Back-of-the-Package Cooking

[Wendy DeBord]

I use the recipe from the back of the box of my brown sugar to make the best caramel pecan topping (but my own recipe for the rolls) for sweet rolls. I also like the pecan pie recipe from the corn syrup bottle.

[Rebecca263]

Well, folks, I took a bunch of photos, we bravely made the fudge, and we can't get the photos uploaded! So, here's the blow by blow.

Kiddle and I measured out the ingredients. We heated the chocolate, butter, Velveeta and corn syrup together in a large glass bowl for 2 minutes. The mixture looked like lumpy, grainy and oily shmoosh. NOT appetizing, so far, but we stirred it and plunged on. After a second one minute microwaving, the mixture looked grainy and quite disgusting. The butter and the fat from the cheese had separated from the rest of the ingredients. We were dismayed, but we rolled up our sleeves and forged on. The chocolate mixture was now to be incorporated into the confectioner's sugar, in very small increments, and blended by electric mixer. Well, we don't have an electric mixer, but we DO have Kiddle, who is 16 and very willing to do Mommy's bidding. Kiddle mixed and mixed, and mixed and mixed. And mixed. And mixed. After about 40 nerve wracking minutes(will it EVER become smooth and glossy? Had we done something 'wrong', other than attempt this weird recipe?), we had a fudge consistency. Believe me, it was NOT worth it. The 'fudge' is actually edible in small amounts, not too sweet, very creamy after a long mixing, but it has a flavor reminiscent of warmed malted milk, and it is NOT really fudge. It is more "fudge like". So, we will be borrowing my sister's electric mixer and making a second batch for my long suffering #1 boy to savor, he who appreciates the 'common' American foods experiences . But, all in all, there are better and just as easy real fudge recipes to make in future. So, where's my golden spoon?

[mizducky]

So, where's my golden spoon?

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Heh. After all that, I think you earned the culinary equivalent of a Purple Heart.

[Rebecca263]

Just to let you all know, I'm at my sister's, her in laws are all here, as well as my middle niece, the fudge 'expert'. The consensus is that Velveeta fudge is pretty darned good. Niece has been sticking her finger in the fudge all evening, just to make sure. Kiddle and I must be bonkers not to agree, but we're glad for the presence of the fudge, it leaves more of the pannetone, blueberry pie and homemade profiteroles for us!

[srhcb]

Just to let you all know, I'm at my sister's, her in laws are all here, as well as my middle niece, the fudge 'expert'. The consensus is that Velveeta fudge is pretty darned good. Niece has been sticking her finger in the fudge all evening, just to make sure.   Kiddle and I must be bonkers not to agree, but we're glad for the presence of the fudge, it leaves more of the pannetone, blueberry pie and homemade profiteroles for us!    

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Just goes to show you, there's no accounting for odd taste.

SB (I mean, blueberry pie at Christmas? Yikes!)

[Megan Blocker]

One more reason to love you, Megan!

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Maybe I should print business cards with the recipe on it and hand them out at bars! Potential dates will swoon...

[Rebecca263]

QUOTE: SB (I mean, blueberry pie at Christmas? Yikes!)

Hey, we're Sephardic Jews, my brother in law and his family are Italian Catholics, and it's father in law's 66th birthday. Blueberry pie is his favorite dessert, he gets it every year. My sister is a gem. We lit a half dozen Chanukiahs, we opened dozens of gifties, I visited the neighbors(I baby sit their 5 and 2 year olds, and we have a love fest whenever we can), we ate so much roast beef with a mushroom wine sauce, mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, carrots, and cauliflower that we are all sinkable, and yet still had room for desserts of various and sundry ilk, it was a great night. Italians and Sephardim are a great culinary combination. You wouldn't have believed the dessert spread, my sister and her husband own a gym, they must want us all to become clients. Oh, and that pannettone, it was studded with raisins, and redolent of orange essence. Divine! I had to keep from begging for the leftovers. <Rebecca rubs her tummy (round like the great Buddha's) and makes a wish for it to disappear.>

[srhcb]

QUOTE: SB (I mean, blueberry pie at Christmas? Yikes!)

