The Casserole, Perfect for Winter

The best way to fight the winter blues is with comfort food! Every January Betty takes out her pink pyrex casserole dish and gets cooking. After a warm and hardy dinner her family forgets all about the cold weather. This season test out Betty's favorite winter recipe.

Pink Pyrex: www.SunnyDayVintage.etsy.com

Betty Crocker's New Dinner for Two

1964

Shepherd's Pie

1/4 cup (1/2 envelope) of our instant Mashed Potatoes

1 1/2 cups diced cooked beef or lamb

1 cup cooked vegetables

1 cup beef or lamb gravy or 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) mushroom gravy

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare potatoes as directed on pkg. for 2 servings; set aside. Stir meat, vegetables, gravy, and salt together. Pour into 1 qt. baking dish. Mound Potatoes in a ring around the edge of dish. Bake 30 min., or until potatoes brown slightly.

2 generous servings.

Happy New Year!

This year your only resolution should be to be more like Betty! Start by planning a rocking retro New Year's Eve cocktail party. Sparkly silver mid-century barware is all you need to plan your event. As Betty always says, start the New Year right with a cocktail in your hand! Happy 1958...no, wait... 2011!

From Top: www.RustBeltThreads.etsy.com, www.Kibster.etsy.com, www.KatyBitsandPieces.etsy.com

Happy Holidays!

With Christmas around the corner Betty is busy trimming the tree, wrapping presents and, of course, baking! Her favorite holiday tradition is making a gingerbread house. But being the mid-century woman that she is Betty does not go for a traditional look. Each year she creates a new twist on a modern home and you can do the same! Find this cute kit at RedEnvelope.com or check out the architectural design below. Every December the firm Hometta comes up with a take on the gingerbread house based on a home they have actually built. You can find their instructions for this one at http://www.hometta.com/holiday-2010.

Happy Holidays!

Gift Wrapping Christmas

Betty knows it is the thought that counts and the thought will look a whole lot better wrapped in one of these retro- inspired papers. They will take any gift from drab to fab in a pinch! In fact, these prints are so pretty your friends and family will resist tearing into their gifts. Instead they will take a cue from grandmothers around the world, carefully opening their presents and then smoothing out the paper to save for another use.

From Top: Smock Paper (2), Hello! Lucky (2), The Paper Studio, Paper Mojo (2)

Giving Thanks

This Thanksgiving Betty is grateful for her family, friends and festive fall aprons. As she prepares a four course meal, she is able to keep her dress neat while still looking fashionable when she brings out the turkey to the ooohs and aaahs of her guests. On Thursday you can look the part of the midcentury woman with one of these etsy finds.

Clockwise from top left: www.uncommonvintage.etsy.com, www.CoffeeKlatch.etsy.com, www.NeatoKeen.etsy.com, www.janet5643.etsy.com

As American As Pumpkin Pie

Betty knows that the only thing more American than apple pie is pumpkin at Thanksgiving. But Betty puts a twist on this traditional dessert by baking Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. Whether you are carving the turkey at your house or serving potatoes as a guest at someone else's, Betty's recipe will be a hit. Evoke the spirit of mid-century bakers with these retro baking supplies. You may not need a pie bird for this treat, but it is a cute addition to your vintage kitchen and useful with other pies as it lets the steam escape while baking.

From top left: www.BehindTheScreenDoor.etsy.com, www.harlowmonroevintage.etsy.com, www.BeeJayKay.etsy.com, www.Sadieolive.etsy.com

Better Homes and Gardens:

Pies and Cakes

1969

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup milk

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 egg whites

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 9-inch graham-cracker crust

Combine first 7 ingredients in saucepan. Stir in milk, egg yolks, and pumpkin. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture boils and gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and chill till partially set. Beat egg whites till soft peaks form; gradually add sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture with whipped cream. Pile into crust. Chill till firm. Trim with whipped cream and California walnut halves.

Pumpkin Treats

With Halloween around the corner don’t forget the sweets! Perfect for a party or trick-or-treaters, pumpkin whoopie pies are both retro and irresistible. First created in the 1920’s, this version adds an Autumn twist to the classic dessert. Martha Stewart has two great recipes - one for pumpkin cookies with cream cheese filling, the other for mini chocolate cookies with pumpkin cream cheese frosting (see links below). Betty knows you can’t go wrong with either one. Don’t have time to bake from scratch this year? Pick up a whoopie pie mix (photo above and link below) from Stone Wall Kitchen. With treats this good there will be no need for Halloween tricks.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pumpkin-whoopie-pies

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mini-pumpkin-whoopie-pies

http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/shop/speciality-foods/baking-mixes/552634.html