Page 1 Top of Page

RYE BREAD

1½ cups lukewarm water
½ cup molasses
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
3 cakes compressed yeast
2 tablespoons soft shortening
2¾ cups sifted rye flour
3½ to 4 cups sifted white flour

Note: If you substitute dry yeast for the compressed yeast, dissolve it first in ½ cup of the lukewarm water.

Mix water, molasses, salt and caraway seeds together. Add yeast, stir in shortening until its dissolved. Mix in flours first with a spoon and then with your hands. Knead and let rise twice. Shape into 2 round loaves. Place on opposite corners on lightly greased baking sheet. Let rise until double (45 to 60 Minutes). Bake until brown and tests done. Bake at 375° for 30 to 40 minutes Makes two loaves. These breads can be made with only one rising before shaping but will have a little heavier and coarser texture. (Mrs. Arthur J. Kent, Denver, Iowa)

HOMEMADE TARNISH REMOVER: In an aluminum pan, bring 2 quarts water, 2 teaspoons baking soda and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil. Remove from heat. Arrange tarnished silverware in the pan so each piece touches the pan somehow. Let set for a couple of hours. Remove silverware, rinse in warm water and dry with soft cloth.

OPEN LINE HOMEMADE PLANT FOOD

1 teaspoon epsom salts
1 teaspoon salt petre
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon ammonia
1 gallon tepid water

Mix above ingredients in a suitable container as you may store it as long as it lasts. Use only every four to six weeks, watering your plants with the plant food on the day you plan to use it.

SPAMBURGERS

1 can Spam
1 green pepper (optional)
1 large onion
½ pound Velveeta cheese
¼ pound butter
2 tablespoons catsup
Hamburger buns

Grind Spam, peppers, onion together in food chopper. Set aside. Melt cheese, butter and catsup in double boiler. When all are melted, add to ground mixture, stirring well. Place small amount on hamburger bun and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on cookie sheet and heat at 325° 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot. This mixture also freezes well. (Mrs. Vernon L. Geiger, Garrison, Iowa)

After avocado seeds root in water transfer them to a pot filled with ¾ soil and ¼ sand. Water plant generously.

Are you on our mailing list? If you wish to be on our mailing list to receive the monthly bulletins, your request must be sent before the 20th of the month to be on the list in time for the following month's mailing. There is a charge of $1.00 a year to cover the cost of postage and handling. Be sure to Include your Zip Code Number with your address. Bulletins will still be available each month by sending a self addressed, stamped envelope if you do not wish to be on our mailing list. If possible, use the long business size envelope, please. OUR ADDRESS: THE OPEN LINE, CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA 52406.

Page 2 Top of Page

LEMON LOVE-NOTES

Blend together:

½ cup butter
1 cup flour
¼ cup powdered sugar

Pat into 9 inch square pan and bake at 350° for 14 minutes. Cool.

Mix together:

2 tablespoons lemon juice
rind of one lemon
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Place on crust, bake 25 minutes at 350°. Cool.

Frost with:

¾ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter
1½ teaspoons milk

Cut into bars. (A Marion listener)

BARBEQUE BEEF SANDWICH #1

1 pound ground lean beef
1 tablespoon shortening
2½ to 3 cups barbeque sauce
1 green pepper diced
½ teaspoon celery seed
onion if desired.

Brown beef and add remaining ingredients. Simmer about 10 minutes. Makes four.

BARBEQUE BEEF SANDWICH #2

3 pounds chuck roast, cooked well done and ground up
1 medium onion chopped
½ cup beef juice (or bouillon)
½ cup catsup
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed

Heat and simmer for 15 minutes. May be frozen.

MODELING CLAY:

Mix 2 cups flour, one cup salt and one tablespoon powdered alum together. Combine with enough water (about 1/3 cup) to soften mixture: and make it pliable. Add food coloring. Wrap in damp cloth or wax paper. Store in covered container. Alum keeps clay from turning sour. (Muriel Fritzges, Warren, Illinois)

EASY PUFF PASTRY

Step 1 - Combine 2 cups flour and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar on waxed paper. Measure 1 cup chilled shortening ( butter or half butter and half vegetable shortening) & cut off one half inch bits and drop them into the dry ingredients.

