Italian Meatloaf

½ cup cracker crumbs

1 ½ lb ground beef

1 6oz can tomato paste

2 eggs

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup finely chopped green pepper

¾ teaspoon salt, pepper

Combine and pat in ½ mixture into 8X8 pan.

Filling:

½ cup cracker crumbs

1 12 oz carton cottage cheese

1 3 oz can mushrooms

1 Tablespoon parsley

¼ teaspoon oregano

Place filling on top of meat in pan. Top with remaining ½ of meat.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ham Loaf

2/3lb ground smoked ham
1 1/3 lb ground fresh pork
2 eggs (Beaten)
1 cup milk
1 cup fine cracker crumbs
Mix well and shape into a loaf.
Topping:
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup vinegar
1 Tablespoon mustard
Boil 10 minutes and pour over loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

I LOVE Ham loaf!!! Growing up ham loaf was a regular staple in our home and often my Mom would have my Grandma go to her small town butcher to get pre-made ham loafs. To tell you the truth until I came across this recipe card I had no idea how ham loaf was made!! Now that I’ve found this card I can’t stop thinking about ham loaf!!

Oven-Fried Pecan Chicken

 2 cups pecan pieces

½ cup cornflake crumbs

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup flour

¾ cup buttermilk

5 Tablespoons margarine

4 lbs cut-up chicken parts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grind pecan pieces in hand grinder or in food processor until finely ground but not pasty. Place ground nuts in small shallow dish, such as a pie plate, and mix in the cornflake crumbs.  Combine all seasonings and the flour in another small shallow dish. Place buttermilk in a third dish. Place margarine in a jellyroll pan or baking sheet with sides. Place in oven until margarine is melted. Remove from oven. Dip chicken pieces first in flour mixture, then in buttermilk, then in pecan mixture, turning so that chicken is well-coated on all sides. Allow excess buttermilk to drain before placing chicken in pecans. Place chicken in baking pan with melted margarine, turning to coat both sides. Bake about 50 minutes, until chicken is brown, crisp and tender, turning once halfway through the baking time. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature or cool, cover and refrigerate then serve cold. Makes 6-8 servings. 

Rock Cornish Game Hens

6 game hens

Lemon Juice

Salt

Bacon

Stuffing:

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 2/3 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon butter

½ cup celery-chopped

1/3 cup parsley-chopped

½ cup water chestnuts

1 can mushrooms

6 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon marjoram

½ teaspoon thyme

Bring water to boil. Add rice, salt and butter. Cook over low for 40-45 minutes. Sauté celery, onion, parsley, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add rice.  Season with salt, marjoram and thyme.  Stuff hens. Lay slice of bacon over birds. Roast uncovered for 1 ½ hours or until tender. Note-Roasting bags can be used. 

Steak Diane

6 8oz filets
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons shallots
½ cup beef bouillon
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ tablesppon mustard
2 cups mushrooms
¼ cup cognac
Pound steaks ¼” thick. Dredge with mixed flour, salt and pepper. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter. Brown steaks-1 minute or so on each side. Spread both side with mustard and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce. Set aside. Melt remaining butter in skillet and add mushrooms and shallots. Sauté 2 minutes. Add cognac and flame. Stir in bouillon and remaining Worcestershire. Stir till hot. Return steaks to skillet and reheat 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

This is a recipe from Sue Woods. It includes the following note, “Sue- I always double the amount of sauce & mushrooms mixture. It’s a little dry otherwise. Also-I just spread both sides with Dijon mustard and sprinkle with Worcestershire-I don’t measure it. I don’t always make the filets ¼” thickIt just depends on the filet. Enjoy!”

Moo Goo Gai Pan

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
2 Chicken breasts (deboned)
3 Tablespoons oil
2 green onions
¼ lb mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon garlic
¼ teaspoon ginger
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
1 can chicken broth
1 package snow peas
About 2 cups cooked rice.
Cut chicken into 1” cubes, toss in 1 Tablespoon cornstarch & salt. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Cook chicken unti l lightly browned (2-3 minutes). Remove chicken, add scallions, mushrooms, garlic, ginger- cook 1 minute. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and chicken broth. Stir into skillet. Cook until thickened. Stir in pea pods. Heat through. Serve on rice.

Noodles with Veal Sauce

2lb boneless veal, cut into ½ cubes

¼ cup oil

1 cup sliced celery

2 small onions, separated into rings

2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce

½ cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoon paprika

1 package egg noodles

½ cup parsley

Brown veal. Add celery and onion, cook until tender crisp. Add tomato sauce, water, sugar, paprika and salt. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Serve over noodles  and sprinkle with parsley.

Grandma's Sloppy Joes

1lb ground beef, salt & pepper-browned
Sauce:
1 cup Catsup
1 ½ Tablespoons vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons worstershire
1 finely chopped onion
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon dry mustard
1 ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
Mix together ingredients for the sauce and add to the browned meat. Heat sauce but not enough to cook celery and onion.

This a recipe Mom got from my Grandma, Marie Allison.

Golden Lasagna

3 Tablespoons butter

¼ lb sliced mushrooms

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup chopped green peppers

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon basil leaves

8 lasagna noodles

1 16oz container of cottage cheese

3 cups cooked cubed chicken

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter and then sauté mushrooms, onion, green pepper in butter until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken soup, milk and basil. Arrange 4 noodles in greased 13x9x2 pan (glass). Top with layers of ½ sauce, ½ cottage cheese ½ chicken, ½ cheddar cheese and ½ parmesan cheese. Add remaining layers. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Market Day Halibut Wild Rice

Yield 6 servings
1lb Market Day Halibut Steak
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
1tsp salt
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1-3/4 cup water
1 (10 ¾ oz) can of cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz) jar pasteurized process cheese spread
1 (6 oz) jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
Rinse Market Day Halibut Steak and drain. Place in skillet with water, wine and salt. Bright to a boil; simmer, covered, until Halibut flakes easily with fork, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Flake fish, combine with remaining ingredients in a 2 quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven until bubbly in the center, about 50 to 55 minutes.

Market Day was a fundraiser through our elementary school that had “bulk” items and pre-cooked or family size portions of food to purchase. Market Day was always exciting because we would go after school to pick up the food items and Mom would always get something sweet in her order. My favorite Market Day order was for a frozen chicken stir fry that my brother hated.

Terry’s Manicotti

1lb ground beef

½  cup onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 (6oz) cans tomato paste

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1 teaspoon basil

1 ½ teaspoon salt & pepper

8 Manicotti Shells

½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Filling:

3 cups cottage cheese, drained

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/3 cup snipped parsley

½ teaspoon salt & pepper

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, water, parsley, basil, salt, pepper. Simmer 30 minutes.

Combine filling ingredients.

Cook Manicotti shells until just tender. Pour ½ meat sauce into 12”x7” baking dish.  Stuff Manicotti shells with filling. Arrange stuffed shells on top of meat sauce. Cover w/ remaining ½ of sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Sweet N’ Sour Brisket

1 can of beer
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (Canned)
½ cup catsup Combine above ingredients.
2 Tbs. oil
4.5 lbs brisket
1 large onion, sliced

Brown brisket in oil in dutch oven. Transfer brisket to plate. Brown onions in same pot. Place brisket in onions. Pour beer mixture over brisket. Bring liquids to boil. Cover pot tightly. Bake 350 degrees about 3 hours until tender. Let brisket cool 30 minutes before serving. Slice brisket. Reduce sauce before serving and thicken with a little cornstarch if needed. Place meat in sauce. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

This recipe I don’t remember specifically but I can see the splatters on the recipe card and well worn edges of the card as signs of a well loved recipe.