Potpourri with Potatoes, Mariana, and More!

 I can't say that I'm super-tempted by the title of Police Potpourri (Iowa State Policeman's Association Auxiliary, 1977). (Interesting that their association is apparently for only one policeman, by the way.)

I imagine police potpourri smells like gunpowder and bullshit... Not too enticing. But let's take a look at their recipes.

I like that many of the recipes are so straightforward. I often joke about recipes calling for "cream of something" soup since so many casseroles required cans of cream of chicken, mushroom, and/or celery soup as a flavoring/ binding agent. They usually actually call for specific varieties, but Easy Casserole just cuts to the chase. 

Yes, this recipe actually calls for a can of "cream of something soup" (though tomato soup is an acceptable alternative)! Anything will do since the soups mostly taste pretty similar and have minimal amounts of the chicken/ mushroom/ celery add-in.

The Italian Cartwheel casserole recipe is also interesting-- only in part for its sauce.

I'm not how/ sure why Minute Rice baked in "Mariana sauce" and topped with relish-and-mustard-stuffed wieners is Italian. The Mariana sauce makes me think more of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre than of Italy, and why it should be topped with an Independence Day picnic is anyone's guess.

The book also offers a variation on Tater Tot Casserole (a recipe that I am secretly obsessed with!) that I hadn't seen before.

It looks pretty standard: hamburger, onion, tots, veggies. (I'm pretty sure cream-of-something is also supposed to be involved! It's usually part of this recipe and the instructions mention adding "soup," but the ingredients don't actually include it.) The part that surprised me the most, though, was the type of veggies to add. Sure, you could add a can of peas or corn, but look at the third option.

That's right! Potatoes! This is the only version of the recipe I've ever seen that suggests topping potatoes with tater tots. Yvette Sawyer's family must really have loved their potatoes.

If topping potatoes with more potatoes isn't your thing, Gail Brown has a different potato-based recommendation.

Take those frozen fries from boring to crisp and seasoned with a soak in a little vegetable oil with Tabasco, followed by a coating in Shake 'n Bake with Parm. (I have to admit that this sounds pretty good, even if it does remind me how much I hate the "And I helped!" girl in those old commercials.)

I'll end by saying that the book did make me question what constitutes a carnival in Iowa.

With a name like Carnival Cookies, they should be loaded up with colorful sprinkles like the flashing lights on a midway, and/or maybe deep fried like at least two thirds of the food offerings, right? But according to this recipe, carnival food is just full of raisin bran and oatmeal.... Not exactly what I was expecting. I don't think Iowa carnivals are really that health-conscious.

What I like most about this book is those little touches that I was just not expecting! Thanks to my sister for sending it, and if you want to see someone actually cook a different recipe from this book, check out the post at A Book of Cookrye.