What’s for dinner? How about some old-fashioned rice and beef porcupines? Recipes from the 1940s & 1950s

Creative meatballs: Rice and beef porcupines a tender and tempting dish.

Here is an exciting way to make rice and beef main dish which is new and different!

Your children will think it is great fun to eat these savory "little fellows" made of economical rice and beef. Dad, too, will enjoy this way to serve the meat favorite, beef. And will be mightly pleased when a platter of porcupine meatballs is placed before him to serve.

Uncooked rice and beef are mixed together, and during the baking, the grains of rice absorb moisture and pop through the surface to make white "quills".

So make these beef and rice balls often, and keep your family pleased and satisfied.

Rice and beef porcupine recipe (1948)

Fun to make- fun to eat!

Now here's a recipe that shows you the delicious things you can make with Hunt's tomato sauce... When you take these "porcupines" from the saucepan, notice how the rice has puffed up- light and oh, so tasty!

Rice and beef porcupines recipe (1953)

Made with Hunt's tomato sauce- A spectacular recipe for a modest little price!

Good? They're simply wonderful! Just look how those grains of rice swell up luscious and tender, thanks to nice-and-spicy Hunt's tomato sauce. Hunt's is the real, kettle-simmered tomato sauce- not a soup, no starchy thickeners! Its one purpose- to make your favorite dishes still more flavory. Get some and try this recipe!

Mix together:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup raw rice, well washed

3 tbsp chopped onion

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp salt

Form mixture into 10 or 12 small balls. Brown them lightly in an uncovered saucepan in:

3 tbsp fat

Drain off excess fat and add:

2 cans Hunt's tomato sauce

1 cup water

Cover tightly. Simmer 45 to 50 minutes, or till rice is tender. Serve with the flavory pan gravy. Ummm but it's good! 

Rice and beef porcupines recipe card

Mobile homes: The hot housing trend of the ’50s and ’60s

Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the American Dream could be had — affordably, fully-furnished, and in style — if you wanted to buy a mobile home. As one ad from the start of the boom noted, “Everything is modern as can be! Smart furnishings, planned by decorators, are the kind you’re proud to show your friends.”

And it wasn’t just the home itself that was being pitched — it was the whole suburban lifestyle. “The new mobile home parks are fine neighborhoods, with beautiful landscaping, recreational facilities like swimming pools. Outside in the yard, you can set out a white picket fence… plant a rose garden… do some informal entertaining.”

And it worked. These manufactured homes were parked across the country by the millions, which — as it was later noted — often negatively impacted the infrastructure of the area due to congestion and inadequate utilities. Still, as of 1958, the marketing literature noted, “Now three million people, including young marrieds, engineers, graduate students, construction and industrial workers, professional and military men, retired couples, live in mobile homes.”

Mobile homes from 1958

This is typical of the most modern mobile home parks — one reason mobile homes are America’s new way to live!

Modern housing trend: Luxury mobile living

Now — three million Americans have chosen this modern housing trend: The mobile home

This is the “luxury year” for mobile living. Today’s mobile home is longer, wider, plusher, with more comforts and conveniences than ever before.

Up-to-date furnishings in every room come with your mobile home

No extra financing needed for appliances, draperies or furniture

Mobile homes from 1959

You’re completely “at home” the first day!

Attractive suburban life: There are many new mobile home parks with beautiful landscaping, recreational facilities, even swimming pools. In these friendly communities, you have your own back yard for barbecues, sunbathing, gardening. Buy a mobile home now — have your tulips in bloom this spring!

A home that’s all modern… all furnished… all your own!

With a Mobile Home, you can start enjoying comfortable, up-to-date living in your own home now . . . this week. And without buying a stick of furniture! Here’s why: the home plus complete furnishings and appliances for every room are all included in one easy-to-pay price. You may pay only $75 a month or less. There’s no heavy, long-term debt.

