So Good Meals

So Good Meals is the title of this vintage gem from 1963, a Better Homes and Gardens book. I love the brown and white piggie in this photo. Helps distract from the awful meat, and the beans bouquet style in the mug. Ick.

This meal is also supposed to have Cranberry Sherbet, which apparently could be a dessert or appetizer:

Let this be the refreshing finale to your big meal. It's pretty pink and ever so smooth. Terrific as a cool appetizer, too-

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 envelope (1 1/2 tsp.) unflavored gelatin

Dash salt

1 pint bottle (2 cups) cranberry juice cocktail

2 tablespoons lemon juice

In saucepan, mix sugar, gelatin, and salt. Stir in 1 cup of the cranberry juice cocktail. Heat and stir over medium heat till sugar and gelatin dissolve. Remove from heat; add remaining cranberry juice cocktail and the lemon juice.

Here's where it gets really interesting: Freeze in refrigerator tray till firm; break in chunks and beat with an electric beater till smooth. Or freeze till partially frozen; beat smooth with a rotary beater. Return to refrigerator tray; freeze for several hours. Serve in sherbets. Trip with mint sprigs. Serves 8.

Serve with mint? Really? This is pretty nasty. Also, I want no dessert that can double as an appetizer.

I finished another mystery for my column deadline, yesterday, a title in the Hotlanta teen series. This is written by two funny and savvy African American women and it is kind of like a gossip girl with diverse characters, only a whole lot more interesting.