Cooking for Company

Today most cookbooks are filled with stunning photographs of food gracing page after page. There was a time that cookbooks had few photos, as they were thought to be frivolous. In old cookbooks that have color pictures, they have not always stood the test of time. The food, no matter how wonderful it may taste, looks dated.

Cooking For Company is a collection of recipes from the Farm Journal. I am sure that in 1968 it was a premiere cook, featuring over 900 recipes and a dozen full color pictures. I always find it ironic that THE most popular food to photograph in these books seems to be frozen or congealed; two preparations that do not hold up under lights and yet, there they are. The more garish and multicolored, the more popular. This is my favorite. This recipe makes 9 quarts! That’s a lot of company. Just whip up 9 quarts of this frozen fruit salad-dessert combo and stick it in your freezer. When company stops by, you will have a pre-made salad/dessert to serve your company. And if you make it just right, it will look like this…





Here is the recipe.

Frozen Fruit Salad-Dessert

4 (1lb. 4oz.) cans crushed pineapple
2 (1lb.) cans sliced peaches
2 c. fresh white seedless grapes, halved, or 2 (1lb.) cans
1 1/2 c. maraschino cherries, cut in eighths
1/2 lb. marshmallows, quartered (30)
2 tsp. crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. cold water
1 c. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. coarsely chopped pecans
2 qts. Heavy cream whipped, or 10 pkgs. Dessert topping mix, whipped, or 1 qt. Heavy cream and 5 pkgs. Dessert topping mix, whipped
3 c. mayonnaise



• Drain fruit; save 1 1/2 c. pineapple syrup. Cut peaches in 1/2 in. cubes. Combine fruit, marshmallows and ginger.
• Soften gelatin in cold water
• Heat pineapple syrup to boiling. Add gelatin; stir to dissolve. Add orange and lemon juices, sugar, and salt; stir to dissolve. Chill.
• When mixture starts to thicken, add fruit mixture and nuts. Fold in whipped cream and mayonnaise.
• Spoon into 10qt. Cylinder cartons (paper, plastic or metal). Cover and freeze. Makes 9 quarts.
• To serve, remove from freezer and thaw enough to slip out of carton. Cut in 1 in. slices. Serve salad on lettuce; garnish with cherries. For dessert, top with whipped cream. Each quart makes 6-8 servings.

Be sure and invite me over for salad OR for dessert!