Foodie Chuckles

[dem in texas]

I am a collector of Texas cookbooks and love to read old community cookbooks. Here are some of the worst recipes I found in these cookbooks, read and imagine having to eat these concoctions.

Tuna Chili - From a 1974 Texas Junior League Cookbook
8 oz. tomato juice
2 Tb. Williams chili mix
1 can tuna
Garlic powder to taste
1 can mushrooms
Minced onion
Mix together well and simmer for 10 minutes.


Dip for Vegetables - This recipe is from a 1981 Dallas area Church cookbook
1 sm. Pkg. Lemon Jello
½ cup chopped pecans
1 can tomato soup
Diced onion to taste
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1 cup salad dressing
1 cup chopped bell pepper

Melt jello, soup and cream cheese in pan. Remove and heat and beat well. Blend in other ingredients. Chill several hours before serving.

Avacado Dip (it was spelled this way) - This is from a 1972 Dallas community cookbook
2 avacado, peeled and mashed
1 Teasp lemon juice
4 or 5 medium size sour pickles, grated
Salt to taste
1 small onion grated
Few drops pickle juice

This taste better than El Fenix’s! (the cookbook’s comment) Dem In Texas comment: No way would this ever taste like El Fenix's famous Guacamole.



Spam Mousse - This last recipe is from a 1967 PTA Cookbook from the Dallas area
2 Tablespoon unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
Soften gelatin in cold water, add to 1 ¼ cups hot tomato juice.
Add:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon grated onion

Let thicken until partially set and add:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped green pepper
2 cups ground Spam
½ cup chopped celery
½ pound grated sharp cheese

Pour into greased mold or loaf pan and chill until set. Un-mold onto lettuce to serve.

[japple]

1. These are hysterical. My sister and I love to read those old cookbooks, too.

Most of them start like this..."Take one stick of oleo and a tub of cool whip..."

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

4. My mother-in-law gave me an old Betty Crocker cookbook

When I saw a recipe for trifle which included a box of instant vanilla pudding and a box of yellow cake mix, I knew it was written by Philistines.

[Paper Roses]

2. Heading to the Pepto Bismol. These are gross.

Re: Spam Mousse--geeze, ground Spam? Insult to injury.

[Warpy]

3. Ugh, newspapers and ladies magazines from the 50s and 60s

were crammed full of this garbage, all designed to use as much convenience food and as little fresh food as possible. Many of them were elaborate, requiring ten times as much work as fresh meat/fish, veg, and starch would have. It was all oversalted, oversweetened, and intensely weird, tasting vaguely like house paint.

It was another reason we all turned to drugs in the late 60s. Then a lot of us learned how to cook properly.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. I bring this to your attention

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/index.html

[japple]

7. One of my favorite sites. THeir books are also great reading and

gut wrenching. The pictures alone are worth the cost of the book.

[dem in texas]

8. Hot Dr.Pepper

In the 1950's, the Dr. Pepper company published a recipe for hot Dr. Pepper, it was warmed and lemon slices added. A few years back, we went to the Christmas Candlelight at Old City Park (in Dallas),the night was cold, with sputters of snow in the air. A group of elderly ladies (from the historical society) were in the kitchen of the old Millermore mansion, heating Dr. Pepper in a big pot on the stove. They served us cups of hot Dr. Pepper as we sat on the back porch of this landmark house. I loved it, my Mom used to make hot Dr. Pepper. It was total time warp for me!