Monday, September 17, 2012

Cooking on a Budget ~ 1940s Style

Little End of the Horn (Horn of plenty, that is)

Budgeting, saving, making do, being resourceful, this was the life of the average 1940s housewife.

Can you relate?

 I too have always lived a life of stretching every penny. (I pick up every penny I see on the ground, as a way of appreciating all that God has given me. Growing up, we literally had to count every penny, and now things are not that tight. Thank you, Lord!)

I always appreciated the 1940s simple way of living because that was my own reality. I have come to love this way of living, and I believe that my life is actually richer because I have not always had everything that I want. That makes it easy to get excited about all the happy little pleasures life holds. And when bigger things come around, occasionally, they are that much more appreciated.

In celebrating the 1940s housewife way of life I thought it would be fun to share with you girls a few budget saving recipes for fall from my vintage cookbook: Quick & Easy Meals for two. (Of course, it is easy to make them for more than two.)

Menu
Bread-and-Cheese Casserole
Bacon
Green Salad
Concord Grapes

I have always loved a simple European meal of cheese, fresh fruit, and great bread. Here is an American version of that meal.

Bread-and Cheese Casserole
Mix 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese with 3 well-beaten eggs. Add 1-teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon prepared mustard. Remove crust from 4 slices bread (I personally would not remove the crust.) Cut each slice in 4 pieces. Spread the bread pieces generously with the cheese mixture. Open one 8-oz. can tomato sauce. Alternate layers of cheese-spread bread with tomato sauce in a quart casserole or 2 individual casseroles. Heap any extra cheese mixture on top. Cover with strips of cooked bacon broken into pieces. Bake in a slow oven, 300° F., 20 to 30 minutes. 

Top-of-range adaption: Make sandwiches of bread with cheese filling. Sauté on both sides in bacon drippings. Serve with hot tomato sauce and crisp bacon.

~~~♥~~~





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