Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser
Capturing Delicious Recipes From the Past
Today is National Cheesecake Day! I can't think of a better type of day. Yes, I have something of a sweet tooth. But I’m trying to balance that with a number of healthy recipes this year. Hence, the slaw, salads, and protein-packed dishes. But there comes a time when only something sweet, specifically cheesecake, will... Continue Reading →
I made this recipe in memory of Mom who would have celebrated her 96th birthday recently. As you can see from this photo, she looked good in the color. I thought creating one of her recipes which she handwrote for my sisters and me (she had beautiful handwriting) in red would be appropriate. I remember... Continue Reading →
I know that title makes some claim. But I really believe this vintage cake recipe from 1976 will knock your socks off with its cinnamon sugar crusty topping and soft filling. The reason for the filling is four cups of apples. Be sure to choose a type that is good for baking -- it makes... Continue Reading →
I was in the mood to do some baking this week (surprise, surprise). Cookies were my first option (again, no surprise to those who follow this blog as I've shared several in the past). Then I thought of the time that cookies took – mixing the ingredients, preparing cookie sheets (usually 4), waiting for each... Continue Reading →
Here is what I promised – a second vintage recipe using the remainder of the cabbage from last week’s Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Quick and Easy Fruit Slaw is a delightful, surprising take on the traditional coleslaw made with a cream or vinegary dressing. This recipe offers healthier choices like yogurt. I’ve only learned to like... Continue Reading →
It’s always fun to find a quick and easy vintage recipe that sparks the taste buds! This recipe made with fresh blueberries (frozen can be used if thawed, drained) is moist and tastes much like cake. Every crumb packed a wallop with blueberry goodness! As with most quick breads, it is simple and quick to... Continue Reading →
Sometimes the quirky name of a dish catches my eye as I’m examining a vintage cookbook. This ‘Polka-Dot Macaroni & Cheese’ recipe from Good Housekeeping’ (1967) seemed intriguing. What could make a macaroni and cheese casserole look like it had polka-dots? Now I love polka-dots on clothing, textiles and in décor. Still, I couldn't imagine... Continue Reading →
There’s not much glamour in a name as simple as ‘Everything Cookies.’ But these little nuggets live up to their name. They have a number of tasty ingredients that many of us have in our pantries: oatmeal, chocolate chips, coconut and chopped pecans. They also have a delightful surprise: Rice Krispies. This is the first... Continue Reading →
My family likes pancakes for a quick breakfast-for-dinner meal. Usually the pancakes are made by grabbing a boxed mix from the shelf. While nothing is wrong with that, I wanted to challenge the tried-and-true processed mix. So, for ideas I pulled out the “Kitchen Chatter II” cookbook published in 1979 by St. Mary’s Catholic Church... Continue Reading →
I love rhubarb. We live in the Midwest where it grows in abundance. At a recent library cooking club meeting at Wells County Public Library, several people said they grew it in their gardens. I'm not one of them. Maybe it's the wrong soil around my house – at least that’s what I tell myself... Continue Reading →
So you want to do something for Mom but don’t have much time. What to bake? Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers has been my go-to recipe for decades. The batch can be assembled in one bowl and baked in less than one hour. It includes items I usually have on my shelf (oatmeal, chocolate chips, etc.). The... Continue Reading →
What do you do when your dad’s birthday falls on or near Mother’s Day? You celebrate big time! Dad worked on the railroad for the majority of his life. He was proud of his conductor's uniform. Dad was born on May 12, 1926. He was one of 11 children. I don’t know if my grandma... Continue Reading →
This time of year is Strawberry season for many parts of the world. My childhood memories of strawberries are of Mom making strawberry freezer jam and eating them raw with store-bought, yellow sponge cakes and whipped cream. Hoping to do better for my family by making shortcakes, I found this recipe in the Psi Iota... Continue Reading →
This week’s post is a two-for-one vintage recipe, including a simple, delicious baked good that will become a staple in your baking! The reason for the bonus is because I was blessed to be part of a big cooking adventure this past weekend which included my setting a new record in the number of people... Continue Reading →
Lately, I’ve been on a citrus kick. It could be because my mother passed away in January and I’ve been thinking of happy times with her while growing up. I was blessed to be raised in a Christian family and have a loving family that attended church regularly. One particularly older memory I have is... Continue Reading →
