July 4 Jell-O recipe

Glass has so many uses for food, especially clear glass, when you want to make something special for a holiday treat.

This red, white and blue gelatin recipe has been around for many years in different versions. I thought a vintage glass mixing bowl would really show it off, and take up less space in the refrigerator.

The gelatin will be made differently than package directions. The dish to display it in will be, too. Use a 3 quart glass baking dish to be more conventional.

4th of July Jell-O salad

2 pkg (3 oz) Blackberry Fusion Jell-O
1 can blackberry pie filling
1 pkg (3 oz) lemon flavored gelatin
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1 pkg (8 oz) whipped topping
2 pkg (8 oz) strawberry flavored gelatin

Steps

• Prepare the blackberry gelatin with 2 cups boiling water and 1 cup cold water. Add pie filling and stir until it is mixed completely. Pour into the bowl and refrigerate until firm.
• Prepare the lemon gelatin using 1 cup boiling water. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese lightly, then add the gelatin mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread on top of the blackberry mixture and return to the refrigerator until firm.
• Prepare the strawberry gelatin with 2 cups boiling water and 1 cup cold water. Cool to room temperature and pour gently on top of the lemon mixture. Return to the refrigerator until set.
• Serve in dessert bowls. Top with some additional whipped topping if desired.

The original version of this recipe was made with black cherry gelatin instead of blackberry, and used blueberry pie filling. The fusion flavor gelatin is a recent addition to the product line. There is also grape flavored gelatin, but we decided to go with the blackberry because we could get a pie filling to match.

The great thing about vintage dishes, and recipes, is that you can play around with them a bit, to come up with new combinations. Making this recipe in an unconventional dish can certainly get a conversation started, and may start a new family tradition!

Fresh Strawberry Pie on Syracuse china

Pie, the most comforting of the comfort foods that we remember from childhood. At our house, cherry and pumpkin were often on the menu for family gatherings. My mother made her crust with lard, and it was very tender.

There’s a cute song about pie in the movie Michael. Part of it goes like this, “Apple, pumpkin, mince and black bottom. I’ll come to your place every day if you’ve got ‘em.” Pie means that all’s right with the world. I’d have to agree.

When it comes to eating pie, it’s simple after you get that pesky first piece out of the dish. You put it on a plate, or perhaps in a wide, shallow soup bowl if you will be having it with ice cream, get out your fork, and enjoy.

Many dessert plates that go with dinnerware sets are too small when it comes to pie. They are designed for more dainty desserts, like coffee cake, tiramisu or petites fours.

Some manufacturers have made plates especially for pie. They are generally about 8 inches in diameter, and many times sold in sets of four. I like to use my vintage dishes, and find that a generous salad plate works as well, as do luncheon plates, generally about 9 inches in diameter. A number of vintage china patterns included luncheon plates.

If you will be serving pie for parties or family gatherings this summer, check out the store and search “salad plates” or “luncheon plates” to find some great plates to use the next time you’re going to enjoy pie.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

5 c. fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and big ones cut into pieces
1 c. water
½ c. sugar
3 T cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell, cooled to room temperature
1 cup whipping cream

Clean and hull the berries, and cut the largest into bite-sized pieces. You will want them nice to arrange in the pie. Reserve about a cup of the smaller berries, to make the glaze filling.
Put 1 cup small berries into a saucepan along with the water, and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Sieve this mixture, pressing lightly to extract as much juice as you can, without pushing through the seeds or pulp.
In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and just a touch of salt. Add this mixture to the saucepan, and cook again over medium heat until it starts to thicken and clarify, about 5 minutes. Stir constantly. If you wish to add food coloring, add it at this point. (We left it out.)
Arrange half of the cleaned berries in the bottom of the baked pie shell. Pour over half of the cooked glaze. Repeat with the other half of the berries, then the other half of the glaze. Chill.
Meanwhile, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and spread over the top of the pie. Serves 6-8.

Enjoy!

Wedding dinnerware

Weddings - in June or any other time - celebrate traditions important to family and friends.

Vintage china, carefully selected to complement a wedding theme, can add meaning and beauty to your engagement party, rehearsal dinner or a wedding banquet. If the wedding will feature a big dinner, consider using vintage dinnerware on the head table where closest family and friends will sit.

Today’s wedding themes almost endless. Here are a few major categories:

* A cultural theme, such as Irish, Polish, English, African or Jewish
* A location theme, like the beach or seashore, forest, garden
* A seasonal theme, like Halloween, Christmas, summer or autumn
* A special interests theme, like historical periods, fairytale, western or romantic

There are themes to suit every couple’s taste and situation. To select vintage dishes to use as part of your table settings:

* Start with the theme. It can be simple as particular colors or flowers, or complex as Victorian or Cinderella.
* Identify the motifs that go with the theme, such as sea shells for a beach theme, or sunflowers for a summer or country theme wedding.
* Search on the Internet under keywords that go with your selections, like “vintage garden china,” “vintage rose dinnerware” or “vintage leaf dishes” to identify some patterns to complement your theme.

