What part of the country are you in? Here in New York no 50's diner would be complete without the "Brooklyn Egg Cream" & Penny Candy Jars on the counter top

Is this going to be like a Pot Roast and Mashed Potato place? If so, during the cold months how about a Bavarian Pot Roast? Cuts like butter, smells like heaven with Cider, cinn. cider vin. diced tomatoes and mushrooms. Would be happy to give you a regular recipe. Everyone I know loves it.

Another that we made last night is a simple bread pudding that is simply to die for. Panettoni Bread Pudding. That recipe is off the top of the head. 1lb. Panettoni bread, 8 eggs, beaten. 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 2 1/2 cups of whole milk. 1 1/2 c. of sugar. Cut your bread into cubes and place in a buttered 13 by 9 baking dish. Whip eggs with sugar and add milk and cream. Pour over bread and pat lightly to be sure all surface is wet. Let sit for 30 min. Place in a 350 oven for 45 min. OMG!!!

If you think it sounds plain because you don't add vanilla or spices let me assure you that it smells divine and tastes even better. Long live panettoni! It needs no embellishment of whipped cream or ice cream or sauce. It is a gift of God all on its own.

We have a breakfast rice that our friends love. We use a 1lb. box of Arborio rice and six cups of milk. Cook until all absorbed and then if not tender to your own taste add half and half until right for you. Add golden raisins and chopped apples (we like granny smiths) at the beginning and 1/2 teaspoon of Gharam Masala. At end, stir in 1 st. of butter for 1lb. of rice. Creamy, comforting and different. Sounds weird but sooo delicious.

Make grilled cheese sandwiches with combos of basic american cheese with Provolone, or Provolone and Meunster. Never 'just' american. Boring. Provolone gives it that wonderful STrrrrrrrrinnnngggg effect!! Great with Tomato soup.

Just a few ideas that my family loves. If you want the Bavarian Pot Roast let me know.

Enjoy!!!

You need a good meatloaf recipe like this one from Alton Brown on the Food Network:

Good Eats Meat Loaf
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown
6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.
Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars

This salad/slaw is light tasting and keeps well. It originated in a diner in New Jersey.

Claremont Salad keeps 1 week refrigerated

3/4head of cabbage shredded 2 TB sugar
1 small onion, sliced 3 TB vinegar
1 green bell pepper, sliced 2 TB salad oil
1 carrot, grated or 1 pkg. grated 1 TB water
1 cucumber, sliced 1 t salt, fresh ground black pepper

Mix all the vegetables together in a big bowl. Put dressing in jar and shake very well. Pour over the vegetables. Leave vegetables and dressing at room temperature for 2 hours, then put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Amish Baked Chicken is simple and delicious - easy to prepare for a crowd.

Amish Baked Chicken Recipe

4 servings

1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
3 teaspoons salt
1 cut up broiler chicken or young roasting chickens
1/4 lb butter

1. Mix the dry ingredients well in a plastic bag, then coat the cut up chicken parts with the mixture.
2. In a cake pan, melt the butter.
3. Place the chicken parts in the pan, but do not crowd them.
4. Bake the chicken at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until done.

I love your recipes Thresa. You sent me the cake recipe. Isn't there something satisfying in feeding our family and friends? Manjia!! :)
Kim

We used to stop at the diner every Saturday night after the movies........always had french fries and a vanilla coke or cherry coke........the real thing with the syrup on the bottom of the glass, not the canned stuff you can buy now.........or anyone else remember a vanilla phosphate?
We ate at the diner when we were in NY two weeks ago and it was neat but not the same anymore. No juke boxes at each booth!

Don't know what happened to the Claremont Salad recipe in translation/transmission?

Claremont Salad keeps 1 week refrigerated

3/4head of cabbage shredded
1 small onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 carrot, grated or 1 pkg. grated
1 cucumber, sliced

Dressing:
2 TB sugar
3 TB vinegar
2 TB salad oil
1 TB water
1 t. salt
fresh ground black pepper

Mix all the vegetables together in a big bowl. Put dressing in jar and shake very well. Pour over the vegetables. Leave vegetables and dressing at room temperature for 2 hours, then put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Some foods that became the "rage" in the 50's from the Millennium Special of Bon Appetit (Sept. 1999)...

Beef Stroganoff - You can easily make the meaty stuff ahead of time (either with beef tenderloin or the hamburger version)and the noodles as needed.

Little spareribs with "oriental" glazes were quite popular in the fifties. Recipe for Spareribs with Tangerine-Black Bean Glaze included in the article.

Grasshopper Pie

Some foods new to the market in the 1950's which may lend themselves to inspiring new dishes:

-Kraft pre-sliced processed cheese (1950)
-Rice Chex (1950)
-Sugar Pops (1950)
-Wheat Chex (1950)
-Duncan Hines Cake Mix (1951)
-Tropicana orange and grapefruit juices (1951)
-Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes (1952)
-Lipton onion soup mix (1952)
-Mrs. Paul's Frozen Fish Sticks (1952)
-Pream powdered nondairy creamer (1952)
-Cheez Whiz (1953)
-Eggos frozen waffles (1953)
-Kellogg's Sugar Smacks (1953)
-Lawry's Original Spaghetti Sauce Mix (1953)
-White Rose Redi-Tea instant tea (1953)
-Butterball turkey (1954)
-Carnation's instant nonfat dry milk (1954)
-M&M's peanut chocolate candies (1954)
-Trix (1954)
-Pepperidge Farm cookies (1955)
-Special K vitamin-fortified cereal (1955)
-Imperial margarine (1956)
-Sweet 'n Low (1957)
-Chicken Ramen (1958)
-Cocoa Krispies (1958)
-Cocoa Puffs (1958)
-Corn Chex (1958)
-Green Giant canned beans (1958)
-Jif Peanut Butter (1958)
-Rice-a-Roni (1958)
-Frosty O's (1959)
-Haagen-Dazs (1959)
-Tang (1959)