Host Bex Scott shares delightful Pyrex holiday recipes from the vintage 1953 cookbook, Pyrex Prize Recipes. A pie crust recipe straight from the book is also included, along with a variety of recipes and tips that Bex challenges listeners to try at home this holiday season.
Host Bex Scott shares delightful Pyrex holiday recipes from the vintage 1953 cookbook, Pyrex Prize Recipes. A pie crust recipe straight from the book is also included, along with a variety of recipes and tips that Bex challenges listeners to try at home this holiday season.
Corning Glass Works published the Pyrex Prize Recipes book in 1953 and it only cost $2.50 when it was released. Times have certainly changed! But have the recipes? Bex first shares the different types of Pyrex dishes and what appliances they can be used on. She then divulges tips for taking care of and cleaning Pyrex, hoping to help everyone keep their Pyrex new-looking. Finally, the recipes. From hot chocolate to apple pie to mince pie, follow along with Bex and try these recipes at home over Christmas.
Resources discussed in this episode:
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Pie Crust Recipe
TWO-CRUST INGREDIENTS
For PYREX 7½-inch Pie Plate #208
For PYREX 8½-inch Pie Plates #209, #228, #909
For Pyrex 9½-inch Pie Plates #210, #229
For PYREX 10½- inch Pie Plate #211
For PYREX 5½-inch Pie Plate # 206
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR TWO-CRUST PIE
The best pie makers handle crust gently. They mix the dough with a delicate touch, four the board sparingly, and press lightly with the rolling pin. Result-tender pie crust.
VARIATIONS OF TOP CRUST
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Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex:
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Transcript
Bex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex With Bex podcast where, you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat.
Bex Scott: [00:00:30] Hey, everybody, this is Bex Scott, and you're listening to the Pyrex With Bex podcast. On today's episode, I'm going to be talking about cooking and baking with your Pyrex. Christmas is around the corner, and that means there's going to be a ton of holiday cookies, desserts, turkeys, all of the fixings for Christmas, and all the parties that are coming up. And I have the perfect cookbook that I want to go through with you guys. So I found this cookbook, it's called Pyrex Prize Recipes, and I've talked about it in a previous episode before, where I went through an angel food cake recipe that was baked in a 404 mixing bowl. And since then, I've been going through this recipe book and it's pretty amazing. The recipes are great and the photos are great. They showcase different food that's been cooked and baked in specific dishes, but some of the backstory about why they put it together is really neat as well. So I thought I would share some of the holiday recipes they have in it with you guys. If you're adventurous enough, maybe you can try them out and let me know how they go. But other than that, I thought it would be kind of fun to go through.
Bex Scott: [00:01:46] So this book was published in 1953 by Corning Glass Works, and it cost $2.50 when it was published. Now, full disclosure, I think I paid about $40 for it because I saw it on Poshmark and I had to have it, and I've seen one other one come up on Marketplace, so I'm pretty glad that I got it when I did, because it's been a valuable book for me. So the inside says 'dedicated to all men, women and children who love to cook in Pyrex ware'. I'll read the introduction to you guys because it's pretty neat and gives a bit of a background to the book. So it says 'This book of Pyrex Prize Recipes has been published in response to the many requests received from Pyrex ware users. All the recipes in this book have been tested and perfected under the supervision of Dr. Lucy M Maltby, Director of Home Economics and in charge of Corning Glass Works Famous Pyrex Ware test kitchen'. Now imagine what that would have been like being Dr. Lucy in charge of the Pyrex Ware test Kitchen. That would be pretty amazing to be able to have all of these casseroles and dishes, and to be able to test out different recipes and see if they work, if they flop using Pyrex.
