This year a historical Betty Crocker book was republished called the Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook. I know about the book because I somehow ended up the publisher’s email list, and I got a email about the book for every week until I took the time to get off the list.
It did perk my interest about the excitement about the republishing of the book, so I did a little reading about it. The cookbook came out in the 1950’s, and the title made cooking sound easy, and the color photos were helpful for new cooks to follow.
Some of the recipes in the book include Pigs in the Blanket, Mock Duck, Emergency Steak, and Chicken Tomato Aspic (note:aspic is like a meat jello.) There also are lots of cookie recipes, and a Home Front macaroni recipe that was developed during World War II to help families stretch their meat.
After I got the email about this book week after week, I almost ordered it – but since I have a restricted diet, I could not bring myself to pay the $20-30 dollars that the book was priced at.
In looking up the book, I found someone that did a unique project, of cooking every recipe in the book, but making each recipe into a vegan version. The project inspired by the Julie and Julia movie, and the woman behind the project got the Betty Crocker Picture cookbook, and worked to “veganize every recipe.”
The project was called “The Betty Crocker Project,” and each recipe cooked was written about and posted on the project website. From what I can tell from the website, most of the recipes were made. Some recipes I checked out include Baby Olive Garlic Knot, a Chicken Skillet Dinner, and a Maple Glazed Holiday Roast.
The project inspired a new cookbook that is available for presale, called “ Betty Goes Vegan” which has recipes inspired by the Betty Crocker Cookbook, and also many original new recipes.
Image Source:
The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook – Rodale Books
The Betty Crocker Project
Links: