1940s Southern Spaghetti Recipe Historical Cooking Old Cookbook Show

1940s Southern Spaghetti Recipe - Old Cookbook Show - Glen And Friends Cooking
This recipe comes from a late 1930s or early 1940 - 1942 cookbook published in the American South. Titled 'Southern Spaghetti' it has garnered a lot of email and comments (most of them deleted because of the profanity) that always start with some form of "I'm from the SOUTH and this is not Southern Spaghetti!!!". Ok I get it this may not be a recipe that your family makes today... but in the 100s of historical cookbooks I own from the American South; this is a recipe that appears over and over, almost always made the same way as this one. These are recipe books stretching back to the early 1800s - so historically this must have been one of the ways that spaghetti was eaten in the 'South'. What many people fail to realise is that cooking changes, and the pace of that change has only accelerated since the 1950s. Many of the recipes that we think of as Traditional would be unrecognisable to our Great Grandparents.
Ingredients:
½ lb spaghetti
½ lb bacon, diced
3 onions, sliced
1 ½ lbs chopped raw beef
2 green peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ can kidney beans
½ can peas
½ can tomatoes
½ lb cheese chopped
½ can mushrooms, fresh or dried
Salt and Pepper
Boil the spaghetti. Place bacon in skillet, fry out fat, add onions, and fry to a golden brown. Add meat and vegetables and simmer a few minutes. Cover bottom of buttered baking dish with a layer of the boiled spaghetti, cover with a layer of the prepared mixture, repeat, having the last layer spaghetti, sprinkled with a little cheese. Bake in a slow oven about two hours.
#LeGourmetTV #GlenAndFriendsCooking #OldCookbookShow
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[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

This recipe comes from a late 1930s or early 1940 - 1942 cookbook published in the American South. Titled 'Southern Spaghetti' it has garnered a lot of email and comments (most of them deleted because of the profanity) that always start with some form of "I'm from the SOUTH and this is not Southern Spaghetti!!!". Ok I get it this may not be a recipe that your family makes today... but in the 100s of historical cookbooks I own from the American South; this is a recipe that appears over and over, almost always made the same way as this one. These are recipe books stretching back to the early 1800s - so historically this must have been one of the ways that spaghetti was eaten in the 'South'. What many people fail to realise is that cooking changes, and the pace of that change has only accelerated since the 1950s. Many of the recipes that we think of as Traditional would be unrecognisable to our Great Grandparents.

[@chrsd2536]

Hate mail?

[@ic_trab]

Ignore the crazies Glen, keep doing what you do best, interesting old recipes :)

[@no_activity]

I can understand a comment saying that someone's family cooks a dish differently, but I can't comprehend people sending you hate mail. You are one of the nicest guys on youtube, and people need to get over themselves.

[@JM-vj7kh]

LMAO Glen talks about this in the vid and people STILL get rated over it

[@brianbarry5673]

I talked to my mom (born 1933) about this episode. The recipe seems consistent with World War II rationing. While canned peas and beans were cheap, they required a lot of ration points, so recipes using half cans were quite common to stretch ration points. The December 1942 date is at the very beginning of rationing. I wonder if this was a 1942 update to the cookbook to reflect the new reality. As a result, my grandmother had organized part of her recipe file into section, such as "1/2 can peas", "1/2 can corn", etc. As you have probably noticed many recipes from the 30's and 40's lacked spice, because as you point out, recipes are a base. Every lady in my grandmother's neighborhood had her own special spice blend. Unfortunately, hers was so secret she never wrote it down. I think she taught it to me and my brother when we were teens, but of course I now regret not paying attention. Of course, no one disclosed they're secrets in a community cookbook. She also made handwritten notes in her cookbooks and recipe file with spice recommendations, like you and Jules do at the end of the show.

[@Doinks4free]

Without the green peppers, My great grandmother used to make this meal almost every weekend we visited. While it may not look like much it definitely is a comfort meal that sends me instantly back to her creaky house and the sweet caring lady making it. Thanks for the memories.

[@triciabarr4620]

It's amazing what memories are tied to food...

[@michaelremillard4215]

❤️❤️❤️❤️ your story brought back similar memories of mine of my Grandmother

[@ReibahDarling]

Sweet

[@suzannesmith2452]

@Joshua Such beautiful memories. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@caroljulian6505]

At the time that was written think about it was during the war and they were stretching everything that half a canna peas to go for another meal the half a canna anything to go for another meal

[@michaelv3340]

I've got to say I'm over the authenticity brigade. Every chef who makes even the most minor change gets hammered on social media. It all seems too much.

[@JakobNoone]

The stubborn adherence to traditionalism, if coupled to a negative/haters-gonna-hate spirit, is antithetical to the very nature of food and the art of cuisine.

[@kdmoonchildsworld]

All you have to do is sneeze different and people have to fix you. I was taught that if you do not have something nice to say, Don't say it at all. Unfortunately that is now a lost concept, Decency, Kindness and a bit of mind your own business needs to return!🙏💚🙏🕊

[@2adamast]

It goes both ways, "every" media chef will claim offering original recipes unheard of in their country of origin.

[@samuelhowie4543]

That's one of the things I like about Cef John from Food Wishes. He prepares the dish but also states if you want to subtract or add an ingredient go ahead, after all it's your dish and your taste.

[@jaypickett3552]

@@samuelhowie4543 Well said, sir. Chef John is the best!

[@lanceharsh7025]

In our family while growing up in the 70's. If recipes had 1/2 cans of anything we would be having a soup version in a day and we called it " son of ------" in this case "son of Southern Spaghetti" Thanks for the vid.🤪

[@TechBearSeattle]

Start with a quart of broth, add the remaining half cans. Then cook, drain, and add the remaining meat. Heat to a simmer. To serve along side, take the bread loaf ends you've been saving and use them to make garlic toast.

[@alexlail7481]

Same thought here... my mother would freeze those ½ cans worth of food and also certain leftovers... from spring to fall ...1st really cold week she complete it with v8 juice and ground beef... it made some of the best soup you'd never know what would be in it leftover..spaghetti sauce, stew beef, chili etc. But ot was always good

[@mariannesouza8326]

I love that! 😂👍🏼

[@samuelhowie4543]

My mom used to do that and we called it mulligan stew.

