The Holiday Cookbook from Better Homes and Gardens was originally published in 1959, the cover image pictured here is from the 10th printing in 1970. The cookbook is divided into two major sections – Holidays and Special Days, and Special Occasions; each section is then divided into subsections along with recipes for dishes customarily prepared for the occasion. Each section begins with helpful hints and suggestions for the occasion or the main dish that the BH&G editors suggest be prepared for the event.
Sections, Events & Recipes
Holidays and Special Days
New Year’s Eve
- Quick Dips
- Appetizer Ham Ball
- Rio Grande Dip
- Parmesan Cheese Snack
- Clam Cheese Dunk
- Goobersnap
- Curried Wheat Snacks
- Scramble
- Crisp Rye curls
- Stuffed Edam
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Sizzling Ripe Onions
- Burger Canapes
- Herbed Chips
- Tomato Consomme
- Brazilian Chocolate
- French Chocolate
- Hot Cranberry Punch
- Holiday Eggnog
- Eggnog
- Pineapple Wassail
- Hot Pineapple Cider
- Sunshine Toddy
February Days
- Valentine Cake
- Strawberry Hearts
- Frozen Valentine Rounds
- Gelatin Heart Cutouts
- Pink Meringue Hearts
- Washington Pie
- Glaze and Chocolate Spiral Trim
- Cherry Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Chiffon Pie
- Red Cherry Pie
- Plain Pastry
- Lincoln Log
- Chocolate Glaze
St. Patrick’s Days
- Tomato Refresher
- Cheese Straws
- Corned-beef Dinner, Irish Style
- Perfect Apple Pie
- Emerald Isle Dessert Cups
Easter
- Spring Salad Bowl
- Parsleyed New Potatoes
- Cloverleaf Rolls
- Easter Basket Desserts
- Easter Bonnets
- Lemonade Angel Dessert
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Perky Platter Trims
- Eggs in Toast Cups
- Toast Blintzes
- Oven Bacon
- Pink Cereal
- Jiffy Hot Cross Buns
- Hot Cross Buns
- Blueberry Breakfast Bread
- Easter Braid
- Sugar Glaze
- Hopping Bunnies
- Pineapple Turnover Biscuits
Halloween
- Gingersnaps
- Caramel Apples
- Hot Mulled Cider
- Gingerbread Boys
- Gingerbread
- Sugared Nuts
- Spice Layer Cake
- Brown-Sugar Frosting
- Lollipop Clowns
- Popcorn Owls or Spooky Cats
- Goblin Frosties
- Little Ghosties
- Peanut Pumpkins
Thanksgiving
- Foil-wrapped Roast Turkey
- Roast Stuffed Turkey
- Frozen Stuffed Turkey
- Herb Stuffing
- Oven-fried Turkey
- Roast Chicken
- Roast Rock Cornish Game Hens
- Giblet Gravy
- Mushroom Wild Rice
- Browned Rice
- Apple-Pineapple Slaw
- Cranberry Ring
- Hot Tomato Starter
- Harvest Fruit Cup
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Speedy Shrimp Dip
- Cranberry Sauce
- Orange-glazed Sweet Potatoes
- Creamed Onions
- Pickled Beets and Onion Rings
- Butternut Squash with Parmesan
- Celery Oriental
- Peas and Tiny Onions
- Corn Bread
- Pumpkin Pie
- Country-Kitchen Mince Pie
- Cranberry Mince Pie
- Pumpkin Chiffon Tarts
- Cheesecake Mince Tarts
- Date-Orange Dessert
- Cranberry Steamed Pudding
- Hard Sauce
- Orange Hard Sauce
- Pilgram Hats
Christmas
- Springerle
- Cooky Tarts (Sandbakeleser)
- Rainbow Wreaths (Berliner Kranser)
- Bowknots (Fattigmann)
- Rosette Cookies
- Spitz
- Krumkaka
- Sweedish Ginger Cookies (Pepparkakor)
- Noel Fruit Cookies (Lebkuchen)
- Gumdrop Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Coconut Balls
- Holly Hermits
- Old-time Fudge
- Rocky Road
- Remarkable Fudge
- Panocha
- Toffee butter Crunch
- Stuffed Dates
- Divinity
- Creole Pralines
- Noel Brazil Loaves
- Fruitcake-ettes
- Fruitcake Balls
- Pineapple Glaze for Fruitcake
- White Fruitcake
- Dark Fruitcake
- Ring Fruitcake
- Tutti-frutti Ring
- German Stollen
- French Raisin Bread
- Orange Bubble Loaf
- Snowball Loaf
- Holiday Duckling
- Orange Stuffing for Duck
- Party Sweet Potatoes
- Kumquat Posies
- French Onion Soup
- Almond Green Beans
- Merrie Roast of Beef
- Onion Mums
- Roast Potatoes
- French-fried Onion Rings
- Easy Hollandaise
- Pink-Grapefruit Refresher
- Honey Dressing
- Gala Fruit Wreath
- Frosted Grapes
- Cinnamon Apple Cups
- Tomato-Aspic Ring
- Fluffy Mayonnaise
- Italian Mix Dressing
- Waldorf Salad
- Salad Apple Ring
- Red-cabbage Toss
- Rosy Fruit-cocktail Slices
- Cranberry-relish Mold
- Yuletide Mold
- Stuffed Cinnamon Apples
- Sour-cream Dressing
- Noel Eggnog Pie
- Golden Coconut Shell
- Frozen Christmas Pudding
- Cherry Candle Cake
- Mincemeat Ice-cream Cake
- Jack Frost Dessert
- Date Bars
- To-each-his-own Alaska
- Chocolate Torte Royale
- Twin Cream Fillings
- Cocktail Pie
