Better Homes And Gardens Junior Cookbook 1963

IMG_9318_RS BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS JUNIOR COOKBOOK - For Beginning Cooks of All Ages

This cookbook has a copyright of 1963. I bought this cookbook at a thrift store in Portland last summer. I have never cooked from this before.

I believe I have a version of this cookbook in storage somewhere, one that I got as a child, though I think it's a later version than the 1963 copyright. It's labeled $3 but I think that I got this book for half price or even just $1. I have fond memories of stalking the isles of the thrift store with my Dallas cousin.

This is a great book and it brings back lots of memories of being a kid and wanting to cook. The book starts out with a few pages with hints on how to cook, cooking terms, measuring (and they have photos on how to measure which I think is great for a child). There is a two page spread on cooking utensil identification. Little drawings accompany each recipe. Some are just drawings of ingredients and some are more of step by step instructions. There are some photos, though very old school and definitely not of the food porn type.

Standard chapters (beverages, main dishes, desserts). There is a chapter on Meal Plans which also includes information on table settings, table manners (Blot your lips with your napkin as you eat) and weights and measures. The recipes in this cookbook run the gamut of being really simple (Cinnamon Toast which is toast bread, butter slice and then sprinkle on cinnamon sugar) to Peanut Butter Cupcakes (which takes quite a few ingredients).

The drawings interspersed throughout are really cute. Gives you a little look into how things were back then. Kids would definitely be able to cook from this book though newer renditions have much better photography.

Though a lot of recipes do call for prepackaged foods (Mac and Cheese starts with a box of mac and cheese "dinner") there are a number of the recipes made from scratch (Jelly Muffins). I do remember having some of these dishes back when I was a kid and some actually sound interesting, or at least kid fun friendly. Creamy Cocoa (made with marshmallow cream), Perfect French Toast, Everyday Drumsticks (made with ground beef), Peppy Frank Pizza (yep, a pizza made with hot dogs), Strawberry Pineapple Freeze, Chocolate Mink Cups (cupcakes made with rice crispy cereal), Creamy Fudge. This is a fun cookbook to have in my collection.