HAMBURGER ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

1 lb hamburger 

1 medium onion 

1 can stewed tomatoes 

1 cup water 

1 small zucchini, chopped 

salt and pepper (as desired) 

garlic or chili powder (optional) 

1/2 stick butter 

4 to 5 slices day old bread, crumbled 

Brown hamburger and onion; drain. Add tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, and garlic or chili powder if using; mix together well. Stir in the zucchini. Cook on low for about a half hour or until the liquid is absorbed. Pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Brown under the broiler for about 6 minutes or until golden brown but be careful not to burn.

clipart

MUSHROOM SOUP SLOPPY JOES

This recipe is from an old family friend.

1 lb. hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can water
1/2 cup catsup
diced peppers, mangoes* and onions
salt to taste

Brown hamburger in a skillet. Add diced peppers, mangoes, onions, and salt. Add the mushroom soup, water, and catsup. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.

*In Southern Indiana mangoes are green bell peppers.

file photo for reference only

PRESSURE COOKER MASHED POTATOES

This recipe has been modernized to use the electric slow cooker. Back in the day, our pressure cookers were not electric.

2 lbs medium russet potatoes, peeled

3 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/3 cup milk or buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp black pepper

Optional: Chopped chives for garnish

Add potatoes, water 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Lock lid and close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure cook on high 10 minutes. Quick-release pressure.

Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Add potatoes back to pan. Add the milk, sour cream, butter and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Mash until of the desired consistency, adding some reserved cooking liquid, if needed. Garnish with the chives, if desired. You can also top with a few thin slices of butter, if desired.

file folder

UPSIDE DOWN CHILI PIE

This is a recipe I have had since we left the USAF and moved back to Indiana around 1970.

1 tablespoon salad or olive oil
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 can (8.25-oz) tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8.50-oz) kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup red wine*
1 pkg (12-oz) corn muffin mix
1 can (8.75-oz) cream-style corn
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Chopped parsley
Catsup

Put the oil in a hot heavy 10-inch skillet. Sauté the beef, onion, and garlic until the beef is browned--about 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, salt, oregano, basil, and tomatoes; mix well. Cook over low heat, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in kidney beans and wine and cook 10 minutes longer.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, corn, egg, and milk; mix just until the muffin mix is moistened.
Skim the fat from the meat mixture in the skillet and discard. Spread the muffin mixture over the meat mixture evenly.
Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand in skillet for a couple of minutes. Invert pan onto a serving plate. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve with catsup.

Yield: 8 servings

*If you don't want to use wine, substitute water.
Note: Instead of catsup, I like to use salsa.

file photo

PRIZE-WINNING COCONUT CAKE

This is one of the many recipes I inherited in the treasure trove of recipe boxes from my mother's estate.

1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
2 eggs, unbeaten
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup coconut
extra coconut for sprinkling over frosting, if desired

Sift together three times: flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Then add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, beating until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and coconut.

Pour batter into two round 8-inch layer cake pans, lined on bottom with waxed paper. Bake in a moderate oven (375) for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost with your favorite frosting and sprinkle top and sides with additional coconut, if desired.

file photo for reference

COFFEE ANGEL FOOD CAKE AND BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

This recipe is from the 1960s when it was a favorite in the South.

1 1/2 cups sifted sugar, divided
1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups egg whites
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp instant coffee powder or granules

Sifting is important to this recipe and directions should be followed for best results. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cake flour and sift together 4 times.

Add the salt to the egg whites in a clean and cool mixing bowl; beat until foamy. Sprinkle the cream of tartar into the egg whites and continue beating until soft peaks form. Add the remaining cup of sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Fold in the vanilla and coffee. Fold in the flour mixture, a half cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and invert pan over a wire rack.

Ice the above cake with this icing:

Coffee Butter Cream Icing
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 to 4 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp instant coffee
slivered toasted almonds for garnish, if desired

Cream the butter and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Sift the sugar into the creamed mixture, a little at a time, beating well after each time. Add enough milk to make the icing of a good spreading consistency (icing that is too stiff is hard to spread on angel food cake) and mix well. Add the vanilla and coffee and beat until light and fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the almonds, if desired.

file photo of this recipe

 

MYSTERIOUS ORANGE CAKE

Here is an old recipe clipping from an old women's magazine from my late mother's recipe stash.

 

HOMEMADE SWEET LIME PICKLES

 Some of these old recipes are sadly lacking in directions. The housewife back then knew what to do. 

This is a perfect example.

Slice 7 pounds of cucumbers and soak in 2 gallons of water. Add 2 cups of lime. leave in this for 24 hours. Wash well and soak in water for 3 more hours. 

Cover with this solution: 2 qt. vinegar 9 c. sugar 1 tbsp. salt 2 tsp. whole cloves 2 tsp. celery seed 1 tsp. mixed spices Let stand overnight in this solution. Bring to a boil and can.

file photo

PINEAPPLE AND CHEESE SALAD

This recipe is from a small Southern Indiana church community many years ago.

1 (No. 2 1/2) can sliced pineapple
1/2 lb cold Velveeta or American sliced cheese
18 large marshmallows, cut into fourths

Drain the juice from the pineapple. When well drained, dice the pineapple. Cube the cheese.

Mix:
3/4 cup sugar
Lump of butter (size of a small egg)
2 tbsp flour (rounded)
2 eggs

Stir in pineapple juice and cook, stirring constantly, in double boiler until thick, about 5 minutes. Let this custard get cold, then combine with diced pineapple, cubed cheese, and marshmallows. Sprinkle ground nuts on top (optional). Serve on a bed of lettuce leaf when chilled. Keep in refrigerator.

clipart

HELLMAN'S CLASSIC POTATO SALAD

1 cup Hellman's Real Mayonnaise

2 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup pepper
4 cups cooked, cubed, peeled potatoes (about 5 or 6)
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper. Gently stir in the potatoes, celery, onion, and eggs. Cover and chill until serving time.  Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves, if desired.

file photo