The Pink Recipe Box

 Have I mentioned the Pink Recipe Box?  It's the craziest of all the boxes and files from my Grandmother's collection.  It's clearly old, it's been bumped around, scratched and stuffed.  It's full of pieces of papers of every size imaginable.  Many of the papers are worn, torn and dirty.  The ink has faded in some cases to the point I am not sure I can even make out some of the recipes included in this box.  It also includes a few of those recipe "cut outs" from some of her favorite magazines.  Today I am going to dig into this box and maybe find something yummy to make in the upcoming days/weeks.  I hesitate to organize it because what you see is so "her", but I also know that if I want to preserve the recipes, it's probably best. 

One of the papers in this box, includes a name Jacqueline Claire Ludden with the date Oct 3, 1939 on one side and of course a recipe on the other side. (this is not written in any handwriting I recognize). With a lot of squinting and focus, it seems this recipe is for Chocolate Brownies.

Then there is the cut out recipe (which is actually a tear out😀) from a newspaper and it is for "Honey Chews".  While reading it, what strikes me most is the comment in this recipe about the notion that  ""sweeten' desserts" will still be welcomed, even tho sugar is scarce".  There is a recipe for Cinnamon Candy on the back of an envelope, with a postmark dated Sep 22, 1950 from Philadelphia, PA.  The box includes a recipe for Pheasant, Chicken or Turkey Casserole,  which is a whole page taken from the Denver Post's Empire Magazine from December 26, 1971.

My Grandma was a big bridge player - beside teaching 1st grade, loving on her grandchildren and staying ahead of all the town gossip, she always had time for a bridge game - I think 2 or 3 times a week. So, it's not uncommon to find several recipes on a bridge tally sheet, or include the day's scores from her bridge partners.

The box also contains an un-named recipe on the back of an envelope - mailed Dec. 21, 1951 from Centralia ILL with a 3 CENT stamp!!! After deciphering the ingredients I have concluded it is yet another pineapple jello salad recipe.

Then there is the letter from the school, dated April 3, 1942, letting parents know about the smallpox and diphtheria immunizations scheduled for April 7th.  The charge was $1.00 for each immunization.  Diphtheria required a 2nd shot about 2 weeks later.  Parents were not compelled to have their children immunized but the Superintendent was urging cooperation in protecting all of the children of the community. I think the recipe on the back is for some type of icing.

Lastly, I'll reference a piece of paper, more noted for what the paper is, than for the recipe on the other side.  It is an "Inspector's Voucher" from the A.C. Gilbert Company.  A little bit about that company as found on Wikipedia. "The A.C.Gilbert Company was an American toy company, once one of the largest in the world. Gilbert originated the Erector Set, which is a construction toy similar to Meccano in the rest of the world, and made chemistry sets, microscope kits, and a line of inexpensive reflector telescopes. In 1938, Gilbert purchased the American Flyer, a manufacturer of toy trains."  My Grandpa who was a depot agent had a few train sets in his day so I am guessing that is the "link" to the recipe box.

There is so much more in these pages in the Pink Recipe Box. Can't wait to share a few of those recipes.