Tag: Pyrex

Swiss Cheese Braid

Swiss Cheese Braid

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from Bake-Off Cook Book from Pillsbury 100 prize winning recipes from the 22nd Bake Off (1971)

About the Recipe

Wow oh wow were these loaves a hit! The beer combined with an abundance of yeast made what sounds like a heavy recipe, in actuality light, fluffy loaves of bread.

A few quick notes on some changes that I made that seemed to work well:

  • I used my KitchenAid mixer to do 90% of the mixing. I used the regular beater for the initial mix of the yeast into the first two cups of flour, than switched to the dough hook on the “Stir” setting while I added the additional flour. Once the dough was fairly set, I did a minute or so by hand to check the elasticity and texture of the dough.
  • I have a new obsession with Everything Bagel seasoning, and I just can’t resist the urge to throw it on a loaf of bread, especially when there are 2 loaves to play with. That said – go with a sprinkle, not a heaping like I did and the loaf won’t pull apart quite so much during the bake.
  • I used Guinness beer, which comes in 11.4 oz. bottles and made up the rest of the liquid volume with water, which worked fine.
  • The only processed cheese I could find at the store was American, sliced, from the deli… which also worked fine, but I can’t help but wonder how a processed Swiss or Velveeta would have worked in this recipe.

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

I hate to say it, but there’s nothing spectacularly interesting about this book. It’s a good book with several recipes that look to be easy to create, but nothing out of the ordinary. It’s almost like the editors were in the process of puzzling about what comes next. And the next book is notable indeed…

About the glassware

I can’t tell you how I ended up with two loaf pans with green patterns on it, but there you are! The Spring Blossom was a gift from my father, and the Meadow Green came from a flea market. They’re wonderful pans, and always come perfectly clean.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 can (12 oz.) beer or 1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup warm water
2 T sugar
1 T salt
2 T butter or margarine
1 package (8 oz.) pasteurized process Swiss or American cheese, not natural cheese
5 cups flour
2 packages active dry yeast

Directions:

Generously grease bottom and sides of two 9×5-inch loaf pans.

In large saucepan, warm beer, water, sugar, salt, butter and cheese. (Cheese does not need to melt completely.) Cool to lukewarm (~220*F).

In large mixer bowl, combine 2 cups flour with yeast; add warm (not hot) cheese mixture. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in remaining 3 cups flour to make a fairly stiff dough.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.

Punch down dough; divide in half and shape into two 11×5-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 3 long strips, leaving strips joined at one end. Braid; place in prepared pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.

Bake at 350* for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pan immediately; cool completely.

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Betty Browns

Betty Browns

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 3 Comments

A Recipe from Bake-Off Cook Book From the 19th annual Bake Off (1968)

About the Recipe

Imagine brownies – but apple cinnamon flavored. That’s what you get with this yummy dessert. There’s not a ton of direction in this recipe, but I used the regular baking rules – cream the butter and sugar, add the egg, sift together dry ingredients, add dry to wet – and it seemed to work well.

I didn’t quite get the dry crumb in the picture. As a matter of fact, these are super moist. I would almost leave them in the pan and eat them like brownies rather than cutting them into bars in the future. I definitely agree with the note – having these warm with a small scoop of vanilla is delightful!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Year 19 of the Bake Off is notable as the divisions expanded from just junior and senior into something a little more “modern” – Flour, Convenience Mix, and Refrigerated Fresh Dough – representing “the latest trends in cooking methods, eating habits, and even tastes.” And representing for me personally increased challenge in finding the exact pre-fabricated ingredients being asked for in a lot of these recipes.

That said, these definitely start to skew toward a much simpler cook. This recipe I threw together in 10 minutes before it went into the oven. Lovely!

About the glassware

I don’t get to use this Pink Daisy Divided Dish enough! I got my hands on it pre-Mrs. Maisel, and thank goodness because it’s much harder to find now and I really love it.

And a side note – that’s my calico gal, Leia in the photo. Always trying to photo bomb…

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 cups thinly sliced or finely chopped peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except apples and nuts.** Mix in apples and nuts. Spread batter into greased 9″ square pan. Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into bars.

**Not in the original recipe, but follow normal baking rules: Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Sift together dry ingredients and add gradually to wet ingredients.

