Recipes From Old Cookbooks: The Proof of the Pudding

"The Proof of the pudding is in the eating, Master!"
Sancho to Don Quixote in Don Quioxte by Miguel De Cervantes

Have you ever wanted to learn about Don Quixote and make pudding-laden desserts at the same time? Have I got the book for you.

The Proof the Pudding was produced by General Foods in 1965. There are 11 chapters including:

Fun For Junior Cooks, Sweet Saucery, Serve It in Style, Specialties of the House, The Crowning Touch, Children's Parties, Instantly Yours,

"Tell Your Neighbor" Cake, Prize Pies, Candlelight Desserts and Frozen Treats

The recipe I am sharing with you today is from Instantly Yours. The recipe is for something that sounds very odd to me called:

PUDDING'N PEARS
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 package (4 1/2 oz.) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
6 canned pear halves, chilled and drained

Combine milk and sour cream in mixing bowl. Add pudding mix and beat slowly with rotary beater just until well mixed - about 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand to set - about 5 minutes. Stir until creamy. Then spoon into dessert dishes, using about 1/3 cup pudding each. Top each with a pear half. Makes 6 Servings.

Recipes from Old Cookbooks: You're Really Cooking When You're Cooking With Seven-up!

"Seven-Up can be an exciting new ingredient for those housewives who are always alert for ways to put "something extra" intro their favorite recipes."

This particular 7up cookbook, published in 1957, features a wide range of recipes from glazes, grape juices, melon balls, something called 7-Up Emerald Isle Fluff, Cheese Aspic, 7-Up Broncos (?) and legendary:

7-UP DATE NUT LOAF
This one is simply delicious - and as simple as it is delicious. You'll find that the subtle 7-up lemon-and-lime flavor adds to the taste appeal of the loaf and, at the same time, brings a lightness to this unusually heavy but delectable dessert. You can serve it with a whipped cream.

1 cup chopped date
1 7-oz. bottle 7-Up
1 tsp. baking soda

ADD:
1 cup sugar
2tbsp. butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Beat very well - pour into loaf pan (5x9x3). Bake 1 hour in a 350° oven.

Bring dates and 7-Up to a boil, add baking soda and set aside to cool.

Recipes from Old Cookbooks: Put The Un In Cooking Fun with 7up The Uncola

"Un in Cooking? That's Right...When a recipe calls for a liquid, use sparkling 7up, The Uncola!" That is the basis of this recipe book published in 1969 by the Seven-Up Co. of St. Louis, Missouri.

The booklet features fourteen pages of recipes that demand you use 7up instead of whatever sane product you would use. There are recipes for cocktails (of the non-alcoholic variety) that features a crazy cutting board man with a knife for a forehead.

Dips, Vegetables, Salads, Breads, Cookies, Cakes, Desserts and pies all have a recipes featuring the uncola. The pie section has an illustration that kind of baffles me.

I am not sure if the pieman has the pies made already and all we have to do is track him down or if we, ourselves, are the pieman and need these recipes to prove our piemanliness.

The recipe for this week is from the weirdly named "From...Hoof Feather & Fin" section

SALMON LOAF WITH VEGETABLE-CHEESE SAUCE

1 (one lb.) can salmon

1 cup 7UP

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. chopped onion

2 tbsp. chopped green pepper

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

Drain salmon and remove skin and bones. Flake salmon into small pieces. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Spoon into 9 X 5-inch loaf pan and pack firmly. Bake in 350° F. oven for 50 to 60 minutes. While salmon loaf is baking, prepare sauce.