Golden Carrot Soup

Ingredients
1/3 c butter
1/2 c chopped onion
2 c thinly sliced carrots
3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 c boiling water
1/3 c long-grain rice
1/2 tsp salt
2 c milk


Method
Sauté onions in butter until golden. Add carrots and toss until coated with butter. Add bouillon cubes, water and rice; cover and simmer until carrots are tender, and rice is cooked. Add salt. Add to blender one third at a time and blend until smooth. Return to saucepan; add milk and heat.

Makes six 8-oz. (250 mL) servings.

Source
Clipped from a Milk Calendar from the Dairy Bureau of Canada from the late 1970s or early 1980s. You can see this recipe here, where it’s identified as 1979.

Comments

• 1/3 cup of butter! That adds up to 2 tsp per serving. I would make it with about 1—2 Tbsp in total nowadays. 
• I’d also taste the soup before adding the final 1/2 tsp of salt; adding it would depend on how salty the bouillon is.
• Any rice would do, I think; it doesn’t necessarily have to be long grain.
• You can use potato instead of rice.
• Taste of Home has a version that increases the onion (relatively), adds garlic, reduces the butter, and garnishes the finished soup with parsley. It looks good. The recipe contributor is Canadian; my guess is that her version is based on the Milk Calendar’s recipe.
• Make the soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth or bouillon cubes, or vegan by also using olive oil instead of butter and a non-dairy milk (sorry, Dairy Bureau).

Pasta Skillet – Two Ways

Mozzarella Spaghetti Skillet
Ingredients
1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef
2 c (500 mL) sliced mushrooms
1 c (250 mL) chopped onion
1 c (250 mL) chopped green pepper
1 28-oz can (about 3 cups) tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c (375 mL) broken spaghetti
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (500 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese

Method
Combine beef, mushrooms, onion and green pepper in a large frypan (perferably non-stick). Sauté over medium heat until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain fat. Cut up tomatoes, and add to pan with their liquid. Stir in water, spaghetti, seasoning and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 min. or until pasta is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Add cheese, stir until melted. Makes 5–6 servings.


Colby Macaroni Skillet
As above, but use uncooked elbow macaroni instead of spaghetti.
Omit Italian seasoning.
Add 1 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
Use colby cheese instead of mozarella.

Comments
Although this recipe was developed to promote cheese (see below), IMO it is also great without the cheese.
Alternatively, use any similar mild cheese instead of the colby; monterrey jack, mild cheddar, etc.

Source

A recipe card by the Dairy Bureau of Canada, probably from the early 1980s. There was no website in those days of course, but these days, the Dairy Bureau’s collection of cheese recipes can be found online here.

The same recipe is still there with the same photo, but updated with the addition of some balsamic or red wine vinegar, Parmesan cheese, and optional fresh basil!

Pasta with Fresh Asparagus

Pasta With Fresh Asparagus

Ingredients
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp salt
8 oz (225 g) spaghetti or fettucini

1 lb (450 g) asparagus
1 c (250 mL) sour cream
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1–1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1/4 c coarsely chopped pimento


Method
Cook the pasta, adding the oil and salt to the water.
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in a wide frying pan with at least 1 inch water, covered, 5–8 minutes until the asparagus is tender. Drain, cut into bite-sized pieces.
When the pasta is finished cooking and has been drained, put sour cream, cheese, mustard and garlic in the pot. Stir until well mixed. Add pasta, asparagus and pimento, and toss to mix well until most of the cream is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
Makes 2–3 servings.

Comments
Or you can steam the asparagus standing it upright in a tall covered pot. The recipe doesn’t mention first breaking off the woody ends of the asparagus stems, but it’s a good idea to do so before cooking.
It’s unclear whether to heat the dish for the last 3 or so minutes; I’d guess that it should be done over a low flame, stirring constantly.

Source
Unknown. I had copied this recipe from some newspaper, book or magazine probably in the early 1980s.

Ontario’s Summer Vegetables

Source
This is an Ontario Ministry of Food and Agriculture brochure from 1980 or 1981. It has tips on storing vegetables, and three dip recipes, two salad recipes and a dressing recipe.

Creamy Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients
4 oz. (115 g) blue cheese
1 c sour cream
1 c mayonnaise
1 tsp finely chopped onion
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Method
Mash the blue cheese and mix together all the ingredients. Cover and chill.

Comments
I would increase the onion and maybe the Worcestershire sauce. The mayonnaise can be reduced or eliminated, or (partially) substituted by plain unsweetened yogurt.

Bacon and Egg Dip

Ingredients
1 8-oz (225 g) pkg cream cheese, softened 
1/4 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 slices bacon fried crisp, crumbled
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
6 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp finely chopped dill pickle

Method
Beat together the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill.

Herb Cheese Dip

Ingredients
1 c cream-style cottage cheese
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp hot dog relish
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped

Method
Combine, cover and chill.

Comments
I would suggest mashing the cottage cheese through a sieve or at least with a fork, otherwise the dip is likely not going to be attractive.
Strangely named dish. You’d expect something called “herb cheese dip” to contain some herbs.
The relish is an odd touch.

Super Salad
I will just summarize, since a basic garden salad doesn’t really need a recipe:
Iceberg and romaine lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, grated carrot, thinly sliced cucumber, sliced celery, thinly sliced radishes, chopped green onion, tomatoes cut in wedges.

