Bringing Back the Family Dinner

Photo: Vixen Pin Up Photography
Hair: Nikki Moreno-Whipple
MUA: Candy Cunningham

Earlier this year I inherited my grandmother's collection of cookbooks.  This did not include just a couple of standards, but an entire bookcase full of treasures that she had collected since the 1940s. I immediately decided that I had to start at the beginning and cook my way through. One of my favorite cook book series that she had were the Your Neighbor Lady books published by WNAX radio out of Yankton, SD and Sioux City, IA.  It is a personal dream of mine to be the new "Neighbor Lady", and it is the back of my mind to try and revive this symbol of Mid Century life in the Midwest.

The first recipe I'll share with you is taken from Your Neighbor Lady 1947.  It's way too hot for goulash right now, but I am eagerly awaiting fall so that I can put this on the table.  This gem was submitted by Mrs. Rudolph Porath (notice only a man's name...classic mid century format) from Valentine, Nebraska.

SPANISH GOULASH

1 pound hamburger                                 1 quart water

1 large onion, chopped fine                     2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup diced celery                               1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups tomatoes                                     1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup spaghetti

Cook spaghetti in salted water quart of water twenty minutes.  Drain off water and add all other ingredients and mix well.  Place in baking dish and bake in moderate oven about forty minutes.  Serves eight to ten.