Wartime Wednesday: Lemon Refrigerator Pie

Wartime Wednesday:  Lemon Refrigerator Pie

I love to bake, but my schedule doesn’t always allow me to indulge. The recipe below is a “no-bake” pie, cutting down on preparation time. I found it in my Better Meals in Wartime cookbook. Surprisingly, it uses three (3) eggs which sometimes were difficult to find unless you lived on a farm. It’s easy and delicious. Enjoy!

11 Graham crackers

3 eggs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Juice of 3 lemons

Grated rind of 3 lemons

2 Tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Great a large pie plate. Place the crackers on the bottom and fill the sides and spaces with broken pieces and crumbs, bringing them well up to the edge of the pie plate.

Separate yokes and whites of eggs. Beat the yolks well and add the milk, juice and rind. Pour mixture into the pie plate.

Beat the whites until stiff and fold into sugar. Spread lightly over the pie. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to lightly brown the “meringue.” Put pie in refrigerator and chill for at leave five hours.

__________________________

Love's Allegiance: Now available!

With most U.S. boys fighting for Uncle Sam in far off countries, Rochelle Addams has given up hope for a wedding in her future. Then she receives an intriguing offer from a distant relative to consider a marriage of convenience.

Conscientious objector Irwin Terrell is looking forward to his assignment at Shady Hills Mental hospital to minister to the less fortunate in lieu of bearing arms. At the arrival of the potential bride his father has selected for him, Irwin’s well-ordered life is turned upside down. And after being left at the altar two years ago, he has no interest in risking romance again.

Despite his best efforts to remain aloof to Rochelle, Irwin is drawn to the enigmatic and beautiful young woman, but will time run out before his wounded heart can find room for her?

Inspired by the biblical love story of Rebekkah and Isaac, Love’s Allegiance explores the struggles and sacrifices of those whose beliefs were at odds with a world at war.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2KCMyke

Wartime Wednesday: DIY Apple Corn Muffins

Wartime Wednesday: DIY Apple Corn Muffins

Let’s face it: America has a sweet tooth. We love our cookies, cakes, pies, and ice cream. Sugar rationing during WWII put a damper on desserts until folks started to experiment with recipes to find substitutions for the difficult-to-get sweetener. Honey, corn syrup, and maple syrup were common swaps.

Food companies took the opportunity to publish cookbooks and flyers that included recipes that omitted or reduced rationed items. All touted to be the answer for frustrated homemakers.

The following was on the back of the Rumford Sugarless Recipes pamphlet:

“When you view your half-empty sugar bowl with alarm…when your sugar ration runs short…when you pine for a good Rumford cake, shortages or not – that’s the time to dip into this little treasury of Rumford Sugarless Recipes. There’s not a spoonful of sugar in any of them – but they taste mighty good just the same! Baking without sugar is no secret of the wizards; it’s a little different, that’s all.”

The leaflet cautioned cooks to:

“Follow the recipes given here exactly. The experts have worked out just what happens when you switch to syrups, etc. and you will have the best results if you follow directions to the letter. Generally speaking, you can replace one-fourth the sugar in any recipe with corn syrup (although our recipes here use no sugar). Another thing to expect is slightly different texture from what you’re used to.”

Rumford Apple Corn Muffins

¾ C sifted flower

1/3 C cornmeal

3 t Rumford Baking Powder

½ t salt

¼ C sliced raw apple

1 egg, well beaten

1/3 C milk

¼ C honey

3 T melted shortening (remember butter was also a rationed item)

Sift together flower, cornmeal, Rumford Baking Powder, and salt. Wash, pare, and cut apple into eighths. Remove core and cut crosswise in very thin slices. Combine egg, milk, and honey. Add to dry ingredients, stirring only enough to dampen well. Stir in melted shortening. Fold in apple. Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degrees) for 25 minutes Makes 12 medium sized muffins.

Enjoy!

_________________________

Set in 1942 and taking place in London, Under Fire tells the story of Ruth Brown, whose missing sister Jane is declared dead. Following clues from her tiny New Hampshire town overseas to England, Ruth stumbles resistance fighters, the IRA, and smugglers, all of whom want her dead for what she has discovered. 

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/31E8Qs6

Wartime Wednesday: Wartime Cake

Wartime Wednesday: Wartime Cake

Here's this week's recipe from Betty Crocker's "Your Share," published by General Mills in 1943. An eggless, milkless, butterless cake. I've made this several times. Believe it or not, it's delicious!

Mix in saucepan:
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C lard or other shortening
2 C raisins
1/2 t nutmeg
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves

Boil for three (3) minutes, then cool.

Blend 2 Cups flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda in 2 teaspoons water. Combine the two mixtures, then combine with cooled mixture from above.

