"Oh Boy, Mom": A Day of Recipes from WWII

Yesterday I posted a day of menus from a WWII booklet, dated April 1944, right here. Check out that post of you missed it or need a refresher on what foods were suggested for one day.

Today I'm posting the actual recipes for that entire day's menu plan. I'll run through the recipes in the order they appeared in the menu plan. 

It's interesting to note which ingredients were apparently available in abundance, such as molasses and corn syrup compared to sugar.

It looks like a lot of cooking daily. We have to remember that convenience foods and frozen meals were not a "thing" just yet. Still, most of the recipes are basic and simple. For example, all of the bread recipes are quick breads and don't require kneading, and the desserts are all very simple with little hands-on time required.

It all looks delicious. I would be happy to eat any of this, with exception to the liver spread. Not a liver fan, here.

Enjoy reading!

"Oh Boy, Mom" Recipes

Citrus Fruit Cup (breakfast)

Grapefruit, 2 small or 1 large

3 tangerines, or 2 oranges

Basic Syrup

1 drop peppermint flavoring, if desired

Peel and section fruit. Cut in suitable pieces. Combine fruits, add basic Syrup to desired sweetness. Serve very cold.

Basic Syrup

3 cups corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

Combine ingredients. Let come to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. When cool, pour into quart jar. Refrigerate until wanted for use.

Fried Rolled Oats and Bacon (breakfast)

Place leftover rolled oats in a greased mold. When cool, slice 1/2-inch thick. Dredge in flour and dip in beaten egg which has been thinned with 1 tablespoon water. Fry 6 slices of bacon until crisp, remove from fat and drain. Fry oatmeal slices/squares in all of the bacon fat until brown on both sides. Serve with bacon.

Soya Cream Soup (lunch)

1 strip bacon, diced

2 tablespoons onion, finely minced

2 cups water

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons soya flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup cooked, pureed or finely chopped vegetables

Slightly brown bacon and onion. Add 1 cup of the water and the milk. Bring to a boil. Add the other cup of water which has been mixed with the soya flour. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and vegetables. Serve hot. This amount should be doubled if used for a main dish for lunch [no sandwiches or other mains].

Croutons (lunch)

Cut bread into 1/2-inch slices. Remove crusts. Spread both sides with butter or fortified margarine. Cut slices into 1/3-inch strips, then cut strips into 1/3-inch cubes. Toast very lightly in oven. Serve with soups.

Carrot-Peanut Filling (lunch)

Grind together finely:

1/2 cup salted peanuts

1 cup carrots, shredded

Combine with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use on whole wheat or rye bread.

Apple-Berry Whip (lunch)

1 package raspberry gelatin

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup strained applesauce

1/4 cup evaporated milk, whipped

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stirring. Pour half of mixture into a mold which has been rinsed with cold water. Chill until it thickens. Fold the applesauce into the whipped evaporated milk and add to the cooled remaining gelatin. Place on top of the thickened gelatin. Chill. Serve with cream. 6 servings

[My thoughts-- strained applesauce is likely what we buy in a jar, just not a chunky applesauce. Whipping cream could be subbed for the evaporated milk.)

Liver Sandwich Filling (lunch)

1 chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter or fortified margarine

2 hard-cooked eggs

2/3 pound steamed pork liver

1/3 cup cream

 salt and pepper

Steam liver for 25 minutes in tightly covered pan. Cool and put through meat grinder. Mince eggs. Brown onion in melted butter or margarine until light brown. Mix all ingredients well. Spread on enriched white or whole wheat bread. Keep spread in a cool place.

Bean and Wiener Casserole (dinner)

8 wieners

2 cups cooked navy beans

1 large onion, sliced

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon mustard [ground mustard powder is my guess]

Split wieners in half lengthwise and cut each piece in half. Place a layer of cooked beans in a greased casserole, then half the wieners, and half the onion slices. Add remaining beans, then wieners and onion. Mix the tomato soup with the seasonings and pour over the casserole. Cover and bake at 375 F for 25 minutes. The onions will still be crisp, but this gives a pleasant crunchiness. Serves 6

Candied Sweet Potatoes (dinner)

6 medium size sweet potatoes, peeled

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup dark corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter or fortified margarine

2 tablespoons flour

Parboil sweet potatoes in salted water. Drain. Place in a greased utility dish. Combine flour with orange juice, add syrup, mix well. Pour over sweet potatoes and dot with butter or margarine. Bake uncovered at 375 F for 1 hour.

