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Square Meals: America's Favorite Comfort Cookbook
This revised and updated edition of the classic Square Meals is a celebration of American food from the 1920s through the 1950s, a salute to the days of lunch counters and the times when Sunday dinner was hearty and special.
Paperback
First published September 12, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 4, 2015
This is really more of a trip down memory lane than an actual cook book although it does contain the recipes for all dishes mentioned. The author, who with her husband, Michael, has written many books about food that are fun and more than the usual cookbook. Here she looks at the food styles of the 1940/50s....some are still being eaten, most are not. Ever hear of Shrimp Wiggle, Checkerboard Tea Sandwiches or Spam Hash? Doesn't sound very appetizing and I wonder if my Mother made any of these! Worth reading, as are all her food books.
March 12, 2020
2020 bk 87. I actually read an original copy of Square Meals (Hardback). An excellent look at the home cooking of the 20th Century lifestyles of middle Americans. As I read through the book, I pulled out recipe cards from my grandmother and mother and found most of their recipes matched - or were off by only an ingredient /amount. This was a comfort read. I've already marked some items that I've not had since the 1970's which I intend to try again. I'm sure the paperback is fine, but I love my first edition.
May 31, 2012
Square Meals works on so many levels, and succeeds on all of them. The book is structured chronologically, from the 1920s up into the 1960s. This lets it serve as a sort of culinary history of the 20th Century USA... from the "cunning" cookery of the 1920s ("... a girl could really serve a high-society meal in her own bungalow!")... to soda fountain cookery... through Victory Garden cookery ("A meal without meat? You can do it!") and Army chow... on to teen-focused food in the 1950s (they only eat pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers)... faux-Polynesia ("Luau in Your Living Room" with recipes like Flaming Cabbage-Head Weenies in Pu-Pu Sauce). The thing is, there are plenty of recipes that you can actually make, it's not just a freak show. And on top of this -- at least to me -- it's laugh-out-loud funny, one of the funniest books I've ever owned (Example, from a recipe featuring Twinkies begins "Before they were used to explain insane criminal acts and diminished mental capacity...").
July 5, 2008
I'm so sorry to see that this has been updated. The original is much funnier and captures the rich buy cheesy graphics of cooking up to the 1960s.
Read the recipes and you'll laugh until you cry! I grew up in an Italian neighborhood with an Italian mom, so some of the things in her my mother didn't know from, but my mother-in-law could have written this!
Read the recipes and you'll laugh until you cry! I grew up in an Italian neighborhood with an Italian mom, so some of the things in her my mother didn't know from, but my mother-in-law could have written this!
April 12, 2009
This is a cookbook I turn to over and over because its recipes are hits with my family and friends. Its stories of comfort foods from around the country are interesting too. This is the cookbook that taught me to make burgers that taste like the ones you get from a diner and shakes that please even the pickiest of teenagers.
August 14, 2022
an interesting mixture of the miserable or comfort food
depending on your own comfort level
---
Frances Virginia blueberry gems
flour - eggs - buttermilk - blueberries - oranges
Philadelphia cinnamon buns
flour - eggs - cinnamon - raisins
Banana walnut bread
sugar - butter - eggs - bananas - flour - walnuts
Orange biscuits
flour - milk - oranges
Corn gem
flour - cornmeal - milk - molasses - eggs
---
Tomato aspic in a heart-shaped mold
gelatin - canned tomatoes - celery seeds - cloves - lettuce - mayo
Waldorf souffle aspic
lemon gelatin powder - apple juice - mayo - apples - celery - walnuts
Lettuce wedge with poppy seed dressing
onion juice - dry mustard - vegetable oil - poppy seeds - lettuce - vinegar
Five cup salad
shredded coconut - mandarin oranges - crushed pineapple
sour cream - miniature marshmallows
Chicken a la king in a potato nest
mushrooms - green peppers - celery - chicken fat - cream - chicken
canned pimientos - egg yolks - sherry - potatoes - shortening
Cheese and crab delight
green peppers - dry mustard - tomatoes - American cheese
eggs - crabmeat - mushrooms - toast points
Ambrosia layer cake
cake flour - oranges - butter - sugar - mandarin oranges
shredded coconut - eggs - egg white - corn syrup - lemons
Chocolate angel food cake with butterscotch sauce
cake flour - cocoa - egg whites - sugar - butter - evaporated milk - brown sugar
Lemon soup
rice - beef broth - egg yolks - lemon - watercress
Victor's all-white salad platter [good god]
grapefruits - canned white asparagus - water chestnuts
cauliflower - pineapple - apples - hearts of palm - artichoke bottoms
celery hearts - white radishes - coconut
Hawaiian chicken and pineapple curry
coconut milk - curry powder - ginger - chicken broth
chicken meat - pineapple - milk - coconut
Coffee pearadise
gelatin - coffee - canned pears - heavy cream
Alice Foote MacDougall's ice tea
lemons - oranges - tea
Watercress sandwiches
white bread - watercress
Sewing society sandwiches
dates - seeded raisins - walnuts - mayo - bread
Cucumber sandwiches
seedless cucumbers - bread - mayo
Washington sandwiches [not sweet and crunchy enough]
candied cherries - pecans - oranges - white bread
Strawberry sandwiches [woo!]
