baking | Rosie's Riveting Recipes

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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

Banana Muffins

This recipe came to me from a friend and fellow author, David Lee Summers. The recipe is eggless and sugarless and uses honey instead of sugar, but you’d never know it. The muffins are delicious. It’s also a great way to use up over ripe bananas, so Rosie would have approved.

By the way, I used regular all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour, and it came out nicely. Bread flour will also work.

Gayle Martin

BANANA MUFFINS (makes 12+ muffins)

5 or 6 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin pan or use paper baking cups.

Combine flour, nutmeg and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Stir together the bananas, oil, honey, and vanilla in another bowl. and stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Blend with a spoon until moistened. Add chopped nuts, if desired.

Spoon the mixture into muffin cups, filling to the rim. Bake until golden brown-about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Book Cover for Rosies Riveting Recipes — Cover photo by Rob Resetar

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 readers a glimpse into life on the WWII home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one Rosies’s Riveting Recipes includes more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War II ration recipes and short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Corn Pudding

from the pages of Rosie’s Riveting Recipes

This recipe is such a classic, and so simple I’m surprised neither my mother, nor any of my grandmothers, ever prepared it. It is, however, included in the Rosie’s Riveting Recipes historic cookbook, and it’s one of the easiest recipes in the entire book. The results are delicious. The pudding has a rich, buttery flavor, making it the perfect, flavorful side dish. Enjoy.

Gayle Martin

CORN PUDDING

3 eggs
2 cups fresh or canned corn
2 tablespoons melted margarine
salt and pepper
2 cups milk

Beat the eggs. Add all the other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a greased baking dish, place in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven, (350F) for about 1 hour or until set in the center. Yields 6 servings.

Note: A 15.5 ounce can of corn works nicely for this recipe.

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 readers a glimpse into life on the WWII home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one Rosies’s Riveting Recipes includes more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War II ration recipes and short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Pumpkin Walnut Cheesecake Pie

Okay everybody. Sing along with me. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year, tra, la, la.” Why? Because it’s Pumpkin Spice season!

This recipe may not exactly be low carb, but who cares? It’s pumpkin spice season! So what makes pumpkin spice season so special? Well, it’s one of those things that if I have to explain to you, you’ll never understand. Suffice to say pumpkin spice is something you either love, or you can’t stand. There seems to be no middle ground.

If you’re a pumpkin spice fan like I am, you’ll have to give this recipe a try. You may even want to consider serving it with your holiday dinner instead of a traditional pumpkin pie. Did I also mention it’s sinfully delicious? But don’t take my word for it. Give it a try and taste it for yourself

Gayle Martin

PUMPKIN WALNUT CHEESECAKE PIE

2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin
2 eggs
2 frozen pie shells, thawed
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream sugar and cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Add pumpkin and spices and mix thoroughly. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add salt and blend until creamy. Pour equal amounts into pie shells and bake for 30 minutes.

While cheesecake is baking prepare topping. Cream butter and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add walnuts and blend thoroughly. Remove cheesecakes from oven after 30 minutes and sprinkle on topping. Return to oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool. Serve with whipped cream topping, if desired.

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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 readers a glimpse into life on the WWII home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one Rosies’s Riveting Recipes includes more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War II ration recipes and short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Southern Chicken Pie

The other day I was looking for a chicken and dumplings recipe, and this gem, from the Rosies Riveting Recipes historic cookbook, can be easily adapted for making chicken and dumplings. It’s also an easy way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, or holiday turkey. Best of all, it’s delicious.

SOUTHERN CHICKEN PIE

1¹/₂ cups chopped celery
¹/₂ cup chopped green pepper
¹/₂ cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
6 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons enriched flour
4 cups milk (or half chicken broth and half milk)
3 cups cooked, sliced chicken

Pan-fry celery, green pepper, and mushrooms in butter until tender. Remove from butter; add flour; mix well. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add celery mixture and chicken; blend well. Season to taste. Turn into 2¹/₂ quart casserole or baking dish. Top with the following:

Baking Powder Biscuit Crust

2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder (or 2 teaspoons double-acting)*
¹/₂ teaspoon salt
¹/₄ cup shortening
³/₄ milk

Sift flour once, measure; add baking powder and salt; sift together. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk all at once, mixing until all flour is dampened. Turn out on floured board; knead lightly for a few seconds to smooth out dough. Roll out to fit over casserole. Place over chicken mixture. Bake in hot oven (425 F) about 25 to 30 minutes until crust is done. Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.

