5 summer into fall perfect vintage comfort food recipes

This past week has been a bit of a bumpy ride for me as a result of the routine medical procedure (mentioned here) that I had at the hospital last Monday. I have a follow-up doctor's appointment later this week to find out more about how it went and what the next course of action will be in regards to the particular chronic illness of mine that such was for, and that's weighing on my mind a fair bit at the moment.

I'm always an optimist though, and after fourteen years of being a multiple severe chronic illness fighter, I've been down similar - and much worse - paths many a time before, so I'm just thinking positively, hoping for the best, and reminding myself that anything can be tackled in one way or another.

Thankfully I've had our upcoming trip to Edmonton to help divert my thoughts from my health this month and that has been quite a blessing for sure. And this past weekend, I took a stab at answering the 40 Random Beauty Questions tag here, which was oodles of (distracting) fun as well.

Before delving further into today's post, I wholeheartedly want to thank all of you who have left caring blog comments and/or sent well wish filled emails my way in recent days. They truly mean so much to me.

While last week wasn't a ton of fun and this week won't likely be worlds better, I really am doing positively and can feel my body recovering more and more from last Monday's procedure with each passing day. Thus, I expect this week to be "life as usual" on all blogging fronts.

As we head into the final month of summer and the weather is starting to shift (we had, for example, some pounding rain and strong wind here last night that felt and sounded more like November, than August!), many of us are starting to rouse our ovens from hibernation and are thinking to hearty, delicious comfort foods once more.

Between the season and the fact that I'm in recovery mode right now on the health front, comfort foods are definitely on my mind as we kick off the second to last week of August. As such, I wanted to share a fun little selection of five different mid-century vintage comfort food dishes I've come across lately online that all fit that bill for me.

Of course what constitutes a comfort food will differ for each of us and there are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of recipes that I'd put under that header myself.

These five have common elements that are often seen as being part and parcel for a comfort dish (such as simmering, baking, or fragrant, inviting aromas), and as they suit the tail end of summer and certainly all of the fall (and winter) awesomely, I thought that today would be a great time to share them here with all of you.



1. Bold, flavourful, and a cinch to multiple as many times over as you need, Chili con Carne is a fabulous dish that, arguably, tastes even better a day or two after it was made. If you're not a meat eater or simply prefer your chili without the carne, ditch it and up the quantity of beans (or a vegetarian/vegan ground meat substitute) instead.

This particular chili recipe calls for Campbell’s Tomato Soup, but of course it can be made with tomato sauce or even simmered (diced) stewed tomatoes instead, if you’d prefer.

Though not overly traditional, I'm also partial to adding some sweet bell pepper to my chilli as well. And on the toppings front, sour cream and a sharp cheddar or Monetary Jack cheese are musts for me. It's hard to go wrong, too, with a hefty slab of corn bread served up on the side.



2. One of the very first things that I rush head first for the moment we start to get even the tiniest hint that fall is on its way again, is pumpkin (canned, fresh and frozen alike). Each year I make up at least one or two classic spiced pumpkin cakes or batches of cupcakes (on top of other pumpkin standards like pie, muffins, and soup) and they have become a lovely family tradition around our home (we always invite my folks 'round to tuck into such with us).

This delightful Pumpkin Cake recipe from 1948 is somewhat similar to the (albeit it GF and EF) version that I make, though I add more spices, including a couple teaspoons of cinnamon, and frost mine with a rich cream cheese icing.

Pumpkin Cake is an awesome, beautifully scented dessert and one that I find compliments nearly any autumn time meal to a tee.




3. Another fabulous vintage dish that lends itself to being multiplied is the classic Swedish Meatball. Easily, made, too, if so desired with alternative ground meats such as turkey, chicken, or (lean) pork, Swedish Meatballs are great as appetizers, starters, or as the heart of a meal itself.

If opting for the latter, they're especially nice served on a bed of hot buttered rice, noodles, (cooked) spaghetti squash, or fluffy mashed potatoes. They also freeze wonderfully, which makes them a great choice for busy fall evenings when you might not have time to prepare dinner from scratch.



4. There's just something about the scent of bread baking that fills the soul with comfort and happiness. It's almost a primal feeling for many of us, as we knowing that this glorious smell has indicated that nourishing subsistence was coming humanity's way for thousands of years now.

Today’s bread recipe isn't quite that ancient, but it is a few decades old and calls for the inclusion of a hearty breakfast cereal that dates all the way back to 1897.

This quick, easy and delicious recipe for Grape-Nut Bread is a wonderful a base for savoury or sweet toppings alike, and is wonderful enjoyed on its own, too - perhaps with a steaming mug of pumpkin spice latte, spiced apple cider, or hot cocoa.



5. As touched on a time or two before here over the years (such as in this 2014's vintage recipe post for Honey Pound Cake - itself a marvelous yesteryear comfort food), I know that raisins aren't exactly everyone's cup of tea.

If, however, like me, you flip for them, then this recipe for a classic - and, IMO, far too infrequently seen these days - Raisin Pie is bound to have you swooning up a storm.

I love raisin pie so much, I'd say it's in my top ten (or perhaps even top five) favourite pies of all-time. Sometimes I'll make it with a mix of regular raisins (like those here) and golden sultans, too, and frequently dish slices of this awesome pie up with a generous scoop of vanilla, butterscotch ripple, or cinnamon ice cream.