Hey, we're Sephardic Jews, my brother in law and his family are Italian Catholics, and it's father in law's 66th birthday. Blueberry pie is his favorite dessert, he gets it every year. My sister is a gem. We lit a half dozen Chanukiahs, we opened dozens of gifties, I visited the neighbors(I baby sit their 5 and 2 year olds, and we have a love fest whenever we can), we ate so much roast beef with a mushroom wine sauce,  mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, carrots, and cauliflower that we are all sinkable, and yet still had room for desserts of various and sundry ilk, it was a great night. Italians and Sephardim are a great culinary combination. You wouldn't have believed the dessert spread, my sister and her husband own a gym, they must want us all to become clients. Oh, and that pannettone, it was studded with raisins, and redolent of orange essence. Divine! I had to keep from begging for the leftovers. <Rebecca rubs her tummy (round like the great Buddha's) and makes a wish for it to disappear.>

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I supose I can see where Velveeta Fudge might fit in?

SB (anxious to see the pics)

[Rebecca263]

I promise to try to upload another batch of photos tomorrow, when kiddle is available to tweak things.

[M.X.Hassett]

Ask and ye shall receive: Velveeta Fudge!

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edit: On second thought nevermind.

Edited December 26, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[Rebecca263]

Hey, M.X., WE braved the recipe, and I can sympathize with your sentiments! Although, I must admit, for a 'non fudge' fudge, it went over pretty well with the eaters last night. Honestly, I don't see the point. It was a waste of Velveeta, which kiddle and I have only eaten a few times in our lives. Better to make macaroni and Velveeta, that's MUCH more delicious.

[I_call_the_duck]

SB (I mean, blueberry pie at Christmas?  Yikes!)

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Actually we had blueberry pie for Christmas, in addition to a lot of other desserts, including Pannetone, apple pie, chocolate pie, cookies, tarts, oh my. My mom's the only one who's really religious, so Christmas is now more of a time for us to eat ourselves silly (again) and to let the little offspring get presents.

The blueberry pie (which my brother made) was my favorite. I managed to abscond with it afterwards, and later got a lecture from my mom for not sharing it with my other siblings. Well, normal sis told me to take it and psycho sis was being a (words that rhymes with) witch that night, so I didn't feel guilty taking it. Her spoiled brats preferred the store-bought stuff anyway.

[emilyr]

The recipe for German Chocolate Cake from Germans unsweetened chocolate was the best. Haven't made it for years though - does anybody know if it is still on the packet?

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I don't know if this is still on the box, but it's still the recipe we make for my dad EVERY YEAR!

[Kris]

Rice Krispy Treats.

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Ditto.

And horror of horrors...I use margarine instead of butter for this particular recipe. Butter makes the treats way too crispy for my taste.

Also, I've made that Knorr vegetable soup spinach dip. People seem to love it even though it's loaded with sodium and other crap.

I've made pina coladas based on the recipe on the side of the Cream of coconut can (usually Coco Goya).

One thing I've always been curious about...has anyone ever made the "Mock Apple Pie" recipe that used to be on the Ritz cracker box???

[Kris]

Jeffrey Steingarten discusses making the Ritz mock apple pie in one of his books, and if memory serves, he said it tasted quite a bit like apple pie.  The implication was that the dominant flavors of apple pie are cinnamon and nutmeg rather than apples themselves.

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Oh my goodness...I didn't read the entire thread through before posting my query about the Ritz cracker "Mock Apple Pie." I guess this answers my question.

[Aileen]

Thank you for the report on the Velveeta Fudge! I agree that Macaroni and Velveeta seems like a more tasty use of the stuff. My personal favorite is Velveeta and Rotel. Yum.

[elfin]

1. Rice Krispies Treats ( original recipie but use generic cereal)

2. Green bean casserole (Campbell's Cream of Washroom can)

3. Hershey's chocolate cake and coco

4. Cranberries (half the sugar and cooking time)

5. Toll House cookies

[Viola da gamba]

The only recipe off a box that I can think of that I make consistently is the double-chocolate cheesecake off the Baker's semi-sweet chocolate box (inside, not on the back, but near enough). It's generally a hit, although I don't like cheesecake so can't vouch for it. The only variation is that I tend to add either strained & warmed apricot or raspberry jam as a sauce.

[Smithy]

Jeffrey Steingarten discusses making the Ritz mock apple pie in one of his books, and if memory serves, he said it tasted quite a bit like apple pie.  The implication was that the dominant flavors of apple pie are cinnamon and nutmeg rather than apples themselves.

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Oh my goodness...I didn't read the entire thread through before posting my query about the Ritz cracker "Mock Apple Pie." I guess this answers my question.