[@rebelcolorist]

I am Italian, and the whole notion of all of this propriety regarding the right or wrong way of doing the cuisine is just moot. Italians are moderns, like the rest of us, and change with the times. Pasta in a pressure cooker? It's done in Italy these days. Indian and Japanese flavours? Also a part of the new cooking. I just love all that you do!

[@treacherousviper]

have you seen the lady’s youtube channel where she basically trolls her italian husband by doing(or suggesting)everything “ wrong” when it comes to italian food. its funny the first few times….

[@MrsMac3099]

That is true , and people forget tomatoes are not Italian ! We used them in the US for hundreds of years. This is a riff on American goulash , cheap spaghetti/ macaroni , etc .... Simple country cooking , everyone had canned tomatoes on hand . One of my grandparents was Italian , and one was my little hillbilly granny . This is nothing like my Italian sides cooking , this looks southern farm cooking .

[@annettebartels2061]

Well that is interesting. I’m glad you shared that. I think (and a lot of others, apparently), think stereotypically that all Italians still make all their pasta by hand and everything is made from scratch. As Glen said, “food is always changing”

[@giorgios4129]

I am Italian and I agree with what you say. Apart from the pasta in the pressure cooker thing. That's just not true, nobody cooks pasta in a pressure cooker and it's also kinda pointless since pasta cooks in very little time and different sizes, shapes and even brands of pasta, depending on the wheat and method they use during production, has different cooking time and "resistance", so cooking it in a pressure cooker you might end up with mushy or overcooked pasta even with half a minute more if you're not careful. Another thing is that while Italians are starting to be more adventurous (thank god) in tasting other countries' cuisine also thanks to popular TV shows like MasteChef where they try to be a bit more contemporary/experimental, it is also true that many Italians are very close minded when it comes to food. There are many regional cusine and eating can be widely different from north to south, sometimes people won't even try to dare anything that's not popular in their region and might sound unusual. It's getting a bit better but localism is still very much a thing. I suspect the "trolls" Glen refers to are not trolling but just annoying members of the Italian food police. It's a thing, no point in denying it. Cheers! :)

[@fnjesusfreak]

I adapt everything I cook to my palate. Speaking of Japanese, I'm sure some people would be horrified at my take on omurice (because I use a version of Mexican rice for the filling and replace the ketchup with a reduced amount of sriracha).

[@socksal]

I grew up in South Carolina and this has to be what my older relatives called Spaghetti Pie. I never had the recipe until now, thank you!

[@CarolBondOldDragonMama]

I'm going to ask some of my older relatives. Wish my Granny and my great aunts were still alive to ask. But now that you mentioned it, I have a sort of vague memory of spaghetti pie. I'm from SC too, in the Sandhill region.

[@BrutishYetDelightful]

I know I was served spaghetti pie at least once at good old Mauldin Elementary. That's also where I was introduced to Jiffy corn muffins and actual dairy butter. GO DOLPHINS!

[@johnlittle8975]

@@BrutishYetDelightful My aunt used to make this about twice a month as spaghetti pie. She was from Texas.

[@roadie3124]

I've seen similar recipes here in Australia made with penne instead of spaghetti. A bit more modern, made with less meat and more veg. The top layer was sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. The crispy top was intentional and tastes great.

[@anetzband1383]

Glen, I tried to do a little research on can sizes, especially during that time period. I found a nice chart with a lot of sizes, and then I looked at cookbooks published in 1940-42 to see if any referred to an exact size. Several times I found "1 #2 1/2 can of tomatoes" and then I went to the chart. A #2 1/2 can of tomatoes is 3 1/2 cups of tomatoes! If that is the size of can she was talking about, I think you should have put in 1 3/4c of tomatoes--almost 1 pint! It would have been juicier. Anyway, I love trying to figure out the context of the old recipes in order to reproduce them as closely as possible.

[@barrycamilo5319]

Hello

[@sortathesame8701]

I suspect you are correct! When these recipes were being eaten and shared, families were much larger than they are today and feeding 8 would have been about what this recipe was meant to serve, just from the amount of hamburger being used! 1 3/4c tomatoes, beans, peas, and about a 3/4 cup of mushrooms sounds about right with 1.5 pounds of hamburger!

[@nicksmith7424]

Any way you can share that chart?

[@anetzband1383]

@@Pygar2 I don't have time right now to type it all in, and don't believe I can post a URL or jpg.

[@SCRAMBLER390]

You can also purchase the small (half size) tins of Some veggies in US, not sure if available in other countries.

[@TizianaTina]

I am Italian and even regionally in Italy, recipes vary. Every Nonna, has a different recipe for sauce. Recipes evolve and change to suit the tastes of the cook and the family they are preparing the dish for. I appreciate any pasta or tomato sauce dish you share, because it allows us to experience a different take on simple ingredients that may or may not suit our tastes. Either way, it's time well spent. Thanks Glen.

[@anthonymccarthy4164]

I was going to say it looks like an English translation of pasta fazool, then I knew someone else must have made the connection.

[@thomasfrederiksendk]

The best way to get at least five different recipes that are all definitely _the_ correct one is to gather three Italians and ask them.

[@MrsMac3099]

This is a riff on American goulash , cheap spaghetti/ macaroni , etc .... Simple country cooking , everyone had canned tomatoes on hand .

[@TamarLitvot]

@@thomasfrederiksendk 😅😅😅 that reminds me of the old Jewish saying I grew up with: two Jews, three arguments. Though with Jews, it’s less likely to be about food.

[@Dalilanotdelilah]

Also what was available in your region/area.

[@penguindrum264]

"Food is always changing." That's a great quote. I believe the same applies to a lot of things in life, most people don't realize how humans have been trading goods and culture for thousands of years, nothing is "pure." This is why purists are hilarious to me.

[@Pyrela]

Especially if you realize just how very recent some 'ancient' traditions and beliefs are. People do things kind of because, "It's the way things have always been done.". And it's like, no, not always. Not even close to always actually.

[@TamarLitvot]

Recently made a Kenyan rice dish from a lovely person here on KZbin, Modern African Table. It comes from the coastal area and has obvious Indian influences (because of trade) but beyond that, she says her mother modified the original recipe. So like Glenn says, food is fusion - this dish is not “pure” Kenyan even though it comes from a Kenyan woman who got it from her Kenyan mother. BTW, it’s very very good and not hard to make.

