Recipes by Doris Day: German Potato Salad; Paprika Steak; Peach Angel Food Cake Dessert; Swinger Burgers; Twice-Baked Potatoes

Doris Day's German Potato Salad

6 medium-sized potatoes
1 large stalk of celery, chopped in small pieces
3-4 scallions (white part only), thinly sliced
4 slices lean bacon, cut in small strips
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup cider (or wine) vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in their skins until tender. Cool slightly, peel and slice into a large bowl. Add celery and scallions. Fry bacon in saucepan until crisp. Add water and vinegar. Pour over potato-celery-scallion mixture, toss lightly. Cover and marinate thoroughly (several hours or overnight) before serving. Serves 4.

Doris' Thought: For a more sour dressing, add more vinegar to the marinade.

Doris Day's Paprika Steak

2 round steaks, tenderized
Sweet Hungarian paprika
2 medium-sized sweet onions, chopped
2 small jars pimentos
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
Cooking oil
Butter
2 small cans Hollandaise sauce
Green olives stuffed with pimentos
2 cups red wine

Rub sweet paprika (like you would flour) over entire surface of both sides of steak.  Place layer of onions over entire surface of steak. Spread a layer of pimentos over the onions. Then sauté mushrooms in cooking oil and butter. Put layer of cooked mushrooms on steak. Spread the Hollandaise sauce over all other ingredients.

Put a row of green olives stuffed with pimentos over the steak. Roll steak and tie at 6 or 7 places with a strong cord. Sear both sides of the roll of steak in a very hot deep skillet. Put in a deep roaster.  Add a small bottle or 2 cups of red wine. (Doris Day uses salted wine, not used for drinking, which can be purchased in a gourmet shop.)  Place in oven at 300 degrees F. and cook for 2 hours, basting frequently.

Doris Day's Peach Angel Food Cake Dessert

1 angel food cake (already baked)
1 pound peaches (ripe, peeled, cut, and stoned, can use canned)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups whipping cream

Whip cream until thick.

Cut round angel food cake in thirds horizontally.

Layer the cream and peaches ending with cream on top with peaches.

Doris Day's Swinger Burgers

1 pound ground round steak
1 raw egg
6 pimiento-stuffed olives, cut in half
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in chunks
12 washed, stemmed cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 slices American cheese, cut in small chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix together beef and egg in a large mixing bowl. Add olives, onion chunks, cherry tomatoes, chunks of American cheese, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix beef and other ingredients well. Shape into four oval, not-too-thin patties. Broil to taste. Serves 4.

Doris Day's Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes
3/4 cup light cream
1/2 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 (10-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables or frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chives

Wash, dry, and grease potatoes lightly. Bake in a 400 degrees F. oven until tender (about 1 hour).  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 mins. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, being careful not to break the skins. Save potato skins.

Add cream, butter, salt, pepper, and oregano to potato flesh. Whip until fluffy.

Cook frozen vegetables until tender. Drain well. Add to potatoes. Spoon mixture into potato skins. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chives. May also sprinkle with crispy bacon bits.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes, or until hot and cheese is lightly browned.

Sammy Davis' Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Sammy Davis' Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Sauce:

3 large yellow onions, coarsely grated
1 large green pepper, coarsely grated
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small cans tomato sauce
2 small cans Italian tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1 clove garlic
1 medium bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Squeeze (or strain) onion juice, discard juice but retain the pulp. Saute grated onion and green pepper in olive oil 10 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a cooking pan.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cook over low heat about 45 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. Just before serving, remove garlic and bay leaf.

Meatballs:

1 large yellow onion, coarsely grated
1 1/2 pounds ground round
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Olive oil

Combine onion, ground round, eggs, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into balls. Brown in olive oil rotating to cook on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper before adding to the sauce. When assembling, cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Spoon the sauce and meatballs over the spaghetti. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves eight.

Recipes by Jim Davis: Cook-All-Day Chili; Shredded Chicken Salad

Jim Davis' Cook-All-Day Chili

1/2 pound dried pinto beans
Water
2 1/2 pounds lean chuck, coarsely ground
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons corn oil
1 pound onions plus 1 white onion
1 pound green peppers, chopped
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup butter
5 cups canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
Saltines

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain. Brown beef and garlic in corn oil in Dutch oven or heavy stock pot.

Peel and chop all onions, reserving 1 white onion as garnish, if desired. In separate pan, saute onions, green pepper and parsley in butter until vegetables soften.

In large pot, combine beans, beef and onion mixture with tomatoes, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Mix well. Simmer over low heat all day or until beans are tender. Taste to correct seasonings before serving. Serve with saltine crackers and reserved chopped onion on the side, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: "It can't be chili unless you use pinto beans or season it with Gebhardt's chili powder," Davis said. He likes to select his own meat and have it coarsely ground (chili ground). Chili can be made in a slow cooker after initially browning meat and sauteing vegetables.

Jim Davis' Shredded Chicken Salad

2 whole chicken breasts
Water
2 quarts vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
8 squares wonton dough, cut into 1/8-inch strips
1/3 package rice noodles
1 teaspoon Chinese-style liquid mustard
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons Chinese-style sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup green onions, white part only, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 head of lettuce, shredded

Cook chicken breasts in barely enough water to cover, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from water. Drain.

Pour vegetable oil into deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees. Test for readiness by dropping one of the rice noodles into oil. If it sinks to bottom, oil is not hot enough. When it pops up immediately, put in wonton dough strips and fry until light tan color. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Divide rice noodles into 3 parts and deep-fry separately. Noodles should explode on contact with hot oil and should be instantly removed before oil is absorbed. Drain on paper toweling.

Deep-fry chicken meat 5 minutes. Remove, drain on toweling, bone and cut into strips, including skin. Put chicken meat in large salad bowl with mustard, five-spice powder, sesame oil, soy sauce, almonds, green onions and salt; mix well. Add crisp-fried wonton strips and noodles, and mix.

Pile salad over lettuce bed on large platter, but do not toss wonton strips or noodles or they will get soggy. Serve at once. Great for first course or main course salad. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Wonton or spring-roll dough comes in 3-inch squares and -- along with rice noodles, Chinese-style sesame oil, Chinese-style liquid mustard and five-spice powder (a blend of Chinese herbs) -- can be found in Oriental food shops and sometimes in the gourmet sections of supermarkets.

Recipes by Bette Davis: Boiled Tongue, New England; Mustard Gelatin Ring; Red Flannel Hash; Spinach-Stuffed Fillets

Bette Davis' Boiled Tongue, New England

1 fresh beef tongue
2 qts. boiling water
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
3 tbsps. sour cream

Place tongue in Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Cover with boiling water. Cover, bring to a simmer. Cook, simmering slowly, about 6 hours, or until fork-tender.

Remove to a platter; skin carefully before slicing. Combine horseradish and sour cream; garnish tongue lavishly with mixture.

Delicious served with cooked, fresh spinach. Serves six.

Thoughts: Terrific served hot or cold. Works very well with new, crock-pot cookers. If desired, tongue can be cooked with vegetables in pot; cabbage, carrots and onions.

Bette Davis' Mustard Gelatin Ring

4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 envelope (1 tbsp.) unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tbsps. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup whipping cream
Cole slaw mixed with canned pineapple
Chicory, watercress or other feathery greens

Beat eggs; set aside. Mix together sugar and unflavored gelatin; stir in mustard, turmeric and salt. Add water and vinegar to the beaten eggs; stir in sugar-gelatin mixture and cook in double boiler over boiling water until
slightly thickened, stirring continuously.

Cool until mixture is thick. Whip cream and stir in. Pour mixture into a 1 1/2-quart ring mold. Chill until firm.

Unmold, and if desired, fill center with cole slaw-pineapple mixture. Garnish with chilled greens. Delicious with baked ham. Serves six to eight.

