• 1/2 cup chicken or pork, finely diced
• 1 can mushrooms
• 1 qt. cold, cooked rice
• 2 tbsp. peanut or salad oil
• 1-1/2 tbsp. onion, finely chopped
• 2/3 tbsp. shoyu
• 1 egg, well beaten
• pimento, green pepper

Fry meat lightly in oil, add mushrooms, green onion, rice and shoyu. Continue to cook over low heat 10 minutes. Add egg. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Drop bits of pimento and green pepper in bottom of custard cup or Chinese teacup, press in the hot rice and turn out on plate.

I can’t say I’ve had BBQ’d ham steaks, but if I did, I have my own tasty BBQ rub I’d add, but this recipe looks okay.

• 2 uncooked smoked ham steaks, 1 inch thick
• 1 cup cider
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 3 whole cloves, crushed

1. Trim excess fat from ham; score edges at 1-inch intervals.

2. Place in large fry pan; cover with boiling water; parboil 5 minutes.

3. Pour water off steaks.

4. Combine cider, brown sugar, mustard, cloves, blend well.

5. Pour over steaks; marinate 15 minutes; drain, saving marinade.

6. Grease grill with fat trimmings.

7. Broil over medium coals until brown on both sides, turning and basting with marinade frequently.

8. Allow 30-35 minutes for well done, browned meat.

9. Yield: Four to Six servings.

• 4 pounds loin back ribs, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup honey

Place ribs in plastic bag or shallow glass dish. Combine remaining ingredients except 1/2 cup honey; pour over meat. Fasten bag securely or cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning ribs occasionally. Remove ribs from marinade; reserver marinade.

Heat oven to 325°. Place ribs in jelly roll pan, 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1 inch; bake 1-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Remove from oven, brush with 1/2 cup honey. If desired, chill overnight.

To heat ribs, wrap in aluminum foil and place in 350° oven for 45 minutes.  8 servings.

[If desired, chill overnight?!  Wow, what kind of delayed gratification freak wrote this recipe?!  "Ah! These smell FANTASTIC!!!  I think I'll wait until tomorrow to eat them."  Yeah, I don't think so!]

• 1-1/2 lb. ground smoked ham
• 1 tablespoon A.1. Sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 cup irradiated evaporated milk
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Combine ham, A.1. Sauce, onion, parsley, rolled oats, milk and egg. Mix well and form in loaf in greased 4-1/2 x 8-1/2 inch pan. Combine sugar and vinegar. Heat until sugar melts. Pour over ham loaf. Bake in moderate over (350°) 1 hour. Serves six.

Cooking time: 15 minutes  •  Yield: 4 large portions

• 1/4 cup butter or shortening
• 2 cups (1 lb.) lean pork, cut in thin strips
• 1 cup onions, cut fine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/16 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups celery (cut in 1-inch pieces, then into thin strips, lengthwise)
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 can La Choy Mixed Chinese Vegetables (drained well)

For Flavoring and thickening:

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons La Choy Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon La Choy Brown Gravy Sauce if Chop Suey is desired

Method: Melt butter or vegetable fat in hot skillet. Add meat, stir and sear quickly (without browning or burning), add onions and fry for five minutes. Add celery, salt, pepper and hot water. Cover and cook for five minutes,  Add drained La Choy Mixed Chinese Vegetables. Mix thoroughly and heat to boiling point.  Combine and add flavoring and thickening ingredients.  Stir lightly and cook for one minute.

Serve piping hot with La Choy Noodle for Chow Mein or cooked rice for Chop Suey.  Flavor individual dishes with La Choy Soy Sauce.

Garnish or decorate with lettuce, parsley, sliced green onions and sliced cold boiled egg, or slender strips of fried beaten egg.  Whole or chopped nuts may be added.

Here we have a diagram of four pork chops cuts from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook, this edition being from 1955. As some of you might note, I’ve added a “Cooking Tips” category to the site. This category will discuss things such as cuts of meat, cooking terminology, cooking tips, measurements, and various other tidbits of info that will help you understand cooking… especially retro cooking!

Back to the pork chops! This cookbook states: “Pork chops are favorites when braised to rich-brown, tender, juicy perfection. Broiling is not as satisfactory, or as safe.” I could not agree more! And now for more information on pork chops, from the 1955 version of the Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

To buy Pork Chops and Steaks Select a cut:

Loin Chops:

• Rib Chop (Fig. A., above) usually has 1 rib; may be boneless. A 1″-thick chop weighs 4 to 5 oz.
• Center-Cut T-Bone Chop (Fig. B., above) is the most popular pork chop because it has tenderloin. A 1″-thick chop weighs 5 to 6 oz.
• Boned Loin Chop is a special loin chop, with bones removed.
• Shoulder End Chop (also called first cut) has considerable bone. A 1/2″ thick chop weighs 4 to 5 oz.
• Loin End Chop is similar to the should end chop but contains tenderloin. A 1/2″ – thick chop weighs 4 to 6 oz.

Shoulder Chops:

• Bladebone Chop (Fig. C., above) has considerable bone. A 1/3″- thick chop weighs 5 to 6 oz.
• Arm (Round) Bone Chop (Fig. d., above) has small bone and is a thrifty buy. A 1/3″-thick chop weighs 5 to 6 oz.

Pork Steaks: These are cut from fresh ham (leg), and only have a small round bone. When boned, they are called pork cutlets.

Amount to Buy: Allow 1/2 to 3/4 lb. bone-in chops per serving, 1/3 to 1/2 lb.  Boned chops per serving.  one-inch thick chops take longer to cook, but make a finer appearance than thin chops.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shortening, fat, or salad oil
• 6 – 1 inch thick pork chops
• Salt
• 12 cloves
• 12 prunes
• 6 apricots
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Place shortening in large skillet on 8-inch unit.  Heat on HI. (notes for GE electric range)

Add chops to skillet, switch to SECOND and saute until brown on both sides. Sprinkle with salt.

Cut unpared squash crosswise in six 1-inch slices; remove seeds.  Place on chops.

Press clove into each prune. Arrange prunes and apricots in center of squash slices.

Add orange juice. Cover; cook until steam escapes freely. Switch to Lo; cook 45 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

3/4 pound ground veal
1/4 pound ground lean pork
1 small clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated cheese
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk

Combine ingredients in order give, mixing well. Pack firmly into a greased loaf pan. Bake in fairly hot oven (400 degrees) for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes longer. Serves 5 to 6. The cheese makes this loaf exceptionally well either hot or cold. Makes it taste exceptionally good, too.

(editors note: I’d got for bison in place of the veal, but that is just me…)