7-Layer Casserole (1950s) ★★★

12:00 AM 1950s , 20th century , 3 stars , atomic age , beef , dairy-free , gluten-free , soy-free , united states , vegetables 1 Comments

Hooray, a casserole!
Actually, I really love casseroles. They are one of my favourite foods - easy to make, and taste great! This one is also awesome because there are no canned soups (sorry, just not a fan!).

Original Recipe:

7-Layer Casserole

Talk about your one-dish meals! Here's one with no pre-cooking. Just put in the layers, pop it in the oven, and get set for some real raves from your family!

Start heating oven to moderate (350F.). Place these ingredients in layers in a 2-qt. baking dish with a tight-fitting lid:

1. 1 cup rice, uncooked
2. 1 cup canned whole kernel corn, drained
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1 8-oz. can HUNT'S TOMATO SAUCE and 1/2 can water over first two layers
4. 1/2 cup each finely chopped onion and green pepper
5. 3/4 lb. uncooked ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper
6. Pour second can HUNT'S TOMATO SAUCE and 1/4 can water over all
7. Cover meat with 4 strips bacon, cut in half

Cover dish and bake at 350F. for 1 hour. Uncover and bake about 30 minutes longer. Makes 4 - 6 servings.

There's just no end to the tempting casseroles you can make with HUNT'S TOMATO SAUCE. It's particularly nice for leftovers. A little of this, a little of that, and HUNT'S TOMATO SAUCE - and a delicious dinner is on your table! Let your imagination be your guide...when Hunt's in the kitchen to help!

The Verdict:

Mr. Man thought this was weird. I thought it was okay. The flavours were nice together and it was ridiculously easy to make. I love a one-dish meal that has carbs, protein, and veggies all together. It's pretty economical. Oh, and I used short grain brown rice because it was what I had on hand and it was cooked to perfection!
However, using uncooked ground beef and bacon made it really greasy. I was quite concerned that there was no grease floating on top - meaning the rice and veggies absorbed all of that. Ewwww....Also, the bacon didn't get any direct heat, so it was all gummy, even though it was cooked through. I really liked the recipe though, so I made some modifications, which are below. I give it 3 stars as is, but it's probably worth 4 if modified.

Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from 21 Ways to Serve Hamburger, found at Shelf Life Taste Test)

16 ounces TOMATO SAUCE
6 ounces WATER
1 cup RICE, uncooked
1 cup CORN (I used frozen)
1/2 cup ONION, diced
1/2 cup GREEN PEPPER, diced
3/4 pound GROUND BEEF, cooked and drained
4 pieces BACON
SALT, to taste
PEPPER, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a 9x13 pan, layer the rice, corn (salt and pepper to taste), 8 ounces of tomato sauce, 4 ounces of water, onion, green pepper, ground beef (salt and pepper to taste), remainder of tomato sauce and water, and bacon. Cover with aluminium foil.
3. Bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Turn the oven to broil to crisp the bacon on top, watching carefully not to burn it (alternatively, try pre-cooking the bacon and just crumbling on top).
4. Let cool slightly and serve.

Flash's Quick Apple Crisp (1981) ★★★★★

12:00 AM 1980s , 20th century , 5 stars , breakfast , DC Super Heroes Super Healthy Cookbook , dessert , fruit , post-modern , snacks , soy-free , united states 3 Comments

Apple crisp is probably my favourite dessert. So naturally I had to try this cute little recipe I came across. It's from a 1981 DC comics themed cookbook.

Original Recipe:

The Verdict:

I honestly thought this would be a disaster. I thought the apples would stick to my pie pan, I thought the crust would be too greasy and taste too strongly of nutmeg. But I was wrong! This was actually delicious. The topping is so simple, but still tasty. It was a tiny bit too much butter, but not so much that it ruined it. It does not make very much though, I could honestly eat the entire thing myself...Not that I did. I swear! I will probably still stick to my own apple crisp methods (which aren't so different from this really, aside from the spices and that I always use oats in the topping), but this is still great - five stars great! Mr. Man even said it was one if his favourite crisps ever. Oh, and I used 5 apples and the topping barely covered them, but it is quite sweet, so it was enough. Using a smaller, but deeper dish to bake in would probably make sure the apples are covered completely.

Modernized Recipe:

(Adapted from DC Super Heroes Super Healthy Cookbook, found at Branded in the 80s)

4 - 5 APPLES
3/4 cup FLOUR
3/4 cup BROWN SUGAR
1/2 teaspoon CINNAMON
1/2 teaspoon NUTMEG
Pinch of SALT
1/3 cup UNSALTED BUTTER, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Peel and slice the apples and place them in a pie pan.
3. In a small microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter. Add the flour, sugar, and spices and mix well.
4. Pour the topping onto the apples and spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Cooked Muskmelon (1919) ★

2:04 PM 1 star , 1910s , 20th century , dessert , fruit , interwar , united states 2 Comments

I was keen to try this recipe because it seems so different from anything we would do today. Plus it was taken from a vegetable cookbook, when today melons are considered a fruit.


Original Recipe:

COOKED MUSKMELON.
Miss Corson, in one of her lectures, gives the following directions for making a very nice dessert from muskmelons:—Make a rich syrup from a pound of white sugar to half a pint of water. Pare and slice the melon and boil it gently in the syrup five to ten minutes flavoring with vanilla or lemon. Then take it up in the dish in which it is to be served, cool the syrup and pour it on the melon. To be eaten cold.

The Verdict:
No. Just, no. I'm already so-so about cantaloupe when it's raw, but cooked is just wrong. It's all soggy and the texture is gross. It also definitely wasn't improved by sugar and flavouring. I couldn't even finish one piece. To me, this recipe is pointless. It's quicker, easier, and tastier to just eat the melon raw.

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from Vaughan's Vegetable Cook Book)

1 CANTALOUPE
1 pound SUGAR
1 cup WATER
LEMON or VANILLA EXTRACT

1. Cut the cantaloupe into small pieces, leaving out the seeds and rind.
2. In a large saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Add the cantaloupe and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes or until tender. Flavour as desired.
3. Let cool before serving.