icing sugar - strawberries - white bread
Pimiento sandwiches
canned pimiento - hard-boiled eggs - cream cheese - mayo - bread
Ginger fig sandwiches
dried figs - crystallized ginger - lemons - brown bread
Hindoo sandwiches
onions - apple chutney - cheddar cheese - bread - ripe olives
Lemon prune sandwiches
prunes - lemons - peanuts - whole wheat bread - peanut butter - heavy cream
Kate Smith's three cheer sandwich
whole wheat bread - pumpernickel - white bread
cream cheese - ripe olives - smoked salmon - pimiento-stuffed olives - watercress
Ginger tea cakes with butter frosting
cake flour - cinnamon - cloves - ginger - eggs
molasses - preserved ginger - butter - icing sugar
Currant tea cakes
flour - eggs - milk - dried currants
Banbury tarts
flour - butter - candied orange peel - candied lemon peel - dried currants
cookie crumbs - nutmeg - cinnamon - eggs - egg white - candied citron peel
Teatime London buns a la Bette Davis
eggs - Bisquick - dried currants - candied orange peel
[and 27 cigarettes and 5 glasses of gin like Bette Davis]
Miss Dine About Town's duchess soup
tapioca - milk - American cheese - parsley
[cheese and tapioca?]
Pink ladies
cream - grenadine - gin
Lily Pons party salad
cooked turkey meat - celery - pomegranates - slivered almonds - mayo - lettuce - cream
Pink frosted surprise loaf
cream cheese - red food coloring - unsliced loaf of bread - mayo - tomatoes - lettuce - ham salad
[everyone needs a ham sandwich with pink frosting!]
Quivering crab apple salad [salad for the queasy - oh wait no crab meat that quivers]
cherry Jell-o - spiced apple rings - sour cream - oranges - lettuce
Pink Lady Baltimore cake
butter - sugar; eggs - flour; egg whites - Maraschino cherries - seeded raisins
walnuts - Maraschino cherry juice - almond extract - pecans
A thousand ways to please a husband molasses puffs
molasses; eggs - ginger - cinnamon - flour - icing sugar - egg white - lemon extract
Candlelight salad [considered one of the most hideous salads of the 1920s]
canned pineapple - banana - mayo - pimento - lettuce - shredded coconut
[the banana is the candle]
[the pimento the wick]
[the mayo is the candle wax]
Gold hearts
butter - sugar - eggs - flour - lemon extract - lemons
Maid of honor iced fruit soup [the original smoothie from hell!]
raspberries - frozen strawberries - buttermilk - yogurt - mint
Sunbonnet baby salad
canned pears - lettuce - cloves - blanched almonds - pimiento - mayo
Shrimp wiggle
light cream - shrimp - peas - paprika - bread
---
Tipsy trifle
butter - sugar - eggs - cake flour - brandy - milk - sherry - heavy cream - raspberry preserves
Cream of tomato soup
onions - carrots - chicken broth - tomatoes - scallions - white pepper - light cream
Diner meat loaf
ground beef - ground pork - oatmeal - eggs - tomato juice - onions - Worcestershire
Mashed potatoes with crater gravy
potatoes -butter - beef broth - condensed cream of mushroom soup
Highway patrol succotash
bacon - cooked lima beans - corn kernels - cream
Crumb top apple pie
nutmeg - cinnamon - lemons - pie crust - apples - butter
Split pea soup
yellow split peas - salt pork - milk - ham hocks - bay leaves - croutons
[the crappiest would have no milk and no croutons and possibly some alien pork strings]
Blue plate liver and onions
bacon - onions - beef liver
Creamed spinach
spinach - heavy cream - nutmeg
---
Boston cream pie
cake flour - sugar - eggs - milk - gelatin - heavy cream - dark chocolate
butter - sweetened condensed milk - vanilla extract
Chili size
chuck steaks - onions - tomato sauce - chili powder - dry mustard
cumin - ground coriander - bay leaves - tomato juice
Double chili cheeseburger with bacon
bacon - chuck steak - onions - tomato sauce - chili powder
dry mustard - cumin - coriander - bay leaves - tomato juice
hamburger patties - American cheese - buns - mayonnaise - lettuce - tomatoes
School cafeteria macaroni and cheese
macaroni - cheese - milk - bread crumbs
Fish cakes and spaghetti [eep!]
