Norwegian Meat Pie

4 eggs
½ c. milk
1 ½ c. bread cubes
¾ lb. ground beef
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
¼ lb. sliced bacon (about 5 strips)
¼ lb. sharp cheese
½ c. chopped celery
2 c. milk
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery salt
½ tsp. garlic salt

Beat 1 egg with milk; add bread cubes; let stand about 5 minutes. Add beef, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion and salt; mix well.

Line bottom and sides of 9” or 10” pie pan with mixture.

Fry bacon until crisp; crumble, and sprinkle over meat in pan.

Shred or cube cheese; sprinkle cheese and celery over top.

Beat remaining 3 eggs slightly; add milk and seasonings. Pour gently into meat shell.

Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate (350 degrees) and bake 30 minutes, or until custard tests done. Makes 6 servings.

Cottage Coleslaw

A salad men like; it’s a good-for-you, tasty dish.

½ c. cottage cheese
½ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
3 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. onion juice
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. caraway seed (optional)
6 c. finely shredded cabbage
2 c. diced cored apples
½ c. chopped green pepper (optional)

Combine cottage cheese and mayonnaise. Add vinegar, onion juice, seasonings and caraway seed.

Combine dressing with cabbage, apples, and green pepper.

Place in large bowl lined with cabbage leaves. Garnish with cottage cheese and green pepper. Chill thoroughly. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Minted Walnuts

1 c. sugar
½ c. water
¼ c. light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
6 marshmallows, cut up
3 drops oil of peppermint
2 ½ c. walnut halves

Combine sugar, water, syrup, and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until mixture reaches 230 degrees, or just before the soft ball stage. Add marshmallows, stir to melt.

Add oil of peppermint, then walnuts. Stir until mixture starts to lose its glossiness and hardens slightly.

Quickly turn out on plain paper; separate into individual pieces. Cool. Makes 28 to 36 pieces.

Broccoli au Gratin

2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen cut broccoli
2 (10 ½ oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
½ c. buttered toasted bread crumbs
½ c. grated sharp cheese

Cook broccoli as directed on package; drain. Bring soup to boil; add broccoli.

Place in casserole. Sprinkle with crumbs and cheese. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

Party Ham Loaf

5 c. ground cooked ham
2/3 c. minced onion
1 c. rolled oats
½ tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. ground cloves
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 c. milk
¼ c. currant jelly
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

Combine ham, onion, oats, seasonings, eggs and milk; mix thoroughly. Shape like a ham in shallow baking pan; score top in diamond designs.

Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for 45 minutes. Remove; brush top with melted jelly and horseradish mixed. Trim with pineapple and maraschino cherries if desired. Makes 8 servings.

The word “bonbon” comes from the French “bon,” meaning good. Typically, they are sweet chocolaty morsels that melt in your mouth. However, this cheese bonbon recipe is savory rather than sweet, with cheese, flour, pecans, and butter being the main ingredients. Cheese bonbons are great to take to a potluck or served as an hors d’œuvre.

Cheese Bonbons

¾ c. shortening (part butter)
1 ½ c. shredded sharp cheese
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ c. sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
Small pecan halves

Cream shortening until light and fluffy; add cheese.

Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Form dough into small balls about 1” in diameter; put on baking sheet about 1” apart. Place pecan half on each. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 15 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen.

This molded fruit salad recipe has peaches, pears, bananas, and watercress in it to make a colorful side dish, great for picnics and cookouts. In the summertime, use fresh fruit to get the best flavor.

Molded Fruit Salad

1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon flavored gelatin
1 (3 oz.) pkg. orange flavored gelatin
4 c. hot water
1 (1 lb.) can sliced cling peaches
1 (1 lb.) can pear halves
3 bananas
1 bunch watercress

Dissolve lemon gelatin in 2 c. water as directed on package. Dissolve orange gelatin the same way in separate bowl. Chill lemon gelatin in syrupy stage. Set bowl in big pan of iced water to speed job.

