We’re finally getting to the best time of year: The eating holidays are upon us.

If you’re hosting this year, you’re in luck: IndyStar is and has long been a resource for all your holiday menu-planning needs.

As best we can tell, the Hoosier Holiday Cookbook was introduced as a special tabloid section on Oct. 31, 1965, by then-food editor Ann Harrington. Based on our searches of IndyStar’s online archives — available via newspapers.com — the tabloid ran biannually, capturing the evolution of holiday home cooking into the beginning of the following decade. (Sadly, the 1973 edition was canceled due to a newsprint shortage, according to a note to readers published Nov. 11 of that year, and our continued searches found no additional results.)

In her 1965 column introducing the section, Harrington made clear the goal was to assemble classic recipes for some of the finest foods of “early Indiana,” which included sugar cream pie, chicken and dumplings, and persimmon pudding.

But we’re talking about the ‘60s and ‘70s here. The cookbook’s focus eventually became less about the classics and more about readers’ modern household favorites.

There’s a whole lot of gelatin in there.

And mayo. And seafood. And olives. Sometimes all in the same dish.

But there are also family recipes and glimpses of enthusiastic cooks preparing favorite dishes alongside their loved ones. With commentary from Star staff and recipe notes from the home cooks who submitted them, the Hoosier Holiday Cookbook is a heartwarming time capsule chock full of delightful quips, tips and tricks.

So, for your consideration ahead of your family’s Thanksgiving meal, we present a full menu of throwbacks, as they originally appeared in the Hoosier Holiday Cookbook.

Appetizers

Chicken candlespread

Nov. 21, 1971

Decorate your holiday open-house table with these perky candlespreads. Make them with a variety of ever ready meat spreads to suit your friends’ many tastes.

• 1 can (4 ¾ ounces) chicken spread
• 1 Tbsp. piccalilli
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cucumber
• 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
• ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
• ⅓ c. sour cream

Directions: Combine all ingredients except sour cream. Pack mixture into 9-ounce paper cups, level top of mixtures that are slightly above top edge of cups and slant sides in line with sides of cups. Cover and chill well until needed. To unmold, snip rims of paper cups and carefully peel off paper, inverting molds onto serving plate. Top with sour cream caps and tiny candles. Serve with melba toast.

Crabmeat dip

Nov. 19, 1967

A busy career woman, Mrs. Tommie Walker, chairman of Walker Research, Inc., sent us this favorite dip recipe.

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1 can (7 oz) crab meat
• ½ tsp. onion salt
• ¼ tsp. salt
• Dash of pepper
• ⅓ c. toasted, sliced almonds

Directions: Soften cheese and blend with milk, crab meat and seasonings. Place in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately with warm, toasted crackers.

Ham stuffed eggs

Nov. 21, 1971

“Ham stuffed eggs seems to be a great favorite with men at our parties,” says Mrs. Lester Formin.

• 1 Tbsp. sour cream
• 2 hard cooked eggs
• 2 Tbsp. minced green onion
• 1 ½ slices finely minced boiled ham
• ½ tsp. yellow prepared mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl mix yolks and remaining ingredients until well blended. Stuff whites with mixture.

Salads?

Molded seafood salad

Nov. 19, 1967

Miss Ada Van Ness of Indianapolis enjoys cooking and has sent us a favorite recipe for using seafood. This can serve as the main dish for a luncheon. Prepared the day ahead it will ease the rush of preparation on the day of a party.

• ¾ c. water
• 1 Tbsp. gelatin (1 envelope)
• ¾ c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. seafood (crab meat, lobster, shrimp, tuna or a combination of these)
• ½ c. chopped celery
• ¼ c. chopped green pepper, pimento or stuffed olives
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Put water in saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Cool. Put mayonnaise in a bowl. Stir in the dissolved gelatin. Blend well; add other ingredients. Mix well. Taste and season to taste. Pour into individual molds or into a 1-quart mold. Chill. Suggestions: In place of the seafood use chicken or turkey. Curry powder added to the mayonnaise is particularly good with the seafoods.

