Brain, Bacon and Sweetcorn Mornay

4 sets brains
4 oz. lean bacon
1 tin sweet corn
1 small onion
Pepper and salt
1 pint milk
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 oz. butter
1 tablespoon powdered mushroom soup

Method: Cook brains and remove skins. Fry the bacon lightly in a saucepan and add flour, take off heat and stir in milk. Return to fire and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add powdered mushroom soup and mix well. Stir until smooth. Now add the can of drained sweetcorn, brains and crumbed bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a greased ovenware dish and heat thoroughly in a moderate oven. Garnish with parsley springs.

Source: contributed by Mrs. C. Heath, Plympton, S.A. in Cook-Along with the Autistic Children's Association of South Australia Inc. (Adelaide: Allied Publishing Co., n.d. [1971-1972]), p.9.

Chicken with Rice

1 large onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 large apple
2 oz. butter
2 cups cooked chicken
Pinch rosemary
1 tablespoon fruit chutney
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 8 oz. tin condensed cream of mushroom soup
A few breadcrumbs
1 cup rice

Method: Boil rice in salted water for 15 mins. Drain. Chop the onion, celery and apple and fry in butter until they are beginning to brown. Put a generous layer of rice in the base of a large ovenproof dish and make a hollow in the centre. Mix the cooked chopped chicken, rosemary, chutney, sherry, salt and pepper and condensed mushroom soup. Pour into the rice. Cover with the chopped apples and onions and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake in moderate oven for 40 minutes. Makes 6 helpings.

Source: The Possum Cookery Book in Aid of Miss Minda - Telethon (Brighton: Minda Home Auxiliary, n.d. [1960s - post 1963]), p.40

Boozy Stew

1kg. stewing steak
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup water
1 onion, sliced
1 cup red wine
1 pkt. creme of mushroom soup

Source: Chop meat into small cubes and place in casserole dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the meat. Cover and bake at 190° until cooked - approx. 1-1&1/2 hours.

Source: contributed by Sue Codrington in Angaston Kindergarten Jubilee Cookery Book 1955-1985. 1986 edition (Angaston, 1986), p.26.

Tropicana Dip

1/2 lb cream cheese
1/2 packet mushroom soup
1 15oz can crushed pineapple (drained)
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Method: Place cream cheese in a basin and beat until smooth. Gradually add juice while continuing to beat. Add soup mix and pineapple. Stir until combined then chill before serving.

Variations: 3 ozs chopped ham or crispy cooked bacon may be added.

Source: contributed by Shirley Mundy in Penneshaw Area School: Culinary Creations (Penneshaw Area School Welfare Club, Kangaroo Island: 1998), p.17.

Mushroom Soup, Easy

Serves 2

450 g can mushroom soup

25 g butter

125 g mushrooms

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup apera (sherry)

Pepper and salt to taste

Method: Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté chopped mushrooms on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add can of mushroom soup, stir in milk and water until hot, but not boiling. Stir in sherry, pepper and salt if needed. Serve in hot bowls.

Source: contributed by Dianne Gray in A Dash of QAC: A Sprinkle of Sweet and Savoury from our Members (Adelaide: Queen Adelaide Club, 2020), p.125.

Chicken Delicious

1 young chicken dissected into serving pieces, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces side by side in a flat roasting pan or large casserole. Mix 1 tin of gourmet mushroom soup with 1 cup cream, pour this over chicken pieces, sprinkle liberally with chopped parsely [sic], place uncovered in a moderate oven and cook until chicken is tender. Serve with mashed potatoes and green peas.

Source: contributed by Avis Scherer in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.7.

Savoury Bran Stuffing

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

440 gm. can cream of mushroom soup

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup All-Bran or Bran Buds

4 cups Kellogg's Seasoned Corn Flakes Crumbs

Method: Melt margarine in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread mixture into a greased baking tray and bake in a moderate oven, 180C gas, 190C electric (350F gas, 375F electric) for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cut into squares and serve with roast meats. (6 servings)

Source: Better Health High Fibre Cookbook compiled by the Strathalbyn Kindergarten Committee (Hahndorf, S.A.: Fox Publishing, 1978), p.33.

