Page 1 Top of Page

DOUBLE HERSCHELS

According to folks who watch the almanac with conviction, when the planet Uranus is indicated twice on the same day, this is called a "Double Herschel". It usually warns of a drastic change in the weather. It is called a Herschel in honor of the man who discovered the Planet Uranus, which was named after its discoverer for a while. In time, the name was changed to its present name, Uranus. After some resentment by other astrologers who discovered planets and were not honored in the same way. Even the old sign  which is still seen in some old almanacs today was changed to the modern sign for the planet Uranus in the Almanac. Those who believe in the Double Herschels explain that when the signs appear in the almanac the Earth's position is relative to Uranus position in the galaxy and a drastic change in the Earth's weather results. However, there have been local exceptions on record I but to the amazement of meteorologists, its accuracy is somewhat unexplainable. According to the almanacs, the next double Herschel is February 26 or 27, depending on which almanac you read.

OVERNIGHT BREAD OR ROLLS

1 teaspoon dry yeast (correct amount)
3 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup lard
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups flour (sometimes a little more)

Begin to stir up at 5 PM. Punch down every hour until 10 PM. Then at 10 PM. shape in bread or rolls or sweet rolls. Cover, let rise at room temperature, right on your work bench, overnight. Next morning, bake at 350° - 375° for 20 to 25 minutes for rolls (Mrs. Fred Barenz, Ricevilie, Iowa)

UNBAKED FRUIT CAKE

1 lb. pitted dates
1 lb. miniature rainbow marshmallows
1 lb. candy orange slices
1 lb. crushed graham crackers
1 cup chopped nuts
½ cup sugar
½ pint cream whipped

Cut up first three ingredients and then mix. Add nuts and graham cracker crumbs, whipped cream and sugar. Press into a tube pan for large single cake or into 2 ring molds. Let stand several days in cool place. (Mrs. Fred Schaer, Elgin, Iowa)

SAUERKRAUT RELISH

1¼ cup partially drained sauerkraut
1 cup diced celery
¼ cup minced onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup chill sauce
¼ cup catsup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mix, cover and chill. Serve as relish for meat or as a salad.

PUDDING CAKE

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup cocoa
2 cups hot water
miniature marshmallows
1 chocolate cake mix

Mix brown sugar and cocoa in 9 by 13 inch loaf pan. Pour in hot water. Top with miniature marshmallows. Mix chocolate cake mix as directed on package and pour over marshmallows. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes.

Page 2 Top of Page

ANOTHER PUDDING CAKE

1 box yellow or white cake mix
¾ cup water
½ to ¾ cup liquid shortening
1 box vanilla pudding
4 large eggs

Mix all together with electric mixer until thoroughly blended. Bake in a tube pan at 350° for about 50 minutes. Will Also make two layers.

PINK VALENTINE DIVINITY

3 cups sugar
¾ light corn syrup
¾ cup water
2 egg whites
1 package cherry flavored gelatin
1 cup chopped nuts
½ cup flaked coconut

Mix sugar, syrup and water in a sauce pan. Bring to boiling point slowly. Cover and boil without stirring for 3 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat and continue cooking until a few drops tested in cold water form a hard ball (252°). Beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually add the dry gelatin, beating until mixture holds a definite peak. Pour the hot syrup in a very thin stream onto the egg whites beating constantly, preferably with a mixer. When candy holds shape and loses it's gloss, stir in nuts and coconut and pour quickly into a well buttered nine inch square pan or drop from teaspoon onto buttered cookie sheet. If pan is used, cut into squares with knife dipped in hot water. Other flavors of gelatin can be used if desired. (Mrs. Howard Steele, New Albin, Iowa)

MOCK WILD RICE

(A HOMETOWN MEAL OF THE WEEK RECIPE)

1 cup brown rice
3 tablespoons butter
1 can button mushrooms
2 bouillon cubes (Chicken or Beef)

In a heavy skillet, brown the rice in butter. Add mushrooms and bouillon cubes with enough water and the mushroom liquid to make two cups. Simmer at least 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Note: Two tablespoons chopped onions may be sautéed with the rice.