Today’s mobile homes are even more modern than many ordinary homes. They have smart, decorator-styled furnishings, contemporary in design. A kitchen a woman can really be proud of — with a new large-capacity refrigerator, built-in range and oven, twin sinks, formica counters, disposal. There’s a complete bathroom with tub and shower. Automatic heat, air-conditioning, automatic washer-dryer, built-in TV if you choose.

More and more young couples, military and professional men, students, industrial and construction workers, and retired couples are moving into mobile homes. You can find dealers in your area in the classified ads of your newspapers or yellow pages of your phone book under “Mobile Homes,” “Trailers-House,” or “Trailers-Coach.”

Is your bathroom this modern?

Here’s suburban living without long-term debt

A growing living trend with good-looking property, up-to-date homes

It’s a good life in these modern friendly communities. The new mobile home parks offer beautiful landscaping, recreational facilities, even swimming pools in some places. You have your own backyard — for anything from croquet to growing your own peonies. Mobile homes have the best features of a new ranch home. Smart furnishings, the most modern kitchens.

And mobile homes are roomy — many measure 10′ by 50′. You pay for your home, furnishings, and appliances in one price. It may cost you only $75 a month or less. You avoid large long-term debt.

The most up-to-date kitchen comes with the mobile home

New business opportunities in mobile home parks

Last year 1 out of 10 housing starts was a mobile home. For people who want to own and operate or to invest only, mobile home parks offer steady, increasing returns.

New modern parks are needed today in cities and towns of all sizes throughout the United States, from those of a few thousand to those of a million or more. Parks of various sizes are needed — 10 to 50 units, 75 to 100, 250 and up. Investment in large parks offers outstanding profits — up to 25%. Or if you’re planning to retire, owning and operating a small park gives you a fine source of supplemental income. Moreover, it provides a personal interest for you, as well as a good place to live and meet people. Send NOW for information on planning and building a modern park.

Mobile homes in 1960

Your own new home and today’s most modern home furnishings and appliances. All this is included in the one easy-to-pay price of a mobile home. You may pay only $75 a month or even less.

And here are the other up-to-date features of this new living trend:

1. Your major appliances. You can have a built-in or conventional oven-range and large capacity refrigerator-freezer, a latest-model automatic washer-dryer.

2. Smart furnishing styles — a wide variety from which to choose. Living room and bedroom furniture, drapes, carpeting, lamps, even TV can be included.

3. Really convenient kitchen designs. Twin sinks with disposal, counter areas and cupboards in just the right places, along with your up-to-date appliances.

4. Attractive bathrooms — tiled, complete with tub and shower.

5. Automatic heat– and air-conditioning, if you like.

6. Plenty of room! Mobile homes measure up to 10′ x 50′ (and more). You can have from 1 to 3 bedrooms.

7. Modern friendly suburban life.

8. Your own yard, with room for a good-sized lawn, a garden, barbecues, even a white picket fence!

9. Easy “shopping”! Browse through new homes at local dealers, listed in the yellow pages of your phone book and classified newspaper section under “Mobile Homes,” “Trailers-House,” or “Trailers-Coach.”

All over the country, you’ll find new mobile home parks … beautifully landscaped, complete communities. Many have their own shopping centers.

Mobile Homes Manufacturers Assn., Chicago, Illinois – Please send 1960 Edition MOBILE LIFE, with information on models of 75 manufacturers, mobile home parks and living. 

Stove Top Meatloaf Recipe From The 60s

Here are two recipes for a stove top meatloaf dinner. It's so easy to make, it doesn't even need to be cooked in the oven. If the idea of making a meaty dinner without heating up the kitchen too much sounds good to you, it's worth a try!

Stove Top Meatloaf Recipe

Stove top meatloaf: new way to make a tender loaf with Campbell's Soup.

1) Mix. Shape into loaves.
2) Brown on both sides. Cover and cook.
3) Top with rest of soup- finish cooking.