[@penguindrum264]

@@TamarLitvot what's the dish? And her recipe? I'm curious to try something new.

[@haroldlane4647]

Even now, when someone comments on a recipe JUST RELEASED on KZbin or some other avenue, they proclaim they are going to add 1 to 3 or more items or switch a procedure or two. Not a few post that have already made their changes without even trying the original! Sadly, many of them boomerang blame on the original recipe for their own failures🙄. And they still don't know how well the original tasted… Keep up the good example Glenn!

[@MrFredstt]

@@Pyrela True for some things but even in traditions that have changed the influence of older and ancient traditions are still there

[@djibi666]

I live in Finland and a very traditional food here for at least the last 40 years is macaroni casserole. Macaroni, ground beef, chopped onion, a couple of eggs and milk, cheese on top. Serve with lingonberry jam and grated carrots. You can find it in most homes and in schools. I make my own version of it and use moose instead of beef and I mix in a bit of parmesan cheese, fresh herbs and some tomato paste.

[@NuggDavis]

Not gonna lie, that sounds pretty good. I'll have to make it here in the states

[@themagnanimous1246]

Wow, this sounds delicious.

[@kaizma88]

Moose?

[@bryanjones14]

My swedish buddy makes the same dish

[@peterpain6625]

@@eveny119 Lingonberry jam goes well with all kinds of meat. Even bloodpudding or haggis ;)

[@tmodrill1]

Well I’m from the south and I for one appreciate you for taking the time to research and prepare these old recipes. Your videos are very informative and interesting. This particular recipe reminded me of a similar dish my grandma made when I was a kid. Thank you and keep it up please.

[@versatilians]

I've lived in the southeastern US for all of my life (Georgia), have eaten plenty of southern cooking, and from what I can tell, lots of old southern cooks tend to cook the hell out of ANY pasta. It has only been in the last 10 years or so, that my own Mother, has finally learned the wonders of "al dente" pasta. :)

[@heknows5418]

I like it cooked to within a inch of its life, ya’ll

[@ttjohns4821]

Growing up in the south they always cooked the noodles in with the sauce. You had to cook it to death to keep it from sticking into one big clump. lol The exception "macaroni and tomatoes". You cook the macaroni first.

[@susanlewis8256]

Yep

[@paulinemaclellan8204]

I confess I do not like my pasta al dente.

[@pitabreadwithcheese2749]

Fellow GA resident here!

[@shawni321]

This looks like the kind of dish you make when you have odds and ends in the fridge that need to be used. Hence, the half cans...but tasty, nutritious, economical and can feed a crowd. What's not to love?

[@4CPE]

Im from the South. Can confirm this is a real recipe. I particularly ate this dish in a small town in Mississippi. I dont remember beans in it, but I loved the baked pasta feel. I also feel like Parmesan and olives were in it, and the meat mixture has pork in it.

[@SomeBuddy777]

Yep. 👍, Texas Cat here

[@charlesherrick7400]

Being born and raised in Texas, home cooked meals during the the fifties and sixties were primarily stretcher meals as is this recipe you are featuring today. At 77 years old, I find myself making a lot of these types of one dish meals and adding a salad or something green on the side. This is different enough that I will use the recipe as a spinner dish (change the ingredients) while maintaining the simplicity and size. Thanks for the idea and tips regarding the half cans.

[@judyjones5089]

This is so interesting! I happen to have a braille cookbook published in 1944 by the Braille Institute in Los Angeles. This particular cookbook is written by a blind homemaker of the time, Evelyn Lee. She has over 400 recipes and 259 kitchen and household hints for anyone setting up housekeeping. I got this gifted to me is a girl back in the sixties, by friends of my parents, who had a blind aunt who had owned this book. Some of the aunt's recipes are brailled in on the fly leaf, and I added my own: instructions for new instant mashed potatoes! :) I must have been in middle school at the time. Anyway, I looked up Evelyn Lee's Spaghetti DeLuxe recipe, and is very close to this one, but not as large. She uses 1 small onion, one small pepper, 1 can mushrooms (doesn't specify size), 1/2 pound ground beef, 1 can tomato soup, 1 cup cream-style corn 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce,salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup grated cheese. She has you saute onions, peppers, mushrooms in 1/4 cup cooking oil. You add in other ingredients, including 1/2 pound cooked spaghetti, pour into baking dish and cook at 350 for 1 hour. She doesn't say here how long she cooks her spaghetti, although I'm sure she has it somewhere. In summary, my taste buds and I would pass on both dishes. We have to remember that at the time of the writing of our books that rationing was in place. Another note about this book. As a young would-be cook, I shared this book and some of its recipes and kitchen suggestions to my sighted mom, that she ended up adopting for her personal use. Thanks very much for sharing with us!

[@pandorasoutofthebox]

This is fascinating. My grandmother was from Montreal, and she used to make French Spaghetti, which was just like this but lacked the peppers and legumes. She was 94 when she passed last October, and made this at least once a month all during her life.

[@brandi1719]

My grandmother had cookbooks like this one. My mom still has them. I love it, cooking through history.

[@reginaromsey]

If you want those cookbooks to survive be sure your name is post it noted prominently on the cover, the inside cover, page 20 or wherever they naturally fall open and the back cover. Okay, that may be overkill but the number of hand written and old cookbooks are tossed out by some shell shocked relative or hired fool when a place is cleared out!

[@juliat0921]

That is a very beautifully written foreword, very humbling and touching.

[@murlthomas2243]

My Mom had four cans of spice when I was a kid: salt, pepper, Old Bay, and chili powder. I have spices everywhere, I will never go back to bland food again.

[@cynthiacrawford6147]

Oh the agony!My mom had an entire cabinet of spices and things to add.Heck yeah

[@nataliestanchevski4628]

My mom's spice cabinet had salt, pepper, paprika, and chilli pepper flakes. Blah. To be fair, she worked full time plus as much over time as possible, raised two kids and a husband, and did all the house work, shopping, and bill paying. Mom didn't have the time to experiment with spices, she needed to get food on the table!

[@gloriaurban4389]

Are you from Maryland? No one else seems to have grown up with Old Bay except us in Maryland.