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Sweet Applets

Sweet Applets

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from From Pillsbury’s 15th Grand National – 100 NEW Bake-Off Recipes (1964)

About the Recipe

Just as every great banana bread recipe is mostly banana, this totally scrumptious take on an apple muffin is mostly apple. The result of the recipe and the insane amount of shredded apple is a super moist, tender crumb nestled under a slightly crunchy top. YUM! 10/10 this recipe is going right into breakfast rotation!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Yet again we’re getting a lovely progression of easy recipes that all look stunningly delicious. The ’60s are such a delightful time for home cooking. It’s like everyone decided to start to get adventurous at once. If anyone has any historical context for why this progression happened, I’d love to read more on it. #cookingnerd

About the glassware

I rarely get a chance to use my split-dishes, so it was fun to pull this out of the cupboard. In all truth, the cradle belongs to another dish, but I love the ultra-mod feel of it with these ’60s desserts. The dish itself is a Snack Server or Compass promotional dish from 1959. Is it possible that these Applets have been served in it before?!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c flour
2 t double-acting baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
1 egg
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 c pared, shredded apple
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Add sugar gradually to shortening, creaming well. Blend in the unbeaten egg; mix well.

Add milk alternately with dry ingredients. Stir in apple.

Fill well-greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400*F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool 10 minutes. Dip in melted butter, then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Serve warm or cold.

Potato Pan-Burger

Potato Pan-Burger

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 3 Comments

A Recipe from Pillsbury’s 13th Grand National Bake-Off Cookbook (1962)

About the Recipe

I have never in my life bought potato flakes – until this recipe came along. And I’ll admit, I’m kind of blown away by them. One minute you have these weird flakes in a box… BAM! Mashed potatoes. Life changing.

This is a great recipe, especially for a crowd. It’s like a busy person’s shepherd’s pie. I can see this being a kid-pleaser for sure with all of the meat and butter and potato-y goodness. It was super simple to make. The thing that took the longest was adding the potatoes a tablespoon at a time, but worth the effort to get something that kind of looked like a bun when it was spooned up.

My only adjustment to this is to maybe play with the spices a little bit, or have some common condiments on hand for a “make-your-own pan-burger” buffet.

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

The recipes seem to be getting better and better as we come up into the ’60’s. We’re still using butter and full fat milk, and the time saving substitutions haven’t moved too far into processed food yet. My favorite thing on this one is the absolutely gorgeous full color photos of the grand prize winners.

Really just stunning. And the little illustrations to go along with them are to die for. I can tell already that this is one I’ll come back to over and over again.

About the glassware

My husband found this Pyrex Snowflake Casserole dish at a flea market, where it had come straight from an estate sale. It was an absolute steal when I got it, barely used, in perfect condition. I have the lid that goes along with it, which I’ll make sure to feature in the future. It’s my husband’s favorite color (which I’m sure is why he grabbed it) and it’s such a great size for all of these big family-sized dishes.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c flour
1 T catsup
3/4 c beef broth
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c sour cream

Potato Puff Topping:
1 1/2 c water
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 c potato flakes
2 eggs
1 c flour
2 t baking powder

Directions:

Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet, stirring occasionally. Drain. Blend in flour and catsup. Add beef broth, salt, and pepper. Cook until thick, stirring constantly.

Stir in cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. Reheat, and if your skillet measures less than 2 1/2 quarts, transfer filling to a 2 1/2 quart casserole or two 1 1/2 quart casseroles.

Make the potato puff topping. Drop the topping by rounded teaspoonfuls to cover the filling. Bake at 425* for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Potato Puff Topping:
Heat water, butter, and salt to boiling in saucepan. Remove from heat. Add milk. Stir in potato flakes. When flakes are soft and moist, whip lightly with fork.

Add 2 unbeaten eggs, beating well after each. Stir in flour and baking powder. Beat well.

Sesame Peanut Drops

Sesame Peanut Drops

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from Pillsbury’s BEST 11th Grand National Bake-Off Cookbook (1960)

About the Recipe

Who doesn’t love a peanut butter cookie? And this one is super nutty and delicious with the sesame seeds. YUM! I used crunchy, natural peanut butter for a really savory result. If you like a more crunchy cookie, give it a smash with the fork. If you’re into something more chewy, use a drop method and just leave it be. Either way, these are sure to please any peanut lover’s palate.

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Another book that was gifted to me, this one had so many great recipes that it was difficult to choose just one! I’m trying for some variety though, so we landed on the cookies. That said, this is for sure one I’ll revisit when all is said and done.

About the glassware

This little Butterprint bowl is one of my favorites! It’s the perfect size for a bowl of cereal or soup, and I use it like that often. One of the few pleasures of being quarantined at the moment is getting to use that bowl on a regular basis. And it wasn’t too shabby for displaying the cookies either!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sesame seed
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 t soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Directions:

Toast sesame seeds at 375*F for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Cream together shortening and peanut butter. Gradually add sugar and brown sugar, creaming well. Blend in half of the dry ingredients, then the eggs, then remaining dry ingredients; mix well. Add vanilla and sesame seed.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets. If desired, flatten with fork, criss cross fashion. Bake at 375*F for 10-12 minutes.