flatfish - eggs - mashed potatoes - onions - parsley
celery - ketchup - spaghetti - some type of fat
Cincinnati five-way chili
ground beef chuck - onions - tomato sauce - ketchup - chili powder - paprika
honey - unsweetened chocolate - cumin - turmeric - marjoram = allspice
nutmeg - cinnamon = cloves - mace - ground coriander - ground cardamom
bay leaves - spaghetti - red kidney beans - cheddar
---
Hoboken
pineapple syrup - seltzer water - chocolate ice [cream?] - whipped cream
Catawba flip
vanilla ice cream - grape juice = eggs - seltzer water
[sounds like something close and queast to a ginger ale and snapple float]
Chop suey sundae
raisins - dates - vanilla ice cream - flaked coconut - chow mein noodles
Dionne surprise
vanilla ice cream - whipped cream - Maraschino cherries - crushed pineapple - strawberries
The all-American
vanilla ice cream - Maraschino cherries - blueberries - marshmallow ice cream topping
Banana split battleship
bananas - ice cream mix of your choice - chocolate sauce - strawberry sauce
whipped cream - chopped peanuts - Maraschino cherries - marshmallow ice cream topping
Skyscraper banana split
chocolate syrup - vanilla ice cream - bananas - chocolate ice cream
strawberry syrup - whipped cream - Maraschino cherries
Washington Monument sundae
chocolate syrup - ice cream mix of your choice - raspberry syrup - bananas
whipped cream - blue sprinkles - red sprinkles - Maraschino cherries;
nuts in syrup ice cream topping
Rocky road
dark chocolate - sour cream - miniature marshmallows
Polly's Pancake Parlor hurricane sauce
maple syrup - tart apples
Chocolate Coke
chocolate syrup - Coke
---
Iowa pea salad, white way style
peas - celery - sharp cheddar - sweet pickles - hard-boiled eggs
dry mustard - egg yolks - cayenne pepper - vinegar
Boiled dressing
dry mustard; egg yolks; ground cayenne pepper; white vinegar
Celery seed cole slaw
apple cider vinegar - caraway seeds - celery seeds - turmeric
green beans - cabbage - onions - carrots
Maggie's Coca-Cola basted ham
cooked ham - Coca-Cola - dark brown sugar
dry mustard - bread crumbs - sharp mustard
Country pan-fried chicken
chicken breasts - chicken legs
eggs - buttermilk - flour - cayenne - lard - vegetable shortening
Watermelon rind pickles
watermelon rind - slaked lime - sugar - vinegar
allspice - cloves - cinnamon stick - ginger root
Mom's best pot roast
chuck steak - onion - carrots - green beans - canned stewed tomatoes
bay leaf - Kitchen Bouquet seasoning sauce
Anadama bread
cornmeal - molasses - yeast - flour
Roast chicken with peacemaker herb and fruit stuffing
chicken - lemons - chicken giblets - butter - celery - stale bread
cornbread - sage - rosemary - apples - dried apricots - kumquats
pecans - Worcestershire - brandy - vermouth
Spinach timbales with cheese and horseradish sauce
spinach - light cream - eggs - mild cheddar - heavy cream - horseradish
Perfection salad
gelatin - lemons - stuffed olives - cabbage - celery - green peppers
pimientos - carrots - French dressing - ripe olives
Squash pie with maple cream topping
pie crust - eggs - cinnamon - nutmeg - ginger - light cream
yellow squash -heavy cream -maple syrup
---
Rinktum tiddy on toast snippets
canned tomatoes - mild cheddar - eggs - toast
Prune French toast
eggs - dense bread - prune juice - prunes
Banana rice with savory cheese sauce
mustard - Worcestershire - milk - American cheese - rice - bananas - paprika
[cheese/bananas/mustard is uhm interesting]
Banana bacon waffles with grape syrup
bacon - flour - eggs - milk - bananas - grape juice - grape jam
[grape jam/bacon/bananas is almost as odd]
---
Prune nog
prune juice - evaporated milk
Escalloped noodles and prunes
egg noodles - cinnamon - stewed prunes - bread crumbs - sour cream
Waffle-ized prune sandwich
prunes - Worcestershire - bread - American cheese - eggs
[sounds more like a prune omlette with anchovies]
---
Peter Pan pudding
light cream - peanut butter
Gumdrop pudding
cinnamon - allspice - nutmeg - brown sugar - milk
seedless raisins - walnuts - gumdrops - flour
Cocoa julep
milk - cocoa - mint extract - whipped cream
Chocolate soup
half and half cream - cocoa - egg yolks
Chocolate peanut cream
milk - chocolate syrup - peanut butter - whipped cream
---
Cabbage, apple, and pickle salad with evaporated milk dressing
cabbage - pples - weet pickles - pickle juice - evaporated milk - vinegar
Yankee Doodle prune pie in victory pie crust
prunes - lemons - honey - cake flour
Kitchen patrol carrots
carrots - corn flakes - paprika
Smack
beef round steaks - salt pork - onions - bacon fat - spaghetti pasta
