Gayle Martin | Rosie's Riveting Recipes

Roast Beef a Classic Comfort Food

Sometimes I wonder if I may have been a cannibal in a previous life. I’ve always preferred my beef cooked rare. Whether it’s a T-bone, a rib eye, or roast beef, for me it always tastes best when it’s rare or medium rare.

Roast beef was a staple on our dinner table when I was growing up. It’s so versatile and it comes in many cuts, such as tri-tip, chuck roast, and rump roasts. My personal favorite is prime rib, which I sometimes order on special occasions when I’m eating out. At home I prefer the top round. If it’s unavailable, or too expensive, I can make do with a bottom round. Both cuts are flavorful and reasonably priced.

The secret to cooking any roast, regardless of the cut, is a good meat thermometer. It takes the out guesswork, giving you the best results. I bake my roasts in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven, and set the timer to allow 20 to 30 minutes per pound.

For rare to medium rare, I roast the meat until it reaches an internal temperature between 115 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Those who prefer medium should cook it until it reaches 145 to 170 degrees, with well done being 170 degrees and above.

Once the desired internal temperature is reached I remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Add some mashed potatoes and gravy, and you’ll have yourself a delicious plate of good, old-fashioned comfort food.

One final note. You can alway cook your roast a little longer if it’s too rare, but if it overcooks you can’t go back and fix it. Be sure to keep a close watch while it’s roasting.

Gayle Martin

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

It’s been a long, hot summer here in Texas, and it’s probably been a hot summer where you live as well. I was born and raised in Phoenix, and I feel like I’ve been somehow transported back there. My cousins all tell me they’ve had record breaking heat this year in Arizona as well.

There’s nothing like ice cream on a hot summer day. I remember when my grandparents would make ice cream when I was a kid. They had an old school ice cream maker which required a lot of salt. My siblings and I kept adding salt while my grandfather turned the crank. When it was ready we had vanilla ice cream which tasted much better than the store bought kind.

Ice cream was popular summertime treat in Rosie’s day as well. This recipe, from the Rosie’s Riveting Recipes historic cookbook, uses simple ingredients and doesn’t require a machine. You can also make chocolate or fruit flavored ice cream if you prefer.

Enjoy.

Gayle Martin

VANILLA ICE CREAM

1 cup scalded milk*
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cream, whipped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pour scalded milk into a mixture of sugar, flour and salt. Cook over hot water for 20 minutes (until slightly thick). Cool. Fold in whipped cream and vanilla. Freeze until firm, stirring occasionally. Serves 6.

Chocolate Ice Cream: Add 3 tablespoons cocoa to flour mixture.

Fruit Ice Cream: Add 1¹/₂ cups mashed fresh fruit pulp, sweetened to taste, to cooked mixture.

Imagine the government telling you how much meat or chicken you could buy, or how much sugar or flour you could have. Strange as it may seem, at one time it actually happened. During WW 2, the United States government devised a food rationing program to help insure that every family would have enough to eat. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes gives a glimpse into life on the WW 2 home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one with more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War 2 ration recipes with short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with other online booksellers.

Fish or Meat Souffle

If you’re looking for a different way to prepare seafood try this delicious historic dish from Rosie’s Riveting Recipes. Most of the ingredients can be found in your pantry. You can also use ground beef if you prefer. I admit I wasn’t sure about it when I tested it for the cookbook, but it tasted great.

FISH OR MEAT SOUFFLE

2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 tablespoons enriched flour
1 teaspoon salt
¹/₄ teaspoon pepper
¹/₄ teaspoon celery salt
³/₄ cup milk
4 egg yolks, well beaten
2 cups flaked salmon, tuna, ground, or cooked chopped meat
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Combine flour, butter, and seasonings in top part of double boiler. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook to form a thick paste.

Beat egg yolks until thick and light in color; add to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Add salmon; mix well. Fold carefully, but thoroughly, into egg whites beaten stiff but not dry. Turn into well-greased casserole. Place in pan of hot water; bake in moderate (350 F) oven about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until set, or knife inserted into center comes clean. Serve at once with melted butter, celery, or pickle sauce. Serves 6.

Modern adaptation: For good results try using a 14.5 ounce can of salmon. To make a quiche combine the ingredients as directed in the original recipe and bake in a pie crust.

Imagine the government telling you how much meat or chicken you could buy, or how much sugar or flour you could have. Strange as it may seem, at one time it actually happened. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes gives a glimpse into life on the WW 2 home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one with more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War 2 ration recipes with short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with many other online book sellers.

Home Baked Strawberry Pie

I love strawberries. They’re one of my all time favorite fruits (along with peaches and nectarines). I love strawberries any way they’re prepared. Fresh out of the box. On shortcake with whipped cream. As jam on toast. Dipped in chocolate. On top of ice cream. And as a fresh baked pie or cobbler.

I found this recipe years ago. It went over big with all my friends, and I’ve adapted it to my own taste. Those who prefer a homemade crust may enjoying trying the Victory Pie Crust recipe from the Rosie’s Riveting Recipes historic cookbook. I tested it in my own kitchen. It’s a delicious, flakey crust.

HOME BAKED STRAWBERRY PIE

1 package premade pie crusts
2 pints fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg

Preheat oven to 450F. Place 1 pie crust in the center of a pie pan. Blend sugar, flour and cinnamon, (if desired) in a medium-sized bowl and gently mix with fresh strawberries. Pour mixture into the pie pan and dot with butter. Cover the top with the remaining crust and flute the edges together. Cur several slits across the top. Beat egg in a small mixing bowl and brush the top and the edges. Bake 34 to 45 minutes or until the crust is brown.

Note: If the edges get too brown, cover with strips of aluminum foil and continue baking.

Chocolate Chip Cupcake Brownies

Sometimes good things happen by accident. I had some over ripe bananas and decided to try something new. So, I downloaded a recipe for Chocolate Banana Muffins.

It seemed easy enough. I went to the kitchen, mixed the dry ingredients together, and set aside. My next step was mix the sugar, oil and eggs. Okay, got that done. Now I need to mash the bananas, and…there’s a problem. The bananas are gone! As in vanished into thin air. I knew I hadn’t thrown them away. However, my cleaning lady had been here earlier today, and she must have thrown them out.

So, what to do now? I skipped the bananas and put the muffins in the oven. What came out was extraordinary. The tasted just like brownies. In a cupcake cup. I call them, “cupcake brownies.” Rosie would have been so proud.

Inspired by a recipe at allrecipes.com.

Chocolate chip Cupcake Brownies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla*
1/4 cup chocolate chips (regular or mini)

Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Mix sugar, oil, milk, egg and vanilla together in a separate bowl until well blended. Add flour mixture and stir until moist. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Makes approximately 1 dozen muffins.

*Almond extract can also be used.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with other online booksellers.

Zucchini Nut Bread or Bundt Cake

I do not know where this recipe came from, but I’ve been using it for years and it’s delicious. You can make it as a quick bread, although I prefer to bake it as a bundt cake.

Please note this recipe creates a lot of dough. I recommend using an extra large mixing bowl. I prepare mine in a 7.5 quart bowl.

Gayle Martin

Zucchini Nut Bread or Bundt Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract*
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9 x 4 inch loaf pans or a bundt can. Nonstick cooking spray may also be used.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together into a mixing bowl or on a sheet of waxed paper. Set aside. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar together in an extra large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, and mix until well blended with a large wooden spoon. Stir in grated zucchini and nuts. Pour batter into pans. Bake 40 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool pans on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

* Almond extract may be used instead of vanilla extract.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with other online booksellers.

Very Berry Upside Down Cake

I don’t remember where this recipe came from, but I obviously found it somewhere. It was for a blackberry upside down cake, but I’ve made it with other kinds of berries, including raspberries and blueberries, and it always comes out well. I’ll bet you could even create a black forest upside cake with raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Come to think of it, that does sound good, so I’ll just call it a very berry upside down cake.

This recipe is great if you’re trying to avoid processed foods and go back to basics, just like they did in Rosie’s day. In fact, I’m sure Rosie would have approved.

Gayle Martin

A Very Berry Upside Down Cake

Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh berries, such as blackberries, raspberries or blue berries
1/4 cup sugar

Cake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare the topping by melting butter and brown sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Add berries. Stir until mixture begins to bubble, about 1 to 3 minutes. Add sugar, stir and crush berries slightly for approximately 5 minutes, or until berries at hot and slightly broken down. Remove from heat and pour into a 9-inch square baking pan.

Prepare the cake batter by creaming the sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Alternately add flour and milk to the butter mixture. Add vanilla and mix. Pour batter over the berry mixture. Batter may be thin.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool until pan is slightly warm, about 30 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to separate it from the sides of the pan. Place a cake plate over the pan and flip. Lift pan to slowly release the cake.

