After I posted about my vintage Rumford Cookbook, and made the mistake of assuming baking powder was no longer sold under the Rumford name (having never seen it on the shelf myself), a number of you told you that you had Rumford in your various areas. Then one of you, whaledancer, sent me some Rumford Baking Powder!
Yes, I am the proud owner of two cans of Rumford Baking Powder.
I have contemplated what I should do with this special baking powder. Baking powder goes bad after a time, so I think the best way to honor the baking powder is to use it. (I’ll save the cans for fun and because I’m weird.) Then I had to decide–what could possibly be worthy of the first recipe I make with my special baking powder?
Because whaledancer is wonderful, she also sent me two vintage cookbooks along with the Rumford Baking Powder. I’m going to feature one of them today in this post and I’ll talk about the other one later. If you’re a regular reader here, by now you know I have an obsession with old cookbooks. This one is The Bisquick Cookbook. Recipes from Betty Crocker in answer to your requests.
The book was published in 1964 by General Mills. It’s not one of those promotional pamphlet things, but a real honest-to-goodness cookbook, a bound hardback (albeit small) book.
There are detailed instructions for using Bisquick. Never sift it! Never!
The “favorite” basic nine recipes are in a handy front-to-back page at the beginning. Biscuits, pancakes, waffles, shortcake, velvet crumb cake, coffee cake, muffins, dumplings, and short pie. At some point, some frustrated possessor of this book handwrote: “This dodges pie crust!”
On the back, by the short pie recipe, she wrote in further discontented disdain: “One crust only!”
Betty was trying to get one over on her with that short pie and she wasn’t buying it.
I think she wanted to smack Betty a good one. Short pie, by the way, appears to be a biscuit-like crust that can be used similar to a pie pastry.
I suppose she could have doubled the recipe…… But smacking Betty Crocker might be more fun. Was there a real Betty Crocker? Suddenly I had to know. I went to Google, who knows everything.
Betty Crocker was invented by a Minneapolis baking company in 1921. They signed letters to customers who wrote in with questions with the name Betty Crocker to make them feel as if they were getting a personal response from a real woman who read every letter and responded to every one of them herself. There was even a radio show with “Betty Crocker” later and she was played by various actresses. So, now we know. So much for smacking her.
Back to the recipes….. What is worthy of the Rumford Baking Powder?
Hurry-Up Ham Casserole.
Too mundane………
Rolled Egg Dumplings?
That would get into the whole what are dumplings, what aren’t dumplings issue………
Christmas Tree Upside Down Cake?
Wrong time of year.
I need something worthy. Something that can’t go wrong. Something slightly decadent.
BUTTER STICKS!
I can’t possibly go wrong with my special baking powder in a recipe that’s called BUTTER STICKS. And anything with BUTTER in the recipe title has to be decadent. Or at least suitably bad for you.
Of course, I’m not going to use Bisquick. I mean, ARE YOU CRAZY?
I’m going to use my homemade baking mix, Quick Mix.
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How to make Butter Sticks:
1/3 cup butter, for melting
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup milk
Note: To use a baking mix (such as Bisquick), replace first 5 ingredients (after the 1/3 cup butter) with 2 cups baking mix.
Melt the 1/3 cup butter in a 13 x 9 baking pan. Set aside. Place next 5 ingredients (or 2 cups of baking mix) in a large bowl and work in the butter with a pastry cutter.
Add the milk (use a little more if your dough is too dry) and knead your biscuit dough. (Secret to great biscuits–-knead the dough lightly, a few times, adding a pinch of flour if needed to keep dough from sticking to your hands.) On a floured surface, roll into a 10 x 6 rectangle.
It had to be perfect. I even measured.
Cut in half lengthwise.
Cut each half into 12 strips.
Dip each stick in the butter in the pan. I put them down in the butter then flipped them to get butter on both sides.
Arrange in pan.
Bake at 450-degrees for 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden.
These are delicious right out of the pan, no additional butter needed. A fun, different way to make and serve biscuits. They’re also addictive. You might have to eat 10 before you even tell anyone you baked anything.
