Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Sphere: Campus Chocolate Bars

Campus Chocolate Bars 
College Cook-In
Sphere Magazine, October 1973

Campus Chocolate Bars, like the Granola Bread, are part of Sphere's College Cook-In Recipe Collection.


This seems like a renamed version of Hello Dolly bars, with an added powdered sugar topping.

Sphere: Granola Bread

Granola Bread & Homemade Granola
College Cook-In
Sphere Magazine, October 1973

This two-in-one recipe was included in Sphere as a promotion for their College Cook-In Recipe Collection ("over 50 super ways to nutritious, delicious inexpensive dishes"). Readers were advised to mail in an order form in the back of the magazine, plus $1.

"Try baking bread from some of the yummy Granola your mother sent you. Our honey-filled Granola is super for snacks & great for quick breakfasts."
Yes, Sphere Magazine capitalized Granola both times; don't look at me. I don't know what's up with that.


I can't wait to try this granola recipe. Coconut, oats & brown sugar sounds enticing!

Sphere: Pumpkin Raisin Bread

Seasonal Specials: Pumpkin & Squash
Pumpkin Raisin Bread + Pumpkin Pie Spice Glaze
Sphere Magazine, October 1973

Pumpkin Raisin Bread, Pumpkin Butter & Pickled Pumpkin



This recipe sounds like a keeper!

Sphere: Pineapple Cheesecake

Pineapple Cheesecake + Sour Cream Topping
The Programmed Potluck
Sphere Magazine, October 1973

"Our hostess wears our elegant Greek-design embroidered apron to serve the creamy Pineapple Cheesecake dessert. You can make your own apron by ordering instructions through the coupon offer on page 65. Additional photos of the apron appear on pages 18-19."


I think the apron was cuter in the artsy photo shoot. At a regular old dinner party, it makes you look like a preschool teacher or the caterer. 

I've never heard of cottage cheese used in a cheesecake before, aside from German quark ("In Germany, quark and cottage cheese are considered to be different types of fresh cheese")

Sphere: Embroidered Apron

Embroider A Peasant Look
Embroidered apron with Greek motifs
Sphere Magazine, October 1973


I'm not much of an apron person, but that is some quality embroidery! Design: Virginia Bath. Embroidery: Sylvia Roe Bath
This breathtaking photo was shot by Jerry Salvati. Doesn't it make you swoon ?

Sphere: Easy Tips, October 1973

Easy Way Out time savers
Sphere Magazine, October 1973
Two strange tips in October's Easy Way Out column. It seems silly to take down a perfectly good nursery door to solve a temporary problem. Also, the idea of using old meat trays for camping dinner plates sound unsanitary, even if you wash them off.

Sphere: Small Wedding Cake

 Encore For A Great Cake
A smaller version of the wedding cake from the September 1972 issue
Sphere Magazine, October 1973

You guys, I was so psyched to receive this vintage issue of Betty Crocker's Sphere Magazine! This is probably the most coveted issues of Sphere. It sounds super delicious! I do not have the September 1972 issue; but if I ever find that issue one day, I'll definitely be sharing the large version of the wedding cake recipe.

*07/11/17: Click Americana has a 1971 Pillsbury date bar cake recipe. You could probably use it in place of the discontinued Betty Crocker mix. 

"Tender pound cake & moist date bar layers, conveniently made from mixes, layered with Coffee Buttercream Frosting & Apricot Filling and sprinkled with cherry liqueur, are worthy of the most significant celebration. Don't forget that the small meringue mushrooms you serve with the cake will bring good luck to grand occasions!"

If you're thinking "I have not seen a date bar mix in a grocery store", no worries. Even though Betty Crocker's Date Bar Mix was discontinued, Betty Crocker's Ask Betty suggests here that you try this date bar recipe.

Good Luck Meringue Mushrooms

If you're feeling especially ambitious & want to cobble together your own date bar recipe, check out this ShopWell listing of Betty Crocker's Date Bar Mix ingredients:

Sugar, Dried Dates, Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Rolled Oats, Coconut, Nonfat Milk, Wheat Starch, Dried Honey, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Baking Soda, Corn Syrup, Mono and Diglycerides, Corn Starch, Color Added, Soy Flour, Artificial Flavor.
Contains milk, soy and wheat ingredients.



Sphere: October 1973 Recipe Index

Sphere Magazine, October 1973

Recipe Index


  • Savory Soups 
    • Swiss Cheese & Ham Soup 
    • Mushroom Soup 
    • Chicken Soup With Avocado 
    • Tomato Soup With Tortillas
  • Potluck Menu 
    • *Hot Spiced Cider 
    • Party Nibbles 
    • Fresh Fruit 
    • *Marinated Roast Beef 
    • *Spicy Barbecued Spareribs 
    • *Julienne Carrots With Walnut 
    • *Hot German Potato Salad 
    • *Minted Lime Mold 
    • *Potluck Bean Salad 
    • Rolls & Butter 
    • *Pineapple Cheesecake + Sour Cream Topping 
    • Coffee Or Tea
  • Seasonal Specials: Pumpkin & Squash 
    • Gingerbread With Pumpkin Topping 
    • Pickled Pumpkin 
    • Pumpkin Butter 
    • Pumpkin Raisin Bread 
    • Pumpkin Pudding Fancy 
    • Far Eastern Lam & Squash 
    • Squash Soup
  • College Cook-In 
    • Granola Bread 
    • Granola 
    • Chocolate Fondue
  • College Cook-In: Campus Menu 
    • *Brown Rice Skillet 
    • *Salad Vinaigrette 
    • Bread & Butter 
    • *Campus Chocolate Bars 
    • Tea Or Milk
  • Roll Out The Roll-Ups 
    • Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts 
    • Sole Pinwheels + Shrimp Stuffing 
    • Beef Rouladin + Rouladin Stuffing 
    • Quick Veal Cheese Roll-Ups + Tomato Sauce
  • Encore For A Great Cake: Good Luck Cake (Small Size Wedding Cake)
  • Variation On A Sunday Sauce 
    • Eat A Million Flowers (Cauliflower)  + Sunday Sauce
  • Chocolate Caramel Apples



Monday, May 15, 2017

Sphere: Cool Summer Meals

Keep Cool Summer Meals
Sphere Magazine, August 1974

  • Rice-Bean Medley Menu
    • Rice-Bean Medley
    • Cheese Triangles
    • Relish Tray
    • Choco Peanut Butter Freeze
    • Iced Tea
  • Cold Reuben Menu
    • Cold Reuben Platter
    • Spicy Rye Crisps
    • Fresh Fruit Sundeas
    • Beer Or Iced Coffee
  • Tuna Salad Menu
    • Tuna Salad Plate
    • Marinated Vegetables
    • Rolls & Butter
    • Coffee-Peach Cream Pie
    • Lemonade

Cold Reuben Menu
Cold Reuben Menu

“When time is important and the heat has you beat, look to these three summer menus for a time saving, cool solution.”

Rice-Bean Medley Menu at top right. Tuna Salad Menu on bottom right. Cold Reuben Menu on left.

I like some of these recipes, just not necessarily together for one meal. I think rice, beans, sausage, cheese, peanut butter & chocolate for one menu would be a bit heavy.

Marinated Vegetables
Coffee-Peach Cream Pie, with a cinnamon-graham crust & a filling of marshmallow creme, coffee liqueur, whipping cream & fruit

Sphere: Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Kids Cook
Sphere Magazine, August 1974

You'll need unflavored gelatin, evaporated milk, whipping cream & an ice cream maker for this summer recipe. It sounds worth trying!