Macaroni or Spaghetti with Mushrooms

4 oz. mushrooms

1 tspn. butter or oil

1 oz. macaroni

16 oz. tin mushroom soup

grated cheese

Method: Wash and slice mushrooms. Fry gently in butter. Reserve juices in pan. Cook macaroni until tender. Heat soup, but do not boil. Drain macaroni. Stir in mushrooms and oil or butter they were cooked in. Add soup and serve piping hot with grated cheese.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.20.

Steak Casserole

Method: Roll steak or chops in seasoned flour and place in casserole dish. Mix a packet of French onion soup with 2-3 cups of water (which you add gradually, otherwise it is likely to go lumpy). Cook in a mod. oven for 2-2.1/2 hours. Mushroom or onion soups are nice with steak. Tomato or curry soup mixed with chops. Chicken pieces done the same way with asparagus is quite delicious.

Source: contributed by Gayle Burnett (A.C.H. Balaklava Auxiliary) in The Adelaide Children's Hospital Recipe Book 1982 (Adelaide: 1982), p.28.

Tuna Croquettes

2 cups cooked rice

1 can tuna (420 g)

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, separated

1 can mushroom [soup] (375 ml)

1/4 cup grated cheese

Method: Combine tuna, rice, egg yolk and 1/2 cup mushroom soup. Spread on plate and chill well. Roll into balls, drop into egg white. Roll into crushed cornflakes. Deep fry. Add milk to rest of soup and serve over croquettes.

Source: contributed by N. E. Hulford in Royal Adelaide Hospital Cookery Book: Our Favourite Recipes (Adelaide: 1981, 1st edition), p.35.

Souper Souffle

1 can cream of celery, asparagus or mushroom soup

125g (4 oz) cheddar cheese, shredded

6 eggs, separated

Method: Combine undiluted soup and cheese in saucepan. Heat slowly stirring, until cheese is melted. Cool to room temperature. In large bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks with electric mixer. In separate bowl, beat yolks until very thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually stir soup mixture into yolks, then fold into whites until no streaks remain. Pour into ungreased 8-cup soufflé dish or casserole. Bake in slow oven until well-risen, golden and fairly firm, about 1 hour. Serve at once. Serves 6.

Source: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte, 1986), p.18.

2008: celebrating a blogging anniversary by revisiting some classics.

Lobster or Seafood Bisque

1 can mushroom or oyster soup, 440 g

1 can tomato soup, 400 g

1 can lobster meat or seafood of your choice

1/2 can slivered champignons, 125 g

1 carton cream, 300 ml

2 cans water (more or less depending on guest numbers)

Tabasco to taste

Method: Open all cans all together, add water and stir until well blended. Add seafood then cream; Continue to stir but don't reboil. If necessary season to taste. A dash of sherry before serving is an added plus. This bisque can be refrigerated and re-heated without destroying the quality of the dish.

Source: contributed by K. Martin in Royal Adelaide Hospital Cookery Book: Our Favourite Recipes (Adelaide: 1981, 1st edition), p.4.

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

1 lge cooked Chicken

250gm Mushrooms sliced

1/4 cup Port

1 x 435 Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 tblspn Worcestershire Sauce

15 gms Butter

2 Onions chopped

1/2 cup Milk

Pinch Cayenne Pepper

1 x 300ml ctn Sour Cream

Method: Cut chicken meat into 2.5cm pieces. Heat butter in pan, add mushrooms & onions, cook until mushrooms are just soft, about 5 mins. Add port, undiluted soup, milk, worcestershire sauce & cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil, add chicken & sour cream, reduce to low, simmer until chicken is heated through. Serve with rice & side salad. Unsuitable to Freeze or Microwave. Serves 4.

Source: contributed by S. Barrett Cookbook: St Joseph's School, Clare (Clare: St Joseph's School, 1991), p.33.

Easy Beef Casserole

Stewing steak (enough for a meal) - chunk & place in casserole, sprinkle with port, add 1 pkt French Onion Soup, add 1 tin Cream Mushroom soup, sprinkle with granulated garlic[,] add chopped carrots & peas, cook slowly in oven for 3 - 4 hours.

Source: contributed by D. Huppatz in Cookbook: St Joseph's School, Clare (Clare: St Joseph's School, 1991), p.26.

Casserole (Salmon)

250g (80z) uncooked spaghetti

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups grated cheese

3 hard boiled eggs

1 cup milk

1 large tin salmon

salt and pepper

Method: Cook spaghetti in boiling water with salt. Simmer and stir occasionally until tender, drain well. Heat mushroom soup, butter and salt then milk gradually and stir well. Remove from stove and add onion, cheese, eggs and fish. Stir and add spaghetti. Turn mixture into casserole and bake when needed for 30 minutes at 150C (300F). Garnish with parsley.

Source: contributed by J. O'Shaughnessy in Gulnare Gourmets (Adelaide: Gulnare Primary School Welfare Club, 1984 [2nd edition]), p.34.

Editor's note: the tin of mushroom soup is omitted from the ingredient list.

Seafood Casserole

1 tin mushroom soup

1/2 cup fresh milk

1.1/2 tbs cornflour

squeeze lemon juice

breadcrumbs

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tbs butter

1 med tin salmon or tuna

1 cup peas

1 cup crushed potato crisps

grated cheese

Method: Melt butter, add cornflour (off heat) and blend into a paste gradually with milk, add evaporated milk with mushroom soup and bring to boil, stirring all the time. Add fish, peas, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Serve in individual ramekin dishes, topped with crushed potato crisps, breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Reheat at 250°F. [Serves 6]

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.48 ['Winter Menu']

Crab Bisque

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of asparagus soup

1 soup can milk

1 soup can cream

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 can crab meat (170g.)

Sherry

butter

Method: Mix all but sherry and butter and allow to stand for at least one hour, then simmer gently to heat. Add 1 tbs butter and a dash of sherry just before serving. [Serves 6]

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.38 ['Winter Menu']

Chicken & Mushroom Bake

1 tablespoon butter

3 chopped shallots

1 tablespoon plain flour

375ml carnation milk

2 cups cooked chicken

400ml mushroom soup

1/2 cup grated cheese

2 cups cooked macaroni

1/2 cup cornflake crumbs or bread crumbs

2 tablespoons butter

Method: Melt butter and sauté onions until soft. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in milk and soup. Bring to boil. Add chicken, macaroni and cheese. Simmer for 7 minutes. Pour into casserole dish. Crush cornflakes and add to melted butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole with grated cheese. Put into oven and heat through until cheese is melted.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.26

Quick Chicken Stroganoff

500g chicken breast cut into strips

1 can Rosella cream mushroom soup

2 tbsp Rosella tomato sauce

1tsp French mustard

1 tbsp oil

1/4 cup sour cream

Method: Brown chicken in oil. Add soup, tomato sauce and mustart [sic]. Simmer for 5 mins. Stir in sour cream, reheat and serve with rice and enjoy.

Source: contributed by L. Robinson in Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)

American Chicken

12 chicken breasts (boned)
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
Kraft Miracle Whip
75g butter
125g can mushrooms
125g cheddar cheese
lemon juice
1 cup prepared stuffing mix

Method: Roll chicken breasts and place in greased ovenproof casserole. Mix together soups, 1 cup of Miracle Whip, mushrooms and lemon juice. Pour over chicken. Top with grated cheddar and stuffing mix. Melt butter and drizzle over top. Bake uncovered at 165C for 1&1/2 hours. Serve over rice.

Source: contributed by H. Koenig in The Princess Royal Cookbook compiled by a sub-committee of The Muscular Dystrophy Association of South Australia (Kent Town: Peacock Publications, 1984 reprint of 1981 first edition; ISBN 0909209502), p.25.