Modern adaptation: Carrots can also be used. Dough can also be placed over chicken mixture dumpling style.

* Most modern baking powder is double-acting.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

My parents bought an Airstream trailer shortly after my dad retired and they joined an Airstream club. They spent many years going on caravans and attending Airstream rallies where potlucks were the order of the day. It was a wonderful time in their lives. My mother brought this recipe home from one of their Airstream rallies and served it at a family get-together. We all loved it.

Fortunately, she shared the recipe with me. Generally speaking, I’m not a big casserole fan. This recipe, however, is an exception. It’s very tasty and super easy to prepare. You simply add the layers, bake, and go. I’ve taken it to many a potluck dinner, and it’s always been a big hit.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

4 to 6 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped*
1 large bag of restaurant style tortilla chips
Diced green chilies (8 ounce can)
1 cup corn
1 15 oz. can of black beans
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
2 cups cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
breadcrumbs (optional)

Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Break the tortilla chips and cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/4 inch thick. Add chopped chicken breasts, green chilies, corn and black beans. Blend the soups and chicken broth together in a medium sized mixing bowl and pour over top. (Add more liquid if thinner sauce is desired.) Cover the top layer with cheese and add the breadcrumbs, if desired. Bake at 350F for 35 to 45 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Variations: Use jalapeno or chipotle peppers instead of green chili peppers for a spicier casserole. Turkey can be used instead of chicken.

*Two 9.75 ounce cans of chicken may be used instead of fresh chicken.

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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 readers a glimpse into life on the WWII home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one Rosies’s Riveting Recipes includes more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War II ration recipes and short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Whole Wheat Rolls

from Rosie’s Riveting Recipes

Who doesn’t love fresh, home-baked bread? Seriously. The smell of fresh bread baking is intoxicating, and when you take it out of the oven? Ooh la la! Put a little butter on it and take a bite while it’s melting. If that’s not heaven and earth then I don’t know what is.

Okay, I get it that some bread recipes are pretty cumbersome. However, this historic recipe, from Rosie’s Riveting Recipes, is actually quite easy. The fresh baked rolls are delicious, and it would even be a fun project to do with the kids or grandkids.

Gayle Martin

WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS

1 cake compressed yeast
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups flour, sifted
3 cups medium whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons soft shortening

Crumble yeast into bowl. Add lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, and molasses. Work in sifted flour, whole wheat flour, and shortening. Knead until smooth. Place in greased bowl. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double (2 hours.) Punch down. Let rise until almost double (45 minutes.) Punch down. Let rest 15 minutes. Shape. Place in greased pan. Let rise. (30 to 40 minutes.) Bake 15 5o 20 minutes (depending on size) in hot oven (425F). Makes 2 dozen rolls.

Modern adaptation: Dark corn syrup may be used as a substitute for molasses.

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.

Pigs In Blankets

from the Rosie’s Riveting Recipes historic cookbook

Some dishes are destined to become classics, and this is certainly one of them. I loved pigs in a blanket when I was a kid, and I still enjoy them as an adult. This historic recipe from Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is easy, timeless, and delicious. Try it with your favorite fixings, or top it with chili, cheese and chopped onions.

Gayle Martin

PIGS IN BLANKETS

8 – 10 wieners or frankfurters

Bisquick

Simmer wieners in hot water for 10 minutes. Make Bisquick biscuit dough from package. Roll thin-cut in squares. Wrap wieners or franks (having ends show). Seal side edge by pinching together. Bake 15 minutes in hot oven. (450F) Serves 8 to 10.

Modern Adaption

Use Pillsbury Crescent Rolls instead of Bisquick

Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.