Sonny and Cher's Macaroni Beef Soup

Sonny and Cher's Macaroni Beef Soup

Shin bone cracked into 4 pieces
2 pounds oxtail bone with meat
4 quarts water
One 10 1/2-ounce can beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 pounds top sirloin, cut in large cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Handful chopped parsley
2 good pinches basil
1 bay leaf
1 pound can tomatoes
1/2 can tomato sauce
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium yellow onions, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small zucchini squash, sliced
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
Elbow macaroni
Freshly grated Parmesan (or Romano) cheese

Place bones in a large soup kettle with water, undiluted beef broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, remove scum that forms on top of the water. Lower flame, add parsley, basil, bay leaf, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Cover, simmer 1 hour skimming off the foam at frequent intervals.

Brown sirloin in hot skillet with olive oil. Add to soup kettle with carrots, onions and garlic. Cover, simmer 2 hours. Correct seasonings, add zucchini, cook 10 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms, cook 5 minutes more or until spinach is barely cooked.

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Serve macaroni in individual soup dishes. Ladle soup generously over macaroni. Top with grated Parmesan (or Romano) cheese. Serves 8-10.

Thoughts: Vary the vegetables by using green snap beans, broccoli or cabbage. Sonny suggests, "Just be sure to cook the pasta separately so the macaroni is not overcooked and soggy." Cher suggests, "Make a salad of assorted greens tossed with your favorite dressing. Serve with chunks of crusty hot Italian bread. It makes a groovy meal.") 

Elke Sommer's Cheesecake

Elke Sommer's Cheesecake

For the dough:
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch salt
2 egg yolks
a little cold water
2 tsps. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 cup butter, softened

Combine flour, sugar, lemon rind and salt. Make well in center, add beaten egg yolks and butter. Work all the ingredients with hands until well blended. Add a little cold water to make a light dough. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil (or wax paper). Chill 1 hour.

Roll out half the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Place over bottom of an oiled 9-inch springform cake pan. Trim off dough. Bake in preheated 375 degrees F. oven about 15 minutes (or until light golden in color). Cool, put crust in bottom of spring pan; roll out remaining dough. Make band to fit sides of pan, press firmly to bottom crust. Fill with cheese filling.

For the filling:
2 cups creamy cottage cheese (or pot cheese), well-drained
3 tbsps. flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsps. grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
3 tbsps. lemon juice
pinch salt
1 cup heavy cream

Force cottage cheese through sieve; mix well with flour; beat until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored, gradually add half the sugar and all the lemon juice and lemon rind, salt and vanilla extract. Mix with collage cheese; blend well. Beat cream until whipped. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until whites stand in peaks. Gradually add sugar. Fold whipped cream into white mixture; fold into cottage cheese.

Pour into dough-lined spring pan. Bake in preheated 550 degrees F. oven 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees F. and bake 50 minutes longer. Turn off oven and open door. Cool cake thoroughly before removing. Chill well before serving. Top with hulled cleaned strawberries. Top with dollops of sour cream (optional). Serves 8.

Roger Smith's Lasagne with Meatballs

Roger Smith's Lasagne with Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, pressed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix meat, Parmesan cheese, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and seasonings together. Form into one-inch meatballs; brown quickly in olive oil and butter. Shake pan to brown meatballs on all sides. Remove meatballs, drain on absorbent paper. Pour off excess fat.

For the sauce:
2 cans (8-ounces) tomato sauce
Equal amounts of water
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in the oil-butter mixture in same pan until sauce is transparent. Add remaining ingredients; simmer 30 minutes (or until sauce is thick). Remove bay leaf, add meatballs, simmer 30 minutes longer (or until sauce has reduced in volume by one third and meatballs are cooked.)

For the remainder:
1/2 pound lasagne noodles
1/2 pound ricotta (or cottage) cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 pound thinly sliced Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Boiling salted water
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced (lightly browned in 1 teaspoon butter)

Cook lasagne in boiling salted water 8-10 minutes (or until half done). Drain carefully. Mix ricotta (or cottage) cheese with oregano, parsley and seasonings; set aside.

To assemble:

Line a well-buttered baking dish with a layer of lasagne; add a layer of Mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage and meatballs, seasoned cheese and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese ending with tomato sauce. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and pop into preheated 350 degree F. oven. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more. Serves 4-6.

Kate Smith's Rock Cornish Hens

Kate Smith's Rock Cornish Hens

2 two-pound Rock Cornish hens (thawed)
Monosodium glutamate (or salt)
Freshly ground pepper
Melted butter

Rub hens inside with seasonings. Truss and place breast-side up on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush lavishly with melted butter. Roast uncovered about 1 1/4 hours in preheated oven (350 degrees). Baste frequently. To brown, turn up oven to 400 degrees during last 10 minutes. Split in half along backbone before serving. Serves 4.

