Cheery Valentine, 1961

Surplus Commodities in Family Meals, Supplement

Surplus Commodities in Family Meals

My mother remembers this project of my grandmother, which essentially was creating a mix that was a precursor to Bisquick. There were successes - see below - and there were failures. (Ask my mother about those.)

While reading the recipes are interesting, I think the opening lines from my grandmother are perhaps the most fascinating:

Our cooking habits of today are very different from those of a generation ago. We are used to a great many prepared and semi-prepared foods. Many housewives have lost (or are too young to have ever had to know), the art of "cooking from scratch".

As a compomise to this situation, most of the recipes in this pamphlet are based on a basic MASTER MIX. From this one biscuit-type mix, a wide range of cooking and baking is possible with a minimum of preparation time.

Many recipes using large quantities of today's surplus products, such as scrambled edds or custard, have been omitted from this collection; beacuse they have been featured in phamplets previously circulated.

August, 1961

What is ironic is that I only knew my grandmother to make everything from scratch - sans cake. This was the one item she declared was just as good for less money to use the box mix rather than make it from scratch. But she was an entrepreneur, and this project probably paid well for the day and got food on the table for her family, too.

$5 from Uncle Garfield

I love that Marie noted that Garfield included $5 with the card. 

Surplus Commodities In Family Meals

My mom remembers the many taste-testing meals of her youth...

Friday Photos: Graduation Portraits

Roxanne Johnson Cumming

1961

Melody/Minne Johnson Isley

1962

Jill Johnson Mattingly

1964

Mark Johnson

1966

Jacque Johnson Burkhalter

1967

The Curious Savage

Mrs. Paddy ........ Melody Johnson

"You're getting younger every day."

1961

Hi!

Happy Birthday!

Just think! You're getting younger every day. Have many more birthdays - they're fun!

I really do hope you people come up for the World's Fair. It's going to be real nice and all that jazz.

Although it's really terrible of me not to write sooner, thanks gobs for the powder you sent me for Christmas. It smells pretty!

Lots of love and all that garbage,

Jill Johnson

(sent to Marie?)

One Foot in Heaven

Note Jill listed as a stage person...

And I love that someone got a bit bored at some point in the evening...and doodled...

"I am so glad you father is doing nicely. Aren't you?"

Lincoln, Nebr.

April 5, 1961

Dear Marie -

It is Wednesday to-day and no word from you.

I called up your father's house but no one answered the telephone. I am wondering how your father is.

I hope you will come this summer or as soon as you possibly can after school is out.

I am enclosing a sample of the material which I made your apron like. Please will you try to see if you can find a flounce pattern as near like the one I made on the apron. Could you show the apron to your dress-maker so that she would understand better. Or if you can find a flounce pattern in the pattern book for me I will be so thankful.

I am enclosing some clippings and let me know how you like them.

The Governor attends the church where I have marked.

Please answer questions which I asked in my other letter.

I called Dora this evening and asked how your father was. Dora answered that he was operated on this morning and getting along just fine. Also that Betty sent a beautiful arrangement of flowers. I am so glad you father is doing nicely. Aren't you?

As ever, Mother.

"I like them real light brown on the bottom"

Lincoln, Nebr., Jan. 31, 1961

Dear Marie –

I wish to thank you for the gifts which I received. Excuse me for not answering your letters before this.

I hope you received the package which I sent you. I especially wished you to taste the cookies. I like them real light brown on the bottom like the ones I sent you.

I intend to read over your letters and answer them as a write later. This is a short letter. I think I will call you up next Sunday afternoon and hope you will be at home Marie. Hope you like the clippings I am enclosing.

With love,
Your Mother

(In Haste)