Stove Top Meatloaf Recipes (1965)

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs

1 can (10-3/4 ounce) Campbell's Tomato Soup

1/4 cup finely-chopped onions

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

Generous dash pepper

1 tablespoon shortening

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

2 slices process cheese, cut in half

Directions

Thoroughly mix beef, crumbs, 1/4 cup soup, onion, egg, and seasonings. Shape firmly into 2 loaves. Brown on both sides in skillet in shortening. Cover; cook over low heat 25 minutes. Spoon off fat. Pour remaining soup mixed with water and mustard on loaves; top with cheese. Cook 10 minutes, uncovered. 4 to 6 servings.

Oven method: Mix and shape as above. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. Spoon off fat. Pour remaining soup (omit water) mixed with mustard on loaves; top with cheese. Bake 5 minutes more.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Stove Top Meatloaf Recipes Variation (1963)

1 can (10-33/4 ounce) tomato soup

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs 

1 egg

1/3 cup finely-chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt, dash pepper

1 tablespoon shortening

1/4 cup water

1/2 to 1 teaspoon horseradish

Combine 1/8 can soup, beef, bread crumbs, egg, onions, salt and pepper. Shape into 2 loaves, brown in shortening, cover. Cook over low heat for 25 minutes. Spoon off fat. Top with remaining ingredients. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Serves 6. 

How to be a perfect ’50s housewife: Refrigerator edition

For the picture-perfect housewife of the ’50s, the kitchen was the heart of the home.. and the heart of the kitchen was the fancy refrigerator — the kind of luxury mother and grandmother could have only dreamed of!

Here, take a look back to the olden golden age of refrigeration — when they were just getting used to not calling it an “icebox,” and a newfangled built-in freezer was a huge bonus.

Ladies, be proud of your refrigerators! (1950)

A proper fifties housewife must seriously adore her fridge, and keep it fully-stocked at all times.

Here’s how to stock the fridge and freezer for your fallout shelter (1956)

Make the kids do the work, so you can just dress up and look pretty!

Look at all the treats a housewife can store inside! (1950)

Who would like a slice of this lovely pink molded gelatin… thing?

True joy comes with sharing the love. (1950)

Introduce the family to your beloved appliance, and nurture that relationship.

Someone’s not sure about the new fridge (1950)

Don’t let Grampa be a party pooper and call it “a newfangled icebox.”

The universal sign of the refrigerator (1957)

You are so deeply inspired by kitchen appliances, you even want to do funky futuristic dances nearby… all while wearing an evening dress, long gloves and heels. Of course.

1950s housewives and the fun of fridges

Even space cadets liked the fridge with wide shelf on the door.

The housewife life: When ice cream was demanded by cowboys and Indians (1950)

Pink refrigerators were the best

The joy of so much space in the housewife’s pretty pink refrigerator! (1957)

Regular fridge not enough for you? Try one of these wall-mounted babies in place of your cabinets! (1956)

Kitchen air conditioning (1950)

Always keep the refrigerator and freezer doors open at the same time. It will show off the feast within, and cool down the whole room!

The perfect dance partner for a housewife (1950)

The refrigerators of the early fifties were apparently great fun at the sock hop.

“A built-in freezer! You don’t say!” (1950)

It’s like magic!

The kids will never know how much time and money goes into feeding a family of five, because the fridge is always magically full.

Party time ’round the fridge! (1950)

The refrigerator is the center of the party!

Filling the fridge was a family affair! (1952)

Retro burgers! Make some Fancy-Pants hamburgers from the ’50s

Give burgers a grand new taste: Fancy-Pants hamburgers

Of course, you don’t need special recipes for Hunt’s Tomato Sauce — you can simply add it to your own favorites.

For example, when you fry just plain hamburgers, brown one side, turn, and pour in a can of Hunt’s. When they’re done, the bubbling-hot sauce will be deliciously blended with the meat juices. 

Fancy-Pants hamburger recipe (1955)

1 pound chopped beef

2 tbsp. fat

4 slices sharp cheese

1 can Hunt’s tomato sauce

Season beef and form into 8 thin hamburger cakes. Place slices of cheese on four of the hamburger cakes. Cover them with the remaining four and pinch the edges together to enclose the cheese completely.