cooked tomatoes - cooked peas - anned pimiento - American cheese - ripe olives
Hamburg deep dish pie
hamburger patties - tomato puree - young carrots
peas - potatoes - onions - flour
Home front vegetable plate with hot cheese sauce
cauliflower - carrots - summer squash - beets
Brussels sprouts - snap beans - milk - mustard - cheddar
Tomato cottage cheese salad with garden herbs
tomatoes - creamed cottage cheese
herbs of your choice - greens of your choice
---
Butterless butter spread
gelatin - evaporated milk - mayo - margarine
Mock whipped cream [for fresh fruit]
egg whites - apples
Tomato juice bread
tomato juice - yeast - flour
Sharpshooter carrot rolls
soya flour - yeast - carrots - eggs - flour
Boston brown bread
cornmeal - whole wheat flour - molasses - sour milk - flour
Swing shift sandwich filling
baked beans - peanut butter - evaporated milk - sweet pickles
Stretch-your-wiener sandwich filling
Wieners - pickle relish - mayo - Tabasco - sweet pickle juice - hard-boiled eggs
Peanut butter "pep-up" sandwich filling
peanut butter - honey - compressed yeast
Carrot sandwiches with raisins and peanuts
carrots - salted peanuts - seedless raisins - mayo
Depth-charged prune sandwich filling
peanut butter - evaporated milk - pitted prunes - seedless raisins
Assembly line carrot-meat sandwiches
mayo - cooked meat of your choice - carrots
---
Victory at sea marble cream
evaporated milk - sweetened condensed milk - coffee - dark chocolate
Basic baked Spam
Spam - cloves - mustard - Worcestershire - vinegar
Back to Bataan Spam
bell pepper - onion - Spam - applesauce - canned potatoes - oregano
Drill instructor's delight
chicken noodle soup - Spam - green peppers - eggs - oatmeal - evaporated milk - potato chips
Exotic egg dunk
hard-boiled eggs - Italian dressing powder - Worcestershire - sour cream - potato chips
Phyllis Richman's mother's party burgers
mini hamburger buns - ground beef - Velveeta - cucumbers - dill pickles
Igloo meat loaf
ground beef - ground veal - ground pork - Worcestershire - eggs
crackers - ketchup - onion soup mix - tomato sauce - mashed potatoes
Tuna casserole supreme
green peppers - celery - butter - can of cheddar cheese soup
canned sliced mushrooms in brine - pimiento-stuffed green olives
can of tuna in oil - corn flakes - slivered almonds
---
Purple poodle
unsweetened Concord grape juice - brandy - lime - club soda
Flaming cabbage head weenies with pu pu sauce
sour cream - mustard; chili sauce - Worcestershire - onion
chili powder - cabbage - cocktail frankfurters
Kilauea purple passion rice [woo]
grape juice - vegetable bouillon cube - rice - toasted slivered almonds
Maui laulau
bacon - pineapple - red peppers - green peppers - ripe olives - skewers
Wikiwiki tidbits
prunes - pineapple chunks in juice - bacon - toothpicks
Cape Canaveral bananas
bananas - shredded coconut - aluminum foil
---
Peachy peach sundae
vanilla ice cream - canned peaches - sugar cubes - lemon extract
Famous Chocolate Wafer roll: peppermint variation
heavy cream - chocolate wafer cookies - peppermint extract - peppermint candy
Cookies a la Kookie
butter - eggs - white cake mix - toffees
Chow mein candy clusters
butterscotch morsels - canned chow mein noodles - cocktail peanuts
John Beresford Tipton bars
Hershey's Golden Almond candy bars - Froot Loops - Rice Krispies - marshmallows
Chocolate chip torte
potato chips - dark chocolate - milk - eggs - heavy cream
Dr. Pepper baked beans
pork and beans - onion - green peppers - tomatoes - Dr Pepper soda - cloves
Lemonade fried chicken
frozen lemonade concentrate - chicken - oil
Cherry Coke salad
dark cherries - cherry Jell-o - crushed pineapple - Coca-Cola - pecans
Pepsi-Cola cake with broiled peanut butter frosting
sugar - cocoa - Pepsi - buttermilk - eggs - miniature marshmallows
butter - dark brown sugar - peanut butter - peanuts - flour
Fresca cake with Maraschino frosting
sugar - butter - eggs - cake flour - Fresca - lemon - lime - egg white
Maraschino cherry juice - light corn syrup - Maraschino cherries
---
Mr. Pibb pralines
sugar - dark brown sugar - miniature marshmallows - pecans - Mr. Pibb
Sputnik tea
Tang - instant powdered lemon tea - sugar - cloves - cinnamon
Ritz pecan pie
Ritz crackers - egg white - sugar - pecans - milk chocolate
Milky Way cake
Milky Way chocolate bar - butter - sugar - eggs - buttermilk - flour - pecans
Hydrox cookie dessert [the original and superior Oreo cookie]
marshmallows - eggs - heavy cream - butter - Hydrox cookies
Twinkie pie