The options are endless. They could be sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. Add raisins. Or go savory and add garlic and cheese. Or herbs. Any flavor variations you like in biscuits, you can do with these.
I love ’em. They were worthy. So worthy, I gotta make ’em again.
Right now.
BYE!
Check out all my Quick Mix recipes.
See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.
Sarah says:
I found a recipe very similar to this one on allrecipes.com (Butter Dipped Biscuits, I think) and I make them all the time. They are so easy to whip up for lunch or a snack. I have a very picky eater right now (4 year old boy) and biscuits with maples syrup is one guaranteed thing he will eat. I can easily eat way too many of these. Yummy!!!
On January 20, 2011 at 7:06 am
Jersey Lady says:
These are so good. I have made them for years. My kids named them “I Bread” when they were little because each piece looked like a little capital “I”.
On January 20, 2011 at 7:26 am
Mary West says:
There is actually a cookbook called the Butter Cookbook. I saw it at the library once and it’s huge! Just the thing to give your favorite heart patient — sheeeesh! Actually I’m a major butter fan — I just try to exercise moderation.
On January 20, 2011 at 7:27 am
CindyP says:
How wonderful of whaledancer!! Those are some very nice looking cans to keep, too.
That’s a lot baking with baking powder to use up 2 cans before they go bad :hungry:
On January 20, 2011 at 7:53 am
Sher in Ky says:
Whaledancer is paying it forward….just wonderful.
There’s nothing like salted butter being baked on top of a biscuit. I’ve got to try these.
On January 20, 2011 at 8:14 am
Nic, SD says:
Those look amazing.
Also, Google truly does know everything… *sigh*
On January 20, 2011 at 8:25 am
Jane says:
They look so good! Which reminds me, I am really looking forward to your wholegrain quick mix recipe – if you get the chance. Or, is it not working out?
On January 20, 2011 at 8:26 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Jane, I’ll post it soon. Sorry! I forgot!
On January 20, 2011 at 8:29 am
I Wanna Farm says:
Those would be great to make with pizza. Just like the bread sticks you can order for $5, only way cheaper.
On January 20, 2011 at 8:34 am
Michigan Tina says:
:chef:
After breakfast everyday I start thinking what I should make for dinner…Well, that answer is pretty easy (Butter Sticks)…whats for snack tonight…lol…it just might be Butter Sticks with cinn. sugar…Thanks for this recipe.
On January 20, 2011 at 8:44 am
holstein woman says:
Well, I thought you were going to talk about BUTTER sticks, I make homemade butter. I guess that is no big thing around here since this place is full of cow and goat people?
These are right up my alley, I have gravy for breakfast this morning and BUTTER STICKS. You are going to post lots more of those recipes???? Aren’t you???????????? I knew you would, you are such a good girl Suzanne. :fairy: :fairy:
On January 20, 2011 at 8:57 am
texwisgirl says:
Oh hurray for whaledancer!!! What a great friend you have there! Sending you all sorts of ammo… 🙂
On January 20, 2011 at 9:29 am
Ramona says:
What a great gift. Very sweet of her.
Those butter sticks look awesome.
On January 20, 2011 at 9:38 am
Martha in KS says:
:moo: Aptly named because something that luscious will surely stick to your b**t.
On January 20, 2011 at 9:39 am
Urbanite says:
The butter sticks look fabulous. Thanks, Suzanne and whaledancer!
On January 20, 2011 at 9:52 am
Margaret says:
When I was in college, I worked at a children’s camp as the cook. I used a recipe very similar to this (from scratch, no Bisquick) to make these butter sticks. They were a lot of work, but the kids loved them, so we had them every week.
On January 20, 2011 at 10:34 am
Launi says:
Ohhhh myyyyy. These look so amazing. In fact, they look like breakfast. heh, heh. Gotta go make some! Thanks for the sinful idea. :}
On January 20, 2011 at 10:47 am
Joy says:
My Mom always made her biscuits this way. She’d whip up a batch of biscuits while melting butter in the pan and then dip each biscuit in butter to coat it before placing it in the pan. Sometimes she’d add sugar and cinammon on top, sometimes she wouldn’t bother. I thought all homemade biscuits were made this way….or at least all biscuits made by southern country cooks. It was kind of automatic like saving the bacon fat in a little metal can with a strainer top to use to cook other things in. Or to melt in the iron skillet in the oven before you pour the cornbread batter in. Habits that I gave up for a more low fat life. But, boy, do these things taste good. Yum.
