Cooking with Betty is a new limited-run blog series showcasing transcriptions from the Betty Welter Fonds. Each week, we will be sharing Betty’s recipes and her thoughts on raising children in Grande Prairie during the 1950’s. Each blog post will feature recipes from her handwritten recipe book and excerpts from her reflection piece Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s. This blog series is made possible by volunteer Suzanne Dunn, who transcribed the records, and practicum student Alec Moreau, who compiled the posts. We will try to keep things short, simple, and sweet!
This week, we are sharing Betty’s no-nonsense perspectives on transportation and household chores. Enjoy this latest excerpt from Raising Children in Grande Prairie during the 50’s:
TRANSPORTATION
Children walked everywhere. Older ones had bikes in the late 50’s.
CHORES
Children all helped with assigned chores, according to their age. Helped in the garden preparing fruit or vegetables for preserving. We had coal and wood stoves ’til mid-50’s so helped with splitting wood and kindling, carrying coal and ashes.
We are also bringing you an assortment of recipes for entertaining. The cream puffs sure sound good!
Apple Crisp
5 or 6 apples, peeled, sliced in a pudding dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon & 1/2 c. sugar
Add 3 tbsp. water
Blend for crumbs 2 tbsp butter
1 c sugar (brown)
2/3 c. flour
Sprinkle over apples & bake in a mod. oven until brown.
Curled Celery
1. Cut celery stalks in 2 1/2 “ sticks
2. Slash from each end of the strip to within 1/2″ from centre
3. Place in salted water to curl, about 1/2 hour.
Cream Puffs (Anna)
1 c si. flour
3 c. butter
1 c. boiling H2O
3 eggs unbeaten
Sift flour once. Melt shortening in water. Stir flour into rapidly boiling H2O. Cook & stir constantly until mixture leaves sides of pan in smooth compact mass. Remove + eggs one at a time beating only until smooth 20-40 sec. Shape on ungreased baking sheet, rounds or strips 5×1”. Bake in hot oven 450o 20 min. then reduce heat to moderate 350oF & bake 25 min. longer. With sharp knife make slit in one side insert Custard Cream Filling. Cover with Hungarian Choc. Frosting. Makes 12
Join us next week as we continue Cooking with Betty!
Image: A page from Betty’s handwritten cookbook (From SPRA 0129.07.01)