New Vintage Cookbook to Share: Your Share - How to Prepare Appetizing, Healthful Meals with Foods Available Today: Vintage Ephemera: Vintage Housewife

I absolutely love vintage cookbooks and the little advertising pamphlets or booklets from the mid century era.  These little gems were usually published and distributed by popular food or appliance companies.  They were distributed as marketing material to highlight a certain appliance, like a Frigidaire Refrigerator Or Kitchen-aid Mixer.  Sometimes, however, they were also distributed by banks, electric companies, and even an auto parts companies like the NAPA / Regal Ride cook book seen below (it is the blue one in the top left corner, I will feature it in an upcoming blog post so you can get a better look).

picture of pamphlets and booklets from my personal collection

These pamphlets were distributed a few different ways, I have found by talking to past generations of home makers while working in a senior living community.  Some were distributed in the super market, with a display of the product, much like we see coupons or recipes on hang pads.  Others were tucked in an electric bill or banking statement.  The booklets included with an appliance may come in the appliance box or handed out by a salesman while making his sales pitch. They, like the new appliances of the time,  were for the "modern homemaker" and usually had hints and recipes to make her life easier and more carefree.  

I am thrilled to have found this little gem, Your Share - How to prepare appetizing, healthful meals ** with foods available today*** a Betty Crocker Cookbook (lette?) .  It comes at the perfect time since prices of meat are climbing and limits have been put in place on certain household items and foods.

It was published in 1943 by General Mills, Inc.  It was to help with the rationing put in place during World War II.  We are not at war now, obviously, but I think we can appreciate the tips and helpful hints as much now as anytime.

I will share more of this booklet, with commentary, in the next few blog posts.  Be on the look out for tips and tricks on stretching your meat, multiplying your eggs, and making your cheese go further, for example, as I break it into sections.

Here are some more of these pamphlets from the mid century era.

xoxoTiffany

Free Recipe Booklets from Sunmaid

I love FREEBIES!!!! And I love recipe books...so this was an offer I could not refuse.  Head on over to the Sunmaid Raisin website and request your free cookbooks.  There are several you can have mailed to you or you can download them from their site.  Here is an example of their yummie treats.

Raisin Crumb Bars

Makes 2 dozen bars

1-3/4 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. butter, sliced and softened

1 t. baking soda

Optional: 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

1-1/2 c. sour cream

3 egg yolks

1 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

2 c. Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Blend oats, flour, brown sugar, butter and baking soda with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. If desired, blend in nuts. Press 3 cups of mixture into a 13"x9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Stir sour cream and egg yolks together in a medium saucepan. Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt; stir until well combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is the thickness of stirred yogurt, about 10 minutes. Add raisins to sour cream mixture. Spread over baked crust and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until topping is golden. Cool before cutting into bars. Makes 2 dozen.

Happy Homemaking,

Tiffany

Friday's Estate Sales and Shopping

I had my Estate Sale list in hand, directions, a pair of sensible shoes, touched up my lip stick and I was on my way....

You would think this time of year would be no good for estate sales, but in Texas (at least) the weather was fine and sales were calling.  Ok...so the weather was a bit nippy but nothing a cozie sweater would not fix.

I arrived at the first sale with plenty of time to spare....but I forgot a big bag to carry my loot.  I rummaged thru my car and finally found an old Wal Mart sack and stuffed into my pocket, just in case.

I was 30 minutes early and there was already a line forming.  I do not have enough experience to know what this could mean...maybe the company running the sale has a good reputation?  Maybe everyone just saw the same photos I saw and had their eyes on something specific?  Maybe they were relatives wanting to get their hands on grandma's treasures?  Who knows?  There was a group in the front who seemed to know each other.  They were planning their traditional "after estate sale" breakfast.  They were talking and joking.  Seemed very relaxed....until the door opened.  Then it was every man for him/her self.  This group got serious.

I spotted, right off the bat, a group of aprons hanging on a door.  I chose 3 and moved on.

