FROM MY KITCHEN: Spring is coming soon!

Spring is Coming Soon!

OK, I am tired of the cold, ice, snow and all the rest that goes with the bad winter weather. I don’t drive in this kind of weather.  If the roads are clear, I’m afraid it is going to get bad, so I either stay home or have Raymond take me.
Dandelions can be a pest in the spring, but boy was I glad to see the one in my neighbor’s yard. I know spring is coming soon. All I have to do is repeat that every couple of hours during the day.
I have tried some new recipes during the bad days. Some of them were pretty good.  I tried watching some of the new shows on TV, but I didn’t care for them either. “American Idol” is back; I usually enjoy that. I just can’t seem to get involved in that either. Maybe I just need another bottle of Geritol.  I did enjoy looking up the spelling for Geritol on my spell check!
This is one of the recipes I tried and it is really good. It is from our Ruritan cookbook and was submitted by Mabel Mason. By the way, we still have some of those for sale. Let me know if you want one. The other recipes are from the same cookbook.

LAYERED MEAT
LOAF:  Mabel Mason
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 ½ tsp. slat
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg
½ c. bread crumbs
½ c. milk
1 can tomato soup
Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Blend well. In a 9x5x3” baking pan, alternate meat loaf mixture and dressing (recipe follows). Start with meat loaf, then layer of dressing and 1 last layer of meat. Pour 1 can tomato soup over meat loaf on top. Place in oven; bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes. Test with knife. Meat is done when knife blade comes out clean.
Dressing Recipe:
2 c. soft bread crumbs
½ c. chopped celery (small)
1 egg
1 tbl. onion, chopped small
1 tbl. minced parsley
1 tbl melted butter
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Proceed as above.  Serves 6

BAKED SALMON:    
Ann Stickley
1 can salmon
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 large onion, sliced thin
5 saltine crackers
Salt and pepper to taste
Break up salmon and mix with crackers. Place in a buttered 1 ½ to 2 qt. casserole. Add slice onion over top, cover with soup and bake at 350 until heated through or lightly browned. Recipe serves 4 but may be doubled.

HAM AND POTATO
CASSEROLE: Debra Moats
1 26 oz. pkg. frozen shredded potatoes
1 lb. ham, cut into bite size pieces
1 can cream of potato soup, undiluted (10 ¼ oz.)
½ tsp pepper
¼ c. grated Parmesan Cheese
1 c. 4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
Pinch of paprika
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon ham mixture into a lightly greased 9x13” baking dish. Bake at 400 for 25 min. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and paprika and bake 5 additional minutes or until thoroughly heated.

ORIENTAL
CHICKEN WINGS:  Bette
32 pieces chicken wings ( separated into drums and flats)
1 c. chopped red onion
1 c. soy sauce
¾ c. light brown sugar
¼ c. dry cooking sherry
2 tbl. chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Chopped fresh chives
Preheat broiler. Broil chicken wings about 5 min. per side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker. Combine onion, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, ginger and garlic in large bowl. Add to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot.

DEER MEATBALLS:   
Dennis Clevenger
5 lbs. deer burger
1 c. Italian bread crumbs
1 tbl garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tbl minced onions
1 tbl Italian seasoning
1 tsp pepper
2 eggs
1 can tomato paste (I use olive oil to dilute and mix well)
Mix all the ingredients together and roll into meatballs. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 15 min, and then turn them over. Bake for another 25 min. This will make approximately 75 meatballs.

SALISBURY STEAK:    
Jo Anderson
1 egg
½ c. dry bread crumbs
½ c. tomato juice
1 tbl minced onion
1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup.
½ can water
Combine egg, crumbs, tomato juice, onions and ground beef. Shape into oblong patties. Brown in skillet and add mushroom soup which has been mixed with ½ can of water
Cover and heat in oven for 30 min. at 350. Serves 4. Can be frozen and reheated.

Thought for the week: “Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”  
George Washington
. . . till next week