By Julie, resolute in Somerville
A few year’s ago I had a dinner party themed around disgusting yet delicious recipes. Since I grew up in the 60’s, I had a lot of recipes to choose from, and will mention a couple below. Wickeds, what is a disgusting sounding yet delicious tasting recipe you’d like to share with our readers?
I’ll start. Cocktail Meatballs. In a crock pot combine frozen meatballs, a jar of grape jelly and a bottle of chili sauce. Put it on warm, and walk away. DELISH.
Here’s another one, courtesy of my friend Helen. A jello salad no one hates:
1 can of 8.25 oz crushed pineapple
3 oz. pkg of raspberry jello
16 oz can of whole cranberry sauce
1 tsp grated orange peel (I think this is optional)
11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup whipped cream
Drain pineapple and save the syrup. Add enough boiling water to make 1 cup. Dissolve jello in hot water. Add 1 cup cold water. Stir in the cranberry sauce and orange peel (if desired).Chill until partially set (about 2 hours). Fold in oranges and pineapple. Fold in cream. Pour into 6 cup mold. Return to refrigerator to finish setting.
One more–fudge made with Fluff. You know, the recipe on the side of the jar? So. Good.
Edith: I tend to avoid packaged foods almost completely (well, except for Cape
Cod potato chips – I swear they have crack in them…). But for a party dip, you just can’t go wrong with dried onion soup mixed into full-fat sour cream. And here’s another version. I thought it was my sister’s secret recipe, until I read it on the back of the Knorr’s soup packet. It’s not disgusting, per se, but just don’t read the sodium content.
Spinach Dip
Mix up and chill 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, cooled and squeezed dry, 1 container (16 oz.) sour cream, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp dill weed, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and 1 package Knorr dried vegetable soup mix. You can fill a hollowed-out a loaf of sourdough and use the chunks of bread and veggies to dip, or just serve in a bowl.
I also make Can’t Fail Fudge – which uses mini marshmallows instead of Fluff (got that family recipe from my older sister, too). Truly can’t fail!
Liz: Ok, so who wants to eat healthy on New Year’s, right? Well, maybe New Year’s Day, if you’re starting a new resolution. Either way, you’ll like this healthy twist on green bean casserole from my go-to recipe girl, Kris Carr. Some of it might sound a little strange, and if you’re allergic to nuts don’t try it (it’s baked in cashew cream) – but really, it’s amazing!
Sherry: I have a chocolate sauce that uses marshmallows. When I tried to explain this to a large group of people from other countries who were dining with us, they didn’t know what marshmallows were. I got out the bag and passed them around. They all thought the marshmallows were disgusting.
Edith: So funny, Sherry! I can believe it.
Jessie: Our New Year’s Eve tradition involves oil fondue which is no longer fashionable, but I don’t think of it as disgusting. We fire up a slew of pots filled with peanut oil, melted cheese or even chocolate if the group is interested. People sit around talking and cooking bits of vegetables and meat for hours on end. We dip pound cake and fruit in the chocolate for dessert. Some of my favorite meals have involved this retro favorite. In fact, we are planning to host a fondue party tonight!
Barb: Every Christmas my family makes a beet jello mold ring. We call it “borscht jello” and serve it with sour cream. I know, I know, it sounds disgusting, but it is delicious and the pretty red rings looks so pretty and Christmas-y on a bed of greens. (Actually, this is a terrible photo. It looks way better than that.)
All of us: May you have a happy, healthy, cozy New Year!
Readers: Any disgusting sounding yet delicious tasting recipes in your collection? Any dish you’ve eaten out that surprised you when you learned the ingredients?
Amazing that marshmallows have not gone over our borders, but Fluff seems to be only in New England too.
I think we called it marshmallow cream in California. Vague memory!
Fluff was made in Somerville, and every September we have a Fluff Fest. It is good stuff.
Oh, Back in the Day! I am old enough to remember cocktail franks and jello salad well. Food has definitely improved since then!
It has, but some of those old recipes…comfort in a pan.
I remember all those dishes. To some it may sound disgusting, but we always eat sauerkraut and pork on New Year’s Day for good luck. It’s a Pennsylvania thing. My mother swears that the year we didn’t have sauerkraut, my father had a minor car accident. Down south they eat blackeye peas on New Year’s Day for good luck.
Carolyn Wilkins was on the blog a couple of weeks ago and shared her black eyed peas recipe. Pork and sauerkraut sounds wonderful to me.
Love this dish! I wish my Mom had been German/Dutch rather then English..we were served Oyster Stew, which was basically milk, oysters and a dollop of butter. Yuck, in my 60’s and still cringe when I think of it 🙂
My mom makes her Minnesota salad. I call it this because I have only had it from my mom, grandma and any relative we have visited in Minnesota. It is basically shredded lettuce (of course the least healthy iceberg), diced tomatoes mayo (Hellman’s or Best Foods depending on location) and salt and pepper. Somehow this tastes great.
All this mention of Fluff kills me! I spent more than half of my life in Rhode Island and Maine and man I loved Fluffernutter sandwiches or a big ole dollop of Fluff on top of a cup of hot cocoa.
Have you read Sherry’s series? Fluff plays a role. Fluffetnutter sandwiches are the best. Fluff on Ritz crackers is also delish.
Fond memories of making fudge using marshmallows. The best part was cleaning up the fudge left in the sauce pan at the end.
You bet, Phyllis!