Frosty cheese-lime mold

Nov. 19, 1967

Mrs. Clarence McKinley of Indianapolis has a vast file of good recipes. … These are distinctive and simple to make.

• ¾ c. milk
• 2 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin
• 2 c. small curd, cream-style cottage cheese
• 1 c. drained crushed pineapple
• 1 can (6 oz.) frozen limeade, thawed (do not dilute)
• 1 c. salted broken pecan pieces
• ½ tsp. green food coloring
• 1 c. whipping cream, whipped

Directions: Pour the milk into a 2-quart size saucepan; sprinkle gelatin granules over the milk to soften. Put saucepan over low heat and stir mixture until gelatin is dissolved; remove pan from heat. Stir cottage cheese thoroughly and add to gelatin mixture. Mix in the crushed pineapple, limeade, pecans and food coloring; blend thoroughly. Fold in whipped cream. Turn salad mixture into 2-quart size mold. Chill until firm, about 3 or 4 hours.

Main dishes

Nut croquettes

Oct. 31, 1965

Meatless meals take on new glamour when Nut Croquettes, made from an old family recipe, are on the menu, says Mrs. Paul Stokes … She served them often when she was dietician at the Indianapolis Day Nursery, and never received a complaint, “and children are just about the fussiest eaters in the world,” she notes.

• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 2 c. mashed potatoes
• ½ tsp. white pepper
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. onion juice
• Soy sauce, Worcestershire and seasoned salt to taste
• Cracker crumbs
• 1 beaten egg

Directions: Combine all ingredients except the cracker crumbs and beaten egg. Form into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Dip in cracker crumbs, then in egg which has been mixed with about 1 tablespoon milk. Dip in crumbs again. Cook in deep fat until well browned.

Tuna mousse

Nov. 19, 1967

Mrs. Maurice D. Collins is an enthusiastic person. This is reflected in her cooking. When asked for some favorite recipes, her prompt reply was, “I love to share my recipes. I think this Tuna Mousse is super for a buffet dinner.”

• 4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
• ½ c. cold water
• 2 cans (6 oz. each) tuna
• 1 c. grated Old English cheese
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. chopped chives or green onions
• ½ c. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• ¼ c. whipping cream, whipped

Directions: Soften gelatin in cold water in upper part of double boiler. Stir to dissolve. Combine with other ingredients, except cream. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into an oiled mold, preferably one shaped as a fish. Chill for several hours. Turn out on a platter lined with leaf lettuce. Garnish around edges with egg slices, tomato slices, pepper rings, olives and radishes. Sprinkle mold with paprika.

Chicken supreme

Nov. 19, 1967

Known to many cooks throughout the city, Mrs. Mildred Milby, director of Home Service for the Indianapolis Power and Light Company, has contributed this favorite recipe.

• 2 cans (10 ½ oz each) cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cans (10 ½ oz each) cream of chicken soup
• 1 small can evaporated milk
• 4 c. Chinese noodles
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jar (2 oz.) chopped pimento (drained)
• 2 c. chopped celery
• 3 c. cubed chicken
• 1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms (drained)
• ¼ c. slivered almonds

Directions: Turn contents of cans of soup into large mixing bowl. Blend in evaporated milk. Add remaining ingredients. Place mixture in buttered 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Serve over Chinese noodles or rice.

Sides

Turnip fluff

Nov. 16, 1969

Mrs. Homer T. Marsh says “This is a recipe for those who profess that they do not like turnips. They usually make this the exception to their rule.”

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• ½ Tbsp. chopped onion (or onion flakes)
• 4 c. cooked, mashed turnips
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 2 eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter. Add the onions, turnips, salt, sugar, pepper and paprika. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks well, then add to the turnip mixture. Beat the egg whites until quite stiff. Fold into the turnip mixture. Bake in a 2-quart buttered casserole for 25 minutes.

Cornbread surprise

Nov. 21, 1971

“This was born out of necessity one cold blustery winter afternoon years ago,” says Mrs. Willard Schuetz of Zionsville.