Special Occasions
Foreign Fare
Oriental Style Supper
- Egg Rolls and Fried Shrimp
- Sweet-sour Shrimp Sauce
- Red Mustard Sauce
- Speedy Chicken Chow Mein
- Chinese Fried Rice
- Oriental Salad
- Mandarin Orange Dessert
- Coconut Macaroons
- Sukiyaki
- Chawan-Mushi (Custard Soup)
Sweedish Smorgasboard
- Swedish Relishes
- Herring Salad (Sillsallad)
- Stuffed Celery
- Swedish Meat Balls (Kottbullar)
- Brown Beans (Bruna Bonor)
- Decorated Chilled Ham
- Red-and-white Salad
- Swedish Pancakes
- Lingonberry Sauce
Tempting Buffets from India and Mexico
- Mexican Fried Rice
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Guacamole
- Chiles Rellenos
- Tomato Sauce
- Quick Chili Supper
- Shrimp Curry
- Yellow Rice
Hot Italian Suppers
- Lasagne
- Antipasto Tray
- Italian Green Salad
- Italian Spaghetti and Meat Balls
- Pizza
- Speedy Pizza
- Italian Long Loaf
Polynesian Hospitality
- Water Chestnuts with Chicken Livers
- Chinese Peas with Water Chestnuts
- Beach Boy Punch
- Oahu Spice Dressing
- Island Spareribs
- Kona Chicken in a Coconut
- Trader Vic’s Susu Curry Sauce
- Baked Bananas
- Batter-fried Shrimp
- Barbecued Shrimp
- Chinese Mustard
- Red Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
Casual Buffets, American Style
- Fruit-soup Dessert
- Shrimp Pinwheel Casserole
- Pinwheel Biscuits
- Tossed Green Salad
- Chicken in Jiffy Tomato Sauce
- Refrigerator Cheese Pie
- Baked Beans for a Crowd
- Parsleyed French Slices
- Easy Chocolate Eclairs
- Beef Stroganoff
- Ambrosia Molds
- Pink Confetti Pie
Birthdays and Anniversaries
- Candyland Cake
- Snowy 7-minute Frosting
- Candy-peanut Rocket Cake
- Chocolate Frosting
- Off-to-the-moon Cake
- Ship Ahoy Cake
- Merry-go-round Cake
- Speedy Ornamental Frosting
- Mint-balloon Cake
- Gumdrop-rose Cake
- Tower Parfait
- Rainbow Meringue Torte
- Strawberry Swizzle
- Chocolate Soda
- Banana Splits
- Minted Pineapple Sauce
- Chocolate Marble SAuce
- Jiffy Caramel Sauce
- Neiman-Marcus Fresh Flowerpot
- Big-top Strawberry Sundae
- Ice-cream Clown
- Ice-cream Lollipops
- Anniversary Cake
- Water-cress Roll-ups
- Nut-bread Crescents
- Wedding Bells
- Golden Wedding Rings
- Coconut Ice-cream Balls
- Pink Punch
- Frosty Golden Punch
Coffee, Tea, and Punch Parties
- Coffee Brazilian
- Cardamon Coffee
- Cafe-au-lait
- Turkish Coffee
- Iced Coffee
- Black-bottom Cooler
- Coffee Angel Torte
- Company Cheese Cake
- Glitter Torte
- Candy-confetti Torte
- Almond-brittle Topping
- Black-bottom Pie
- Spicy Marble Coffeecake
- Danish Kringle
- Puff Pastry
- Napoleons
- Cream Filling
- Confectioners’ Glaze
- Chocolate Glaze
- Red Devil’s Food Cake
- Fudge Velvet Frosting
- French Pastries
- Frech Pastry Frosting
- Perfect Hot Tea
- Hurry-up Hot Tea
- Tea for a Crowd
- Hot Spiced Tea
- Shrimp Bowl
- Fresh-cooked Shrimp
- Louis Dressing
- Herb Pan Rolls
- Iced Tea
- Pecan Tassies
- Brownies
- Petits Fours
- Petits Fours Icing
- Banana-nut Bread
- Pastry Star Tarts
- Chocolate Crinkles
- Polka-dot Macaroons
- Frosted Molasses Creams
- Stuffed-date Drops
- Golden Frosting
- Canapes
- Hors d’oeuvres
- Hawaiian Fruit Punch
- Cranberry Sparkle
- Rosy Punch
- Raspberry Ade
- Orange-blossom Cooler
- Double-orange Fizz
- Golden Banquet Punch
- Old-fashioned Lemonade
- Lime Luscious Sodas
- Canape Flowerpots
- Carrot-Olive Bars
- Frosted Sandwich Loaf
- Sandwich Loaf, Sliced-bread Style
Table Setting Tips
Better Homes & Gardens Cookbooks Available on Amazon
Gingerbread Boys
Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 tablespoon vinegar
5 cups sifted enriched flour
1 1/2 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
Method
Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, and salt. Stir in egg, molasses, and vinegar; beat well. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into molasses mixture. Chill (about 3 hours).
On a highly floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch. Cut with gingerbread-boy cutter (or draw your own pattern). Place 1 inch apart on a greased cooky sheet. Use red hots for faces and buttons.
Bake in a moderate oven (375-degrees) for about 6 minutes. Cool slightly; remove from cooky sheet. When thoroughly cool, use confectioners’-sugar frost to pipe on trims.
To make cookies stand up, fasten each on skewer with cellophane tape and stick end into a plump red apple.
Makes about 8 dozen.
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