Your Holiday Made Easier

Have you just finished a wonderful Thanksgiving meal? We haven't...we do Thanksgiving on Friday. Which is why I'm not too full to be thinking of your holiday needs. Now is the time to start planning for Christmas, and I'm here to help. Along with my friend Betty Crocker.

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The first cookbook I ever used was the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook, copyright 1950, that my Mother got when she was married. I later acquired a used copy of my own, and my daughter now owns my Mother's book. I have purchased copies of this classic for several friends as well. While this cookbook isn't much use for preparing vegetables (unless you like them overcooked), it is great for many of the basics, particularly baking. There aren't any recipes that start with a box mix in this edition! It remains one of my most-used references--I used it just today for the white sauce for my Thanksgiving peas and onions. While we have been told that Betty Crocker never really existed, she is practically a member of our family.

And...she's so stylish!

For pictures of Betty, and more information on this edition, go here. Caution: the 1998 3-ring binder "reissue" of the 1950 edition is not the same as the original.

It's worth keeping an eye out for the original, if you don't already own it. Besides using it to cook with, it's entertaining to read aloud the introductions to many of the recipes. A typical example, accompanying Chicken Tetrazzini: "Often served by Genevieve Callahan and Lon Richardson of San Francisco in their apartment on Russian Hill where guests enjoy two charming hostesses, sprightly conversation, and the glorious view of bay and bridges."