[@woodstream6137]

Moved 80yo mom back in, ugh. She uses salt and pepper, chili powder if it's a tex-mex dish. For sweets sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, maybe honey or maple syrup. Any new dish I recommend is automatically met with skepticism and wanting to know what's in it. Also not liked are mushrooms, seafood, spicy food, garlic, parm, funky cheese, cheese sauces. To be fair, she also worked a ton and didn't have time to cook but that hasn't been the case for years and years.

[@elenavaccaro339]

In the 1970s I had a heck of a time convincing my older sister that garlic goes with pork... Let alone anything else. I had been watching The Galloping Gormet. Pork and garlic are best friends in my kitchen.

[@sinocte]

Growing up, my mom would make almost this exact dish. Macaroni instead of spaghetti, and she'd stir in one of those McCormck chili seasoning packets. Really fond memories right there.

[@chrsd2536]

Those recipes are precious because they bring you back to the people and the time.

[@josephgioielli]

This dish really does have a lot more to do with chili that spaghetti.

[@eddiet3026]

Chili-Mac

[@monkeyman2407]

My mom also made a very similar dish & call it American goulash, lol. I know it really doesn't resemble goulash, but "when in middle America!"

[@ATopdog007]

Glen, I love your show. I really appreciate your level headed genuine attitude. My Mom used to make something like this in the early 70's and into the 80's. It was a one pot kind of deal and the spaghetti cooked in the sauce. It was starchy but yummy. Those crispy noodles on top made me remember that dish. It was kind of horrible, but we loved it back then. Keep up the great work.

[@jdzazz4155]

I always enjoy the historical background you provide when making dishes from old recipe books. Thanks for another entertaining video!

[@grandpashreddypants]

Thanks so much for these videos. It makes cooking seem so accessible. I love your editorializing/creativity suggestions.

[@mitomom4947]

Thank you for sharing your journey through old cookbooks with us! I love your channel, and clearly I have lots of company. 💜

[@bill4913]

This looks interesting Glen. Awhile ago a friend's mom made a dish like this and jazzed it up with Italian sausages and American cheese but everyone has moved and now just a memory from the good old days as a kid. Thanks.

[@joelpettit25]

Glen, please make a video explaining when and how you and Julie end up eating all the leftovers.

[@TamarLitvot]

Yes! And how they don’t end up getting really overweight!

[@gabriellakadar]

@@TamarLitvot I did wonder about that especially with all the baked goods.

[@byrdbraininwithrobyn]

I make big patches of food and it's just my husband and me. Leftovers go in the freezer. They are good for up to six months once vacuum sealed

[@devicemechanix9049]

There is no way Jules eats all that stuff. Sample maybe, but eat all of it? No way, she’s in GREAT shape!

[@TheIronDuke9]

I imagine it would be pretty nice to be their neighbour! I'd be shovelling their driveway for them if I lived next door lol

[@321southtube]

My mom...long ago...made a very close rendition of this. It was one of our favorites. Great video you two...Thanks.

[@SeraphinaPZ]

I always appreciate the attitude in your videos that you don't have to and shouldn't hold yourself to food orthodoxy that a dish has to be a certain way to be "authentic" or "correct". It's always refreshing to hear someone on a cooking show just say do what you want, and enjoy the food how you like it. On the canned mushrooms, I still buy them really often because washing fresh ones is a pain. And the liquid in the can is great for using for any kind of risotto type dish.

[@TamarLitvot]

Yes, I actually like canned mushrooms in sauces or soups. But if you don’t want to deal with washing fresh mushrooms, you can buy ones that are not cultivated in soil. I get beautiful oyster mushrooms at our local farm market at a mushroom booth and they don’t need to be washed.

[@janetsabatinos2180]

Qq

[@lynnries7729]

Ahhh...fusion cooking, the art of using what you can to get a meal together. My grandmothers, one raised in Oklahoma the other in northern Iowa cooked remarkably similar. My guess is because they were both young brides and mothers during the depression. Both were excellent home cooks.

[@barrycamilo5319]

Hi lynn

[@kfl611]

They had to make what provisions they had taste good, so it was a case of either eating tasteless food, or a meal with only a few ingredients that tasted delicious.

[@annier6]

Plus cooks learning through the depression stretched every commodity so these half cans would not have been wasted, but become another meal.

[@Markephillips77]

My mom used to make Spaghetti Pie that was somewhat similar to this. It had cottage cheese in it (I would assume replacing Ricotta) so that was interesting. Seeing those crunchy spaghetti noodles on top instantly made me think of that recipe.

[@stpaley]

my mother had a recipe for lasagna that calls for cottage cheese instead of ricotta which a few people scoffed (probably because they do not appreciate the taste of cottage cheese but when it is cooked it has a different taste which they do not believe me when i tell them), but i love making spaghetti pie from leftover spaghetti

[@violetwithey4618]

I used to make that some. I used a recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook circa 1976

[@debrajohnson1982]

My family loved spaghetti pie and I made it with cottage cheese, too. It was a great way to use up leftover spaghetti and sauce. I can’t remember where I found the recipe- probably in a newspaper or at a PTA meeting!

[@username00009]

Clean Eating published a recipe years ago that included cottage cheese on pizza. You put it between the sauce and mozzarella to increase the protein and lower the amount of mozzarella needed. I hate cottage cheese, but I tried it and it’s good!

[@orcsmash9]

@@stpaley that’s how my Mom made lasagna too(once a blue moon)! Living in Georgia in the 80s we either didn’t have access to or knew of ricotta until years later. And I can confirm cottage cheese does have a different taste and consistency when baked. By itself I cannot stand it. But Mom’s lasagna was ultimate comfort food.

[@sgt-maj_smoke]

Glen, another great video and I enjoy how you speak of the history of food. It makes for a well rounded lesson with a fantastic meal. Thank you for sharing.

