Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser
Capturing Delicious Recipes From the Past
Happy National Sandwich Day! To celebrate, I’m featuring a recipe printed in many vintage church cookbooks – Gooie Looies. This is a new recipe to me. I never ate it growing up and had never heard of it before scanning my old cookbooks. It is full of what I would call ‘picnic’ ingredients – bologna,... Continue Reading →
I debated whether to feature these little gems because my efforts at decorating them were not great. But then I thought that maybe other people feel that way about their cooking/ baking efforts and we should not put ourselves down for less-than-perfect results. After all, these brightly-frosted petite cookies tasted fine. I just may have... Continue Reading →
Among my purchases from an online auction was a cookbook entitled “20th Century Cookbook.” While the title is not exactly auspicious, the title page (first page inside front cover) provided more information: “A Feast of Good Things, A Careful Compilation of Tried and Approved Recipes, The Ladies’ Aid Society of the United Brethren Church, Monroeville,... Continue Reading →
You may not expect to find a good meat loaf recipe in a cookbook dedicated to fruit. Cranberry Meat Loaves defies that expectation. It is listed in the Better Homes and Gardens 'So Good with Fruit’ volume from 1967. It might seem early to be delving into the cranberry vibe since Thanksgiving and Christmas –... Continue Reading →
Last week, I gave my debut presentation of ‘Cooking Through the 20th Century.’ It was a zoom presentation for an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) group in Fresno, CA. I presented one recipe from each decade of the 20th century, based on recipes found in cookbooks I own. I showed photos of the cookbooks and... Continue Reading →
I love finding gems in my vintage cookbooks – especially those that are more than 100 years old! Butterscotch Squares should be renamed ‘Pecan Butterscotch Squares’ because the pecans add so much flavor. The recipe is in a hardback 350-page volume called ‘Modern Priscilla Cook Book.’ The cover also states that it includes “One thousand... Continue Reading →
Our temps are back in the 80s this week so it’s off with the oven for the evening meal. This stove-top chicken dish is easy to fix and you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry or refrigerator. The décor in the photo of the finished recipe is from my daughter. She helped... Continue Reading →
Scotch Shortbread has to be one of the easiest, most delicious – and historic – foods in a cook’s repertoire today. It contains only a handful of ingredients and bakes quickly to provide a satisfyingly lightness that is a delight. As for its history, shortbread was brought into Scotland by Mary Queen of Scots, when... Continue Reading →
One thing I really like about re-creating vintage recipes is knowing exactly what I’m eating. There is no strange ingredient list with items I can't pronounce and have no idea of what they are. Instead, I use common items that are economical and something from my pantry, usually a leftover item I’ve used previously, which... Continue Reading →
This is my new favorite vintage dessert recipe! I had never cooked with plums. Truth be told, although I liked the taste of plums eaten raw, I didn't purchase them often. Finding two bags on sale at the grocery inspired me to pick them up and try them in a recipe. Wow! This Italian Plum... Continue Reading →
Vintage Eats of Kayleen Reusser 