All-Time Favorite Casserole Recipes w. Highbrow Haddock, Paella Casserole, Frank Tamale Pie & more -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

Vintage Cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorite Casserole Recipes

Publication Details: Meredith Publishing Co., 1977

Casseroles certainly don't seem to be quite the thing they were back in the 60s and 70s, though many classic casserole recipes make for great eating. We looked at a 60s casserole cookbook before in the post McCall's Casserole Cookbook w. Beef Pie, Boston Baked Beans, Lamb Moussaka & more -- Vintage Cookbook TBT. 

As with that cookbook, this one from the folks at Better Homes and Gardens has lots of interesting recipes. Not necessarily good interesting, but interesting.

The Frank Tamale Pie is one that I think deserves to be honoured as opposed to actually made. The Pork and Apples with Stuffing certainly tries to incorporate some traditional combinations. The Cheesy Hash-Spinach Pie recipe has to be read to be believed. While the Fish and Chip Bake and the Highbrow Haddock hint at promise one would have to use your imagination to realize it fully.

There is a lot that is fun here though, and the photography is unintentionally campy in that very charming way that one sees in cookbooks from the era.

Today we look at few of the recipes with their associated images.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Easy Spinach Mushroom Beef Slow Cooker Lasagna

By Natalie 



Perfect for the season and really easy to make, today we are going to take a look at a way to cook "lasagna" in a slow cooker that uses ravioli in place of noodles. This dish is both very satisfying and full of the familiar lasagna flavours we all love so much.







Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large bag (750-850 grams) frozen spinach & cheese ravioli
3 - 500 ml. can of crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 cups chopped brown mushrooms
1 medium onion
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan saute the mushrooms and onions over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the beef to pan and brown. Once the beef is browned, stir in the tomatoes and seasonings and then add the sauteed mushrooms and onions.

Once everything has been stirred together, get out your slow cooker. This recipe works best with a 6 qt. or larger slow cooker.

Ladle a layer of the sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Then top with a layer of the frozen ravioli. You can use any cheese ravioli you like though I used spinach and cheese.

Cover the ravioli with a layer of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat these layers until you have used all the ravioli and then make the final layer a layer of the beef and mushroom sauce. Top this with the mozzarella and the Parmesan.

Put the slow cooker cover on and cook on low for 4 hours.

Simple and delicious fare. Serve with garlic bread and red wine.

See also: Clay Baked Lasagna

See also: Deep Dish Pizza Sandwich

Eggplant, Black Mushroom, Lentil and Wild Rice Stew

Submitted by Natalie


Today we look at a delicious vegetarian dish with spinach, black mushrooms, lentils, wild rice and eggplant that is excellent as a main or side and that combines lots of flavour with a pleasing texture.







Ingredients:

1 chopped onion
1 small eggplant, chopped into bite sized pieces.
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon tandoori masala spice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional for non-vegetarians) 
1/2 teaspoon Vegeta seasoning dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water (or 1/2 cup vegetable stock)
3/4 cup of re-hydrated black fungus mushrooms-sliced and cut into smaller pieces.
1 cup small orange lentils-washed1 cup cooked wild rice, slightly al dente 
1 cup chopped spinach
cayenne pepper
water

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan to medium-high. Add the chopped onion and chopped eggplant and saute for 5-10 minutes using a bit of the stock to keep it moist as eggplant is very absorbent.

Add the re-hydrated black fungus mushrooms, the tandoori masala and the cumin, and saute for a couple of minutes more, allowing the seasonings to sizzle and become aromatic.

Add the remaining stock, wild rice, lentils, garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper, the Worcestershire (optional), apple cider vinegar and soy sauce, and 1 cup of water and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the lentils are nice and soft.

With a few minutes left to cook, add the chopped spinach, stirring until it melds into the stew.

When ready stir in 1 teaspoon of butter and mix in until creamy, sprinkle parsley over the stew and mix slightly.

Serve in bowls and squeeze some lemon over each portion. Perfect served as well with a jammy soft boiled egg. Add a dash or two more of cayenne and/or desired hot sauce over top for a bit a extra kick.

Enjoy.

See also: Spicy Red Cabbage and Sesame

See also: Zucchini Fundido -- A spicy appetizer or party dish!

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Spinach Feta Lamb Meatloaf

Today we are going to take a look at a meatloaf that will change the minds of even the biggest meatloaf haters!

Made with lamb instead of the usual beef, this meatloaf is full of rich flavours and due to the lamb and the slow cooking is also very moist.

And it has spinach and feta cheese -- what more could you ask for!


First you want to thoroughly mix all of the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:


2 lb. ground lamb
3 eggs, already beaten
around 150-200 grams of crumbled feta cheese
2 teaspoons of oregano
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of black pepper
3-4 dashes of Tabasco sauce (or a similar hot sauce)
a couple handfuls of fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped or ripped apart

Meanwhile, spray your slow cooker with a cooking spray. I like using the President's Choice canola oil spray.