Step 2 - Toss the bits of shortening around until they are coated with flour. Be sure they are thoroughly distributed through mixture but do not break them. Now turn into bowl large enough to complete mixing, process by lifting the waxed paper and sliding mixture into bowl.

Step 3 - Measure 2/3 cup ice water. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Add remainder all at once to flour and shortening, mixing it with wooden spoon around inside edge o bowl,  not through the center. Dough should form into ball without forcing; reserve water may be needed to accomplish this.

Step 4 - Turn dough onto floured board. it will, be quite sticky to handle so dredge it well with flour then pat lightly. Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness keeping corners square; brush off excess flour with soft pastry brush. Work quickly and in a cool place to keep pastry as firm as possible.

Step 5 - Fold dough in thirds. Roll, keeping pieces oblong, corners square. Brush off excess flour, fold again in thirds. Repeat rolling and folding four times. After each folding cover with damp cloth or waxed paper. Chill for short period. This makes dough easy to roll and pastry flaky.

Step  6 - Roll patty shells and napoleons 1 inch thick; tea pastries, tarts, horns, 1/8 inch thick. Shape, place on pan and chill well, in 425 degree oven bake patty shells 25 to 30 minutes, small pastries 15 to 20 minutes. To glaze brush with egg yolk  diluted with water 10 minutes before end of baking period (Mrs. J. H, Flider, Moline, Illinois)

NOODLE AND CORNBEEF CASSEROLE

1 package wide noodles
1 can corn beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 tablespoons grated cheese
½ cup water

Cook noodles in salted water until tender. Drain and combine with rest of ingredients. May use cheese on top or bread crumbs or crushed potato chips. Bake until heated good throughout and top bubbles and browns. (Mrs. Carl Ackman, LaPorte City, Iowa)

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

Page 3 Top of Page

BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

1½ cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup butter
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1¾ cups rolled oats
½ cup chopped nuts or raisins

Sift flour, sugar, soda, salt and spices into mixer bowl. Add butter beaten egg and mashed bananas and mix thoroughly. Stir in rolled oats and nuts or raisins. Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes at 375°.

THE BEGINNER

She measured out the butter
With a very solemn air.
The milk and Sugar also; and
She took the greatest care
To count the eggs correctly, and
To add a little bit
Of baking powder which you know
Beginners oft omit.
Then she stirred it all together, and
She baked it a full hour,
But she never quite forgave herself
For leaving out the flour.
(Mrs. Duane O'Brien, Strawberry Point, Iowa)

BATTER USING BEER:

Mix 1 cup pancake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Accent
with enough beer to make a light batter.

HELPS AND HINTS

SCORCHING: Scorches are not always a tragedy. If you scorch an article lightly, lay a piece of wet cloth over the scorched spot and iron over it several times. Scorch often disappears, or almost always does.

Man's white shirt when scorched, should be sponged with a cloth dipped in peroxide, then ironed again, over the blemished area, with a clean dry cloth over it.

Scorch on cottons may be removed by wetting the spot with water, then covering it with a thick paste made of starch and water. Let it remain on until dry, then use a clean cloth on peroxide to sponge it off. Press the article again and hang it in the sun for several hours.

Scorched linens. If linen scorches during ironing, cut an onion in half and rub the flat side over the mark. Then soak the linen in cold water for several hours.

Scorched woolens. To remove the blemish, wet the spot and then rub dry cornstarch over it. Brush off the cornstarch when article is dry.

When using syrup, replace sugar with syrup, measure for measure, reducing the liquid one third. When using molasses or sorghum, replace 1 cup sugar with 1 cup molasses. Reduce liquid one half, and add one half teaspoon soda for each cup of molasses. Reduce baking time and keep at a moderate heat for all substitutes.

To take grease spots off wallpaper, make paste of talcum powder and water. Spread the paste over the spot and allow to dry. When it is rubbed off, the spot comes off too.

Waterproof your headscarf in this simple way. Place heavy waxed paper over it and press with a hot iron.