Thoughts: Miss Davis comments, "The sweet and sour flavor contrast is marvelous." Lovely for buffet table with baked ham, particularly in summer.

Bette Davis' Red Flannel Hash

2 cups cooked corned beef
3 cups cold boiled potatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked beets
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup or more of cream
1/2 stick butter

Chop all ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Season to taste and moisten mixture with cream. Place in a hot buttered skillet. Stir and spread evenly in pan. Brown slowly over medium heat. Serve with poached eggs on top.

Bette Davis' Spinach-Stuffed Fillets

1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds fillet of sole (or flounder)
1 pound fresh chopped spinach (or 1 1/2 packages frozen chopped spinach)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 can (11 ounces) cheddar cheese soup (or 1 package frozen Welsh rarebit)
2 tablespoons milk (or beer)
Ground nutmeg

Cook chopped onion in butter until tender but not brown. Cook spinach quickly in a small amount of water. Drain well, pressing out all the liquid. Combine spinach and onion mixture. Mix well. Spread each fillet with a thin layer of the spinach mixture. Roll up tightly and spear with a skewer. Put into a lightly buttered shallow baking dish.

Mix cheese soup with milk until smooth. Spoon evenly over fillets. Sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Brown under broiler until cheese is bubbly and browned. Serves 6.

Marion Davies' Eggs and Muffins

Marion Davies' Eggs and Muffins

Toast and butter the muffins in the ordinary way, poach eggs, and place one on each buttered half muffin. Garnish with asparagus tips, chopped olives, or shrimp. Sometimes Hollandaise sauce is poured over the eggs, and the meat eaters slip a piece of thin York ham beneath the egg, but you can use your imagination, and substitute tongue or a lettuce leaf. This is a made-in-a-minute dish, and most convenient for a quick lunch.

Recipes by John Davidson: Endive Salad California-Style; Ground Beef Casserole with Pasta and Marinara Sauce

John Davidson's Endive Salad California-Style

6 stalks Belgian endive
1 small jar hearts of palm (in brine or pickled in oil and vinegar), drained
1/4 pound large fresh mushrooms
6 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar (or fresh lemon juice)
Pinch of dry mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Clean endive by washing well in cold salted water, then in clean cold water. Shake well, dry thoroughly on paper towels. Discard outer leaves. Cut stalks in half lengthwise and separate the leaves. Place in salad bowl.

Cut hearts of palm in inch-long pieces into salad bowl. Wash, dry mushrooms, remove caps; cut caps thickly into salad bowl.

Combine olive oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), mustard, salt and pepper to taste in bowl; mix well. Pour over contents in salad bowl, toss lightly. Garnish with minced parsley. Serves 6-8.

Thoughts: For a livelier touch, squeeze a few drops lemon juice over salad just before serving.

John Davidson's Ground Beef Casserole with Pasta and Marinara Sauce

3 pounds lean ground chuck
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
3 large stalks cleaned celery, finely chopped
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
About 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Scant teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups canned marinara (or spaghetti) sauce
1 pound can basil-flavored Italian-style plum tomatoes
2 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni

Put ground beef in large stock pot (or Dutch oven) with butter. Add onion, green pepper, celery, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat stirring with wooden spoon until meat browns and vegetables are transparent. The mixture should have a loose consistency.

Add garlic powder, curry powder, marinara sauce, and tomatoes, Cook over low heat uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add cooked macaroni, heat thoroughly (about 5 minutes). Serve with tossed green salad and garlic bread. Serves 8-10.

Thoughts: For convenience, the casserole may be frozen but add a little more marinara sauce. To serve, thaw completely, place in greased ovenproof casserole, heat in moderate (350 degree) oven about 30 minutes.

Bobby Darin's Special Spinach

Bobby Darin's Special Spinach

2 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain thoroughly. Melt the butter over very low heat. Add onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add flour, stirring to remove any lumps. Add milk slowly and cook until it thickens. Add salt and nutmeg, and then combine spinach and sauce, mixing well. Heat a bit more over low heat and serve. Serves 6.