Here is an economical and yummy ‘meat and potatoes’ dish perfect for a Sunday brunch. It is economical because I decided to double it and yet kept to the same amount of meat. Yet, it is full of protein with cheese and lots of eggs! I found it in a cookbook recently purchased at a... Continue Reading →
Confession: I looked for an actual recipe for Moon Rocks in my vintage cookbooks, but couldn't find any. Not surprising. What I did find was a recipe for Mexican Wedding Rings. Some of you may have made these decades ago when they were wildly popular and wonder about the correlation between Moon Rocks and Mexican... Continue Reading →
Some recipes intimidate me. Sourdough breads – let’s be honest, most yeast breads intimidate me, though yeast is on my shelf with every intention of seeing use in my kitchen. Pastry. Period. French Onion Soup. I always order French Onion Soup in a restaurant when it’s on the menu because I love it so much.... Continue Reading →
This recipe’s cookbook is one of the most ‘unofficial’ ones in my inventory. It has no cover and is simply held together by expandable brads. The front page is a typewritten page decorated with the title ‘Quick ‘n Easy’ and “Y.H.S. choir of 1987-1988.” I don't know what the Y.H.S. stands for -- I assume... Continue Reading →
It’s rare that a vintage recipe has Hollywood provenance. Charlotte d’ Avocato Aux Sauce Asperges (Avocado Charlotte with Asparagus Sauce) is one! The recipe came Catherine Grady Crabtree’s A La San Francisco Restaurant Recipes (Crabtree Publishing, 1979). As the book title states, the recipes originated from restaurants in San Francisco. This particular one came from... Continue Reading →
This recipe is so simple that I kept checking the wording to make sure I didn't miss a step. Nope! Start to finish before popping it into the oven took under 15 minutes with a minimum of clean up! That includes the 1 minute (yes, only 1 minute!) of kneading. This very basic loaf gets... Continue Reading →
My first experience cooking curry turned out great! We loved this recipe! It came from a 1960 ‘Ladies’ Home Journal Cookbook : New and Basic Recipes.’ The cover contains vintage dishes in full color. Even the font looks retro. It was hard to know which recipe to choose from the literally thousands included within the... Continue Reading →
You may think people of the 21st century have been the only ones concerned about eating healthily. Not so. This vintage recipe from 1980 is as fresh and original as one you may find in today’s health/ recipe magazines. It is full of vitamins, fiber, and protein all in one easy-to-make dish that is yummy... Continue Reading →
This recipe is not an unusual recipe by any means. Most cookbooks I’d wager have a blueberry muffin recipe. But that’s the wonderful aspect of this recipe – people still love these things, even after almost 40 years when this cookbook was published! Proof: I served these at my church this week at the coffee... Continue Reading →
I couldn't let Valentine’s Day go by without posting a special vintage recipe. My Hubbie -- lucky for me – likes all kinds of goodies normally. But his current favorite treat is cookies. His favorites have always been chocolate chip and Snickerdoodles. Luckily, I found a vintage recipe that caught my eye – Chipperdoodles. Yes,... Continue Reading →
I confess, this recipe seems a little pretentious. I have never in 40+ years of cooking produced a dish that contains not one, not two, but three meats. First, I never felt a dish deserved that much cost or flavor. Mainly because my family would not have noticed the extra effort or expense. So what’s... Continue Reading →
This recipe is in loving memorial of my mother who passed away last month. We would have celebrated her 95th birthday on February 22. She shared it with our nation’s first president, George Washington, who admittedly was born much earlier in 1732. (See more on that below) As his and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday were both... Continue Reading →
Vegetables have not featured much on this blog (Check out ‘Crea-Peas' and 'Scalloped Potatoes'). That’s because, as I’ve found in looking through dozens of vintage cookbooks, recipes for vegetable are not common. Vegetables get a bum wrap, I suppose, because they are not sweet and beautiful to look at. But, on the practical side, they can... Continue Reading →
As you may have guessed from previous posts, my family loves potatoes. When my three kids were young, I purchased a 50-pound bag of potatoes (it was actually a box) as I made them so often. None went to waste. Our favorite recipe was baked (remember I can't make mashed). Nowadays, I buy 5-pound bags... Continue Reading →
This is a recipe I can tick off my bucket list where it’s been for several years. It gained prominence there since my family began watching British TV shows. Shepherd’s Pie makes an entrance often as a favorite of our friends across the pond. One of my favorite appearances is on the crime show ‘Death... Continue Reading →
