By Staff
Lately, it seems that at least five out of 10 readers who phone me, either requesting or offering a recipe for this column, inevitably get around to the subject that often strikes fear in the hearts of many individuals.
Are we wrong or right to worry about the practice of purchasing meat from animals that have been fed antibiotics? From a recent news article that I read … I see that two of our Senators have, or are endeavoring, to introduce a bill that they hope will end this practice. I also heard that both Tyson and McDonalds have obviously jumped on the bandwagon to urge poultry owners to discontinue the practice of using growth antibiotics that are used in humans.
As I reiterated to my callers, since I am not one that necessarily rushes in to make rapid decisions, neither am I inclined to accept it on its "shaky" face value. I feel rather dubious about using any type of substance solely on the basis of its value as a "quick fix", especially when no illness is present in the animal. If today's column topic has accomplished no more than encourage you to read labels before ingesting foreign substances into your body, then I have accomplished my intended mission!
Chili Con Carne
2 pounds lean beef, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
11/4 pound beef suet, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onions
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
salt &pepper
1 to 2 cups hot water
Place the warmed olive oil into your skillet, then add the meat and suet and cook until the meat is evenly browned. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about five minutes. Stir constantly during this cooking period, then gradually begin stirring in the chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Add one cup of water and let simmer until the meat tests tender. If needed, add the second cup of water. (Note: Should you wish to use beans, then you would add two cups of red kidney beans to the meat just before serving and substitute 2 1/2 cups cooked tomatoes Instead of the water.)
Homemaker's Hint: IF you happen to be out in public when you develop a run in your nylons, dash into a bathroom and rub it with a bar of wet soap.
*Success tends to be even more permanent when you can manage to achieve it without sacrificing your principles.
Flank Steak Fillets
1 flank steak, un-scored
1/2 green pepper
1/2 pound kidney suet or salt pork
1 cup tomatoes, strained
1 small onion, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
8 metal skewers
pepper
Cut your suet or salt pork into one inch strips, then place on steak and roll the meat tightly around this fat and skewer it through the roll about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cut the roll between the skewers forming individual fillets of steak with just small squares of fat in the center. Flour, brown, then brown the fillets on both sides, place them into a covered casserole; add the tomatoes, onions, pepper and seasoning. Any other vegetables (if finely cut) may also be added, then allow this to simmer for a good hour, or you can place it into a 300 degree oven to complete the cooking.
Homemakers Hint: Did you know that white shoe polish will not smear if you spray the shoes with a common hairspray … once the polish is completely dry.
* They say that a mark of a good book is that It changes every time you read it.
Stuffed Eggplant
1 large eggplant
salted water
1 large onion, minced
1 finely chopped green pepper
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced boiled ham
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
bread crumbs
Thoroughly wash and dry eggplant. Cut a slice off the top, just large enough so that you can scoop out the inside within 1/2 inch of the skin. Cover the eggplant shell with salted water and set aside. Chop up the pulp of the eggplant and mix with onions, pepper, and tomato. Cook in a very small amount of boiling salted water until it tests tender. Drain and mash, add butter, ham, salt and pepper. Drain the shell well and place ham mixture into it. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top, then slide it into a 350 degree oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
Food Facts: It is true that eggplants provide very little nutrition, but they can be very tasty and their meaty flavor and texture does lend itself very well to vegetarian dishes.
Timely Trivia: When we think of McDonald's, we think immediately of hamburgers, but do you know that much of their success has been based on the quality of their fries?
Chicken Mousse
2 cups ground cooked chicken
1/2 cup salad dressing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon ground celery seed
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 cup cold chicken stock
dash salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons gelatin
Brussels sprouts
carrots
parsley
lettuce
Blend chicken together with the salad dressing, lemon juice and celery seed; then fold this into the whipped cream. Season to taste accordingly. Now, fold in the gelatin which has been softened in the cold chicken stock, dissolved over hot water and then cooled. Pour this mixture into a ring mold and then let it chill until completely firm. Once firm, un-mold it on top of the lettuce and fill that center hole with the Brussel sprouts. Garnish the platter with an assortment of carrots and parsley.
Food facts: I am sure I have mentioned in some of my past columns that although Brussel sprouts are not an all-time favorite .. they are an excellent source of vitamin C, protein, foliate, vitamin A, iron and potassium.
Have you ever noticed that when "You are over the hill," that's when you seem to pick up speed … or maybe it just seems (?) that way!
Liver Dumplings
1/2 pound liver
1 onion
2 slices bread
1/4 cup flour
3 cups meat broth
3 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 egg
Wash liver very thoroughly, then force both the liver and the onion through a food chopper. Mix the salt, pepper and parsley into the liver. Crumble the bread in and mix it together well. Add the unbeaten egg and the flour and then beat this mixture until it is all very thoroughly mixed. Drop by spoonful into the boiling broth, place a lid on the pan and let it cook for a good 25 minutes. Serve with the hot broth.
Homemaker's Hint: If you find that you have difficulty when endeavoring to get your child to eat liver, this is not at all unusual. I can still vividly remember that when I was small I hated liver. It had nothing to do with the taste, but the texture of the meat and the fact that it left the roof of my mouth feeling very strange … almost "furry."
A touch of levity: What did the cherry tree say to the farmer? "Quit picking on me!"
Mushroom Tomato Sauce
1/2 of a number 1 can mushrooms
1/2 of a number 2 can of tomatoes
2 slices onion
6 slices carrots
2 slices uncooked ham
bay leaf
thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
dash nutmeg
sprig parsley
5 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups brown stock
salt &pepper as desired
Chop up the ham and cook this for five minutes with the onions and carrot. Now, add the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves and tomatoes and cook this mixture for about five minutes. Mix the flour with five tablespoons of cold water and rub out all the lumps .. then add just enough additional water to make the batter easy to pour in a thin stream. Add to the sauce, while constantly stirring them as the sauce thickens … dilute it with the stock. Cover, set in the oven for one hour at 300 degrees. Remove, strain, add salt and pepper to taste. Drain and quarter mushrooms and then add to the mixture. Cook for two minutes over direct heat.
Homemaker's Hint: Fresh mushrooms can be substituted in this recipe, providing you know which mushrooms are safe to eat.
Timely Trivia: With warm weather just around the corner, and the fact that I crave more pop in the spring and summer months than I ever do in the winter .. I just might have to "turn over a new leaf" this year. I recently read where each can contains the equivalent of about 10 teaspoons of sugar. No wonder experts refer to it as "liquid candy."
Turkey Curry
1 1/2 cups turkey stock and top milk or cream
6 tablespoons fat
3 cups diced turkey
1 onion finely chopped
1 large apple peeled and diced
1 pound fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
Cook the turkey, mushrooms, apples and onions in the fat until the apple and onions take on a transparent hue. (10 to 15 minutes) Saute mushrooms, if fresh, then add them to the other ingredients. Remove from the heat, add the flour, salt and curry and stir thoroughly. Add the liquid and let this mixture cook until all of it is thoroughly thickened. Set over hot water, cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes longer to give it time to thoroughly blend the flavors. Serve over rice.
Homemaker's Hint: I don't know if this is still the practice, but years back … experts used to advise pregnant mothers to include poultry in their diet.
Timely trivia: I am told that at some fast food restaurants there are computerized cash registers which literally give commands … meaning that once an order has been placed, different buttons light up suggesting other menu items that can be added … thus increasing the size of an order by recommending value deals which they have available.