Wanda E. Brunstetter by Twice Loved

era of prosperity. President Truman encouraged the country to take time to celebrate Christmas with goodwill toward all men and to look ahead to a time of peace.
    For further reading see the Harry S.Truman years at www.whitehousechristmascards.com or
Christmas 1945: The Story of the Greatest Celebration in American History
by Matthew Litt (2010).

Wartime Recipes
    Home-front cooks during World War II were restricted on what they could fix to eat by what food rations they were allowed to buy. Meat, sugar, butter, and cheese were the most commonly rationed items, but later they included processed and canned foods and any imported foods like coffee. Backyard gardening and animal husbandry were encouraged to help provide a family what the grocery stores could not. Often recipes of the time were aimed at ways to make a little stretch into a filling dish.
    Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
    This preserved meat recipe became a staple in army mess halls and soon made its way to home-front kitchens. Spam was another canned meat that could be used in place of the beef.
    2 tablespoons butter or bacon grease
    1 (4 ounce) package of chipped beef (can be rinsed to reduce the salt), chopped or shredded
    2 tablespoons flour
    2 cups milk
    pepper
    Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add beef, stirring to coat in butter. Add flour, stirring to coat beef, and cook for about 5 minutes. Slowly add milk, stirring continuously as it comes to a boil and thickens. Pepper to taste. Serve over toast.
    Rivel Soup
    2 cups flour
    ½ teaspoon salt
    1 egg, beaten
    6 cups chicken broth
    Shredded cooked chicken, optional
    Combine flour and salt with egg, until mixture is crumbly. Bring broth to boil. Sprinkle in mixture crumbles. Reduce heat and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken during last five minutes of cooking if desired.
    Escalloped Corn and Oysters
    4 tablespoons butter
    4 tablespoons flour
    2 cups milk
    2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped
    2 cups canned corn
    1 (8 ounce) can oysters, drained
    2 eggs, well beaten
    1 cup cracker crumbs
    1 teaspoon salt
    Pepper to taste
    Buttered bread crumbs
    Shredded cheese
    Melt butter in saucepan; add flour. Stir over medium heat until flour is bubbly and lightly browned. Slowly add milk and stir until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat. Add green pepper, corn, oysters, and eggs. Stir until well blended then add crackers and seasoning. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Top with buttered bread crumbs and cheese. Bake for 30 minute at 350 degrees.
    Candied Apples
    5–6 cups water
    5 ounces cinnamon imperial candies
    2–3 drops red food coloring
    8 apples, pared and halved
    Bring water, candies, and food coloring to boil in large heavy kettle. Place apples in syrup. Cook, turning only once. Add more candies as you cook apples. Judge readiness by color of apples. They should also be fork tender but not mushy. Cook one floating layer of apples at a time. Boil remaining syrup down to jelly—ready when it fills the prongs of a cold fork. Pour some jelly over apples. Store remainder of jelly in glass jar for later use on bread and butter. Serves 8–16.
    Honey Rice
    ¾ cup honey
    ½ cup raisins
    2 cups white rice, cooked
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    ¼ cup chopped nuts, optional
    Cinnamon
    In saucepan over medium heat, heat honey then add raisins and rice. Pour into shallow buttered dish. Dot with butter. Bake 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Transfer to bowl and mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon before serving.
    Ration Cake
    No egg, no milk, no butter, no problem as long as you still had some sugar rations left.
    1 cup water
    1 cup sugar
    ½ cup lard or shortening
    1 cup raisins
    ½ teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon nutmeg
    1 teaspoon allspice
    ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    1 ¾ cups flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    Chopped nuts, optional
    Candied fruits, optional
    In saucepan over medium high heat, combine water, sugar,