Meals Go Modern Electrically

This 1940 cookbook with the above title is another gem from my writer friend Anne Ylvisaker sent me. It came with a vintage postcard and her following note, which made me laugh:

Hi Amy! Found these treasures at a local vintage shop. Priceless.  I particularly like "Oven Dinner for a Busy Day" which consists of 'baked halibut, oven-fried potatoes, buttered beets, celery hearts, pickle relish and creamy rice pudding.'  At my house 'Oven dinner for a busy day' consists of something flat and round at 450 for 18-20 minutes.  Sometimes Ben and Jerry pop over for a quick dessert. 

I would have to agree with Anne. Pizza has tomatoes - that sounds healthy, right?

Here is a fabulous recipe from this cookbook. We all know that aspics and ring molds were very beloved in past decades. This one is particularly scary, fitting for an October blog post:

Chef Salad in Tomato Cheese Ring
2 packages lemon flavored gelatin
3 cups tomato juice, heated
2 packages cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Dissolve gelatin in hot tomato juice.  Mix cream cheese with mayonnaise, add to cooled tomato gelatin.  Mix and place in oiled ring mold.  Chill in refrigerator until firm.  When ready to serve, unmold and fill center of ring with Chef Salad (very complicated and silly chef salad recipe follows. Anchovy fillets, anyone?)