This one has an extra "hang towel" that was stuffed in the pocket.  The towel detaches for easy washing.

I love the fruit baskets on the fabric.

I am quiet fond of this variety of apron.  The "hang towel" is very nice, it gives a place to wipe your hands and keep the apron fresh.

Isn't the fabric cute?

I love everything about this apron.  The detail in the pockets...and OH!!! The pockets!!!!  They are deep and roomie.  Perfect to drop you cell phone, pot holder, etc in.

Isn't this the sweetest apron ever?

I also found this thermometer set

There is a candy thermometer, a meat thermometer, and some kind of skewer that I need to look into.  IDK what that is for.

The box is so cute.  It is in great condition but worn just enough to tell it was well used. I think I am going to find a spot in my kitchen for it to be displayed.  I just love it.

Here is a close-up.  I hope that the thermometers make me as happy as they have made this woman. 

The directions were in the box, too.

I am not sure how old this set it but it was made in the USA and well done.  Not the crud we have now...my thermometer is only a year or so old and does not measure properly at all.  I can not wait to use this when making my holiday fudge next year.

That was all I found at sale 1.  In the photos I saw before the sale, I saw a closet full of hats, but did not see them at the sale.  I did see some beautiful night gowns but not my size.  They also had one room full of clothing racks and shoes.  I did not really go thru them as my luck with finding vintage clothing is null...and I did not wish to waste my time dreaming.  There were lots of cute pieces of furniture but I do not need furniture and their prices where right up there with the antique stores.  If there were any dealers there, they were not going to see much profit.  The organizers were very friendly.  I am looking forward to more of their sales.

I then dropped by a charity shop I had been wanting to visit run by the St Vincent de Paul Society.  This shop is HUGE and well maintained.  There wasn't much in the knick knack and housewares section, except for linens (etc).  There were, however, racks and racks of clothing.  I did not find much for me, but I really do not need anything.  I did pick up some nice shirts for ... IDK....AJ or David, whoever they fit.  They were too cool to leave behind.

I love these first two.  I did not take photos of the ones I gave AJ for Christmas, but these are alot cooler.  They are in great condition, too.

This one needs some TLC on the lighter fabric.  There is a spot that I hope will come out.  Also, I need to take a patch off the sleeve that I do not like.  I still do not know what to call these.  I know Kramer, on Seinfeld, wore them and I think he called them "shirt-jacks".  One has a "Classic Cabana" label in it, so maybe they are cabana shirts?  My sister reminded me that Charlie Sheen wheres them on Two and a Half Men, too.

At the same shop I also found an Emily Post cook book from 1951 to add to my growing collection.  I LOVE this book.

With the book, the shirts, and a brown sweater (OK so I found one thing for me to wear) I walked out spending 10 bucks and some change.  Not bad at all, huh?

I went to two other shops but did not find anything at either of them. 

I was still in the mood to treasure hunt so I told my GPS to find the nearest Antique Mall, to see if it picked up one I had not been to.  While searching for one (that I never found) I ran across another sign for an "Estate Sale"  This sale was not very friendly.  Maybe because they had been there all morning, already, or maybe because they were a bunch of jerks, whatever...  It was put on by Just Let Lynn Do It.  The house was well organised but some things did not have prices.  I know this is at all Estate Sales, so no biggie....  The problem I had with this sale was the company that had organised it.  They were rude.  Whatever....I found only one thing as it was late by the time I found it.  But one thing worth the stop....

I got them both for under 5 bucks.  I know...I said I was only getting the pink and white or solid pink, solid white...but for under 5 bucks, I caved.  I am thinking of getting my Etsy shop seriously going, so these will go in there...or maybe I will use them as planters this spring?

After a day of treasure hunting, I decided to mark a movie off of my "Golden Globe Must See" list.  I found the times for Black Swan, made a quick stop at the bakery for our Challah, and made my way to the theatre.  More on that another day....

Tiffany