THE BEST OF THE OPEN LINE BULLETIN

NOVEMBER  PAGES 1234

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SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE

2½ cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 beaten eggs
2 cups thick sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix and sift all dry ingredients three times. Add cream and vanilla to well beaten eggs. Add to dry ingredients and beat well. Bake in layers or large sheet in greased floured pans in moderate oven at 375°. (Mrs. Harry B. Eales, Marion, Ia.)

SOFT CHOCOLATE FROSTING

½ cup cocoa
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add milk to cocoa, cornstarch, sugar and salt and cook in saucepan until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool before using.

If you are not on our mailing list and wish to be added in time for the big Christmas bulletin, please remember your requests to be added to our mailing list must be here before November 20th. The 20th of each month is the deadline to be added to the following month's mailing list. There is a charge of $1.00 a year to cover the cost of postage and handling for each name on the list. If you wish your name placed on the mailing list, please send your name, address and Zip Code number along with your dollar before the 20th of the month to be on the mailing list for next month's bulletin. Bulletins will still be available by sending a self addressed stamped envelope each month as it has been in the past if you do not wish to be on the mailing list.

CREAM PUFF FILLING #1:

Combine 1 cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 unbeaten egg whites, and 3 tablespoons water into a double boiler. Beat with electric mixer until frosting is fluffy and holds its shape 4 to 8 minutes.

CREAM PUFF FILLING #2:

Scald 1½ cups milk. Mix together 2/3 cups sugar, 5 Tablespoons flour and ¼ teaspoon salt and add to scalded milk. Add another ½ cup milk. Cook till thick, stirring constantly. Slowly add 3 egg yolks and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla when cooled. Beat 3 egg whites and blend into mix.

OZARK PIE

1 egg, beaten
¾ cup sugar
½ cup flour
1½ teaspoons baking power
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unpeeled apples, cut up
½ cup chopped pecans

Flour and butter 8 inch square pan. Add sugar to beaten egg with an electric beater gradually, beating until it is thick. Sift flour, baking power and salt together. Add to beaten egg mixture. Fold in apples and add pecans. Bake 30 minutes at 350°. This will only be one to two inches thick after baking and quite light. (Mrs. Edward P. Manning, Dubuque, Iowa)

NEVER FAIL PIE CRUST

3 cups flour
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup lard
1 egg
6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vinegar

Sift flour sugar, and salt together. Cut in lard, add egg, water and vinegar.

Page 2 Top of Page

TWO LAYER CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD

For chicken layer: Lightly oil pan to be used to contain salad: approximately 13 by 9 inches.

2 cups cubed chicken (2 breasts and 2 whole legs )
½ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup  mayonnaise
½ cup undiluted evaporated milk
½ teaspoon salt pepper

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small cup. Let stand about 5 minutes to soften. Dissolve gelatin completely by placing bowl over very hot water. Meanwhile, blend together in a large bowl, all the other ingredients. Add gelatin mixture, mix well. Pour in pan and let set in refrigerator until firm.

For Cranberry Layer:

¼ cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup nuts
2 cups whole cranberry sauce
½ cup drained crushed pineapple

Dissolve gelatin as in above recipe. Mix all other ingredients and add gelatin. Pour over chicken layer and let set until firm. Cut in squares when ready to serve, place on lettuce. Put in dish or pan approximately 9 by 13 inches.

CORN STUFFING

1 lb. can (2 cups) cream style corn
1 12 oz. can  (1½ cups) whole kernel corn, drained
1 beaten egg
1 cup soft bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoon chopped pimento
1½ teaspoon salt
dash pepper

Combine all ingredients. Fill center of Crown Roast of Pork about an hour before meat is done. Makes 1 quart. Place any remaining stuffing in pan around roast, or place in greased casserole and dot with butter; cover; bake with roast for last hour of cooking time. (Mrs. Robert McKee, Iowa state University)

To save parsley, cover with water and freeze in ice cup trays. Store cubes with parsley inside in plastic bags in your freezer, using when needed a cube at a time.

