vintage Recipes

I became hooked on vintage recipes as a teenager when I would make a cake titled Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake. It was, and still is, in my mother's recipe box--which I hope to inherit someday. My mom explained that the recipe was from World War II when food was rationed, but people still wanted to bake goodies. I don't know who invented the recipe, but it is one of my favorites.

Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake: Ingredients--3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 cups white sugar; 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2/3 cup vegetable oil; 2 cups water; 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Directions: In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together. Combine all the wet ingredients together in another bowl.
Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients, and beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan. When cool sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

I started on a sort of quest to find other vintage type recipes. Right now the economy has gone down the tubes and all of us are looking for ways to spend less. Maybe revising the way we think about food would help.

Civil War Fruit Cake:Ingredients and Directions: Boil for 5 minutes and then let cool: 3 c. raisins 2 c. granulated sugar 2 c. water 2 tbsp. butter or Crisco. Sift together and add to cooled mixture: 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. ground cloves. Mix and then add 1 cup chopped black walnuts. Bake in a well greased angel food or loaf pan for 1 hour at 300 degrees. This cake was developed during the Civil War when fancier fruits were rare. (cooks.com)

War Cake: Ingredients-- 1 lb. raisins; 2 c. boiling water; 1 tbsp. baking soda; 1/2 c. shortening; 1 c. cold water; 4 c. flour; 2 c. sugar; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. cloves; 2 tsp. cinnamon; 1 tsp. nutmeg; 1 c. walnuts, chopped. Directions:
Simmer the raisins and the boiling water for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a tube pan, at 325 degrees , for about 1 hour, or until well browned. This cake is called "War Cake" because there are no eggs, butter, or milk among the ingredients, items often in short supply during war time. It is a family favorite, a very good cake. (cooks.com)

War Office Pie: This recipe dates back to the Revolutionary War during the time when General Washington met with General Rochambeau and Governor Jonathan Trumbull to discuss War Tactics at the War Office on the Lebanon Green. It was one of General Washington's favorite recipes. No quantities were given as it was usually made of leftovers. Directions and Ingredients: Cover bottom of baking dish with bread crumbs. Over this place a layer of mutton (or your favorite cut of meat), cut in small chunks. Over the meat lay thick slices of tomatoes. Then add a second layer of bread crumbs, more meat, and more tomatoes. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper, dot with butter. Make top layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle over lightly with sugar and bread crumbs. Bake about 30 minutes in a hot oven (400 degrees). Firm canned tomatoes may be used instead of fresh one. (cooks.com)

Civil War Applesauce Cookies: Ingredients-- 2 1/4 c. sugar; 1 1/3 c. shortening; 3 eggs; 2 tsp. vanilla; 1 c. applesauce; 6 c. flour; 1 tsp. baking soda; 2 tsp. baking powder; 2 tsp. nutmeg; 1 tsp. salt. Directions: Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add applesauce and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients and blend well. Drop by heaping tablespoon on greased cookie sheets. Flatten and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. They Do Not Brown! (cooks.com)

Fake Whipped Cream (World War II) Ingredients-- 2 egg whites; 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar; 1 c. grated apple; 1 tsp. lemon juice. Directions: Beat egg whites until stiff. Add half the sugar while beating. Then add the grated apple and rest of sugar, alternately while continuing to beat. Stir in lemon juice quickly. "Plop" dollops on fresh strawberries.(cooks.com)

Hoover Bread from World War One--Ingredients--1 c. sugar; 1/2 c. dark syrup; 1 c. white floor; 2 c. graham or whole wheat flour; 2 c. buttermilk; 1 tsp. soda; 1 tsp. salt; 1 1/2 c. chopped pecans. Directions: Mix sugar and syrup. Dissolve soda in 1 cup of buttermilk and add to mixture. Add the white flour and salt, then the other cup of buttermilk. Add wheat flour and lightly floured pecans. Bake in loaf pans in 350 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes. Freezes well.(www.cooks.com)