Pour into greased and floured 8X8 pan. Bake about 50 minutes at 325 degrees.

It's very tasty uniced, or you can sprinkle powdered sugar over it.

___________________________________

Midwife Pia Hertz and her mother Sabine have been delivering babies long before the Nazis came to power. Now, the Third Reich has implemented mandates that require Jewish babies and other “undesirables” to be killed as part of The Final Solution. Is Pia’s new faith in Christ strong enough to defy the laws of man?

Despite the agony of the injury at the Battle of Drøbak Sound that took his arm, Dieter Fertig is relieved he’s no longer part of Hitler’s army. He returns to Berlin and discovers Jews are being deported by the thousands. When he realizes the Nuremburg Laws require his best friend’s baby girl to be killed, he must find a way to spirit the child out of Germany before the Nazis discover her existence. 

Inspired by the biblical story of Shiprah and Puah, the midwives who saved Jewish babies during Pharaoh’s reign, Love’s Belief shows how one person’s actions can change the world.

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2EPR37x

Wartime Wednesday: Rationing Up Close and Personal

Wartime Wednesday: Rationing Up Close and Personal

Rationing is one of the topics that often comes to mind when discussing the war’s impact on the home front. The concept came home to roost in a small way last week. I have a strong sweet tooth. As far as I’m concerned it’s not a meal if it doesn’t include dessert. 

I decided to make some cookies and went to the pantry and fridge to collect ingredients only to discover we were out of eggs. That’s not normally a big deal, but this month has been a financial challenge with large unexpected expenses such as four new tires and a broken furnace on top of the planned expense of personal property taxes.

We had run out of money before we ran out of month. (I hate when that happens!)

As a result, I couldn’t go to the store to purchase eggs. It wasn’t because of ration points or unavailability like it was during wartime, but I was in the same boat nonetheless. What to do? After all, I still had a hankering for dessert.

Time to go to my wartime cookbook. Who knew it would come in handy quite so soon? 

So here is a yummy (eggless!) dessert of Apple Crisp:

2 Cups peeled and sliced apples

2 t cinnamon

½ Cup water

¾ Cup flour

½ Cup shortening (I used butter)

1 Cup brown sugar

1/8 t salt

Grease a one quart baking dish (an 8X8 will do nicely). Put the apples in it and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Pour the water into the dish.

Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl and with your fingertips, rub the flour, shortening, sugar, and salt together. When it is crumbly and the shortening is well distributed, sprinkle the mixture over the apples.

Place the dish in a 350 degree oven and bake about 20 minutes until the apples are tender and the top browned and crisp. This is also tasty with peaches, apricots, cherries, or blueberries.

Enjoy!

Wartime Wednesday: Who was the Mystery Chef?

Wartime Wednesday: Who was the Mystery Chef?

Although television had been invented in 1927, it was far from being the mainstream item it is today. In fact, very few households had one. When WWII rolled around, the manufacturing of TVs stopped, so radio remained the mass communication tool of government and industry. As such producers recognized that the population would desire entertainment in addition to news and public service announcements. Rather than thirty and sixty minute programs like today, many radio shows ran for a mere fifteen minutes.

One of those shows was The Mystery Chef. Airing from 1932 to 1945, it was one of many popular recipe programs. The host, James MacPherson, was a Scotsman who came to the U.S. via England, but he remained unnamed, so the general public had no idea who he was. Speculation abounds as to why he maintained his anonymity. One blog claims it was because his mother would be horrified that he had an effeminate hobby such as cooking. A museum exhibit claims because his family was well-to-do, they would be upset that he was doing such menial tasks. Whatever the reason, Mr. MacPherson was a huge success.

In addition to sharing recipes on his show, he discussed cooking on a budget as well as what he called artistry in the kitchen. “Always be an artist at the stove, not just someone who cooks.” He published his first cookbook in 1936: Be an Artist at the Gas Range: Successful Recipes by the Mystery Chef, and followed that up with The Mystery Chef’s Own Cookbook in 1943. Copies are still available on Amazon. In 1949, NBC launched the show one television, but it did not fare well and was canceled after only one season.

Wartime Wednesdays: Rock Buns

According to Wikipedia a rock cake, also called a rock bun, is a small, hard fruit cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. Rock cakes originated in Great Britain, where they are a traditional teatime treat, but are now popular in many parts of the world. They were promoted by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour.

I found this recipe online at https://1940sexperiment.wordpress.com

They are certainly not as sweet as cake, but an acceptable substitute. I used dried cranberries because that’s what I had in the house. Not sure how readily available they would have been during the war. Perhaps currants or raisins would be a better choice. Give them a go. I think you’ll like them.