In a skillet, brown the cakes on one side in hot fat. Turn them and pour over them 1 can Hunt’s tomato sauce. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve piping hot.

Makes 4 servings

Hunt’s fancy-pants hamburgers recipe (1953)

This is perhaps the most popular recipe ever originated in the Hunt kitchens!

The reason? Juicy hamburger . . . melted cheese blended with the delicious flavor of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce. That’s the honest-to-goodness cooking sauce that’s all tomato-seasoned with spice and everything nice. Try this recipe and see!

1 pound chopped beef

Season beef and form into 8 thin hamburger cakes. Take:

4 slices sharp cheese

Place slices of cheese on four of the hamburger cakes. Cover them with the remaining four and pinch the edges together to enclose the cheese completely.

In a skillet, brown the cakes on one side in hot fat. Turn them over and pour over them:

1 can Hunt’s tomato sauce

Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve them piping hot with the delicious pan gravy — a wonderful treat for four people!

Delicious dollar-stretching recipe

You know, you can almost double the number of recipes you serve your family by simply adding a can or two of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce. How it does flavor up a dish! And it costs so little-only a few cents a can.

Try Hunt’s Tomato Sauce in your stews, soups, casseroles, fish, meatloaf, spaghetti, gravies. Your grocer has it.

No-Bake Banana Pudding With Vanilla Wafers (1956)

No-bake banana pudding with vanilla wafers (1956)
Easy, new way to make delicious banana pudding
You’ll love crunchy-good Jane Arden Vanilla wafers and rich, ripe bananas… smothered in the smooth, delicate hand-blended flavor of Jell-well Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling. Such a spectacular dessert, you’d never dream it could be so quick, so easy to make.

Get Jane Arden Vanilla Wafers and Jell-well Pudding and Pie Filling when you shop, today. Enjoy this treat tonight!

Also below: A recipe from 1956 for homemade banana pudding (requires cooking)

Prepare 1 package Jell-well Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling according to package directions. Allow filling to cool. (If you prefer, use Jell-well Vanilla instant pudding, Prepared according to package directions).

Line bottom and sides of low 9″ square dish with Jane Arden Vanilla Wafers. Cover wafers with banana slices. Pour half of pudding over bananas. Add second layer of Jane Arden Wafers, bananas, and remaining pudding. Chill about 1 hour.

For an extra-special touch, top with whipped cream sprinkled with crushed vanilla wafers — or use meringue topping and brown lightly.

Bonus: Recipe for homemade banana pudding with vanilla wafers
To be good, a pudding should be full of surprises, and here’s a luscious-tasting one that everybody will love.

“Vanilla Wafer Banana Pudding” combines sliced bananas, custard and meringue with a surprise ingredient, sunny vanilla wafers, that add real home-baked flavor and a rich, crunchy texture. It’s a sweet and satisfying dessert after a light summer meal. Dress it up as a party treat by serving in individual wafer-lined cups.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
48 Sunshine Vanilla Wafers
4 bananas (well-ripened)
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Scald milk in top of a double boiler over direct heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the beaten egg yolks, 2/3 cup of sugar, salt and cornstarch. Pour about 1/2 cup of scalded milk over egg mixture, stirring to blend. Return egg mixture to remaining milk in top of double boiler and set top in place over boiling water.

Cook, stirring until mixture is smooth and thickened (about 6 minutes). Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Arrange alternate layers of vanilla wafers and sliced bananas in a 9-inch square cake an or in a 1-1/2 quart casserole. Pour hot custard over the top and allow to cool.

Heat oven to 425 F (moderately hot oven). Beat whites until stiff but not dry. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar gradually, continuing to beat until meringue is very stiff and glossy. Spread over pudding and brown in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Recipe from The Argos Reflector (Argos, Indiana) – Thursday, August 9, 1956

Corn pie with ground beef crust: A good old-fashioned dinner recipe from the ’40s

Old-fashioned recipe: How to make corn pie with ground beef crust
A good meat-stretcher is a corn pie with a meat crust. Bake a pie shell of chopped beef, fill with quick-frozen corn, tomato, and green pepper, and you have a mouth-meltingly delicious corn pie that’s a conversation piece as well as a satisfying mainstay. Here’s the recipe. (Below, also see the bonus recipe for rice pie with ground beef crust!)

