OLD FASHION PASTIES

Old fashion pasties like these were an important part of men's lunchboxes when they worked in the mines, quarries, and factories. This old fashion recipe is from a lady in Michigan. I have had it for years.

3 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 medium chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Combine the potatoes, carrots, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the beef and pork mixing well. Add the butter and toss; set aside.

Pastry:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup lard or shortening
3/4 cup cold water

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the lard or shortening until the mixture is like coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface until it forms a 10-inch circle. Place 1 cup of the meat filling in the center of each circle. Fold pastry over the filling and seal the edges tightly with a fork; cut some air vent slits in the top of each one. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour or until golden brown.

Yield: 5 pasties

Note: File Photo

GOLD RUSH BRUNCH

Note: This recipe is from the 17th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off. That's why I am using the Pillsbury products names. You, of course, are able to use other products. This recipe is from the 1960s.

1 pkg Pillsbury Hash Brown Potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup Land O'Lakes Butter
1/2 cup Pillsbury's Best Flour (Regular, Instant Blending or Self-Rising*)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 to 1 1/2 lbs sliced Canadian-style bacon
8 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare potatoes according to package directions; drain well. Stir in onion and parsley. Place in well-greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Melt butter in saucepan; blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream. Pour over potatoes, lifting potatoes lightly to permit sauce to mix well. Arrange bacon in an over-lapping row down center of dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Make 4 indentations on each side of bacon; slip 1 egg carefully into each indentation. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until eggs are set.

*For use with Pillsbury's Best Self-Rising Flour, omit salt.

Yield: 8 servings

ROAST BEEF PIE WITH POTATO CRUST

This recipe is from the White House Cookbook, 1894.

When you have a cold roast of beef, cut off as much as will half fill a baking dish suited to the size of your family; put this sliced beef into a stewpan with any gravy that you may have also saved, a lump of butter, a bit of sliced onion and a seasoning of pepper and salt, with enough water to make plenty of gravy; thicken it, too, by dredging in a tablespoonful of flour; cover it up on the fire, where it may stew gently, but not be in danger of burning. Meanwhile there must be boiled a sufficient quantity of potatoes to fill up your baking dish, after the stewed meat has been transferred to it. The potatoes must be boiled done, mashed smooth, and beaten up with milk and butter, as if they were to be served alone, and placed in a thick layer on top of the meat. Brush it over with egg, place the dish in an oven, and let it remain there long enough to be brown. There should be a goodly quantity of gravy left with the beef, that the dish be not dry and tasteless.

Early Picture of White House Kitchen

STREUSEL PUMPKIN PIE

This may not be a true 'vintage' recipe but it is one I have had for many years.

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup + 1 tbsp Crisco shortening
4 - 5 tbsp water

Combine the flour, pecans and salt together in a bowl; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork, until mixture forms a ball. Divide in half. Roll out each half separately to fit a 9-in pie plate.  Flute edges and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Filling:
1 can (30-oz) pumpkin pie mix
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork

Combine all filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until blended; pour into the prepared pie plates, dividing evenly.

Streusel:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp cold butter or stick margarine

Combine the sugar, flour, pecans and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the fillings.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Refrigerate until serving time.

Note: File Photo

STRAWBERRY PEAR GELATIN SALAD

1 can (29-oz) pears
1 pkg (6-oz) strawberry gelatin
1 brick (8-oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 carton (8-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Mandarin oranges for garnish, if desired

Drain pears; reserve juice. Chop pears and set aside.

Add enough water to pear juice to make 3 cups; place in saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the gelatin, stirring until completely dissolved. Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Remove from refrigerator and whisk in the whipped topping until smooth. Fold in the chopped pears and transfer to a 9 x 13-inch glass dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm.

To serve, cut into squares and garnish each square with a mandarin orange slice, if desired.

Yield: 12 or 16 servings

This is an old recipe I have had for years.

Note: File photo

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BAKE

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed (should have about 2 cups
1/2 cup mayonnaise (no substitutions work well in this recipe)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crushed saltines
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter, melted

Place squash in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well and place in a large bowl; mash.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, egg, sugar, salt and pepper. Add mixture to the squash and mix together well.

Transfer to a greased baking dish. Combine the cracker crumbs, Parmesan and butter; sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until to is browned and casserole is heated through.

Yield: 6 servings

Note this is a recipe I have had since the 1990s.

Note: File Photo

1894 WHITE HOUSE CRANBERRY SAUCE

This recipe is from the White House Cookbook, 1894.

One quart of cranberries, two cupfuls of sugar and a pint of water. Wash the cranberries, then put them on the fire with the water, but in a covered saucepan. Let them simmer until each cranberry bursts open; then remove the cover of the saucepan, add the sugar and let them all boil twenty minutes without the cover. The cranberries must never be stirred from the time they are placed on the fire. This is an unfailing recipe for a most delicious preparation of cranberries. Very fine with turkey and game.

Note: File Photo

GOLDEN GATE SNACK BREAD

This recipe is from the 1966 Pillsbury Bake Off. This bread won a $25,000 prize and that was a lot of money in 1966, the year I got married.

3 1/2

cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour

2

tablespoons sugar

2

pkg. active dry yeast

1

cup water 

2

tablespoons margarine or butter

1

(8-oz.) jar pasteurized process cheese spread

1 tsp

Buttery Onion Filling:

1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened

3

tablespoons dry onion soup mix

• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar and yeast; blend well.
• In small saucepan, heat water and 2 tablespoons margarine until very warm (120 to 130°F.). Add warm liquid to flour mixture; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Beat in cheese until blended. By hand, stir in remaining 2 cups flour to make a stiff dough. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85°F.) until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup margarine and onion soup mix; blend well. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet. Punch down dough. On floured surface, roll out dough to a 20x14-inch rectangle. (Be sure sides are straight before rolling.) Spread with filling. Starting with 14-inch side, roll up, pressing edges and ends to seal. With knife, carefully cut lengthwise down center to form 2 loaves. Place cut side up on greased cookie sheet. Cover; let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Bake at 350°F. for 15 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: The original 1966 recipe called for 1 teaspoon of salt in the bread ingredients. Over the years, probably due to health consciences reason the salt was eliminated.

Yield: 2 loaves

OLD SOUTHERN RECIPE FOR DOUBLE PIE PASTRY

2 1/2 cups White Lily all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup solid shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 tbsp sour cream
4 - 5 tbsp ice water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar; add the butter and cut into the flour mixture using two knives or a pastry cutter. Add the shortening using the same procedure. Mix in the sour cream. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the dough mixture. Use a large rubber-type spatula to press down until the dough sticks together. Add more water, one tablespoon at a time if needed.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a ball using floured hands. Flatten each ball into a disk. Dust each side with flour, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30-40 minutes before rolling out.

Lightly flour a clean countertop and a rolling pin; remove one disk from the refrigerator and roll out until it is a couple inches larger in diameter than your pie pan. Brush the top of the dough lightly with flour and fold in half. Place the folded dough into half of the pan and unfold. Trim the excess to 1/2-inch from the edge of the pie pan and fold dough under.

Add desired filling, roll out the other dough,place atop filling, trim excess and fold under. Using a fork, press edges to seal or make a fancier edge by pinching together with fingers.

Note: File Photo

IMPOSSIBLE TURKEY (OR CHICKEN) PIE

2 cups cut-up cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 jar (4 1/2-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup sliced green onions, tops included
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
3 eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle the turkey, mushrooms, onions and cheese in the pie plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth, 15 seconds in blender on high or 1 minute with hand beater.

Pour into pie plate. Bake until golden brown and knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. 7 servings.