***

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and with other online booksellers.

Eggless White Cake

Even with food rationing, eggs, like many other everyday items, were in short supply in Rosie’s day. Food companies had to come up with new recipes to make scarce ingredients go further, or even eliminate them completely. This delicious historic recipe, from Rosie’s Riveting Recipes cookbook, omits eggs.

For those who like chocolate cake, but without eggs, here is a recipe for an eggless chocolate cake.

Gayle Martin

EGGLESS WHITE CAKE

¼ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
or 2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening with sugar. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking power and salt. Add alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. Pour into greased and floured 8 ½ inch square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in moderate oven (350º).

Eggless Spice Cake

In eggless white cake sift 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves with dry ingredients.

***

Imagine the government telling you how much meat or chicken you could buy, or how much sugar or flour you could have. Strange as it may seem, at one time it actually happened. During WWII, the United States government devised a food rationing program to help insure that every family would have enough to eat. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes gives a glimpse into life on the WW II home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one with more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World WarII ration recipes with short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com and with other online booksellers.

Eggless Upside-Down Cake

In many ways it seems like post pandemic supply chain issues we are experiencing today are reminiscent of WWII supply chain issues. Back in the nineteen-forties many shoppers found empty store shelves and had to improvise to create healthy, tasty meals. To help ease the shortages, food producers reformulated recipes to use less of those ingredients which were in short supply. Eggs were among those items in short supply.

Adding to today’s supply chain issues is avian flu. It’s creating egg shortages in our own time. Thankfully, those eggless recipes from Rosie’s day are as helpful today as they were in her time.

Gayle Martin

EGGLESS UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 to ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ½ cups canned pineapple wedges, peach slices, or cooked prunes
½ cup broken pecan meats, if desired
1 recipe Delicious Cottage Pudding (below)

Melt butter in 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan or 8-inch skillet over low flame. Add brown sugar and cook and stir until thoroughly mixed. On this arrange fruit; sprinkle nuts over top.

Mix Delicious Cottage Pudding batter below as directed and pour over contents of pan. Bake in moderate oven (350º F) 50 to 60 minutes, or until done. Loosen cake from sides of pan with spatula. Turn upside down on dish with fruit on top.

DELICIOUS COTTAGE PUDDING

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder*
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour once, add baking powder and salt, and sift again. Cream shortening, add sugar gradually, and cream together well. Add flour, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Bake in greased pan, 8 x 8 x 2 inches, in moderate oven, (350F), 50 to 60 minutes, or until done.

*Note: At the time this recipe was written not all baking powders were double-acting. Less baking powder may be needed.

***

Imagine the government telling you how much meat or chicken you could buy, or how much sugar or flour you could have. Strange as it may seem, at one time it actually happened. During WWII, the United States government devised a food rationing program to help insure that every family would have enough to eat. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes gives a glimpse into life on the WW II home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one with more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World WarII ration recipes with short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com and with other online booksellers.

Homemade Fondant Candy

This recipe comes from my seventh grade home economics class. I had never heard of fondant before, but the recipe is easy to prepare and the candy is very tasty. I’ve also used this recipe over the years. It’s perfect for birthday parties, Christmas and other special events. Thank you to my teacher, Mrs. Witt, wherever you are. Please note, however, that this is not the same kind of fondant used to decorate cakes. The recipe is solely for making candy.

HOMEMADE FONDANT CANDY

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound powdered sugar
peppermint extract
wintergreen extract
1 jar maraschino cherries
red and green food coloring

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in evaporated milk, vanilla and salt. Remove from heat and gradually add powdered sugar. Turn onto a board lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar and knead until smooth. Makes approximately two cups of fondant. Divide into quarters and prepare the following.

Mint Patties

Mix together 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and two drops red food coloring to one quarter of the fondant. Shape into small patties or use a cookie cutter to create your own shapes

Wintergreen Patties

Mix together 1/2 teaspoon wintergreen extract and two drops of green food coloring to one quarter of the fondant. Shape into small patties or use a cookie cutter to create your own shapes.

Cherry Drops

Drain cherries and slit each cherry crosswise into four parts. Do not cut all the way through. Press back the “petals” to form a flower. Fill each cherry with a small ball of the remaining fondant and chill.