Retro Recipes from the 1920s
We stumbled upon a vintage cookbook from the 1920s and thought it would be fun to give these retro recipes a modern makeover. After flipping through the congealed salads and gelatin molds, we settled on two dishes that you should totally add to your repertoire.
Tomatoes and Macaroni
¾ cup macaroni cooked till tender in 2 qt water; ½ can tomatoes, 1 tablespoon onion and 1 cup water, cooked. Strain macaroni; add to tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon butter; cook ten minutes.
-- MRS. WM. QUINLAN
We dressed this one up a bit and went family style! Canned tomatoes, shallots, butter, macaroni, and pasta water make for an easy weeknight dinner.
What you need
- 1 lb. dried macaroni
- Kosher salt for water (about a palmful)
- 1 tbsp. Smith Brothers Farms Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp. minced shallot
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (we used San Marzano tomatoes, so tasty!)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- BelGioioso Shredded Parmesan Cheese, for topping
Instructions
Bring four quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the macaroni and cook just underdone. Reserve one cup of the cooking water. Strain. Leave in a colander.
In a large high-sided skillet, add butter, shallot, and garlic and sauté over medium heat until soft. Add the can of tomatoes and one cup of pasta water. Bring to a simmer until reduced by 1/4.
Add macaroni, salt, and pepper. Cook for seven more minutes or until pasta is tender. Top with parmesan to serve.
-
Cheese Souffle
1 cup cheese cut in cubes; 4 slices buttered bread; 3 eggs; milk; salt, pepper and paprika and ½ teaspoon mustard. Mix cheese and bread cubes in baking dish. Pour milk and egg mixture over bread and cheese. Bake in moderate oven ½ or ¾ hours. Serve at once.
-- ESTHER E. LEE
We swapped in some more flavorful ingredients (sharp cheese and sourdough) and added time and temperatures. This makes a great brunch side dish (you can sprinkle with bacon or sausage), or a meatless meal with a side of veggies.
What you need
- 4 tbsp. Smith Brothers Farms Unsalted Butter, melted
- 4 slices of bread (we used Seattle Sourdough Old Town)
- 1-1/2 cups Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 Smith Brothers Farms Eggs
- 1 cup Smith Brothers Farms Milk
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Brush half of the melted butter onto the bottom and sides of a 2.5-quart baking dish. Brush the remaining butter on to the slices of bread, and then cut into cubes. Mix cubes of cheese and bread in a baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, paprika, mustard, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the bread and cheese mixture, making sure all of the bread gets covered. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the egg mixture to soak into the bread.
Place in the oven for 40 minutes. If the top starts to brown too much, cover lightly with foil. Remove from the oven and let stand for another 10-15 minutes or until slightly cooled. Serve and enjoy!