Introduction
The cookbook All-in-One Dishes was compiled by the Winona Circle and published by the Zion United Church located in the small community of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The date of publication is not identified; however, content found within the text suggests it was created in the 1960s.
All-in-One Dishes provides a window into what rural cookery looked like in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, during the middle years of the 20th century. This community cookbook offers a representative sampling of everyday recipes, many of which incorporate commonplace ingredients to create family favourites. A few, also, have been modified so that they better resemble "ethnic" dishes. While the compilation, production, and sale of this fundraising cookbook did benefit the church financially, it also allowed for the sharing of family recipes to a broader audience and future generations. Although it may appear to be just a collection of recipes, the contents of the cookbook suggest it is a testament to the broader social, economic, and cultural trends of Western Canada. For instance, the use of commonplace and canned ingredients within many of the recipes is indicative of desires to help women reduce their workloads and create a dish that is both easy and speedy to prepare.
What sets All-in-One Dishes apart from other cookbooks available at the time is that hand-drawn illustrations are located on nearly all of the pages, adding a comedic element to the book. The interior shows that the cookbook was well-used, indicating that its former owners made good use of its recipes and consulted them quite often.