This Offbeat Life
New Economy Cooking
Backpacking by Bus

GUIDE LINES AND RECIPES
SECOND WEEK

Saturday is super simple. Martha's Baked Beans uses a medium sized can of B & M oven baked beans with a teaspoon of dehydrated onions, 2 teaspoons of Worchestershire, 2 tablespoons catsup, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar. Topping with 2 tablespoons of catsup spread over top and 2 slices of chopped bacon is optional. Bake for an hour more or less in a 325 degree oven.

Sunday--The Wine Poached Salmon couldn't be easier. I line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Cut the salmon in serving size pieces or leave it whole and place in pan. Pour 1/2 cup or more of white wine over salmon. Top the salmon with salt, pepper, butter and lemon slices. Wrap the foil loosely up around the sides--do not seal. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Check center with a fork to see that it is done. Technically this salmon is not really poached but the effect is about the same.

I use brown rice for the Curried Rice. Season with butter and curry powder to taste, a little onion if you'd like and sometimes add sliced mushrooms depending on whether mushrooms have been used anywhere else in the menu.

Dressing for the Mandarin Salad is just 1/4 cup salad oil, 2 tbsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. vinegar, some dried or fresh basil if you have it, 1/2 tsp salt and a few red pepper flakes mixed together. Tear into a bowl 1/2 cup salad greens per person. Add 2 sliced scallions including tops and one can drained mandarin oranges. One sliced raw zucchini is a good addition to this salad.

Monday's Grilled Cheese is pretty self explanatory. The Yogurt Dill Dip takes a small carton of plain yogurt (1/2 cup), 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. dehydrated onions, 1 tbsp. parsley flakes, 1 tsp. or more dill and 1 tsp. Beaumonde seasoning. Ranch Dressing is equally as good.

Tuesday--Cold Salmon and Cucumbers and Onions and Sour Cream are a perfect combination. Score the cucumber vertically with a dinner fork. Thin slice the cucumber and scallions in to a bowl. Mix one small carton of sour cream with 2 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp cider vinegar, add salt to taste. Fold in to cucumbers. Add freshly ground pepper to top and chill.

For the Grand Marnier Sauce thaw and partially drain one 10 oz package frozen raspberries. Add 3 to 4 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp. Grand Marnier. Puree in a blender.

Wednesday--There are so many good Spaghetti Sauces on the market where all you'll need to do is add the crumbled, cooked hamburger, some extra garlic and a few whole basil leaves. Make a double recipe of the sauce as well as the pasta so you can have Spaghetti Casserole without more cooking. Put the extras in a casserole and freeze. Dessert is made with a plain Sara Lee Cheese Cake and Wilderness Cherry Topping.

Ham Steak For Thursday--Reserve one cup of ham cubed for next Tuesdays Chicken and Ham Pot Pie. For dessert slice the oranges before dinner and sugar them. Let stand covered in refrigerator at least an hour. Top with coconut flakes and whipped cream.

Friday--Curried Eggs. If you'd like a crunchy green salad the Mandarin Salad we used with the salmon goes well with curry. Recipe follows.

Saturday 's Hamburgers should be as you like them and 3 Bean Salad is in any basic cookbook.

RECIPES

ORANGE MAYONNAISE

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp. light cream

Mix and chill.

Curried Eggs

You can make the Curry Sauce and cook the eggs the night before. You'll need 8 hard cooked eggs for four people. Remove eggs from refrigerator to return them to room temperature. You can put them back in hot water to warm them thoroughly.

Curry Sauce

1/4 lb. butter
2 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. pepper flakes
2 small cans mushrooms

Melt butter, add curry powder and cook about 1 minute. Mix flour with milk gradually to a smooth paste. Add chicken broth, milk and flour paste to curry and butter. Cook until thickened. Add pepper flakes and mushrooms. Peel warm eggs, split them in two and place them on buttered toast. Top with curry sauce and serve with some or all of the listed condiment.