Ok, a bit of beef stew is not so bad in the summer is it? Especially when trying to stretch the budget. This one is from my Great Grandmother’s files.

1 1/2 lbs cubed stew beef
Dredge in 2 TBS flour and pepper and salt (to taste)
Brown in 2 tbs. cooking oil
1 can beef broth or consomme
1/3 cup burgundy wine
1 cup celery cut fine
Cover and cook 1 hour
Add 1 small can mushrooms
6 onions
6 potatoes (medium)
8 carrots
Cook slowly until vegetables are tender.
Serves 4 to 6.

I love spinach. I love spinach casserole. Unfortunately, dietary restrictions keep me from my favorite vegetable. My great-grandmother thought this recipe was good-the hard-boiled eggs in casseroles never did anything for me though.

2 pkgs chopped spinach (10 oz pkgs) cooked and drained
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of asparagus/cream of celery)
Grated sharp cheese

Mix all together. Top with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake at 375 until firm.

The following is totally not retro unless you are interested in newfangled retro foods. It IS what we had for dinner though and quite tasty. The recipe is from the fabulous Crescent Dragonwagon’s Passionate Vegetarian cookbook. (Seriously, everyone should buy this cookbook. Whether you are a vegetarian, like vegetarians or are mystified by vegetarians, this is THE cookbook to own. It is huge and I didn’t even consider ditching it in the great cookbook declutter of 2008. )

Tofu and Marinade

3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons tamari or shoyu soy sauce (ok, I am heathen and used plain old La Choy soy sauce)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 to 2 dashes Tabasco or similar hot sauce
1 package firm traditional water-packed tofu, pref reduced fat, sliced the short way into rectangles 1/2 inch thick, well-drained

Breading

1 cup crisp bread crumbs
1/2 cup corn or wheat flakes
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crumbled between your fingers
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
cooking spray or olive oil spray
1 egg, beaten (optional)

Prepare the tofu: Combine the garlic, tamari, nutritional yeast, vinegar, turmeric and tabasco. Rub the marinade into the tofu. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. (Ok so I threw it all in a ziploc and put it in the fridge)

Make the breading: Combine the breadcrumbs, cornflakes, spices in a zippy bag. (we didn’t have sage and I forgot the thyme) Drizzle in the olive oil and toss together. (errr I missed this step completely)

Preheat oven to 400.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray (or use nonstick sheet). Set aside.

Beat the egg together with 2 tablespoons water and a little additional salt and pepper. (We didn’t have egg. I threw some milk and a little olive oil in my flat bowl for this step. Missed the salt and pepper here)

Drop the marinated tofu into the breading one by one. Shake. Pull out. Dip in egg mixture, then back to the zippy bag of breading. Shake again. Put on baking sheet. Repeat until all is double coated.

Spray top of tofu with a little more cooking spray. Bake 10-12 minutes. Flip over (with tongs or pancake turner) Bake 10-12 more minutes. If it isn’t crisp, run it under the broiler for a few minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes/rice and chicken style gravy.

Asparagus is in season! Unfortunately, most retro Jell-o salads use canned Asparagus. No worries-you can use your leftover cooked fresh asparagus instead. This is a pretty one with nice texture on account of the pecans and pimentos. Happy Wiggle Wednesday.

Asparagus Salad

3/4 c sugar
pinch salt
1/2 c. vinegar
1 c. cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. hot water
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. toasted pecans
1 can asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can pimento-cut into strips (jar-either the 2 oz or 4 oz jar will work fine)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. onion, scraped

Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and cold water; bring to boil. Continue boiling for 5 minutes. Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Remove boiling mixture from heat; add gelatin. Cool. Combine remaining ingredients; add to liquid mixture. Chill until firm.

From Good Food on a Budget (1971)…I love the intro to this recipe:

Include frankfurters on your list of foods that offer great eating pleasure for little money. They’re flavorful, versatile and don’t contain one bit of waste.

Frank and Potato Bake

1 pound frankfurters
2/3 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
8 ounces process cheese spread, cut up (2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons finely snipped parsley
8 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled, and sliced (8 cups)

Reserve 3 franks; slice remaining franks and set aside. In saucepan, stir milk into flour until smooth. Add cheese; cook and stir till thickened and smooth. Add onion, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; fold cheese mixture into potatoes and sliced franks. Turn into a 2-quart casserole. Bake, covered for 40 minutes. Halve reserved franks; arrange in a pinwheel atop casserole. Bake uncovered, 10 minutes. Top with parsley, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Spam! Yes…a retro recipe with Spam! Ok, so they call it canned luncheon meat. You can go for it or you can substitute ham. In any case, this makes for a nice winter lunch or supper on a budget.

Thrifty Meat-Bean Stew

1 1/2 cups large dry limas (12 oz)
3 cups cold water
1 16-oz can tomatoes, cut up
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt

***
1 12-oz can luncheon meat, cubed
1 beef bouillon cube
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup reconstituted nonfat dry milk or fluid milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet (optional)

Rinse beans; place in large saucepan and add water. Bring to boiling; cover and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. (Or add beans to water and soak overnight.) Do not drain. Add tomatoes, onion and salt; cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours. Add luncheon meat, bouillon cube, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine milk and flour; add to stew mixture. Cook, stirring constantly till thickened and bubbly; stir in Kitchen Bouquet. Makes 8 servings. (From Good Food on a Budget, 1971)

I love squash casserole. I really love it. I wonder why I have never made it for Thanksgiving, but instead get giddy at potlucks with this retro favorite. As the Southern Living Party cookbook notes…confirmed squash eaters have been known to love it as well.

Squash-Swiss Cheese Casserole

3 to 4 lbs yellow squash
2 medium onions, minced
2 bay leaves
About 6 sprigs parsley
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
Dash salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Several dashes ground nutmeg
Dash Worcestershire sauce
4 egg yolks, beaten
About 1-1/3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
Cayenne pepper
Buttered bread crumbs

Cut squash into 1/3-inch slices. Place in large saucepan with onion, bay leaves, parsley and thyme. Cover with boiling salted water and cook until squash is barely tender. Drain, remove parsley and bay leaves and set aside. While squash cooks, make cream sauce. In saucepan heat 6 tablespoons butter or margarine; blend in 6 tablespoons flour, then gradually add 3 cups milk and dash of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

To the sauce, add seasoned salt, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat; gradually blend in egg yolks by adding a small amount of the hot sauce to yolks beaten in a small bowl, then adding a little more, etc, then returning all back to saucepan.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and add cayenne pepper.

Combine squash with sauce, stirring gently; turn into large buttered baking dish about 2 inches deep. Mix remaining cheese with equal amount) or more, if needed) buttered breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over squash and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes, or until top is bubbly and brown. Leftovers freeze well. Yield: 12 servings.

I picked up the Good Housekeeping Suppertime Cookbook, suppers for all the seasons–some from the skillet, some from the oven, some so simple they need no cooking, 1967 at a recent used book sale. The photographs are fab…and it has seasonal menus. Today’s recipe comes from the Fall and Winter Suppers-Family Favorite.

The casserole has nothing light about it.

Family Favorite Supper
Jumbo Hamburger Patties
Mushroom Casserole de Luxe on Hot Buttered Rye
Green Bean and Radish Salad
Pineapple Wedges with Frozen Chocolate Cake
Milk Coffee

Mushroom Casserole De Luxe

1/3 cup soft butter or margarine
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons regular all-purpose flour
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced or halved lengthwise
1 cup heavy cream

About 1 hour and 10 minutes before supper:

1. Start heating oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Blend butter with parsley, onion, mustard, salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and flour
3. In bottom of greased 1 1/2-quart casserole, place a layer of mushrooms. Dot with half of butter mixture; top with rest of mushrooms, then rest of butter mixture. Pour cream over all.
4. Bake uncovered about 55 minutes. Serve over slices of hot, buttered rye bread. Makes 4 servings.

Many of you are heading into tomato season. When you tire of eating them like apples, you can try this…a sweetly elegant retro food.

Tomatoes Provencal

Choose a ripe tomato for each guest. Cut a 3/4″ slice from stem end of each. Chop these slices. mix with half the quantity of packaged dry bread crumbs, a little minced onion, a pinch of finely chopped garlic, some snipped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Set tomatoes in baking pan. Top with crumb mixture. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered at 375° F. for 35 to 40 minutes.

Ah, crabmeat in a salad…nothing more southern than that…or West Indian apparently. This is really a lovely cooling salad. It is way retro in that it is a layered salad…toss it tableside for drama!

1 pound fresh lump crab meat
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4 ounces Wesson oil (really any light salad or olive oil will work fine)
3 ounces cider vinegar
4 ounces ice water
Salt and pepper to taste

Divide chopped onion in half and spread one-half over the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Place the crab meat over this. Then spread the balance of onion on top of this. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over all in this order: the oil, vinegar and lastly the ice water. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate from two to 12 hours.  When ready to serve, toss lightly but do not stir.