A Look Back: Howard College Cookbooks (And Recipes!)

How does Blackberry Jam Cake or Lemon Chiffon Pie sound? Probably pretty good. Certainly better than a Hot Chicken Mold or a Walnut Supper Bake. 

What do all these foods have in common?

Howard College Cookbooks, 1951-1976

They all can be cooked out of one of the three cook books published by university organizations over the years. The Special Collection houses three Samford University or Howard College cookbooks. 

Howard College Hostess, 1951

The earliest is Howard College Hostess from 1951 (call number: TX 715.H6 1951x) which includes a few of the recipes mentioned above along with a recipe for My Mother’s Baked Red Snapper by Mrs. Harwell Davis, wife of the President of the University.

"My Mother's Baked Red Snapper," Howard College Hostess

Gems For my Kitchen was published by the Samford University Library in 1974 (call number: TX715.G4 1974x) and includes tasty recipes such as German Potato Salad, Chocolate Pound Cake and Marshmallow and Lime Salad.

Gems From my Kitchen, 1974

Last, but not least, Dinner’s Ready! was published in 1976 by the Samford University Home Economics Department (call number: TX715.D5 1976x). Recipes like Brown Sugar Cake and eight recipes for Broccoli Casserole are included in this book.

oy

In case you feel like having a full meal from these delightful little books, the Special Collection has transcribed the three fun recipes for you to try. We have Mrs. Harwell Davis’ My Mother’s Baked Red Snapper, January Term Deep Dish Plum Pie and Marshmellow and Lime Salad to finish off the meal.

Enjoy!

MY MOTHER’S BAKED RED SNAPPER

(Howard College Hostess)

Place 3 to 4 slices of bacon in bottom of pan. Cook until crisp. Have medium size fish cleaned and salted inside and out. Place fish in piping hot bacon grease. Cover fish with catsup, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco sauce, and lemon juice. Sift enough flour to barely cover the fish. Then drip bacon drippings over the flour to wet it. At bottom of pan to one side, pour about 1 pint of boiling water. Run in moderate oven. Baste fish until the gravy is brown and the fish is done (about 25 to 30 minutes).

                                                                                                                        Mrs. Harwell Davis

MARSHMALLOW & LIME SALAD

(Gems for my Kitchen)

1 can crushed pineapple

15 marshmallows, cut in pieces

2 pkg. lime Jell-O

4 c. water

½ pt. whipping cream

Mix pineapple and marshmallows and let stand. Mix 2 pkg. lime Jell-O and 4 c. hot water. Stir until dissolved. Chill to the congealing point and then add pineapple mixture and mix. Add ½ pt. whipping cream, fold and let set until firm. Cut in squares or unmold individual molds.

                                                                                                                        Paula Mann

JANUARY TERM DEEP DISH PLUM PIE

(Dinner’s Ready!)

5 c. halved, pitted fresh purple plumbs (2 lbs.)      Dash ground nutmeg

¾ c. packed brown sugar                                                Dash salt

2 t. quick-cooking tapioca                                      1 T. butter or margarine

4 t. ground cinnamon                                              Pastry for 1 crust (9 inch pie)

Light cream or ice cream

In a large bowl combine the plums, brown sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Turn mixture into an 8x11 ½ inch round baking dish. Dot with butter. Roll pastry to a 9 inch circle. Place over filling. Trim; flute edges to sea. Cut slits for escape of steam. Using pastry trimmings, garnish top of pie with pastry cutouts, if desired. Bake at 375^o for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm with light cream or ice cream. 

This delightful text and all pictures were provided by Rachel Cohen of the University Special Collection.  Stop by during their regular hours to see more gems from Samford's Archives.