Recipes by Arlene

Note: Modified from the “First Gentleman’s Cookbook” compiled by William D. Orr, husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 can artichokes (not marinated}
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup green onion, chopped fine
• Dash of beau monde seasoning
• Dash of garlic powder

Combine all ingredients and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Serve with Cheddar Thins crackers.

Note: Modified from the “First Gentleman’s Cookbook” compiled by William D. Orr, husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.

• 12 lb. chicken (raw weight)
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 3 cups chopped carrots
• 3 cups chopped celery
• ⅓ cup salt
• 1½ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 3 1-lb. packages of noodles

Cook chicken. Remove from broth and cool enough to work with. Retain the broth. Remove skin and bones and chop into small pieces. Put vegetables and seasonings into broth and cook until tender. Return chicken to broth. Add noodles about 20 minutes before serving. If soup is desired, use fewer noodles.

Note: This recipe can be easily cut by thirds.

Note: Modified from the “First Gentleman’s Cookbook” compiled by William D. Orr, husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• ⅓ cup butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
• ½ to 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. sage

Stir rice into boiling chicken broth. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35-45 minutes until rice puffs open and is tender. Pour off excess liquid and fluff lightly with fork. Blend soup, melted butter/margarine and seasonings. Mix all ingredients in a covered casserole dish. Bake 1 hour at 350°.

Note: Modified from the “First Gentleman’s Cookbook” compiled by William D. Orr, husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.

• 1½ lbs. ground beef
• 2tsp. horseradish
• 5 tbsp. BBQ sauce or catsup
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and put mixture into a loaf pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes in a 325° oven.

Note: Modified from the “First Gentleman’s Cookbook” compiled by William D. Orr, husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr.

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 small potato, grated with peel
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. medium grind black pepper

Mix and form patties. Spray grill or broiler surface with Pam Cooking Spray or another non-stick spray to prevent sticking. Actually works best if you put a sheet of aluminum foil on the grill surface, spray that and then grill burgers.

Note: This recipe is an adaptation of a very old recipe called “Depression Burgers” that was made during the ‘30s using the grated potato as a meat-stretcher.

Driesbach’s was a famous steakhouse in Grand Island, Nebraska for many years but has since closed its doors.

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 3 oz. half & half
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• Salt & pepper to taste

Beat above ingredients well before adding to vegetables:

• ½ cup carrots, shredded
• ¾ head green cabbage, shredded
• ½ cup red cabbage, shredded

Dressing:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. mustard
• ½ cup salad oil

Boil dressing ingredients together for 3 minutes. Pour hot over vegetable mixture. Mix well; place in tightly covered dish and refrigerate for 24 hrs. Makes 8-10 servings.

From Wikipedia: Kolache (also spelled kolace, kolach, or kolacky, from the Czech and Slovak plural koláče) is a type of pastry consisting of fillings ranging from fruits (including poppy seed, raspberry, and apricot) to cheeses inside a bread roll. Originally only a sweet dessert from Central Europe, they have become popular in parts of the United States.

Note: This recipe comes from “The Psota Collection,” a compilation of recipes from the Psota family in Ravenna, Nebraska. My aunt, Albie Kostal Psota, was an excellent cook and made kolaches for us all the time.

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 packages dry yeast
• flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup mile (scald, cool to warm)
• 1 cup lard
• 5-6 cups flour

Mix first four ingredients using enough flour to make thin batter, like pancakes. Let stand 15 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients. Mix well and let rise until double in size. Push down. Take ¼ of dough, pat down and cut into 3- to 4-inch squares. Pull corners up so it looks like an ‘H.’ Put filling in center — apple, prune, apricot, cherry, cottage cheese or poppy seed – and bring corners up and tie, like a shoe. Let rise until double in size. Bake in 350° oven until brown, about 30 minutes.

Note: This recipe originally came from Rose Kraber Brown of Alda, Nebraska. I was sorry to hear that she recently passed away.

• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup chopped cranberries
• 1½ cup miniature marshmallows
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla

In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until well combined. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and vanilla to egg mixture. Fold in cranberries. Spread butter in a greased 13” x 9” pan. Top with marshmallows and press into batter. sprinkle with brown sugar and nuts. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Note: This recipe originally came from Elsie Kraber Pritschau, from Ravenna, Nebraska.

• 1 (6-oz.) package long-grain and wild rice mix
• 1 lb. bulk pork sausage
• 1 (10¾-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
• ½ cup chopped onions
• ½ cup chopped green pepper
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup minced celery
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• ½ tsp. pepper

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown sausage in skillet; drain excess fat. Combine rice, sausage and remaining ingredients in a greased 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Yield: 6-8 servings.

This recipe comes from Bonnie Macek, one of my mother’s best friends in Ravenna, Nebraska. The recipe is easily 60 years old if not much older.

• ½ cup butter or shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• ½ tsp. grated lemon rind
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. soda
• 2 cups fresh chopped apples
• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Sift together white sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. dissolve soda in milk. Combine all ingredients (down to the chopped apples and except half of the milk) in mixer bowl and beat at medium speed for two minutes. Add last ½ of the milk and beat two more minutes. Add chopped apples. Pour into cake pan and sprinkle with brown sugar and nuts. Bake at 360 degrees about 30 minutes.