Carroll Daily Times Herald from Carroll, Iowa • Page 5

Fact Fancy By Gladys Holland A BIO HIT in toy markets this Christmas are the many miniature pots, pans, electric stoves, refrigerators, and other articles of kitchen equipment that reflect our national interest in food prepara- ration even among the younger generation. NOT ONLY are the toy full miniature cooking equipment but also are featuring special cookies and cake mixes for children, tiny packages of cereals and even little cans of food for juvenile use. ONE COMPANY has put out a juvenile kit consisting of an aluminum saucepan, six cans of soup, and all the utensils needed for preparing a lunch or dinner, It even includes a child-tested cook book, placemats for the table, and a chef's hat and apron. BAKING CAKES in little sister's toy baking pans is fun for anybody, brothers and sisters alike. Any cake batter may be used, but mixes are easiest of course.

A real touch of elegance can be added to the plainest cake by variations in frosting. BEST FROSTINGS are those made with butter or margarine and confectioners' sugar, adding just enough liquid to moisten. The liquid may be milk, orange juice, lemon juice, or pineapple juice. If milk is UBed add vanilla for flavoring. REALLY DIFFERENT is this recipe for Prune Fluff Frosting made with canned baby food.

Stir half a cup of butter or margarine until soft and creamy. Add four and one-half cups of confectioners' sugar, gradually alternating with one four-ounce can of pureed prunes and one teaspoon of lemon juice. STIR IN a dash of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. Spread on cooled cakes. Prune Fluff Frosting is especially good on spice cakes.

For real Christmasy effect, decorate with sliced candied cherries and citron. This recipe will cover 18 cakes. CHRISTMAS PARTY Mrs. Glenn Bulger (seated), new county chairman of girls' 4-H clubs, pours a cup of coffee for Mrs. George Opperman, retiring chairman, at a Christmas party given by the Rural Women's Committee of the Farm Bureau in the Farm Bureau building last week.

Christmas recipes were exchanged among committee members and guests. (Staff Photo) Spiced Banana Fruit Cake Something Different for Yule Pre-Holiday Party Plans Begin the season right! Plan some of your parties both for figure slimming and budget paring. For instance, a luncheon or supper where you serve an economical Cottage Cheese Barbecue Salad will make you popular with your weight-watching friends, as well as the gremlin who watches your budget! Of course, this delicious salad is chock-full of protein energy. Cottage Cheese Barbecue Salad (Quick Tomato Aspic) 1 package lemon gelatin cups hot water 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce IVi tablespoons vinegar teaspoon salt Dash of pepper 1 cup cottage cheese. Dissolve gelatin in hot water.

Add tomato sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend. Chill until slightly thickened. Then fold in cottage cheese. Pour into 1-quart mold.

Chill until firm. Serve on crisp salad greens with mayonnaise. Garnish with cucumber slices and parsley-stuffed bologna slices. Makes 4 to 8 servings. OVEN CARE After you've finished baking, leave your oven door open for a few minutes to let any moisture evaporate.

Frigidaire America's most popular Automatic Washer and Dryar. Sea tha Thrifty Pair S4.1B Par Waak Buys Both CARROLL REFRIGERATION SERVICE Wast of Charley's Placa on Highway 30 Phone 3401 The tree is trimmed, the holly wreath is firmly fastened on the front door. The house is waiting for Christmas. Out in the cold, crisp December air there come the notes of an old carol "Hark the Herald angels sing The carol- lere are serenading. It's an old custom, a well-loved one.

Fling the door wide. Ask the singers in for some refreshments and for a bit of warmth before your fireside. What will your evening refreshments be this holiday season: Traditional fruitcake? Yes, or if you feel in the mood for something a little different try a Banana Fruitcake, richly spiced with sweet cinnamon. Christmas and home baking seem to go together. The glorious fragrances of fresh bread and cake, the hospitable feeling of serving a home-baked loaf is, to many women, the very spirit of Christmas.