Herbed Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 c vinegar
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil leaves
1/2 tsp oregano leaves


Method
Combine in blender until smooth and creamy. Store in refrigerator.


Warm Spinach Salad

Ingredients
5 oz (140 g) spinach, washed, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 c thinly sliced mushrooms
6 slices side bacon, cooked until crisp
Parmesan cheese to garnish


Dressing
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar


Method
Combine dressing ingredients in saucepan. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes until sugar dissolved. Pour over salad ingredients while still warm. Toss lightly and sprinkle with cheese.

Mexican Lima Chiles Update

I made a version of the  “Mexican” Lima Chiles from last September. It turned out something like a cassoulet seasoned with a bit of poblano chile. I had forgot that the recipe calls for two cans of chiles, and only bought one chile. It cost 1 peso, and the store guy was going to have to go next door to get 4 pesos to give me change, but I asked him, “Let me have my change in guavas instead,” because the guavas were looking particularly good; neither too far gone, nor too green. It was a good deal!

I substituted alubia grande for the lima beans.  I had some mushrooms that were in a now-or-never state, so I included them as a way to use them up. Using olive oil instead of butter, I sauteed the mushrooms, sliced, with some sliced onion, together with the strips of toasted and peeled poblano and chopped garlic. I layered this mixture, instead of canned chiles, with the beans and grated cheese as per the recipe.

It was very good, aside from the beans being not quite soft enough (as I was in a hurry). The dish benefited from a long time in a slow oven with the casserole lid on instead of the baking procedure given in the recipe. Very flavourful.

Three Christmas Cookies for 2010

I’m taking a break from the 30-year-old recipes today to record this year’s Christmas cookies. Although the recipes are not new, they’re new to me. It took a bit of searching and adjusting to get them to turn out right, so I don’t want to forget the tips and tricks I used.


Ginger Crackle Top Cookies

Ingredients
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp  ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp  salt
3/4 cup butter-flavoured shortening; or half shortening, half butter
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp  sugar (or brown sugar, or half white and half brown sugar)
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
more sugar for topping, about 1/4 cup

Method
Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar(s) until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, scraping down sides of bowl. Add molasses; beat well. In three additions, beat in, then stir in flour mixture just until incorporated. Chill dough.
Shape dough into 24 (or more) balls, each about 2 tbsp (30 mL). Roll balls in bowl with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place several inches apart on large, parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake in preheated 325ºF (160ºC) oven until just golden, 10 to 12 min. (Cookies will spread.)

Source
Adapted from the Dec. 4 entry in the Toronto Star’s 2010 Advent cookie calendar.

Comments
Cookies made from the original recipe in the Star article spread into giant, thin buttery crisps, but I wanted the thick, domed, crackle-top cookie shown in the photo that accompanied the article, and by adjusting some of the ingredients, I got that result on the second try.
Cookies that were baked a week and a half later from dough that had been refrigerated in a well-sealed container were just as good as the first day.
I haven’t found a source for molasses in Mexico (except where it’s sold in large pails as pig feed), but small amounts for cooking can be recreated with 3 to 4 parts piloncillo (crushed or grated) with 1 part water, heated together in a dish placed in hot water and stirred until the sugar is dissolved.


Chocolate Crackle Top Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 6 oz. (170 g.) semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup  oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c walnuts (lightly toasted and chopped fairly fine)
About 1/2 c. icing sugar (to roll cookies in)


Method
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler. Remove from heat, add sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time, beat well. Add vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt and add to chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts. Chill dough. Shape teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in icing sugar. Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) until done (10 to 12 minutes).

Source
The Internet. One version can be found at cooks.com, but it doesn’t tell you to bake them!

Toasted Almond Pressed Cookies

Ingredients
2/3 cup  sugar
1 cup butter
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
2–3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c ground almonds (first blanched and toasted)

Method
Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour which has been combined with salt, cinnamon and ground almonds. Mix until very well combined. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350ºF (175ºC) for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are golden.

Source
A combination of the Joy of Cooking, Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book, and this.

Comments
This dough turned out just right for the cookie press. It has to be neither too soft nor too dry and hard. The first three or four attempts at squeezing out cookies didn’t work, but I just kept on trying and all at once they started to press out properly and stay on the cookie sheet.
These cookies could be made in other flavours by varying the liquid flavouring (e.g. lemon, almond or maple), and the nuts (or leaving out the nuts; increase the flour to 2 1/2 cups in that case), and/or omitting the cinnamon.

Two Green Bean Salads

Bean Salad

Ingredients
18 oz (225 g) frozen or 32 oz canned beans (half green, half wax)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp oregano
dash sugar


Method
Combine beans and mushrooms. Combine remaining ingredients and toss with vegetables. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Let stand at room temperature 20 min. before serving.

Source
Something I had copied out (probably from a newspaper or magazine) in the mid-early 1980s.

Comments
If using frozen beans, cook them first.

Oriental Green Bean Salad

Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) green beans, cooked
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp hot mustard
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp sesame seed, toasted

Method
Combine all ingredients except sesame seed. Cover and chill several hours. Let stand 20 min. at room temperature before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seed.


Source
Same as above.