[@alexinnewwest1860]

Love the cooking but I love the history and and facts that go with it, A cooking show on a whole new level

[@raphaelvonraben5108]

I made your KFC recipe. It was the right flavor, but was definitely missing a crucial process. My cousin worked there and didn't like how the raw chicken was often covered in a greenish slime. It wasn't slime, it was brine juice. Our KFC recipe must include brining to work, then, we don't even have to pressure fry it. I will brine it over night this next week and let you know on your KFC video. By the way, I figured out how to make their Georgia gold sauce, and it does not have butter or real honey in it. I tried with those and it always failed. So I decided to think like a business trying to cut costs. Well, corn syrup might be in theirs but it didn't work either. I'm still working on amounts, but this worked so well I almost cried with joy. From most to least, grape seed oil, premade mustard, pickle juice, vlassic, brown sugar, mustard seed coarsely ground, salt. No heat required. Do not add too much pickle juice, add juice and sugar to balance the bitterness level from the mustard seed. Let sit for an hour, or warm in a microwave oven, then balance sweet and salt to taste. This is so simple, but on KFC chicken strips, it tastes so awesome and just right. I am adding a tiny bit of cayenne pepper to my next batch for some heat, but it will greatly alter the flavor. Let me know, please, if you try it. I will get the amounts more accurate and let you know them, soon. Wonderful channel, thank you for sharing with us.

[@andrewaway]

A half a can of anything usually gets thrown away eventually. Thanks for the entertainment/inspiration. I have been making your prosciutto, mushroom, pasta recipe lately. Fantastic.

[@Eagleangie1]

The problem with the "trolls" or "haters" is simple, they don't have a clue how to cook. Sorry but that is what it is. I taught myself how to cook and I have never ever found a recipe that I don't alter to make me and my family happy, which is essentially how a Good Cook will do. Sometimes its due to not having certain ingredients so you make do, or you just decide that you want a little different taste to a recipe. My son is exactly the same way and has become a very good cook, tho he still comes to me with questions and of course recipes of mine that he loves. So the tolls/haters can just shut up until they can bother to actually learn how to TRULY cook!! I love these recipes, they are so cool, and takes you back to a time long forgotten. Keep up the great recipes!!

[@applegal3058]

Good Sunday morning everyone! Edit: I wanted to comment on the copyright law about recipes. Even if I copy down a recipe, I usually make some changes to ingredients, methods etc. to my tastes. Whenever I share them, I try to remember to tell the person where I found the recipe out of respect for the original author, and mention my changes, if any.

[@mikezimmermann89]

I almost always retype recipes to get them to fit on one side of a single sheet of paper. Much easier to deal with in the kitchen that way; BUT, credit always goes to the originator at the top. I may have to play with typefaces and margins to make it all fit, but credit always goes to my source. You never know when you might want something else from that cook!

[@trailduster6bt]

I think if I make this, I’d definitely use Penne, Ziti, or Rigatoni. Spaghetti just isn’t scoopable.

[@violetwithey4618]

I totally agree.

[@fnjesusfreak]

Radiatore, maybe? XD

[@trailduster6bt]

@@busimagen I would use cavatappi in most cases for the exact same reasons if only it was easier to find in my area. Rotini works just as well though

[@lesliekanengiser8482]

Every recipe for various baked spaghettis that I've seen at various potlucks or dinner parties, use spaghetti noodles that are broken into 3 or 4 pieces.

[@Lynn-kh5rs]

I had the same thought. Even the ubiquitous elbow macaroni would be better. Also skip the top layer of pasta unless you put a little sauce over to keep it from being so very dry.

[@melodysfiresidefarm]

So fun to watch these old recipes! Thank you for sharing

[@anthonydolio8118]

Great video! I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts about food and recipes in general. I also enjoy how you talk about how the recipes can be modified.

[@xjy79]

I’m so glad to hear you talk about the tomar issue. I’ve been in a few arguments when I informed people about the fact that tomatoes were thought to be poisonous in the past in Europe. A lot of these great so-called all the Italian recipes are not actually that old. Good stuff. I am aware that tomatoes can be toxic to some people but that’s not what I’m talking about.

[@natassjagale9897]

Tasting history with max Miller on KZbin he does an episode that talks about the history of tomatoes. How they use to be seen as poisonous. How it changed into how now it's used for so many things.

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

@@natassjagale9897 I talk about that here often.

[@gregmiller4387]

There were 8 of us when I was a kid my father would make a big pot of spaghetti sauce and a lot of paste so that we had spaghetti with sauce the 1st day than he would combine the left over pasta and sauce with cheese and bake it, he called it "Greek Spaghetti" although Dad's was spicier than this it was very like it, I really liked the crispy noodles that were on the top and sides added a little variety to the texture.

[@sanachanto]

That was so nice of you to show us the handwritten recipes at the very end!

[@jimmieburleigh9549]

This is the bases of what is similarly done today just added to. As as a deep south southerner from south louisiana I appreciate what you do and apologize for any negative comments because a true southerner would never do that so bless their hearts.

[@robinsareolas]

I think this is a recipe more out of the necessity of being frugal than deliciousness. This is an example of my childhood memories of dinner made with the cheap ingredients of the times. Hamburger and bacon are incredibly expensive now compared to back then.

[@Ghonosyphlaids]

I'll die on the hill of canned mushrooms being excellent

[@JakobNoone]

Canned vs fresh mushrooms are apples and oranges, imo.

[@kaysmyth7099]

I want to thank you for making recipes out of cookbooks so many online “chefs” puts so many spices and ingredients that it would be cheaper less time cooking and no mess to clean up to go out to eat it. Because if one does they all try to put their spin on it. 99% of what you cook we have most of the ingredients to make it the last time I tried a fancy dish I had to go to 3 or 4 stores to get everything. I got home and was to tired to spend another hour prepping it. I love your cooking 🦩

[@mariarandolph8402]

I like this . My grandma is first generation here. She put peas beans and greens in every thing with tomatoes and pasta.there are some great recipes for baked pastas on you tube. I think your channel is fun time.

[@mesummika569]

You keep doing you and how you present it. You give us insight into the times and how some were doing things. Each book, each house, and each cook has its own flare. From each one, we can learn from each other and give a little bit of our time and our flare to it as well. No need to hate on something like this at all. Besides if you travel the world you will find that a few miles away it could be done a whole other way as well with the same name or different name and completely the same. I have Italian in my family and even that I see differences between how each person made something. In the end, you make it to your taste and to your family and friends, enough said.

[@violetwithey4618]

I grew up in Illinois in the 60's. We had elbow macaroni and spaghetti. That was our only options at the store. Really small farming community. Mom made Mac and cheese. Very rarely did we get spaghetti. But we had homemade noodles a lot. Mom and Dad were more meat and potatoes people.

[@kfl611]

My mom worked for a couple who were from Germany and the lady used to make her own pasta, roll it out and cut it into strips with a knife - no pasta rolling / cutting machine for her, why bother when she had a table top and a knife.

[@ramiroalvarado2380]

I just found this book and bought it! I'm a cookbook and recipe collector.

[@SCRAMBLER390]

It’s spaghetti. Why all the hate? Noodles and tomatoes. C’mon people enjoy the show and these recipes from one of the greatest cooking channels on any media. And to the “expert trolls”, who has half a million subscribers? Thanks Glen and Jules and friends. Great programmes .

[@schandler4958]

You should try one of the handwritten recipes at the end of the book.

[@maddyf8398]

Ball cookies looked interesting!

[@zrobeast]

That would be a fun idea for a spin-off of the old cookbook show if Glenn has enough old cookbooks with handwritten recipes.

[@murlthomas2243]

@@maddyf8398 so did the ginger bread.

[@lynneanthony168]

Yes!! The Banana cake caught my eye!!

[@thetalkingbookchannel]

Always looking forward to sunday morning.

[@markphillips7538]

I have a bunch of old cookbooks I was given years ago. I may send you a package soon as I can find them in my storage space.

[@ghost-ez2zn]

I'm from the SOUTH and that looks DELICIOUS! Y'all stop hating.

[@dustin_mcfinklestein]

My Italian Grandmother, who doesn't exist, would certainly love this video. Even if Tomatos were involved. 😎

[@zerg539]

A note on Copyright for Glen: Given the Age and apparent lack of information about the recipe book that cookbook could very well fall into the public domain which means you could publish a direct copy and sell it. And if you were to say go through and make notes and observations about the recipes and say suggest changes and clarifications you would be creating a new copyrightable work.

[@jasperclydeinsd592]

Based on this recipe, who’d want to copy it? 🤣

[@LadyMaltese]

Yes, I love your explanation of Fusion Foods. You made great spice suggestions, decrease the amount of meat and add all the vegetables. I would also replace the canned peas with shredded kale or spinach. Great channel.

[@anneirenej]

Awww Jules.. I love your trepidation…. This is similar to my Mom’s spaghetti. Minus the peas and beans. I think she also added Worcestershire to hers but that would be her on,y seasoning. Bland yes, tummy filling for sure.. and a favorite for us growing up. I still remember as an adult having Spaghetti made by my Italian friend from New York with Italian Sausage and thinking how had my Mom never known about this. It made it into all my spaghetti after that.

[@ThisTheAviator]

Italian here,this recipe is very similar to something called Timballo or Pasta al forno (literally translated as pasta in the oven),which is basically cooked pasta that goes into the oven along with the sauce,so saying this is not something your grandma would make is preposterous,there are like one million grandmas making this right now. And by the way this dish actually originates in southern Italy so maybe that's why it's called southern spaghetti in the cookbook.

[@TamarLitvot]

I was thinking something like that. I’m not Italian but had a close friend whose family and community were all Sicilian background and his mother made a dish called “baked spaghetti.” It was drier, had no beans, more tomato based, and the crunchiness that Glenn and Julia experienced on top was also around the sides and bottom.

[@RoseGold823]

If you changed 80% of the ingredients, then yes this could be pasta al forno.

[@MrRosenleaf406]

Glen, your eloquent remarks about the changing nature of food were spot on. I enjoy your thoughtfulness

[@teresasanders4371]

I really enjoy your cooking show and have learned a lot watching them. I love old cook books and really like the history you present . I love the honest reviews and that we see the flops as well as the successes. I grew up in Alabama. Spaghetti was usually served with a kind of bland tomato ground beef sauce and overcooked mushy spaghetti noodles at school with rolls and tossed salad (exotic menu for my family). An aunt made similar school style spaghetti and served it with with coleslaw and cornbread (still one of my favorite combos). I was an adult before I ate real "Italian spaghetti" with lots of garlic, mushrooms, Italian sausages, hamburger and spices cooked by an Italian family. I remember spaghetti pie caserole and pizza pies that were similar from pot luck dinners in the 1970's. My mom rarely if ever cooked spaghetti noodles her pasta of choice was macaroni usually cooked in same pot with ground beef, tomatoes, onions salt and pepper. We called it spaghetti soup. It was goulash if it had bell peppers and tomato soup added to it. Sooo... where I grew up in the Birmingham area it had lots of variations depending on what you had on hand and who cooked it. I still like all the variations except for the mushy noodles... the ultimate comfort food.

[@m.m.shapero8788]

Big fan of the channel Love the historical education and the respect for the culinary arts 👏

[@Kinkajou1015]

I'd ignore the noodles on top layer instruction, use the whole can on everything and add some pureed tomato to the sauce, as well as some garlic, green pepper, carrot...

[@deborahwybou4285]

I wonder if that meant half a large can, 28 ounces. My mother made something like this minus the peas, and used 1/2 large can if tomatoes. Large cans were all we ever had in the house.

[@barrycamilo5319]

Hello Deborah

[@carlhenryjr]

With a few tweaks in the procedure this could work way better. As you say using historical recipes as a base is often the way to go. As a long time student of historical cooking I love your channel- keep up the good work!

[@clairelariviere3122]

I love your channel! It reminds me of my favourites from the past like The Urban Peasant and The Frugal Gourmet and even the cooking segments from Take 30. No screaming audience just nice polite conversation with just the right amount of humour. I cannot believe you get trolls. Sheesh

[@andrewaway]

Me too. When cooking shows became game shows, I cut off my cable. KZbin does it for me.

[@clairelariviere3122]

@@andrewaway I hear ya. Another sad example of our shift from a culture of character to a mediocre culture of personality. I don’t think that Julia Child would have won any beauty contests but my O my what she did for North American 🧑‍🍳 cooking

[@lyledal]

"That story can have a copyright..." Is *that* why every single recipe blog on the interwebs has a novel written before they finally get to the recipe? It all makes sense now!

[@bigbadbovine]

This video is so informative. The sections on copyright and italian cooking alone need their own videos and that is before anything is even cooked!