{To learn more about a specific vintage recipe image used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Though you could of course serve all five of these dishes together as part of one big meal, you certainly do not have to in the slightest (aka, this list isn't a menu plan per se, just a fun assortment of lovely, stick-to-your ribs mid-century foods).

Each of them shines on its own and can usually be modified/adapted to suit your tastes and/or dietary needs, as required (save perhaps if you need to make the Grape-Nut Bread GF, as Grape-Nuts themselves contain scads of gluten; in that case, I'd probably make a similar style of GF bread using real chopped nuts and/or a similar style of gluten-free breakfast cereal, such as Crunchy Flax from the brand Enjoy Life, instead).

Over the years I've shared quite a few other vintage comfort food posts here as well. So definitely check out the vintage recipes section for scads more ideas on that front, if you are looking to put together a larger meal, dinner party, or holiday feast, or would simply like some further old school culinary inspiration.

While the past few days haven't been the best ever for me, it's wonderful to have so many things in my life - from the gift of sweet online friends to our upcoming travels to the fact that fall is just around the corner - to help keep my spirits up, no matter what the universe throws my way.

When the seasons start to change hands once more and a familiar nip returns to the air, what are some of your favourite - vintage or contemporary - comfort foods to whip up for these gorgeous, all-too-short days of summer into autumn?

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! :)

Cozy up to fall with this delicious 1950s seven-layer casserole recipe

As much as part of me still yearns powerfully for summer's grandiose warmth that so rapaciously steals our hearts and sends us running straight for the nearest beach, meadow of wildflowers or azure hued pool to linger longer, that ship has sailed and in its place now docks autumn, complete with its own distinct appeal.

Undoubtedly one of the perks of the third season of the year is its menu. From the first sublimely succulent pear to the very last pumpkin, chilled from pale frost, and destined to be into a silken, scrumptious soup, this time of the year speaks to the gastronome in all of us, soothing and filling with a bounty and repertoire unlike any other.

{Image source}

One of my first school memories as a youngster that I can recall with a substantial degree of clarity is of a potluck that was held in the school gym when I was in grade one. It was an evening event and was open to students of all grades (which back in those days, meant kindergarten through to grade seven) and their families, many of who added dishes to the long rows of tables. Already a budding foodie (though that term scarcely existed back then), I well recall the way that upon walking into the gym, decorated with hand print paper turkeys, streamers, and autumn foliage centerpieces, the entire place smelled, headily and deliciously of both corn and casseroles.

Though each of these foods were already long established elements of the season, right then and there, they cemented themselves even further as part of autumn in my books and on my table. As such, when I spotted today's delightful 1950s 7-layer casserole recipe, one layer of which is corn, a few months ago, I knew that I had to share here in honour of the long ago memory as soon as the mercury really started to plummet.



{Rice, corn, tomato sauce, ground beef, onions, green peppers, and bacon call this vibrantly hued vintage seven-layer casserole recipe home and add up to one mighty lovely cold weather dish. Image via the fantastic, imaged filled blog Hey, My Mom Used To Make That!}


One thing that I especially love about this great mid-century recipe from Hunt's Tomatoes is that it's inherently gluten-free (assuming you use gluten-free bacon, which most brands are). No forgoing ingredients or swapping in one food for another here, no siree! Aside from the fact that I need to use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef (it bothers one of my GI conditions something fierce), I'm good to go - quite the rarity for me with any recipe, be it vintage or modern.

Fear not, too, all my lovely vegetarian and vegan friends, you can easily skip the ground beef or replace it with your favourite meat substitute crumble, mashed potatoes, a second layer of onions, cooked squash, lightly fried eggplant or zucchini, or anything else your heart desires. It doesn't need the bacon either, and again a meat-free version can be used, or you can top this tasty casserole with cheese, vegan cheese, bread crumbs, fresh herbs , or broken up pieces of pretzels, which deliver simple hit of salt and crunch as bacon would.

As with most casseroles, there is a lot of leeway here and I almost never make it precisely the same way twice. Sometimes I tuck in some green beans, others black olives, and every now and then, even little squeaky, creamy balls of bocconcini cheese. I usually play around with the seasonings, too, introducing things such as garlic powder, paprika, and/or seasoning salt, plus some fresh parsley, chives, basil, scallions, chervil, or dried oregano.

Though there have certainly been others since that memorable one back in the first grade, quite a while since has passed since I last attended a potluck. Where I to be invited to one right now, in the middle of fall, this is the dish I would most likely bring. It serves many hungry dinner guests, is incredibly easy to make, doesn't cost a huge fortunate, and the leftovers - though I doubt they'd be any - keep really well for up to four days afterwards in the fridge or can even be frozen for a few months.

Summer is long gone and winter looms near, but before the jingling bells and snowman lined streets of December return again, and certainly once they have, it's time to whip out our trusty casserole dishes and slide many a mid-century approved recipes like this wonderful, stick-to-your-ribs seven-layer casserole into the oven. The nostalgia inducing smell and timeless warmth they imbue one's kitchen with alone make doing so more than worth it!

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.