Here are some examples of vintage patterns selected by following this process:

* Floral patterns that echo the wedding flowers, like Tudor Rose by Style House, Snow Lily by Lenox or Heirloom by Pfaltzgraff.
* Mom and Dad’s wedding china pattern, like Softly by Noritake or Wild Strawberry by Wedgwood.
* China with the words wedding or bridal in the name of the pattern, like Wedding Band by Mikasa or Bridal Rose by Celebrity.
* Dinnerware made in a location that is special to the bride and groom, such as Rheinstone by Arklow (Ireland) or Botanic Garden by Portmeirion (England).
* A funky, 1970s china pattern for a retro theme wedding, like Floral by Franciscan, Hearts of Gold by Iroquois, or patterns in the Cerastone line by Mikasa.

Select your patterns, acquire the pieces, and one more element of the upcoming wedding celebration is completed.

Blue and white china patterns

Blue and white china. Crisp and clean, great for summer table settings.

Around our house, you can have any color, especially blue. It’s easy to mix and match with other blue and white wares, especially those with simple bands of color.

Blue and white reminds me of the salty sea shore or a breezy summer sky.
Some of our favorite patterns:

• Maitre d’ by Oneida
• Catalina by Crate & Barrel
• Brasserie Blue by Williams Sonoma
• Allegro by Dansk
• Fjord by Noritake
• Café Blue in Corelle by Corning
• Americana by Nikko
• Indigo Moon by Japan China
• Baltic by Adams

Some of these patterns are vintage, others are more recent. When you set your table with a classic like blue and white, it never goes out of style. You can never go wrong with blue.

Fishing lures on china

Can you really use your vintage china — or find vintage china — for a special Father’s Day dinner? Oh yes, you can! There’s still time to tweak your table setting for Father’s Day, coming the third Sunday in June.
Fathers don’t usually have the same interest in dishes that mothers do. Even so, adding some vintage charm to your table setting can make your dad’s special day even more special, impress your family and friends with a table setting that is creative and show off carefully-chosen china to delightful effect.

• Feature Dad’s favorite past time - such as fishing, golf, hunting or tractors. There are china patterns that feature these design elements that can spark a conversation at dinner.
• Pick his favorite color - such as blue, green or brown - and build the table setting around that theme. Bold colors mix well with white china and complementary serving pieces. White will soften the overall effect, and let the colors stand out.
• Garden loving Dads will like a table set with china that features bird houses, gardening and garden ornaments. Highlight dinnerware with these motifs by using cloth garden gloves, reflector balls or bird items on the table or in a centerpiece.
• Some green thumb Dads grow orchids, dahlias, roses or other special flowers. Include china pieces that feature these elements and he’ll be sure to notice, and know you cared enough to highlight his passion.
• If Dad has a special collection, the table setting can speak to this interest. Perhaps its cars, trains, the farm or a Western cattle ranch. Dinnerware patterns that feature these patterns will make a fun table setting for his special day.
• Add bright accents in glassware that accentuate the theme, such as ruby red goblets for red flowers, a set of cobalt blue creamer and sugar for blue ones. Or green for a garden theme.

There’s still time to get your creative juices flowing. Start with the dishes you have and carefully add selected pieces to make Father’s Day special with a table setting that everyone will enjoy.
And, you’ll be ready to apply your new ideas for mix and match dinnerware for special occasions all year round.

Father's day china ideas

A while back, I posted a recipe for Hamburger Noodle Corn casserole that Mom used to make on another one of my web ventures. As we did at home, I baked in a big, yellow Pyrex bowl. It feeds a crowd.

Photo courtesy of shyflea

My colleague Lynette - shyflea to all fellow Queen’s Court members - made a vegetarian version recently, and they love it at her house! Plus it made enough for her family, the neighbor and hubby’s lunch.

Here’s how she modified it:

• Vegeburger replaced hamburger
• Extra noodles replaced croutons
• Combo of super firm tofu soaked in vege chicken broth and Cream of Celery soup replaced Cream of Chicken soup

“The recipe is a keeper,” Lynette says. Great thing about casseroles - you really can change out the ingredients to make them satisfy your own taste.

And she served it on a Gem - or the Gem pattern I should say - a vintage china plate by Mikasa, from its Cerestone line. This pattern was easy to recognize by the blue and green diamond motif.

Mikasa made solid color pieces in the Cerastone line (such as blue, yellow and black) to coordinate with the patterns, with names like Moon Dot, Blue Point, Hawaii, Nightfall and Pasadena. (We have a few pieces listed at Kimbesa’s Closet…)

We don’t see this ware very often in our travels, and it doesn’t seem to be sought too much. Probably because it crazes more easily than stoneware or porcelain. But if you’re going for a vintage 1960s or 1970s look, this is one product to keep an eye out for.

Or if you’re looking for a stylish plate when eating some really good casserole!

Good to the last bite - Pyrex bowl for casserole

I had Corelle dinnerware in the Meadow pattern when I first had my own place, in the 1970s. Those dishes have gone their own way many moves ago, but I still have a plate or two, to remind me of those heady days of living on my own.

Spelt cinnamon roll

Saturday I ate a special snack on the Meadow salad plate, a handmade cinnamon roll made with spelt flour. It came from one of my weekend trips…

This past weekend included a trip to the Oakland County Farmers Market, where I hadn’t been, even though I’ve lived in this area a long time. There are other farm markets closer to home, but I wanted to check out the flour from Westwind Milling, a medium size miller processing local grains.

Westwind also has a bakery, and the spelt cinnamon rolls were easy to notice. Hard to keep from eating until I got one home to take its picture. It was yummy!

I got some pastry flour from Westwind, so I’ll be testing that for pie crusts and other pastry treats as I continue baking this summer.

My trusty Corelle is ready for more.

Someone asked me about cooler glasses, because she hadn’t seen any. Summer is here, and it’s time for lemonade, iced tea and other cold drinks.

Michigan scenes

So I got out my trusty Michigan glasses, and here they are. How cool are these! They just scream vintage.

Plain glasses dressed up with state scenes in the style of Gay Fad Studios of Ohio. There are other views besides the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, where ships travel between Lake Superior and Lake Huron and the other Great Lakes - in case you’re not from Michigan, or a true troll and don’t know - and the Mackinac Bridge which links the Lower and Upper Peninsulas (opened in 1957).

(If you’re not from Michigan…a troll is someone who lives below the bridge…)

There is another glass for Hartwick Pines, a state park in the northern Lower Peninsula, which has some of the few old growth pine trees left in the state. Logging in the 1800s clear cut most of our northern woods.

And if you’re looking for some lemonade to sip in your cooler glasses.

Homemade Lemonade

½ cup fresh lemon juice (2-4 lemons, depending on size and juiciness)
3 cups cold water
¼ c sugar

Roll the lemons on the counter top before cutting and reaming. This will help get all the juice. Add all ingredients to a pitcher and stir.

You can make this sweeter if you want, or add a lime for something a bit different.

Enjoy your lemonade and history lesson, all in one glass…

Summer entertaining

Summer entertaining time is here, and so are the sales on china and dinnerware. You’re thinking about serving corn on the cob, watermelon slices, iced tea and ice cream. Do you have the right pieces?

Here are some items to look for, to add to your tableware set in time for summer parties.

• Corn holders. Shaped dishes made to hold corn on the cob. We like these because they keep the butter and salt right where you want them, on the corn.
• Ice cream dishes. Small glass sundae dishes. Wide, deep bowls for bigger ice cream treats. Or china cups for ice cream floats.
• Corelle. Many Corelle patterns seem to be made for summer gatherings, especially those on clean white backgrounds. The all-white versions are great in summer and all year round.
• Vintage cooler glasses. These are tall and narrow, and we have lots of fun with them, to serve lemonade, iced tea and other cool drinks. Fun to use with bendable straws, too.
• Glass pitchers. Great for mixing and serving big quantities of iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch and ice water. There are new ones on the market, and we especially like the vintage ones like the Soreno pattern by Anchor Hocking.

Adding these items to your tableware collection will make summer parties a snap!

Every time I make this tuna casserole, I get to savor two memories.

Tuna casserole, Pink Gooseberry dish

One is about the casserole dish. It came from a “granny sale” that I found some years ago, on one of those Saturday mornings when I would take $20, go around to garage sales until the money was spent and the car was full.

On one of those trips, I found a set of three Pyrex casseroles in the Pink Gooseberry pattern, Cinderella shape. They came from the home of a lady who was downsizing, and they have been well-used in my kitchen ever since.

The second memory goes further back, about 30 years ago. That’s the one about how tuna casserole got me a job.

Perhaps I should say, how NOT following a recipe got me a job. But that will take me ahead of the story.

When I was in college, my parents moved. So when I came home for the summer, the new neighbors were strangers to me.

One day, I was making tuna casserole and the neighbor lady, who I’d never met, came over. She found me rooting around in the refrigerator – looking for vegetables, cheese or any other leftovers that seemed like they’d be good to put into the casserole. That impressed her.

Some months later, when she had a job opening in her Creative Services department, she contacted me.

Casseroles are great comfort food. They’re handy for using up leftovers. They give you an excuse to use your vintage Pyrex, and sometimes they have other, unpredictable benefits.

Tuna Casserole

2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cubed Velveeta cheese (or any other mild cheese that melts easily)
2 large cans of tuna, drained
1 15-oz can of peas, drained
1 15-oz can plain diced tomatoes, juice and all
1 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
½ c milk
½ c cornflake crumbs to sprinkle on top

While the macaroni is cooking, fold together in a bowl the tuna, peas, tomatoes, salt, eggs and milk. You want to break up the tuna into bite-sized pieces, but not mash it. Fold in the cheese.

Drain the pasta and add to the mixture. Then scoop into a 2.5 or 3-quart casserole. Sprinkle cornflake crumbs on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

Tips

Leftover broccoli also goes great in this casserole. If you want to add some fresh, blanch it first. You can also play around with different kinds of pasta. We like to undercook the pasta a bit, because the casserole is going to bake.  And we like elbows because that’s the way Mom always made it.

Who knows, you might come up with your own version, one that brings up your own special memories, every time you make this casserole.