From a cookbook titled "365 Foreign Dishes"--copyright 1908--comes this recipe for Bavarian Roast Turkey: Ingredients--1 fat turkey; 3 raw potatoes; 2 apples; 1 onion, grated; 1 lump of butter; 1 cup bread crumbs; 1 egg; sage; thyme; salt and pepper. Directions: Clean and season a fat turkey. Stuff with potatoes, apples and onion. Mix with butter and bread crumbs; add egg. Season with sage, thyme, salt and pepper; then put in a dripping pan. Pour in 1 cup of water and dredge with flour. Let bake in hot oven until done. (www.vintagerecipes.net)

I love how recipes are written down. A lot of my recipes just have a list of ingredients and I get to figure out for myself what the directions are. Some are approximate amounts like "a can of this"--or "maybe a quarter cup, I don't know you figure it out" --"just add some sugar". Know what I mean? With some of these older recipes I'm thinking they were immigrants and just learning the English language. It's so fun to try and decipher what needs to be done.

Here's one from a book written in 1764 titled "English Housewifry"--How to Roast a Turkey--Take a turkey. Dress it and truss it then take down the breastbone. Directions: To make Stuffing for the Breast. Take beef-suet, the liver shred fine, and bread-crumbs, a little lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper and salt to your taste, a little shred parsley, a spoonful or two of cream, and two eggs. Put her on a spit and roast her before a slow fire; you may lard your turkey with fat bacon; if the turkey be young, an hour and a quarter will roast it. For the sauce, take a little white gravy, an onion, a few bread-crumbs, and a little whole pepper, let them boil well together, put to them a little flour and a lump of butter, which pour upon the turkey; you may lay round your turkey forc'd-meat-balls. Garnish your dish with slices of lemon. (vintagerecipes.com)

Also from the same 1764 cookbook is a recipe for what can be done with the leftover turkey.--To Make a Rich Turkey Pie--Directions: Take a young turkey and bone her, only leave in the thigh bones and short pinions; take a large fowl and bone it, a little shred mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, and season the turkey and fowl in the inside; lay the fowl in the inside of the low part of the turkey, and stuff the breast with a little white stuffing, (the same white stuffing as you made for the boiled turkey,) take a deep dish, lay a paste over it, and leave no paste in the bottom; lay in the turkey, and lay round it a few forc'd-meat-balls, put in half a pound of butter, and a jill of water, then close up the pie, an hour and a half will bake it; when it comes from the oven take off the lid, put in a pint of stew'd oysters, and the yolks of six or eight eggs, lay them at an equal distance round the turkey; you must not stew your oysters in gravy but in water, and pour them upon your turkey's breast; lay round six or eight artichoke-bottoms fry'd, so serve it up without the lid; you must take the fat out of the pie before you put in the oysters. (vintagerecipes.com)

If you're needing beverage recipes, there are plenty of them. We will start with...

Beef Egg Nog: from "The Suffrage Cookbook" of 1915--Ingredients--1 egg; speck of salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/2 cup hot beef broth; 1 tablespoon brandy. Directions: Beat the egg slightly; add the salt and sugar; add gradually the hot broth; add brandy and strain. Sugar and brandy may be omitted if preferred. (vintagerecipes.com)

Coffee Egg Nog: (same source as recipe above) Ingredients--1 egg; 1 1/2 tsp sugar; 1/2 scant cup milk or cream; 1/2 scant cup strong coffee. Directions: Chill ingredients, blend and enjoy.