CHICKADEE PUDDING

4 cups cold water
2 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 pound lard
12 ounce jar peanut butter
3½ cups cornmeal
3½ cups oatmeal (in addition to above)
3½ cups wheat cereal or Farina

Stir the 2 cups oatmeal into boiling water and cook two minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lard and peanut butter and mix well. Let cool till it can be worked with the hands. Then slowly add the cornmeal, uncooked oat meal and the wheat cereal. Knead and squeeze mixture with hands until well mixed. Spread in pan and allow to coo). Store in cool place. Suet may be used instead of lard. Mix while still warm. (Mary Cook, Mechanicsville, Iowa)

To above you may add raisins, bird seed, and nuts (stale nuts may be used here) as a topping (Mrs. Lucille Manning, Dubuque, Iowa)

INDIAN LIVER DISH

¼ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons oil
1 pound cubed liver
1 small can mushrooms
1 pound can tomatoes
cooked rice
turmeric
curry powder

Fry pepper, and onion in oil until tender. Add more oil to pan to brown liver. Then return onion and green pepper to pan. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, do not drain. Simmer until liver is well done. Serve on cooked rice. Turmeric and Curry Powder may be added to taste, but this dish is good without any seasoning. Add salt if desired, after cooking, otherwise liver may become tough. (Mrs. John Spake, Marengo, Iowa)

BRUNCH QUICKIES

Cook one pound ground beef, add two 15½ oz. cans spanish rice or Macaroni Creole. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Cook ½ pound ground beef and add a ten and three quarter ounce can beef gravy. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Page 3 Top of Page

REMOVING WATERMARKS FROM HARDWOOD FLOORS (FROM "FIRST AID FOR FURNITURE", FROM JOHNSON'S WAX, CONSUMER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, RACINE, WISCONSIN)
Marks or rings from wet glasses, vases, or plants are common on tables, and floors, especially if these surfaces have not been waxed. Wax cannot prevent damage when liquids are allowed to stand on the finish indefinitely. However, it will keep them from being absorbed immediately, thus giving you time to wipe up the liquid before it damages the finish. If water marks appear, here are some tips to try:

Method A -- Apply Johnson's Beautiflor with 3/0 steel wool.

Method B -- Place a clean, thick blotter over the ring and press with a warm (not hot) iron. Repeat until ring disappears.

Method C -- Get an ounce of rottenstone from a paint or hardware store and keep it in an old salt shaker. Put a few drops of lubricating or salad oil on the blemish and shake on some rottenstone -- enough to make a paste. Rub briskly with the grain of the wood, using a clean soft cloth. Wipe frequently in order to compare and match the gloss of the damaged area with the original finish.

Method D-- Stroke spot lightly with cloth moistened with camphorated oil. Do not use a linty cloth as fuzz may stick to the wood. Wipe immediately with a clean cloth. If rough, rub with 3/0 steel wool dipped in Beautiflor or lubricating oil.

To remove coffee stains from Melmac or similar dinnerware, apply baking soda with a damp cloth. Another successful cleaning agent for these dishes is toothpaste, applied the same way.

To soften hardened brown sugar, place in a jar or container with a tight lid. Add a half apple or half an orange before sealing & let remain for couple of days.

Discolored grout in ceramic tile may be cleaned by applying lava soap with a toothbrush; or by rinsing with undiluted ammonia; or with a commercial product called "Bright Joint Cleaner".

When you toss a salad, put an oiled silk or plastic bowl cover over the salad bowl and really toss it.

Use cotton swabs dipped in lukewarm soap or detergent suds to clean the grooves of carved furniture.

When baking apple sauce cake or fruit cakes, bake them in a casserole with a cover. This keeps the fruit soft and moist. Take cover off to cool. Put cover on to store or use to keep fresh.

To keep linens neat, insert a piece of cardboard, the size of the folded article, between the folds of each piece. Then, when you remove one article, the others are not wrinkled or disturbed.