Bex Scott: [00:03:13] And I've baked quite a few things with my Pyrex, I haven't cooked a lot. We mostly use our Pyrex to serve food out of in our house, but I have never been disappointed with anything that I've baked in a Pyrex ware dish. So it says 'You who are old friends won't think us vain, we are sure, when we claim to be popular among you. You have welcomed us into your homes. You have let us help with the cooking, the serving and the storing of food. And we've enjoyed it. Three out of four families in the United States use Pyrex ware. You've told us why you like Pyrex ware, and we would like to pass on your reasons to the newcomers who may join our family of friends as a result of this recipe book. You have given us many good reasons why you like Pyrex ware'. And this is pretty neat, so I know why I like Pyrex ware, but this is from all of the submissions that they received before they printed this recipe book first.
Bex Scott: [00:04:12] And they go dot dot dot... 'Because Pyrex ware is so easy to wash clean. Odors and flavors don't cling to the smooth glass surface'. It's pretty true. Second, 'Because Pyrex dishes keep their newness even after years of use'. Third, 'Because Pyrex ware is inexpensive to buy', not so much anymore. Fourth, 'Because Pyrex ware is dependable, there is only one Pyrex ware made by Corning Glass Works. With more than a century of experience in the manufacture of glass products'. Fifth, 'Because Pyrex ware is economical. Pyrex ware heats rapidly, bakes faster, and saves fuel'. Sixth, 'Because Pyrex ware saves dishwashing, the same dish can travel from refrigerator to oven to table and back to refrigerator'. To bring you up to date, we would like to review the variety and types of Pyrex dishes, which have been made available for your convenience. So this is where they go into each of the different types of Pyrex that they have, which I thought was pretty educational. And as a reseller of Pyrex, I've had a lot of people ask me, How can I use this flameware? Or can this dish go in the microwave or on the stove top or in the oven? So this is a great reference if anybody listening has been wondering about specific types of Pyrex that they have.
Bex Scott: [00:05:42] So the transparent Pyrex ovenware, which is used in the oven but not over direct heat on top of the range or under the broiler. It is designed for baking, serving, storing in the refrigerator, or for freezing in the freezer. Cake dishes round and square. Deep pie dishes. Casseroles with knob or utility covers, measures, custard cups, loaf pans, oven roasters, pie plates, mixing bowls, and utility dishes. So this is the transparent Pyrex ovenware. Next up, my favorite colored Pyrex ovenware, which is also used in the oven but not on top of the range or under the broiler. It too is used for baking, serving, storing, and freezing. Casserole, round, square and oblong baking dishes, pie plates in decorator colors. Refrigerator dishes. Color bowls. Hostess ware, casseroles, and ramekins in basic colors. Pyrex flameware, which is used over direct heat on top of the range whether gas, electric, oil, coal or wood. Anybody using wood, oil or coal anymore? It is also used for serving, storing or for baking in the oven. Double boiler. Saucepans with lock on covers and hang up rings. Percolators. Teapot. Skillet. Pyrex dinnerware, which can be used in the oven. It is beautiful enough for entertaining and sturdy enough to take hard knocks and high oven heat. The kind of dinnerware that you have dreamed of owning. Dinner plates, cups and saucers. Bread and butter plates, salad plates, and many other dishes.
Bex Scott: [00:07:26] So let's get into some holiday recipes. In my family, we always have mulled cider, and every single year when we go over to my parents place, and even when we were living at home still, my mom would always make mulled cider. It would be in a huge soup pot on the stove, just ready to drink throughout the day. And in this recipe, it says the dish you're supposed to use is your Pyrex nine cup percolator, and the amount is 12 servings for this. So the ingredients you're going to need are two quarts of cider, one cup brown sugar well packed, three sticks of whole cinnamon about two inches long, half a tablespoon of whole cloves and half a tablespoon of whole allspice. And I've had cider without the cloves and allspice, it pretty much just makes it apple juice. So the spices definitely make a difference. The first step, put cider and sugar in a nine cup Pyrex percolator. Place spices in the percolator basket. Let boil gently for ten minutes. Remove percolator pump in basket containing spices. Then there's no need to strain the cider, as the percolator basket itself acts as an excellent strainer. Three, serve very hot. And this is amazing! I've never thought of using a percolator for anything other than coffee or tea. And my mom, she uses a little tea ball that you usually put tea leaves in in the big pot, but this would be so much easier. So I think we're definitely going to try this one this year.