Take the lamb mixture, fit it into the bottom of your cooker, and shape it into a loaf leaving a very little space between the loaf and the cooker sides.

Put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours.

When done, there will be some liquid around the loaf.

Remove the loaf carefully, plate and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Discard any liquid in the cooker.

Slice as you would any meatloaf and serve with a Greek salad, a Taverna salad and some red wine.

Enjoy!

See also: Pesto Encrusted Boneless Leg of Lamb

See also: Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna

Winnie-the-Pooh's Spinach & Bacon Salad Revisited -- Vintage Cookbook TBT

Recently we took a look at The Pooh Cook Book, a charming cookbook from 1973 that has recipes inspired by the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

In among the recipes is one for a spinach and bacon salad that I thought worth revisiting and jazzing up a bit!

Spinach and bacon work really well together both in terms of flavour and texture. There are two versions in the book -- one hot and one cold. We are going to do a take on the cold one as I prefer cold spinach to hot.

But either way the dressing would be the same.

First you want to take your spinach leaves and wash, drain and dry them.

Then cook at minimum the 4 strips of bacon that the original calls for. I prefer more like 5 or 6...though of course it depends on how much spinach you are making as well.

Cook the bacon until very well done. You want it to be very crispy and to crumble easily. Do NOT give into "convenience" and use bacon bits...they are not at all the same as the real thing! Let the bacon cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile whisk together a dressing with the following ingredients using more-or-less depending on how much spinach you made and how dressed you want it.:

2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
The juice of one half lemon
Fresh black pepper to taste
1 finely minced clove of garlic or garlic powder to taste
A few dashes of Tabasco sauce (2-4 generally)

Toss the spinach with the dressing until coated evenly and then add the bacon, crumbled into whatever sizes you like, and toss again. I like the bacon in slightly bigger half slice pieces.

Given bacon's inherent saltiness, be sure to taste your salad before adding any more salt if needed.

This refreshing salad is terrific as a side or as a lunch.

Here it is pictured served with a Boneless Slow Roasted Pork Loin Roast with which it went well.

Enjoy

See also: Sardine Sandwich with Sauteed Spinach, Garlic & Jalapeno

See also: Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut Pie

Sardine Sandwich with Sauteed Spinach, Garlic & Jalapeno

I am a big fan of the lowly, oft-maligned canned sardine. In fact, I love opening a can and having them with some fried eggs, buttered toast and some lemon and hot sauce on the side as a terrific weekend brunch / breakfast or a late night snack.


But today I am going to share a more "fancy" use for the canned sardines in your pantry, and one that is really, really delicious -- a sardine

sandwich with sautéed spinach, garlic and jalapenos served with a special sauce.

You will almost think your 99 cent can has gone gourmet!

First, take some extra virgin olive oil and heat to medium-hot in a saucepan. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add a handful of baby spinach leaves and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Finally add some chopped jalapeno slices, pickled or fresh, and sauté for 2-3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix up a blend of a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise and a teaspoon or two of a hot sauce of your choosing. Tabasco works well as does Cholula. I used El Yucatero's fiery habanero sauce.


Take a good sized piece of a bread you like (I used a medium rye), toast it and top with the sauce.

Then, top with the sautéed spinach, garlic and jalapeno blend.

Finally top with three sardines. I like to alternate their direction but that is purely aesthetic.

You can then eat this open-faced or like a traditional sandwich.

Absolutely terrific! It is also good with a couple slices of tomato and/or a leaf of romaine lettuce. You can squirt some lemon juice on the sardines as well.

A great lunch and a great way to enjoy canned sardines.

See also: The Reuben Dog!

See also: The Leviathan Sauerkraut & Horseradish Double Pork & Beef Burger!

Spinach, Mushroom and Walnut Pie

Baby Spinach 

Submitted by Andrea Grassby Valentini




This is a great side dish for the holiday meal and it only takes about 6 minutes to put together.



Enjoy!





2 (397g) Packages Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
 4 Cups Sliced Crimini or Shiitake Mushrooms
 8 Cups Baby Spinach, packed
 1/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped
 1 Bulb Roasted Garlic
 1/2 teaspoon Dried Rosemary, crumbled
 Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

 Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Add the mushrooms and sauté until soft and browned.  Remove the mushrooms to cool.

Add the remaining oil and sauté the spinach leaves. Allow the spinach to wilt and the mushrooms cool.

Roll out the first package of dough into about a 12″x8″ rectangle. Place the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Top the dough with the mushrooms, then the wilted spinach.

Sprinkle over salt, pepper, rosemary and chopped walnuts.

Roll out the remaining dough to top the pie, crimping and tucking the edges under.

Lightly score the top with a sharp blade, occasionally piercing for steam vents.

Bake in the center of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden and crisp.