Mason Dixon Recipe Box

Boy, was this a trip down memory lane! The challenge is to post a photo of my recipe box. I have two, so I chose the vintage 70's model, which I think had something to do with a Campbell's Soup promotion. Or some kind of promotion.

As I wandered through the box, I saw pieces of letters from my mother, responses to my questions of "Mother, how did you cook butter beans?" or "Mother, tell me how you made the Italian sausages with green peppers." Got me all teary-eyed, too. Mother has been gone since 2000, but here are her instructions to her newly married daughter living far away from home in the early 1970's. The same daughter who didn't learn to do it while she could have hands-on help in the kitchen. Anyhow....

Note the slanted front. That's so one can insert a recipe card in a slot under the clear plastic top (see through), then slant the box so the recipe is readable and protected while one cooks.

Most of my recipes looked more like this, so the plan didn't work all that well for me.

The photographed recipe is one for Moroccan Chicken (Lemon Chicken - Poulet Citron) that I got from my husband's family. They lived in Morocco when Dad-in-law was attached to the US Embassy there.

I present the recipe below. Note that it doesn't tell you to drain the salt water from the lemons before using them in the recipe. You should do that! And you need to prepare the lemons at least a month ahead of time.

Poulet Citron

3 boxes chicken parts (9 to 12 pieces)

3 TBSP olive oil

1 jar green olives, with pits

1 tsp crushed saffron

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 lemons, pickled *

Cook chicken in oil for about 30 minutes, shaking pot to coat chicken well. Add rest of ingredients and simmer until chicken is tender, 1.5 to 2 hours. Slivered almonds may be added toward end of cooking time (1/2 to 1 package).

* Lemons: Cut 4 lemons into quarters, put in a jar, almost covering with water. Add 1 TBSP salt for each whole lemon. Grease lip of jar lid (easier to open later). Shake each day until salt dissolves. Store 4 weeks or longer before using in the recipe.