No Cook Fruit Cake

8 oz (250g) coffee or arrowroot biscuits
1 T sherry
2 T cocoa
1 egg
1 T full cream dry powdered milk
4 T butter or margarine
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup mixed fruit
pinch salt

Method: Crush biscuits finely, add fruit, sherry, salt, powdered milk & cocoa. Beat egg & sugar together & add to dry ingredients. Melt butter & blend well through the mixture. Press into buttered tin. Allow to set & ice with white icing & sprinkle with coconut.

Source: contributed by Lisa Weckert, aged 8, to The Northern Automotive Restoration Club S. A. Inc. 10th Anniversary Cookbook . Compiled & typed by Lynne Newbold (Clare: Northern Argus, 1984) [Number 0408] - "dedicated to N.A.R.C. from it's [sic] feminine members."

Note: "T" = Tablespoon

Apricot Crunch (unbaked)

250g copha
250g dried apricots
125g walnuts
3 cups Corn Flakes
1&1/4 cups coconut
3/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup full cream milk powder

Method: Melt copha and add dry ingredients, finely chopped walnuts and apricots. Press into greased paper lined tin. Chill and cut.

Source: contributed by Nancy Paech in Penneshaw Area School: Culinary Creations (Penneshaw Area School Welfare Club, Kangaroo Island: 1998), p.95.

Dinner Mints

4 tablespoons Butter
8 tablespoons Sugar
4 tablespoons fresh Milk
4 tablespoons Cocoa
13 tablespoons Bonlac Powdered Milk (or similar)
Peppermint Essence

Method: Heat butter, sugar and fresh milk until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add peppermint essence, cocoa and skim milk. Beat until smooth. Leave until cold. Roll in balls in chocolate sprinkles.

Source: contributed by Mrs. Alexander Gray in The Possum Cookery Book in Aid of Miss Minda - Telethon (Brighton: Minda Home Auxiliary, n.d. [1960s - post 1963]), p.75.

White Sauce

Make a white sauce by gradually blending one cup water into 4 level tblspns. of Sunshine instant milk mixed with 1 tbspn. flour. Add 1 tbspn. of butter and seasoning to taste. Stir over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens. Simmer one minute.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.38.

Ham and Corn Slice

1/2 cup SR flour, sifted

1/2 cup instant milk powder

4 eggs

30g melted butter

1/2 cup water

1 cup grated cheese

6 chopped shallots

125 chopped ham

310g can drained corn kernels

1/2 tspn. mixed herbs

salt to taste

tabasco sauce (drop)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Method: Sift flour and milk together into a bowl. Combine eggs, butter and water. Pour into flour mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in remaining ingredients. Spoon into a shallow greased ovenproof dish and bake in a 180C oven about 25 mins. Serve sliced with salad. Serves 6.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.19.

Home Made New Zealand Chocolate

1 lb copha, 2 cups full cream powdered milk, vanilla or lemon essence, 2 heaped cups icing sugar, 6 Tbls cocoa, pinch salt.

Method: Melt copha over hot water. Add sifted dry ingredients, then essence. Beat 10 mins. Pour into buttered tin. Cut into squares when cold. To vary flavour, add mixed fruit, ginger, raisins, nuts or coconut.

Source: contributed by E. Corkin in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (Revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition, p.118.

Tuna Crisp

Melt 3 oz butter in a large saucepan. Saute 1 finely chopped onion in butter. Stir in 4 Tbls of flour and 1 oz powdered milk. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually add 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Add 1 x 425 can of drained flaked tuna, 1 cup cooked peas and 1 cup of grated cheese. Season to taste. Pour into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle over 1/4 cup cornflake crumbs. Dot a little butter and bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes. Serves 4-5.

Source: contributed by Jill Sanders in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (Revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition, p.45.

Chicken and Asparagus Bake

40g butter

2 tbspns. flour

2/3 cup powdered milk

2 cups water

1/2 tspn. dried thyme

2 cups cooked chicken

310g can asparagus cuts, drained

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

paprika

Method: Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in flour. Combine powdered milk and water and pour into butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly over low heat until thick and boiling. Stir in thyme, chicken and asparagus and then spoon mixture into greased ovenproof dish. Top with breadcrumbs, sprinkle with paprika and cook in a 180C oven until golden brown about 20 minutes. Serves 4. Mixture can easily be doubled.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.18.

Celebration Icecream Cake

1 cup powdered milk

2 cups water

400g can condensed milk

1 vanilla junket tablet dissolved in 1 tbspn. water

1 tspn. vanilla

1&1/2 tbspns. gelatine

3 tbspns. water (extra)

125g sultanas or raisins

60g crystallised ginger

60g glace cherries

60g slivered almonds

1/3 cup brandy

1 cup cream, whipped

Method: In a saucepan combined powdered milk, water and condensed milk. Mix well. Heat over low heat until just warm, remove. Stir dissolved junket tablet and vanilla into warm milk. Soften gelatine in extra water, stir into milk mixture, combine well. Pour into shallow tray and refrigerate until set. Turn into a large chilled bowl and beat on high speed for 10 mins. (The mixture will increase in bulk.) Combined fruits, nuts and brandy and fold into icecream. Gently fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into a 23cm greased and lined spring form tin. Cover with foil, freeze overnight. To serve, release sides of tin and slide onto plate. Decorate with whipped cream and glace fruit. Serves 8-10.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.110.

Chewy Jaffa Jumbles

1 cup Allbran

Juice of 2 Oranges

1 cup Powdered Milk

1 tbspn Cocoa

1/2 cup Honey

1 cup Sultanas

1/2 cup Coconut

Grated rind of 2 Oranges

Method: Soak Allbran in orange juice and add honey. Blend dry ingredients, then combine with Allbran mixture. Form into walnut sized balls and roll in coconut. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Makes approx. 30.

Source: Oodnadatta Cookbook (Oodnadatta: 1986), p.133.

Cheese and Asparagus Savoury

2 tbspns butter

1 small tin asparagus tips

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbspns powdered milk

1 cup tasty grated cheese

1 dspn chopped parsley

Method: Cream butter, add powdered milk, salt and pepper and parsley. Lastly mix in drained asparagus. Chill. Spread on savoury crackers and decorate with olive slices.

Source: contributed by B. Swalling in S.C.N.H. [Southern Cross Nursing Homes] 1st Floor Cook Book No. 2 (?North Plympton; n.d.), p.161.

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EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Kylie of Lucy Violet Vintage 

(and genius behind The Retro Cook-Off last year) 

is wearing a different frock every day in October 

to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. 

So please pop over to her blog and check out her great outfits 

like an amazing 50s frock with proper petticoat 

and help out her challenge. 

Economical Ice-Cream

10 tbsp powdered milk

2 cups water

1 tsp gelatine

6 tbsp sugar

boiling water

1 tsp vanilla

Method: Put milk and sugar into a bowl, add water and beat. Then add 1/2 cup boiling water, and mix with dissolved gelatine. Place mix in freezer and when slightly set, add vanilla, then beat until double the size. Freeze and enjoy.

Source: contributed by Bronwyn Williams in Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)