AL'S CHICKEN STRETCHER

Last Friday when Friend Janice and I went out "estate sale-ing", I found two cookbooks for Canadian Mennonites. It has been awhile since I have found even one Amish/Mennonite cookbook. I actually found three, but two of them were the same cookbook, The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, just a different printing. I bought the one that was a second printing, May, 1962 instead of the seventeenth printing (I forget the year) even though it was more "used". The cover was different and we liked the older cover. In the introduction it stated that, "This cookbook is the result of numerous inquiries at the Canadian Mennonite Conference last year, regarding recipes for feeding such large groups of people as a conference calls for. Since the delightful Mennonite custom of gathering in large numbers and dining together, when possible, is gaining in popularity as means of traveling increases, it was decided to publish a sheet giving the most popular recipes used in mass cooking. One thing led to another, and by the time the book was in the drawing board stage, it was decided to also add a chapter of Mennonite recipes. Many of these hail back from the days of want and austerity, and are no longer in use, but may be of interest for coming generations to read or in inspiration to a cook who is in an adventurous mood. From there it was natural to also add the favorite recipes of the present generation.

The Committee in charge wishes to thank the ladies of Niverville, Armaud, Ste. Elizabeth and Grunthal for their help in making this book possible, and also the ladies from all across Canada who contributed their favorite recipe. It must also be added that all recipes are kitchen tested for your convenience and cooking pleasure."

The other cookbook I bought is entitled Canadian Mennonite Cookbook. It was the twelfth printing, 1967 and was formerly called Altona Women's Institute Cookbook.

Both cookbooks have many recipes with names I can't pronounce. I look forward to trying some of the recipes, even the ones I can't pronounce.

I needed something to cook for dinner and that's why I settled on Al's Chicken Stretcher. I ended up cutting the cooked chicken into small pieces instead of "grounding" it as the recipe instructed. Not sure if it is because I used a low fat/low sodium can of cream of mushroom soup AND did not add any salt when I cooked the rice, but my finished dish definitely needed some salt. There were no seasonings listed for the recipe. As expected it made more than enough for us to enjoy as leftovers for several meals. I sprinkled some salt on the "helping" before I heated it in the microwave and it tasted so much better. I have added salt in the list of ingredients. I will leave it up to you as to whether or not you add it to your dish.

AL'S CHICKEN STRETCHER

1-1/2     cups cold cooked chicken ground through food chopper (I just cut my chicken up into small pieces)
1/2         cup diced celery
2            cups cooked rice (1/2 cup raw is needed) (I used instant brown rice and cooked a whole cup and used most of it to measure 2 cups.)
1             cup milk
1             can cream of mushroom soup
4            eggs beaten together
1             tablespoon chopped pimento
(salt to taste - optional)

Blend milk and soup, then stir in all other ingredients, pour into greased casserole and bake 1 hour in pan of hot water the way you bake a custard in 350 degree F oven.
                                                        A. Ciske

Here are some picture I took

 When I reheated it in the microwave to eat as leftovers, I stirred in some of the English peas (and added some salt as I said earlier) and it was really good.