I'm out of books and now every night I shuffle through all the books on the bookcase to see what I want to read. Last night I found my SuperNanny book and a cookbook from my mom, Better Homes and Gardens-that must be 100 years old. The pictures are of these June Cleaverish housewives passing hors d'oeuvres and cooking with their little aprons, all made up and looking perfect for their husbands. It's a 3 ring binder so that you can add your own clippings to it. Not a bad idea. When I started to flip through it I found super sized notecards that my mom had obviously made. You won't believe it and she will be mortified, considering the health nut she is now.

Her cards have across the top
Meat......Starchy Food......Veg...........Salad...........Dessert
I'm not making this up. I wish I could scan it for you to see.

and then underneath she filled in her meals. I am guessing she did this so she would know what to cook for my dad after his long day at work.

Here are some examples of their dinners-complete with the young newlywed's perfectly spelled words, right. I'm so glad it was them and not me. I will say that they've come a long way. Thank goodness.

Meat:Chicken a la king in patti shells (I remember this, she used to make this for us)
Starchy food: Baked potatoe with cheese (Don't the patti shells count as a starchy food?)
Veg: Butterbeans
Salad: Jelled grapefruit (what is this?)
Dessert: peaches with cream


Here's another:
Meat: CHopped sirloin
Starchy food: mash potatoes
veg: asparagus with cheese sauch
salad: (Are you ready for this?) ORANGE JELLO (How is that a salad?)
Dessert: Yellow cake with icing

The dessert kills me. I cook dinner for J every night but he's lucky if he gets a Nilla Wafer for dessert. It's such a 70's housewife thing to do. The list goes on and on, complete with Broccili-isn't that too cute? She couldn't spell broccoli (fyi she was a teacher in the N.O. public schools if that says anything) but she sure was going to try.

The cookbook is great though. almost everything calls for processed cheese and shortening and I really think I am going to make the Bologna and rice skillet.

I do have to say that there are some really good old fashioned recipes that I know would be a hit at dinner parties. Just cheesy and delicious. I know this because most of the recipes are named just that. Like the Hot Dogs Delicious.

Update: She didn't start her super sized menu cards when she got married. She got her ideas from the cafeteria at LSU. So every night after they ate she would write down what they had because she thought that it was such a good menu.