Twinkies - eggs - dark chocolate chips - pecans - heavy cream
Joel's best Jell-O
any Jell-o flavor you like - cola - cream cheese - dark cherries
Sour cream Jell-O d'Akron
lime Jell-o - crushed pineapple - sour cream
pecans - Maraschino cherries - whipped cream
Sandusky strawberry daiquiri Bavarian
strawberry Jell-o - light rum - frozen strawberries - heavy cream
Barbecue cubes
lemon Jell-o - tomato sauce - vinegar - horseradish - salad greens
Red hot salad
cherry Jell-o - cinnamon red hots - crushed pineapple - applesauce
Poke cake with Jell-O icing
any Jell-o flavor you like - butter - icing sugar - cake mix with pudding
Cut glass dessert
vanilla wafers - pecans - butter
any Jell-o flavor you like - lemon Jell-o
pineapple juice - heavy cream - crushed pineapple
Undescended Twinkies
orange Jell-o - pineapple juice - vanilla ice cream - 7-Up - Twinkies
---
basically every recipe i felt stood out as UNUSUAL in this massively weird book
depending on your own comfort level
---
Frances Virginia blueberry gems
flour - eggs - buttermilk - blueberries - oranges
Philadelphia cinnamon buns
flour - eggs - cinnamon - raisins
Banana walnut bread
sugar - butter - eggs - bananas - flour - walnuts
Orange biscuits
flour - milk - oranges
Corn gem
flour - cornmeal - milk - molasses - eggs
---
Tomato aspic in a heart-shaped mold
gelatin - canned tomatoes - celery seeds - cloves - lettuce - mayo
Waldorf souffle aspic
lemon gelatin powder - apple juice - mayo - apples - celery - walnuts
Lettuce wedge with poppy seed dressing
onion juice - dry mustard - vegetable oil - poppy seeds - lettuce - vinegar
Five cup salad
shredded coconut - mandarin oranges - crushed pineapple
sour cream - miniature marshmallows
Chicken a la king in a potato nest
mushrooms - green peppers - celery - chicken fat - cream - chicken
canned pimientos - egg yolks - sherry - potatoes - shortening
Cheese and crab delight
green peppers - dry mustard - tomatoes - American cheese
eggs - crabmeat - mushrooms - toast points
Ambrosia layer cake
cake flour - oranges - butter - sugar - mandarin oranges
shredded coconut - eggs - egg white - corn syrup - lemons
Chocolate angel food cake with butterscotch sauce
cake flour - cocoa - egg whites - sugar - butter - evaporated milk - brown sugar
Lemon soup
rice - beef broth - egg yolks - lemon - watercress
Victor's all-white salad platter [good god]
grapefruits - canned white asparagus - water chestnuts
cauliflower - pineapple - apples - hearts of palm - artichoke bottoms
celery hearts - white radishes - coconut
Hawaiian chicken and pineapple curry
coconut milk - curry powder - ginger - chicken broth
chicken meat - pineapple - milk - coconut
Coffee pearadise
gelatin - coffee - canned pears - heavy cream
Alice Foote MacDougall's ice tea
lemons - oranges - tea
Watercress sandwiches
white bread - watercress
Sewing society sandwiches
dates - seeded raisins - walnuts - mayo - bread
Cucumber sandwiches
seedless cucumbers - bread - mayo
Washington sandwiches [not sweet and crunchy enough]
candied cherries - pecans - oranges - white bread
Strawberry sandwiches [woo!]
icing sugar - strawberries - white bread
Pimiento sandwiches
canned pimiento - hard-boiled eggs - cream cheese - mayo - bread
Ginger fig sandwiches
dried figs - crystallized ginger - lemons - brown bread
Hindoo sandwiches
onions - apple chutney - cheddar cheese - bread - ripe olives
Lemon prune sandwiches
prunes - lemons - peanuts - whole wheat bread - peanut butter - heavy cream
Kate Smith's three cheer sandwich
whole wheat bread - pumpernickel - white bread
cream cheese - ripe olives - smoked salmon - pimiento-stuffed olives - watercress
Ginger tea cakes with butter frosting
cake flour - cinnamon - cloves - ginger - eggs
molasses - preserved ginger - butter - icing sugar
Currant tea cakes
flour - eggs - milk - dried currants
Banbury tarts
flour - butter - candied orange peel - candied lemon peel - dried currants
cookie crumbs - nutmeg - cinnamon - eggs - egg white - candied citron peel
Teatime London buns a la Bette Davis
eggs - Bisquick - dried currants - candied orange peel
[and 27 cigarettes and 5 glasses of gin like Bette Davis]
Miss Dine About Town's duchess soup
tapioca - milk - American cheese - parsley
[cheese and tapioca?]
Pink ladies
cream - grenadine - gin
Lily Pons party salad
cooked turkey meat - celery - pomegranates - slivered almonds - mayo - lettuce - cream
Pink frosted surprise loaf
cream cheese - red food coloring - unsliced loaf of bread - mayo - tomatoes - lettuce - ham salad
[everyone needs a ham sandwich with pink frosting!]
