I love it because it contains basic recipes and how-tos that you can't find in newer cookbooks. If you like making classic dishes from scratch, it's a great reference (if you can get beyond the hundreds of recipes consisting of various foods suspended in molded gelatin). It's also just plain fun to look through because it transports you to an era in which life was so much different than it is today.
This book is not just a cookbook, but a guide for homemaking. Tips include planning ahead when cooking and meal planning, combining jobs, and devising a schedule for household tasks. But they also include tips for the homemaker herself: "Every morning before breakfast, comb hair, apply makeup and a dash of cologne. Does wonders for your morale and your family's, too!". "Think pleasant thoughts while working and a chore will become a "labor of love". Are you picturing a perfect little 1950s housewife cooking and cleaning with a contented smile on her face? I am. Do we know that the stereotypical 1950s lifestyle was not a reality in every home? Yep. But still, isn't this good advice? Even as the feminist I am, I know that thinking positively and keeping myself and my home clean and orderly is good for me and my family. I feel happier when I'm dressed and ready for the day, rather than schlumping around in my pajamas. I enjoy housekeeping and gardening, and am glad that I'm keeping my home clean and pleasant when I'm scrubbing floors or washing dishes. If I'm thinking of everything as an annoying chore, I feel stressed.
"Mealtime...A Happy Time"- Is it this way at your house? With a toddler, I can tell you that meal times are not always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes they're messy, noisy, and bothersome. But what if my attitude around dinner time changed? I've gotten very good at prepping and preparing things ahead of time to reduce the stress of getting dinner ready on time while holding a 20 pound person with one arm. What if I gave Celia a small snack closer to dinner time so she isn't starving and cranky? What if when Chris got home, he played with Pita while I finished up and served dinner? What if we made a conscious effort for meal times to be fun and relaxed, cranky toddler or not?
"Make mealtime a special time in your home by serving appetizing food in a relaxed, happy atmosphere. The buoyant health and feeling of well being that results will be reward enough for the care and loving thought you give to your family's meals." Hmm...
It is not realistic for me, as both a homemaker and working mom, to prepare a perfect, beautiful dinner completely from scratch every single night. However- it is a realistic goal to create a pleasant atmosphere, free from stress and negativity and full of good conversation, at dinner time every single night. Now, don't get the idea that dinners at our house are tense, unhappy experiences. Far from it. But in the hustle and bustle of life, with the rush of getting things ready and Chris sometimes arriving late from work, things aren't always completely lovey-dovey and hunky dory. Ya know?
I think it would be fun to make dinner time fun. Before we had a baby (in other words, when there was time in a day) I used to make nice dinners, set the table with linens, and we would just enjoy ourselves and each others' company. It's time to do that again, and now we have another little person to join in with us.
Last night I set the table for real, served dinner and salad from actual serving bowls, and we had a homemade raspberry cream pie for dessert. When is the last time you made dessert, just for fun? It really wasn't any more work than usual. I was just approaching dinner time with a different attitude.
What is dinner time like at your house? Maybe Betty Crocker's advice will speak to you too.
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