Get Your Freak On

I admit, most of the time when I come across a recipe, I make it simply for the shock value. I usually choose recipes for this blog because of their gag factor. There, I said it. I find it oddly thrilling to gross people out.

But once in a great while, there is that rare occasion when I find a Retro WW recipe that I make because it actually sounds good.

I know. Freaky.

I have been wanting to make these Green Bean Patties from my 1978 Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet for some time. Why? Because they have all of the qualities of my perfect recipe: fast, cheap and easy. Plus they sounded delish.

If you want to make them for yourself, here is the recipe:

GREEN BEAN PATTIES

1 cup French Style Green Beans, drained and chopped
1 slice toast, crumbed
1 medium egg, well beaten
salt & pepper to taste
Dehydrated onion flakes, to taste
1 slice cheese


Combine beans, egg and toast. Add salt, pepper and onion flakes to taste. Shape into patties. Place in non-stick skillet and cover. Heat until brown on one side. Cut cheese into pieces the size of patty. Remover cover from pan and turn the patties and place cheese on top of each. Re-cover and heat until cheese melts. Makes one serving for the mid-day meal.

These freaky little green things were straight up delicious, and I am not even kidding. What's more freaky? I ate them for breakfast. Yeah. With a cottage cheese chaser. I am crazy like that.


So - I can't help but wonder, what's the craziest "diet dish" you have ever concocted (Past or Present) that actually turned out surprisingly tasty? Can you top my freaky green pancakes? Hit me up in the comments section or post it on my Facebook wall so we can really get the conversation going.

Come on get freaky!

Terrible Twos

The month of February marks the Two-Year Anniversary of the 1972 Retro Weight Watchers Experiment, and for the past few days - I have been pondering how to best celebrate this momentous occasion.

To be honest - I never expected this thing to last two years. In fact, I didn't really know what to expect when I started blogging on that cold snowy day in 2010.

All I know is that over the past two years I have met so many fantastic people through my blog, Twitter and Facebook. I have learned so many things about myself and what I can accomplish. I have pushed the boundaries of culinary art. I have enjoyed every moment, and now I can't imagine my life without my blog.

It almost brings a tear to my eye.

Shut up. It's my blogday, and I'll cry if I want to.

So how do I celebrate this? How do I pay tribute to my blog, and all of its wonderful readers?

I guess the most appropriate way to show my excitement is with a GREAT BIG PINK GELATINE MOLD! I mean, really. What could be better than a heart-shaped gelatinous symbol of my devotion?

Nevermind what's in it. Just enjoy the freakin' moment.

So thanks to everyone who has been a part of this adventure - both longtime friends and brand new followers. There is so much more to come, and it's only going to get crazier up in here! Stick around, my friends. You know what they say about the "terrible twos"...

Almost

I enjoy a good slice of pie.

I have even been known to take a road trip in search of good pie.

So when I spotted a recipe in my 1978 WW Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet entitled, "Almost a Pie", I have to admit my curiosity was piqued. I also figured if it was anything like the great "Almost a Snicker" caper of June 2010, it was worth trying.

When approaching a recipe like this, it is very important to keep your expectations low. There is no reason to get excited yet. Temper yourself. And remember - no matter what happens, you still get to eat something when it is all said and done. For most Retro WW gals, this is enough of a thrill in itself.

"Almost a Pie"
4 medium eggs
2 cups skim milk
4 tablespoons diet margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup flour
2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
dash of salt
Artificial sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar
Dash of nutmeg

In a blender container, place ingredients in order given except nutmeg. Start blender, count slowly to 10. Turn off blender. Pour mixture into 9" pie dish which has been sprayed with release agent. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

[Before]

[After]

It looked almost like a quiche. It smelled almost like a souffle. It tasted almost like french toast.

But Almost a Pie? Um. I beg to differ. Let us take a moment for a quick demonstration, shall we?

Here is what an "Actual Pie" looks like:


Here is what "Almost a Pie" looks like:


You be the judge.

Something's Coming...

There are so many exciting things happening at the 1972 Retro WW Experiment, I can barely contain myself.

Did you notice we recently got a makeover with a new brand new header and wallpaper? That was exhilarating. You like?

We also just joined FACEBOOK! If you haven't already done so, please go ahead and "like" us. Please. Just "like" us, OK? Don't make me beg. The Facebook page is still in its infancy, but my hope is to create a groovy community where we Retro WW friends can share our thoughts, pictures, recipes and any other random Retro WW love that might arise there. You know, Kumbaya and all that crap.

