Our 4th of July Celebration!

Our 4th of July was great! I wanted an old fashion picnic with everyone being invited and coming together, just to enjoy each other's company and have fun. I think those who came, did.
I started out with a budget, then a list of goodies and went from there. Since some had to work from the family I went ahead and invited my church friends.
Menu: Hot dogs, macaroni salad, peaches, applesauce, lemonade, and brownies. Each family brought there own food and we all shared what we had. No one went home hungry and there was leftovers.
Here is a good old recipe from the book, 1950's Cookbook for a macaroni salad:
 

Easy Macaroni Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 ½ quarts boiling water

2 cups macaroni or tiny shells

1 teaspoon oil

2 teaspoons salt

¾ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon pimento, chopped

2 teaspoons green onion

2 teaspoons sweet pickle, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon mustard, prepared

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions:

In large uncovered dutch oven cook macaroni in boiling water, cooking oil, and salt until tender but firm, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain well again. Return macaroni to pot. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. Add to macaroni. Toss together well. Place in a serving bowl. Chill for one hour or more. If you want it more moist, add a bit of milk.

This is the recipe I would have used if  I had all the ingredients, so I made with what I had and it turned out pretty close to this recipe. I don't care for mayonnaise, so I used plain yogurt and went from there, also added finely chopped cucumber. Didn't have the pimento or sweet pickles, but luckily someone brought some relish, so at the last minute I stirred some in. I also added a grated carrot.

Wanted to try out a new recipe for the brownies and found one from a old friend that are made in a jelly roll pan. This recipe reminded me of  Texas sheet cake, they were good. Also found a good recipe that you melt marshmallows on top before they come out of the oven. Will put both recipes on, so you can decide for yourself. Yummy!

As you can see I chose not to add the nuts. Really liked the flavor of this one.

Brownies  
by Anne Morgan

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
1 can Hershey's chocolate syrup (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add remaining ingredients. Bake in greased and floured jelly roll pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cover with frosting below.
Frosting:
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound of powered sugar (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
Mix all ingredients together and frost brownies.

So sad you cannot see the brownies underneath.

Mom's Marshmallow Bars (from 1950's Cookbook)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
16 large marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease brownie pan (11 1/2x7"). Melt chocolate and butter and set aside. Cream sugar, eggs until light and fluffy. Add flour. Beat. Add melted chocolate and butter. Beat well. Mix in vanilla and nuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are lightly browned. Cool slightly and cut into bars.
This recipe I left at home for the grandkids to eat, so they wouldn't be tempted to eat the others until the next day at the picnic.

so good!

We had such a great time and it was fun for me to watch all the little ones run and run, while they fathers ran after them! Notice the tablecloth, it was one of my current bargains at a garage sale, only a buck!
Here is a picture of the cookbook,  (by Barbara Stuart Peterson):

Got this off the internet, so the picture didn't copy to well.