Corn pie with ground beef crust (a meat crust)
Ingredients

1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 cup soft bread crumbs
3/4 pound chopped meat
1 box frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon basil, if desired
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Green pepper rings

Directions

Combine egg, milk, seasonings, onion and crumbs. Let stand 5 minutes. Add meat and mix well. Pack mixture firmly on bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Press another 9-inch pie plate on top of mixture to hold it in place. Bake in moderate oven (350 F) 7 minutes; then remove top pie plate and bake 3 minutes longer.

Combine Birds Eye Golden Sweet corn, tomatoes, and seasonings. Turn into hot meat shell and dot with butter. Arrange green pepper rings, which have been cooked in boiling salted water until tender, on top. Return to oven and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve from pie plate. Makes 6 servings.

Bonus recipe: Rice pie with ground beef crust (1957)
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup American cheese
2 cups tomato sauce

Directions

Mix beef, breadcrumbs, onion, green pepper, salt and 1 cup tomato sauce together. Put mixture onto bottom and sides of 10-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Combine rice with the remainder of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon into meat pie shell and top with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer.

1950s Marriage Advice To Young Women

1950s marriage advice to young women

1950s marriage advice to young women: If you want to find a husband, a survey says these are the best jobs to get.

Secretary’s job considered the best spot to find a husband (1952)
The Gallup Poll

Suppose you were a young woman anxious to find a husband, get married and settle down. What would be the best sort of job or occupation for you to take in order to meet eligible men and find a good husband?

When interviewers for the institute put that question to both men and women in a Maine-to-California survey, here is what they found:

#1) Working in an office as secretary or stenographer is rated tops as a way to snare a husband.

#2) Being a nurse ranks next. You meet rich patients, and there are so many handsome young interns.

#3) The third best way to a man’s heart is by being a waitress, in the opinion of the public. (Provided, of course, the restaurant permits its employees to have dates with customers.)

Survey says…
With the arrival of spring, the traditional season of match-making, the institute took time out from its surveys on politics to ask a nationwide cross-section:

“What kind of job or occupation do you think offers a young woman the best chances of finding a husband?”

Here is the vote:

Office job (secretary, stenographer, clerk, receptionist): 32%
Nurse: 14%
Waitress: 7%
Airline stewardess: 5%
Selling in department stores, men’s clothing stores: 5%
Factory work: 4%
Armed forces: Wacs, Waves, Wafs, Marines, etc: 4%
Teaching: 3%
Show business: 3%
Other occupations: 12%
No opinion: 14%
The table adds to more than 100 percent because some persons named more than one occupation.

Other ways to find a husband
Some people said, “Never mind a job — just go to church and be a good old-fashioned girl; that’s what the men like.”


Others said the best way for girl to find a husband is to learn to be a really outstanding cook.

The survey found comparatively little difference of opinion between men and women about the best occupation for encountering Cupid, except that women gave nursing a higher vote than men did.

To find a husband, the five top choices of the women were:

Office work
Nursing
Waitress
Airline stewardess
Armed Forces
The men ranked the top five this way:

Office work
Nursing
Waitress
Sales work
Factory work
Should women propose marriage?
In an earlier leap year survey reported by the institute, it was found that the great majority of women turn a cold shoulder on the idea of girls proposing matrimony, even though the legendary right to “pop the question” is theirs.

Out of every 100 women questioned, 58 said women should not do the proposing, while 34 said they should, and 8 were undecided.

With men, it’s a different story. They like it.

Out of every 100 males, 49 said it’s a fine idea to have women propose, while 33 were against it and, 13 wouldn’t commit themselves.