Betty Crockers Picture Cookbook by Betty Crocker

Betty Crockers Picture Cookbook Reviews

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  etherealfire

  I wanted a copy of this cookbook my entire adult life - ever since I left home and had to leave mom's treasured old book behind I've coveted it. One Christmas (a few years ago now - I don't remember when this came out) I was finally gifted this facsimile edition and as far as I can tell, this is the very same book. With the delicious Caramel (Burnt Sugar) Cake and Caramel Icing (on page 130). The only birthday cake I ever really want to have! This cookbook is one of my prized possessions, not only for the delicious old recipes but because of the priceless sentimental value it holds.
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  Meltha

  If you own no other cook book, get this one. My grandmother used it. Every single thing I have ever tried in it has turned out perfectly, and there's a thousand variations on the basic recipes. The cottage pudding, scones, and black midnight cake in particular are wonderful. Granted, there's some fun to be had with the section at the back on how housewives can combat fatigue and doldrums by fantasizing about going out on the town waltzing or lying prone for a while on the kitchen floor, but it's still and excellent book.
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  Pamela

  This is my all-time favorite cookbook! My copy is the original 1950 edition, not the reprint, and it is well worn and well loved! The recipes are wonderful and are timeless. I especially enjoy looking at all the vintage photos and illustrations! Of course, nobody worried so much about sodium and cholesterol back in 1950, they simply focused on really good food...those were truly the good old days! YUM!!!
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  Becky

  Loving the classic recipes. The appetizer suggestions alone make me want to throw a 1950's cocktail party. On a different note, I was struck by the section at the end, about how a housewife ought to take care of herself, BECAUSE "If you're tired from overwork /Household chores you're bound to shirk." (!!!) Don't wear yourself out, ladies, because then who will clean and cook? And this helpful hint: "If you feel tired, lie down on the floor on your back, put your hands over your head, close your eyes, and relax for 3-5 minutes." Did you catch that? Lie ON THE FLOOR, and this is accompanied by a little drawing with an aproned woman in a dress stretched out on some tile or linoleum kitchen. I guess the couch might lead to disastrous napping. Still, it's an interesting piece of history. And several recipes call for 1/8tsp pepper. Careful there, Betty, you or you might end up tasting that!
• 
  Raquel

  A wonderful little time capsule into the kitchens of the 1950s. Granted some recipes are weird. Like salad in jello, rice rings, cream cheese & anchovy appetizers, sandwich cheese loafs, etc. However, a lot of them are basic American classics. The structuring of the recipes takes some getting used to if you are not familiar with cookbooks like these. The book is very charming with it's trivia, history, cartoons, rhymes, songs, tips and reminders. It's fun to flip through quickly or to just linger on some of the pages. I made two recipes with this: Cinnamon Rolls and Devil's Food Cake. Cinnamon Rolls came out wonderful (just not as puffy as I'd like) and the Devil's Food Cake was a disaster. If you are interested in getting this cookbook, make sure it's more for the nostalgia or the history of it than for the actual recipes.
• 
  Denae

  A re-publication of the original Betty Crocker cookbook. When I was growing up, this was one of two Betty Crocker cookbooks to which we always turned. Most of our recipes for pies and cakes are from here. I love the concept of key recipes followed by all of the variations. I definitely should pull this out more often to try new things.
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  J. Boo

  We have the second edition from 1956, which we got at our ninety-year-old neighbor's moving sale. She used it a lot (there's a little note in pencil on the frontispiece that says "I used this book to feed my family"), and so have we. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, results generally very good.
• 
  Emily

  Every kitchen needs this book, it is a classic. My grandmother gave me a copy as a Christmas gift one year...she said she loved this book and wanted me to have a copy also. Oh grandmother you were so right - some of the best biscuits I have ever made came courtesy of this book!
  
  I love the fact that it is so retro too, the pictures crack me up along with some of the content (oh the 50's you were so funny with your woman in the house & no where else attitude). The retro feel of it also will make you think "WHOA!!" when reading some of the recipes - because of the ingredients. I won't lie, I have used some of the recipes as a base and modified them to be a little healthier.
  
