Summer get-together perfect 1950s 7-Layer Casserole

Now, I'm the first to say that the words "summertime" and "casserole" are not always one that I instantly group together, but there's a very practical side to large, substantial dishes of the casserole variety during the sunny, sizzling hot months of the beautiful season that we now find ourselves in again (huge "yay" about that point!).

First and foremost, unless you're serving a large crowd or making a very small quantity of food, most casseroles will last for at least a couple of meals, meaning that you don't need to heat up the oven two (or more) days in a row. Many are also fantastic served cold, perhaps with a fresh salad, some lightly steamed veggies, or something such as corn on the cob that you whipped up on the grill.

They're also great for summertime barbeques, picnics, and other such get-togethers where you're feeding a hungry crowd who are keen on something both visually appealing and taste bud pleasing, to boot.

As well, you don't need to go in for the richest, heaviest, most starchy casserole ever invented either. Leaning heavily on vegetables and/or lighter protein sources (chicken, turkey, lean ham, shrimp, etc) can really help to make a casserole into an excellent warm weather meal choice.

Today's example hails from a 1950s Hunt's Tomato sauce ad and is pretty as a picture!



{Hearty, but not per say heavy, this delightful mid-century 7-Layer Casserole makes for a splendid summertime dish, especially if you're planning, or attending, a group get-together and want to feed a hungry crowd. Vintage recipe image source. Click here for a larger version of this recipe.}


Relatively budget friendly (especially considering how many servings it yields), vibrantly attractive, and downright delicious sounding, this great 1950s 7-Layer Casserole can be altered as desired. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you can skip both meats and use a vegan ground meat and bacon substitute here instead or simply forgo them entirely, perhaps adding in two more layers of other veggies that you enjoy (black olives, for example, would be great here, IMO).

There isn't too much in the way of seasoning here, so I'd definitely introduce some. Basil, oregano, (fresh) parsley, chives, chervil, paprika, and chili powder, flakes or fresh chillies would all be great ways to inject even more flavour into the mix. You could certainly also top it with some bread crumbs, crumbled crackers or pretzels, French’s onions, slivered almonds, and/or cheese, if the mood strikes.

So much of the beauty and appeal of casseroles lies in their versatility, as well as their classic standing on dinner tables the world over. The fact that many freeze marvelously well, doesn't help either - especially, again, when the temps are off-the-charts warm and you not, in the slightest, in the mood to cook from scratch.

As we embrace summertime, I hope that this season will give you many awesome opportunities to celebrate with your favourite foods, perhaps even including a classic 7-layer casserole or two like the one featured here today. I'm already planning a version of it that I can safely eat for some of our family events in the coming months.

Wishing you all a stellar first weekend of the season and a truly incredible, fun filled summer ahead!

Celebrate the unofficial start of summer with vintage Cherry Top-Notch Pie

Today is the lead into a long weekend here in Canada, as we gear up to celebrate Victoria Day on Monday, which many in this country see as the unofficial start of summer.

Goodness knows I'm ready for such and am so excited to welcome the warmest chapter of the year back into my life again. It's a great time, not only for its own wealth of merits, but because of all of the fun, exciting events and every day pleasures alike that it houses.

From mine and Tony's birthdays to Canada Day, picnics to star gazing session atop the lofty hills that flank our town, summer will keep me on my toes and in high spirits from start to finish.

With summer champing at the bit, my mind has already turned the lush abundance of fresh produce and other seasonal fare that will call the season home. I've talked before here about how integral cherries are to the local economy, as well as the reputation, of the Okanagan Valley where we live, in addition to the plethora of memories this instantly evoke for me.

Cherries, much like peaches, are summer in fruit form around these parts and nary a roadside stand, grocery store, or farmer's market is devoid of them between (roughly) late June and the end of August (with July often being peak cherry season).

I love the fact that cherries, one of the reddest hued fruits of all, are usually out when Canada Day rolls around on July 1st. Given that our national colours are red and white, foods of the crimson variety are always a welcome treat on any festive table - just as they are for this coming holiday weekend.

It's scarcely a secret, too, that cherries are evocative of the mid-twentieth century and their use - both in decor and fashion - is legendary from the time period.