Olive Cheese Nuggets

Olive Cheese Nuggets

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from 100 Grand National Recipes Collected for You at Pillsbury’s Best 8th Grand National (1957)

About the Recipe

Quick confession – I love weird recipes. And this one falls into the “this is very odd, but it just might be delicious” category. The cheese crust is so tender and yummy. And it provides the perfect wrap for the olives (I used ones stuffed with pimentos, but trying different stuffings would work well).

A few quick notes if you give this one a try – the dough wraps around the olives way better if you take some time to really work it with your hands and give it a few kneads. I chose to put them in the oven right away, however if given the option I would definitely make these ahead of time and refrigerate them before the bake. If nothing else, it gives the butter time to reconstitute, so that you end up with even more flake when it comes out of the oven.

All in all, this was actually a really fun recipe, and a total hit at the socially distanced barbecue!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

This book was a gift from a very generous fellow member of a cookbook group I belong to. Every day I marvel at these humans all around the world who preserve and enjoy these old books and recipes. We come from all walks of life, but really do come together over food, and it’s just so amazing.

Of note on this one – there was one male senior contestant and four teenage boy contestants! The recipes they entered with were a little outside of what I was looking for this time around, but I’ll circle back and try them in the future.

About the glassware

Spring Blossom is my favorite Pyrex pattern, and this little guy came from my mother. She got it as a gift, and when she saw my passion for the old glassware growing she decided to gift it, along with two others to me. It’s a little odd, but it hold memories of crab dip and steamed greenbeans and late night dinners and snacks. Thanks, mom!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup soft butter
3/4 cup flour
1/8 t salt
1/2 t paprika
medium sized stuffed green olives

Directions:

Blend together cheddar cheese and butter in mixing bowl. Sift together flour, salt and paprika into cheese-butter mixture. Mix together to form a dough. Shape around olives, using about a teaspoonful of dough for each olive. Place on ungreased baking sheet.**

Bake in moderately hot oven (400*F) 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

Cranberry Whirl Ham Dinner

Cranberry Whirl Ham Dinner

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from Pillsbury’s 7th Grand National Cookbook (1956)

About the Recipe

At first glance, this is a very complicated recipe. But then, if you start getting into the 1950’s of it all, it’s not so bad. And let me tell you, I quarantine cooking / 1950’s post war’d the heck out of this thing! I used canned everything and it was freakin’ delicious. 10/10 will make again.

This recipe is like Christmas dinner in a casserole. To Mrs. Frank J. Neeley of New York, NY – you are a mad casserole genius. The biscuit came out perfectly flaky and tender, and with all of the juices and flavors bubbling up around it as it baked, they absorbed some of that flavor. Sheer perfection.

If you’re looking for a yummy, tender biscuit this might just be the one to try. It’s going in the “experiment with me” bank for sure.

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

This was the other Pillsbury book from the wonderful Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in the East Village, Manhattan. There’s absolutely nothing that can replace a good, independent book seller and cookbook enthusiast. The more I speak to these fantastic humans, the more my passion for cooking out of the old books grows.

One note of interest on this one – Pillsbury starts going through a bit of an identity crisis with what to call the contest itself. This is the first year that they’ve shortened it to “Grand National.”

About the glassware

This 2.5 quart Pyrex Butterfly Gold casserole dish came to me from a friend as part of a set. The dishes belonged to their grandmother and you can feel all of the love that’s been baked into them over the years.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 No. 2 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks or tidbits
3 c (2 lb.) cubed cooked ham
2 c sliced cooked sweet potato (canned or 4 medium potatoes)
1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
2 T butter

Cranberry Whirl Biscuits:
3/4 c fresh cranberries, ground or chopped fine
3 T sugar
1 T + 1 1/2 c flour, divided
3 t double-acting baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/3 c Crisco
1 beaten egg
1/3 c milk

Directions:

Drain the pineapple, reserving juice. Measure 1 cup pineapple; add ham. Prepare the sweet potatoes if not canned. Alternate layers of the ham-pineapple mixture and sweet potato in greased 2-quart casserole, starting with the ham mixture.

Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in medium saucepan. Add 1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice and butter. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Pour over mixture in casserole.

Bake in moderately hot oven (400*F) 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Cranberry Whirl Biscuits.

Cranberry Whirl Biscuits:
Combine cranberries, sugar, and 1 T of the flour. Set aside.

Sift together remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in Crisco thoroughly until particles are fine. Add egg and milk. Stir until dough clings together in a ball. Knead lightly 10 strokes on floured pastry cloth or board.

Roll out to a 12″-square. Spread with the cranberry mixture. Roll as for jelly roll. Cut into 1 1/4″ slices; arrange cut side down on hot mixture in casserole. Bake 25-30 minutes at 400*F until biscuits are golden brown.