Today’s recipe is from one of my oldest cookbooks. I recently purchased this small volume entitled ‘Royal Baker and Pastry Cook’ with an attractive full-color cover at a library book sale. I know some cookbook lovers are reading this so I’ll spend a few moments describing this fascinating historic document. It says on the cover... Continue Reading →
It’s funny how the name of a recipe can attract your attention. This recipe for ‘Yorkshire Beef’ was in a Betty Crocker cookbook from 1983 (General Mills). I read through it, thinking I’d find out how the recipe got its British sounding name. Nothing. In fact, it was quite like a lot of casserole dishes... Continue Reading →
Deciding what to take to a Christmas party can be a challenge. Most people seem to want to create a wow factor and take a dessert. I admit, I usually save room for dessert(s). But in realizing my family has veered away from decadent desserts (although we still like some), I thought of creating a... Continue Reading →
Banana bread can be great for gift giving at the holidays. It seems like the only recipes for Christmas revolve around sugar. I like sugar as much as anyone, but it is refreshing to veer away and only indulge in something intensely sweet for special events. While attending a recent party, I chose to contribute... Continue Reading →
Today’s Vintage Eats recipe of Pfeffernuesse Cookies (pronounced feff-er-noose) is shared by Michael ‘Mike’ Vorndran of Fort Wayne, Indiana. I met Mike a few years ago while doing a talk about my interviews with 260 World War II vets for a genealogy group at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mike is... Continue Reading →
Brownstone Front Cake, freshly baked, sits on a vintage dessert plate adorned with a dollop of peach Greek yogurt. If someone asked me to estimate how many cakes I’ve made in my lifetime, I’d have a hard time with that number. I’ve been making cakes since getting married in the 1980s. For a long period... Continue Reading →
Crea-Peas is a easy-to-make, economical dish full of protein! This name 'Crea-Peas' may sound like a belated Halloween treat, but it’s not. It is, in fact, a nutritious stove-top dish that is quick and easy, economical, and tastes good! In my opinion, all of that is helpful for a anyone's diet through the upcoming busy... Continue Reading →
Today I’m featuring a vintage dessert favorite of my husband’s because his birthday is coming up. (I promise that not every vintage recipe featured here will be a dessert – but is anyone really complaining?) I say it’s a favorite of his, although he would have not eaten it for the past 40+ years of... Continue Reading →
Pumpkin Fluff is a super-easy dessert that takes just minutes to assemble. This post releases on Halloween, which in the United States is a holiday largely focused around food – mainly candy. Children (and some adults) dress up is costumes to visit neighbors, churches, businesses to receive candy and other treats. My husband happily answers... Continue Reading →
Eileen Zeissig served as an Army nurse in Europe during WWII. Last week, Daniel Beals of WPTA21 in Ft Wayne, Indiana, posted an excellent piece on his show, ’21 Country’ about 100-year-old World War II Army nurse Eileen Zeissig. He interviewed her a few days prior, then put the story together with pictures of her... Continue Reading →
Women who served in various military branches are featured in the book-- L-R: Coast Guard SPAR, Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP), Army Nurse Corps (ANC). It’s been a busy week with three exciting events! All were to let people know about my new book, Born To Be Soldiers: Those Plucky Women of World War II.... Continue Reading →
'Born To Be Soldiers: Those Plucky Women of World War II contains stories of women who served in Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Army Air Corps. It will be available on Amazon on Feb 28. The ladies deserve their due! Here is the beautiful cover for my new book: Born To Be Soldiers: Those Plucky Women... Continue Reading →
The USS ARIZONA burns after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, National Archives A 5-Part Series Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor On December 7, 1944, as dawn crested, the Japanese Imperial Navy fleet’s aircraft carriers continued their journey from the North Pacific south toward their prey. Approximately... Continue Reading →
Denny Butler served as a mortar gunner in Europe. I met WWII vet Dennis Butler several years ago through a friend’s recommendation – and am I glad for the opportunity to interview him! Not only did Denny (his preferred nickname) have an amazing story of survival in Europe, but he had a photo album of... Continue Reading →
Eileen Stuckey Zeissig Served as an Army Nurse During World War II Among the 260 World War II veterans I’ve interviewed, 22 were females. It was always a thrill to discover how these young women volunteered to serve in various military branches. 'They Did It for Honor: Stories of American WWII Veterans' is available on... Continue Reading →
