Orange Refrigerator Cookies, from the Sunbeam Mixmaster Manual

This is a manual for the Sunbeam Automatic Mixmaster, which will “do all of your mixing, mashing, whipping, beating, stirring, blending, juicing, folding and creaming.”

This manual was printed in 1950. And though I don’t have a 1950 Mixmaster, I do have a 1979 model that belonged to my grandmother.It still has a lot of the same look and styling of the 50’s model, along with a rotating bowl that is a pretty interesting feature. Though I already own a Kitchen-Aid mixer, when we were cleaning out my grandmother’s things after her death I just couldn’t let her mixer to go to the trash. She did so much baking, and was definitely an inspiration. She would have said, “You can take it, but remember – you can’t bring it back!”

In addition to instructions on the use of the Mixmaster, there are a little over 90 recipes for cakes and other desserts, dressings, and sides.

There are ads throughout the manual for other Sunbeam products, and I have learned that this company “mastered” everything.

There an Ironmaster, Coffeemaster, and Shavemaster!

There is also an egg cooker, waffle maker and toaster.  For some reason these products didn’t get the “master” designation, but the toaster is “Automatic Beyond Belief!”

There were also a number of attachments for the Mixmaster, not unlike all the attachments you can get today for Kitchen-Aids. One that I haven’t seen for a KitchenAid is the Butter Churn Attachment, with wood paddles inside a glass churn. THAT would be pretty cool to have!

Here are two recipes from this manual that sound pretty darn good: Orange Refrigerator Cookies and below it, Easy Jelly Icing. I’m sure they will be “Tasty Beyond Belief!” And for more cookie love, check out these Ginger Snaps Cookies and Intensely Lemon Sandwich Cookies.

Orange Refrigerator Cookies

• Both recipes are from the 1950 Sunbeam Mixmaster Manual. The ingredients and directions are listed and formatted as they are in the manual. Vintage-y!

Preparation: Have shortening and butter at room temperature. Assemble all ingredients and utensils needed. Grate orange rind and squeeze juice. Chop nut meats.

Sift together:

2-¾ cups sifted flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Put into large bowl of MIXMASTER:

½ cup shortening (soft)

½ cup butter (soft)

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg, unbeaten

Beat on No. 8 speed – about 1 minute, scraping bowl while beating. Stop mixer.

Add:

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

½ tablespoon lemon extract

1 cup pecan meats, finely chopped

Add sifted flour mixture. Beat on No. 2 speed until well blended – about 1-½ minutes. Scrape bowl while beating. Shape into rolls, wrap in waxed paper. Chill several hours. Slice thin with a sharp knife. Put on greased cookie sheet.

Bake: Preheated oven 350 degrees F – moderate oven – about 12 minutes.

Makes: About 5 dozen cookies.

Easy Jelly Icing

Put into top of double boiler:

½ cup tart jelly

1 egg white, unbeaten

⅛ teaspoon salt

Place over boiling water. Cook, beating constantly on No. 10 speed (use MIXMASTER portably at stove) until jelly is melted. Remove from heat, continue beating at same speed until mixture will hold its shape.

Makes: Enough to ice 1 medium-sized cake.

This is the annual blogfest known as the A to Z Challenge! Bloggers from all walks of life come together in the month of April and post every day (Sundays off) on whatever theme or subject they choose for each letter of the alphabet. Check out the list of bloggers at the A to Z Challenge website. 

 Throwback! 2014 Blogging From A to Z Challenge: S was for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.