  All in all I think it is a great reference for "old school" cooking and a go to for classic basic recipes.
• 
  Caroline

  This is more than a great retro cookbook. The 1950 edition is a treasure chest of recipes that even those of us who grew up in the 1970s will recognize from our mothers' kitchens. The desserts and breads are especially tasty. Some main dishes may need an extra bit of seasoning for today's tastes--but an equal number are classic comfort foods that will remind most of us of Mom.
• 
  Rosemary

  I so enjoyed giving Holly a new copy of this classic - totally '50s with very few vegetable recipes and lots of CAKE! I taught myself to bake with this book as a teenager and still have my mother's original copy.
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  Sara

  Okay, I have not actually READ this entire cookbook. I have the original from 1950. But I have looked through it. I love it! I love these old cookbooks. I received my copy from a friend of my mom's who presumably bought it new.
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  Kathryn

  I have my mom's copy. Every page brings back memories
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  gina

  This and the Betty crocker Cookbook are two of my go to books. They have a lot of useful info and a lot of good basic recipes you can adapt.
• 
  Creolecat

  My copy is a first edition (ninth printing), copyright 1950 with a color photograph of fruit and miniature pies on the cover.
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  Patrick Henry

  One of my favorite cookbooks. Come for the pre-microwave recipes, stay for the hilariously sexist anecdotes sprinkled throughout the text. The illustrations are charming 1950's style two tone affairs, showing exactly what to do with innocent clarity. Every once in awhile a wonderful pastel photo of delicious confections will pop up as you look for something.
  
  I love the Swedish Tea Ring recipe, the "key recipe" potato salad (still my standard whenever I make it.) and the golden cake. I firmly believe that cooking and baking are important skills to learn, and reading from the past can help you see how easy it can be today.
  
  Bonus: Look at the meal planning. It's like making thanksgiving dinner every day of the week!
• 
  Bernie4444

  A picture is worth 1000 words
  
  This is a review of the first edition (ninth printing).
  
  I inherited this book from my parents.
  
  This book contains enough photographs and diagrams that it could’ve been a video of its time.
  
  I tried several recipes and they still work. However, this book is more than recipes that tell how to measure and the meaning of the different technical words used in such recipes.
  
  Even if you do not go as far as using this cookbook for its intention, it is a keeper just to see how people thought in 1950. Seven years before “Leave It to Beaver” it shows a well-dressed family sitting at the table.
  
  This book is still practical but also can be used as a conversation piece if mysteriously found on your coffee table.
  
• 
  Claire Spencer

  My Grandma gave me this cookbook so I loved it even before I looked at the recipes. That being said, I love this cookbook even more now that I have looked through the whole thing.
  All the recipes I've made so far have been delicious. There's a huge variety to choose from and there are a lot of family style/home cooked kind of recipes.
  Great traditional cookbook to have around, I definitely recommend it!
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  Gale Bailey

  This is a very good cookbook with a great dose of nostalgia thrown in. You’ll discover that several of the recipes are quite dated…probably not many cooks would attempt them in the 21st century. But all the same, I really like this edition. It reminds me so much of the textbook my Home Ec class had when we were learning nutrition and cooking.
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  Jean MacLeod

  I owned a copy of this book in the '60s and gave it away when we moved across the country. When I came across a pristine copy at the Library sale, it was like contacting an old friend. Naturally, I had to buy it. It's now taken up residence with my other treasured cookbooks.
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  Daylee

  I love this book. A lot of the recipes are still good, while others are a great glimpse at the time period. I also love a lot of the none recipe information about being a good house wife and hostess. Despite the obvious sexism I believe a lot of the advice is still pretty solid.
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  Liselotte

  Well this is an interesting cookbook, there are quite a few recipes where I don't even want to be NEAR it, it looks so gross, but some are really fun and things I cook myself today! It's a cute addition if you love mid-century things!
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  Emily

  I enjoyed this book cover to cover. The vintage homemaking tips, tidbits of history behind different dishes, and incredible assortment of recipes and ideas were all a delight to discover! This book is an especially treasured addition to my small collection of favorites!
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  Lou Fillari

  I had a ball. Lots and lots of food. Options galore.
  
  And of course the misogynistic 50s. The last pages have some chores a woman can do while the meat is browning. P funny.
  
  I also learned pressure cooking was around way back when. That just sounds like a newer thing, but it def is not.
• 
  Penney

  Very good love the recipes
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  Jay

  Another classic cookbook your mother or grandmother had. A must for your collection.
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  Diana

  This was a hilarious distraction from the pandemic.