Friday, October 28, 2011

Meatless Italian Dishes From Chef Boyardee

Meatless recipes from a vintage Chef Boyardee cook booklet titled Famous Italian Dishes, by Chef Hector Boiardi -- with Recipes tested and approved by The Chef Boy-ar-dee Housewife, Lois Nichols. These meatless recipes were not for the benefit of vegans or even wartime rations. No, these inexpensive and tasty dishes to take the place of meat, "thereby making Friday or Lenten Season dishes of them."

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Make A Recipe File

From 4-H Food Preparation, Extension 4-H Bulletin #32, dated June 1952, by Mary R. Anderson and Grace D. Brill (a 4H Club booklet put out by the University of Minnesota, Agricultural Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, University Farm, St. Paul 1, Minnesota), information on two types of recipe files, how to make them, and how to use them.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The Worst Thing About Fruit? The Fruit Flies

The worst thing about fresh fruit is the darn fruit flies. I know, because we've been hit - arg!

Normally, they seem to live and die and cease to be a problem, but this time...

I'm not one to tolerate bugs or insects of any variety in my home. Especially having just been battling with the icky Box Elder Bugs this fall.

Zero.

Tolerance.

So first I grabbed a left-over roll of the sticky fly tape.

But it didn't seem to be working fast enough for me. (Patience may be a virtue, but so is a house free of fruit flies!)

My complaints spurred on the hubby who went and created The Farm Version Of The Fly Trap.


This trap is based on the bait method; a bit of fruit juice in the bottom of a clear glass jar (another excellent reason to keep baby food jars!), with a funnel of paper taped at the opening. You can modify this by using wine, sugar water, etc. -- any sweet and fermenting liquid will work.

The theory behind this natural method of ridding your house of fruit flies is that the flies will be lured to the sweet stuff, flying into the wide opening of the paper funnel mouth but, as the end narrows near the liquid, they will land in the liquid and drown.

It's a theory, anyway.

The fruit flies we had seemed to not only survive the death trap (including, when one did manage to die in the juice, other fruit flies standing upon the dead body of their fallen comrade to partake of the juice), but thrive. Yup, after two days of watching the damn things walk around inside the jar, I concluded that The Farm Method of fruit fly removal was more like feeding and perhaps breeding than ridding us of the pests.

Seriously, other than my concerted efforts to spot them near the tape and smush or imprison them, they seemed to proliferate.

I again brought hubby into the bathroom, told him my (obsessive) observations, and asked him if he had any modifications up his sleeves. When the answer was, "Nope," I has him disassemble the contraption and just left the store-bought fly paper roll there and tried to ignore it all.

Two days later, food and beverage gone, the fruit fly population not only dwindled, but the infestation seemed to be over. (Though I'm keeping the ugly roll up a few more days, just to be sure...)

While The Farm method sure looks better than a long unwound roll of sticky tape with dead insects on it, it just didn't work. And while you can argue that The Farm method is more natural, and/or, pending on the manufactures of all the items in question, more environmentally friendly, I myself just wish to be rid of the icky insects.



PS I've filed this under Advice From My Grandma because hubby learned this from his mother and grandmother and that's close enough for me! *wink*

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Icing Too Grainy?

In the 1967 American Farm & Home Almanac, a tip on adding a pinch of salt to your icing recipe so that it will not sugar or grain when it dries on the cake or baked goods.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Knit Turkeys Fit For A Child

A sweater with turkey on it to knit for children -- just in time for Thanksgiving. Maybe? Or next year... This pattern is from the March 1956 issue (Vol 21, No 6) of The Workbasket; another pattern, for bunny booties, is here!


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Recommended Serving Sizes, Chilling Times & Uses For Jell-o Gelatin

From my 1962 spiral bound copy of Joys Of Jello, General Foods Corporation.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Sandwiches & Butter Balls, 1914

Sandwich recipes, circa 1914, from The Drexel Institute of Art, Science & Industry.