Here's a GOOD one. If you're having trouble sleeping this was recommended in "The Queen-Like Closet or Rich Cabinet" of 1672. Cordial to Cause Sleep: Ingredients--Two spoonfuls of poppy water; two spoonfulls of red rose water; one teaspoon of clove-gillyflower syrup and a little diascordium. Mingle them together and take them at the time of rest. (I might have to research just what those ingredients really are!) (vintagerecipes.com)

According to "The Book of Household Management" of 1861 there is an Excellent Substitute for Milk or Cream in Tea or Coffee: Ingredients and instructions: Allow 1 new-laid egg for every large cupful of breakfast tea or coffee. Beat up the whole of the egg in a basin. Put it into a cup and pour it over the tea or coffee, very hot. These should be added very gradually, and stirred all the time to prevent the egg from curdling. In point of nourishment, both these beverages are much improved by this addition. (vintagerecipes.com)

There are many, many recipes at vintagerecipes.com and I will definitely be re-visiting them for future articles. I'm now moving over to www.recipecurio.com for some of their vintage recipes. I admire all the creativity of these websites! What fun they are to visit!

White Wonder Icing: (from World War 2) Ingredients and Directions: Mix in top of double boiler . . . 1/4 cup unbeaten egg whites (about 2); 1/2 cup sugar; 2 tsp. white corn syrup; 1/16 tsp. cream of tartar. Place over boiling water for about 6 minutes, stirring with finger until you can no longer keep your finger in the mixture (150°). Remove from heat. Beat vigorously with rotary beater until icing will hold shape (about 10 minutes). Blend in . . . . 1/2 tsp. flavoring.

Chocolate Divinity: Directions and Ingredients: One and a half cups of brown sugar, one cup of maple syrup, half cup of glucose (pure corn syrup), or Karo syrup, one-third cup of water, fourth teaspoonful of salt, the whites of two eggs, one cup of nut meats, chopped fine, two squares of chocolate, broken in pieces. Let the sugar, syrup, glucose and water stand on the back of the range, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted, then cover and let boil five minutes. Remove the cover and let boil until when tested in water a ball that rattles in the cup will be formed. Add the salt and chocolate and beat over the fire, until the chocolate is melted, then pour in a fine stream onto the whites of eggs, beaten dry, beating constantly meanwhile; add the nuts and pour into a pan lined with waxed paper. In about fifteen minutes lift the candy from the pan (by the ends of the paper left for the prupose) and cut it into small oblongs or squares. The candy must be stirred constantly during the last of the cooking.

Opera Creams: Directions and Ingredients: Melt together slowly three-fourths cup milk, two cups sugar and two squares chocolate, then boil for three or four minutes; flavor and put in a cool place; let stand until absolutely cold, then beat till it becomes resistant and creamy; drop into round balls on paper.

Marshmallows: Directions and Ingredients: Two heaping tablespoons of gelatine, one pound powdered sugar, three-fourths cup boiling water, half teaspoon of vanilla. Dissolve gelatine in water, pour in sugar, beat half hour steadily. Dust granite pans thickly with powdered sugar, cut in squares and roll in powdered sugar. It is improved by letting it stand several hours before eating.

Orange Cardamom Cookies: Ingredients--One-half cup shortening; Two tsps. grated orange peel; One tsp. ground cardamom; One cup sugar; One egg; Two tbsps. orange juice; Two cups sifted all-purpose flour; One-half tsp. salt; Frosting (see below). Directions: Cream shortening with orange peel and cardamom. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat in egg. Add orange juice. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Chill dough until stiff enough to handle. Roll out on a lightly floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes (bells, trees, boots, wreaths, etc.) with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in preheated hot oven (400 degrees) eight minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool and frost with confectioners' sugar and water frosting. Yield: Seven dozen cookies. FROSTING: Combine 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Mix until smooth. Spread over tops of cookies.

From www.twisted-candy.com are recipes from a lady who found her mother's recipe box and decided to share the recipes with the rest of us. These come from the category of "Unusual Recipes" they are fun and we are grateful.