Bex Scott: [00:09:03] This next recipe is for the hot chocolate lovers out there, and I know that's everybody in my family. We go through so much powdered hot chocolate regardless of the time of year. And I remember in our house, my mom as well would make stovetop hot cocoa for us from scratch, and it was amazing. The difference was huge. So I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it's definitely on my list for the holidays. And it says serve directly from the Pyrex percolator in which the cocoa is cooked and saved time and dishwashing. And this recipe is made in your Pyrex four cup percolator, and it gives you six servings,. So you'll need three tablespoons of sugar, an eighth teaspoon of salt, which is interesting because my grandpa also put salt in his coffee, and I've tried it with the salt and without, and it makes a huge difference. It's so much better with the salt. So that's a little tip if you want to try putting a pinch of salt in your coffee grounds. Three tablespoons of cocoa, one cup of cold water, three cups of milk, a quarter teaspoon of vanilla extract. And this is cute, six marshmallows, if desired. Exactly six marshmallows. One for each cup. That's a pretty small amount. I think I put about ten marshmallows, if they're the tiny ones, in each of my hot cocoa cups. So the first step is mix sugar, salt, and cocoa together in a Pyrex four cup percolator. Add water, place over moderate direct heat. Simmer gently for two minutes, stirring constantly. Two, add milk and bring slowly almost to boiling point, but do not quite boil. Three, remove from heat. Add vanilla. If desired, beat with a rotary egg beater to prevent scum formation. Four, put a marshmallow into each cup and then pour in the hot cocoa. If anybody out there makes this hot cocoa, let me know how it tastes. I'm especially interested because it's made in the Pyrex percolator.
Bex Scott: [00:11:15] So next up, before we get into the good stuff, the baking and cooking with your Pyrex dishes, I thought I would go through what the book says about how to care for your Pyrex ware. So this section is called the ABCs of Pyrex Ware Care, and I've had a lot of people ask me over the years about how I clean my Pyrex, what they should and shouldn't do with it, what's the best way to get this and that off of it? So hopefully this sheds a little bit of light from the experts themselves. So a) Avoid wet surfaces. Don't set hot Pyrex dishes on a wet table or sink. The spot of water cools the dish too rapidly in one place. b) Be sure to use a wire grid under a Pyrex flameware dish on an electric range. These grids are free at any Pyrex ware sales counter. Or write to Corning Glass Works. That would be great if we could still do that. c) Cool hot Pyrex dishes before adding liquids. Pyrex ware can stand hot temperatures, but pouring liquid into a hot dish cools the dish too quickly in one spot.
Bex Scott: [00:12:24] When making white sauce, remove the hot Pyrex flame ware saucepan from the heat and cool slightly before adding the milk to the hot butter and flour mixture. d) Deep fat frying? No. This is a capital N a capital O with an exclamation mark. Never use Pyrex ware for deep fat frying. It's not that the hot grease will break the Pyrex dish, but if in that one chance in a million the dish is broken, the fat would catch on fire. Be on the safe side. e) Empty dish. Don't put any empty Pyrex flameware dish over the direct heat on top of the range. Always put liquid, fat or other food in the dish first. f) Faster baking. Pyrex ware bakes faster than shiny metal pans, so less heat is needed. If you're using a recipe which has not been tested for Pyrex ware, reduce the oven temperature about 25°F. Thus, if an old recipe says bake at 350 degrees, use a temperature at 325 for Pyrex ware, g) Greasing helps. A well greased Pyrex baking dish washes easier. If a Pyrex ovenware dish is filled very full, handles and rims should be greased too. This is a very good point, because I've made a lot of cakes in my Pyrex ware, and everywhere that hasn't been greased is pretty hard to get stuff off of unless you soak it or you clean it right away. So that's a pro tip right there. h) Handle hot Pyrex dishes with dry cloths. A wet cloth on a hot Pyrex dish cools the dish too fast in one spot. Also very good. i) Icy cold to roasting hot. Pyrex dishes can go directly from freezer to preheated oven. Frozen food thaws and bakes in just a little longer time than the normal baking period, and you can skip the wait for frozen food to thaw at room temperature.