Naturally, being such a beloved fruit, they often appeared in dishes of the day, too from trendy concoctions to timeless classics. In the later camp, one finds that perpetual warm weather favourite,  cherry pie, and the 1950s recipe below looks like a real winner when it come to this marvelous dessert.






{Beautiful look and sink your teeth into alike, cherry pie is a warm weather standby that is both delicious and nostalgic at the same time. It's vibrant interior colour also makes it a fabulous choice for Canada Day and the 4th of July alike. Vintage recipe ad image source.}


Whether you opt for fresh, frozen, or canned fruit when baking, cherry pie is hard to beat and if you've never tried making one from scratch, I can't recommend doing highly enough.

For a fun twist on things, try making a chocolate or cinnamon crust instead of the standard plain variety. With a generous dollop of whipped cream, a chocolate crust filled with juicy, sweet-tart cherries and their silky juices instantly becomes redolent of another long standing favourite the world over: Black Forest Cake.

You can also add in some other spring/summertime fruit, if you have any to hand, such as - but certainly not limited to - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, and even (trust me on this one, it's surprisingly good!) grapes.

As I always like to say with vintage dishes that call for it, if shortening isn't your cup of yesteryear tea, by all means ditch it and use butter, margarine, or your favourite vegan cooking fat substitute instead.

A good cherry pie is a thing of culinary beauty and needs little, if anything, to enhance it. However, during the dog days that lay ahead, it never hurts to dish thick slices of this timeless dessert up with some vanilla, chocolate, berry, caramel, peach, lemon, orange, or even mocha ice cream for a treat that will never go out of style or fail to win rave reviews - much like summertime itself!

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.

There really were 57 varieties of Heinz products!

✯ Day 241 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

As someone with a melting pot of origins comprising my ancestry, one of my favourite ways for years now to describe my genealogical background is to say that I'm a "Heinz 57 of European nationalities".

Of the I've been able to conclusively determine through my genealogical research there's British, French (and French Canadian), German, Russian, Prussian, Polish, and (wayyyyy back) Danish. I don’t for a second that others are whirling around in the mix, too.

Many of us have similar backgrounds, made up of ancestors who hailed from various corners of the world, so it comes as to surprise that when I use this term, others have been quick to eagerly adopt it for their own use. I don't mind in the least, and encourage you to do the same, if you'd like.

The term "Heinz 57", which appears on many Heinz products to this day, is often used to describe a diverse and/or large group of varying items. For example, you could say, "The buffet at Sally's party was a real Heinz 57 of dishes", or, "My wardrobe is so eclectic, it's a Heinz 57 of styles", and folks would instantly understand that you were describing a mixed bag of items, people, situations or what have you.

The origins of this expression lie in a slogan that the famous food manufacturing company used in it early days: "Heinz 57 Varieties of Pure Food Products".

Company legend has it that "57" was chosen because the numbers five and seven were of particular significance to Henry John Heinz, founder of the brand. While the company was actually manufacturing more than 60 different products at the time, Heinz like the ring that 57 had to it and opted to use that number as part of his company’s marketing campaign and branding.

{Vintage Heinz 57 advertising publication, from 1909, via Wikipedia.}

 

Heinz products have been on shelves for over a hundred years now and their logo is one of the most recognizable in the world. As such, I started wondering one day, just what were some of the products that made up the yesteryear list of 57 Heinz varieties?

If we hop back in time to the 1930s, the following is a list of 57 products that Heinz produced. Many are long gone (despite the more than 5,7000 items the company now produces worldwide), but other classics - like pork and beans, dill pickles, cider vinegar, chilli sauce, and ketchup are still going strong.

 

57 Heinz products from the 1930s

 

