sicsusan -- Great to know The Krebs is still dishing it up! Going to Woolworth's for lunch was an early treat for our DS. Our next door neighbors had a 'Summer Girl' two summers. They had one boy and boy and girl twins four years younger who were my DS's age. The girl and four kids would cut through our back yard, go out the gate, cross the churchyard, cross the street, and go into a small shopping plaza to Woolworth's. It was an *adventure*! It was tiring enough so that they all napped afterwards too! jannie -- When you mentioned the menu with photos of all the entrees that reminded me of going to NYC with my mother and eating at the Automat. (Horn & Hardart's?) One side of the dining area was a wall with small brass doors. It looked a lot like a post office but the brass doors had windows. Plates with different choices of food were on the other side of the doors. You'd put a tokan in a slot to unlock a door, then put what you'd chosen on a tray. When you had everything you wanted, you'd take your tray to a table to eat. If you looked through the glass you could see into the kitchen where the food was prepared to constantly replenish the selections. We went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes on that trip. I also vaguely remember meeting my mother's Aunt Mae, who still lived in a frame house on East 43rd St. -- where she had been since arriving from Scotland in the late 1800's. (I think the UN has buildings there now.)

Well I turned over the kitchen to my better half last night & let him make this for dinner. It was quite good but not exactly as he remembered it. Basically elbows in a really meaty red sauce. He sauteed garlic & onions, added in the ground beef (we were out of garlic powder- my spice cab really needs an inventory), a can of peeled tomatoes & a can of tomato paste. A smidge of salt. Topped it with shredded mozzarella that we mixed in to each bowl so it melted through. Bill is sure that his mother never used tomato soup and if there was cheese added it would have been pre-grated Kraft (no...just no). Chase- I said the exact same thing last night! That this must be what Hamburger Helper is...but why would you buy something like that when this was just as easy? Mind you we never had Hamburger Helper or even American Chop Suey by any of it's numerous names growing up. My mom only made Italian food ;-). We never even kept bottled sauce in the house. But last night's dinner was definitely comfort food, quick & easy & even met the 3 year old's seal of...well if not apprival then tolerance. He ate all of his dinner, anyway. I'm enjoying reading about everyone's memories and the different names & variations. I've been passing it all on to my better half. Nina

I make about 75 Amish Dinner Rolls every year to take to a huge Thanksgiving dinner. Photos can been seen and a repeat of this recipe here: http://community.livejournal.com/bakebakebake/1573919.html I use 2tsps. of regular table salt in this recipe instead of the 1-1/2 tsp. that recipe calls for. I'm thinking this recipe uses salted butter, and if that's the case don't add more. I use unsalted. I've tried it both ways and 1/2 more salt is better. (rule of thumb is 1/2 tsp. per cup of flour for bread) I start out in the Kitchenaid and finish on counter...it get's too sticky in Kitchenaid and easier to finish by hand adding more flour It will still be sticky dough though. I make double batches. I weigh the dough and divide by 15 then weigh each roll. (They touch and pull apart when done) I let the dough rise for about an hour, covered with buttered or Pam sprayed Saran wrap and refrigerate overnight to rise the rest of the way. (butter the bowl first, flip the dough butter side up, etc. to keep from drying) After about 4 hours in fridge or when the dough has finished doubling, I gently secure the wrap to sit on the dough to prevent drying out. Note: If I were using a bread machine I would remove the dough as soon as it's done kneading and place in buttered bowl to rise ( for an hour if going into fridge to rise the rest of the way) Refrigerating the dough adds flavor and also makes them easier to shape because they are sticky. Next day I shape them. Dip your hand in flour and shake off excess to form rolls. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, and let them freeze solid, (covered with sprayed Saran Wrap), then put them in a gallon freezer bag. Thanksgiving day I take them out of the freezer about 5 or 6 hours before dinner. Depending on room temp, they will take 4 to 5 hours to thaw and do a second rise. Place frozen rolls in appropriate pan, brush with melted butter, cover with Saran wrap to rise. (No need to spray the wrap with buttered rolls) Make sure and remove them from pan after baking or they will get soggy on bottom. I try to take the whole connected batch out and let them cool whole on a rack. They won't dry out that way.... I'm always stuck bringing the rolls now. They inhale them! Oh, I cook the potatoes in the microwave covered with a cup of water, then I use the potato water for the recipe. I run them through a ricer. I just use Idaho. I use a 9 by 13 inch baking pan (buttered) because I like the sides to stick together and not form a crust. They are like Grandma used to make looking just like the photo on the link above. I hope someone enjoys! :) Here's the recipe: Theme Post: Amish Dinner Rolls These dinner rolls literally melt in your mouth. The secret is the mashed potatoes, which add starch, but don't make them the least bit dry. 2 eggs 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter 1 cup (7 1/4 ounces) unseasoned mashed potatoes, lightly packed* 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 3/4 cup water (potato water, if possible) 4 1/4 cups (18 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour *1 medium-to-large baking potato will yield 8 ounces of mashed potato. Manual/Mixer Method: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and mix until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or floured surface, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it's smooth and shiny. Or knead it in a mixer, using the dough hook. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or rising bucket, turn to coat, cover the container with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise till it's doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes. Bread Machine Method: Place all the ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer (usually, liquids first, yeast last). Program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Check the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle and adjust its consistency as necessary by adding additional water or flour to form a soft, smooth ball. Allow the machine to complete its cycle, then allow the dough to remain in the machine till it's doubled in bulk, perhaps an additional 30 minutes or so. Shaping: To make stand-alone rolls, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. If you want to make soft-sided, pull-apart rolls, divide the dough into 15 pieces. This isn't as challenging as it sounds: first, divide the dough into three equal pieces (about 375g, 14 ounces, each). Pinch off one piece, about the size of a racquetball or handball (75g, 2 3/4 ounces), off each of the three pieces, setting the pinched-off pieces aside; then simply divide what's left of the three pieces into four pieces each. Presto! Fifteen balls of dough. Gently roll the dough balls under your cupped fingers till they're nice and round. Place the 16 dough balls onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet or sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Or place the 15 dough balls into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan, spacing them evenly in five rolls of three balls each. Cover the pan(s) with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise for about 2 hours, till they're quite puffy; the rolls in the 9 x 13-inch pan should be touching (or almost touching) one another. Baking: Bake the rolls in a preheated 350 deg F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, till they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, carefully turn them out of the pan -- the pull-apart rolls will come out all in one piece -- and brush them with melted butter, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Finally found this...it is the perfect choice if you don't want the molds but do want the exquisite taste. Cannelé Colossus No, your eyes did not deceive you - this gigantic cannelé is baked in a good old American bundt pan, which happily seems to be making a comeback in baking circles. Those of you outside of North America might want to try a Kugelhopf pan, which a bit narrower and taller but still has the same general shape (though they do tend to run a bit smaller so some recipe adjustments may be necessary). If all else fails I imagine a plain tube pan or even a savarin mold might do the trick - you'll never know unless you try! Just make sure whatever pan you use is quite thick and heavy, to evenly distribute the heat during the long, long baking time. I should also point out that while the white oil is technically optional, it is important to giving the right texture and shine to the crust. Beeswax may seem like an odd ingredient but it is easy to track down online and costs very little - and is well worth investing in if you like cannelés the slightest bit! Source: adapted from Paula Wolfert's The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen for white oil: 1 oz (30g) beeswax 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil for cannelés: 2 vanilla beans, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 cups (1ltr) whole milk 2 cups (400g) superfine/caster sugar 1 1/2 cups (200g) cake flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons (60g) cold unsalted butter, diced 10 large egg yolks 4 tablespoons (60ml) dark rum equipment: a 12-cup (10-inch) heavy-duty bundt pan For the white oil, melt the beeswax in a glass measuring cup set inside a pan of simmering water. When completely melted, stir in the oil, a little at a time, waiting for the mixture to remelt each time before adding more. When all the oil is incorporated, remove the cup from the pan and let cool slightly. Rewarm the mixture before using, if necessary. Split the vanilla beans in half and scrape out the seeds, then throw the seeds and beans into a medium saucepan with the milk. Bring to a boil, then cover and set aside to cool to 183F (about 5-7 minutes). In a food processor, combine the sugar, flour, salt and butter and pulse until the butter is well distributed. Add the egg yolks one by one, pulsing just until the mixture starts to come together into a batter. With the machine on, slowly and steadily pour in the hot milk through the feed tube, discarding the vanilla beans. Strain the mixture into a large bowl to remove any lumps, pressing through any congealed egg yolk. Stir in the rum (and vanilla extract if that's what you are using), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day preheat your oven to 400F/200C and center a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with a thin film of the white oil (it should really be a fine coat, so wipe out any excess with a paper towel). Place the pan in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then remove and fill with the cold batter (give it a stir first to re-homogenize). Place directly on the center oven rack and bake for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 350F/170C and continue baking until the crust looks deep brown and smells caramelized, about 2 hours more. How dark you let it get is actually up to you - the darker it gets the more bittersweet it will taste (you can unmold the cannelé and check its color periodically if you want to be sure). When it's done unmold it immediately and let it cool completely on a rack. When it's hot the crust will still be soft, but will harden upon cooling. The cannelé is best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warm; the crust will soften over time but a few minutes in a hot oven should crisp it up again like new.