The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, March 08, 1962, SPECIAL WOMEN'S SECTION, Image 17
“Best of all” times: the family supper THE FAMILY SUPPER Just before sundown, in the relaxing time be tween a day’s work and a good night’s sleep, comes an hour when the family is together. It’s supper. The childreji arrive at the table late, and leave early. But for their elders, second cups of coffee lead to Sleasant talk — and maybe a second helping of essert. The meal has a feeling of contentment that heals the day’s slights, soothes its burdens. And lighter hearts leave the table. Casseroles and stews have been hearty family fare for generations — ever since the stew bubbled in a big black pot in the fireplace. Nowadays, the method for cooking a casserole may have changed, but the most important things haven’t. The hearty helpings, for instance . . . and the mouth-watering aroma of meat, vegetables and spices simmering into a perfect whole. Whether your casserole bubbles on the stove or in the oven, you’re bound to hear someone ask. "What smells so good?” It could be a recipe based on the stew that simmered in a fireplace a long time ago. A brawny beef stew with dumplings ... or veal made best of all. BEEF STEW 2 tablespoons butter 2 pounds cubed beef 6 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 onions, sliced 1 tablespoon salt 6 small, whole carrots 6 potatoes, cut into pieces Vi cup all-purpose flour Vi cup cold water 1 package frozen peas Brown meat in butter. Stir in water, lemon juice, onions and salt. Cover and simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add carrots and potatoes and cook 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are almost tender. Blend flour and water. Add to hot stew; stir constantly until thick ened. Add peas. Heat to boiling. Top with Deau ville Dumplings. Serves 8-10. DEAUVILLE DUMPLINGS 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 1 teaspoon salt I tablespoon butter W cup dried currants W cup fine, dry bread crumbs 1 well-beaten egg % cup milk 2 teaspoons grated onion Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Cut in butter. Add currants and bread crumbs and mix well. Combine egg, milk and onion; add all at once to dry ingredients. Mix only ’til flour is moistened. Dip tablespoon into cold water. Drop batter from spoon onto hot Beef Stew or a chicken stew. Cover tightly. Ste&m for 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 16-18 dumplings. CALIFORNIA CASSEROLE 2 pounds veal round steak cut into 2-inch pieces Mi cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon paprika Vs cup butter W teaspoon salt Ms teaspoon pepper 2Vs cups water 1 can'condensed cream of chicken soup 1SA cups (l -pound can) small, cooked onions, drained Coat veal with mixture of flour and paprika; brown in butter. Add salt, pepper and 1 cup of water. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Transfer to baking dish (14 x 10 x 2" or 13 x 9 x 2") or 3-quart casserole or 2 smaller casseroles. Heat soup in skillet used for browning meat. Gradually blend in IX cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Combine with meat and gravy. Add onions. Top with Dumplings. Bake uncovered at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes. BUTTER CRUMB DUMPLINGS 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons double-acting baking ponder 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning I teaspoon celery seed l teaspoon dry onion flakes 1 tablespoon poppy seed, if desired Ik cup salad oil 1 cup milk Ik cup malted butter 1 cup bread crumbs Sift flour with baking powder, salt and season ing. Add seeds and onion flakes. Stir in oil and milk until dry particles are moistened. Drop by " rounded tablespoonfuls into mixture of butter ami bread crumbs; roll to coat with crumbs. \ For Freezing . . . Soups and stews usually taste even better the second day when flavors have had a chance to blend. Casseroles need the same blending time but their ' “repeat performance” at the table need not be the next day. If you adjust the recipe to fit two cas serole dishes, you can serve one — freeze the other for next week or your next busy day. Here’s how: line the casserole dish with heavy aluminum foil. Follow the recipe. (Omit toppings. Save them for the last minute). Bake until barely tender. C<x>l and freeze. When thoroughly frozen, lift out the foil-wrapped food. Wrap ana date it; return it to the freezer. Your casserole dish is ready to use again. * The day before you want to serve it, put the cas- 'l serole in the refrigerator food compartment. It should thaw in 24 hours. When thawed, turn into the casserole dish. Bake about 15 to 30 minutes more than recipe directs, depending upon the size i of the recipe. Two months is the storage limit in your home freezer — 2 weeks in the freezing compartment of your refrigerator. Mrs. Hildreth Hatheway of Santa Barbara, California entered this “California Casserole” in Pillsbury’s 8th Grand National Bake-Off — and became a $25,000 Prize Winner! The Deauville Dumplings (pictured at left) are from a Bake Off winner in Ohio . . . Mrs. Joseph Maley. Beef Stew and Deauville Dumplings . . . not the tradi tional oven casserole, but a wonderful dish to simmer on the top of the stove when you want to use the oven for a home made bread or dessert. The recipe is large — because this one-dish meal will get several calls for second helpings. I