Archive for September, 2005

1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar Add seasonings to sour cream. Stir in the chives or onion and parsley, and beat in vinegar to taste. Yield: 6 servings.

One of the best recipes for a good party is the choice of congenial guests who have common tastes. Most of us have a group of friends whom we see more than others, and who like to meet regularly. A practical plan for these social occasions is for each hostess in turn to entertain the group, with cooperation from the other members.

The hostess takes responsibility for planning the supper, which is usually served buffet style. She will, of course, consult with the other members of the group in regard to which foods each will bring. She will often prepare the meat in her own kitchen, and the man of the family will usually take responsibility for the mixing of the pre-dinner drinks. Sometimes the meat or other main dishes will be among the contributed articles, which should be of the type that can be transported successfully. Casseroles of vegetables, the ingredients and dressing for the salad, canapes or spreads and crackers to serve with the drinks, bread and rolls, and certain kinds of dessert will not be injured by traveling a few miles.

While the cooperative party may seem like a modern idea, a group of my friends from a small Pennsylvania town have been following this practice for several decades. The meals are called “tureen” suppers, as when they began this practice the word “buffet” was not used in the sense it is today. Whatever you call it, an affair of this sort makes a social occasion for all, calls for little work for the hostess and gives pleasure to everyone.

Veal scallopini
Spaghetti
sprinkled with Parmesan cheese
Tossed green salad
Hot rolls
Bread sticks
Angel pie
Coffee

Meat loaf
Mushroom sauce
New potatoes with chives
Asparagus vinaigrette Tomato and cucumber salad
Jellied grapefruit
Coffee

Stuffed veal rolls in wine Noodles with poppy seeds
Baby beets
Wilted lettuce
Strawberries
Coffee
 
Scalloped oysters with watercress
Creamed potatoes
Peas with mushrooms
Salad bowl
Peaches Jubilee
Cinnamon cookies
Coffee

Roast pork 
Sweet potato casserole
Applesauce
Creamed spinach
Red and white cabbage salad
Chocolate fudge pudding  Coffee

Very special pot roast
Potato puff
String beans
Cucumbers with sour cream
Dutch apple cake
Coffee

2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder (double action)
teaspoon soda 1/2 teaspoon cloves
teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
cup brown sugar
cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
? to cup eggs, unbeaten (3 medium)

Mix and sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, spices and granulated sugar. Add brown sugar, shortening and buttermilk. Beat vigorously 2 minutes. Add unbeaten eggs and beat 2 minutes. Bake in 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer cake pans, 30 to 35 minutes in moderate oven (350 F.). Remove from pans, cool and frost between layers and over top and sides with vanilla flavored double boiler frosting.

1 tablespoon salt 
1 tablespoon sugar  
1 tablespoon dry mustard 
teaspoon marjoram or oregano
1 cup tarragon vinegar 
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 leg lamb, 6 to 7 pounds
1 cup olive oil

Mix salt, sugar, mustard, marjoram or oregano, vinegar and Tabasco. Make a number of slashes on each side of meat and pour vinegar mixture over it. Let stand at least an hour. Drain. Brush with oil and grill some distance from the coals. Add remaining oil to vinegar mixture and continue basting as the lamb cooks, turning often. To see if done, test with fork. The lamb is done when the juice is no longer red. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Peel and slice onions. Heat fat in skillet. Add onions and cook over low heat until lightly brown, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Yield: 12 servings.