Friday, June 29, 2007

More comfort food
--Porcupines



Porcupines
Betty Crocker’s 4 in 1 Cookbook Collection Copyright 1980
(Betty Crocker’s Hamburger Cookbook Copyright 1977, 1973)

1 pound ground beef
½ cup uncooked regular rice I used Uncle Ben's
½ cup water
1 small onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix meat, rice, ½ cup water, the onion and seasonings. Shape mixture by tablespoonfuls into 1 ½-inch balls.

TO COOK IN SKILLET (I used this method): Cook meatballs in large skillet over medium heat until brown. Add remaining ingredients; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes.

TO COOK IN OVEN: Place meatballs in ungreased baking dish. 8x8x2 inches. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over meatballs. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Makes 4 or 5 servings.
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I've made porcupines previously. This recipe was a bit more flavorful but also a little harder to work with using the skillet method, since the meat mixture is very tender. I lost a lot of rice into the sauce which may have been because I used Uncle Ben's which doesn't have as much sticking power as regular rice but it was all I had besides brown rice.

I don't know why I don't make porcupines more often because I really like them and they're so simple to make. They are definitely a nostalgic food for me, since they remind me of stuffed cabbage filling.

This cookbook is a collection of Betty Crocker cookbooks bound into one book. The books are Cooking American Style, Salads, Hamburger, Do Ahead. That makes it a bit confusing as there is no consolidated index. I picked this up at the auction. I didn't buy any cookbooks last week. The bookman I was doing business with isn't really much of a businessman. Two weeks in a row I came by and bought several cookbooks, and both times he told me about the cookbooks he has in the truck that he needs to bring out but does he ever bring them out? No! He probably doesn't have anymore. Those two weeks I would walk up to the table and he would tell me that 'all those books are $1' but as I pick them up to look at them he starts with 'well, that one's Martha Stewart so I'll need $2 for that one' and 'that one has a lot of stuff in it so I'll need $2 for it', and so on with every book I touch LOL. So every book's a dollar? The man only has two small tables of books and some other junk.

Ah, the weekend is just about here. I have to make banana cake and another chocolate refrigerator cake for a 4th of July celebration (being held on June 30th). It's nice that people like certain recipes and want them again but it's a bit boring when I don't get to try something new.

Blast From The Past: Ditalini With Zucchini from February 2006. I know a lot of people are looking for zucchini recipes right about now.

Question of the Day: Have you ever tired of making something that people kept requesting?

10 comments:

Annie said...

Those look good and I bet I'd like them because I like stuffed cabbage.

I get requests for cream cheese brownies a lot, but I have to say I don't mind- I gives me the excuse to make them for myself too!!

Randi said...

Those meatballs look cook. I bet the seniors would like them. I have one client who always requests the 3 same things over and over. Turkey meatloaf, potato salad and ribs. Boring!!

Jennifer said...

Nope...If you want me to make it, I'll do it. It's one less thing for me to have to think about.

Anonymous said...

First of all, I made your Stir-Fried Pork with Sweet Onions that you featured a while back. Everyone really liked it. Even the 7 year old who "doesn't like pork" and doesn't like much of anything ate several helpings. She was even dipping into the dish before we began. It's a keeper.

I don't mind making the same things, especially for family functions, etc. But with my family, I would like to vary some dishes occasionally but usually get questionable looks! Oh, well, at least they like my cooking.

Jan

Red Dirt Mummy said...

I haven't had porcupines for years. Probably about 20 years, in fact! They look great.

Anonymous said...

Another comment, okay? :)
Porcupines. That is a VERY favorite of everyone at my house. I use an old recipe that was put out by Hunt's tomato sauce ages ago. It is so plain, unlike your recipe, but still so good. By plain, I mean no seasoning except onion, salt and pepper. My recipe uses minute rice, so only simmers 20 minutes. I serve it with mashed potatoes, which is great with the sauce on it.

Jan

ThursdayNext said...

I often have to make my baked ziti...I get a little tired of making it all the time, but everyone loves it. At least I play around with the pasta sometimes and use rigatoni or cavatappi...

The Cookbook Junkie said...

Jan,
I'm glad you liked the pork. It was simple but so good.

I can believe that the porcupines are a family favorite since stuffed cabbage is a family favorite of ours. It's amazing how beef, rice and tomato sauce come together.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone tried this with brown rice?

Anonymous said...

I think that if I wasn't so OCPD I might love special requests, but I always want to use up ingredients while they're still fresh, or try new recipes, so I like it much better when I can pick what to make :). It always ends up being fun, but that is definitely my preference! It is probably related to having projects, both of us, that we want to make progress on. Otherwise it sounds very flattering!