Drain peaches and pears. Lightly oil 7 c. mold. Set in pan of iced water. Add ¼ c. lemon gelatin. Tilt and turn mold to make thin coating of gelatin to anchor peach slices. Place 5 slices, or more if needed, around edge of mold for a pretty crown. Add a little gelatin to anchor.

Add 1 sliced banana to half of lemon gelatin. Spoon into mold. Cool until firm (takes only a few minutes).

Dice remaining peaches into rest of gelatin. Make another layer. Chill.

Meanwhile, cool orange gelatin to syrupy stage. Add 2 sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 over molded layers. Line sides of mold with well-drained pear halves, letting ends rest on firm layer. Fill mold. Chill until firm.

To unmold, run tip of knife around edge of gelatin to loosen. Dip mold in warm (not hot) water a few seconds. Invert on serving tray. Garnish with fresh watercress or lettuce.

Serve with Tangy Fruit Dressing.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Tangy Fruit Dressing

Combine 1/3 c. sugar, 1 Tbsp. flour, ½ tsp. Salt and ¾ tsp. Ginger in top of double boiler. Beat 1 egg yolk; add ¾ c. pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Mix with dry ingredients. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until thick, about 3 minutes. Cool. Blend in ¼ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing and ½ c. heavy cream, whipped.

A pilau is like a rice pilaf dish, and this beef pilau recipe is made into a one dish casserole for a quick meal. It originally calls for quick-cooking rice, but regular rice should do just fine.

Beef Pilau

1 lb. round or chuck steak
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 c. rice
1 (1 lb. 4 oz.) can tomatoes
1 (1 lb. 4 oz.) can red kidney beans
1 (10 ½ oz.) can beef consommé (stock)
1 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt

Cut meat into 1” cubes; heat butter in skillet. Add onion, salt and meat; brown.

Fill 2 qt. casserole with: layer of meat, then rice, tomatoes, and beans. Repeat.

Combine consommé, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Pour into casserole.

Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 1 hour. If casserole is shallow, add a little water as needed to keep mixture moist. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This recipe for molded beet salad is another jello mold recipe from the 50s. Ingredients include beets, lemon juice, beet juice, cabbage, and horseradish.

Beet Perfection Salad

2 (1 Tbsp.) envelopes unflavored gelatin
½ c. cold water
1 ½ c. hot beet juice or boiling water
1 c. cider vinegar
Juice 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
½ c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 c. finely shredded cabbage
2 c. coarsely shredded or diced cooked beets

Soften gelatin in cold water; add hot liquid to dissolve. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, horseradish, sugar and salt. Chill until thick and syrupy.

Fold in cabbage and beets. Pour into 1 ½ qt. mold or 8 individual molds. Makes 8 servings.

A casserole fitting for this day of the week. I don’t know why this tuna casserole recipe is meant only for Fridays—maybe because during Lent you’re not supposed to eat meat on Fridays? Or maybe because it’s a quick and easy dish after a week of cooking for the family. Either way, Friday Casserole has the signature macaroni and tuna, with canned lima beans, corn, bread crumbs, cheese, and more.

Friday Casserole

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. macaroni
3 (7 oz.) cans tuna, drained and flaked
2 c. canned, drained whole kernel corn
2 c. canned, drained peas or baby lima beans
2 c. cubed Cheddar (sharp) cheese
1 qt. milk, heated
4 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ c. dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water, as directed on package, until tender. Drain. Put in 2 greased 2 qt. casseroles.

Add tuna, corn, and peas.

Melt cheese in milk; add seasonings. Pour over macaroni and fish-vegetable layer, mixing slightly. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top; dot with butter.

Bake in moderate oven (375) 20 minutes, or until browned. Makes 12 servings.

From the Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook. Gotta love the aspic!

Molded Ham, Chicken, or Tuna

2 (3 oz.) pkgs. lemon-flavored gelatin
4 c. hot water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar
4 c. ham, chicken, or tuna salad

Dissolve gelatin in hot water, add lemon juice. Chill until thick and syrupy.

Stir in ham, chicken, or your favorite tuna salad. Pour into two 9 x4×1 ½” pans. Chill until firm enough to slice. Makes 25 servings.