Quivering crab apple salad [salad for the queasy - oh wait no crab meat that quivers]
cherry Jell-o - spiced apple rings - sour cream - oranges - lettuce
Pink Lady Baltimore cake
butter - sugar; eggs - flour; egg whites - Maraschino cherries - seeded raisins
walnuts - Maraschino cherry juice - almond extract - pecans
A thousand ways to please a husband molasses puffs
molasses; eggs - ginger - cinnamon - flour - icing sugar - egg white - lemon extract
Candlelight salad [considered one of the most hideous salads of the 1920s]
canned pineapple - banana - mayo - pimento - lettuce - shredded coconut
[the banana is the candle]
[the pimento the wick]
[the mayo is the candle wax]
Gold hearts
butter - sugar - eggs - flour - lemon extract - lemons
Maid of honor iced fruit soup [the original smoothie from hell!]
raspberries - frozen strawberries - buttermilk - yogurt - mint
Sunbonnet baby salad
canned pears - lettuce - cloves - blanched almonds - pimiento - mayo
Shrimp wiggle
light cream - shrimp - peas - paprika - bread
---
Tipsy trifle
butter - sugar - eggs - cake flour - brandy - milk - sherry - heavy cream - raspberry preserves
Cream of tomato soup
onions - carrots - chicken broth - tomatoes - scallions - white pepper - light cream
Diner meat loaf
ground beef - ground pork - oatmeal - eggs - tomato juice - onions - Worcestershire
Mashed potatoes with crater gravy
potatoes -butter - beef broth - condensed cream of mushroom soup
Highway patrol succotash
bacon - cooked lima beans - corn kernels - cream
Crumb top apple pie
nutmeg - cinnamon - lemons - pie crust - apples - butter
Split pea soup
yellow split peas - salt pork - milk - ham hocks - bay leaves - croutons
[the crappiest would have no milk and no croutons and possibly some alien pork strings]
Blue plate liver and onions
bacon - onions - beef liver
Creamed spinach
spinach - heavy cream - nutmeg
---
Boston cream pie
cake flour - sugar - eggs - milk - gelatin - heavy cream - dark chocolate
butter - sweetened condensed milk - vanilla extract
Chili size
chuck steaks - onions - tomato sauce - chili powder - dry mustard
cumin - ground coriander - bay leaves - tomato juice
Double chili cheeseburger with bacon
bacon - chuck steak - onions - tomato sauce - chili powder
dry mustard - cumin - coriander - bay leaves - tomato juice
hamburger patties - American cheese - buns - mayonnaise - lettuce - tomatoes
School cafeteria macaroni and cheese
macaroni - cheese - milk - bread crumbs
Fish cakes and spaghetti [eep!]
flatfish - eggs - mashed potatoes - onions - parsley
celery - ketchup - spaghetti - some type of fat
Cincinnati five-way chili
ground beef chuck - onions - tomato sauce - ketchup - chili powder - paprika
honey - unsweetened chocolate - cumin - turmeric - marjoram = allspice
nutmeg - cinnamon = cloves - mace - ground coriander - ground cardamom
bay leaves - spaghetti - red kidney beans - cheddar
---
Hoboken
pineapple syrup - seltzer water - chocolate ice [cream?] - whipped cream
Catawba flip
vanilla ice cream - grape juice = eggs - seltzer water
[sounds like something close and queast to a ginger ale and snapple float]
Chop suey sundae
raisins - dates - vanilla ice cream - flaked coconut - chow mein noodles
Dionne surprise
vanilla ice cream - whipped cream - Maraschino cherries - crushed pineapple - strawberries
The all-American
vanilla ice cream - Maraschino cherries - blueberries - marshmallow ice cream topping
Banana split battleship
bananas - ice cream mix of your choice - chocolate sauce - strawberry sauce
whipped cream - chopped peanuts - Maraschino cherries - marshmallow ice cream topping
Skyscraper banana split
chocolate syrup - vanilla ice cream - bananas - chocolate ice cream
strawberry syrup - whipped cream - Maraschino cherries
Washington Monument sundae
chocolate syrup - ice cream mix of your choice - raspberry syrup - bananas
whipped cream - blue sprinkles - red sprinkles - Maraschino cherries;
nuts in syrup ice cream topping
Rocky road
dark chocolate - sour cream - miniature marshmallows
Polly's Pancake Parlor hurricane sauce
maple syrup - tart apples
Chocolate Coke
chocolate syrup - Coke
---
Iowa pea salad, white way style
peas - celery - sharp cheddar - sweet pickles - hard-boiled eggs
dry mustard - egg yolks - cayenne pepper - vinegar
Boiled dressing
dry mustard; egg yolks; ground cayenne pepper; white vinegar
Celery seed cole slaw
apple cider vinegar - caraway seeds - celery seeds - turmeric
green beans - cabbage - onions - carrots
Maggie's Coca-Cola basted ham
cooked ham - Coca-Cola - dark brown sugar
dry mustard - bread crumbs - sharp mustard
Country pan-fried chicken
chicken breasts - chicken legs
eggs - buttermilk - flour - cayenne - lard - vegetable shortening
Watermelon rind pickles
watermelon rind - slaked lime - sugar - vinegar
allspice - cloves - cinnamon stick - ginger root
