Oven Cookery by Anchor Hocking 1974

Here we have some kind of psychedelic colors on this booklet. Pinks and oranges...wow! Now let me tell you how I make my selections. Since I have come back to my blog I have decided to do two recipes from each pamphlet: one, a normal sounding recipe, and one, the weirdest sounding thing I can find in the book. There aren't always really weird recipes, but I do my best to find them. I struck pay dirt here. At least I thought so. This is a recipe I couldn't ever get anyone in my family to even try a teaspoon of...cowards! It is...

Clam and Eggplant Casserole!

What! Clams and eggplant! What fresh Hell is this?? What sadist put this together? Anchor Hocking, that's who!

1 med. eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 med. onion, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 stick margarine + 1 Tbsp for the buttered crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 7-oz. cans minced clams, reserve juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup buttered crumbs

Cover eggplant with cold water in saucepan. Simmer 2 minutes, then drain. Saute onion with garlic in margarine until tender. Add parsley, celery, and bread crumbs. Mix with eggplant and place in buttered 8 inch square casserole. Add clams mixed with lemon juice. Pour milk and clam juice over all.  Sprinkle crumbs on top. Bake at 350-degree oven 40 minutes. Yield: 4 large servings.

All right! Results time! It smelled really good. It looked very nice with the crispy breadcrumbs on top. But I knew what was hiding beneath...eggplant and clams!
Guess what? You probably won't believe me...it was...really good! I was shocked! I don't dislike clams, especially in clam chowder or smoked, but with eggplant? I practically did a little happy dance in the kitchen after I tasted it. A weirdo recipe that was actually good; really good. I know you probably don't believe me. Let me put it this way: if you like clams and are at worst, ambivalent to eggplant, give it a try. See for yourself.

One caveat: eat it all in one sitting because it didn't fulfill my expectations on the reheat. Maybe I need to reheat in the oven instead of the microwave. I will try it that way and see.

Next up...

 Pineapple Swirl Cake

Sounds good! I was up at 4:30 this morning baking this cake because... I live vampire hours. Me and Bela Lugosi.  

I can (8 3/4 oz.) crushed pineapple
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple well, reserving 1/2 cup syrup. Cream shortening and granulated sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until light. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with reserved syrup, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spread half in a greased 8-inch square baking dish; spread with pineapple. Top with remaining batter. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over all. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven about 35 minutes. Yield: one 8-inch cake. 

Okay. This is obviously the "normal recipe" from this booklet. A couple of notes on the ingredients: As we all know, every year cans are getting smaller and smaller. You are paying the same (or more) and getting less and less. I was unable to find a 8 3/4 oz can of pineapple. They are now only 8 oz. That's almost a full ounce less (obviously) and is going to affect how much pineapple flavor you are going to get. This also affects the amount of juice. I was just barely able to squeeze out the required 1/2 cup of liquid. I really hate this, as I am sure all "vintage" cooks do. Nevertheless I made it do.
Also.. I was unable to locate my walnuts so I substituted pecans. I usually prefer pecans so this was no great loss. 
The result: A really easy and quick-to-make cake! (Except for the sifting. I am not a huge fan of sifting.) It turned out very moist and flavorful- would have been nice with a bit more pineapple. The topping was delicious. This would be great for breakfast as a coffee cake or for dessert with your after dinner coffee.  Enjoy!