And, today, with the pre-chopped glazed fruits, with the ground spices at ones spoon tip, baking is no longer the chore it was in grandma's day. Regulated heat in modern ovens insures successful cakes every time. So have fun baking for your family and friends this Ch. islmas! Spices are a part and parcel of Christmas baking. For example, cinnamon, fragrant and delicious, is the spice that is featured in the novel banana fruit cake.

Rich with chopped fruits, the spice and the bananas form an unusually delicate fruit cake. Young and old carollers alike will thoroughly enjoy the pause at your house. Cinnamon Christmas Braids are another delicious treat which are always welcome, either as an evening snack or at the Christmas breakfast table. Cinnamon and ground cardamom seeds are the spices that give this fragrant bread a "different" flavor. The home economists in the test kitchen of the American Spice Trade Association have perfected these delicious Yuletide recipes for your enjoyment.

the baking period. Store cakes in a tightly closed container. YIELD: 5 2 pounds. Spiced Banana Fruit Cake 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 tsp. soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 1-3 cups shortening 1 1-3 cups sugar 4 eggs, unbeaten 2 cups (4 to 6) ripe mashed bananas 1 cup raisins IVi cups chopped nuts 4 cups glazed diced fruit.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Mix soda, spices and shortening togr r. Gradually blend in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture alternately with mashed bananas.

Mix raisins, nuts, and fruit and stir into batter. Turn into 2 well- greased, lightly floured 9x5x3- Inch pans. Bake 2 hours or until done in a slow oven, (300 degrees Keep a shallow pan of hot water underneath cake throughout Cinnamon Christmas Braids 2 envolopes active dry yeast 2 cup warm water (110 degrees F. to 115 degrees 1 1-3 cups mik, scalded 2-3 cup sugar 2 eggs 5-6 cups sifted, all-purpose flour V2 cup margarine or butter, melted 2 teaspoons salt 14 teaspoons ground cinnamon. teaspoon ground cardamom seeds 2-3 cup white raisins 1 cup diced glazed fruits 2-3 cup chopped nuts Soften yeast' in the warm water.

Cool milk to lukewarm. Add sugar and eggs. Beat to blend in eggs. Gradually stir in 3 cups flour. Beat until the batter falls in sheets from the spoon.

Cool melted margarine or butter and beat into the yeast batter. Combine salt, spices and the remaining flour, gradually adding 2 cups and work it in well. Turn out onto a board and knead in the remaining flour. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover.

Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough. Turn out on a bread board and knead in raisins, glazed fruit and nuts. Form dough into 6 ropes. Braid and form into 2 loaves.

Place on greased baking sheet. Brush top with milk. Place in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 45 minutes. Bake 30 to 40 minutes in a pre-heated moderate oven (350 degrees YIELD: 2 loaves. Spiced Surprise Caramels 1 Va cups sugar cup strained honey teaspoon salt Vz teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Vz teaspoon gi'ound ginger 1-3 cup margarine or butter Vz cup light cream or top milk pound blanched, salted almonds Mix the first 7 ingredients together in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook over medium heat to 255 degrees F. or until a few drops of syrup dropped in very cold water form a firm ball. Remove from heat.

Pour into a buttered 15 12 1-inch pan. Cool until candy can be handled. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place a whole almond in the center of each. Roll in balls between palm of hands, keeping the almond in the center.

Wrap each in cellophane paper. Store in a covered box or candy jar. YIELD: IVi pounds. GLAMOR MUFFINS Drop a lump of sugar into each muffin just before you pop them into the oven. Sprinkle lavishly with ground cinnamon.

The sugar melts and blends with the muffin dough as it bakes. KITCHEN TONGS Large kitchen tongs are handy for removing baked potatoes from the oven, turning broiled chops or chicken, and lifting bacon slices from a skillet. Everybody needs "time your telephone. Especially if you're on a party line, it's important to leave a brief "holiday" between phone calls that incoming calls can reach you; so that other people on your line may use the telephone, Some other tips for good party-line service: hang up quickly and quietly when the line is in use, replace the receiver carefully, give up the line for emergency calls. Remember, party-line courtesy is catching.

Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. Rural Women Look Forward to Banner Year Optimistic Outlook Expressed at a Yule Party Entertaining Growing Four-H Organization When the Carroll County Rural Woman's Committee entertained girls 4-H leaders at a Christmas party in the Farm Bureau building last week they decided to give one another something different in the way of gifts. They exchanged favorite Christmas recipes. Each member and guest brought a recipe neatly written on a greeting card to exchange with someone else. The party was the final event Plan Special Yule Breakfast You'll have time to put extra little touches on Christmas morning's breakfast because no one in the family will realize he's hungry for awhile.

The children will be overwhelmed with their now treasures and dad will be occupied picking up the gift wrappings. This breakfast doesn't necessarily have to be too heavy. You're probably planning a big feast later in the day. But why not make it a holiday-pretty one, in keeping with the mood of the day? Here's a menu idea: Grapefruit-Blueberry (or Raspberry) Cup Sausage Links Bacon Curls Scrambled Eggs Cheery Cherry Muffins Butter or Margarine Beverage You can take care of the fruit in a few seconds the night before. Remove a carton of frozen blueberries or raspberries from the freezing compartment to the refrigerator to thaw and put a can of grapefruit sections into- the refrigerator to chill.

Next morning, all you have to do is drain the two fruits and mix them together. Serve them in pretty sherbet glasses. Cook the sausage links slowly in a small amount, about 3 tablespoons, of water in a covered pan 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove the cover and brown thoroughly. For the bacon curls, place a single layer of bacon in a cool drying-pan.

Cook them slowly over low heat, pouring off drippings as they collect. As the bacon browns, shape each slice into a curl with two forks. Plan to serve the meat and eggs on a large, gaily-patterned platter. You could stack the sausage links in the center with the scrambled eggs around them. Then border the platter with the bacon curls.

To make colorful Cheery Cherry Muffins, fold a few well-drained red and green maraschino cherry halves into plain muffin batter, just before you put the batter into the muffin pan. Bake the muffins as usual. They'll be tender-rich if you use lard for the shortening. And they'll be a novel surprise for your family when they open the muffins and find the Christmas- colored cherries inside. School Lunch Menus A Christmas menu is planned for Tuesday noon in the public school cafeteria.

School will be in session only two and a half days this week. Classes will be dismissed at noon Wednesday for the Christmas holiday. Menus for Monday and Tuesday are as follows. Monday Meat Loaf Mashed Potatoes with Butter Cabbage-Carrot Salad Cake Doughnuts Bread and Butter Milk Tuesday Chicken Pie with Biscuit Topping Pineapple-Cranberry Jello Salad Christmas Cookies Ice Cream Bars Bread and Butter Milk ASPARAGUS GRAVY You can use condensed cream of asparagus soup with dried beef for a supper dish. Serve over crisp toast, steamed rice, or hot biscuits.

QUICK LUNCH Add drained whole-kernel corn to eggs as you scramble them; serve with crisply-cooked bacon and hot buttered toast. of 1954 and the introduction to new a-ctivities in 1955. Officers and township chairmen for the coming year were installed in the traditional candle-lighting ceremony with Mrs. Don Pratt, past county chairman, officiating. The new officers and chairmen are: Mrs.

Frank West, county chairman; Mrs. Agnes Wiedemeyer, vice chairman; Mrs. F. P. Collison.

publicity chairman; Mrs. Mearl Pottroff. health chairman; Mrs. Earl Stribe, international relations chairman; Mrs. Elmer Behneman, Arcadia; Mrs.

Walter Heuton, Glidden; Mrs. Henry Huegerich. Grant; Mrs. John Wegner. Jasper; Mrs.

George Maze. Maple River; Mrs. George Slocum, Richland; Mrs. Marvin Boell, Sheridan; Mrs. Orrin Hllgenberg, Union; Mrs.

Clifford Tank, Washington; Mrs. Cyril Snyder, Wheatland; Mrs. Clayton Roller, Pleasant Valley: and Mrs. Neils Jensen Newton. Look for Expansion The committee looks forward to an even more eventful year in 1955 than the one just concluding.