• 1 package cornbread mix
• 1 can (17 ounces) sweet cherries, drained

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cornbread according to package directions. Add cherries. Line a 9 by 9-inch pan with foil. Pour batter into pan and bake according to package directions. Mrs. Schuetz suggests “using other cans of fruit for improvisations.”

Desserts

Editor’s note: OK, if you’ve made it this far, you deserve to be rewarded with some timeless, honest-to-goodness Hoosier holiday recipes. Enjoy.

Sugar cream pie

Oct. 31, 1965

Probably no other dessert conjures up nostalgia like the mention of an Old-Fashioned Sugar Cream Pie. It was also called “finger pie” since the filling was stirred with the finger to prevent breaking the bottom crust. The farmer’s wife used to skim the yellow thick cream from the top of the chilled fresh milk to make this delectable dessert.

Our recipe here comes from Mrs. Gertrude Cox, manager of the Employee Cafeteria, L.S. Ayres & Co., where the pie has many, many fans.

• 2 ¼ c. coffee cream
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 3 drops yellow food coloring
• ½ c. plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• 1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ¾ Tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 10-inch unbaked pie crust

Directions: Combine coffee cream, vanilla and food coloring; let stand without stirring while preparing other ingredients. Stir salt into flour; gradually stir in ⅓ of the cream mixture, blending with a wire whisk or fork as you pour. Stir in sugar. Stir in remaining cream; let stand 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Line 10-inch Pyrex pie plate with unbaked pastry; pinch crust high. Sprinkle nutmeg on bottom of crust. Dot with butter. Pour in filling. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes longer; shake every 15 to 20 minutes during baking.

Great-grandmother’s gingerbread

Oct. 31, 1965

Through years of testing, Mrs. Fred L. Geiger, Ligonier, has still not found a gingerbread to compare with this 135-year-old family treasure.

• ½ c. butter or lard
• ½ c. sugar
• 1 egg, well-beaten
• 2 ½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. cloves
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 c. molasses*
• 1 c. hot water

Directions: Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten egg; mix well. Sift together dry ingredients. Combine molasses and hot water. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with liquid, beating well after each addition. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch loaf pan and bake in 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. *Sorghum molasses is best, suggests Mrs. Geiger.

Prize-winning persimmon pudding

Oct. 31, 1965

The Pulp of Indiana-grown persimmons has proved a challenge to cooks who have an abundance of the fruit in the late fall months. Almost very cook who has a tree — and this is mainly in southern Indiana — has her recipes for puddings, cakes, cookies, candy, etc. … The winner of this year’s Persimmon Pudding Contest at Mitchell was Mrs. Saranell Eckensberger, with this recipe:

• 2 c. persimmon pulp
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 ¾ c. sifted flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. half and half cream
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1 tsp. soda
• ½ c. melted butter 
• Dash cinnamon

Directions: Combine persimmon pulp, sugar and eggs. Sift flour with baking powder; add to persimmon mixture alternately with a combination of the cream, buttermilk and soda. Use a pastry brush to coat baking pan well with melted butter; stir remaining butter into persimmon mixture. Stir in cinnamon. Stir well and pour into a 13x9x3-inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Sausage cake

Nov. 16, 1969

“I used this recipe during an Extension Homemakers Club lesson to illustrate various uses of pork, and it was quite a hit,” reports Mrs. Joseph J. Robinson of Lebanon. “Although the baking time is longer, the mixing goes very quickly, and the cake stores well — I understand it does, that is. It always disappears too quickly really to find out.”

• 3 c. brown sugar
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 c. hot coffee
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 c. flour
• 1 box (1 pound) raisins
• 1 ⅔ c. English walnuts, chopped
• 3 apples, grated or chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 275 to 300 degrees. Combine sugar, sausage and hot coffee. Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Add raisins, nuts and apples. Mix well. Add to sausage mixture and mix well. Place dough in tube pan or bundt pan, bake 1 hour or until done. May be stored as a fruitcake.

Contact IndyStar newsroom development director Holly Hays at [email protected].