MOCK MINCE MEAT PIE

1 cup chopped raisins
5 large soda crackers (rolled fine or ground in food chopper)
1 egg (well beaten)
½ cup molasses
½ cup vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup cold strong tea
1 tablespoon butter
dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into unbaked pastry lined pie pan. Cover with top trust. Bake in 425° oven about 25 to 30 minutes. (Mrs. Walter Mau, Waterloo, Iowa)

GREEN TOMATO MOCK MINCE MEAT

3 pints chopped apples
3 pints chopped green tomatoes
5 cups brown sugar
1 1/3 cups vinegar
3 cups chopped raisins
3 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)
1 teaspoon cloves (ground)
¾ teaspoon allspice ground)
¾ teaspoon mace (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup suet, cut up or ground

Heat gradually to boiling, then simmer 3 hours. Add ¾ cup butter as a substitute for the suet, if you wish. (Mrs. Floyd Finson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

CRANBERRY SALAD

2 red apples
1 orange
1 package cherry Jello
1 cup boiling water
1 can whole cranberries
1 cup sugar

Grind apples. Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Cut up orange, using only part of the peel. Mix all ingredients together. Put in bowl or in a flat pan and cut in squares. (Mrs. Edwin Freese, Scotch Grove, Iowa)

QUICK DESSERT

Cut up ¾ cup nut meats. Sprinkle bottom of ice cube tray. Fill almost to the top with softened Vanilla ice cream. Spread canned cherry pie filling on top. Freeze at least 2 hours. Different pie filling flavors and ice cream flavors may be used to add color and different flavors.

Page 3 Top of Page

AVOCADO PLANTS

You may need to try several seeds in order to got one to row, for some seeds rot. This venture will require patience as it takes time to grow a plant. Soak the seed in a cup of lukewarm water 4 to 5 hours until you can remove the brown outer covering. Place three toothpicks in the seed to suspend it in a glass or jar, large end down. pour in enough water to cover the lower end. Set in a warm room (70 degrees) in a shaded spot. Add water as necessary so the bottom of the seed is always in water. The seed will begin to split as it starts to sprout. If the jar or glass is not transparent, carefully lift the seed out of the water from time to time to see if roots are forming. It will perhaps take 4 or 5 weeks at least. When the roots are about ½ inch long, it is time to plant the seed. Place small pebbles in the bottom of a 5 inch pot for good drainage. Fill pot with soil using equal parts of sand, garden soil, & peat up to 1½ inches of the top. Remove toothpicks from the seed being careful not to split it. Place seed in the middle of the pot. Carefully press or make a space for it in the soil until just the top of the seed is showing. Set the pot a pan of water. When the top of the soil feels moist, remove the pot from the water. Place in a window with good light (east or west). Do not let the soil dry out. This plant will keep a long time and be worth all the patience required. You may need to shift it to a larger pot if the roots fill the pot and need more space. In the summer, plunge pot in the ground outdoors in a sheltered place. (Thanks to a steady Marengo listener. From the book, "Propagating House Plants")

BUTTERFLY OR CRESCENT ROLLS

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 package yeast
3½ cups flour

Mix all ingredients together and allow to double in bulk. Then divide into three portions. Roll each into a circle and cut into 12 pie shaped wedges. These are sticky to work with but it's better that way, that's what makes them light. Starting at the wide end of your pie shaped piece roll it to the end & place on a greased baking sheet. Allow to double again in bulk on baking sheet before baking at 400° for 10 minutes. Makes 36 rolls. (Mrs. Frederick Traver, Manchester, Iowa)

NEVER FAIL DUMPLINGS

1 egg beaten
½ cup milk
1 cup unsifted flour
2/3 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Sift the dry ingredients, combine egg & milk add to dry ingredients. Stir just till moistened. Drop in broth & cover and cook 15-20 minutes. (Central City Listener)

HINTS AND HELPS

When draining boiling liquids into the sink, always turn on the cold water first and let it run. It prevents steam burns.

Ladies rain boots or galoshes can be protected from these small spike or steel healed shoes by placing a small piece of folded paper in the bottom of the heal, then on top of the paper, a small pop bottle cap upside down, so the heal will fit inside the bottle cap.

