Comfort foods for the month of August

Send your recipes to: reply@plymouth-review.com

A rainy afternoon makes me feel like comfort foods, just like a snowy day in February. After a weekend trip to Minnesota to visit our son- and daughter-in-law, it felt good to be home again, “keeping house” and thinking about what to make for dinner.

I decided on the baked zucchini au gratin that was in the July 21 column, kohlrabi from the garden and New York strips from a grocery store in St. Cloud where they were having a special. The baked zucchini was excellent!

When I think of comfort foods, I think of meatloaf – one of our favorites comes to mind. Meatloaf is one of those foods that you either love or you don’t. I think you’ll love this one.
Mary’s Meat Loaf
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup cornflakes, crushed
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Blend first seven ingredients and press into a small loaf pan. Pour Worcestershire sauce over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with catsup and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

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Shirley Heibel from Sheboygan says she loves to bake and has been doing it for 49 years. That’s a great accomplishment and something to be proud of. Thank you, Shirley, for sharing the following two recipes with our readers.
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Strawberry Dessert Pizza
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients: 1 package (20 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough – it comes in a roll 1 package (8 ounces) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 1 tub (8 ounces) Cool Whip strawberry topping, thawed 1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, sliced

Directions: Press cookie dough into greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk (or electric mixer on high speed) until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping.

Spread cream cheese mixture over crust; top with strawberries Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Strawberry Jell-O Salad

Ingredients:
2 small packages strawberry Jell-O
1¾ cups water
10 ounces (1¼ cups) of mashed fresh strawberries
2 bananas, mashed
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
Small carton sour cream

Directions: Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. When partially set, add fruits, put half of mixture in a mold. When firm, spread on cream, then spread remaining partially set Jell-O mixture on top. Chill until firm.

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The following recipe was sent by Marcella (Lucky) Perl of New Holstein. It’s nice to know we have readers in Calumet County to the north of Plymouth. I talked to Lucky at the New Holstein Fire Department parade on July 12. New Holstein always has an excellent parade and fireworks the weekend after July 4th. If you like parades, you’ll like this one – it lasts 1½ hours!

Lucky says this recipe came from a 1980 cookbook put out by the American Cancer Society. She has been making this recipe for many years, so we know it is a “tried and true” recipe. Thank you Lucky!
Zucchini Bars with
Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
Zucchini bars:
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini squash
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½-to-1 cup chopped walnuts
1-or-2 small cans crushed pineapple, drained
Frosting:
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Combine sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl, mix well. Add eggs, beating well. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredients; add to egg mixture, mixing well. Add nuts, if desired. Add pineapple. Spoon batter into a greased and floured jellyroll pan (large metal pan like a cookie sheet, only with sides).

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done. Let cool. Mix frosting ingredients until smooth; spread over cooled zucchini bars.

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Lucky provided the following note regarding this recipe: If I’m in a hurry, I use cream cheese frosting from the grocery store. I have always added the pineapple for extra flavoring and everyone likes it.

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Tip for the week: Put a dash of cinnamon and a dash of Tabasco in your spaghetti sauce to give it a pleasantly exotic taste.

• • • Send your favorite recipes to The Review, P.O. Box 317, Plymouth, WI 53073. I am available for questions regarding the recipes or comments on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 893-6411, ext. 32.