(Dear Abby = Pauline Esther "Popo" Friedman Phillips)
Abby's Chicken Salad
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup seedless grapes
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted *
8 lettuce leaves
8 black olives, pitted
In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, onion, salt and lemon juice. Refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, add grapes, mayonnaise, orange segments (reserve some slices for garnish) and almonds; mix well.
At serving time, line salad bowl with lettuce leaves.
Spoon chicken mixture on lettuce leaves; garnish with reserved orange segments and ripe olives.
*To toast almonds, place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Abby's Creamy Spinach Casserole
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach
2 cups sour cream
4 tablespoons dry onion soup mix
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook spinach according to package directions and drain well.
Meanwhile, combine sour cream and dry soup mix; reserve.
Combine seasoned bread crumbs and melted butter; reserve.
Combine cooked, well-drained spinach and sour cream mixture.
Spoon half of the spinach mixture into buttered 2-quart casserole. Cover with about two thirds of the cheese. Spoon over remaining spinach mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with bread crumbs/butter mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.
Dear Abby's Date Cake
12 ounces pitted dates (2 cups chopped)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups water (boiling)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs (beaten)
2 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)
1.8 ounces chopped walnuts (1/2 cup chopped)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
In medium bowl, spoon baking soda over dates, then pour the boiling water over and set aside to cool.
In large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs, mix well.
Add date mixture, flour, vanilla and walnuts. Mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake approximately 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Dear Abby's Gourmet Rice Pudding
5.2 ounces dry rice (2/3 cup dry enriched long grain white rice, not instant or converted)
3 cups water (boiling water)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter
2.6 ounces raisins (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
In top of double boiler, combine rice, boiling water and salt. Cook, covered, over medium heat about 40 minutes or until rice is tender.
Water in the bottom of the double boiler should be boiling. More boiling water may have to be added before rice is done. Do not drain.
Stir in sweetened condensed milk and butter. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat; add raisins and vanilla.
Abby's Hamburger Casserole
1 package (12 ounce) dry wide egg noodles
1 (8 ounce) yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground round
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) vegetarian vegetable soup, undiluted
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain, rinse in cold water; drain well.
In large skillet saute onions in butter until tender. Crumble beef and add to onions. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned.
Combine soups, water, mayonnaise, chili sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir into beef-onion mixture.
Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake covered with foil for 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes longer.
Abby's Infallible Rice
1 (8 ounce) yellow onion, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups hot chicken broth
In an oven-proof skillet, saute onion in butter until transparent. Combine onion, rice and hot broth. Bring to a boil on top of range. Cover and place in a 325 degrees F. oven for 20 minutes.
Abby's Oven-Fried Chicken Paprika
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (2 1/2 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour melted butter into 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Combine chicken and flour in plastic bag; shake to coat chicken with flour. Remove chicken from bag. Set aside.
In small bowl, beat eggs, lemon juice, paprika, salt and onion powder.
Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then in bread crumbs; turn chicken to evenly coat.
Arrange chicken, skin-side down, in prepared baking dish.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes turning once, or until chicken is fork tender.
Abby's Pecan Apple Cake
2 tablespoons butter, melted
5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tart apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, halved, and sliced (3 cups)
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the sides of an 8 x 3 1/4-inch springform pan with the melted butter.
Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 cup flour and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Wrap foil around the pan to prevent leakage. Starting at the outside edge, arrange a ring of apple slices in the pan, slightly overlapping and pointing to the center. (It will feel backwards.) Fill in the center with another circle of apples, with some overlap occurring. Layer any remaining apple slices evenly, overlapping to prevent the batter from escaping.
With a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat together the butter and 1 cup sugar. Add the eggs, milk, rum, and vanilla extract. The batter will look curdled. Add 1 1/4 cups flour, the nuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, beating only until the flour is completely incorporated. Pour the batter over the apples and spread evenly.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven until a wooden pick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Cover with a piece of foil if the top begins to brown too quickly.
Let the cake rest in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then, using a small, flexible knife, gently separate the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the cake on the rack, letting it stay in the pan for another 10 minutes, then remove the pan, lifting it up carefully.
Abby's Penuche Fudge
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light cream
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnut pieces
Butter a 9-inch square baking dish. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan.
Combine sugars, cream, milk and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve and mixture comes to a boil. Cook to soft ball stage (238 degrees F. on candy thermometer), stirring only if necessary. Immediately remove from heat and cool to lukewarm (110 degrees F.) Do not stir.
Add vanilla extract and beat vigorously until mixture is very thick and starts to lose its gloss. Quickly stir in nuts and spread into prepared baking dish. Score while warm, and cut when firm. Makes 3 dozen 1 1/2-inch squares.
Dear Abby's Ritz Pecan Pie
3 egg whites (stiffly beaten)
2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs (finely crushed, 20 of them)
2.2 ounces chopped pecans (1 cup chopped)
3 tablespoons butter
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease with butter 9-inch pie pan.
In large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in cracker crumbs, sugar and pecans; mix well. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
Abby's St. James' Baked Beans
6 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (16-ounce) pork and beans, drained
1 can (16-ounce) lima beans, drained
1 can (15-ounce) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (10-ounce) sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole. In a small skillet, saute the bacon and onions until the bacon is crisp and onions are lightly browned; drain well. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add bacon-onion mixture; mix well. Pour bean mixture into prepared casserole. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours.
Abby's Tomato Salad
12 medium tomatoes, diced (about 8 cups)
2 large red onions, diced (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup sweet pickles, finely chopped
1 cup rice vinegar
12 lettuce leaves
In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Cover and chill overnight.
Using a slotted spoon, portion salad on individual lettuce leaves, allowing 3/4 to 1 cup per serving for a first-course salad.
Abby's Tuna Casserole
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, cooked
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 jar (5 ounce) pimento cheese spread
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 cans (5 ounces) tuna
10 ounces noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1 1/4 cups crushed potato chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium saucepan, melt butter, saute onion until tender. Add soup, cheese spread, tuna, milk; heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Add noodles, peas and olives; mix well.
Spoon mixture into 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes.