[@jeffmorse645]

I love how you explained the fusion of foods and ingredients over time. I hate when some people will dismiss North American adaptations of Asian, Mexican or Italian foods as not authentic and basically garbage not worth eating. I really hate that narrow-minded arrogance.

[@waterfallhunter634]

Absolutely agree.

[@cindydriesler9503]

And I like this cookbook I like any old cookbook so maybe I’ll try a few of these recipes I will keep watching and see what pops up next thank you for sharing

[@SamlovesLulu]

It's humorous to watch and listen to non-southerners discussing and eating southern dishes. I've had so many versions of this dish, prepared by several generations of mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and even the occasional male relative (such as my dad, for instance), and I loved them all. A few points: Ingredients vary from household to household. Ditto seasonings. The dish you made seems rather bland. I live in Florida now. Every seafood joint up and down the gulf side has a house recipe for Grouper. Southern Style Baked Spaghetti is kind of like that. As others have pointed out, some of the mechanical aspects of the recipe solve the problems of things like too-crunchy spaghetti. But, a little bit of crunch is part of the charm of the dish. I've never been served this dish where the crust wasn't a little crunchy. Next time add cheese. It holds everything together and eliminates a lot of the "work" of eating this dish... also adds flavor.

[@sharonbargercarnes4414]

The addition of peas must’ve been the thing that made it reminiscent of tuna casserole.

[@TamarLitvot]

Canned peas! I’m not a food snob but I blanched at that. Canned peas are awful. (Whereas canned green beans can be quite good).

[@joycemchristiansen6557]

In grade school in the 40s our cafeteria served a baked spaghetti without all the veggies (probably onions only) but with cheese. I remember a tomato something going on though. I loved it. I'm sure, being of the same era, it was based on the same idea. Your show is always interesting. Thanks.

[@erinchamberlain1315]

You tell em Glen! I might be Italian, might be African, the jury is still out (my mother's, Grandma's maiden name was Mozingo and there's even a book about it entitled "The Fiddler on Pantico Run", but I digress. Our, possibly, Italian great grandma resided in Tennessee in the late 1800's early 1900's and passed down something similar. This all meant to say phooey on the trolls. I absolutely love this show and it's incredibly great fun. Thank you so much!

[@EastSider48215]

Every time I watch the old cookbook recipes, I end up down a rabbit hole. This time I ended up spending an hour looking at lawsuits regarding recipe copyrights. A foundational lawsuit was a 1924 US case involving a label with recipes from the Fargo Mercantile. There are loads of articles about the case itself, but what I can’t find is a copy of the disputed label. Anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking of contacting the library archives for the University of North Dakota to see if they have it.

[@EastSider48215]

@@eveny119: Yes. Fargo Mercantile was the company and at issue were food and drink recipes that were printed on the labels for fruit nectar. Unfortunately, no one seems to have reproduced the disputed labels.

[@rabidsamfan]

My grandmother would have broken the spaghetti in half for a casserole, but I suspect that was only to keep us kids from trying to see who could slurp strands the loudest.

[@fnjesusfreak]

Some people would kill me for that. But I always split spaghetti (or more frequently linguine since that's what I usually use) in half.

[@paulboucher3508]

Back in the 40ties we had 14 in our family. My folks heritage goes back to French Canada and I remember my Ma making baked spaghetti every so often. Was never able to find her recipe. So good!

[@danielpirone8028]

Thank you for all you do!

[@WillLaPuerta]

As a former southerner I don't remember ever seeing this before but it feels like something they would have served in my Elementary School cafeteria.

[@Rick_Hoppe]

Yup. Reminds me of my school cafeteria food... cheap, bland and filling.

[@leroyjarvis5617]

Hahahahahahaha

[@cjmeyers2926]

Your statement about fusion foods is right on. It's like telling a Texan It's ok to put beans in your Chilli. It's not wrong It's just different.

[@Default78334]

The thing about beans and chili is one of those culinary hypercorrections that comes from people misunderstanding the original "rule". The TL;DR is that there was never an issue with eating chili with beans, just that the beans would be cooked separately (because they cooked at a different time to the chili) and you could add them when you served yourself.

[@cjmeyers2926]

@@Default78334 that actually makes a lot sense. Just don't tell a Texan that

[@waynegordon2628]

Texas style chili is a legacy from the many Germans and Czechs who emigrated there. It's essentially a beef stew similar goulash. No beans. If you make a ground beef chili beans are fine, we just call it Yankee chili.

[@Chudhole]

A southern (KY) friend of mind made a version of this and called it baked spaghetti. She fully browned the beef. The plus of that is you could half bake and freeze it. She also fully covered the top with sharp cheddar cheese to keep the noodles moist. Delicious.

[@patriciafrancis9134]

I just found your site about 6 months ago and truly enjoy it. I'm not surprised that you have trolls. There are miserable people all over but I feel you go out of your way to explain recipes coming into being. You always go into the when, where, and hows. Maybe the trolls need to pay more attention to what you are saying rather than just comparing what is in their minds to what you are making.

[@redbeard36]

growing up Jewish I quckly learned that food morphs and changes. Not just from grandmother to mother etc. But also from culture to culture. Just chopped liver for example. It can use shmaltz or or butter, or in and old women's magazine I saw once, mayo. But then even the smaltz can vary. Some people just skim off the chicken fat, but some people say it's not shmaltz if it isn't chicken skins simmered with onions and then strained.

[@maddyf8398]

I can’t get over the 2 hours bake time. Oi!

[@juliehusbands7966]

I hate that trolls feel the need to come out and complain. First of all, I believe the author was born in Ohio and lived in Pennsylvania when she wrote this book (I’m something of a researcher). So I believe this is a recipe she got from someone else, who probably named it. As a southerner I wouldn’t say I’ve had a dish remotely like this, but I have had family versions of Chinese food, that someone from China would never recognize. As you say, recipes keep evolving, and fusion cooking has been around for centuries. Thank you for your show, I enjoy watching you very much.

[@Crookedriverhooligan]

Very interesting recipe and I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.

[@mr_b22]

It occurred to me the recipe may originally been doubled to 3lb meat and full cans etc. Maybe the author felt the volume of food was excessive and simply cut everything in half.?

[@jlei9284]

Since food was rationed during the early 40's, meals needed to be filling and economical. Yup, this recipe checks those boxes for sure!

