Here are pages 36, 37 and 38 of the WWII ration cookbook titled “Recipes For Today” that was published by General Foods Corporation in 1943. This was during the second world war when the United States was experiencing food rations and shortages (sugar, meat, etc.) and homemakers were looking for creative ways to feed their families.
You can view all the pages in this little book by visiting this category: Recipes For Today (WWII) [1], just click a page title to view that section of the book. You’ll find scans of the pages included below (click pictures to view a larger size) as well as a typed version for easy printing.
- Not everyone can handle a cow or chickens, or grow his own garden. But we all can manage our own private larder, and serve meals that are nourishing and good. So let’s resolve to use the foods we have wisely and find intelligent ways to meet the problems that come. Here are a few ideas, just as a springboard.
Food tips and Ideas
BEST WAYS TO USE COFFEE
Proved by test with Maxwell House Coffee, Sanka, Kaffee-Hag.
Buy coffee only when you need it, and only 1 pound at a time.
Keep coffee in original container, tightly covered, in cool place.
Use the right grind, the one suited to your coffee-maker. This means drip grind for drip pots and vacuum-type glass coffee-makers; regular grind for percolator and boiled coffee.
Find the proportions you like. Most people prefer coffee made using 1 rounding to 1 heaping tablespoon coffee per 1/2 pint water.
Make fresh coffee every time, measure both coffee and water.
Scour and air coffee-maker; keep it scrupulously clean.
CAKES WITH LARD OR CHICKEN FAT
Use rendered chicken fat or lard for all or part of the shortening in cake recipes. Increase the salt slightly. To mix these cakes, cream the fat with 3/4 of the sugar. Add 1/4 of the flour mixture. Then combine milk with egg yolk and add to creamed mixture alternately with remaining flour, beating after each addition. Beat egg whites with the last 1/4 of sugar until stiff. Add to cake batter, beating thoroughly. Bake as usual.
SPENDING FOOD MONEY WISELY
When you go searching for food bargains do not overlook the good values of Birds Eye fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. These quality, quick-frozen foods are farm-fresh, free from waste, ready to use. The package weight is the weight of actual food! Birds Eye means full value for your money!
1/2 package (1/4 cup) Jell-O, Lemon, Orange, or Lime, or Imitation Strawberry, Raspberry, or Cherry
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup light cream
Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add cream and mix well. Place in bowl of ice and water and whip with rotary egg beater 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture begins to hold shape around sides of bowl. Remove from ice water. Stir gently with spoon until smooth. Serve; or store in refrigerator, stirring well before using.
Mixture may be chilled in refrigerator instead of ice water. When thickened, beat until light and fluffy. Return to refrigerator to set slightly. Before using, stir until smooth.
HOW TO WHIP LIGHT CREAM
1 1/4 teaspoons Minute Gelatin or granulated gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup light cream
Dash of salt
To gelatin in small bowl, add cold water and mix well. Heat over boiling water until gelatin is completely dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove from boiling water, add cream and salt. Place in bowl of ice and water and whip at once as directed for Jell-O Whipped Creams (above).
CRIMSON SAUCE, WITHOUT SUGAR
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 cup tart red jelly or jam
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of salt
Add hot water to jelly and stir until blended. Add lemon juice and salt. (If jam is used, strain mixture.) Serve on cottage pudding or other desserts. Makes 1/2 cup sauce.
Currant, cherry, strawberry, or red raspberry jelly or jam are especially good flavors to use in this sauce.
COCOA SYRUP FOR CHOCOLATE TREATS
1 cup Baker’s Breakfast Cocoa
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Add cold water slowly and place over low flame, stirring until smooth; then boil gently 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Turn into jar; cover tightly. Keep in refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups syrup.
Keep a jar of cocoa syrup in refrigerator, ready to use hot or cold as fudge sauce on cakes and puddings, or in making chocolate milk shakes for family treats or refreshment. For cold drinks, use 2 tablespoons cocoa syrup to 1 cup milk. Malted milk powder, a well-beaten egg, or dash of peppermint extract may be added. Shake well in shaker or beat with rotary egg beater to mix.
*Or use equal parts sugar and corn syrup in this recipe.
To make creamy cake fillings and frostings that use none of your precious sugar, use Jell-O Puddings. These come ready-mixed in chocolate, butterscotch, and vanilla flavors. Prepare as directed for cake fillings on each package, adding 1 1/2 cups milk or other liquid to 1 package Jell-O Pudding. Cook and use as filling or cream topping for one-egg cake, lemon or spice cup cakes, and chocolate cake (pages 30, 31, 33). Makes enough filling for two 8- or 9-inch layers. Extra good flavor combinations include:
Chocolate Filling. Use Jell-O Chocolate Pudding and milk (or milk and coffee) for liquid. Add 1/2 cup broken nut meats, if desired. Good with plain cake, chocolate cake, or spice cake.
Butterscotch Filling. Use Jell-O Butterscotch Pudding and milk for liquid. Add 1/2 cup broken nut meats, if desired. Good with plain cake and chocolate cake.
Vanilla Filling. Use Jell-O Vanilla Pudding and milk (or milk and coffee) for liquid in making filling. Good with plain cake, spice or lemon cakes, and chocolate cake.
Mocha Cream. Use Jell-O Vanilla Pudding and, for liquid, 1 1/4 cups strong coffee and 1/3 cup milk. Add 1 square Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate. Cook as directed. Use as frosting or filling on plain cake, spice cake, or chocolate cake.
AN ALL-FAMILY BEVERAGE
Postum is a delicious mealtime drink that the whole family can enjoy. It contains no stimulants of any kind and has full-bodied, invigorating flavor, entirely different, which makes it a wonderful drink in its own right. It is equally good hot or cold and costs less than a half-cent a cup.
Postum is made of wholesome whole wheat and bran, carefully roasted and sweetened slightly. It comes in two forms–Postum to percolate, boil, or drip; and Instant Postum to make right in the cup by adding boiling water or hot milk. It combines well with evaporated milk, too; and children love its flavor.
COMPANY CREAM SPONGE
For a delicious dessert that is like Bavarian cream yet calls for no cream, combine Jell-O and Jell-O Vanilla Pudding in this excellent big-family or party dessert.
Prepare 1 package Jell-O (any flavor) and 1 package Jell-O Vanilla Pudding as directed on packages. Chill pudding. Chill Jell-O until cold and syrupy. Place in bowl of cracked ice or ice water and whip with rotary egg beater until fluffy and thick like whipped cream. Add chilled pudding gradually, beating constantly until blended. Turn into sherbet glasses or large serving dish. Chill until firm. Serve plain or top with Jell-O cubes. Makes 10 to 12 servings.