1. Heinz Oven-Baked Beans with Pork and Tomato Sauce

2. Heinz Oven-Baked Beans without Tomato Sauce, with Pork--Boston Style

3. Heinz Oven-baked Beans in Tomato Sauce without Meat—Vegetarian

4. Heinz Oven-Baked Red Kidney Beans

5. Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup

6. Heinz Cream of Green Pea Soup

7. Heinz Cream of Celery Soup

8. Heinz Mince Meat

9. Heinz Plum Pudding

10. Heinz Fig Pudding

11. Heinz Peanut Butter

12. Missing from list

13. Heinz Cooked Sour Kraut with Pork

14. Heinz Cherry Preserves

15. Heinz Red Raspberry Preserves

16. Heinz Peach Preserves

17. Heinz Strawberry Preserves

18. Heinz Pineapple Preserves

19. Heinz Crab-apple Jelly

20. Heinz Currant Jelly

21. Heinz Grape Jelly

22. Heinz Quince Jelly

23. Heinz Apple Butter

24. Heinz Preserved Sweet Gherkins

25. Heinz Preserved Sweet Mixed Pickles

26. Heinz Sour Spiced Gherkins

27. Heinz Sour Mixed Pickles

28. Heinz Chow Chow Pickle

29. Heinz Sweet Mustard Pickle

30. Heinz Dill Pickles

31. Heinz Fresh Cucumber Pickle

32. Heinz Fresh Cucumber Relish

33. Heinz India Relish 34. Heinz Sandwich Relish

35. Heinz Soup Pickled Onions

36. Heinz Preserved Sweet Onions

37. Heinz Spanish Queen Olives

38. Heinz Stuffed Spanish Olives

39. Heinz Ripe Olives

40. Heinz Pure Spanish Olive Oil

41. Heinz Tomato Ketchup

42. Heinz Chili Sauce

43. Heinz Beefsteak Sauce

44. Heinz Pepper Sauce, Red and Green

45. Heinz Worcestershire Sauce

46. Heinz Prepared Mustard

47. Heinz Prepared Mustard Sauce

48. Heinz Evaporated Horseradish

49. Heinz Salad Cream

50. Heinz Mayonnaise Salad Dressing

51. Heinz Pure Malt Vinegar 52. Heinz Pure Cider Vinegar

53. Heinz Distilled White Vinegar 54. Heinz Tarragon Vinegar

55. Heinz Rice Flakes

56. Heinz Breakfast Wheat

57. Heinz Tomato Juice"

(Take from from the Heinz Book of Salads, 1930. Online version of list from the Food Timeline.)

 

The etymology of words and phrases has always fascinated me. I love finding out where folklore ends and the truth begins (or vice versa!). It's lovely to know that Heinz really did have 57 products to back up their slogan back in the early decades of the twenty-first century - and can't help but wish they still manufactured a few of these (how delicious do Quince Jelly and Pineapple Preserves sound?).

Whether you consider yourself a Heinz 57 of different nationalities, are a "purebred pup" like my 100% Italian husband, or fall somewhere in between, chances are you've heard of the expression "Heinz 57" before.

Now, as  beloved radio broadcaster Paul Harvey would have said, you know the rest of the story behind this classic expression and the brand that spawned its usage.

I, for one, am off to go find some quince jelly!

1940s Lemon Blossom Cake is the perfect garden party fare

✯ Day 145 of Vintage 365 ✯

Few colours call to mind spring's glorious beauty like cheerfully pretty sunshine yellow. It's a hue found on everything from baby chicks to daffodils, freshly churned butter to rows of cupped, gorgeous tulips at this fine time of year.
Just as few colours are as redolent of spring as chipper yellow, so too are few flavours better suited to this season as lemon. This immortally timeless fruit has a crisp tanginess that lends itself splendidly to everything from hollandaise sauce to seafood risottos, and which works especially well in desserts.
Think fruit tarts, meringue pies, bar cookies, ice cream and sorbets, even candy (lemon drops, for example) - all can be jazzed up by the inclusion for a little lemon juice, peel, fruit slices, or extract. All of these sweet treats certainly shine when lemon is involved, but we couldn't possible chat about citrus desserts without mentioning lemon cake.
Light, airy-as-a-puffy-cloud layers of white cake paired with lemon frosting is a dish worth of special occasions and everyday meals alike. The recipe below is a vintage gem that sounds positively delicious and well suited to festive spring tables of all sorts.



{This classic and utterly delicious sounding Swans Down Flour Lemon Blossom cake comes by way of Look Homeward, Harlot on Flickr. Click here for a larger version of this appealing citrus cake recipe.}

The moment I first read this lovely Lemon Blossom Cake recipe, I was struck by what a perfect dessert it would make for a garden party table. You could serve it on a plate surrounded by sugared (edible) flowers (such as food grade violets or rose petals) or slices of preserved or candied lemon, generous wedges cut for each of your guests to savour.
If lemon is one of those tastes that you instantly associate with spring or summer too, why not bake up this scrumptious 1950s double layer cake for your next party, bridal/baby shower, or Sunday night dessert?

