Celebrate autumn's return with this great vintage Rosy Apple Pie recipe

The hours of daylight are drawing shorter, sunshine take longer to awaken in the morning, and dew - soon to be frost - hangs heavy on each blade of browning grass and wind-kissed leaf as each new day breaks.

There is a near palpable excitement in the air, fall is little more than a week away and with it comes the return of many, many scrumptious foods - scores of which are just starting to hit their stride in terms of seasonal availability and freshness.

Without a doubt, there is no fruit that personifies autumn more than apples. Sure, others - pears and grapes, for example - speak of this golden tinged chapter of the year, but it is apples, for countless centuries now, that have heralded fall's triumphant return and brought such joy to our dining tables.

In celebration of the fact that the seasons are changing hands again and the abundance of locally grown apples that are out in full force here in the Okanagan (Canada's most famous and, I believe, prolific, apple growing region), I thought that it would be fun to shine the spotlight on a delicious vintage recipe for apple pie.

This circa 1940s recipe for Rosy Apple Pie has a fun twist, the flavour of which just ups the autumnal-ness of this tasty dish all the more in my books - cinnamon candies. Of course, if Red Hots aren't your favourite or they're hard to come by where you live, by all means swap them out for some regular powdered cinnamon from your spice rack instead (and likewise, as I always say, if shortening isn't up your alley, by all means use favourite suitable cooking fat, such as butter or margarine, here in lieu of it).



{I love how the pretty red tinge from the cinnamon candies in this vintage apple pie recipe lend it an even more autumnal note that is redolent of seasonal garnet hued maple leaves and glowing fall time sunsets. Vintage recipe image source.}



Apples are one of my favourite fruits ever. They're filling, contain healthy fiber, are great for you, and can be put to work in a plethora of savoury and sweet dishes alike (I'm especially fond, come autumn time, of slowly pan cooking them with sweet onions, thyme, black pepper, and a dash of cinnamon or all spice, and serving them with roasted or grilled meats and/or vegetables). It would be a crime against the season, assuming you're able to safely eat them (aka, that they don't both you from a medical standpoint), not to load up on scores of them while they're at their fall time finest.

I always make a point to do just that, even picking our own from various local orchards some years. In pies (for all my fellow gluten-free folks out there, this pie works fabulously with your favourite GF pie crust, fear not; I've made it numerous times, so I speak from experience), muffins, cakes, pastries, scones, fruit salads, candy and caramel apples, parfaits, baked whole, and scores of other dishes, apples are the cheerful, satisfying taste of the season that helps to make saying good bye to summer and all of its own marvelous produce a whole lot easier to bear.

Add corn on the cob, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, late season tomatoes and green beans, and other awesome autumn vegetables to the table and you've got a veritable feast of seasonable loveliness to indulge in. I swear, my stomach start rumbling at the mere thought. Good thing I've got plenty of September crop apples in the fridge! :)

Three sweet and scrumptious vintage fall recipes

A mighty wind rapped on my window in the earliest hours of this morning, screeching one moment and slamming its weight against the glass the next. It wasn't frightening in the slightest though - in fact, it had quite the opposite effect of terror, it brought instant joy my way, because it reminded that Halloween - my most favourite holiday of the year - is just around the corner.

Spooky sounds, gales that send chills up your spine, decaying leaves, freshly picked pumpkins, chilly nights, costumed hobgoblins, and sweat treats aplenty are all the name of the game, as we count down the last couple of weeks until October 31st comes knocking on our doors - candy pail outstretched - once more.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I utterly love this time of the year. Mother Nature hasn't reverted entirely to pale neutrals yet, the sun's amber light continues to hold onto an ounce of warmth, the world smells of cinnamon, chimney smoke, and tweed, and most people are in the mood to celebrate the harvest season and all the wonderful things that the second half of October houses.




{Jack-o-lantern carving, leaves the shade of ripe Bartlett pears, and cozy cold weather clothes - this wonderful early 1960s image abounds with so much of what I adore about the second half of October! Image source.}


Without a doubt, one of the best elements of this month - from start to finish - is the abundance of delicious food it entails. Here in the vast wilds of Canada, we enjoyed our Canadian Thanksgiving on Tuesday (many of us still have turkey and cranberry sauce in the fridge as I speak), whereas those in America will celebrate this important fall date in the third week of November. For those in both countries - and many other places around the world as well - this month has ushered in the return of comfort food, hearty meals, gorgeously fragrant desserts, and perhaps even the first batch or two of Halloween baked goodies.

