Andy’s Blue Cheese Dressing

by Mrs Marvel

Blue Cheese Dressing

 

Speaking of blue cheese dressing, here’s a recipe that makes quite a lot of dressing! I think the measurements could be cut, since a quart of dressing is enough for a LOT of salad. Unfortunately in my house, I’m the only one who likes blue cheese dressing. Bummer. I suspect this could be made without the tomato juice (which sounds horrible to me). Most recipes for blue cheese dressing call for Worcestershire sauce and sour cream, so this variation could be an interesting spin on a classic. Enjoy with your salad or buffalo wings!

Andy’s Blue Cheese Dressing – makes 1 qt

1 t garlic chopped

1 t parsley chopped

1 c blue cheese crumbled

3/4 c sugar

2 c mayonnaise

3/4 c tomato juice

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t salt

1 t celery seed

1/2 t oregano

1 t Accent

1 c heavy cream

Combine all, beat well

Fruit & Avocado Salad

by Mrs Marvel

Fruit Avocado Salad

 

When I first read the title of this recipe card, I was a little worried. Fruit AND avocado salad? That can be risky. My mother used to put sliced oranges and avocado into green salad with bleu cheese dressing and it somehow worked. I usually sucked the dressing off the oranges before chewing them though, lol, but I digress. This recipe really appears to be a fruit jello mold with avocado garnish.

Fruit & Avocado Salad

1 pkg lemon jello

1 1/2 c water

1/2 c orange juice

Oranges & grapefruit [place into jello mixture in a ring or other mold]

Put avocado balls around mold when read to serve.

Beans, rice

by Mrs Marvel

Beans Rice

 

Sometimes, finding a side dish is one of the more difficult decisions during dinner preparations. You want to balance an entree with other food choices that won’t make the diner too full, or leave them wanting more because they are hungry. Rice is a basic in our house. Here are two side dishes on one slip of paper, for your perusal. Unfortunately, much was left to the cook’s own knowledge and has been lost, so it’s a bit of a guessing game.

Beans

1/2 c water

1/2 c vinegar

Beans (perhaps 1 pound dry?)

4 T br[own] sugar

pepper & salt

Bacon chips on top after cooking

This appears to be for Boston baked beans. You would want to use dry navy or pinto beans, soak them overnight, then cook them on the stove until soft, 1-2 hours. Combine the rest of the ingredients with the beans in a Dutch oven. Bake in the oven at 300 for 1 hour. At that time, begin checking for the tenderness and doneness of the beans. If not fully cooked, add an hour. Once they are done, top with the bacon pieces and serve.

Rice

1 c raw rice

4 T butter

1 sm onion chopped

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 t thyme

2 1/2 c stock

350 20 min +

Top with melted butter & chopped parsley

My take on this one is to melt the butter, saute the onion in it, add the rice, continue to saute until the rice gets a “glassy” look, add the rest of the ingredients and bake. You can do this all in one casserole dish that can go from stove to oven. I probably wouldn’t cover it. Stir before serving.

Thoughts on food

by Mrs Marvel

I have been preoccupied recently and have not given you many new recipe posts or even a page from Irene’s home ec class, and for that I apologize. It is a truism that life is what happens when you are busy making plans.

We went out to dinner last night to a local Mexican joint. My family loves Mexican food! There is just something about the spices and flavors that is so satisfying. Certainly we enjoy other ethnic foods but Mexican tops the list every time. As we sat there in the restaurant, the Ranchero music was blasting, my daughter was wiggling/dancing in her chair, and we were laughing. Just then a group of people of undetermined Asian origin were seated at a near by table. It made me remember that the first quesadilla I ever had was made by the Japanese lady who lived down the street from us in the 70s.

I realized again that the universal truth of food is that when it is good, it will appeal to people from all walks of life, all ethnic origins, and all regional distinctions. Here’s hoping your kitchen is turning out dishes that bring satisfaction and nourishment to your family and friends, no matter where they come from or where they go. I hope to update the site again with regularity soon. Thanks for your patience!

Mrs. Kate’s Salad Dressing

by Mrs Marvel

Celery Seed Salad Dressing

 

Celery seed has a strong odor and flavor, that I have discovered is one I do not like. When I was a kid we went camping a lot, and often driving past the acres of farmland I would smell the celery growing. It was never a good smell for me. But I do like celery to eat. Yes, weird, I know. Did you know that celery in its natural state looks different from the celery we purchase in the store? The stalks are clearly cut by the time we see them in the local Von’s, but celery has a leafy head which reminds me of giant parsley. Indeed, the word etymology begins with the Greek word selinon, meaning parsley.

Borrowed image from http://www.podgardening.co.nz

While celery originated in Greece, it eventually made its way to England by the 17th century, and America shortly after that. It was featured as a ‘winter’ food, so as to counteract the heavy salt use and flavors of preserved winter meats. Because it was at times difficult to grow, it was once considered a delicacy, and even spawned celery vases in some Victorian households. The vase was filled with water and the cleaned stalks were placed within, kept fresh all day, and available as a treat in between meals. It showed the family’s disposable wealth to be able to serve celery at any time.

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art

All that from the lowly, stinky celery seed!

Mrs. Kate’s Salad Dressing (Celery Seed)

1 cup sugar

1/4 teas salt

1/4 cup vinegar (I used 1/2)

1/2 teas dry mustard

2 teas celery seed

1/2 med onion (grated)

Beat until sugar well dissolved. Add very slowly while beating 1 1/2 cup Wesson (more or less)