Monky-Faced Cookies from 1943

So sorry for neglecting my blog! I'll make it up to you in the next several posts — I recently bought the Betty Crocker "Your Share" cook book off of eBay. It is from 1943 and simply marvelous! It's a little paperback book with 52 menus, 226 recipes, and 369 hints. Chock full of rationing information — even tips for party menus and "wedding refreshments at war time". I'll be posting some of the recipes over the next few posts. If you try them, please let me know how they turned out! :)

Monkey-Faced Cookies

Cream 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening with 1 cup brown sugar.

Sift together 2 1/2 cups sifted Gold Medal flour, 1 teaspoon soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Add alternately with 1/2 cup molasses mixed with 1/2 cup rich sour milk. Blend in 1 teaspoon vinegar.

Drop by teaspoon on greased baking sheet. Place 3 raisins or bits of citron on each for eyes and mouth. Bake 10 to 15 minutes in moderate oven (350 degrees). Makes about 3 dozen.

Vintage Recipe: Sugar Cookies

Here is the second Christmas cookie recipe from the December 1949 issue of Women's Day.

Sugar Cookies

Costs 34 cents

Yields 2 1/2 dozen

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, grade B

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Confectioners’ sugar icing

silver shot

citron

Cream shortening; add sugar, flavoring, and eggs one at a time; beat until light. Add sifted dry ingredients; mix well. Chill for 2 hours. roll thin and cut with floured Christmas tree cutter or other fancy cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheets in hot oven, 400 degrees F., about 10 minutes. Cool on racks; decorate with icing, silver shot and bits of citron or other candied fruit.

Vintage Christmas Recipe: Crisp Ginger Cookies

As promised, here is a cookie recipe from the December 1949 issue of Woman's Day magazine.

If I had a scanner I would post the whole magazine! Sadly, I do not. So here is recipe 1 of 52 vintage cookie recipes from the article "The Cookie Jar" by Glenna McGinnis.

Crisp Ginger Cookies

(Costs 30 cents)

Yields 2 1/2 dozen

1 cup molasses

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups sifted flour

2 to 3 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon [baking] soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar icing

Cinnamon drops

Heat molasses and pour over shortening; add sifted dry ingredients; mix well. Chill overnight. Roll very thin on floured board; cut with Santa cookie cutter or other fancy cutter. Put on greased baking sheets and bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees F., for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks. When cold, outline cookies with icing; 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar, mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Put in small pastry bag or a frosting gun. Decorate with cinnamon drops.

Christmas time is coming!!

Ok, not to rush things, but I LOOOOVE Christmas!! It's my favorite time of the year. So I thought I would blog about a few of the things I do to make my Christmas a little more vintage.

I like to tie candy canes on my presents for friends, or put them on their Christmas cards. To me there is something nostalgic about a candy cane. I like to use Spangler Candy Canes. (The Spangler company started in 1906).

Sending out Christmas cards. Sometimes I wonder if Christmas cards will become a thing of the past. I work at Hallmark, and I've already had someone tell me that they refuse to send them out because of postage. I understand, but sitting down and writing out Christmas cards — even if it's just to your close friends — puts you in a Christmas mood. Here is a website where you can buy reproduction vintage cards.

Putting money in the Salvation Army bucket. It goes to a good cause, and you have to admit — you feel good putting it in and being wished a "Merry Christmas". That bell has been ringing since 1901. It's featured in the opening scene of "Holiday Inn" with Fred Astair. Dropping your spare change in their red kettle is such an easy way to be a blessing this holiday season. You can read the complete store about the red kettle here.

Baking Christmas cookies. Put on some swingin' Christmas music, and tie on an apron! It's especially fun if you do it with a friend or family member. Christmas cookies also make nice gifts. My mom used to tell me how baking Christmas cookies was such a big deal when she was little. Her mother used to make tons of them and store them in tins in the bedroom — because it was one of the cold rooms and it kept the cookies fresh. And when company came over, my grandma would bring out Christmas cookies, and also send some home with the guests. I'm going to try and post some cookie recipes from my vintage magazines.

Foil wrapping paper. It's classic. It's also hard to find. Hallmark does have a style of wrapping paper this year that is somewhat close to foil. It has deep gold, cranberry, and green stripes with large snowflakes printed randomly. It's not the real thing, but it's close. There are other papers and gift bags in that line that have a 60's feel.

I know that some of these things aren't necessarily authentic "vintage", but they add nostalgia and whimsy to the holiday for me. Stopping to write cards or bake cookies with my mom — it's a pause in the hectic way Christmas has become. It's a little "homemade" in the "store bought" world. It's memories that will stick with me when the materialistic things fade.