Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Betty Crocker's Chicken Caruso

Glorious. This is the illustration for Chicken Caruso from Betty Crocker's New Dinner for Two Cookbook [1972]. Have you noticed that it is a chicken in a clown costume singing opera? Have you?

For your edification, the recipe itself:

Chicken Caruso
1 slice bacon, finely cut
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (1/4 lb.)
2 tbsp. cut-up pimento (2-oz. jar)
1 cup cooked peas
1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 cup hot drained boiled macaroni (1/2 cup uncooked)
parsley
2 to 3 tbsp. toasted slivered almonds, if desired

In a medium skillet, saute bacon until lightly browned and crisp. Stir in onion and green pepper; cook until almost tender. Stir in chicken cheese, pimento, and peas; season with salt and pepper. Mix in cooked macaroni. Cover ad keep warm over very low heat until ready to serve. Garnish with parsley sprigs; sprinkle with toasted almonds. 2 generous servings.

Note: For best color, use cooked fresh or frozen peas.


Anyone want to try this out?

9 comments:

Kristin said...

No. It looks fowl. I mean Foul. Hee hee!

Jana said...

I see what you did there! :D

Nonna said...

If that chicken knew he was gonna be dinner, he might not have bothered coming "dressed" for the occasion or singing a happy aria either !!!

As for trying this recipe out ? Maybe without the pimento, cheese and green pepper... ( don't blame you for not wanting to waste good ingredients on it ) What were they thinking in 1972 ???

Jana said...

Of course he knows! That is why he is so happy! He is happy to provide humans with his delicious succulent flesh. As to what they were thinking in 1972, if you picture what this dish would look like, I think you'll find it to be orange, green, and brown, so it will coordinate with your 70's appliances and dishes.

Nonna said...

So right Jana...I never put together the appliance colors ( putrid for sure ) and how they inspired food combos...glad those days are behind us !

SometimesKate said...

It's pretty much just chicken ala king with macaroni. Well, and bacon, but it would be easy to make sure the bacon never left the kitchen.

I have an old, turn of the last century cookbook called "A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband with Bettina's Best Recipes". It belonged to my mother, and probably her mother, who would have been a young girl when it was released. I mention it because it's a marvelous source for recipes from that time period, but also it's an enjoyable read. It's set up as the tale of a bride's first married year. Each chapter tells something about her life, and her cooking, and includes recipes. There's even a pro-suffrage bit in it.

It sprung to mind because there are at least two, maybe three different recipes in there for chicken ala king.

Jana said...

That sounds maaaaaarvelous. And can you really have too many Chicken Ala King recipes?

Yes. Far too many.

And at my house, I can't be trusted to cook the bacon for recipes. It never makes it to the dish it is supposed to be in...

Unknown said...

I cooked just as recipe states and it was delicious. Having again this weekend.

Anonymous said...

I used to make it often first year of marriage and loved it. Made it again a few months ago, and it was just as I remembered it — delicious!