Mom's best pot roast
chuck steak - onion - carrots - green beans - canned stewed tomatoes
bay leaf - Kitchen Bouquet seasoning sauce
Anadama bread
cornmeal - molasses - yeast - flour
Roast chicken with peacemaker herb and fruit stuffing
chicken - lemons - chicken giblets - butter - celery - stale bread
cornbread - sage - rosemary - apples - dried apricots - kumquats
pecans - Worcestershire - brandy - vermouth
Spinach timbales with cheese and horseradish sauce
spinach - light cream - eggs - mild cheddar - heavy cream - horseradish
Perfection salad
gelatin - lemons - stuffed olives - cabbage - celery - green peppers
pimientos - carrots - French dressing - ripe olives
Squash pie with maple cream topping
pie crust - eggs - cinnamon - nutmeg - ginger - light cream
yellow squash -heavy cream -maple syrup
---
Rinktum tiddy on toast snippets
canned tomatoes - mild cheddar - eggs - toast
Prune French toast
eggs - dense bread - prune juice - prunes
Banana rice with savory cheese sauce
mustard - Worcestershire - milk - American cheese - rice - bananas - paprika
[cheese/bananas/mustard is uhm interesting]
Banana bacon waffles with grape syrup
bacon - flour - eggs - milk - bananas - grape juice - grape jam
[grape jam/bacon/bananas is almost as odd]
---
Prune nog
prune juice - evaporated milk
Escalloped noodles and prunes
egg noodles - cinnamon - stewed prunes - bread crumbs - sour cream
Waffle-ized prune sandwich
prunes - Worcestershire - bread - American cheese - eggs
[sounds more like a prune omlette with anchovies]
---
Peter Pan pudding
light cream - peanut butter
Gumdrop pudding
cinnamon - allspice - nutmeg - brown sugar - milk
seedless raisins - walnuts - gumdrops - flour
Cocoa julep
milk - cocoa - mint extract - whipped cream
Chocolate soup
half and half cream - cocoa - egg yolks
Chocolate peanut cream
milk - chocolate syrup - peanut butter - whipped cream
---
Cabbage, apple, and pickle salad with evaporated milk dressing
cabbage - pples - weet pickles - pickle juice - evaporated milk - vinegar
Yankee Doodle prune pie in victory pie crust
prunes - lemons - honey - cake flour
Kitchen patrol carrots
carrots - corn flakes - paprika
Smack
beef round steaks - salt pork - onions - bacon fat - spaghetti pasta
cooked tomatoes - cooked peas - anned pimiento - American cheese - ripe olives
Hamburg deep dish pie
hamburger patties - tomato puree - young carrots
peas - potatoes - onions - flour
Home front vegetable plate with hot cheese sauce
cauliflower - carrots - summer squash - beets
Brussels sprouts - snap beans - milk - mustard - cheddar
Tomato cottage cheese salad with garden herbs
tomatoes - creamed cottage cheese
herbs of your choice - greens of your choice
---
Butterless butter spread
gelatin - evaporated milk - mayo - margarine
Mock whipped cream [for fresh fruit]
egg whites - apples
Tomato juice bread
tomato juice - yeast - flour
Sharpshooter carrot rolls
soya flour - yeast - carrots - eggs - flour
Boston brown bread
cornmeal - whole wheat flour - molasses - sour milk - flour
Swing shift sandwich filling
baked beans - peanut butter - evaporated milk - sweet pickles
Stretch-your-wiener sandwich filling
Wieners - pickle relish - mayo - Tabasco - sweet pickle juice - hard-boiled eggs
Peanut butter "pep-up" sandwich filling
peanut butter - honey - compressed yeast
Carrot sandwiches with raisins and peanuts
carrots - salted peanuts - seedless raisins - mayo
Depth-charged prune sandwich filling
peanut butter - evaporated milk - pitted prunes - seedless raisins
Assembly line carrot-meat sandwiches
mayo - cooked meat of your choice - carrots
---
Victory at sea marble cream
evaporated milk - sweetened condensed milk - coffee - dark chocolate
Basic baked Spam
Spam - cloves - mustard - Worcestershire - vinegar
Back to Bataan Spam
bell pepper - onion - Spam - applesauce - canned potatoes - oregano
Drill instructor's delight
chicken noodle soup - Spam - green peppers - eggs - oatmeal - evaporated milk - potato chips
Exotic egg dunk
hard-boiled eggs - Italian dressing powder - Worcestershire - sour cream - potato chips
Phyllis Richman's mother's party burgers
mini hamburger buns - ground beef - Velveeta - cucumbers - dill pickles
Igloo meat loaf
ground beef - ground veal - ground pork - Worcestershire - eggs
crackers - ketchup - onion soup mix - tomato sauce - mashed potatoes
Tuna casserole supreme
green peppers - celery - butter - can of cheddar cheese soup
canned sliced mushrooms in brine - pimiento-stuffed green olives
can of tuna in oil - corn flakes - slivered almonds
---
Purple poodle
unsweetened Concord grape juice - brandy - lime - club soda
Flaming cabbage head weenies with pu pu sauce
sour cream - mustard; chili sauce - Worcestershire - onion
chili powder - cabbage - cocktail frankfurters
Kilauea purple passion rice [woo]
