Ok, let's talk about food quality from the post- WW II era through about the late sixties. Why were there so many crazy recipes? Why was everything so horrible looking? I'm sure part of it must have been the lack of variety of fresh, healthy foods that we have access to today. Spam and canned peaches were cheap and available so the housewives of the day had to make do with them, I suppose. I can't quite figure out the obsession with Jell-o*, though.
These recipes are from Found in Mom's Basement which is a fantastic archive for vintage ads.
We'll start with a California Peach Fiesta!
Please take special note of recipe number three. If perfect cubes of cream cheese layed on peach halves aren't enough for you, what about the "lettuce cups of Kraft Miracle Whip Salad Dressing"?
Why don't you give your child some 7UP and milk? It's a delicious blended food drink!
Here is the recipe shown above, paraphrased:
"Take some PET evaporated milk and mix with parmesan cheese and onion salt. Arrange some canned biscuits in a cookie pan to facsimilate a pizza crust. Pour catsup and evaporated milk over "crust", top with tuna and bake! Mmmmm, pizza!
Hot Buttered Tomato Juice!
Since you are oohing and aahing and asking for the recipe, I will give it to you. Combine tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano leaves and butter in a saucepan, heat and enjoy!
*My colleague AllWalker informs me this is called "jelly" in Australia. The more you know.