Rock Buns

• 8 oz wholemeal/wholewheat flour
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice/all spice
• 2 oz margarine
• 2 oz sugar
• 2 oz sultanas or dried mixed fruit
• 1 egg or 1 reconstituted dried egg
• milk
• 2 teaspoons sugar for topping

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder and spice

Rub in the margarine

Add the sugar, dried fruit and the egg

Gradually add enough milk to make a sticky mixture

Put spoonful onto parchment paper on baking tray ( makes 12-14)

Sprinkle with the sugar

Cook in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 12-15 minutes

 

 

 

Wartime Wednesday: Carrot and Potato Mash

Meat was at a premium during World War II, and even when available was strictly rationed. People began to get creative in their search for inexpensive, filling meals. Potatoes were popular because they were plentiful, cheap and substantial.

Here is a simple recipe that can be made quickly and easily:


Carrot and Potato Mash

• 2 medium/large potatoes per person
• 1 medium/large carrot per person
• 1/2 ounce butter or margarine per person
• salt and pepper to taste

The original recipe called for boiling the potatoes and carrots. Much of the flavor leeches into the water that is drained away before mashing, so I recommend cooking them in the microwave.

Chop potatoes into small pieces and cook.
Grate carrots and cook.
Combine and add butter or margarine and mash.
Add salt and pepper and mash to till potatoes are smooth.

Leftovers are very yummy when formed into pancakes and fried.

Enjoy!

Wartime Wednesday: Veggie Turnover

My character American war correspondent Ruth Brown is assigned to London. With meat rations at a minimum, more often than not she finds herself with a pantry full of vegetables with which to make her dinner. I thought I'd try one of the recipes she might use. It didn't turn out too badly. Done over again, I would add a few more herbs to bump up the flavor, but it was an easy recipe and very delicious. My husband asked if I could make it again!

War-time Vegetable Turnover
Pastry
12 ounces of all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
3 ounces margarine or drippings
Enough water to bind the ingredients. I started with about 2/3 cup and went from there.


Filling
10 ounces scrubbed, diced potatoes (don't remove the skins)
4 medium, diced carrots
1 large onion, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Herbs to taste

Method

• Cook the carrots and potatoes until soft.  (I microwaved mine to save time)
• Saute the onion in a little bit of oil, margarine or drippings.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Cut the margarine into the flour mixture then bind with water.
• Combine the cooked carrots, potatoes and onions. Add herbs, salt and pepper. (I used about 2 teaspoons of rosemary)
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
• Roll each piece of dough into a circle about 7-8" in diameter.
• Put 1/4 of the vegetable mixture to one side of the circle.
• Wet the edges of the pastry with water, and fold the dough in half, pressing the edges together.
• Prick top of each pastry and brush with milk.
• Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.
• Enjoy hot or cold.

Wartime Apple Cake

A single anachronism in a historical novel can draw a reader out of the story and impact the credibility of the writer. Therefore, to ensure my books are accurate, I conduct a tremendous amount of research. I am fortunate that a World War II museum, the Wright Museum, is located in the town where I live. I have access to genuine artifacts and a curator who has answered many questions through the years.

During a recent research junket about the availability and rationing of food during WWII, I stumbled on a website called www.1940sexperiment.wordpress.com. The author of the site is using recipes from the war to help her lose weight. I wasn’t interested in the dieting part of her site, but I was fascinated with her use of wartime recipes.

I’m not much of a cook, but I love to bake. Probably because that’s what I love to eat! I was intrigued by the idea of doing hands-on research by using a wartime recipe and baking without or with a limited amount of certain items that we take for granted in the 21^st century, such as eggs, sugar, and milk.

In possession of a bag of apples I needed to use before they spoiled, I wandered the internet until I found a recipe that used ingredients I already had in the house. The recipe, originally from the 1943 Victory Cookbook, came from a blog authored by a staff member of the National D-day Museum (www.ddaymemorial.blogspot.com) in Bedford, VA: “Spicy Apple Coffee Cake.”

I was rather skeptical of how good the cake would be when the recipe created a dough rather than a batter, and an ungreased cake pan was called for. (I had visions of hacking the cake out of the pan – didn’t happen). The end result was a huge success. The cake was deliciously sweet despite the reduced amount of sugar in it and had a texture more bread-like than cake-like. I’ve already had requests to make it again!

Here is the recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons shortening

2/3 to 3/4 cup milk

2 to 3 apples (your favorite type)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup nippy cheese (I didn’t use and never missed it)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and set aside.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut in shortening (and cheese, if using it). Add milk to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead for about 30 seconds. Pat the dough into an ungreased 9-inch cake pan. Pare and core the apples. Slice them into 1/4” slices. Arrange apples in petal design on top of dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar/cinnamon mixture and dot with butter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.