grape juice - vegetable bouillon cube - rice - toasted slivered almonds
Maui laulau
bacon - pineapple - red peppers - green peppers - ripe olives - skewers
Wikiwiki tidbits
prunes - pineapple chunks in juice - bacon - toothpicks
Cape Canaveral bananas
bananas - shredded coconut - aluminum foil
---
Peachy peach sundae
vanilla ice cream - canned peaches - sugar cubes - lemon extract
Famous Chocolate Wafer roll: peppermint variation
heavy cream - chocolate wafer cookies - peppermint extract - peppermint candy
Cookies a la Kookie
butter - eggs - white cake mix - toffees
Chow mein candy clusters
butterscotch morsels - canned chow mein noodles - cocktail peanuts
John Beresford Tipton bars
Hershey's Golden Almond candy bars - Froot Loops - Rice Krispies - marshmallows
Chocolate chip torte
potato chips - dark chocolate - milk - eggs - heavy cream
Dr. Pepper baked beans
pork and beans - onion - green peppers - tomatoes - Dr Pepper soda - cloves
Lemonade fried chicken
frozen lemonade concentrate - chicken - oil
Cherry Coke salad
dark cherries - cherry Jell-o - crushed pineapple - Coca-Cola - pecans
Pepsi-Cola cake with broiled peanut butter frosting
sugar - cocoa - Pepsi - buttermilk - eggs - miniature marshmallows
butter - dark brown sugar - peanut butter - peanuts - flour
Fresca cake with Maraschino frosting
sugar - butter - eggs - cake flour - Fresca - lemon - lime - egg white
Maraschino cherry juice - light corn syrup - Maraschino cherries
---
Mr. Pibb pralines
sugar - dark brown sugar - miniature marshmallows - pecans - Mr. Pibb
Sputnik tea
Tang - instant powdered lemon tea - sugar - cloves - cinnamon
Ritz pecan pie
Ritz crackers - egg white - sugar - pecans - milk chocolate
Milky Way cake
Milky Way chocolate bar - butter - sugar - eggs - buttermilk - flour - pecans
Hydrox cookie dessert [the original and superior Oreo cookie]
marshmallows - eggs - heavy cream - butter - Hydrox cookies
Twinkie pie
Twinkies - eggs - dark chocolate chips - pecans - heavy cream
Joel's best Jell-O
any Jell-o flavor you like - cola - cream cheese - dark cherries
Sour cream Jell-O d'Akron
lime Jell-o - crushed pineapple - sour cream
pecans - Maraschino cherries - whipped cream
Sandusky strawberry daiquiri Bavarian
strawberry Jell-o - light rum - frozen strawberries - heavy cream
Barbecue cubes
lemon Jell-o - tomato sauce - vinegar - horseradish - salad greens
Red hot salad
cherry Jell-o - cinnamon red hots - crushed pineapple - applesauce
Poke cake with Jell-O icing
any Jell-o flavor you like - butter - icing sugar - cake mix with pudding
Cut glass dessert
vanilla wafers - pecans - butter
any Jell-o flavor you like - lemon Jell-o
pineapple juice - heavy cream - crushed pineapple
Undescended Twinkies
orange Jell-o - pineapple juice - vanilla ice cream - 7-Up - Twinkies
---
basically every recipe i felt stood out as UNUSUAL in this massively weird book
December 6, 2008
This cookbook is fun for anyone who is in that retro state of mind. It isn't one of those books with modernized recipes that take all the fat and fun out of the food. The recipes were updated just enough to help a modern reader find appropriate ingredients. If you want cook like your grandmother, this is a good book to have handy.
August 5, 2012
Love just flipping through and reading the commentary. Haven't fixed much from this book, but keep it around for the Mary Jane's Rice Pudding recipe alone. Seriously the best rice pudding/comfort in a dish ever.
February 27, 2008
Interesting book, but I have never come across such an appetite killer in my life. It gave me too many unpleasant childhood dinner-table flashbacks.
August 16, 2008
A favorite cookbook for people who are are not afraid to eat traditional food. Try the Cincinnati Five Way Chili!
November 27, 2010
A great cookbook for theme parties, but even better for just sitting down to read. The Sterns can make cooking macaroni sound like an adventure!
February 1, 2016
A great mix of historical cookbooks, humor and social history. I adore this book and I actually cook from it! I may need a new copy since mine is getting pretty ragged.
March 9, 2017
The Sterns just rock so hard. This is a great book to keep you company if you're lonely on a weekend night and don't want to go out.
March 7, 2019
Fun collection and anecdotes on food from from first half of the 20th century. Lots of foods I know I ate with grandma and grandpa and some fun ideas for family get togethers.
March 16, 2019
A delight. Summarizes everything I love about my collection of community cookbooks with rational recipes. Many on the to-do list.
September 24, 2011
The chapter on "Nursery Food" was the best followed by "Lunch Counter Cooking."
They discussed comfort food under these and a few other categories.
They discussed comfort food under these and a few other categories.
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