Given that All Hallows Eve takes place in just two Thursdays from now, and many of us are planning parties, family events, school treats to send youngsters off to class with, and meals for the big night itself, today seems like the perfect time to share a 1950s cookbook page featuring three truly classic autumn recipes: Hot Mulled (Apple) Cider, Gingersnaps, and Caramel Apples.



{Originally appearing in the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cookbook from 1959, this trio of spiced, sweet, completely appealing fall recipes are as timeless as pumpkins, scarecrows and harvest moons themselves. Image source.}


These recipes are so delicious, satisfying and classic, I really wouldn’t (save for creating versions that were gluten and egg-free, so that I could partake of them safely myself, too) change them at all. Holidays often mean time-honored foods teaming with the kinds of flavours we grew up with in our early years, and all three of these taste bud pleasing recipes pull forth the best kind of culinary nostalgia for me precisely as they appear here.

You could whip any (or all) of these up for a post-pumpkin patch shindig, a Halloween party, Thanksgiving (next month), or simply a quiet Sunday afternoon spent looking out your window at the beautiful resplendent, vivid palette of autumn’s foliage. They're timeless and fun, satisfying and appealing to those of all ages - much like autumn itself.

1950s Zesty Bake Beans make for the perfect fall comfort food

Whether you love to cook, to eat, or both, there's something about the subtly shift that's underway with the seasons right now that has very real tendency to put us in the mood for heartier fair once more. Thankfully (I'm just not ready for snow yet on so many levels!) we're not into the thick of winter at this mid-September stage, but that doesn't mean that one can't start craving comfort food again.

You know the kinds of dishes I'm talking about. They're often one pot wonders that bubble, simmer and stew for a generous amount of time, filling the house with a scent so lip-lickingly amazing, you wouldn't be entirely surprised if your stuffed animals came to life - Toy Story style - and politely asked for a bowl of soup, plate of casserole, or slice of thick, creamy, sublimely scented pumpkin pie.

With this hankering for stick-to-your ribs fare underway, yet one wedge sandaled foot still planted in summer (...must savour every last sublime moment of sunshine!), I love finding dishes that can come into heavy rotation while the temps are still on the positive side of freezing, yet also see us through the chilliest, most stubbornly icy days of winter that lay ahead in the coming months, too.

Recently while bopping around one of my favourite vintage related website, Click Americana, I came across a scrumptious sounding recipe from 1955 for Zesty Baked Beans, which starts off with a base of canned pork and beans, to which a few delicious pantry staples are added to create a pleasing side (or even main, if you were so in the mood) dish that would work every bit as well for a 4th of July barbeque as it would an early autumn Picnic or need-something-warm-in-my-belly immediately kind of winter evening, say after a day of building snowmen or hitting the ski hill.




{Perfect to make and take on a camping trip, picnic under the autumn leaves, potluck, or simply enjoy in the comfort of your own home, this richly flavorful 1950s baked beans recipe is the kind of side dish staple recipe one can never have too many of on hand. Image source.}


I've already made this dish a couple of times using Bush's Baked Beans (a brand which, for all my fellow gluten-free folks out there, does not add/use gluten in any of their products), which I've only just started being able to find up here north of the 49th this year (at Costco), and absolutely adore it.

I slashed the oil down to just two teaspoons (of olive oil), sautéing the veggies in a non-stick pan (doing so, you could even skip the oil entirely, but I like the little background note it lends this flavourful side dish), and using Balderson cheddar cheese in place of the Ched-O-Bit (great name, but like so many cool food brands of the fifties, it's no longer on the market ).

For all my vegetarian friends out there, fear not, you can easily use your favourite meatless brand of beans in tomato sauce and skip the franks (or use a soy or other meat-free type of hot dog wiener). As you can see in this fun 1950s image, they're more of a garnish than a staple ingredient, and could just as easily be replaced with anything from fresh wedges of late season tomatoes to a generous sprinkling of grilled corn to homemade croutons (perhaps with a little bit of extra cheese melted on them).

And by the same token, if you want to take this in a vegan direction, forgo the cheese as well, which is also more of a garnish, or jazz up this dish with your favourite dairy-free, vegan cheese alternative instead.

