Miss Hulling's Mac 'n Cheese

Upon first glance, Prize Winning Recipes (1960, 32 pp.), a small recipe booklet published by American Beauty Macaroni and the Durum Wheat Institute, looks like nothing much more than a collection of macaroni and pasta recipes.

There are several pages devoted to the nutritional value and proper cooking methods of durum macaroni foods. Durum is a special variety of wheat used in producing pasta. The booklet explains that macaroni products made from durum retain their shape and firmness while cooking and do not leave a starchy residue in the cooking water. They say that it resists the common tendency of non-durum products to cook up mushy.

These recipes have been designated as "restaurant-tested" for your home which, I guess, is supposed to make them more appealing to homemakers.

These recipes came from well-known restaurant or quantity food service kitchens and were collected by Miss Albert M. MacFarlane, a food consultant. A first presentation of the series was made at the annual Food Show of the National Restaurant Association in Chicago. Then, family-size versions were developed in the test kitchens of the Durum Wheat Institute. These family-size versions are the ones you will find in this booklet.

It's the fine print of the captions underneath the photos that makes the booklet intesting. Looking closely you will find that some of these prize-winning recipes were from establishments well-known for their great food. Many of them are no longer here, lost to the passage of time and a proliferation of McRestaurants. Whether or not any of these dishes ever made it to the restaurant dining rooms, I don't know, but a chef is a chef, and their creative talents are usually evident in whatever recipes they come up with.

Here are a couple of recipes from places that you might find familiar:

The first is a contribution from Florence Hulling Apted of Miss Hulling's Cafeterias in St. Louis, Missouri. The Miss Hulling's Cafeterias are gone now, but many people still seek out Miss Hulling's recipes. Is this dish reminiscent of one served in her cafeterias? I don't know, but it's the way I prefer to prepare my own mac 'n cheese--with cheese in the sauce as well as a generous amount melted over the top.

MACARONI AND CHEESE
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup enriched flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large saucepan. Blend in flour and salt. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook until sauce is thickened. Add 1/2 cup grated cheese and stir until melted. Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Add to Cheese Saue and mix well. sprinkle top with 1-1/2 cups grated cheese. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees F.) about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place under broiler until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

********************
The next recipe comes from The Parker House in Boston, Massachusetts. You know the place--the one that's famous for their Parker House rolls and Boston Cream Pie.

CASSEROLE OF CREAMED LOBSTER AND MACARONI
2 cups lobster meat (2 cans, 6 ounces each)
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup enriched flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2-1/2 teaspoons paprika
3-1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sherry wine
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter

Cut lobster meat in small pieces. Saute in 1/4 cup butter. For sauce, melt 1/3 cup butter or margarine in large saucepan. Blend in flour, salt, papper and paprika. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly; cook until thickened. Add lobster meat and sherry wine. Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Add macaroni to lobster mixture. Turn into lightly greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over top of casserole. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and delicately browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

It's shown in the picture served with a Parker House Roll and a mixed green salad.

***********
Other recipes and places found in the booklet are:

Mexican Macaroni Casserole: prepared by Alma B. Atkinson - Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Casserole of Ham, Macaroni and Broccoli: as prepared by Patricia A. Beezley, Pennant Cafeteria, Topeka, Kansas
Creole Spaghetti Stew: as prepared by Margaret E. Terrell, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Baked Chicken and Noodle Casserole: as prepared by Gertrude Allison Brewster, Olney Inn, Olney, Maryland
Casserole of Noodles, Chopped Steak and Tomatoes: as prepared by Beatrice Hughes Hofsommer, the Harding Restaurants, Chicago, IL
Baked Salmon and Shell Macaroni Au Gratin: as prepared by Annabel Combs, Damon's, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Mexican Spaghetti: as prepared by Ruby Clark, Department of Institution Management, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN
Macaroni Loaf: as prepard by Winning S. Pendergast, School Lunchrooms, Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI
Macaroni Salad: as prepared by Gertrude Brammer, L.S. Ayres & Company, Indianapolis, IN
Casserole of Chicken Kalakaua with Macaroni: as prepared by Executive Chef Paul Koy, Royal Hawaiian, Honolulu, Hawaii
Spaghetti Supreme with Mushroom Sauce: as prepard by Raph B. Smith, The Grace E. Smith Company, Toledo, Ohio
Spicy Oyster-Spaghetti Casserole: as prepared by Chef Bramon, Netherland Hilton Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio
Chicken, Mushrooms and Noodles with White Wine Sauce: as prepared by Chef Bramon, Netherland Hilton Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio
Casserole of Seafood and Noodles Au Gratin: as prepared by Louise Nabel, Frances Virginia Tea Room, Atlanta, Georgia
Noodle and Chicken Campanini en Casserole: as prepared by Armando's Restaurant, Chicago, IL
Chicken Livers Hunter Style with Buttered Noodles Polonaise: as prepared by Chef Diciero, Terrace Hilton Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio
Spaghetti with Clam Sauce: as prepared by Vincent and Tony Bommarito, Tony's, St. Louis, Missouri
Spaghetti Tetrazzini Armando: as prepared by Armamdo's Restaurant, Chicago, IL
Angelo's Italian Spaghetti with Meat Balls: as prepared by Angelo Arata, Angelo's Restaurant, Concord, New Hampshire
Spaghetti Tetrazzini Mayfair: as prepared by Erice Nielsen, Hotel Mayfair, St. Louis, Missouri
Spaghetti Marinara: as prepared by Vincent and Tony Bommarito, Tony's, St. Louis, Missouri
Veal Lasagne: as prepared by Leila Colwell, Evanston Hospital, Evanston, IL
Mostaccioli with Rich Tomato Sauce: as prepared by Armando's Restaurant, Chicago, IL

If you think you might like a copy of this booklet for yourself, you can probably find one here.