Snappy Cole Slaw (dinner)

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon butter or fortified margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/2 head cabbage, shredded

Bring the vinegar and butter or margarine to a boil. Remove from heat and add all the other ingredients except the cabbage. Stir well. Serves 6

Graham Bread (dinner)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

3 cups graham flour

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

1 tablespoon melted shortening

1 teaspoon soda

1 tablespoon boiling water

1. 1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat egg, add sour milk or buttermilk, add melted shortening and molasses. Dissolve soda in boiling water and add. Mix the graham flour, salt and sugar together and add to first mixture, beating only enough until mixture is well blended. Pour into a well greased loaf pan. Bake at 375 F for 50 minutes.

Sour Milk or Buttermilk Griddle Cakes (breakfast alternative)

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose enriched flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon soda

2 cups sour milk or buttermilk

1 egg

2 tablespoons melted shortening

Mix and sift dry ingredients. Add the sour milk, melted shortening and beaten egg. Beat thoroughly, and drop by spoonfuls on a hot greased griddle. When well puffed and bubbles appear, turn carefully and cook on the other side.

Basic Cream of Leftover Vegetable Soup (lunch alternative)

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cups milk

1 cup finely chopped or pureed vegetables of any kind

Blend the flour and butter/margarine, add seasonings, milk and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Serves 5

Baked Rhubarb (lunch alternative)

2 pounds rhubarb

2/3 cup sugar

Wash rhubarb and cut into one-inch pieces. Do not remove skins unless they are tough. Mix rhubarb with the sugar and put into a greased casserole. Bake until tender but not mushy. About 25 minutes in a 375 F oven. Serves 5

Barbecued Frankfurters (dinner alternative)

1 1/2 pounds skinless frankfurters

1 medium size onion

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup tomato catsup

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

Put onion through a food chopper, using fine knives. Blend vinegar and flour and combine with onion and remaining ingredients. Pierce each frankfurter with a fork. Arrange frankfurters in three-quart greased casserole. Pour sauce over frankfurters, cover and bake in 350 F oven for 1 hour.

Dandelion Salad (dinner alternative)

2 eggs

5 slices bacon

1/2 cup cream

4 tablespoons vinegar

1 pound tender, young dandelion leaves

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Wash and dry dandelions, which preferably have been picked from stalks which have no flowers. Place in a salad bowl. Dice and fry bacon, and then pour bacon pieces and the hot fat on top of dandelions. Mix the butter or margarine and cream, beat the eggs, add pepper and salt, vinegar and sugar, and mix with cream mixture. The butter or margarine can be melted in the same utensil used for frying the bacon, and cream added to the butter/margarine while it melts. After egg and other ingredients are added to butter and cream, cook over very low heat until thickened, like a custard. Pour this pip[ing hot over dandelions and blend through greens by tossing up and down with a fork.

Bran Bread (dinner alternative)

2 cups All-Bran

2 cups graham flour

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons soda

1 cup molasses

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

Sift white flour with soda, sugar and salt, and blend in the other flours [graham flour and All-Bran]. Add raisins. Mix eggs, molasses and buttermilk together and add to the first ingredients, stirring only until well mixed. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour at 350 F.

Victory Muffins (dinner alternative)

2 tablespoons shortening

1 egg

1 cup All-Bran

3/4 cup milk

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat shortening and egg together until well blended. Add All-Bran and milk and let stand at least 20 minutes. (This much may be done in the evening, adding dry ingredients in the morning.) Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to the first mixture, stirring only until liquid and dry ingredients are combined. Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake in 400 F oven. For small muffins, bake 25 minutes. For large muffins, bake 30 minutes. Makes 12 small or 8 large muffins.

Dried Fruit Compote (dinner alternative)

10 dried prunes

5 dried peach halves

5 dried pear halves

5 dried apricot halves

1/2 cup sugar

Wash dried fruit. Cover with boiling water. Put tight lid on saucepan and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Add sugar and simmer 5 minutes. Keep utensil covered until cooking is completed to keep in the vitamins.