Daniel Boone Frazier served as an 'Iron Man of Metz.' I met Daniel Boone Frazier through the recommendation of a friend. My husband and I enjoyed speaking with Mr. Frazier in his home and hearing his story about being part of the ‘Iron Men of Metz.’ The story below explains this was the nickname of... Continue Reading →
Battle of the Bulge: Stories From Those Who Fought and Survived is available on Amazon. It’s here! The book that has taken me the longest to write -- three years – arrived in a mighty shipment on Friday! Battle of the Bulge: Stories From Those Who Fought and Survived released on Amazon on July 1.... Continue Reading →
Dandi Daley Mackall's novel, With Love Wherever You Are, is based on her parents' love story. I first met Dandi Daley Mackall around 2003 at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in California. She taught a class on children’s writing. The thought of writing for children had never entered my mind, even though I had... Continue Reading →
Happy Father’s Day! Is it any wonder I love horses with this photo of me and Dad? It’s great to live in a country that honors its fathers. Here is one of my favorite photos of me with my dad as a little girl. I have always loved horses and I’m sure it was Dad’s... Continue Reading →
American flag on display at the Indiana War Memorial Museum. I’m proud to be an American and I’m proud of our American flag. It is fitting that we should celebrate it on its own special day. An American flag has flown on the front of our home since we've lived here for 31 years. You... Continue Reading →
If sugary treats threaten to disable your health restrictions or caloric goals this Christmas season, Hot Spiced Fruit is a good recipe to come to your rescue. It is a wonderfully luscious combination of fruits with no or little sugar involved. Frozen berries which are plentiful throughout the year are often packed sugar-free. Plus, it... Continue Reading →
Christmas is almost here. Yikes! If you’re, like me, short on time and cash but need a dish to take to a gathering, I suggest Spiced Pecans. They can be whipped it up in less than 15 minutes. Allow 30 minutes for them to cool after baking and you can scoop these luscious, gluten-free snacks... Continue Reading →
“A easy-to-mix cookie with a soft interior made festive with red icing sugar” As an American Midwesterner, I live near a sect of people who call themselves Amish. The region around me has possibly thousands of people who have chosen to adopt a simple way of living in what some of us would consider the... Continue Reading →
As we near the end of 2025, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite recipes from the year and what I love about them. This is my favorite OLD recipe from 2025. In fact, it is the oldest recipe I’ve ever re-created with success. It is delicious! The recipe name labels it a ‘bread’, but... Continue Reading →
I’m not much of a pie baker. My attempts in the past have either ended with soggy bottoms (raw crust) or filling that is too soft. Imagine my delight when this version of Butternut Squash Pie turned out lovely! This particular vegetable has been unknown to me until last winter when a friend blessed me... Continue Reading →
I chose this recipe as part of a one-hour, 10-recipe series I provided this past fall for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)/ Fresno CA. OLLI is a national educational organization that provides opportunities for senior-aged people to continue learning. The variety of classes they offer varies from religion to politics, gardening, travel, history, and more.... Continue Reading →
If I could confess to one culinary weakness, it is bread. I love all types – rolls, muffins, sliced, baguettes, yeast, quick, whatever. Knowing carbs from bread can convert to sugar in the bloodstream, I do try to limit myself somewhat, due to a familial history of diabetes. But, when I find a power bread... Continue Reading →
The bounty of fall vegetables continues with yellow squash. I felt lucky to find an easy, delicious, nutritious recipe to use up those stragglers hanging around in my refrigerator. I had not yet featured yellow squash in a recipe so this is a novelty. They taste similar to zucchini with much moisture inside. They cook... Continue Reading →
Today would have been my husband’s 73rd birthday. He passed away last year from prostate cancer. We are still grieving for him. I had planned to spend time at his grave, but the weather (snow) has kept me inside (my daughter’s school was cancelled, it was that bad). I decided to honor his memory by... Continue Reading →
As we get into cooler temps with an emphasis on heartier meals, that doesn’t mean we can’t crave lighter food. Tomato-Basil Salad is a quick, easy-to-fix dish that can function as a meal or side. It came together in less than 10 minutes, making it helpful for busy weeknights or weekends. And it's likely you... Continue Reading →
Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser 