Good Food on a Budget

This is a gem from 1974 also from Better Homes and Gardens. Now, I love BHG the magazine, but I also have many in the vintage collection from them. While I like to highlight the rather, um, unusual recipes, there are also actually some good ones left. But who doesn't like a nostalgia trip?

The wheel design comes up over and over in the vintage cookbooks. Some of you may remember I did a scary looking but tasty sausage wheel when I started this blog. (no link for a reason...) Another trend is Hawaiian - the state was fairly new to the US, and tons if recipes with a hint of pineapple were called Polynesian. This one utilizes both of these trends.

Fish Sticks Polynesian

"A good use for leftover rice" (Really? Who likes leftover rice?)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 13 3/4 oz. can pineapple tidbits (fairly exact measurement, I'll have to see if that really exists in the stores)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 1/2 cups cooked or leftover rice

1 10 oz. package frozen peas, thawed

1 8 oz. package frozen, fried, breaded fish sticks

Carrot Curls (How do you make those?)

In medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 2/3 cup syrup. Gradually stir reserved syrup into sugar mixture. Add soy sauce, vegetable bouillon cube, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, till thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar. Combine cooked rice, thawed peas, and pineapple tidbits. Stir sauce into rice mixture; turn into 1 quart casserole. Arrange fish spoke-fashion atop rice mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes. Top with carrot curls. Serves 4.

Basically this is fish sticks with heated rice/veggie mixture, right?

There is a suggested dessert that sounds pretty good:
Coffee-Scotch Dessert

1 4 oz. package instant butterscotch pudding mix

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened

1/4 cup coarse graham cracker crumbs

Prepare pudding mix following package directions; pour into 4 dessert dishes. Chill for short time, if desired. At serving time, stir coffee powder into ice cream; spoon atop pudding. Sprinkle with crumbs. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

I'm reading the YALSA Morris nominees though the winners will be announced Monday morning. (Go to http://www.ala.org/ to find out how to log on for the live youth awards announcements.) I'm reading Graceling now; wonderful fantasy. I'm hoping John Green's Paper Towns will be a Printz Honor at least, too. Go to www.ala.org/yalsa to find out about the teen awards; really there is something for every reader and listener here. I can't believe it when people ask me what books to get for teens (though of course I always help them!). There are lists on the YALSA site of graphic novels, books for reluctant readers, audiobooks and more.

And yes, I'm blogging a lot more. I'm learning some great tricks from a new blog book tour class. Dani Greer, the new head of the YA Quake imprint, from Echelon Press has realistic techniques so even writers with two little kids, a job, and a messy house, can find time to stay active in the online world.