HELPS AND HINTS

Steaming velvet is the easiest way to remove wrinkles and to lift crushed parts. Place the velvet garment on a hanger in a steamy bathroom for an hour, then let it dry. Be sure it hangs free, perhaps from a shower bar, so that nothing touches it until the velvet is entirely dry. Small garments or velvet pieces may be steamed over the spout of a teakettle.

If party guests leave coats on your bed, protect both spread and wraps by covering spread with sheet of pliofilm or plastic tablecloth. Keeps coats from picking up lint, protects spread from soiling.

Unused toothbrush holders that have a hole for a glass can be put to good use as a small plant pot holder. Adds a decorator touch to your bathroom. Artificial flower arrangements may be used instead of real plants if desired.

A stamp can be removed from an envelope by applying lighter fluid to the inside of the envelope behind the stamp.

Modeling clay is excellent to hold broken bits of china in place while you cement mend them.

For rancid nut meats, slice a raw potato, add nut meats and water. Cook until the potatoes are almost done. Remove nuts and dry. Store in refrigerator.

Page 4 Top of Page

WHITE CHRISTMAS PIE

Make baked nine inch pie shell with high fluted edge.

½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups milk
¾ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon almond flavoring
3 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
½ cup whipping cream, whipped
1 cup moist shredded coconut

Blend sugar, flour, gelatin and salt thoroughly in a saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium beat until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Place pan in cold water. Cool until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Blend in flavorings. Carefully fold into a meringue made of egg white cream of tartar and sugar. Gently fold in whipped cream. Fold in coconut. Pile into cooled baked pie shell. Sprinkle with moist shredded coconut. Chill several hours until set. Serve cold. Delicious topped with crushed strawberries or raspberries. (Mrs. Jim Houts, Cedar Rapids)

BOHEMIAN POTATO DUMPLINGS

NUMBER TWO

Prepare one half of one 6-½ ounce pkg. instant mashed potatoes as directed on the package using 1 teaspoon salt instead of ½ teaspoon as in package directions. Let cool some after preparing. Sift in one cup flour, reserving a small amount to be added later if needed. Mix 1 unbeaten egg with 1 cup and 1 tablespoon Cream of Wheat. Add to potatoes and flour. Mix well and turn out onto floured board. Roll into long strips about two inches thick. Cut into six pieces. Drop in boiling salted water. Cover and cook three minutes and then check to see if they are floating. If not, lift or unstick carefully from the bottom of the pan with a wooden fork. They then should float to the top of the salted
water. Then recover and boil another 20 minutes. (Marie Vitek, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

NUMBER THREE

6 medium cooked and well mashed potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (do not beat)
1/3 cup cream of wheat
½ cup milk
2 cups sifted flour

Mix potatoes, salt, eggs, and cream of wheat thoroughly. Add milk and sifted flour. Mix all ingredients well. Knead on floured board. Shape into several oblong rolls. Drop in boiling salted water. Boil 20 to 25 minutes.

NUMBER FOUR

1 cup boiled mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 cup flour
pinch of salt

Combine above ingredients. Shape into a long roll about 1-½ inch in diameter. Cut into about 1 inch chunks. Drop into salted boiling water. Boil about 25 minutes, on medium heat, or until thoroughly cooked when tested. (Test by breaking one in half after 25 minutes. (Mrs. C. James Stutzman, Belle Plaine, Ia.)

NUMBER FIVE

6 or 7 medium potatoes, boiled in jackets, peeled and mashed, ground, or riced.
2 eggs or 4 yolks
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
About 4 cups flour

Mix all together. It will be a stiff, sticky dough. Make into balls, using flour on hands as you finish each. Put in boiling salted water and boil about 25 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and with two forks pull each apart just a little to let steam escape. (Mrs. Glenn Gruman, Lamont, Iowa)

Make a thin gravy from meat drippings or put the cooked dumplings into the meat drippings and turn frequently to get a nice brown cover to them. Then you can eat them with chill sauce.

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.