Photo of young women outside the Drexel Institute in the 1930s; via.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Vintage = Less Slaves

Most everything we own has been produced using slave labor in one form or another -- from raw material to finished product. The Slavery Footprint Calculator shows how your consumer acts affect the enslavement of people, including children. Of course, using vintage, shopping at the thrift stores, recycling items by trading with family and friends, repurposing, etc., really cuts down on this sort of horror.  (Found via Chloe Joe.)


How To Get Your Curtain Tie-Backs Even

A "foolproof" tip for getting the ties for your curtains and drape even -- use the window shade! Supposing you have no window shades, blinds or even the window sash will do. In fact, the window sash might be the best option as you can easily place a level on it. Found in the 1967 American Farm & Home Almanac, edited by Ray Geiger.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Knit A Nautical Sweater

This Sailor Collar Cardigan comes from Coat's & Clark's Favorite Designs to Knit & Crochet, book number 198, copyright 1970. (Another knitting pattern from this publication here.) The pattern / instructions are below, for children's and adult sizes.





Thursday, October 13, 2011

Surprise Pumpkin Pie Recipe

From the 1962 Christmas Recipes booklet put out by Wisconsin Power and Light Company, Loreen Jackson, Home Economics Director. This recipe is "an 'Old Hat' idea with a new trim. You will like this up to date version. Texture wise, it's different. The flavor's the same."

Before I share the vintage recipe, I wanted to note a few things... Such as how in 1962, the convenience of store-bought pie shells makes its way into cook booklets from home economics leaders -- but canned pie filling has not. This recipe is a great way to make use of what's left after you carve jack-o-lanterns.


Surprise Pumpkin Pie Recipe

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
2 cups raw grated pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger

1. Peel and cut pumpkin into pieces Fill jar of electric blender. Cover with water. Blend for a few seconds until finely grated. Drain thoroughly. May use a fine grater or grinder.

2. Mix all ingredients in order given.

3. Pour into unbaked pie shell.

4. Bake in oven preheated to 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40 minutes, or until center tests done with a silver knife is inserted.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How To Keep Paint Fresh In The Can

Another tip from the 1967 American Farm & Home Almanac, edited by Ray Geiger.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Crocheted Window-Pane Dress

If this isn't the most mod little thing... Well, I think it is -- I just love it!  Instructions etc. for making this retro  mini are below. From Coats & Clark Fashion Forecast book, No. 199; copyright 1970 -- that I'm giving away!


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Basics In Vegetable Cookery

Cooking suggestions (including by vegetable color!), methods of cooking and serving vegetables, and three recipes from Food Preparation, Extension 4-H Bulletin #32, reprinted June 1947, by Ina Row & Eva Blair, Extension Nutritionists and Mildred Schenck, State 4-H Club Agent. (A 4-H Club booklet put out by the University of Minnesota, Agricultural Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, University Farm, St. Paul 8, Minnesota.)


Friday, October 7, 2011

Cleaning Dish Cloths

To cut through grease and generally ease cleaning of dish cloths, soak the dirty dish cloths in water to which a little ammonia has been added. (Another tip from the 1967 American Farm & Home Almanac, edited by Ray Geiger.)

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Beginner Sewing Machine Stitches Help

From Vintage Clothing Construction Helps, advice for beginning sewers which begins with the recommendation that one practice learning to stitch straight on the sewing machine by using an unthreaded machine on paper. Then, once proficient:

Before stitching on garment, check the tension on the machine and the length of the stitches. In the correct stitch, the upper and lower thread should lock at the center fabric (figure 2).
Here's figure 2:


This vintage booklet was by Margaret Fobes, Alice Linn, and Ethel Gorham, Extension 4-H Bulletin #13, February 1944; a 4-H Club booklet on sewing clothes put out by the University of Minnesota, Agricultural Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, University Farm, St. Paul 8, Minnesota.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Rid Your Rooms Of Tobacco & Smoke Smells

This tip or recipe for making your own "homemade" deodorizer comes from the 1967 American Farm & Home Almanac, edited by Ray Geiger.

Time Saving Trick For Sewing On Snaps

A nifty tip from the March 1956 issue of The Workbasket (Vol 21, No. 6) on working with snap fasteners. I guess you could "chalk" this one up to experience *wink*

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