Saturday, September 17, 2011

What to Serve at a Children's Party, circa 1951

The American Woman's Cookbook, 1951
Good Housekeeping's Cookbooks, 1958


We were over at Matt's grandmother's house when he discovered these amazing cookbooks from the 50's.  I can't wait to start rendering fat!  Okay, that's not ever going to happen, but there are so many awesome tips, recipes, and menus.

Wanted to know what to serve hikers? Camp hamburgs (not hamburgers).  What do you serve at a men's card party?  Tipsy pudding.

Since I'm in the throws of planning Georgia's Tangled party, I am so relieved to have the menu planned out.  Apparently, I should be inviting guests to feast on fruit cocktails, chicken sandwiches, fruit butter sandwiches, vanilla ice cream and small cakes, birthday cake (with name, date, and candles), orange juice, and candy.

I hadn't thought of putting the date on the cake!  That'll solve the tricky "how old were you in that picture" game my parents play with my old photos.

I'll include the recipes after the jump.

Mixed Fruit Cocktail
6 large oranges                                     Juice of 1 lemon
1 banana                                               Sugar
2 slices pineapple

Slice off the tops of the oranges and scoop out the inside, being careful not to break the inside white skin or the orange peel.  Put the orange cups into a bowl of ice-water.  Cut in small pieces the banana and pineapple, mix these with orange pulp cut into small pieces, add the lemon-juice, sweeten to taste, and fill the orange shells.  Set each one in a small bowl, filled with crushed ice.
The mixed fruit pulp that remains after the orange skins have been filled may be kept in the refrigerator and served as sauce with ice-cream or used in any other way that circumstances suggest.

Chicken Sandwiches
3/4 cup cooked chicken meat            1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped stuffed olives          1/4 cup chopped almonds

Cut the chicken meat into small bits and add the almonds and olives.  Moisten with mayonnaise and spread on thin, buttered slices of bread.