Journey Through "Decades of Decadence" with Ellie Krieger

CHICAGO – Each decade has its own style, including desserts. Yet whether it’s southern Lemon Chess Pie from the 1820s, New York’s Black and White Cookies first baked up in the Roaring 1920s or Frozen Grasshopper Pie from the 1950s, some desserts have stood the test of time. CanolaInfo’s “Decades of Decadence” recipe collection will take you on a delicious trip down memory lane with modern influence by Ellie Krieger, M.S., R.D., host of the Cooking Channel’s “Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger.”

“History shaped these desserts and they have stuck around because they are inherently delicious,” says Krieger, developer of the recipe collection. “They were driven by the availability of ingredients in their day; advertising by food companies in women’s magazines, such as Strawberry Shortcake for a biscuit brand; advancements in food technology like canned, sliced pineapple; or appliances such as the invention of the freezer as a separate unit from the refrigerator for storing items like ice cream.”

Krieger updates six iconic desserts in the “Decades of Decadence” recipe collection with heart-healthy ingredients like canola oil, low-fat yogurt and whole-grain flour. Such ingredients help keep calories in check and saturated fat content low. Each decadent dessert contains less than 400 calories per serving and is made with canola oil, which has the least saturated fat and most omega-3 fat of all common culinary oils.

“Simple ingredient swaps like canola oil for butter and Greek yogurt for cream lighten up desserts without taking away from their indulgent taste,” says Krieger. “Everyone should be able to enjoy a dessert once in a while and these recipes make it easy to do so.”

“Decades of Decadence” recipes include:

• 1820s: Lemon Chess Pie
• 1850s: Strawberry Shortcake
• 1920s: Black and White Cookies
• 1930s: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• 1940s: Chocolate War Cake
• 1950s: Frozen Grasshopper Pie

“Recipes from different eras help us remember and celebrate those time periods,” says Krieger. “Such culinary traditions are a huge part of the joy of cooking and in this case, “baking someone happy,” as the retro ads of Betty Crocker would say.” 

For more information or high-resolution recipe photos, e-mail fyi@canolainfo.org