In a few instances, townships that have had no Farm Bureau women's chairmen in the past are organizing to join the program which includes schools, health, library, and international relations projects. Although sponsored by the Farm Bureau, every woman in the county is invited to join a township group regardless of whether or not her family holds a bureau membership. International Relations will be one of the subjects stressed next year and a highlight of the International Relations program will be a luncheon where a variety of foreign foods will be served. Every woman will be urged by the library committee to read books. The scholarship committee will raise money for a state scholarship fund, and the health committee will promote health education.

Demonstration lessons will be given in each township by Lucile Buchanan, county extension director. Working closely with the Women's Committee are the girls' 4-H clubs of Carroll County under their own county committee composed of Mrs. Glenn Bolger, chairman; Mrs. George Opperman, past chairman: Mrs. John Wegner, Mrs.

Walter J. Heires, Mrs. Amos Kusel, and Mrs. Frank West. Begin In 1925 Four-H work was started in Carroll County in 1925 with groups organized in Union, Eden, Wheatland and Kniest townships and a total enrollment of 63 girls.

The following year two more clubs were added in Glidden and Jasper townships. Members stud ied clothing the second year and home furnishings the third Club work has come a long way since then. Now 4-H girls operate on a three-year cycle, studying clothing, nutrition, and home furnishings in turn. Any girl between the ages of 10 and 21 is welcome to join. A member who stays in at least three years receives a great deal of information related to home economics and much other valuable training in social relations.

Special projects include health, music, home beautification, gardening, poultry, and conservation. 259 Members At present there are 12 clubs in Carroll County and a total enrollment of 259. Each club is guided by local leaders who give much of their time to the work. Leaders now serving are: Mrs, Steve Venner, Mrs. Paul Venner.

Mrs. Donald Pratt, Mrs. Earl Hartwigsen, Mrs. Miles Hedges, Mrs. Leonard Schirck, Mrs.

Art Hinners, Mrs. Harold' Trecker, Mrs. Carl Vincent, Mrs. Virgil Genzen, Mrs. Albert Klocke.

Mrs. Lorenz Ahrendsen, Mrs. Nelson Christensen, Margene Drees, Mrs. F. P.

Collison, Mrs. Leonard Madigan, Mrs. Karl Nolin, Mrs. Glenn Toyne, Mrs. Orrin Hilgenberg, Mrs.

Bill Wagner, Mrs. Robert Halbur, Helen Schmitz, Mrs. Frank Eickman, and Mrs. Melvin Hausman. With such a background of training and experience, small wonder that 4-H leaders and members of Timet Herald, Carroll, Iowa Monday, Dec.

20, 1954 the Rural Women's Committee are among the best cooks in the county. Their exchange of Christmas recipes last week was a mouthwatering affair. Listed below are a few of the recipes selected at random. French Bonbons (Mrs. Robert Halbur) cups confectioners' sugar 6 tbe.

melted margarine 6 tbs. evaporated milk Dash of salt Vanilla flavoring Red cinnamon candies Citron, cut into small bits 3 tbs. melted chocolate Blanched almonds Almond flavoring Peppermint flavoring Food coloring Add sugar gradually to the margarine. Then add evaporated milk and salt: mix thoroughly. Divide into thirds.

To one third, add vanilla flavoring. Knead on a bread board sprinkled with confectioners' sugar until smooth and glossy. Roll to one-eighth inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a cookie cutter and top with red cinnamon candy or bits of citron. To another third, add melted chocolate and almond extract.

Form into oval shapes and press a blanched almond on top of each. To the remainder, add a dash of peppermint extract and tint pale green. Press through a cookie press in flower shapes. The yield is IVi pounds of candy. Made from the fruit of the world's finest Vineyardi.

Adds magic to cooking; glamour to desserts; smartness to entertaining Yet costs only a few cents a serving. You're the perfect host when you serve your friends a sparkling glass of Betty Ann Port dessert time cocktail time anytime. Rich and ruby with the luscious flavor of ripe Concord grapes. Betty Ann Port Wine is as sociable as mistletoe as welcome as Santa Claus. Buy several bottles todajr, and be prepared when Holiday guests drop in.

tsp. salt 1 cup raw peanuts (unsalted) Va tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. soda 1 tsp. butter Cook the sugar, syrup and water to the soft-ball stage.

