Salad Days...

When we were young, just starting out or just married, or both, our meals were made using little resources and maybe even less culinary skills. The tuna dishes, the ground beef dishes, things you could make with beanie weenies… all those meals filled us up without emptying our pockets.

When I was a teenager, I used to like to “cook” my own meals sometimes. My mom wasn’t big on letting me mess up the kitchen, so my “cooking” had to be neat and use the least number of pots and utensils possible. And, of course, I had to clean up, which was no fun, so that also limited the number of things I used. One of my favorite menus was cream of tomato soup and a ham sandwich. I would open a can of Campbell’s Soup and make it using milk instead of water and add a big hunk of butter and a splash of Tabasco sauce. I would serve it along side a sandwich of toasted rye bread and Underwood Deviled Ham and mustard. Not really a gourmet meal, but it became a staple for me well into my adulthood. And, truth be known, I still occasionally make this for myself.

Here are some more of those simple meals…

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG from Camille Caldwell ~ Urbana, IL.

Little resources, company was coming, and I made this easy meal. In fact, the first time we had company after we were married, I made this meal. We still occasionally make it today even for company.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ Cup each: course breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon each: salt, paprika
1/3 Cup butter
1 package (6 ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese
1 Can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

Dip chicken in eggs; coat with mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese salt and paprika. Brown on all sides in butter in a large heavy skillet. Place chicken in a 13x9x2 inch pan. Top with cheese; pour tomato sauce over all. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender.

FRESH GREEN BEANS

Blanched fresh green beans are simple and delicious with Chicken Parmesan. If you want to make them a little fancier, add fresh herbs, or fried onion with sliced bacon.

TOSSED SALAD

When making this meal, there were few variations on tossed salad. An easy one in a pinch:

Any kind of lettuce, iceberg, romaine, mixed greens
Green onions, chopped
1 small can mandarin oranges
Vinaigrette

ITALIAN BREAD

1 baguette, French, or Italian loaf of bread
olive oil
sea salt
Dip bread in olive oil sprinkled with sea salt.

#####

Margaret’s Tuna Noodle Casserole Dinner

This is a recipe that came from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine from the 70s. It was in a little pull-out booklet called “50 Recipes to Beat High Food Prices.” It became a staple in the Martin house and it was even one of the kids’ favorites. Sadly, I made it so much in those early years, that Rich won’t let me make it any more!

Ingredients:
• 6 oz. medium noodles
• 1 6 oz. can tuna, drained
• 1 cup chopped celery
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• ¼ cup chopped green pepper
• ¼ cup chopped pimiento
• ½ t. salt
• 1 can condensed cream of celery soup
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Stir in tuna, celery, mayonnaise, onion, green pepper, pimiento, and salt. In saucepan, combine soup and milk; heat through. Add cheese; heat and stir till cheese melts. Add to noodle mixture. Turn into 2 quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, in 425° oven for 20 minutes. Serves 6.

Note: I often sprinkled extra cheese on top and served this with a side dish of vegetables… broccoli, green beans, or whatever veggie your family likes. I sometimes served it with my easy pear salad: lettuce with a canned pear half on top with a dollop of mayonnaise and sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese.