Brownie Recipe from Betty Crocker's Dinner for Two (1958)

Brownie Recipe from Betty Crocker's Dinner for Two (1958)

With Valentine’s Day just under a month away, I thought it appropriate to feature a recipe from the 1958 classic Betty Crocker’s book Dinner for Two.

Everyone loves Brownies, and I’m sure you would enjoy this recipe – you can never get tired of the classics, especially one which is 57 years old!

Interestingly, the book illustrator, Charles (or Charley) Harper was a well known American Modernist artist, images as below. Yet another reason why I love this fabulous book! 

Brownies

2 sq. unsweetened chocolate (2 oz. or 56g)

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

¾ cup sifted Gold Medal flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup broken nuts

Heat oven to 350° (mod.) [180° C]

Grease generously an 8” square pan. Melt chocolate and shortening together over hot water. 

Beat in sugar and eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and sit into chocolate mixture. Mix in nuts. Spread in pan. Bake 30 to 35 min., until top has dull crust.

A slight imprint will remain when touched lightly with finger.

Cool slightly. Cut into 16 2” squares.

Enjoy!

With love from, 

New Year's Eve Party - Vintage Punch Recipe

This very delicious punch recipe from 1959's Better Homes & Gardens Holiday Cook Book would be perfect to ring in the New Year! 

Golden Banquet Punch

2/3 cup boiling water

2 tea bags

11/2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup grapefruit juice 

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 to 1 1/4 cups sugar

2 cups ice water 

Aromatic bitters to taste (optional) 

1 large bottle (3 1/2 to 4 cups) ginger ale, chilled

Pour boiling water over tea; cover and let stand 5 minutes; strain. Combine fruit juices and tea; add sugar and stir til dissolved. Chill. Add ice water. Generously dash in aromatic bitters to taste. Pour mixture over cake of ice in punch bowl. Pour ginger ale slowly down side of bowl. Makes about 20 one-half cup servings.

Enjoy!

All the best for 2015!

With love from,

Vintage Christmas Recipe Series - Gingerbread Men

Happy Holidays!

The Vintage Kitchen is taking a break over the holidays but I will be posting recipes for New Year so look out for that! 

In January I will resume posting kitchenalia items for sale - and I have some amazing, collectable items that would look fantastic in your kitchen! 

The festive recipe today comes from the classic 1929 recipe book 'Anyone Can Bake' :

Gingerbread Men

2 3/4 cups flour

3 tablespoons Royal Baking Powder

1/3 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger

2/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup melted shortening

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and ginger together. Mix molasses, sugar, egg and shortening together and add the dry ingredients to make soft dough. 

Shape in forms of little men, animals or plain cookies; bake on greased pan in moderate oven at 375 degrees F. ten to twelve minutes.

Makes eighteen small men about four inches high. 

Have a blessed Christmas,

With love from,

Vintage Christmas Recipe Series #5 - Cherry-Date Holiday Balls

The fifth in the series comes from a 1963 edition of a Pillsbury Family Cook Book: 

Cherry-Date Holiday Balls

2 eggs, we'll beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup packaged flaked coconut

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

36 candied cherries

Oven 350 degrees F. (180 degrees C)     Yield: 36 balls

Combine eggs, sugar, nuts, dates, coconut, almond and vanilla extracts and salt.

Place in buttered 8-inch (20cm) square pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees F. (180 degrees C) for 30 minutes, stirring mixture thoroughly every 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir well. Cool and shape into balls around cherries,

Roll in confectioners sugar.

With love from,