September 22, 1951 Wonderful Weather, Sewing Again, Doughnuts, A Bushel and A Peck and Apple Dumplings

Good Housekeeping, May, 1950

 Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We have been having wonderful weather, too, but we had a furnace fire for several days.

I have been sewing--just about have a dress finished.  It is rust and is going to be pretty when I get it done.  By the time I get everything else done in the evening I am too tired to sew.  I think your green material is very pretty.  I like the shade of green.  It will be nice on you.

You had told me Daddy had cut some weeds but you didn't say he had the tractor.  I had wondered and I'm sure glad he has it now.

It would be nice for you to go to Iowa but I'd rather you both would come to see us.  Have you thought any more about it?

I went to a Stanley party once and it was fun but I'm like you--the stuff is too high.  I bought some of their dust cloths and they are wonderful.

I looked up the doughnut recipe--was it the one with potatoes?  I think I'll try it, too.  I just can't keep desserts for B and Bobby.  A cake lasts two days and sometimes not that long.

There's lots going on at school now.  B doesn't get home as often as he did even though we are so close.  Seems like he has more to do every year.

We went to an all-school party last Saturday night and next Sat. night we are going to a dinner for the education department.  I would like to have some people in for supper one night this week if I can.  Be is going to have some students here Mon. evening for a committee meeting.  I want to make apple dumplings for them if I can find time.  Apples are cheap and plentiful.  They range from 1.49 to 2.25 a bushel for Jonathans.  We are going to buy a bushel and a bushel of potatoes too when we find some which will keep.  We have a fruit room in the basement where we can keep them.  Maybe if we buy a bushel we won't always be out.  A peck doesn't last anytime.

I'm going to have to go to bed.  I can't keep my eyes open so bye for now."

                   Lots of love,

                          Bonnie

Recipe written by Bonnie's mother

Favorite Apple Dumplings 

Prepare the dough as follows:  Sift together 2 c. flour, 4 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt.  Melt a heaping T shortening, add to flour mixture and add enough milk to make a soft dough.  Turn out onto a well-floured surface.  Roll about 1/8" thick and cut off a small portion, about 1x6" strip and set aside.  Divide the remaining dough into 6 equal parts.  Place 1 med. peeled & cored apple in the center of each piece of dough.  Fill each apple center with 1/6 of the following mixture:  2 T melted butter, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.  Pinch corners of dough to enclose apples.  Cover top with an inch circle of dough, using the reserved strip.
Place in greased oblong pan.  Combine 1-1/2 c. blue or green label Karo syrup, 1/4 c. water and 3 T melted butter.  Pour over dumplings.  Bake at 450 for 10 min. then lower heat to 350 and bake 35-40 min. or till apples are tender.  Baste with pan syrup occasionally during baking.

NOTE:  It's nice to see that Bonnie was sewing again!  Take a look below at some of the clothes she would have seen in her Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping magazines from 1950-52.
The music is Nat King Cole's "Mona Lisa" which was at the top of the charts for 8 weeks in 1950 and also won an Academy Award for the best original song.