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Actually, my mother made that pie a lot back in the 60's or 70's. I think she tried it for the novelty, and kept making it because it was cheaper, easier, and got a laugh when people were clued in. Please note, my mother is an outstanding apple pie maker, and I'd stack her pies against anyone's (except possibly my own now, using her recipe ). It fooled a lot of people, including our minister; one memorable afternoon I watched my mother struggle with her conscience about whether to inform the admiring pastor that it wasn't really apple pie after all. The crackers weren't as crushed as the recipe seems to imply, and I think I remember a touch of apple cider, or perhaps cider vinegar, in the recipe. We could tell the difference if we were paying attention, but the difference was smaller than the recipe seems to suggest.

Having said all that, I'll say that at some point Mom went back to making the real thing, to our great relief. Why have the fake if you can have the real thing? I haven't tried making it myself, and my assessment might be quite different now than it was then.

Velveeta Fudge? Yowza!

My faves: Toll-House cookies and, back when Dad was alive, the fudge from the Jet-Puff jar. I think that recipe's changed in the last couple of years.

[Rebecca263]

Velveeta Fudge?  Yowza! 

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Please, step away from the Velveeta... trust me, it's not worth it to waste your time and effort on that Velveeta Fudge', we're still wondering WHY we did that to ourselves.

[-sheila mooney]

Over in General Food Topics, some of you have no doubt by now seen my post ruminating on the true nature of Green Bean Casserole.  Since I've eaten with many friends and acquaintances, I figured that my near-total unfamiliarity with the dish must be due to some cultural factor.

Then I recalled another back-of-the-package recipe that I've seen too many times to count everywhere but on an actual plate:

Mock Apple Pie ("No Apples Needed!")

If you're old enough, you've probably seen this recipe on the back of a box of Ritz crackers, one of the main ingredients.  It hasn't been part of the packaging for some time now, but I vaguely recall its making a brief reappearance not too long ago.

I can't say I'm so curious about this dish as to actually want to make it.  If I want apple pie, the kind that has apples in it is plentiful enough that I don't think I have to worry about making a substitute.

In fact, while I've done my share of famous-product-label cooking, most of the time, I usually end up either substituting regular ingredients for the prepared products or trying the dish only once, which is enough.  As an example, here's my California Onion Dip recipe:

1 pint sour cream

2 tablespoons dehydrated minced onion

1 tablespoon instant beef boullion or concentrated beef stock base

Mix all ingredients well and chill for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend.  I'll bet you can't tell the difference from the Lipton Onion Soup Mix recipe.

Have any of you ever actually tried to make some of the better-known package-label recipes?  If so, have you ever made them more than once?  Or have you adapted them to substitute less processed ingredients?  Are there recipes you've run across frequently and wonder whether anyone has actually tried them?  Have you tried any of these yourself? Have you regretted doing so afterwards, or been pleasantly surprised?

The possibilities, as they say, are endless.

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from off the barley box: a soup that is ever so comforting with green beans (i cheat and use fresh) and finely diced beef stew meat. i cut it off the box ages ago, at my mother's house, i think. i preserve it piously among my recipe clippings and when i come across it (say once every couple of years) i feel obliged to make it. and very good it is! like running into an old friend...

[Khadija]

I use the recipe on the bag of cranberries for Thanksgiving/Christmas cranberry sauce. I have used different brands, but I always get the recipe from the bag. I have asked other people what they do, and I have yet to meet someone who does not rely on the bag when making cranberry sauce!

[Smithy]

Velveeta Fudge?  Yowza! 

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Please, step away from the Velveeta... trust me, it's not worth it to waste your time and effort on that Velveeta Fudge', we're still wondering WHY we did that to ourselves.

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Oh, I'll take your word for it. As for "why", well, it might be the same reason that suckers someone into putting tongue to pump handle in the dead of Minnesota winter. "Aw, it can't really be that bad, can it?"

[Big Bunny]

I think that it was a bag of Double-H sauerkraut where I got the idea of cooking the kraut with beer and caraway seed.

I always cook it this way now, and usually add kielbasa and new potatoes.

Easy comfort food.

BB

[daniellewiley]

I use the recipe on the bag of cranberries for Thanksgiving/Christmas cranberry sauce.  I have used different brands, but I always get the recipe from the bag.  I have asked other people what they do, and I have yet to meet someone who does not rely on the bag when making cranberry sauce!

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(raises hand) I don't!

I used to, and found it too tart for my taste. Cooks' Illustrated published a recipe a few years back that suggested adding a pinch of salt. The salt does wonders!!