Hang a mirror behind the wringer of your washing machine. You can see at a glance without leaning over or walking around to the other side whether the articles are running through airtight.

If you have no regular oven saver pan to set your fruit pies on to bake, use a pizza pan.

When sewing, tape or pin your sewing directions to the wall near you. You can easily refer to it as you sew.

Plant some parakeet seed in a flower pot or can, and feed a few blades of the grass which grows, for winter greens to your parakeet.

If you don't have cake flour, measure the required amount of all purpose flour, and take out one tablespoon from each cup, replacing with one tablespoon cornstarch to each cup.

To save tempers and curtains, slip a round wooden clothespin over the and of the curtain rod. Works better then a thimble. If the clothespin has any rough spots, sand them off and save it.

Page 4 Top of Page

ALMOND BARK #1

Combine in a sauce pan:

2 cups sugar
2/3 cups milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt

Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to lukewarm without stirring. Beat until thick and no longer glossy. Add ½ to 1 cup almonds. Turn out onto 8 by 8 inch pan to set.

ALMOND BARK #2

Melt one ounce cocoa butter and one tablespoon butter. Add 1 tablespoon hot water along with 2/3 cup powdered milk. Beat very hard. Add vanilla to taste and ½ cup almonds. Drop on greased sheet, flatten and let set. Mrs. L . Burbach, Lake City, Minnesota)

ALMOND BARK #3

1¾ cup sugar
1 cup cream
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds almonds

Cook sugar, cream and cream of tartar, stirring constantly, until thick. Add ½ cup butter and cook till it pulls from the side of pan. Remove from heat and add vanilla and 2 pounds almonds. Spread on buttered thin sheet and cool. Break into places. (Mrs. Burbach)

ALMOND BARK #4

Cook 2/3 cup butter 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water with a dash of salt, stirring constantly, to 246° on your candy thermometer. Stop stirring and continue to cook to 300 degrees. Remove from heat and add ¾ cup almonds and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour on buttered sheet. On top of the above mixture, pour one package of melted chocolate chips and to that with ¼ cup almonds. (Mrs. Burbach)

YOGURT FORMULA

STEP 1 - Heat a quart of homogenized (or skimmed, for reducing) milk slowly to the boiling point, stirring frequently. Let the milk simmer for 15 minutes, then cool it to about 110 degrees, or until it is warm but not hot when dropped on the wrist.

STEP 2 - Shake the bottle of yogurt culture (if you buy it that way, or use 1 tablespoon of yogurt per quart of milk) and pour into the lukewarm milk, stirring well. (The yogurt culture may be obtained from one or two dairy firms, pharmaceutical laboratories or health food shops).

STEP 3 - Pour the mixture at once into pint jars, leaving about one inch for air space. Tighten the lids and place jars in a larger covered pot which is filled with enough warm water to reach just below the lid of the jar. Temperature of the water should be the same as that of the milk.

STEP 4 - When the yogurt is firm, place it in the refrigerator to cool for about 8 hours. Then it's ready to eat.

A few words of explanation: The temperature for the 3 to 6 hour incubation
period is very important. Lukewarm here means a temperature that feels hot to the first touch, but which can be endured without discomfort.

One quart of milk makes about 6 cups of yogurt, and the substance will stay fresh for four to seven days. If you plan to drink it daily, make a fresh batch about twice a week. (For the next batch, use a part of the yogurt from the preceding batch, 1 tablespoon per quart of milk.

Some like it plain, some with fruit, or flavored with such things as molasses, honey or cinnamon. Some like it in salad dressing, prepared with a little onion, lemon juice, and whatever flavor they prefer. It may also be fixed in a sort of sauce for cucumbers and onions. Another method involves draining off the liquid through a cloth bag, this thickening the substance for use as a filling or spread like cream cheese. Most prefer the homogenized milk for yogurt.

(The above is part of an article by Nancy Green,  that appeared in the Gazette in March, 1949, and sent to us by Mrs. Howard Dale, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Top of Page

Click here to go to the next month of 1964.

Click here to go to the list of bulletins.

Click here to go back to the main page.