Recipe from Molly M. -- Potato Casserole

I don't know that either of my grandmothers ever made these, but someone's Molly Mormon grandmother had to have been the first.

This is a variation on the "Mormon Funeral Potatoes." Actually, it's about a half of the recipe that can be found in The Essential Mormon Cookbook: Green Jell-O, Funeral Potatoes, and Other Secret Combinations by Julie Badger Jensen, c.2004 (and yes, I have a copy.)

However, this is the one that I found in a family recipe box, so this is the one I'm posting!

Potato Casserole

Boil 6 or 7 [regular, not sweet] [largish] potatoes with jackets on.
[Drain, cool slightly]
Peel and grate into [greased] casserole dish. [some people use the frozen hash browns, but not as good]

Cover with the following sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup [can use low/no fat]
1/2 cube margarine [1/4 cup, 4 tablespoons]
1/2 pint sour cream [can use low/no fat]
1/4 cup green onions chopped
1/2 cup grated cheese [can use low/no fat, flavored like sharp cheddar/Mexican/Pizza blends]
Mix together and pour over potatoes.

Top with crushed cornflakes in melted butter. [As an alternative, skip the crushed cornflakes. Use fried onions, or more cheese.]

[Use appropriate sized glass pyrex container -- either 8x8 or 9x13, depending on amount of grated potatoes. In this case, you might be okay with the 8x8. Spray with no stick spray prior to loading in potatoes]

Bake [uncovered] at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

This is a large hearty dish that can be made in advance. (In fact, it's actually better by the second or third reheat, as the sauce has had a chance to soak into the potatoes.) It's gotten it's nickname because it's one of those dishes or casseroles that is provided by the local church women in times of need, ie. funerals/illnesses, etc.

It would also be good for a potluck evening. Just make sure to coordinate with the hostess. You don't want to end up with more than one of these per dinner party. TOO much potato casserole will lead to food coma; not something you want in dinner guests.

Letter from Ollie J - May 7, 1982

A word about "temple missions" for our few non-Mormon readers:

Grandma Ollie was on a Temple Mission, where she served as an ordinance worker.

According to this: "Elderly LDS single women who are able, both physically and financially, are encouraged to go on full-time missions. Senior missionaries, also called Elders and Sisters like their younger counterparts, pay their own expenses, though they may receive assistance from family. They have more choice in the location and type of their mission, particularly if they have unique skills such as medical expertise or knowledge of foreign languages. Many serve humanitarian missions in which they are sent to specific regions and help with agriculture, food procurement, medical missions, or clean water initiatives. Senior missionaries represent a small percentage of the total full-time missionary force of the Mormon Church."

If you want more information about those Wacky Mormons, there are plenty of sites on-line, or you request more information here. You can have even have a pair of visitors come to your house and give you more information.



7 May 1982

[Temple Mission
Kensington, MD]

Dear [Granddaughter],

Your letter was so sweet and appreciated so much.

You are welcome for the Easter presants[sic]. I had a nice Easter Day. Went to Washington, D.C. to see the Cherry blossoms. Cold had hurt them so they weren’t as pretty as Could have been.

The flowers over at the temple are so pretty now.

It is warm here now too even hot in the sun.

I love my work at the temple.

Oh those flowers you all sent were delivered here yesterday and are so pretty on the table.

Thanks lots. All are so kind and Generous.

Take care of yourself and be a good girl and help the boys too. Sure you help mama and Daddy too.

The Lord loves helpers.

Lots of Love to you one and all.

Grandma

Washington, D.C. Temple

© Doug Havens and found here

Recipes from Ollie J/Roa S -- Seven Layer Salad

I don't know if this recipe is southern, Mormon, or if it truly transcends cultural, religious, and/or regional boundaries. I've seen it appear at gatherings of good church women around the country. Most recently it made an appearance during the events surrounding my father's mother's services (Grandma Roa) -- out in the heartland of Utah. It was as good as I remembered, or maybe the Miracle Whip, the cheese and peas, and the bacony goodness added to the gratitude we all had for the services of the good Relief Society sisters to the family of one of their most stubborn lost lambs.

If you eat this with funeral potatoes, you don't feel quite so guilty, or so sad. Add a chaser of lime Jell-o salad, or ambrosia, and you've had a very cliched Utah/Mormon meal.

Seven Layer Salad

1 head lettuce (iceberg), chopped fine
1 cup celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped *
1 small onion, chopped
1 package (10 oz.) cooked (baby) frozen peas
2 cup (16 oz.) Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, with 2 tablespoons sugar (white) **
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (used 2 packages pre-cooked Oscar Meyer, heated and crumbled, so not as much bacon)
1/2 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
(topped with slivered blanched almonds)

In a large bowl, layer above ingredients in order.
Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Seal well with salad dressing before refrigerating. (used Saran wrap)

* I used 1/2 a green bell pepper from another recipe and added a cup of shredded carrots for more veggies and to add some color.

** When assembling my shopping list, I didn't pay enough attention to the cups and ounces needed for the Miracle Whip. It's not a standard pantry item for me any more, so I grabbed a tiny jar in the store. Turns out, that's only a 8 oz./1 cupper, so I was seriously short for the recipe. A mid-day run to the local CVS and 711 didn't yield any Miracle Whip, so I trudged home to improvise. What I did have in the fridge was a container with a bit of horseradish sandwich dressing in it (about 3 tablespoons), and some olive oil. So into a container when the Whip and horseradish sandwich dressing, and then I started whipping in olive oil. About 6 tablespoons or more of oil later, the dressing thinned out enough to yield about 2 cups of topping. The horseradish dressing actually complimented the Whip, and added a tang to the salad that I enjoyed.

I made two salads out of the ingredients. The larger bowl, I layered as you normally would. In the smaller of the two bowls, I added a final layer of slivered almonds.

Just about as good as I remembered. I could have added a LOT more bacon to get to the culinary delights of my childhood, but I'm more aware now of what I'm eating.

EBS -- Enviable Blog Syndrome

It's blogs like these that contribute to what I'm dubbing EBS -- Enviable Blog Syndrome.

It's like "Molly Mormon"* syndrome (or inadequate homemakers disease aka Martha-Stewart-makes-me-feel-unworthy-for-not-making-EVERYTHING-from-scratch-including-your-clothes to you non-LDS types) crossed with literary envy.

I wish I had the time and talents to be like the following:

Homemade by Jill

Moosh in indy
and her other blog
Linoleum Dynamite (the best name EVER)

I'm sure there are many more blogs of this caliber, but for just my recent explorations into the blogosphere, these ladies really (excuse the pun) take the cake.

Jill and Casey -- you ROCK!



* I don't mean Molly Mormon in a bad way, purely the crafty/homemakery kind o' way, thank you very much.