The Home Economics Teachers Cookbook

Now this one is a real oldie but goodie! I started collecting cookbooks before I was married and this is one of the first I acquired. Its pages are yellowed. Some pages, those with my favorites, are smeared from many years of use. There is an old saying, “If you want to know the best recipes in a cookbook, look for the dirtiest page!”

Many of the cookbooks in my collection are compiled from recipes submitted by members of various groups. I find these cookbooks especially good since people are only going to submit their very best recipes.

There are so many superb recipes I could include here. I think I’m going to have to include two! The first one, Sweet and Sour Beef Balls, is one I have served to company, as well as family, too many times to remember.

1 ½ lb. ground beef
2 eggs
3 tbsp. flour
½ tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¾ cup oil
9 slices canned pineapple, diced

1 ½ cup chicken broth
3 large green bell peppers, chopped
1 small can bamboo shoots
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. soy sauce
¾ cup pineapple juice
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. ginger
¾ cup vinegar


Shape ground beef into walnut-sized balls. Combine eggs, flour, salt and pepper; dip meatballs into flour mixture. Brown in hot oil in skillet. Remove meatballs. Keep warm. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add pineapple. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add meatballs. Simmer for 15 minutes. Yield: 6 servings. Serve over rice or noodles


The next recipe, Sweet and Sour Turkey, is an easy and delicious way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas.

1 large can pineapple chunks
1/3 cup vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups cooked, chopped turkey
one large green bell pepper, cut in strips
¼ cup thinly sliced onion

Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Combine reserved juice, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and salt. Cook over low heat until thickened and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add turkey. Let stand for 10 minutes. Place green peppers in enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add green peppers, onion and pineapple to turkey mixture and heat through. Serve over rice or noodles. 4 to 6 servings.