I didn't choose Betty. She chose me.

I didn't choose Betty. She chose me.
The Betty Crocker Kitchens 1940

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Vintage Betty Crocker Military Christmas Cookies

WW II Christmas Cookie Ornaments by Betty Crocker       




This vintage wartime Betty Crocker ad always blows me away. Sending Christmas cookies to the troops overseas was quite common, but Betty takes it one step further with military-themed cookies for sharing and for Christmas tree decorating. Imaging decorating your tree with "field gun" cookies.

Friday, January 4, 2013

The Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemker of Tomorrow.


 Since I've had so many request for some basic information about the Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemaker of Tomorrow Scholarship Program, I promise to periodically post more about it. 

But for starters, if you are not familiar, here's the basics from the Betty Crocker website:

In 1954, the Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemaker of Tomorrow was initiated and continued until 1977. High-school seniors competed for college scholarships and trips to the national awards ceremony based on their knowledge of cooking, baking and household management.

Most people naturally assume that General Mills saved all the scholarship information in their archives. I, too, was once so naturally naive. They have almost nothing in their archives about the scholarship program. Like most companies, General Mills threw away a lot of the history because they didn't see its historical value. But before you judge them too harshly, remember that they are not in the business of saving history, they are in the business of selling processed foods. And, compared to many corporations (like J&J) General Mills actually saved an enormous amount of their history.

The fact that General Mills didn't save much information about the Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemaker of Tomorrow Scholarship Program, is precisely why I am preserving this special little slice of American history. So, as always, feel free to leave your Betty Crocker scholarship stories here! And if you have photos...we would love to see them!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year with Vintage Betty Crocker!

Happy New Year! So great to get to know so many of you this past year, especially you Betty Crocker Scholarship winners! So many great stories. And it's funny how so many of you winners were not the least bit "domestically inclined," but were excellent test takers. However, I think so many of you sell yourself short. My guess is that you are pretty smart too. Those Betty Crocker Search for the All American Homemaker of Tomorrow Scholarship exams were tough! I could have never past one in high school. Or college.

My hope in the new year is to see some photos of you scholarship winners. And of course, hear more scholarship stories. I especially hope to hear from national winners.

I've included this wonderful ad because this is the first and only ad I've ever seen of Betty in yellow! I've seen her in green and blue, and of course, in her traditional red and white. But never in yellow until now.

I also love the copy with lines like; "Imagine! A cake that needs no icing!" And "Don't risk failure!" And "Good cooks know this."

Happy baking in the new year!

Remember you can always find Finding Betty Crocker on Amazon.