I get the impression that this recipe is one Mum wrote down while she was on the phone with a friend. It’s written on the type of notepad Mum kept by the phone and it has that abbreviated feel of being hurriedly written down.
These were one of my father’s favourites and Mum often made them when she had some leftover lamb roast. I’m guessing that she first made them back in the 1940s and after I got married I typed up the recipe and added it to my collection. As Mum’s original is almost impossible to read I’ve included my version here as as well. I’ve no idea why they’re call Madras Cutlets, I suppose the curry powder gave them an exotic Indian flavour!!!
Over the years the Italian influence gradually crept into Mum’s cooking. She cut this Canneloni recipe out of the New Idea in 1994, I’m not sure she actually made it, but I’m sure she meant to one day. It certainly looks good.
This is one of Mum’s classic handwritten recipes. Firstly, it’s written on a scrap of paper that comes from the minutes of meeting she had attended and secondly it’s rather short on detail. It also has a mix of Imperial and Metric measures. I’ve rewritten it to give you a clearer idea of how it should look.
LAMB CHOPS WITH BEANS
Heat oil in frying pan and brown chops, remove and place in casserole dish. Cook onion and bacon in frying pan, then add to casserole. Add the other ingredients and bake in a moderate oven 180o for 1½ hours.
Although this recipe says to use a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, it would be much easier to use chicken pieces. As you don’t have to fry the chicken before putting it in the oven-proof dish, this is really quite a quick and easy meal for a family dinner.
Lamb and beans must have seemed like a good combination when Mum cut this recipe out of the Woman’s Day in September 1998. I think it is still a good combination for a cold winter’s night in 2015.
This recipe is probably how we really think of meatballs, Italian style, served with pasta. I’m not sure Mum would have put the olives in as she and Dad didn’t like them, but I think they are the ingredient that makes the Italian difference.
I think this is one of the most versatile of the meatball recipes that Mum collected. You can make them as a savory to have with drinks or serve them as a main dish with either rice or pasta. The recipe even has instructions for freezing and reheating – what more you possibly want.
Meatballs must have been one of Mum’s favourite meals as I’ve found lots of recipes for them in her collection. This one must have been a later one as it uses a bottle of pasta sauce and fettucine, ingredients that weren’t around when she was cooking for us as children.
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.
Beb's Recipe Drawer 