Retro Recipe Challenge #3 - Macaroni Saute

Another cookie break! Laura Rebecca's Kitchen is hosting this challenge, making a recipe published within five years of your birth year. I chose a recipe from Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cook Book, Macaroni Saute. The cooking process is similar to making "sopa de fideo" which is a wonderful Mexican side dish using coiled vermicelli. The vermicelli is first broken into pieces, lightly browned in oil in a large skillet with some diced onion, then liquid is added, either plain water or a boullion cube added, and tomato sauce. Mexican restaurants rarely offer it and serve a side of rice instead, which usually tastes either too bland or too mushy. An informal survey found that 4 out of 5 diners preferred sopa de fideo to Mexican rice.

Mom actually made this macaroni dish, but she gave it her own flair. Her technique was to leave it uncovered, use canned crushed tomatoes instead of tomato juice, a tiny pinch of comino (ground cumin) and then she added grated Monterey Jack cheese to finish. If it got too dry during cooking, she added more water. It was one of our family favorites. Enjoy!

MACARONI SAUTE - from Betty Crocker's Good and Easy Cook Book published 1954
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup green bell pepper (I used red)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 cups tomato juice (I used crushed tomatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestshire sauce

In a skillet, saute macaroni, onion, pepper and garlic in hot oil till macaroni turns slightly yellow. Add tomato juice and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

This one tasted rather bland until I added Mom's touches.