On the Controlling our Budget discussion, we've been talking about Depression Era and nostalgic cookbooks.
There certainly seems to be a shift back towards simple cooking in our collective thinking.
We've talked about Tuna Casserole, and Curried Eggs and Rice, and Mock Chicken and then a fellow Simple Saver suggested we have a week of trying out old recipes during these upcoming school holidays.
Well....you don't have to ask me twice!
So I know we don't all have holidays at the same time, but who else would like to have a week of sharing Nostalgic meals and snacks?
So to kick off my preparations for Food Nostalgia Week, I'm going to try these two recipes from the Lady Mayoress Cookery Book circa 1938.
This Mock Chicken is different to the Mock Chicken Dip that some of us might remember from Tupperware parties of the 1970's. It's more of a mock roasted chicken idea, and very interesting it is too!
Mock Chicken
Cook 4oz (125gms) macaroni in salted water and drain. Pour 1 cup milk over 1 cup white breadcrumbs, and allow to soak for five minutes. Then add 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 tablespoons peanut paste which has been mixed with a little hot water, 2 well beaten eggs and a flavouring of herbs and parsley. Grate in a little onion, add salt to taste and finally add the cooked macaroni. Pour into a greased basin and steam for 1 1/4 hours. Serve hot with mashed potatoes or cold with salads.
And here's one for Mock Sausages.
Stir one cup oatmeal into 1 1/2 cups boiling salted water and cook for 30 minutes. Chop an onion finely and put into a basin with 1 teaspoon chopped herbs, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Add a little tomato sauce if liked. Pour the boiling oatmeal over all and mix in a well beaten egg and enough breadcrumbs to make a stiff dough. Flour the hands and roll the mixture into sausage shapes. Fry until they become golden brown, then drain and serve with a hot sauce.
The Mock Sausages actually look similar to a long standing Simple Savings recipe in the forum for Hunger Busting Broke Burgers, which I've never tried either, but I guess that's about to change!
Just to keep it interesting, I'm also going to make Toffee Apples, a treat we usually only indulge in at the Show (also known as the EKKA here).
Toffee Apples
Take 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoons vinegar, and bring to the boil. When it boils, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut. When at crack degree tested in cold water, skewer each apple, twist it round rapidly in the toffee mixture, and set on a wire frame to cool and harden.
(The recipe then goes on to repeat itself slightly differently...obviously two different contributors) Quantities are 1/2 lb. sugar and 3/4 pint water with a squeeze of lemon juice, boiled together until a little tested in cold water breaks off crisply and the toffee is golden in colour. Dip apples into it while still hot after a stick has been pushed into each.
DD14 is going to go NUTS....in the best possible way :)
