A Trunk Full of Recipes

Rolled Haddock Fillets

I steered clear of this type of recipe, because I wasn't sure how it would play out here at the cafe. As it turned out, it was an excellent dish. I cooked the fish 3/4 of the way. Then all it needed was to be reheated, and it was ready to be served.

The fish was served with a creamy egg sauce which is a very traditional way to serve white fish here in Maine. I remember my grandmother making it, and my dad talking about it, all the time while we were growing up.

It also turned out that on this day some family members of mine came in to the cafe to visit! My uncle and three cousins were visiting from London. One of my cousin's took a gamble and tried the Haddock Fillet and fell in love with it!

I love when other people pick a recipe for me to make. It spices things up and keeps the project interesting. So, just before my family left I asked my ten year old cousin to pick out a recipe for me to make next. He chose Baked Stuffed Shrimp. So, Carlo, the next entry is for you! Be sure to check out the next entry to see photos and read all about delicious baked stuffed shrimp!

Blue Elephant Cafe

12 Pepperell Square

Saco, Maine 04072

207-281-3070

Vegetable Casserole

I love vegetables. I always have. What I find interesting though about all of Marjorie's vegetable recipes is that she is always covering the vegetables up with something: a cream sauce, cheese whiz, cheese, or lots and lots of butter. So here is my conclusion...if you have kids and you are trying to get them to eat their vegetables....try some of Marjorie's recipes. More than likely the kids will at least give the vegetables a try. Who knows, they may even like them!

I, myself, am a purest and like vegetables without all of the extra stuff on them. Just steamed with a little seasoning, and I'm good to go.

This Vegetable Casserole was not different from what I just described. It had white sauce, cheese, cream of mushroom soup and carrots and frozen string beans for veggies. Basically it all gets layered together in a casserole dish and baked for half an hour.

Cut the carrots very thin.

Steam together with the green beans

Make the white sacue

Add all the ingredients together and top with parmesan cheese. Bake until golden brown!

There you have it. Vegetable Casserole.

Blue Elephant Cafe

12 Pepperell Square

Saco, Maine 04072

207-281-3070

Snappy Cocktail Sauce

I must apologize for I have fallen behind in my posts! It's no excuse, but The Blue Elephant has been extremely busy catering these past couple of weeks! Be sure to check out our catering blog (www.blueelephantcatering.com) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/blueelephantevents) to see what we've been up to in the event world.

Back to cooking with Marjorie...I'm still plugging away! It's becoming increasingly difficult, as I feel as though I've done most of easy, or rather, favorite recipes. Now I'm blindly choosing what's left. It's always a surprise what will come out of the kitchen next which is why it continues to be an enjoyable experience.

On August 30th I picked out Marjorie's Snappy Cocktail Sauce. Boy was it snappy! Chili sauce, horseradish, and tabasco just to name a few of the ingredients. I paired it with shrimp of course, and it was an extremely popular dish.

As a general rule if we, the general public, are going to serve shrimp, we head to the grocery store, pick up the shrimp and cocktail sauce and serve it. I always forget how easy it is to make cocktail sauce from scratch. We made it in school, and I made it again on this day. More than likely you can find all the ingredients in your cabinet, and it takes minutes to whip together. Try it sometime, you'll be surprised at how easy it is and how much you'll like it.

Blue Elephant Cafe

12 Pepperell Square

Saco, Maine 04072

207-281-3070

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

"Custard Pie" and "Beautiful Custard Pie"

In a cookbook where two recipes collide....First was the original Custard Pie. Then came the Beautiful Custard Pie. They battled it to the death to become our customer's favorite new pie. Who would ultimately win? We would have to wait and see!

The original Custard Pie.

"She was just as widely known for custard pie and it is not unusual to have people say 'just made George's mother's pie today, it's the best!' She gave the recipe in proportions for a 9-inch pie and a 10-inch pie."

George was Marjorie's husband, and this recipe must have been his mother's recipe. It was very popular, and I could hardly keep it on the shelf the day I made it. I will definitely be keeping it on file, as I'll be making it again!

Next up...Beautiful Custard Pie.
As I was making the original custard pie, I looked down and saw that this recipe followed. I chuckled because it was such a funny name. I decided that I needed to make it right after the other custard pie for comparison sake. Unfortunately, there was no explanation for its unique name, so my assumption is that the name has to do with the recipe's method and ingredients.

The differences between the two:

Custard Pie: Beautiful Custard Pie:
Mix Eggs Beat Egg White
Sugar Add Sugar
Cold Milk Spices
Spices Beat in whole eggs
Mix in warm milk

The result: the Beautiful Custard Pie was more dense than the Custard Pie. However, both were equally delicious. I made the Beautiful Custard Pie yesterday, and we still have a few slices left. So come in and try some while it lasts!

Blue Elephant Cafe

12 Pepperell Square

Saco, Maine 04072

207-281-3070

http://twitter.com/#!/blueelephant3

Monday, August 29, 2011

Old Fashioned Chicken Casserole

I decided the other day that I wanted to finish the "Poultry" section of this cookbook. I only have a couple more poultry recipes left, but I have been focusing on the desserts recently. I landed on the Old Fashioned Chicken Casserole; it was like nothing I've ever made before. At least as far as methods go.

The directions in this cookbook are a little bit vague to say the least, and I always feel like I'm inferring. The first line of the Old Fashioned Chicken Casserole recipe says, "Prepare chicken or fowl, cook until tender in 1 quart water, adding salt and pepper. Remove chicken. Cool." Well...I assume Marjorie meant to boil the chicken on the stove top in the water and not in the oven in the water. So that's what I did.

After the chicken is done, you make a white sauce of the juice, and pour it over the meat and some bread crumbs in a casserole dish. This is all baked in the oven. It came out like a chicken a la king. We served it over white toast with a side of mixed greens. Delish!

Blue Elephant Cafe

12 Pepperell Square

Saco, Maine 04072

207-281-3070