Vintage 365: A&P ad for Marvel bread makes me long for the golden days of advertising

✯ Day 8 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

In this world where it seems that technology becomes out-dated before it even reach store shelves, and consumers are bombarded with ever flashier commercials for a million things we actually don’t need to get by, it can be nothing short of heartwarmingly special to look at vintage ads and let feelings of nostalgia for simpler, better time flow over you.

I saw this classic 1940s A&P supermarket ad featuring Marvel Bread a couple of days ago (on Lushie Peach’s Flickr stream) and couldn’t shake it from my mind. While it’s certainly charming (and there's no denying that gal's hat is fabulous!), it wasn’t the image, font or design that drew me to so much as the message in the text that encourages shoppers not to be “bread squeezers” (in other words, don not squeeze loaves of bread to determine if they’re still fresh).

It’s so incredibly easy to take for granted the fact that seemingly commonplace things like having best before dates on much of the food we buy, were once novel concepts - even as recently as a few decades ago. In vintage ads like this I find much to be grateful for and also much to wish was different about today's world. They make be long for a time I never actually in lived firsthand, but feel as though I truly belonged to. Where women always looked elegant, even when grabbing a few groceries, and the idea of having a best-by date on bread was a cool new concept :)

You’re invited to vintage Sunday brunch

There’s an inherent, comforting beauty to Sunday mornings, tied as they are to images and memories of serenity, relaxation, and personal reflection. Perhaps no other day of the week is so ideally suited to a large, leisurely consumed meal than Sunday, which explains why brunch – a mash-up of both breakfast and lunch – has long gone hand-in-hand with the seventh day.

Having been unable to add a new edition of either Wonderful Wednesday Recipes or Saturday Snapshots this week, I thought it would be oodles of fun to merge elements of both of those posts into one, and invite you all to a marvellous Sunday brunch!

Unfortunately, it’s not possible for you to pop over to my home for a tasty meal, but we are able to gather together here and enjoy an imaginary brunch, comprised of vintage images of some of the most iconic foods and dishes one might have found at a good sized brunch spread during the mid-twentieth century.

Whether you’re in the mood for simple fare like juice and eggs, or your taste buds are yearning for something more elaborate, this spread is sure to satisfy one and all alike.

Please, pull up a chair, let the week’s worries disappear from your mind for a while, and nosh with me on a scrumptious feast of vintage brunch foods.

♥ ♥ ♥



{Before finalizing the menu for our delightful brunch (were it a being held as a "real world" event), I would have turned to engaging vintage recipe sources, such as this 1936 copy of Recipe of the Month Magazine, with its immensely cheerful breakfast bedecked cover.}



{What respectable brunch table would be even remotely complete without a freshly squeezed (or stirred, should the OJ be of the frozen variety, such as the Florida juice being promoted in this 1956 ad) pitcher of vitamin C loaded orange juice?}



{Something about the classic childhood fairytale of Jack and the Beanstalk portrayed in this charming 1950s ad (where it’s now morphed into Jack and the Grapevine) made me smile, and thus Welch’s grape juice was added to our selection of brunch beverages.}



{Many vintage cookbooks and magazines I’ve read were super keen on featuring tomato juice as part of one’s breakfast menu, and really, why not? It can be served hot, cold or at room temperature, pairs well with everything from hash brown potatoes to scrambled eggs, and is one of the lowest calorie juices around.}



{While there will, of course, be plenty of fresh milk (and cream) on hand (delivered via the milkman, naturally), what vintage meal would be complete without Carnation evaporated milk, either as a drink or used in one of our yummy recipes? (One can’t but wonder if this shot of a young fellow with milk on his upper lip constitutes the original “Got Milk” ad? ;D}



{For those who prefer a warm beverage before, during, or after their meal, a lovely selection of teas will be available, which you’re entirely welcome to enjoy al fresco, as the fine folks in this beautiful vintage King Cole Tea ad were doing.}



{If you’re still semi-asleep until your first sip of java, fear not, our brunch includes this almost whimsically named brand of coffee (Nob Hill), to help perk you right up!}



{This playful vintage French ad expresses a concept that was often used in culinary literature of the time: grapefruit was the answer for those who pondered how to stay both trim and full at the same time. However, you certainly don’t have to be counting every last calorie to enjoy one of the most classic breakfast fruits of all time – complete with an adorable maraschino cherry on top.}



{Dainty scopes of mint ice cream sit atop the fancy fruit salads on today’s menu, for a meal as a special as brunch definitely deserves to include a dessert treat to help liven up a commonplace dish like fruit salad.}



{From pancakes to waffles, drizzled over oatmeal or used a descendant touch on a bacon sandwich (as in this ad), a large bottle or two of maple syrup is a must at the breakfast – or bunch - table.}



{Light and fluffy baking powder biscuits (which we always fondly called “cloud biscuits” when I was growing up) are often a cornerstone of brunch. They pair perfectly with syrup, jam, marmalade and preserves, or alternatively, can be used to help mop up the sauce or juices from other dishes (they’re also terrific paired with gravy, if you’re in the mood for some Southern inspired cooking).}



{That great new invention everyone keeps coming other innovations to will certainly be present at our AM smorgasbord. We’ll put sliced bread to use as both regular and French toast alike, as well perhaps as some lovely little finger sandwiches for those who are craving lunchtime foods.}



{One of my favourite breakfast staples has to be jam, and while there’s no topping homemade varieties, store bought jams, jellies and preserves, such as these from A&P, are certainly a wonderful sweet treat to serve with any brunch.}



{Two fantastic breakfast foods team up in this cheerful 1950s ad for Py-O-My products, which featured mixes for blueberry muffins and coffee cake (yum and double yum!).}



{I’ve always been a big time cereal fan, and used to delight at the rare opportunity, when as a youngster, a package of assorted breakfast cereals would appear at our table. For those guests who also love to select from an array, we’ll definitely have a classic mix of cereals in adorable individual portion sized boxes, such as these from Post.}



{Sweet, juicy, and versatile, apple sauce is a marvellous invention and certainly one of my favourite ways to enjoy fruit. Here it pairs up with pancakes, strawberries and breakfast sausages, three other foods that will certainly be at our brunch buffet.}



{There’s little denying the shortening was used somewhat rather more prolifically during the mid-twentieth century than it is today, there’s also no skirting the fact that it does make for a wonderful cooking fat when you want to whip up a homemade batch of doughnuts, such as these golden little bundles of doughy goodness.}



{Long before Spam was the word given to the online equivalent of junk mail, it was (and still is) a popular brand of canned meat, which could be put to good use at any meal of the day – including brunch. In this 1940s ad its paired with waffles oozing with maple syrup and a generous sized pat of butter, for a meal that delivers both salty and sweet tastes to anyone partaking of it.}



{Rich and creamy, filling and utterly delicious, when done just right, few brunch dishes can top a plate of eggs Benedict, with their English muffin bottom, warm poached egg centre, and coat of pale sunshine yellow hollandaise sauce.}



{Last but certainly not least, this image shows a sample of just some of the dishes (including baked apples) that have helped to make our vintage brunch such a roaring success, laid out prettily on a turquoise table with darling pink dishware.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}

♥ ♥ ♥


Ohhh, I’m so stuffed, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat until next Sunday! Brunch has always been a favourite meal of mine, even more so from the perspective of cook (than guest), for it gives me the perfect excuse to combine a myriad of different dishes into one meal. It also allows me to use a tad more cream, a pinch of vanilla sugar, the choicest berries – anything that’s a little opulent and entirely delicious, in the name of "we don’t do this every day" style cooking.

What draws you to brunch? Are you a fan or cooking or eating it (or both)? Do you have any treasured recipes that have become your signature brunch dishes?

While I don’t get to prepare a full brunch spread all that often, when I do I always love to surround myself with the foods and people who bring me the most joy, and that, dearest friends, most certainly includes all of you. Which is entirely why I wanted to invite you to share a leisurely (imaginary) meal with me on this crisp, gorgeously sunny May morning. I hope you had a wonderful time, I know I can hardly wait to do it again sometime! :)