Tag Archives: Alice Wesner

Recipes from the matron of the Wesner family.

by

Golden Seafood Casserole (Alice Wesner)

Originally this recipe was discovered in a book that came with some cookware.  It has been altered to personal tastes since.

1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
(salt and pepper)
3 boiled eggs, sliced
6 -8 oz frozen shrimp
1 can tuna, drained
3 oz cooked mushrooms
7 1/2 oz crabmeat
4 oz cheddar, grated
2 c breadcrumbs mixed with 1/4 c melted butter  (Or whatever amount seems right, using that ratio.  How many breadcrumbs you need depends heavily on the size and shape of your casserole.)

Make white sauce with butter, flour, and milk.  (Melt butter, carefully stir the flour into it, add milk.)  In 2 qt casserole, layer eggs, shrimp, sauce, tuna, suace, mushrooms, sauce, crabmeat, sauce.  Top with breadcrumbs.

Bake 1 hour at 325.

by

Bisque of Clam and Chicken (Alice Wesner)

This recipe was revised from one within the Williamsburg cookbook by Alice Wesner.  As far as altering the recipe goes, she says that either shrimp or crab can be used to replace the chicken, if needed, and it is still tasty, although not as good as the original.
This recipe accidentally became a family tradition – she’d made it one year at Thanksgiving, and it received rave reviews.  The next year, there were no specific requests, and there was sadness at the absence of the Bisque.  Since then it has become a traditional starter for holiday meals, and now that I’ve tasted it, I can understand why.

1 1/2 c clam juice (from the can, top off with water)
2 T onion
1/4 c celery, diced
1 small bay leaf
2 c chicken broth
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 can boned chicken (8 oz)
1 can minced clams (8 oz)
1 c light cream
(salt and pepper to taste)
1/4 c whipping cream for the garnish

Simmer clam juice, onion, celery, and bay leaf for 30 minutes.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil (you can strain it for a smoother texture here, but it tastes quite good without doing so).  While waiting, melt butter in a medium sauce pan and add flour.  Add hot stock, stir until blended.  Add chicken, clams, and light cream.  Season.  Simmer 20 minutes, stirring as needed.  Whip cream and garnish soup.  (Can skip the garnish if you want, still a lovely soup without it.)

by

Spam Stuff (Alice Wesner)

2/3 – 1 can spam, diced

2 medium potatos, diced

1 tomato, sliced

1 can Cheddar Cheese soup

1 can mushrooms

(onion powder, oregano, celery seed to taste)

Brown spam.  Add potatos and 3/4 c water.  Cover.  Cook until potatos are partly done – approx 5 minutes.  Lower heat.  Add rest and cook until the potatos are actually done.  Add water as needed.

I approached this recipe with a good deal of skepticism, due to spam being involved.  After much commentary by my partner on how good it was, I decided to try it.  It was surprisingly tasty.  It hasn’t exactly become a staple, but it has become consistent.