6 ounce package seasoned croutons
2 of 12 ounce can corned beef, crumbled.
2 of 16 ounce can sauerkraut, drained
16 ounces swiss cheese slices
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper



• In buttered 11 3/4" x 7 1/2" x 1 3/4" baking dish, layer half of the croutons, corned beef and sauerkraut.
• Add next layer: half of the swiss cheese.
• Top with remaining croutons and swiss cheese.
• Beat eggs, pepper and milk together.
• Pour egg and milk mixture over casserole.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and set in center.
  
• 8 hearty servings or 12 moderate servings.

1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup Pet evaporated milk
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup catsup or chili sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper



• Mix all ingredients listed above.
• With wet hands, shape mixture into a loaf in center of a 13" x 9" x 2" pan.
  
• Peel and slice 1/4 inch thick:
  • 3 medium potatos
  • 3 medium onions
• Peel and quarter lengthwise:
  • 3 medium carrots
  
  
• Mix 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grains of pepper.
• Place vegetables in layers around the meat loaf.
• Sprinkle each layer with part of salt mixture.
• Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender.
• Uncover and bake 10 minutes more to brown.
• Serves 4

MEATBALLS 1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup prepared bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 and 1/2 cups of Crisco shortening
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk

SAUCE
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup catsup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup water



• Mix sauce ingredients and heat on burner.
• Mix meatball ingredients.
• Form into small balls and brown in skillet.
• Drop the browned meatballs into the hot sauce mixture
• Simmer on top of stove until sauce is thick and clear and the meatballs are tender.
• Stir often.
• Serve with rice, creamed potatos or buttered noodles.
• Serves 6

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup minced onion
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon minced parsley (or 1 teaspoon flakes)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups boiling water

Brown in 1/4 cup oil

Add 3/4 cup sour cream

6 to 8 eggs
2 slices of melting cheese
Butter (real butter!) the size of an egg
2 Tablespoons of Crisco oil
Melt butter with the oil on low burner. Have eggs broken in bowl with cheese broken in bits over it. (Small pieces of cheese!) Pour in skillet and turn burner to almost high, and stir continuously with a long-pronged long-handled fork. Do not overcook. Immediately, take from burner and serve while eggs are still moist.

Scrambled eggs go well with crisp bacon or sausage, and toast. These can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or supper!

VARIATION: I sometimes drain a jar of Green Giant mushrooms, and add them (chopped) to the eggs and cheese before I put them in the skillet.

VARIATION: Also, a smidgen of chives adds a nice taste.

VARIATION: Some chopped pimento adds color. (I use a slice out of a jar.)

VARIATION: Chopped green onion, too, pleases many adults, but many young folk prefer the egg and cheese mixture alone.

It seems that of all of the meals that I cooked for you 'Forty-'leven' through the years, my 'Tramp Soup' was one of your favorites. The name really came out of the clear blue sky. Remember? When I was asked 'Why the name?' I would quickly explain that if I were a tramp, a big bowl of this soup would 'hit the spot!'

To this day you often remind me of how you loved it, and so I thought you'd be pleased for the inclusion of this recipe. Now you may enjoy it as often as you crave it.

2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 nice onion (chopped)
6 potatos (diced)
1 box of Bird's eye frozen corn
2 boxes of frozen peas and carrots
1 or 2 smidgens of salt
2 Tablespoons of sugar

Lightly brown the ground beef in a kettle and then cover with water. Bring to a boil, and add potatos and onion. Cook just until potatos are almost done. Then, add corn, sugar and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes longer and then add peas and carrots. Don't overcook as peas and carrots lend a much better flavor if they look 'garden fresh.'

NOTE: Use only enough liquid on these ingredients to barely cover the other ingredients, as this soup should be on the thick side.

NOTE: 2 packets of Green Giant white corn can be used in place of Bird's Eye corn. Or, use 2 cans of white corn. Depends on whatever you have on hand.

1 box of Green Giant frozen white corn (in butter sauce)
1 box of Bird's Eye frozen corn
1 nice onion (chopped)
2 smidgens of parsley
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of salt
1 heaping Tablespoon of butter (real butter!)
1 stick of butter (again, real butter!)
3 cups or more of milk
1 scant cup of flour

Put corn, chopped onion, parsley and sugar in a medium-sized pan. Add about two cups of water. Also, add the spoon of butter. Let cook until onion is done. Do not overcook.

Over low burner, melt the stick of butter, then blend in the flour. Add milk, a little at a time, stirring all the while. Turn burner to high and continue stirring until sauce is to a boiling stage. Then, turn burner out and add this to the corn mixture.

NOTE: This sauce shouldn't be too thick or too thin. Judgement must be used. More milk can be added.

NOTE: Cream gives an even richer flavor, if one wishes to add some.

REMEMBER: When sauce is added to corn mixture, leave on low burner, covered for about 5 minutes, and serve immediately.

2 pounds of ground beef
1 pound of lean sausage
1 onion (minced)
1 teaspoon of salt (maybe a smidgen more.)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oats
1/4 cup of milk

Mix all ingredients in bowl and turn out on a floured sheet of wax paper or foil. Place nother sheet of wax paper over the top and pat out or roll with rolling pin.

Remove top wax paper and spread dressing (see below) over the meat. Carefully roll up (jelly-roll fashion) and place in a baking pan. If possible, set your pan in another pan with water in it's bottom, or if you have a rack that on which you can set your meatloaf, that would be fine, too. Either way, this keeps your meatloaf from becoming too brown on the bottom.

Cover meatloaf pan with aluminum foil. Bake is a medium hot oven for about an hour and a half. Then, uncover meatloaf and leave in oven for 10 or 15 minutes longer to grown the top a bit.

STUFFING/DRESSING: 'Stove Top Stuffing' makes a nice dressing spread for this rolled meat loaf, but be sure you make the dressing a'top the stove (with real butter!), so that you can add the seasonings before spreading it on the meatloaf mixture. If seasoning packet is too strong for your taste, just use lesser ... maybe half a packet?

OR: The PORK CHOP DRESSING recipe that I provide below can be used only if you used chicked or beef broth for the liquid. Also, add a bit more real butter to sauted ingredients.

VARIATION: 'Stove Top Stuffing' mixed with ground beef and made into patties makes a different kind of sandwich, and is very tasty! Again, if a full packet of seasonings is too strong for your taste, use a lesser amount.

6 to 8 Pork Chops (Number depends on how many you're feeding.)
3 Tablespoons of Crisco oil
1 nice onion (chopped)
2 smidgens of parsley flakes
1 smidgen of course black pepper
1 cup of celery (diced)
1 smidgen of sage (optional)
2 quarts (at least) of dried bread
1/2 stick of butter (real butter!)
3 eggs
salt (for the chops -- according to taste)

Place chops in heated skillet, with the Crisco oil, and brown as when one frys on both sides. When they are to the 'done' stage, pour water in pan to well cover the chops. Let this come to a rolling boil, then turn heat down and cover, allowing this to simmer for at least 20 minutes.

In another skillet (small one), saute in the butter all of the celery, onion, parsley and sage. When you have finished with this, pour out of the skilled over your dried bread (which you've already broken up).

Now you are ready to pour the seasoned liquid off of the chops over the bread. Stir all through the bread with the other seasonings. Beat the 3 eggs and stir in dressing mixture. Pour this dressing in a buttered oblong baking pan.

Use either two cans of drained white corn or spread a box of Bird's Eye frozen corn -- which has been let come to a boil -- and then drained -- over the dressing. Place the pork chops over this.

Cover with aluminum foil and put into a 350 degree oven and leave for 30 to 35 minutes.

NOTE: This goes well with scalloped potatos or baked potatos. This is very filling, but exceptionally good! Green beans would also go well with this meal.

NOTE: If you don't have dry bread for the dressing, place bread on a cookie sheet in the broiler on low heat. Watch closely and stir often.

