AN OLD FASHIONED MENUFor my next activity I already planned on serving plenty of food; food that will nourish the body and the soul. I am sure that many cooks will not even bother to read this Old Fashioned Menu. A Buffet like this one was a common enough occurrence in parties during my youth. The recipes source are clippings of more than 20 years. Buen Provecho!

BLOODY MARYS FOR 8

In a large pitcher stir 4 cups of tomato juice or Clamato, 1 1/2 cups Vodka, 4 tsp fresh lemon juice or Real Lemon, 1 tb Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tb celery juice and 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce. Pour over ice cubes into large special glasses. Garnish with celery ribs with leaves.

LAYERED ANTIPASTO

The day before, drain, toss separately in bottled or homemade Italian Dressing and layer in a deep glass bowl or dish one 16 oz can Italian cut green beans, one 14 to 20 oz can garbanzos or white beans, one 14 oz can artichoke hearts, one 6 oz jar button mushrooms, one 5.75 oz can jumbo pimento stuffed green olives and one 4 oz jar pimentos, drained and sliced. Cover and chill. Serve the next day with different kinds of crackers.

SHRIMPS PACIFIC

2 lbs shelled and deveined shrimps
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and halved
1 cup chopped onion
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup Olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup catsup
1 tb cocktail capers,drained
1 tb snipped parsley
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard seed
1/4 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Boil shrimps for 3 minutes, until they turn pink. Drain. In large mixing bowl combine shrimps, oranges, onions and tomatoes. Stir together remaining ingredients; pour over mixture. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight. To serve, remove mixture with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl. Serve with wooden picks, as appetizer.

EXQUISITE POTATO SALAD

2 tb lemon juice
1 tb Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp tabasco
1/3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
6 cups cubed hot cooked potatoes
6 hard cooked eggs
1 8oz container sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped green onions, including the green part
3 tsp chopped parsley
3 tb chopped dil pickle
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 tb mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped celery

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix and pour over hot potatoes. Toss to mix. Cover and chill. Chop 4 of the eggs. In a medium size bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, parsley, dill pickle, red pepper, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir sour cream mixture into chilled potatoes along with chopped eggs and celery. Slice remaining eggs for garnish.

STEAMED VEGETABLES AND CURRIED RICE

1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pimiento chopped
4 tb butter divided
1 tb curry powder
2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 cup raisins
1 small bunch broccoli, trimmed and separated in florets
1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds

In medium saucepan, saute onion and red pimento in butter until al dente. Stir in curry powder; cook 2 minutes more. Add broth; bring to boil. Add rice. Reduce heat; cover; simmer 15 to 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. Stir in raisins, let stand 5 minutes. Steam broccoli. To serve, toss vegetables with remaining butter. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or sliced almonds.

ISRAELI ORANGE CHICKEN

3 1/2 lbs chicken skinned and in serving pieces
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup dry white wine 1 onion, sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 stack of celery chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 tb olive oil
1 tb grated orange rind
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 orange peeled and sliced thin for garnish

Serve with the curried rice and the potato salad. Arrange the chicken in a casserole just large enough to hold it in one layer. In a large bowl combine the orange juice, the wine, onion, carrot, celery, raisins, oil, orange rind, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper, pour the mixture over the chicken and let the chicken marinade, covered, at room temperature for 3 hours or chilled overnight. Oven poach the mixture, covered, in a 350 oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a platter and keep warm, covered. Reduce the cooking liquid over high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened, and pour over chicken.

HELLMAN’S CHOCOLATE SENSATION CAKE

1 pkg chocolate cake mix with pudding in the mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 eggs

Grease and flour 2 (9) layer cake pans. In large bowl with mixer at low, blend all ingredients 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 F 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove, cool in wire racks. Fill and frost as desired.