Jul 28
Tarrant FiglioRecipes, Vegetables, retro food
My 14-year-old got excited about this recipe when she saw it. What isn’t to love about corn fritters? Corn, deep-frying, a doughnut disguised as a vegetable.
Another recipe from “My Favorite Maryland Recipes”
2 cups corn, fresh or canned (of course, true Silver Queen fresh off the vine works best)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, well beaten
1 teaspoon melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder for frying
Chop corn very fine, add salt, pepper, egg, butter, milk, flour and baking powder. Mix well. Fry in hot deep fat, 1 tablespoon batter for each fritter. Serve with strips of fried bacon or with brandy sauce. (I just dusted mine with powdered sugar.)
Jul 08
Tarrant FiglioMeat, Recipes, retro food
I am not sure whose famous barbecued meatballs are but based on the tattered look to the recipe they were someone’s favorite. I am getting better with the grill though still getting teased about char by my family. Oh well. These don’t require a grill and thus are immune to teasing by family.
I leave out the additional salt-the seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce and celery all add enough saltiness for our house.
Famous Barbecued Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups diagonally sliced celery
Blend all ingredients, form into balls using 1 tablespoon of mixture per ball. Place in a greased shallow pan or cookie sheet with edges (to catch the grease). Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes. This is so much easier than browning in a skillet. Drain cooked meatballs carefully on paper towels before putting into sauce.
Sauce
1 onion minced
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup catsup
3/4 cup water (may need more later)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
Saute onion in butter; add remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes. Place meatballs in sauce; simmer 15 minutes. Serve hot with toothpicks.
Jul 06
Tarrant FiglioCake, Desserts, Recipes
Everyone seems to serve angel food cake with strawberries. I am not a strawberry fan. There…I confessed it. I only like small, homegrown strawberries warm from the sun and very ripe.
I love the fact this version, found taped in the front of an old cookbook uses grapes or blueberries as the topping. The sour cream/brown sugar mixture is a nice change of pace from pudding or whipped cream.
Wash and chill about one pound of seedless green grapes (or blueberries). Mix 2 cups cold sour cream with 1 cup brown sugar. Stir until well dissolved; fold in chilled grapes. Put on top of cake, filling center completely and running down sides decoratively. Serve immediately; cake tastes better when topping is cold.
Jun 01
Tarrant FiglioMeat, Recipes, retro food
So, The Working Wives Cookbook (1963) is heavy on the lamb for some reason. While we are vegetarians who stray, I won’t cook (or eat) lamb or veal. Period. It does not matter that my youngest child has developed a complete and utter fixation with lamb. It is cute. It goes baa. I am allergic to wool. Whatever, I am not eating lamb.
I had it once, the night the father of the aforementioned youngest was inducted into the Junior Honor Society in high school. Oh wait, I ate some gyros in high school and the gyro burger (with a veggie burger actually-which made it a weird dish but yummy) at the place with the pizza fondue we found by accident the first night of Passover. Don’t look for a restaurant open on the spur of the moment on the first night of Passover in our area-they are closed. Yes. Really.
I intended to skip entirely over the lamb section. But then, there was an intriguing recipe: East meets East: Syrian meat balls with Indian Curry Sauce. I still wasn’t going to 1. Cook lamb or 2. Make meatballs. I hate touching meat. Really. Yuck.
What to do? I did exactly what I always do when faced with meatballs-bought a bag of frozen veggie meatballs. Clearly these suit the same purpose as the
1 1/2 lbs ground lamb–some supermarkets sell this as “lamb patties”
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup pignolia (pine nuts)
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
mentioned in the original recipe. Right? RIGHT!
I got to skip all the night before stuff. Who am I fooling? The night before I was sick, and even today I was trying to beg out of dinner making. Denise wasn’t having it. I grabbed the bag of meatballs-tossed them into the oven and commenced last night’s “curry sauce” preparation
6 Tablespoons butter or margarine (err no, I used about 2 tablespoons olive oil)
2 stalks celery sliced
1 large apple, cored and diced (unpeeled) I used 2 medium-ish apples
1 large onion, diced
2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder (I ended up adding more after the 3-probably ended up with 5)
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
While meatballs are browning, you are told to make this sauce. The meatballs were browning-in the oven. I cooked the onion, celery and apple over low heat until the onion was translucent and the celery softened. Stir in the curry powder-starting with 2 teaspoons and increasing according to taste;check! Cook gently for 5 min. Add tomato juice and cook over medium heat for 5 min. Stir in tomato sauce to thicken.
Pause to peer at rice steamer to figure out how long the rice will take. Oh-forgot to say that-start some rice. (or as the end of the recipe says “serve over boiled white rice.”
Add meat balls to sauce, cover and refrigerate. (Right-making this the same day, toss meatballs in sauce and heat through)
You are supposed to add a dollop of chutney-but I didn’t have any in the house and in my experience-I buy it for one recipe and then don’t need it for far longer than it takes to start looking sketchy or break falling out of our refrigerator.
Result: Denise and Mama both enjoyed their dinner-paired with the Caesar Green Beans which I will post tomorrow.
Jan 29
Tarrant FiglioEggs, Recipes, Sandwiches, Sauces, retro food
Chicago seems to have a thing for egg and green pepper sandwiches-not quite like this one though. You can get them year-round in some places-other places seem to save them for Lent. Instead of fish on Friday…it is an egg and pepper sandwich on Friday.
Your corner sandwich shop doesn’t have these adorable retro beauties. You can’t beat them for thrifty, fun and tasty though!
Imagine fighting childhood obesity too-one sandwich for the whole family. Of course, if I tried to feed this to the whole family, my kids would choose no dinner. (One hates mayo, two not keen on eggs, three not fond of green pepper) That is quite all right-I find it the right size for a casual meal for the two of us.
Note the hot mayonnaise sauce is NOT spicey-but rather a cream cheese sauce with olives and pimento-adding a nice touch to this sandwich. Skip the spreading of mayo as you prepare if you plan to “pass the hot mayonnaise sauce” as suggested OR just make the hot mayo sauce and spread while assembling.
Egg and Green Pepper Family Club Sandwich
Remove the crusts from a day-old loaf of unsliced enriched or a specialty white bread. Cut in 3 lengthwise slices. Toast lightly under the broiler. Spread with mayonnaise. Place on a tray or platter. Arrange sliced green pepper on 1 slice. Cover with another slice of bread, then with a layer of hard-cooked eggs. Cover this with the remaining slice of bread. Top with seasoned sliced tomatoes. And here’s a tip–pass hot mayonnaise sauce.
Hot Mayonnaise Sauce
Combine 1/3 cup real mayonnaise, 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese and 3/4 cup milk. Beat with rotary beater until smooth. Add 1/3 cup each sliced olives and diced pimentos’ heat thoroughly in the top of a double boiler, stir occasionally.
Jan 28
Tarrant FiglioPoultry, Recipes, Sandwiches, Vegetables, retro food
I have a fondness for club sandwiches. I blame a childhood where such things were ladylike and fancy. Of course, I failed at ladylike anything…but I sure did like some grown up lady food. I couldn’t figure out the dresses, heels, discussions or make-up. I didn’t quite understand why all the ladies didn’t have “jobs” but never had a minute to spare. I did understand the club sandwich, but not why it was marked “lady food.”
I still like club sandwiches. My love does not…but I aim to convince her with…the MUSHROOM club sandwich! Yes! A mushroom club sandwich. Coarse cut butter fried mushrooms instead of the original chicken. I need to investigate the peppy mayo though. Because I live with an anti bacon person…I have to skip that too…making it a vegetarian dream sandwich. You know why? Because a little bit of olive makes a fine substitute for bacon when it comes to vegetarians.
I will start with the “Original” club sandwich and continue with the mushroom. Look at the photo though for the Turkey, Duck, Goose, Tongue, Roast Pork, Lobster, Salmon, Flounder Cheese, Boston, or Oyster Club sandwiches.
The Original Club Sandwich
3 slices toast
Butter or Margarine
Lettuce
Mayonnaise
2 slice cooked white chicken meat
2 crisp cooked bacon slices
2 slices tomato
Toast the bread and spread with butter or margarine.Cover one slice with chicken; spread with mayonnaise and top with a lettuce leaf. Place bacon and tomato slices on top. Cover with the remaining toast slice. Fasten securely with 4 wooden toothpicks. Cut the sandwich diagonally into 4 triangles. Stand them upright on a plate. Garnish with pickles, olives, or halved slices tomato.
Mushroom Club Sandwiches
Make according to directions for the original club sandwich; but use instead of chicke, a layer of coarse-chopped butter-fried fresh mushrooms. Add a little chopped scallion or minced olives and use “pepped up mayonnaise”
Better Cooking Library, Sandwich and Party Snack Cook Book, 1964
Jan 27
Tarrant FiglioAppetizers, Cheese, Recipes, retro food appetizer, dip, retro, romance
Do you ski? Kraft has a solution for you! Or they did. I can’t find the Olive Pimento cheese spread anymore-just the pimento cheese spread. (Note for those of you who are foodies out there-Kraft jars of Pimento Cheese are not at all kin to THE Pimento Cheese. They are more like oh one of those Philly cream cheese flavored spreads. It doesn’t matter, just grab two jars of Kraft Pasteurized cheese spreads-maybe near the Velveeta in your store. They could be near the American Cheese case. 