And stay tuned, because something BIG is on the horizon. A few of my bloggy friends and I have something wild & crazy up our sleeves. We are going to Knox your socks off! To quote one of my favorite showtunes: Something's coming. I don't know what it is. But it is gonna be great! Who knows...

West Side Jell-O Story

Before I sign off, there is one final order of business to which we must tend. That is of course the mystery of the Pink Soup. The five ingredients that graced my blender to concoct that pink substance were:

Cottage Cheese
Tomato Juice
Chicken Bouillon
Condensed Milk
Canned Mushrooms

No one guessed all five. But the reader who came closest would have to be Jana from Time Travel Kitchen! Cue the confetti! It seems Miss Jana knows a thing or two about scary retro food.

On that note, I must sign off for now. But remember folks: Something's coming. Don't know when. But it's soon. Catch the moon. One handed catch! Who knows...

Pink Soup!

I am feeling a bit playful today. So I thought I'd have a little fun with today's Retro WW experiment, and make a game out of it!

What we have here is Card #6 from the 1974 Weight Watchers Recipe File: Chicken Bisque.


I made it. I ate it. It was....interesting.

It was also PINK.


Now comes the fun part: Can anyone guess the 5 main ingredients that make up the base for this figure-friendly soup? And don't even say chicken. That's in the title, and you don't get credit for that one.

Remember, folks. This is a Retro WW Recipe. Anything goes.

Ready. Set. GO!

NOTE: I will reveal the answer in my next post and the lucky commenter who comes the closest will get a very special Bloggy shout-out! Good Luck!

Give the People What They Want

Believe it or not, there are still people out there who are looking for old WW recipes from the 1970's. They walk amongst us. They could be your friends... Your co-workers... Your neighbors.

How do I know these people exist?

Because their creepy Google searches show up in my Blog stats every day.

Sometimes I sit and wonder -- who are these glorious people that scour the internet at all hours of the day and night looking for Retro WW recipes? They search for things like "Bev's Hot Livers" or "Cottage Cheese Danish" or the ever-popular "Frankfurter Spectacular". They want to know how to make their own "catsup" or turn a mushroom into a peanut. They desperately need to find out how to make a Toffee Candy out of instant coffee and dehydrated milk.

They come to my blog in search of answers. I must deliver for them.

So when I notice a recipe title that pops up in my blog keyword search stats more than once, I feel the need to give the people what they want.

And thus we arrive at today's Retro WW Experiment:

TUNA CHILI
1 cup tomato juice
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 ounces onion
4 ounces drained tuna, flaked


Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated and flavors are blended. Makes one fast serving for the mid-day meal.

OK. Why anyone would ever want to exhume this recipe is beyond me. I literally took one bite and gasped in terror. Seriously. What the Hell? The serving is HUGE too. In order to eat this entire thing, I think I would need to be roofied.

I even tried to improve the presentation by serving it in my favorite pink Pyrex Bowl. Fail.

So there you have it. Another long-forgotten Retro WW Recipe revealed to the world. You asked for it. You got it, people.

Now go to your room and think about what you have done.

Creamed Wieners

As an adolescent, I spent about 50% of my time following my mom around asking her, "What's for dinner?"

To which my mom would usually reply, "Shit on a Shingle."

This made me laugh hysterically. So I would ask her over and over again.

"Come on, Mom! What's for dinnnneeeeer???" I would whine in a dramatic fashion.

And my mom would look at me with a perfectly straight face and say, "We're having Shit on a Shingle."

This is hilarious to a 14-year-old, by the way.

We never actually had Shit on a Shingle (SOS) for dinner. My mom was a great cook and always made us something delicious and fresh. In fact, I don't think I ever really knew what Shit on a Shingle (SOS) even was.

Until now.

I came across this recipe in my 1974 Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet, and it sounded so horrible - I had to try it.

Creamed Wieners

1 cup chopped celery
4 oz. onion, chopped
salt & pepper
2 cups water
2/3 cup non-fat dry milk
4 tsp margarine
8 tsp flour
12 ounces frankfurter, sliced
2 cups enriched rice, cooked

Cook celery, onion and salt & pepper in water until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Mix dry milk and reserved liquid together. Make white sauce using margarine, flour and the fluid.


Add cooked celery, onions and frankfurters. Heat thoroughly.


Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

The original SOS recipe calls for chipped beef instead of wieners, and it is usually served atop toast. But this Retro WW version will do just fine. In fact, when I tasted it, I said to myself, "Wow - this is some really good shit!"

I can't wait for my husband to ask me "What's for dinner tonight?"

Hee Hee.