Mock Lasagna Casserole

Mock Lasagna Casserole

This is another Better Homes and Gardens recipe from the book "Good Food On a Budget" that was published in 1971.  I didn't make it often but, when I did, Lorien loved it and that is what I wrote in my cookbook.  She probably doesn't remember that but it's a little piece of the family food history.

1     pound bulk pork sausage  (It's quite possible that I sometimes used ground beef)

1     15-ounce can tomato sauce (2 cups)

½    water

½    teaspoon each garlic salt, pepper, and dried basil leaves, crushed

1     7-ounce package macaroni (or other small pasta), cooked and drained

1½  cups cream-style cottage cheese

6     ounces process American cheese, shredded (1½ cups)

Brown the meat; drain off fat.  Add tomato sauce, garlic salt, pepper, basil, and  ½  cup water.  Cover; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  In a 2-quart casserole layer half each macaroni, cottage cheese, and meat sauce.  Repeat.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serves 6 to 8.

  

Creamy Coleslaw

Creamy Coleslaw

This is a Better Homes and Gardens recipe from a book called Good Food on a Budget that was published in 1971, and it was my standard go-to recipe for coleslaw as you kids were growing up.  I wrote in my cookbook that it was "a family favorite."  Glynne said that he was looking for a good coleslaw recipe so I'm hoping this will be one that he remembers.

3 cups shredded cabbage

*** This recipe doesn't call for carrots but I know that I put them in.  I probably put 1/3 to 2/3 as much shredded carrot as shredded cabbage.  You will have to adjust the ingredient amounts to suite your taste, using a bit more dressing if needed.

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup salad dressing (I always used Miracle Whip) or mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar (I always use Apple Cider Vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon celery seed (It really makes a difference)

1 small green pepper, cut in rings (optional) (I never used this garnish but you might want to)

Combine cabbage and onion.  Blend salad dressing, sugar, vinegar, and celery seed.  Pour over vegetables and toss.  Top with green pepper.  Makes 6 servings.   

Lorien's Couscous with Stuff / Lemon Dressing

LORIEN’SCOUSCOUS WITH STUFF/Lemon Dressing 

Note from Mom!  In going through my recipes, I found this.  I'm thinking it is something that Lorien cooked while we were living in New Delhi and that I liked it well enough  to copy the recipe.  I don't know if Lorien remembers this or not but the recipe definitely sounds worth trying.

 

 

1cup shelled pecans

1½ cup couscous

1cup dried cranberries

½tsp. turmeric

2cups boiling water

1cup thawed frozen peas

3scallions thinly sliced

2medium cucumbers, diced

¼cup shredded fresh basil

1. Toast pecans in shallow pan at 350°about 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Place couscous, cranberries and turmeric in a large bowl. Add the boiling water, stir, and then cover with a large plate. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with a fork. Cover again and let sit for 5 more minutes.
3. Stir in pecans, peas, scallions, cucumbers, and basil.
4. Pour *lemon dressing over couscous mixture and stir.
5. Let salad sit at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend. If it will sit longer than 1 hour, cover and chill…but it should be served at room temperature.

Note:cucumbers should be added close to serving time so they stay crunchy.

LEMON DRESSING 
1/3cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Combine ingredients in a jar with a tight lid.  Shake vigorously.

Quick Serve Jell-O

QuickServe Jell-O

In1979, while living in Yakima, Washington, our ward Relief Societyladies compiled a small cookbook (more of a pamphlet) of favoriterecipes turned in by their children.  This was the one Glynnewanted included.  We sent a copy to Grandma Munroe (my mother)and wrote the date inside so that's how I know what year it wasdone.  This was an inexpensive and frequent dessert at our housefor years.

1pkg. 3 oz. Jell-O

1cup hot water (from tap)

4large ice cubes

PourJell-O into blender, add hot water, and blend until Jell-O dissolves. Add ice cubes and blend until they are melted. Pour into 4 oz.dessert cups (Remember the Tupperware ones we used to have ?) andrefrigerate until the Jell-O is set (about 30 minutes). As it sets,it will separate into two layers with gelatin on the bottom and afoamy layer on top. 4 to 5 servings

Chicken-Corn Chowder

Chicken-Corn Chowder 

In 1979, while living in Yakima, Washington, our ward Relief Society ladies compiled a small cookbook (more of a pamphlet) of favorite recipes turned in by their children.  This was the one Cherilyn wanted included.  We sent a copy to Grandma Munroe (my mother) and wrote the date inside so that's how I know what year it was done.  Dad and I love any kind of corn chowder.

3/4 cup sliced celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1  3/4 cup milk

2 cans cream of chicken soup (I didn't list adding the water in the original recipe but must have done!)

1 can whole kernel corn or cream-style corn (Perhaps, add the liquid if using whole kernel corn!)

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

Sauté celery and onion in margarine until tender.  Add milk, soup, corn and seasoning.  Heat, stirring occasionally until chowder is hot but not boiling.  Serves 4 to 6


* Sorry for not knowing about the liquid used. . .1979 was a long time ago!  Experiment!

Spicy Grape and Raisin Cake

SPICYGRAPE & RAISIN CAKE

Carolynwon a Welch’s Grape trophy in the Central WA State Fair with thisrecipe.

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup Welch’s Grape Juice

½ cup Welch’s Grape Jelly

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

1 cup dark raisins

½ cup sliced walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly flour a Bundt pan. (I spray with PAM)
2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar and eggs. Beat until very light and fluffy (about 3 minutes altogether).
4. Mix grape juice, grape jelly and vanilla together.
5. Alternately beat grape mixture and flour mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.
6. Add raisins and nuts, mixing well.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before turning out. (If cake is left in pan too long it may stick.) Finish cooling on wire rack. Pour grape satin glaze over cake when it’s completely cool.
    

GrapeSatin Glaze

1 cupsifted confectioner’s sugar

1 TBSlight corn syrup

1TBS Welch’s Grape Juice

In asmall bowl, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Pourglaze on top of cooled cake and it will slowly run down the sides.

Apricot Bundt Cake

APRICOTBUNDT CAKE – recipe from Grandma Edith Munroe

2cups sugar (try 1 white and 1 brown for a change)

1-cupvegetable oil

3eggs

1tsp. Vanilla

14oz. Pureed apricots

2cups flour

2tsp. Baking soda

1tsp. Cinnamon

Optional:½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Mixthe ingredients in the order given. Pour into a greased andfloured Bundt cake pan. (You can spray with Baker’s Joy if youhave it.)

Bakeat 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester (bambooskewers work well to test) comes out clean.

Coolfor 10 minutes andthen turn out of the pan onto a cake plate.

Sometimes,I sprinkle powdered sugar over the top before serving. Other times,I have made a powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over it. Either isgood.

EATand ENJOY!

Thisis a recipe that I’ve used many times over the years and it hasalways been well liked. Originally (30 years ago!), it called for 2jars of Gerber Junior Food Pureed Apricots but those are no longeravailable. Through the years, I have pureed home canned apricots andstore bought ones as well. All seem to work as long as you drainmost of the juice from the canned apricots before pureeing them. Thebaby food used to come in 7 oz. Jars, so it was easy to use. Afterpureeing canned apricots, measure out 14 ounces for the cake andenjoy eating the rest! Sometimes, I have substituted applesauce forthe apricots; so don’t be afraid to experiment.