Posted by I’ve long been a fan of cooking and crafting. Both offer great ways to entertain yourself without turning on the TV – and can help you save money too.
Looking through old boxes recently, I found a recipe book I made for my grandma when I was a child. It is safe to say my title (and spelling) could have done with polishing.
It’s also clear where my priorities lay, with cakes and puddings preceding savoury dishes.
I cut the recipes from magazines rather that writing them myself. At a guess, I suspect these are from Family Circle, as I’d spend hours reading my gran’s copies.
I was pleasantly surprised by the recipes I chose. Aside from an apparent fondness for turnips, there was a good balance of recipes that are both cheap and (relatively) healthy.
This soup is remarkably similar to the tomato soup I wrote about recently as a diet staple (aside from the bacon/stock: my version is veggie friendly).
And this cake has been added to my ‘to bake’ list.
I remember putting the book together, choosing recipes I hoped my grandma would make for us to enjoy together. It was great fun – and is an ideal rainy day activity if you have a stack of suitable magazines (in-store magazines often have a great variety of seasonal recipes.) It can also be a good way to learn about the food a child really wants to eat.
Blast From the Past
I had another flashback after the Purple Pumpkin Patch kindly let me have some vintage magazines from their freebie box.
I was drawn to the kitsch styling, but was as impressed by the array of crafts on offer as the eyelashes.
While some of the pictures have dated, many of the crafts are timeless.
I’m particularly enraptured by the daisy work – and general floral-themed crafts.
Looking through old magazines can offer nostalgic comfort – and provide inspiration.
Many recipes were simpler in the past, with cheaper ingredients: and the crafting ideas were diverse and creative.
If you’re a hoarder, kids may enjoy looking at your magazines from ‘the olden days’ and seeing how things used to be (the 1970s is four lifetimes ago for a 10 year old).
If you want to reduce magazines you’ve hoarded, turning them into crafting guides or recipe books helps you make the most of them (as does using pictures from them for decoupage.)
Get rummaging to see what you’ve been clinging on to. You may be surprised by how useful your past acquisitions can be.
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