If you are lucky enough in the Spring to find, or have given to you, Honeycomb Mushrooms (morels), prepare them as follows:

Wash mushrooms well. Then, split lengthwise and put in salted water and let set for about an hour. Rinse in several waters after you have poured the salted waters off. Drain mushrooms on paper towels.

Put three or four Tablespoons of Crisco oil in skillet and heat. Place floured mushrooms in skillet, but don't crowd them. Have your heat high enough to brown mushrooms, and I prefer turning them only once! If frying more than one skillet full, more oil must be added.

NOTE: I slightly salt the mushrooms before I flour them. There are those who prefer to dip mushrooms in corn meal, or a mixture of half cornmeal and half flour. However they are prepared, they are simply delicious!

NOTE: People who eat mushrooms from the wild should be sure that they know how to distinguish the safe ones from the poisonous ones.

1 pound of navy or great northern beans
1 and 1/2 pounds of ground beef
1 nice onion (chopped)
1 cup of diced celery
1 carrot diced
1 small green pepper (optional)
1 Tablespoon of sugar
Salt as desired

Brown ground beef lightly and then add to beans which have been well-washed. Add other ingredients and cook on medium burner until beans are done.

NOTE: Cornbread and potatos (either fried or baked) go well with this meal. Green onions, when in season, make such a meal even more enjoyable. A different taste, but very good!

1 nice onion
4 potatos (diced)
1 cup of chopped celery
1 zuchini (and size, diced)
1 tomato (or two) (cut in chunks)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1/2 stick of real butter
1/2 box of Bird's Eye frozen corn, or corn cut from fresh roasting ears
2 smidgens of parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons of sugar
Smidgens of salt, to suit your taste
2 carrots (chopped)

In skillet with melted butter and 3 Tablespoons of Crisco oil, place the the vegetables and turn heat to high for a little spell, stirring all the while. When vegetables are rather sauted, pour a cup of water over them and cover. Turn heat to medium, and later to low, as vegetables get to done stage. Stir often. Keep some fluid on but very little, as these vegetables should just be kept moist. Please don't overcook your vegetables, so that you can enjoy their full flavor.

NOTE: 1 or 1 and 1/2 pounds of ground beef or cut-up chicken breasts (cooked) can be lightly browned and cooked with these vegetables. This makes a very nourishing meal. Corn bread goes so well, too.

Any kind of vegetables can be stir-fried. If you have lesser than the above, or more, it is fine.

1 package of chicken breasts
2 boxes of frozen carrots and peas
1 heaping Tablespoon of sugar
1 Tablespoon of salt
1/2 pint of real cream
1/2 stick of real butter
2 cans of Pillsbury '1869' biscuits

Soak breast pieces in salted water for about twenty minutes. Pour this water off and then wash well in cold water. Place in medium-sized kettle with water to well-cover. Add salt and let cook until meat falls off of bone. The chicken and broth need this 'well-doneness' to be fully flavorful.

Take chicken out of broth with a strainer dipper or spoon with holes. Let chicken cool enough to handle. Then, break chicken into small pieces. Put these pieces back into the broth. Leave on low burner until the following is ready to add:

Cook two boxes of peas and carrots with one heaping Tablespoon of sugar and two smidgens of salt. Cook a short while -- don't over cook. Add one-half stick of real butter. Now, bring the broth and chicken mixture to a boil and add the flour (which has been blended with some of the real cream). Stir until heated. Then, add carrots and peas. Pour into buttered oblong baking pan and top with biscuits. Bake in about 350 degree oven.

NOTE: Mashed potatos go well with this chicken pie. A salad or green vegetable goes nicely, too.

6 to 8 potatos (diced)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 strips of bacon (cut in small pieces)
1 heaping teaspoon of salt (add more later if needed)
1 heaping Tablespoon of sugar
1 cup of flour
3 or more cups of milk
1 stick of real butter

Cover potatos, onion, bacon pieces, salt and sugar. Cook in water until potatos are done.

In the meanwhile, you make your sauce (while potato mixture is cooking). Blend over a low burner the flour in the butter which has been melted. Then stir in milk enough to make a medium thick sauce. When the sauce comes to a boil, pour in with potato mixture. Leave on lowest heat for five minutes (covered). Then, serve.

