The Big Yellow Bowl

Kelly Wambach

When the big yellow bowl came out of the cupboard we knew good things were in the works for one of our favorite meals. The big yellow bowl was used for two things. Mom’s homemade bread and baked beans.

The bowl was one of a nesting set made by Pyrex in the 1950s and 1960s. The biggest was the yellow, then the green, then the red and the smallest the blue. Pyrex made other nesting sets with different colors and patterns as well, but this set seems to be one of the most popular.

The last time us kids got together at dad’s I mentioned the old bowls to my brothers and sister and the search was on. (Us “KIDS” by the way are all 50 plus!) We managed to find the big yellow bowl and the smaller red one. The red bowl mom always used for Jello that usually supported a layer of slightly browned bananas.

We also found the old weiner kettle as we called it. A thin tin rounded bottom dented kettle mom used to boil the bejabbers out of poor defenseless weiners. Mom was a firm believer that all meats should be cooked well done!

With the exception of mom’s extravagant holiday meals the evening meal was relatively simple. M e a t , potato and vegetable. Sometimes a simple d e s s e r t . When the beans and bread were
served that was it. Nothing on the table but the big yellow bowl filled with beans and a loaf of home baked bread, butter, a jar of homemade grape or strawberry jam and always a small bottle of vinegar to top off the beans. I’m not sure where the addition of vinegar comes from, but the beans would not be complete without it. You gotta try it! Just a sprinkle or two.

My mother was a wonderful cook and an excellent baker. To this day I can see her using the back of a butter knife to scrape off the top of the measuring cup to get the exact amount called for in the recipe. The recipe for Mom’s bread I always follow exactly and the bread comes out wonderful. Her recipe for beans has no meat. Because we were raised catholic I think it may have been her go-to Friday night meal. A little fried bacon, ground beef or ham makes a nice addition.

Whether you serve the beans and bread as your evening meal as mom did or decide to try the recipes separately its comfort food at its best. It takes a bit of planning ahead, but well worth the effort.
Enriched White Bread (4 loaves)
2 pkg. Dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 cups milk, scalded
4 tsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp melted shortening (butter)
12 1/2 cups flour

Soften yeast in warm water. Combine milk, sugar, salt and shortening. Cool this to lukewarm. Add 4 cups flour and stir well. Add remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.

Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and satiny. Shape into ball and place in lightly greased bowl turning once to coat with grease. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled. Punch down and let rise again until doubled. Divide in 4 portions. Form into loaves and place in greased pans and let rise until double.

Bake 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes then turn out of pans.

This recipe makes four loaves. I usually divide this in two for two loaves and refrigerate unless you eat a lot of bread! There are no preservatives in this recipe so refrigerate or freeze what you are not using after a few days. Makes the best toast btw!
Mom’s Baked Beans:
2 cups dried Navy or Northern beans
1 medium onion chopped

4 tbsp molasses
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 tsp yellow mustard
2 cups hot water
Pepper to taste
Soak beans overnight and drain. Add all remaining ingredients. Precook on stove top for 30 minutes then bake at 350 degrees until done. Add salt to taste after beans have softened. This may take several hours.

“The most important ingredient in a recipe is the memory it conjures.”

Cook up a memory!

Mary at the Moorhead Antique Mall (the one on old Hwy 52) was kind enough to send photos of a complete set in the mall and a photo of a vintage ad for the Pyrex 4 piece colored nesting bowls.