“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.
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