On January 20, 2011 at 11:15 am
patchkat says:
These look very similar to what my Great Grandmother used to make! I may have to give them a shot. Thanks for the memories!!!! I too love old cookbooks. Need much more shelf space for collecting!
On January 20, 2011 at 11:23 am
Michelle says:
Yep, all I use is Rumford; don’t need to increase my intake of aluminum and any risk that might bring.
Sigh. Most of your delicious-looking recipes are off limits after my husband had a heart attack (and is now being VERY GOOD so he doesn’t have another one and croak on his family!); I don’t need them, either.
On January 20, 2011 at 12:59 pm
TinaG says:
Oh yumm… my mouth is watering just looking at the pictures. Thanks waledancer for being Suzanne’s inspiration and thanks Suzanne for sharing this wonderful recipe. I can’t wait to try it. :hug:
On January 20, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Carmen at Old House Kitchen says:
Oh those butter sticks sound gooooood! I’ll have to give them a try!
On January 20, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Window On The Prairie says:
I make these every once in a while. They’re great with fried or bbq chicken. Yum.
Suzanne
On January 20, 2011 at 3:22 pm
holstein woman says:
Swell, I made these bad babies, and BO likes them. :dancingmonster:
Thats what I write on all the recipes I try and BO likes.
You’re right Suzanne, these are definitely waistline enlargers! :hungry:
On January 20, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Lynne says:
All I had to do was look at that picture once and now I must make them! They really look good. :happyfeet:
On January 20, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Lisa says:
Somebody fed me something quite similar to these once, but there was creamed corn in the batter. They were insanely good.
On January 20, 2011 at 7:59 pm
whaledancer says:
Those look yummy…worthy, indeed. But your comments and pictures make the recipe much more fun!
I make the scones, and my best friend used to borrow my copy of this book for the Irish soda bread recipe.
I look forward to seeing the whole grain quick mix. Except I use one from Trader Joe’s, and then I won’t have any excuse not to make my own.
On January 20, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Tobey says:
my mother’s homemade biscuits were “whomp” biscuits in the cans but we dipped them in melted butter just like this recipe describes. Makes them good and crusty on the outside!
Her mother made biscuits the old fashioned way but my mother was convinced she couldn’t make biscuits without her mother’s bowl and pan, so she made whomp biscuits. Might have been a touch easier, too, as like many women in the 1950’s she embraced the convenience foods.
On January 20, 2011 at 11:51 pm
mom2fur says:
Oh, my gosh. These sound so delicious they should probably be illegal!
On January 21, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Tracy Mancheno says:
These look so good! I love old cookbooks too. I have several and I need to start trying out those recipes. I think I’m missing out on some great, old fashioned eats!!
On January 21, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Cameron says:
There’s no baked good more worthy of baking powder than biscuits! These sound lovely, only I’d be scared to make them lest I eat them all in one day. But I am making your homemade cream cheese sometime this week–thanks for the inspiration!
On January 22, 2011 at 12:35 pm
KLabmom says:
I have been making these since we got married, but the recipe in my Mennonite cookbook calls them “Butter Dips”. Seems there are many variations of a good thing out there 🙂
On January 24, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Carol says:
these look totally delicious
On January 25, 2011 at 9:05 pm
LK says:
Yes, these look and sound great! It reminds me of a different recipe called Schnetki, an old Mennonite recipe. They have butter AND cream cooked right into them and you serve them piping hot with jam. Mmmmm…soooo good! Unfortunately right now, we don’t have any cream, but now I want them so much! I found a not as rich recipe that I am getting my daughter to make up as we speak. Fifteen minutes, and we will be in munchy heaven.
Suzanne, you would LOVE them! I have no doubt!
KLabmom, if you wouldn’t mind PMing me, I would be very, very interested in your favorite recipes out of your mennonite cookbook!
On January 29, 2011 at 4:10 pm