Bex Scott: [00:14:26] j) Junior's food. When heating nursing bottles, cans of baby food, etcetera, bring water to boiling and remove Pyrex flameware dish from heat. Then put the bottles or cans in the dish. Otherwise, the dish might be permanently damaged when the water boils and leaves dry spots underneath the bottles or cans being heated. k) Keep its newness. Soap or detergent and hot water will wash Pyrex wear dishes sparkling clean. Never use scratchy cleansers. And this is a very good point because there are certain cleaners that people use now, like bar keepers friend that are great for removing utensil marks, you can use them on the inside, but if you use them on the outside of the Pyrex dish, that especially with the ones that have the gold or the metallics on the outside, it will fully take them off. And that is from personal experience.
Bex Scott: [00:15:23] l) Low direct heat. Use low to moderate direct heat with Pyrex flameware. m) Mineral deposits caused by hard water in some localities may leave white spots on dishes. Avoid this by washing the Pyrex double boiler bottom, for instance, with soap or detergent and hot water after each use. Stubborn mineral deposits may be removed by filling the park's flameware dish half full of water, adding two tablespoons of vinegar, and boiling a few minutes, then wash in hot, soapy water. n) Never let a Pyrex flameware dish boil dry. o) Occasionally, overcooking may cause brown stains. if hard to remove by just soaking the dish in warm water, add baking soda, three tablespoons to one quart of water. Diluted laundry bleach also is good for removing stains. And this is something that I wish more people did because I have bought, I think I talked about this in one of my other episodes, I've bought so many Pyrex dishes that have the brown stains on them that people haven't even attempted to take off, or else they have and they just haven't used the right methods. So awesome point. p) Pyrex ware has a two year replacement policy. Any dish or part of Pyrex brand Ovenware, which breaks from oven heat within two years from date of purchase, may be replaced by any dealer in Pyrex ware in exchange for the broken pieces. Any glass part of a Pyrex brand flameware dish, which breaks from heat within two years from date of purchase, when used according to the instructions, may be replaced by any dealer in Pyrex brand ware in exchange for the broken pieces. That doesn't really apply to us now, but it was nice that they did that back then. It's kind of like Tupperware. We will close our ABC's at this point, in the hopes that we have set down some helpful reminders on Pyrex ware care and use. So if any of these were surprising or helpful to you at all, I would love to know.
Bex Scott: [00:17:21] Next up we have the cooking and baking with Pyrex. So these will be the recipes that you can try out this holiday season and test on your family. The first one I've chosen is called Anna's Apple Pie and it says 'Apple pie still remains America's favorite dessert. Bring it to the table made just the way your menfolk - yes, your menfolk - want it in this Pyrex pie plate'. So it says you'll need one tablespoon of flour, five cups sliced apples, one and a quarter cup sugar, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and one tablespoon of butter. And check the show notes. Because this recipe I'm talking about now is for the filling of the pie. But in the show notes, I will have the recipe for the actual pie crust that Pyrex recommends. So it says 'Prepare the crust according to the directions on pages 96 and 97', which is what I'll give you guys. Number one, sprinkle one tablespoon of flour on unbaked bottom crust in the Pyrex pie plate. And this is using two crust pie in Pyrex nine and one half inch pie plate number 210. Two, arrange apple slices on crust. Sprinkle with sugar and spices. Mix together. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Three, Bake for ten minutes in a hot oven 425°F. Lower temperature of oven to moderate 375 and bake 30 minutes longer or until apples are done. Time, Bake about 40 minutes in all, temperature 425. Hot oven for first ten minutes and then 375 moderate oven for 30 minutes. Amount, eight servings and dish, Pyrex nine and one half inch pie plate. So the reason I chose to talk about this recipe is not only because people love apple pie in general, but because of this one little part right here. It says, 'Serve this delicious apple pie with cheese apples'. So I've heard about people making apple pies with cheddar cheese in the crust. I've never tried it. I've always wanted to. So I figured maybe a cheese apple is something like that. But it says, 'To make these, shape quarter pound sharp American cheese into balls about one inch in diameter. Dip the balls into red food coloring. Insert a cocktail pick into each cheese apple and stick these picks into a real apple. The apple will stand erect if three short pieces of picks are inserted for tripod legs'.
