1970s School Cafeteria Lunch Recipes

SCHOOL CAFETERIA SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and bell pepper in the hot oil until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mix Italian dressing mix into ground beef and add to the hot pan; saute until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and add beef mixture; mix well. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned, about 10 minutes.

SCHOOL LUNCHROOM CAFETERIA ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let it stand for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy.
• Mix the milk, eggs and salt into the yeast. Measure the flour into a separate bowl, add 2/3 cup sugar, and crumble the shortening into it using your fingers until it is barely noticeable. Gradually stir the flour into the wet ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and starts to form a ball around the spoon. Cover with a hot wet towel that has been wrung out, and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. This should take about 45 minutes.
• When the dough has risen, pour the melted butter over it, and knead for about 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for a few minutes, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1 inch thick. Use a knife to cut into 2 inch squares. Roll squares into balls, and place into greased round pans, spacing about 1 inch apart. Let rise again until doubled in size. You could also refrigerate the dough, and let it rise overnight for baking the next day.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake the rolls for about 12 minutes, until golden brown.