Chicken Curry

Taken from 150 Alabama First Lady's Cookbook.

1/3 cup butter
3 lbs chicken, cut for fricassee
2 sliced onions
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
Flour

Melt butter in hot frying pan. Add chicken. Cook 10 minutes. Add onion, curry, salt and vinegar. Add boiling water to cover. Simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken. Measure liquid. For each cup add 1 tablespoon of flour, mixed with enough cold water to pour easily. Cook and stir 5 minutes and pour over chicken. Makes 4 servings.
Serve with fluffy rice, cooked until dry, and at least 3 of the following condiments:
Sauteed bananas in 1" pieces
Chopped hard-cooked eggs
Green pepper, cut finely
Chopped toasted almonds
Coconut
Hot Chutney

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House..

Squash Casserole

Taken from A Taste of Georgia. Originally titled Squash Casserole I; there are six in the cookbook. This one "freezes well" which was a must for my grandmother.

2 to 3 cups cooked squash
1 egg slightly beaten
1/2 stick margarine, sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese, divided
1 to 1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs, divided
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper

Put well drained, hot squash in large mixing bowl. Add egg, margarine, sugar, half the cheese, and half the cracker crumbs. Season with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well. Put into buttered
 1 1/2 quart casserole and top with remaining cheese and cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream

A recipe from my grandmother's recipe box:

2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 C sour cream
1 T onion finely sliced
2 T dill pickle chopped
1/2 tsp. sugar
dash pepper
1 1/2 tsp chopped parsley

Salt cucumbers. Combine other ingredients and add cucumbers. Serve over lettuce or just in a bowl. Sprinkle parsley on top. Can add a few sliced radishes.

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House.

Chicken Tetrazzini

A well used recipe from my grandmother's recipe box.

1/4 lb butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock or 1 1/2 cans consomme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons sherry
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups finely sliced cooked chicken
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt half the butter in a skillet. Add the flour mixing until smooth. Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly until the boiling point. Add the pepper, cream, sherry and Gruyere cheese. Cook over low heat 10 minutes stirring frequently. Correct seasoning. Melt remaining butter in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute 5 minutes. Add the spaghetti and half the sauce. Mix lightly. Pour into a buttered casserole. Mix chicken and remaining sauce and pour into casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House.

Salmon Loaf with Creamy Dijon Sauce

From a newspaper clipping in my grandmother's recipe box:

1 can (7 1/2 oz.) Alaska Salmon, drained and flaked
2 cups diced cooked potatoes
1/4 cup each chopped celery and onion
1 egg
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Pepper to taste
Creamy Dijon Sauce

Combine all ingredients together except Creamy Dijon Sauce; mix well. Press into lightly greased 1 - 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until set and thoroughly heated. Serve with Creamy Dijon Sauce. Serves 4.
Creamy Dijon Sauce: Saute 2 tablespoons minced onions, in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until tender. Blend in 1 tablespoon flour; stir in 1 cup milk. Cook and stir until thickened; stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard. Makes about 1 cup.

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House.

Baked Leg of Lamb

From a magazine clipping in my grandmother's recipe box:

Serves 6
     1 5 lb - 6 lb whole leg of lamb; trim as much fat as possible
For the marinade:
     2 onions
     6 to 8 cloves of garlic
     6 to 8 sprigs each thyme, oregano
     1 bottle strong white wine
     1 cup virgin olive oil
Salt; Coarsely ground black pepper

Slice onions and crush garlic, bruise herbs and combine in a large dish. Pour in wine and oil and rub marinade all over the lamb. Marinate in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours or overnight, turning frequently.

Preheat oven to 450 and remove the lamb from the marinade about 2 hours before serving. Pat dry. Remove the leaves from the thyme and oregano and mince them finely with the garlic from the marinade. Add 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper to herbs and make a rather stiff paste with a little marinade. Rub the lamb with the paste. Bake for 15 minutes and reduce heat to 350. Turn lamb after 30 minutes, and bake for 30 minutes more, turn and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes.

To find out the story behind this recipe, go to my blog Champions of the House.

Fish Tacos

This recipe is not so much for Fish Tacos as for the condiment to go on a fish taco. I love a can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes and this is another great use!

Soft flour tortillas
Oven-friend tallapia
Oakview Farms lettuce
Tomato and Onion salsa
Sour cream

Bake fish according to directions, but omit the Italian seasoning and Parmesan. Slice 1/2 an onion thin and saute in a little oil until almost caramelized (light brown). Pour can of Fire Roasted tomatoes, in a pot on the stove, and add the cooked onion cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Heat tortillas in a broiler or dry skillet just about 2 - 3 minutes.
Assemble tacos: put about two pieces of lettuce on the tortilla, top with crumbled fish, a spoonful or two of tomato mixture and a dollop of sour cream. Crumbled goat or queso cheese would be great on this too.