You Asked For It

By ANNE LONG

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 28, 2001

Goulash stew gets better with age

Faye Stewart asked for a recipe for a goulash stew similar to the one Publix used to stock. Francine Salter shares the one that her mother prepared when Francine was a child and that Francine now serves to her daughter.

Start with ground beef, onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, perhaps some celery and maybe even canned corn. Cook a box of elbow macaroni and combine with the sauce, and you have a tasty dish that will be on hand for supper and a bit more.

Marisa Johnson's veal scaloppine couldn't be more authentic. Marisa was born in Rome and writes that this is the recipe that is in all the Italian cookbooks.

Better Homes & Gardens Heritage Cook Book is the source of Marie Skeggs' apple strudel recipe. This is the real thing, but, if you don't feel like making the pastry, try using phyllo dough or puff pastry from the freezer section of the grocery store, as several readers recommend.

This recipe for pistachio ambrosia is from a Hints From Heloise column. This cold, creamy and tasty dessert is a popular item at covered dish affairs.

Ann Paquette asked for the version made with cold rice. Perhaps rice could be used instead of or in addition to the marshmallows.

For: Faye Stewart of Bayonet Point.

From: Francine Salter of Inglis.

Recipe: Goulash stew.

Goulash Stew

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

1-2 green peppers, diced

1 stalk, celery (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 16-ounce cans stewed tomatoes

2 cans water

1 16-ounce can corn, undrained (optional)

Pinch chili powder if desired

1 16-ounce box elbow macaroni

Saute ground beef until brown. Add chopped onion and green pepper(s) and cook until translucent. Add celery if desired; it adds flavor. Season to taste. Add stewed tomatoes and water. Francine's husband likes the addition of the corn to the recipe. Simmer while cooking the macaroni. Season with a little chili powder if desired. Sometimes Francine adds a little extra water to the sauce because she likes it juicy.

Cook macaroni, drain and put into a bowl. Add just enough sauce to keep it from sticking and stir it up. Serve macaroni in one bowl, sauce in another so people can have as much of each as desired. Great for leftovers; just gets better.

For: Marlene Reif of Seminole.

From: Marisa Johnson of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Veal scaloppine.

Veal Scaloppine

11/2 pounds veal cutlets, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup Marsala wine

2 tablespoons stock or water

Pound cutlets very thin; cut into pieces 6 inches square. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; flour lightly. Melt butter in large skillet. When hot, put in veal and brown thoroughly on both sides over high heat.

When well browned, add the Marsala and, keeping the flame high, let meat cook 1 minute longer. Place meat on serving dish. Add stock or water to pan, scraping bottom and side; pour over meat. Serves 4.

For: Iris Dubbert of Largo.

From: Marie Skeggs of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Apple strudel from Better Homes & Gardens Heritage Cook Book.

Apple Strudel

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup warm water

3/4 cup butter, melted (11/2 sticks), divided

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 cups very thinly sliced, peeled tart apples

1/2 cup dried currants

1 beaten egg white

Confectioners' sugar

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until crumbly. Mix beaten egg and water; add to flour and stir well. Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead 5 minutes. Halve dough. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Cover large table with floured cloth. On cloth, roll half of dough to 15-inch square. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter; let stand a few minutes. Starting from the middle of the square, carefully work underneath dough using backs of hands to gently stretch from one corner to the next until dough is paper-thin and about 36 inches square. Brush dough with 1/4 cup melted butter.

Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. Trim edges of dough; put half the apples along one side, 6 inches from edge. Sprinkle half the sugar mixture over apples; top with half the currants. Gently fold a 6-inch piece of dough over filling. Slowly and evenly raise cloth behind filling, making dough roll away from you into tight roll. Seal ends. Place on lightly greased 151/2- by 101/2-inch jelly roll pan; curve slightly to form crescent. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush tops of strudels with beaten egg white. Bake strudels at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Remove from pan; cool. Top with confectioners' sugar.

For: Ann Paquette of St. Petersburg

From: Pat Guttman of Port Richey

Recipe: Pistachio ambrosia, from a Hints From Heloise column

Pistachio Ambrosia

1 16-ounce can chunky pineapple

1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple

1 small package instant pistachio pudding mix

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

12-16 ounces frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

1 cup miniature marshmallows

Mix together the chunky and crushed pineapple with all the liquid and sprinkle the powdered pistachio pudding mix on top. Let stand for 3-5 minutes.

Mix the nuts and coconut together in a separate bowl, then add to the pineapple/pudding mixture. Blend in the whipped topping and marshmallows. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Recipe requests

Do you have a recipe for a moist and delicious chocolate cake made with a packaged chocolate cake mix combined with instant chocolate pudding mix? That is the recipe Billie Soncrant of New Port Richey would like to have.

Jennie Miller of Crystal Beach remembers buttered pecans that a relative made many years ago and hopes that you can supply the recipe for her.

Barbara Herzfeld of Seminole writes that she and her family have enjoyed green tea ice cream in New York, San Francisco and Orlando, but they have been unable to find it in the Tampa Bay area. If they had a recipe for homemade, they would be able to have it at will.

Lloyd Sides of Largo writes that his late wife used to make a frozen dessert in ice cube trays that he and his sons were very fond of. He has been unsuccessful in his search for the recipe and hopes you can help. Lloyd thinks the ingredients included a large Hershey's chocolate almond bar, whipped cream and crumbled vanilla wafers in alternating layers but cannot remember what else.

Marie Kabus of Seminole has a chicken salad recipe that is to be served with poppy seed dressing, but she has not been able to find a recipe for the dressing. If you have a recipe, please send it for Marie.

You Asked For It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked For It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number with your letter. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

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