Add peanuts and cook to the hard-crack 300 degrees, or until the candy is light brown. Remove from the fire and add vanilla, soda, and butter. Quickly mix well and place on an oiled cookie sheet. Spread as thinly as possible. Break into desired pieces when the candy is well set.

i ish with pecan halves. Remove from the freezer just before serving and cut Into wedges. This recipe makes six servings. College Fudge (Mrs. Cyril Snyder) 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar Vi cup white syrup Vi cup sweet cream 2V2 tbs.

cocoa Mix together in a saucepan and boil for seven minutes. Remove from the fire, add teaspoon of vanilla and tablespoons of butter and beat until creamy. Add 1 cup of peanuts and pour into a shallow pan. When cooled, cut into squares. Peanut Brittle (Mrs.

Paul Venner) 1 cup sugar cup white corn syrup 1 i cup water Christmas Cookies (Mrs. Steve Venner) Into a bowl put: 3 cups sifted flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 scant tsp. soda i -i tsp. nutmeg Cut into this mixture: 1 cup shortening In another bowl beat thoroughly 2 eggs Add 1 cup sugar 4 tbs.

sweet milk 1 tps. vanilla Beat well and pour into the dry ingredients. Roll, cut, and bake in a 375-degree oven until nicely browned. Date Cake (Mrs. Ear! Hartwigsen) i Part I 1 cup dates, chopped i 1 tsp.

soda 1 cup boiling water Combine and let cool, i Part II 1 cup sugar 1 heaping tbs. butter 1 egg cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg. Sift in the flour and baking powder.

Add to the Part I mixture a little at a time. Pour into a greased baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. Topping i cup sugar 1 cup dates cup water 1 cup nuts Mix the sugar, dates, and water and boil until thick. Add the nuts and spread over the cake. Plain Christmas Pudding (Mrs.

F. P. Collison) 1 cup chopped beef suet 1 cup dark molasses 1 cup milk Vi tsp. soda dissolved in 1 tbs. water 1 tbs.

cinnamon 3 cups flour sifted with 2 tsp. baking powder Beat vigorously, then add 2 cups of raisins and other chopped dried fruits which have been dusted with a little extra flour. Pour into greased molds or a pudding bag and boil or steam three hours. Serve hot with either liquid or hard sauce. Mincemeat Ice Cream Pie (Mrs.

Hubert Knight) cup prepared mincemeat 1 qt. vanilla ice cream 1 9-inch baked pastry shell Pecan halves Blend the mincemeat with partially softened ice cream. Turn intb a baked pastry shell, swirling the top attractively with a bowl or spoon. Freeze until firm. Gam- Banana Bread (Lucile Buchanan) 1 cup white sugar 3 medium bananas, crushed cup butter 2 eggs, separated 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbs.

sour milk 1 tsp. soda, dissolved in milk tsp. salt 1 cup nutmeats Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, then the flour, bananas, milk, and nuts. Lastly fold in the beaten egg whites.

Bake in a greased loaf-size pan for one hour at 325 degrees. This freezes nicely and can be stored for future use. Candied Sweet Potatoes (Mrs. W. J.

Heires) 1 No. can sweet potatoes (or 6 boiled sweet potatoes) cup brown sugar 3 cup butter Cut the potatoes in half-inch slices. Arrange two layers in a baking dish. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, removing the lid for the last IS minutes.

This recipe' serves six. TRY ANN WMfTf PORT, MUSCATfL, TOKAY Tnd SHERRY' AVAILABLE AT ANY IOWA STATE LIQUOR STORE Here's something to look into! Orange The eatin'est oranges that ever brightened the family fruit bowl what we've got for you at Safeway 1 Their firm, pebbly skin comes off easy-like-a-banana. The tender segments aeparate like soldiers breaking ranks. Sweet, sweet flesh holds lots of juice. No seeds for you to bother with.

Safeway buyers select these fine Navel oranges from the top-pick of the California crop. You'll want for juice for fresh- eating, slicing in salads, desserts. Come get a bagful to know: Safeway's the best place in town to buy Oranges! CO any- or vegetable you.