To water-proof headscarves etc. simply iron them with a good quality of wax paper as a "press cloth". You can water-proof anything that is ironable this way. When clothes are laundered, the wax washes out and you can waterproof them again in the same way.

To keep syrup from molding wash the lid or cap in vinegar and let dry. Do not wipe or rinse off. Repeat each week.

To slice fresh bread, hold knife under very hot water until it is hot. A hot blade will cut the freshest bread into perfectly smooth slices.

To remove the black marks caused by non rubber heals, apply a little squirt of toothpaste with a soft cloth. Remove toothpaste with a damp cloth.

For quick individual coffee cakes, use ready to use biscuits. Place topping in bottom of muffin tins and fill with biscuits. Two works best. When biscuits are turned out the top is down and like an upside down cake, the best is on the bottom. Ice Cream toppings are ideal. Sprinkle cinnamon between the biscuits.

To sweeten storage drawers, unwrap a bar of sweet smelling soap and place it in with the articles to be stored.

Place a jar lid in the lower container of a double boiler. This lid will rattle when pan is dry.

Page 4 Top of Page

CHESTNUT STUFFING FOR POULTRY

1 quart chestnuts
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups soft bread crumbs
¼ cup shortening (butter, chicken fat, or lard) melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup chopped celery

Make a gash in each chestnut; place in a heavy skillet with the 1 tablespoon of butter and shake over a low heat for a few minutes. Place in 450° oven for about 10 minutes. Then remove the shells and skins with a knife. Cover the blanched chestnuts with boiling salted water and cook until tender. Drain and put chestnuts through ricer. Add the remaining ingredients and mix stuffing lightly but thoroughly. This is enough stuffing to fill a 6 to 8 pound bird.

APPLE BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
1 cup apple butter
1 cup pumpkin
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup evaporated milk

Combine tart apple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices. Add egg. Mix well, add milk gradually. Mix well. Pour into pie shell and bake in hot oven at 250° about 40 minutes. (Mrs. John Krueger, Palo, Iowa)

PUMPKIN PECAN PIE

2 cups cooked pumpkin
2 10 oz. packages small marshmallows
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
½ cup chopped pecans
2 8 inch baked pie shells

Combine pumpkin, marshmallows, cinnamon, and salt in sauce pan. Stir slowly over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Chill mixture, then beat until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream and chopped nuts. Pour into baked cooled pie shells. Chill thoroughly, before serving. (Mrs. Joe M. Miller, Waterloo, Iowa)

***** * EMpire 5-9405 * * * *

SAUSAGE STUFFING

2 pounds pork sausage meat
5 quarts (20 cups) cubed day old bread
2 pounds chestnuts, roasted & halved
2 large onions (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green olives
½ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons marjoram
1 teaspoon pepper
turkey stock

Cook sausage meat in a large skillet over medium heat breaking meat up with fork as it cooks: drain. Combine all remaining ingredients, except stock, with sausage meat. In large bowl; toss lightly to mix. Add only enough stock to moisten stuffing lightly. Sufficient to stuff neck & body cavities of a 20 lb. turkey.

NEW ENGLAND CRANBERRY DELIGHT

3 cups chopped unpeeled apples
2 cups raw cranberries
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ cups oatmeal
½ cups brown sugar
1/3 cup sifted flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup melted butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped nuts

Combine apples and cranberries in 9 inch pie plate. Sprinkle granulated sugar over fruit. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour and salt. Add butter, mixing until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple cranberry mixture. Top with nuts. Bake 300° for one hour. (Mrs. Wayne Wallace, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

OATMEAL COOKIES

1 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 cups quick oatmeal
2 cups flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda
6 tablespoons milk

Beat sugar, shortening, oatmeal, and flour together. Beat eggs, salt, and vanilla together and add to first mixture. Then add soda and milk. Mix well and drop from a spoon on a greased sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350°. (Optional ingredients include ground up peanuts or chopped dates). Frost when cool.

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