Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Square Dance Special: Pizza Doggies, Raw Vegetable Tray, Doughnuts, Cream Soda Shake

A Campbell Cookbook: Cooking With Soup [1960's-1970's]



Everyone has this cookbook. If you don't, your mother does. If she doesn't, your grandma does. Look in your local thrift store. At least one of these will be there, if not more. The same book, with the same dubious looking dish on the front. They will find you. But enough. Let us see what delights await us therein!

Wheeee!

This is a menu from the section "Teen Soups and Snacks", and is perfect for extremely busy parents of teenagers who would love nothing more than to throw a square dance themed party for their tons of square dance enthusiast friends. Who among us, as a teenager, has not felt that urge?



Pizza Doggies
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4-1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano, crushed
8 frankfurters, slit lengthwise
8 frankfurter bugs, slit
6 ounces sliced Mozzarella cheese

Cook garlic in olive oil until lightly browned. Add soup, water, parsley, and oregano; cook over low heat 15 minutes. Stir often. Place frankfurters on buns in large shallow baking pan. Fill franks with sauce; top with cheese. Place under broiler about 1 minute or until cheese melts. 8 servings.


Raw Vegetable Tray
I used cucumber, jicama, cantaloupe, and pineapple. Yes. I know two of those are not vegetables.



Doughnuts
Bavarian cream-filled. Awesome.


Cream Soda Shake


Verdict:

Pizza Doggies: The two tablespoons of oil floated on top of the soup like a glistening film until 15 minutes of simmering and stirring finally helped it to absorb. I guess the pizza-ness is supposed to come from the minute amount of oregano to the soup, much as the "Sloppy Josés" on the facing page are sloppy joes made Mexican by the addition of a light dusting of chili powder. Hold on now, Campbell's soup! Don't get too crazy!

Despite my best efforts at filling, the slit-open hot dogs insisted on snapping shut whenever I took my hands away, spewing forth tomato soup. The small quantity that remained inside shot out over my hands in a cascade upon the first bite. Luckily it was just lukewarm, as was the hot dog. I assume the Campbell's test kitchen found some magical window of time in which the hot dog can get properly warm before the bun blackens, but I did not.

They were okay, though. There were two apiece; I ate both of mine and Husband made it through one. I picked the melted cheese off the last one (it's melted cheese!) and chucked the rest. In the garbage, not... you know.

Raw Vegetable Tray: Hey teens! Your choices are melted cheese on meat, doughnuts, soda and ice cream, or raw vegetables!

Doughnuts: I love that this menu has doughnuts on it! It is a strange and somehow liberating experience writing "doughnuts" on one's weekly shopping list. "Yes, let's see... bread, eggs, milk... doughnuts."

Cream Soda Shake: I put mango gelato in cream soda. It was weird. Don't do it.

20 comments:

Nonna said...

Ahhhh, square dancin' party. Good menu. Always wondered why soup companies think cooking with their soups is a good idea ? I only have found success with cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups so far.I remember taking square dancing in elementary school, what fun ( arg ! ) Luckily, my parents never threw a themed party when I was a teenager ( life was hard enough back then !!! )

GStaples said...

Yep, I too did the square dance thing while in middle school. I enjoyed it. The cream soda shake sounds interesting, I suppose like a root beer float only with cream soda. And your vegetable tray would have been a hit then or now.
You were brave for trying the hot dog recipe!!

Karen K. said...

What is the purpose of the olive oil anyway? And you are living on the edge, substituting two fruits for two vegetables! I'm sure in the sixties they would have opened a can of fruit cocktail.

I myself find the idea of any ice cream mixed with soda unpalatable, but that is just me. Those poor teenagers!

Jana said...

NB: Thank you! Some recipes are good with non-cream-of-soups. I can think of two: shepherd's pie and porcupine meatballs. That... that is the extent of my knowledge, though. Oh my goodness, I think I would have died if my parents threw me a square dance themed party as a teenager. (Thanks again, mom!)

GStaples: Thank you, I try my best to forge bravely into murky culinary waters.

Karen: To make it oily. Okay, I think it was to saute the garlic, but really. Such an unnecessary amount! And of course you are 100% correct, a can of fruit cocktail would indeed have been more appropriate. Blehhh.

~~louise~~ said...

I know lots of people who have or at one time had that book including me. Funny thing though, I can't recall anyone actually following any of the recipes. Now, I know why.

Thanks for sharing, Jana...

Jana said...

You're welcome. I haven't given up on it, though! There may yet be gold in that there book, as yet undiscovered!

Heavenly said...

I can honestly say that I have never seen that cookbook. Weird.

Mango gelato should NOT be wasted by putting it in a soda. I weep for you and your lost yumminess.

Vanilla ice cream in orange soda is very yummy though.

Jana said...

Ah, but see if it will not start popping up, now that I have drawn your attention to it! Creamsicle floats ARE fantastic. Mmmm.

Kathleen said...

I just want to report I saw the cookbook on my MIL's shelf just yesterday.

Jana said...

Ah HA!

Alison said...

I have that cookbook on my shelf! That's where my recipe came from!

Jana said...

I think you chose your recipe more wisely!

AnthonyA said...

One little fast food and ice cream shop near me ( Tastee-Food, in Van Buren, ME ) sells "pizza dogs" that are very good. Grilled hotdog and bun, topped with marinara sauce and grated mozzarella, which quickly melts and makes it look and taste much like a pizza.

Jana said...

See, THAT sounds delicious!

Unknown said...

Square danced when I was in G7 and loved it, and would probably have liked the recipe when I was 13. Mom may have had that recipe book but my wife says she's never owned it.

Got back to square dancing as an adult and still love it. There are still a few teen square dance clubs around, and a square dance night is still wholesome fun for church youth groups.

Jana said...

Square dancing is actually good fun, it is true.

Bruce said...

Sorry that you bashed the 'Pizza Dog' recipe. My mom made these for us when I was a kid (some 40+ yrs ago) and they were great. I got the recipe fro her and still make it today. I love it. It is a little messy but..... still tastes soooo good! I use hoagie rolls instead of regular hot dog rolls. That holds the 'sauce' and cheese better. Boil the hot dogs first then slit them and open them up on the roll. A short time under the broiler to melt the cheese is all it takes. YUM!!!

Jana said...

Bruce, your improvements may make all the difference!

Unknown said...

I loved pizza doggies as a kid(more than 40 yrs ago) and have been trying to find the recipe! Thank you!

Jana said...

It seems to be a nostalgic favorite! Glad you found it.