Roast Bologna Recipe - 12 servings
This recipe was in a old pink tin recipe box. I have placed it in the "Unusual Recipes" category. Roasting bologna is unusual, I think. I wonder why she didn't use ham? The recipe belonged to Ruth McMikle
Roast Bologna
Skin one 3 lb. bologna. Score surface to form diamond pattern. If desired insert a whole clove in each diamond. Place the bologna on rack in shallow roast pan. Bake in (350) oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Brush several times with pineapple juice or other fruit juice while baking.

Cottage Cheese Sticks Ingredients--1 cup flour ; 1/2 teaspoon salt ; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder ; 1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed ; 1 teaspoon caraway seed ; 6 Tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup creamed cottage cheese.; 1 Tablespoon Milk . Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. Sift flour with salt and baking powder. Stir in celery and caraway seed. Cut butter into mixture. Combine cottage cheese and milk. Add to the flour mixture stirring to form a soft dough. On alightly floured surface, divide dough into 12 parts. With palms, roll each part in pencil thin strips about 14" long. Cut in half . Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire rack and cool. Makes 24.

Uncle Will's

This recipe was written just like this, so your guess is better then mine.)

5 for 12
4 cans - Number 2 - 2 1/2 pounds hominy)
Drain
1 cup cream mushroom soup
1/2 pints whipping cream
2 small can parmesan cheese
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon white celery seed
Top with bread crumbs and cook at 325 for 30 minutes.

Uncle Will also volunteered the following

Chicken Breast
salt and pepper
melted butter
grate 2 green peppers
large can pineapple - crushed
do not drain. use Doles
Cover with foil and bake for an hour - 350 degrees.

(Kris' note: I loved the above recipe so much, I couldn't even change the style of how it was written down.)

Bing Cherry Salad Mold with Coke
1 can Bing Cherries
1 can crushed pineapple
1 package cherry Jell-O
1 package cream cheese - about 3 ounces
1 Coke
chopped nuts (about 1/3 cup)
Drain juice from fruit, add water to make one cup. Heat and dissolve Jell-O. Mash cream cheese and beat into Jell-O. Put into refrigerator. When starting to set, beat with egg beater. Add Coke, pineapple and nuts. Arrange cherries around the bottom of individual molds and pour mixture over all. Then return to the refrigerator.

Cold Cut Pie
She write, "Make it ahead of time and be the coolest cook in town. An you need to complete the menu is a tossed salad or some sliced tomatoes, a basket of bread or rolls, a pitcher of ice tea and dill pickles."
Prepare the filling:
1 pound potatoes (about 3 medium)
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup pickle relish
3 hard cooked eggs, diced
1/2 pound boiled ham or 1 can (12 oz.) luncheon meat, diced
1/2 pound salami, diced.
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until barely tender - still firm in the center
Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. Then potatoes are ready, peel, dice; add to filling mixture. Chill for 2 hours.
Fix the dressing and crust:
1 envelope unflavored gelatine
1/2 cup water
1 pound sliced bologna
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup commercial sour cream
Place gelatine and water in small sauce pan and let stand two minutes, then heat to the boiling point, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. While it cools a bit, line a ten inch pie plate with bologna, overlapping the slices. Now, using rotary beater, combine the gelatin mixture, mayonnaise, and sourcream. Chill till gelatin is just slightly thickened - about 20 minutes. Fold in filling mixture; spoon into bologna "crust". Chill at least 3 hours. (Store in refrigerator up to two days if you wish.) Serves six as a main dish.

From the kitchen of Mary Hairston
Coffee Gel
Add one envelope unflavored gelatin to 1/4 cup cold coffee and let stand 5 minutes. Stir into 2 cups scalding hot coffee. Add 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Cool. Refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm. To serve, spoon into deep sherbet cups. Pour over each serving one tablespoon sweet cream or whipped cream.
"P.S. I substitute Irish Whiskey for the vanilla (sometimes). Just any measurement will do.", she wrote in a notation at the bottom of the recipe.

I'm not finished with vintage recipes. In fact I've just barely scratched the surface. These, however, will get you started! I see many more articles about this in my future. - Kris