Main Dishes

Baked soybeans

6 servings, about ⅔ cup each

Soybeans, dry 2 cups

Boiling water 6 cups

Salt 1 teaspoon

Bacon, diced ¼ pound

Onion, chopped ½ cup

Brown sugar, packed ¼ cup

Salt 1½ teaspoons

Dry mustard 1 teaspoon

Bean cooking liquid and water ¾ cup

Light molasses ¼ cup

Boil beans for 2 minutes in water. Let stand 1 hour. Add salt. Cook 2 to 3 hours or until tender. Drain; save liquid.

Preheat oven to 325°F. (slow).

Place cooked soybeans in a beanpot or 2-quart baking dish.

Mix remaining ingredients and stir into soybeans. Cover and bake 3 hours. Remove cover during last hour of baking to reduce liquid and brown the top.

Meat loaf

6 servings 1 slice each, about 1¼ inches thick

Ground beef 1½ pounds

Egg 1

Milk ½ cup

Onion, finely chopped ½ cup

Breadcrumbs, fine dry ⅓ cup

Salt 1 teaspoon

Pepper ¼ teaspoon

Sage ¼ teaspoon

Preheat oven to 350°F. (moderate). Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Press into a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. Bake 1½ hours.

Remove from oven; drain off excess fat.

Beef shish kebabs

6 servings

Boneless sirloin steak 2 pounds

Oil ¼ cup

Lemon juice 3 tablespoons

Dry white wine ¼ cup

Garlic powder ⅛ teaspoon

Thyme ⅛ teaspoon

Salt 1 teaspoon

Green peppers, cut in eighths 3

Boiling water 3 cups

Mushroom caps 24

Pearl onions, whole, cooked 24

Tomato sauce 8-ounce can

Brown sugar 1 tablespoon

Hot pepper sauce ⅛ teaspoon

The day before:

Cut meat into cubes. Place in bowl.

Mix oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic powder, thyme, and salt. Pour oil mixture over meat. Let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours.

The day of serving:

Drain meat; save liquid.

Cook green pepper pieces in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes or until almost tender. Drain.

Pour 2 cups boiling water over mushrooms. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain.

Alternate meat cubes, onions, mushrooms, and green pepper pieces on skewers.

Mix tomato sauce, brown 13 sugar, and hot pepper sauce with remaining liquid from meat. Brush meat and vegetables with tomato sauce mixture.

Broil, turning as needed, until meat is of desired doneness.

Heat remaining tomato mixture. Serve over meat and vegetables.

Brunswick stew

6 servings, 1½ cups each

Chicken, whole or cut-up 3 pounds

Salt 1½ teaspoons

Water 3 cups

Potatoes, diced 1 cup

Frozen lima beans 1¾ cups

Tomatoes 16-ounce can

Onions, chopped ⅔ cup

Corn, frozen 1¾ cups

Salt ½ teaspoon

Pepper ⅛ teaspoon

Poultry seasoning ⅛ teaspoon

Water ¼ cup

Flour 2 tablespoons

Simmer chicken in salted water until tender. Drain, save broth. Separate the meat from the skin and bones and cut meat into pieces as desired.

Skim fat from broth. The fat can be skimmed more easily if the broth is chilled enough to solidify the fat.

Add potatoes to broth and simmer 5 minutes.

Add lima beans, tomatoes, and onions. Simmer 7 minutes.

Add chicken, corn, and seasonings. Cook 3 minutes longer.

Mix ¼ cup water with flour until smooth. Add to stew and heat just long enough to thicken, stirring as needed.

Eggs benedict

6 servings

Canadian bacon 6 slices, about 2 ounces each

Oil or fat, melted 1 tablespoon

English muffins, cut in half 3

Butter or margarine 1 tablespoon

Eggs 6

Salt ½ teaspoon

Boiling water 4 cups or more

Mock hollandaise sauce (p. 18) 1 recipe

Fry bacon in fat in frypan. Keep warm.

Spread English muffin halves with butter or margarine. Toast under broiler.

Break eggs into saucer, one at a time. Slip each egg gently into boiling salted water. Water should cover eggs. Reheat to simmering. Simmer, covered, until eggs are of desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium.

Top each muffin half with slice of bacon; then with poached egg. Serve with mock hollandaise sauce over top of egg.

Beef stew

6 servings, 1½ cups each

Boneless stew beef, 1-inch cubes 1½ pounds

Fat or oil 2 tablespoons

Water 3 cups

Bay leaf 1

Potatoes, quartered 3 cups

Carrots, cut in chunks 1½ cups

Onions 6 small

Salt 2 teaspoons

Pepper ¼ teaspoon

Flour ¼ cup

Water ⅓ cup

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Brown meat on all sides in fat in a large, heavy saucepan. Add 3 cups water and bay leaf. Cover tightly. Simmer about 2 hours or until meat is tender.

Add vegetables and seasonings and continue cooking, covered, about 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.

Stir flour into ⅓ cup water until smooth.

Stir flour mixture gently into stew; continue stirring only as needed to prevent sticking until stew thickens.

Curried pork chops

6 servings, 1 chop each

Pork chops, loin 6

Flour ¼ cup

Oil or fat, melted 1 tablespoon

Mushrooms, sliced, drained 8-ounce can

Onion, finely chopped ⅓ cup

Butter or margarine 2 tablespoons

Flour 2 tablespoons

Salt 1½ teaspoons

Curry powder 1 teaspoon

Milk 1½ cups

Preheat oven to 350°F. (moderate).

Coat chops with ¼ cup flour. Brown chops on both sides in fat.

Place chops in baking pan. Cover chops with mushrooms.

Cook onion in butter or margarine until tender. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and curry powder. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Pour milk mixture over chops. Cover pan. Bake 1 hour or until chops are tender.

Lasagna

9 servings, 1 cup each

Ground beef ¾ pound

Garlic cloves, finely chopped 2

Onion, chopped ½ cup

Salt 1½ teaspoons

Red pepper, crushed, dried ⅛ teaspoon

Oregano 1 teaspoon

Parsley, dried 1 tablespoon

Tomato paste 6-ounce can

Tomato sauce 8-ounce can

Hot water ¾ cup

Lasagna noodles 6

Egg, beaten 1

Ricotta cheese 12 ounces

Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced 4 ounces

Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup

Crumble ground beef into large frypan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring as needed, until beef is lightly browned. Add garlic and onion; cook until onion becomes tender. Stir in seasonings, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.

Cook lasagna noodles until tender, using directions on package.

Mix egg with Ricotta cheese.

Preheat oven to 350°F. (moderate).

In a 7- by 12- by 2-inch baking dish, spread layers of one-fourth of tomato-meat sauce, then three noodles, and another one-fourth of tomato-meat sauce. Top with half of each kind of cheese. Add another one-fourth of the tomato-meat sauce; then the remaining Ricotta mixture and Mozzarella cheese. Spread with remaining noodles and sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

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NOTE: Lasagna freezes well either before or after baking. Thaw in refrigerator. Leftover lasagna can also be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two, and tastes just as good reheated as when freshly baked.

Moussaka (lamb and eggplant casserole)

6 servings, 1 cup each

Eggplant, pared, sliced 1 small (about 1 pound)

Salt ½ teaspoon

Flour, unsifted ½ cup

Fat or oil ¼ cup

Onion, finely chopped ½ cup

Ground lamb 1½ pounds

Dry red wine ¼ cup

Tomato sauce ½ cup

Parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon

Thyme ½ teaspoon

Pepper ⅛ teaspoon

Salt 1 teaspoon

Breadcrumbs, fine dry ½ cup

Tomatoes, peeled, sliced 2

Yogurt 8-ounce container

Egg yolks, beaten 2

Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup

Sprinkle eggplant slices with ½ teaspoon salt. Let stand 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. (moderate). Grease 3-quart casserole.

Dry eggplant with paper towel. Coat with half of the flour. Brown lightly in fat.

Cook onion and lamb until lamb is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat.

Mix wine, tomato sauce, parsley, thyme, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour over meat mixture. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle half of the breadcrumbs in bottom of casserole. Arrange eggplant slices in layer on breadcrumbs. Spread meat mixture over eggplant slices. Place tomato slices on top of meat.

Beat yogurt, egg yolks, and remaining flour together. Pour over tomato slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining bread crumbs. Bake 45 minutes.

Braised beef and vegetables

6 servings, about 3½ ounces meat and 1 cup vegetable each

Beef chuck, boneless, ½-inch thick 2 pounds

Flour ¼ cup

Salt 1 teaspoon

Pepper ⅛ teaspoon

Fat or oil 2 tablespoons

Water ½ cup

Onions 6 small

Carrots, cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces 6 medium

Celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 stalks

Potatoes, quartered 6 small

Preheat oven to 350°F. (moderate). Cut meat into six serving pieces. Mix flour and seasonings; coat meat with mixture.

Heat fat in large frypan. Brown meat on both sides, turning once. Place browned meat in large baking pan. Add water, onions, carrots, and celery. Cover and bake 1 hour.

Add potatoes, cover, and bake 45 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Remove meat and vegetables from liquid before serving. Make gravy with liquid, if desired.

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Sauerbraten

12 servings, 3 ounces each

Onions, sliced 2 cups

Lemon juice ¼ cup

Vinegar 1½ cups

Sugar 1 tablespoon

Cloves, whole 12

Bay leaves 4

Pepper ⅛ teaspoon

Salt 2 teaspoons

Beef rump roast, boneless About 3½ pounds

Fat or oil 2 tablespoons

Cooking liquid and water 1½ cups

Cold water ½ cup

Gingersnaps, crushed ½ cup

Two days before:

Mix onions, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, cloves, bay leaves, pepper, and salt. Place roast in bowl. Pour onion mixture over roast. Let stand in refrigerator for 48 hours. Turn roast over in bowl halfway through standing period.

The day of serving:

Remove roast from onion mixture; drain.

Brown meat in fat in heavy pan. Add onion mixture. Simmer until tender, about 2½ hours. Remove meat; strain cooking liquid.

Heat cooking liquid and water to boiling.

Mix cold water and gingersnaps. Stir into boiling liquid. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Slice roast into thin slices. Serve with gingersnap gravy.

Quiche Lorraine

6 servings

Bacon 8 ounces

Pastry shell, unbaked 9-inch

Swiss cheese, natural, coarsely shredded 1½ cups (7 ounces)

Salt ¾ teaspoon

Pepper ¼ teaspoon

Cayenne Dash

Nutmeg Dash

Eggs 4

Half-and-half 1½ cups

Preheat oven to 375°F. (moderate).

Cut bacon into pieces and fry until brown and very crisp. Drain well. Crumble bacon into pastry shell. Sprinkle cheese over the bacon. Mix seasonings and sprinkle over cheese.

Beat eggs and half-and-half together. Pour over cheese and bacon.

Bake 45 minutes or until lightly browned and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Hamburger Parmesan

6 servings, 1 patty each

Ground beef round 1½ pounds

Salt ½ teaspoon

Pepper ⅛ teaspoon

Flour, unsifted ¼ cup

Eggs, beaten 2

Breadcrumbs, fine dry 1 cup

Fat or oil 3 tablespoons

Mozzarella cheese 6 slices

Mushroom pieces, drained 4-ounce can

Spaghetti sauce 15-ounce can

Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons

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Preheat oven to 400°F. (hot).

Gently mix ground beef with salt and pepper. Shape into six patties about ½ inch thick. Coat each patty with flour; dip into eggs. Coat with breadcrumbs. Brown patties in fat.

Arrange patties in single layer in baking pan, about 13 by 9 by 2 inches. Top each patty with a slice of Mozzarella cheese. Place mushroom pieces on top of cheese-covered patties. Top with spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melted.