1 1/3 cups day-old white bread (or crumbs)
1 1/3 cups devoid whole wheat bread
1 1/3 cups leftover cornbread
Giblets (liver, gizzard and heart)
Water
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon savory seasoning
3/4 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (or salt)
1/16 teaspoon pepper

Cut bread in small cubes. Toast in oven until delicately brown and mix with cornbread. Simmer giblets in water until tender. Drain, reserve broth and chop giblets. Saute celery and onion in butter until glazed. Add to crumbs with parsley, seasonings and giblets. Moisten slightly with giblet broth. Form into balls. Bake in buttered casserole during last 40 minutes with hens. Makes 4 cups.

Recipes by Alexis Smith: Corn Pudding; Squash Casserole

Alexis Smith's Corn Pudding

2 cups whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (4 oz.) green chili peppers, drained and cubed
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten

Mix ingredients in the order given. Turn into a greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. Set in a shallow pan of hot water.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven about 1 hour or until set. Serve hot or cold. Great with barbecued spare ribs or steak. Serves 6.

Alexis Smith's Squash Casserole

6 large crookneck squash
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 cup butter
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
1 cup light cream
3 eggs, beaten
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning or mixture of oregano, basil and marjoram
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup cheddar or American cheese, grated
Paprika for color

Wash and cut squash into chunks. Combine squash, onion and pepper; saute in butter until vegetables soften. Mash vegetables with fork. Combine all remaining ingredients except cheese and paprika. Combine squash and egg mixtures.

Pour into greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Top with grated cheese. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes. Serve piping hot with roast turkey or ham. Serves 6.

Thoughts: If desired, run casserole under broiler to brown cheese topping.

Recipes by Millie Slavin: Fruit Yogurt Pie; Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

Millie Slavin's Fruit Yogurt Pie

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafers
1/4 cup sugar
6 tbsps. melted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups prepared fruit: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches
or bananas or same amount dry-pack frozen berries
2 containers fruit-flavored yogurt
1 1/2 pints heavy cream, whipped or one 9-ounce container whipped cream

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cinnamon. Press mixture into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Spread half the fruit on bottom of crust.

Combine yogurt and whipped cream; spread over fruit layer. Arrange remaining fruit over top of pie.

Chill at least 4 hours before serving. Serve very cold. Makes one 9-inch pie.

Thoughts: Miss Slavin says, "This is an easy dessert. It's especially delicious if you use yogurt flavored with the same fruit as the fresh or frozen fruit, like strawberry yogurt and fresh strawberries."

A mixture of strawberries and bananas also makes a delicious combination. Feel free to experiment.

Millie Slavin's Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground meat
Seasoned salt to taste
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 medium-sized onion, peeled, grated
1 cup matzo meal
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
Two 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine meat, seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, onion, matzo meal, salt, pepper, water, eggs and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Mix well. Line baking dish with aluminum foil.

Shape meatloaf in baking dish. Combine remaining tomato sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar; pour over meat. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for one hour, basting frequently.

Slice to serve. Lovely with baked potatoes and a fresh green vegetable. Serves 6-8.

Recipes by Jean Simmons: Bubble and Squeak; Shepherd's Pie

Jean Simmons' Bubble and Squeak

4 small boiled, peeled potatoes
1 cooked cabbage (green sprouts or savoy)
1 small peeled, chopped onion
3 tbsps. bacon drippings (or bacon)
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced leftover meat (beef, pork or lamb)
Pickled onions

1. Chop potatoes and cabbage (or cook chopped cabbage until barely tender in salted boiling water, drain well).

2. Heat bacon drippings (or butter) until hot in frying pan. Add onion, cook a few minutes before adding potato, cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until cabbage is lightly brown. Serve at once with meat and pickled onions. Serves 2-3.

Thoughts: If desired, chop leftover meat and brown with vegetables or fry sliced meat until lightly brown in bacon drippings (or butter). For flavor accents, sprinkle lightly with a few drops of a sharp vinegar.

Jean Simmons' Shepherd's Pie

2 cups cubed cooked meat (beef or lamb)
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup minced celery
1 tsp. bacon drippings (or butter)
1 cup leftover cooked vegetables (carrots, peas or beans)
1 cup gravy (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 3/4 cup boiling water)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup well-seasoned mashed potatoes

1. Cut meat in small pieces; put into well-greased baking dish.

2. Saute onion and celery in bacon drippings (or butter) until vegetables are softened. Add mixture to baking dish with meat, leftover vegetables, gravy (or stock), season to taste, mix well.

3. Pile mashed potatoes on top. Place in preheated 425 degrees F. oven about 30 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned. Serves 4.

Thoughts: If stock is runny, thicken slightly with flour before mixing with meat and vegetables. If desired, frozen vegetables can be substituted. Add flavor accents with herbs (dill, basil or thyme).