Anyhow, Chalet dip promises a hot and hearty dip to warm up chilly skiers. I can tell you it is a hot and easy dip or dinner if say you are on your own or just want to have a quiet easy romantic meal without the mess or fuss of real fondue. Candlelight, the two of you sharing a loaf of bread (oh who cares about the 1-inch cubes-tear it like heathens) Grab a piece of fruit or two. Let it go from there.
Or of course, you could pretend it is a fab Grammys or Super Bowl Party food. It is…I just got carried away thinking of my last “fondue” or fond of you night with my love.
Chalet Dip
1 5 oz jar Old English Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread, Sharp
1 5 oz jar Kraft Olive Pimento Pasteurized Neufchatel Cheese Spread
2 Tablespoons dry sherry
French Bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
Combine the two 5-oz jars with sherry; heat thoroughly over low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with bread as dippers. 1 1/4 cups.
Sorry source buffs…that little ripped out piece of magazine has no dating information on it or even anything on the other side that would help me…just the pictures of the jars and I can’t positively id a year for that style.
Jan 26
Tarrant FiglioCheese, Eggs, Recipes, Vegetables, retro food holidays, Valentine's
This recipe is a pain. I will confess to this right up front. It makes for a lot of dirty dishes. It seems fussy. It matters not…it is one of my favorites.
You see…this is a completely wonderful dish to serve to company or to take to a friend with a new baby. Put it in a heart-shaped springform pan-you have a Valentine’s Day to remember.
It comes from a grocery store checkout cookbooklet I bought in the early 90s that is all pies. The cover is missing. No decent information on the publisher at all. I could make guesses based on the products pimped in it…but it is irrelevant really. It isn’t retro but this recipe makes people swoon.
Please REALLY read all the directions first and as you go along. Otherwise you will end up with some missing egg whites or cheese or generally going “huh?”
Layered Pasta Ricotta Pie
Makes 6 to 8 servings ( I feel like it makes a bit more than that-but I tend to serve with sides)
1/4 (1lb package) Creamette Vermicelli (I tend to use about 1/2 of the package and you can use whatever brand you like)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 cup grated fresh Romano cheese (Yes, I tend to use Parmesan)
3 eggs
1 15 or 16 oz container ricotta cheese
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained. (I mean it, WELL DRAINED. Press it once it is thawed.)
1/2 tsp salt
1 26 oz jar Classico Di Sicilia Ripe Olives and Mushrooms Pasta Sauce (or any chunky pasta sauce with olive and mushrooms)
Preheat oven to 350. Break vermicelli into thirds; cook according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender; remove from heat. Add cooked vermicelli, 1/2 cup Romano cheese and 1 egg; mix well. Press into well-greased 9-inch springform pan. Combine 2 egg yolks, ricotta, spinach, salt and remaining 1/2 cup Romano cheese. Spread over pasta layer. In small mixer bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce. Pour over spinach mixture. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until set; let stand 10 minutes. Heat remaining pasta sauce. Serve with pie. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate leftovers. This reheats well.
Dec 23
Tarrant FiglioAppetizers, Cheese, Recipes, retro food
On the menu for today, also from the 1959 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook: Blue Cheese Fluff. Picture of creepy elf/Pinocchio holding pretzels on his nose from book coming. Also-in comments-please share your ideas for using up a 10 lb wheel of Blue Cheese.
Soften 2 3 oz packages cream cheese. Add 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and a tablespoon milk. Blend. Mound in serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley.
Dec 22
Tarrant FiglioAppetizers, Breads, Recipes, retro food
My son thought we should make this recipe. Really he did…until he was in the middle of a video game and IN A MOOD. We ended up doubling the corn muffin mix (maybe-how many ounces is a box of Jiffy). The peanuts didn’t get chopped. The butter was doubled. Son forgot to double the cheese and no idea if the garlic salt made it in.
However, it is strangely yummy.
1 8-oz package corn-muffin mix
1 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
Prepare corn-muffin mix according to package directions; spread evenly in well-greased 15 1/2 x 10 x1 -inch jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet that has sides folks). Sprinkle with peanuts, cheese, and garlic salt. Drizzle butter over top. Bake in moderate oven (375) for about 25 minutes or till crisp and lightly browned. Immediately cut in squares. Cool slightly, remove from pan.
Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cookbook 1959
Older Entries
My 14-year-old got excited about this recipe when she saw it. What isn’t to love about corn fritters? Corn, deep-frying, a doughnut disguised as a vegetable.
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