Slices that used condensed milk and copha were very popular in the ’70s and ’80s. In our family there were quite a few recipes that were shared between Mum, my aunties and even by then my sisters-in-law. Instead of icing the slice this one uses a bar of milk chocolate as the topping. The copha is added in to prevent the chocolate cracking when you cut it.
I was really surprised to find this recipe in the collection. For many years Mum made a sausage dish that consisted of beef sausages, bacon, onion, corn, tomatoes and noodles. Although it was quite simple it was always a great hit and I’ve made in many times myself. This printed recipe is a bit fancier with chicken sausage, salami and garlic, but it’s basically the same idea. Either version is worth trying out.
Neither Mum or Dad were beer drinkers, but there was usually a bottle in the fridge for visitors, sometimes it would sit there for a bit too long and not be fresh enough to serve. So this recipe was great for using up the odd ‘stale’ bottle. It makes a very hearty winter casserole.
Dad was the gardener in our family. He grew tomatoes, beans, silverbeet and rhubarb in his vegie plot. There was a passionfruit vine on the back fence and, of course, a lemon tree in the corner. I think every Melbourne family had and probably still has a lemon tree in their backyard. Easy to grow and if the position is right lemons in abundance. As a result Mum made the most of it and used lemons where ever she could. This self saucing pudding was one of her yummy ways of using some of the crop.
Mum mainly used tinned tuna to make tuna mornay which she served on toast, but this Tuna Potato Loaf recipe from the Woman’s Day must have caught her eye as she cut it to make.
Not the usual cheesecake, this recipe combines cream cheese, feta cheese and parmesan cheese with spinach, mushrooms and onion to make a great savoury dish.
This recipe comes from the Herald Sun cooking page from around August 1994. Can’t remember Mum ever making them, but now I’ve found it I’m going to give them a go. They look like they could be good to have with a drink.
Mum’s homemade pasties have always been a family favourite, but these little Chicken Corn Pies that she found the recipe for in Woman’s Day, look very tempting as well.
Today these filled bread cases would be great to serve up as finger food with drinks, but Mum would have made them as a supper snack. They demonstrate the way entertaining changed over the years. Mum and Dad would rarely have people over for a sit down dinner. Most people ate quite early, so friends were invited after dinner for drinks or maybe cards and Mum would serve up a hearty supper. By the 1990s things were changing for my generation, but it was still popular for Mum and Dad to entertain that way.
I’ve been making this recipe for years, but until now hadn’t seen a recipe for it, Mum just told me how to make it. When I found this in her collection I realized I’d found where her initial inspiration. It’s so simple to make and tastes great.
Beb's Recipe Drawer 