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| Yep, that one in the front, that's me! |
Although not my birth mother, N had been married to my dad since I was seven years old, after my own mum passed away, and I was devastated by her death. This is me as a bridesmaid at their wedding, trying desperately not to smile as I had recently lost a tooth!
Today, I was going through some paperwork, trying to get some year end filing done, when I pulled out a couple of files, and sandwiched between them was a rather yellowed sheet of A4 paper, with three handwritten recipes on it, that she had given me some 20 years ago! I have no idea what it was doing in the office (I didn't even think I still had it,) let alone amongst the accounts files.
So, in homage to a dearly-loved, and much-missed, mum, here they are - bear in mind they date back to the 70's and are unlikely to find their way onto our menus any time soon! Also, seeing the note to the last recipe, worryingly, the other two must have featured in cookery books of the day....
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| Showing off her outfit for a family wedding in 1992 |
Bean, Potato & Bacon Casserole
1.5 - 2lbs potatoes
1 medium sized onion
6oz lean bacon
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 16oz tin baked beans
salt & pepper
1/2 pint milk
1oz butter or marg
Garnish - parsley
Peel potatoes & onions and cut into thin slices, cut bacon into small pieces. Fill a 3.5 pint casserole with alternate layers of potato, onion, bacon, parsley & beans, seasoning each layer lightly. Cover top with layer of potato. Pour milk over. Brush potato with melted butter. Cook in a moderately hot oven (Gas no 5, 375'F 180'C) for 1 3/4 hours. Serve hot garnished with parsley. Serves 4-6.
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| With my wonderful dad |
Steak & Tomato Casserole
1oz butter or marg
2 medium sized onions - sliced
3 sticks celery - chopped
1 small tin cream of tomato soup
1 large tin braised steak
1 small tin carrots
salt & pepper
dumplings
Melt butter in a large frying pan. Fry onion and celery until soft. Add soup, braised steak and carrots. Bring to boil, add seasoning & pour into a casserole. Cover and cook in a moderate oven - Gas 4, 350'F, 170'C for 5 minutes. Add dumplings to casserole, cover again and continue cooking for 20 minutes. The stew can be cooked entirely on top of the cooker if liked. 4 servings.
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| With Skip, the most bonkers collie ever born! |
Liver casserole (recipe out of my head)
1lb Ox liver
1-2 onions - chopped
Fry the onions in a little oil until soft. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Coat liver in seasoned flour and fry in a pan until brown on both sides. Remove to casserole dish. Put onions on top of liver. Pour about a pint of water into frying pan, add oxo beef stock cube. Bring to the boil and pour over liver and onions. Cook in oven at 150'C for 1.5 - 2 hours.
Yep - culinary masterpieces all of them, and what I grew up on - no wonder I went looking for my own chef as a partner in adult life, eh?! Still, I'd give a lot to be sitting round her table being served any one of these now.
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| NJH 10/1949 - 11/2012 |