You could also play around with the veggies, perhaps stirring in some sun dried, fresh or canned tomatoes, celery, green onions (in place of the white/yellow), Swiss chard, or even (for an especially autumn approved dish) cubes of cooked squash or pumpkin. I upped the green pepper to a cup and sprinkled in a little bit of fresh thyme (just a pinch), to lend a further subtle note of sweetness to this thoroughly tasty vintage bean casserole recipe.

As this ad says, fine food need not be expensive, and this cozy, tasty, thoroughly satisfying 1950s side still lives up to that statement in today's world, making it all the more appealing to keep in frequent rotation not only during the nippier seasons, but all year long as well. Yum-yum! :)

A thoroughly scrumptious 1950s pot roast recipe

It is not exactly a secret that sometimes when one spies a yesteryear recipe, it's apt to raise a few eyebrows (tuna, Jell-o, pimento, American cheese, and gobs of mayo in the same dish, why not?!) and make even the most ironclad stomachs amongst us do a double take.

Much as I do actually love a good, kooky vintage recipe (nothing ventured, right?), I know that not everyone who plonks themselves down at my dinner table is always going to share my gusto for the - how shall we say - more unique offerings that vintage recipe booklets, magazines, and cookbooks like to dish up.

With that thought planted firmly in mind, I always keep an eye open for old school recipes that could just as easily have come straight from the pages of the most contemporary of culinary sources, and I think that (assuming one doesn't mind a little ketchup with their beef) today's recipe for Highland Pot Roast hits that mark wonderfully.

With nary a drop of mayo or speck of pimento in sight, this recipe sets the tongue aflutter at first reading, and will likely have you making a beeline for the closest butcher's shop in the very near future.




{A handful of timelessly tasty ingredients partner up in this hearty, delicious pot roast recipe from the 1950s, that is sure to impress and thoroughly fill all your dinner guests. Image via Charm and Poise on Flickr.}



I've long been a fan of meat dishes that have a subtle hint of sweetness to them and this elegant pot roast delivers just that thanks to the use of dried apricots (if you had any to hand, dried peaches or plums would be excellent here as well) and good old-fashioned Heinz ketchup.

There's really very little I'd alter about this cold-weather-perfect beef recipe, save perhaps to toss in a few herbs (I'm thinking fresh thyme and parsley - a little dried sage would be lovely, too) and up the black pepper content a tad. You could play around with the veggies, adding or swapping in things such as parsnips, onions (yes, I think a bit of onion is in order), or sweet potatoes (which would harmonize really nicely with the apricots).

Serve this roast with a hefty helping of mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and some fluffy buttermilk biscuits during the nippier months, or a cucumber salad and French bread if you're getting treated to an Indian summer this year, for a vintage recipe that succeeds beautifully in being an appealing classic no matter what decade it is.

A hearty 1950s chicken recipe that's perfect for fall

For ages now - and I know exactly why (initially, years ago, I first started posting recipes here on that day of week) - I've almost only posted recipes (be they vintage or modern classics) on Wednesdays. A creature of habit, I didn't deviate from this pattern much, but it's been gnawing away at me lately that doing so is rather unnecessary, as there's no specific reason why recipes need to appear on Wednesday, and I rather like the sense of shaking things up that comes from posting them (at least sometimes) on other days of the week as well.

With that thought firmly planted in mind, I woke up on this nippy November morning and decided it was high time a recipe appear on Friday. And come to think of Friday makes a lot of sense as a day on which to chat about cooking, as it's always lovely to have a new recipe or two in the wings as we head into the weekend.

As I'd imagine many of you are up to your ears in candy and chocolate, today's recipe is not for a dessert or other sweet treat – fear not! Today the focus is on dinner (or a wonderfully filling lunch), and comes in the form of a thoroughly yummy looking vintage recipe from 1957 called Harvest Chicken.

While some parts of the world are already shaking hands with snow again, others are still beautifully immersed in the midst of harvest season (and certainly Thanksgiving later in the month is all about celebrating the wondrous bounty that autumn delivers), so before Old Man Winter comes a knocking again, I wanted to share this recipe with all of you.



{Don't you just adore the cute crooning chickens on this cold weather perfect 1950s recipe page for Harvest Chicken? Image via Charm and Poise on Flickr.}



Of course, you can make it any ol' time of the year that your heart desires, I just like the fact that it's a fifties dish with a seasonal name to it. The ingredients themselves aren't overly autumnal, but the sight of a stick-to-your ribs chicken dinner like this certainly is.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas rounding the bend once more (hard to believe, considering I can still see our jack-o-lantern from here, I know), you could just as easily make this crowd pleasing dish with turkey meat instead. Pork - such as lean pork loin - used here would also make for a lovely, stick-to-your ribs kind of supper. (And of course, you can swap out the shortening for butter, margarine or your favourite cooking oil, if you’d prefer.)

I like to serve saucy poultry recipes like this with a steaming side of rice - perhaps basmati or a wild mix, just depending on my mood - or some plain pasta (tossed with a little butter). Sometimes polenta, mashed or baked potatoes, or quinoa step in, too, or instead of rice or pasta. Alternatively, you can skip some carbs and just go to town on a big plate full of this chicken and vegetable mix, perhaps with some sautéed baby spinach or a salad of mixed greens and grapefruit to accompany it.

Aside from the chicken itself, this vintage dish is quite economical, which I just adore (I also love that it's gluten-free, without me having to ditch or change any ingredients), and is a breeze to toss together - making it especially well suited to the holiday season when money and time alike are both often very precious commodities.

Happy start of November, sweet friends, I hope the month ahead is a fantastic one for everybody - and am really looking forward to celebrating another fantastic tail end of the year with all of you!

Counting down to Halloween with a delicious vintage pumpkin pie recipe

With precisely one week to go until Halloween arrives, many of us are busy surrounding ourselves (and our homes) with all manner of pumpkins - from the real deal to jack-o-lantern decorations and pumpkin shaped sweet treats.

Naturally, this time of the year calls for pumpkin based foods, be they stews, cakes, lattes, muffins, pancakes, or one of the most beloved desserts of all time: pumpkin pie.

Typically an after dinner staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's no reason why you can't bake a festive pumpkin pie or two this week to celebrate Halloween and the beautiful spirit of the rich harvest season.

I adore pumpkin pie (especially if it's been generously seasoned with oodles of cinnamon and other sublimely scented spices), and am always game for trying a new recipe (especially if I can easily make it gluten-free so that I can have a slice, too).

Today's vintage pumpkin pie recipe calls on Carnation Evaporated milk to help add moisture and silkiness to finished dish, and is a cinch to throw together if you use a pre-made (store bought or homemade) pie crust.




{As the writing size is quite small on this lovely autumn time recipe, be sure to click here for a somewhat larger - easier to read - version. Image via vieilles_annonces on Flickr.}


For an especially festive touch, you could use a mini pumpkin shaped cookie cutter (Wilton makes a darling 12 piece mini Halloween cookie cutter set that would be perfect) to cut out tiny pumpkins of dough and place them on top of your pie.

You could also serve this with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, pudding or custard that you'd tinted black, green or purple for an extra spooky touch that kids (and the young at heart) will definitely enjoy.

Another idea would be to turn this pie into individual sized pies or tarts and dust some Halloween sprinkles (again - and I swear this is not product placement, they just make awesome holiday themed items - such as those from Wilton) over each one.

If you're going for a more elegant take on pumpkin pie, I'm quite fond of it dished up with gently warmed dulce de leche drizzled all over each slice, the creamy sauce combining with the sweetly spiced filling for forkful after forkful of caramel apple meets pumpkin pie taste bud heaven.

Whether you bust out the pie plate today or hold off until Thanksgiving to whip up this scrumptious favourite, I hope you'll join me in creating at least one of these beautiful, seasonal treats this year, as - in my opinion - autumn just isn't the same without a slice or two of classic pumpkin pie!

Welcoming harvest season with Cornpatch Meat Balls

There's a radiant, immensely beautiful quality to the light that accompanies these last precious days of August. It glistens like freshly polished gold and envelopes one mind, body and soul, comforting like a warm bath and instilling serenity like the stillest of ponds. When the light takes on this hearty, elegant quality, I am often reminded of childhood days spent at my maternal grandparents' house when I was a little girl, as their backyard corn harvest neared picking time.

Amongst the tomatoes, cucumbers, and grape trees, to the right of my grandma's trusty wash line stood a patch of corn, swaying like starry-eyed teenagers at a school dance, in the breeze that seemed to travel across the towns from the Pacific ocean and land in their humble little Haney yard.

Every year, without fail, when the corn was ready to be picked and enjoyed, we head over to grandma and grandpa's for an afternoon of harvesting and an evening of roasting, a tall bonfire cracking away, and that sublime August heat accompanying every sweet, crunchy, butter drenched bite of corn on the cob.