Bex Scott: [00:20:06] There's a picture of it. It's an apple. It's standing on toothpick tripod legs. And there are a bunch of cheese apples sticking out of it. So if anybody tries that as well, please let me know how it goes. Because it's another thing I've definitely never heard of. Then in the small print on this recipe, it says 'Day in and day out use won't hurt your Pyrex pie plate. It will come up sparkling after every pie you bake'.
Bex Scott: [00:20:39] Okay, so next up we have Christmas mince pie. And if anybody has had mince pie and likes it or doesn't like it, regardless, I'd love to know because I still don't really know what mince pie is or mince meat is. And maybe I should just try making it. So the recipe is... bake about 35 minutes in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. 6 to 8 servings. And this you'll be using your Pyrex eight and one half inch Flavr Savr pie plate number 228. And it says you'll need one package prepared mincemeat nine ounces, or two and a quarter cups moist mincemeat, sounding good already, three quarters cup applesauce, and half a cup seedless raisins. I'm not sold on this recipe. Okay, so it says prepare crust according to directions on page 96 and 97 for fancy top variation of two crust pie in Pyrex eight and one half inch Flavr Savr pie plate number 228. So again, if you're going to try out this recipe, check my show notes and I'll have that pie crust recipe for you. Number one, prepare mincemeat according to the directions on the package. Add applesauce and raisins. Pour filling into bottom crust in the Pyrex pie plate. Make a fancy top crust in the shape of a seven inch Christmas tree. That's pretty cute. Sprinkle with white or colored granulated sugar if desired, and place on top of pie filling. Bake until crust is nicely browned. And they have a nice picture of it in this glass Pyrex pie dish. It's the one with the little scalloped edges with the little handles, and there's a Christmas tree with the granulated sugar sprinkled on top. And it actually looks really nice. It says make Christmas mince pie the day before, store it in a Pyrex pie plate, then heat it up just before serving.
Bex Scott: [00:22:40] So the last recipe I thought I would share is a potential good side dish for your Christmas dinner. And because I'm in Canada, I picked this one, and it's called Canadian style bacon with candied sweet potatoes. Says 'Canadian style bacon is smoked cured pork loin'. I'm pretty sure that's just back bacon. 'Other cuts of smoked ham, thinly sliced, may be used'. So this one you're going to be using your Pyrex two quart utility dish. And it does 5 or 6 servings, 325 degree Fahrenheit, slow oven and bake about 45 minutes. You'll need 1 pound of cooked sweet potatoes, and in brackets it says (number three vacuum can). I don't think you need to use, I don't even know what that is. Is that like a can of sweet potatoes? Anyway, just go out and buy some real sweet potatoes. Two thirds cup brown sugar, well packed. A quarter teaspoon of salt. An eighth teaspoon ground cinnamon. Half a pound of Canadian style bacon, thinly sliced. 18 one half slices of pineapple, number two can. Exactly 18. Quarter cup of juice from pineapple. Two tablespoons butter or margarine, and parsley for garnish. First step is slice sweet potatoes in quarters lengthwise and arrange in two rows in a greased Pyrex utility dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Two, arrange alternate slices of bacon and pineapple on top of potatoes. Pour pineapple juice over all. Three, dot with butter. Bake. Garnish with parsley. So I hope you guys have enjoyed this episode of baking with your Pyrex Ware, and I can't wait to hear if any of you try out any of these recipes, I'd love to know! I'm definitely going to try a few of them myself, and I hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas dinner and a wonderful Christmas.