[@brianbarry5673]

Actually, the recipe does not make since, because of rationing. 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef would have been the entire weekly ration for a family of six. I wonder if the recipe actually called out one "1/2 lb package of beef". Meat was sold in smaller packages during rationing. While using 1/2 cans sounds wasteful many things were canned in 1/2 ration sizes.

[@whfugate]

I think we take for granted how much "ethnic" cuisines have become mainstays in our diets here in in North America, Italian and Mexican in particular. I am reminded of this when talking to my grandparents who were born in the late 30s here in East Tennessee. My grandparents didn't eat Pizza until they were adults and that was only due to the popularization on Pizza Hut expanding across the US... Now you can go to virtually any chain grocery store and purchase an assortment of jarred sauces, purchase cheeses like mozzarella or parmesan and buy Italian Sausage in the meat section in any Region of the US and think nothing of it. In a grocery store in the South in the 40s and 50s that would have been unheard of because there would have been hardly any people of Italian Heritage in this area. These are the items that someone could have made spaghetti with at that time around here and I think that's fascinating. It is made out of things that would have been recognizable to people of this region. Italian Food to them was probably as exotic as Thai or Indian or something is to us today. (exotic to me anyway) Back then the average person around here would have only known of foods like pinto beans and cornbread, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, dinner rolls etc. Wild to think about

[@anitapaulsen3282]

Loved the reasoning in your introduction. So true!

[@CozinhaDoDaniel]

Thank God I never stick around so much to see this trolls. You até giving us both a history lesson and a cooking lesson. That is the point. I really like your videos, thank you for that!

[@kittycat33155]

Watching this recipe reminded me of my mother cooking her Cuban style spaghetti 🍝 she added garlic to hers. Tasty 😋

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

Looks Delicious!!! ! One of my best recipes was handed down by my grandfather from Ohio who was part of a traveling band of clowns which toured the country in the 1930s and 40s. Not only did he fully participate as a performer (juggling and spraying seltzer mostly) but he was also in charge of the Clown Chuckwagon, and over the years, came up with a nice selection of mostly campfire stews (or "or stewge" as Gramps used to call them),, soups and casseroles. One of my favorites, casseroles, which I still prepare frequently, consists of baked beans and wieners (for the KETO portion of the meal), macaroni and cheese. and a couple handfuls of those big orange circus peanuts - a sweet yet savory bake-up that's a hit with everyone who tries it. Gramps had one clown name for performing with his fellow troupers at carnivals, civic events, etc., throughout the central Midwest ""Antsy Pants" - but around the campfire at breakfast or suppertime, when most of these talented vagabond buffoons had removed their make-up and hung their giant shoes in their campers, (but oddly enough not all of them) Gramps was affectionately known among the boys as "Yummo." He told me how it wasn't unusual for farmers to donate a hen or two and maybe a couple of dozen eggs, in return for a brief barnyard slapstick performance by a couple of the boys for the farmer, his family and his hired hands.. He also told me as soon as he got back to camp with the chickens, the alcoholic Geek who traveled with them would inevitably beg permission to bite the heads of the pullets when Gramps was ready to get those birds cooking. Seemed that this particular Geek actually not only savored the taste of the live chickens he was required to eat (which were usually provided by the promoter of the event at which the troupe was performing) - but craved more when "off=the-clock" Talk about a Carnivore diet!! Wow!!! Reportedly, he was known to comment that "live chicken pairs well with a pint of Carstairs White Seal Blended." By the way, Grandma also traveled with Gramps. She was the seamstress - making a good number of the clown suits from her own design and repairing all them when required. So of course Gram and Gran rolled along from town- to -town with a big foot pump operated sewing machine in their trailer, - in addition to all the pots, pants, cutlery, stirrers, etc. My Dad was born in a campground in Posey County, Indiana, delivered by a local midwife and plopped into a casserole baking dish as soon as Gramps cut the umbilical cord with his second best onion chopping knife. As for me, I married young and did well for myself in doing so. My wife is the daughter of an outdoor parking lot magnate in a major city in Ohio. I was dowried with three downtown lots. I've had a comfortable life pretty much doing whatever I want all day while other people collect money on my behalf while sitting down in booths, watching TV, reading (or even snoozing between customers arriving and honking the horns to wake 'em up). Consequently, for awhile, I was able to open a couple of storefront business which specialized in selling "clown suits for the whole family," including custom made if somebody wanted them - and even clown suits for the family pets. The seamstresses I hired used Gram's patterns, of course. . The stores were called "Hem and Ha!" - and with every sale, I usually threw in a copy of one of Gramps' recipes for a clown casseroles, "silly stew," "buffoon bread, "Punchinello Porridge,," or what have you. Of course, they all pair well with seltzer water. Thank you Glen and Friends Cooking for allowing me to share!!

[@carolerandolph4409]

As a recent follower, I had to search for this after I saw that you had gotten hate mail! As a child, I was NOT a fan of spaghetti. But when we visited my grandparents in Mississippi, I always requested my grandmother's spaghetti! Hers had many less ingredients and she didn't bake it. But rest assured there was nothing Italian about it! One of the things that I believe made it so delicious were the homegrown, canned tomatoes. My late husband's version of spaghetti is the closest thing to it I've ever had. I would love to try this version too!

[@SuperKingslaw]

I know that a lot of Southern recipes of the Depression era and before are geared towards using what was readily available and on hand. Classic Italian ingredients and seasonings would have been difficult to obtain in the poor South.

[@cmonkey63]

So true. Easy to forget the time before supermarkets, Amazon and overnight delivery. Where my mother grew up, the nearest store was 4 miles away on a dirt road, and I'm pretty sure they didn't stock rubbed oregano.

[@ralphellenburgjr9742]

@@cmonkey63 How true, how very true.

[@marilyn1228]

Great content and talk. I made something close to this the other day with food goods I had in small amounts laying around. I was more generous with the tomato sauce and used rigatoni, but very similar. It turned out great. I love beans with pasta, somehow it feels more nutritious, rounds out a lot of flavours and is another texture. And it's also another dish that I'll never exactly recreate, so I find that kind of fun.

[@_efault]

"hey Jules" is the climax, time for the results of much effort - love it

[@cynthiacrawford6147]

You are an amazing person.I adore you.Your family is so blessed.