NOTE: Do not brown butter or flour when blending them.

6 potatos (diced)
1 large onion (chopped)
8 strips of bacon
1 heaping teaspoon of salt
1 heaping Tablespoon of sugar
1 cup of flour
1 egg
1/2 stick real butter

Use a medium-sized ketter for soup. Cover potatos, bacon, sugar, onion and salt with water. Cook until potatos are done. Then, add Rivvels.

Pour the cup of flour in a small mixing bowl and with a fork stir beaten egg into the flour, a little at a time until all is used. Mixture should be crumby. Add this to potato mixture and bring to a boil.

This soup is tasty like this, but a half pint of real cream gives this soup a yummy taste, too! Another variation is to add a chopped carrot to potato mixture, and, when done, blend three Tablespoons of flour with some milk and add to the boiling mixture. Then, add a pint of real cream.

NOTE: Use seasonings according to your own taste. Don't, though, leave anything out as the flavor won't be the same.

2 jars of Green Giant mushrooms (diced)
1 nice round steak
1 smidgen of white pepper
1 smidgen of course black pepper
1 and 1/2 pounds of spaghetti (broken)
2 cans of tomato sauce
1 nice onion (chopped)
1 packet of Lowry's spaghetti sauce
2 Tablespoons of sugar (more if desired, or less)
2 teaspoons of salt (according to taste)
3 Tablespoons of Crisco oil

Cut round steak in small-bite sizes and brown lightly in oil. Cover with water, add salt, and cook until meat is tender. I usually use my pressure cooker as it saves time and is done in about 10 minutes.

Add to the cooked meat, the following: tomato sauce, chopped onion, spaghetti sauce, sugar, white pepper, black pepper and mushrooms.

Stir well and let come to a boil, stirring all the while. Cover and leave on low heat for about ten minutes.

Cook spaghetti in boiling water until done (about 10 minutes). Drain and add to meat and sauce.

Cover and let stand for at least five minutes before serving.

This recipe is a nice change and very delicious!

1 pound of ground beef
1 nice onion (chopped)
2 celery stalks (diced)
1 box of frozen corn
1 small green pepper (optional)
1 can of red kidney beans
2 Tablespoons of sugar
Smidgens of salt to suit one's taste
Left-over baked or boiled potatos

Brown hamburger in skillet in oil. Do not overbrown. Then, add chopped onion, diced celery and green pepper pieces.

Stir-fry a bit. Add corn, sugar and cubed potatos. Let this mixture get piping hot. Then, simmer for a few minutes before adding kidney beans and salt. Stir again and then cover for about five more minutes on low heat.

Corn bread goes well with this meal.

NOTE: Remember left-over meats can be used in place of ground beef.

NOTE: If meat isn't available or desired, use two Tablespoons of Crisco oil with three Tablespoons of real butter in a heated skillet. Then, add ingredients as listed in above recipe.

This meal is nice for a busy day. Almost any kind of vegetable can be used. Just use whatever you happen to have on hand.

Slice left-over baked potatos lengthwise and place a fourth of a slice of cheese on each potato piece. Put on a sheet of aluminum foil.

Heat and lightly brown under broiler. Turn head to 375 degrees. WATCH CLOSELY!

This treat can be enjoyed with scrambled eggs or friend ones. Or, you will enjoy this just as a snack, when hungry.

NOTE: Potatos boiled with jackets on can be sliced and used this same way, too.

We have a whole site just for my grandmother's Pennsylvania Dutch and Southern Indiana Influenced Recipes.

Other people in our circle of family and friends also have some wonderful recipes. Check it out at

Other Favorite Party Food
Other Favorite Main Courses
Other Favorite Breads
Other Favorite Side Dishes
Other Favorite Deserts

And here's a site I found that has ShooFly pie
and other Pennsylvania Dutch treats -
Pam's Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes

See Also:

Copyright 1996-2008, Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD
(Granduncle Mark)

Contact me at