My grandfather passed away when I was just six years old, effectively putting an end to this lovely annual tradition, which I'm grateful that I got to experience (and can clearly remember) a few times in my life. No doubt influenced by those formative years, whenever August draws to a close, I find myself craving corn more so than at any other time of the year.

Thankfully, even if it doesn't come from my grandparents' backyard any more, there is still a lot of terrific fresh corn to be had in British Columbia, and one rarely has to go further than the nearest produce stand or grocery store to find some top-notch cobs. If you're area isn't famed for its corn, or if you're looking for a corn recipe that can be whipped on a moment's notice any time of the year, then you're in luck!

With a name that can't help but call to mind the changing of the seasons, Cornpatch Meat Balls are quick, filling, and a cinch to make. These tasty little morsels can be made with any ground meat (or a mixture of different meats) that you like (pork and beef are always wonderful together, but turkey or chicken would also be delicious) and have the added fun of being stuffed with tiny cubes of cheese, before being cooked and nestled down into a bed (so hence the "patch" part of this recipe's name) of canned corn.


 
{Perfect for a small family dinner or large crowd alike, this vintage recipe for Cornpatch Meat Balls can be made any time of the year, so long as you've got some canned on hand. Image via Curly-Wurly on Flickr. Click here for a larger version.}



I think this recipe sounds great as it is, but of course you could play around with the seasonings (curry powder instead of the chili would be a yummy idea), vegetables, or other ingredients however you like. If American cheese isn't your favourite, why not slip in tiny pieces of sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, melty provolone, or tangy Roquefort?

This great 1940s dish is pretty much a meal unto itself, though if you're looking to pad out diner further, a salad of fresh greens and mixed herbs in a light, zingy vinaigrette, or alternatively, slices of ripe watermelon or cantaloupe would be a terrific accompaniment.

Corn is a classic, much loved food and one that is as tied to the end of summer as that sublimely lovely golden sunlight, which just happens to share a hue with this excellent vegetable and always reminds me of those last few days of the season before school starts and the ebb and flow of autumn life returns once more.  All the more reason, I do believe, to enjoy as much of it right now as possible.

1950s Busy Day Baked Beans are terrific for the hecticness of September

✯ Day 244 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

While recipes (vintage or otherwise) generally appear on Chronically Vintage on Wednesdays, as yesterday post was all about (my cat) Stella's birthday, I bumped the usual food filled entry up a day. In fact, I think this ends up working out quite well because now we can launch the new month off on a tasty note.

Though it's definitely still more summer than autumn here in Toronto (despite - or perhaps because of! - the powerful storms we've been experiencing in this neck of the woods recently), my mind is already drifting to thoughts of hearty comfort foods with intoxicating aromas that haven't seen the light of day since the last snowfall.

It's scarcely a secret that September can be a hectic month - especially if you have little ones that are headed back to school, or if you've making a beeline for campus life yourself! Aside from academic related reasons, the ninth month of the year is often an action packed one because many other events (sports, Girl Guides or Boy Scouts, clubs, etc) start their new seasons now.

We're also beginning to think about the fall and winter holiday season ahead, digging out and reintroducing cold weather clothes into our wardrobes, raking leaves, possibly harvesting our gardens (and, for some, canning the bounty you've lovingly grown), and readying our homes and lives for the upcoming changing of the seasons.

September is rarely a month when I have time to simply stop and smell the roses (or pumpkins, as the case may be) and I know that many of you are in the same boat, so to help usher in September, today's classic 1952 recipe for Busy Day Beans is one that requires but a handful of ingredients and can be table-ready in no time at all.

{Fragrant, delicious Busy Day Beans are a 1950s staple that work just as well for harried folks today. Vintage recipe image via Curly-Wurly on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this great recipe.}

You can tweak this simple, delicious recipe to your heart's content. I, for one, would swap out the onion flakes for fresh onions, shallots or green onions (scallions) - sprinkling a handful of the later across the top of each serving before bringing it to the table.

Likewise you can  increase or decrease (or remove entirely) the mustard – why not use spicy, brown, or honey mustard instead, as well. Feel free to toss in any other vegetables (some diced boiled potatoes would be wonderful!) you like, or even cubes of meat (ham, bacon, stewing beef, etc) or tofu for added protein and stick-to-your-ribs filling power.

Ready in just 30 minutes, this speedy vintage one pot dish is the kind meal that's a welcome treat during this mile-a-minute month and well on all through the blustery days of autumn and winter.