This recipe comes from Riceland Rice Cook Book, Arkansas Rice Growers Cooperative Association. From when? That I don’t know. Maybe from the 1952 edition? It would fit that era.
It’s another vintage recipe that claims to serve 4 to 6 people….on 1½ cups of cooked, not raw, rice. Let’s be real….that is ¼ cup cooked rice and 2 links of sausage per person. I have been learning that these older recipes you needed sides: salad, bread, soup, more vegetables to fill out the plate. The “entree” wasn’t that filling really. Or maybe people just weighed 120 pounds back then and you could play the xylophone on their ribcages……either way is plausible. Also explains how magazines aimed at homemakers would claim “Feed your family for 5 cents a serving!”
On the posting of this picture comments were bandied about pimentos. On why the recipes called for them so often in the 1950’s to 1970’s. It is a simple answer though. Fresh produce in winter months didn’t exist in the same way as it does now. Bell peppers were seasonal then, and roasted red peppers in a jar didn’t exist how they do now. Pimentos did though. They were a small pepper, and came in small jars. A condiment that was peppy in color and gave a visual to the eyes, but also a burst of flavor. Pimentos are still sold, often in the olive and pickled veggies aisle, up high. In tiny glass jars, often imported in from Europe.
But mostly, before the advent of off season produce coming in from halfway around the world, or grown hydroponically in greenhouses, there just wasn’t much variety in stores.
Truth is, this was a pretty bland recipe. Not one I would make again. It’s not awful….just not very flavorful. I added in onion and bell pepper to add more vegetables, but also to stretch the meal. It just isn’t a big meal.
Country Kitchen Piggies
Ingredients:
- 10 to 12-ounces pork sausage links
- 1½ cups cooked rice
- 15-ounce can cream style corn
- ½ cup milk
- 3 Tbsp jarred pimentos, chopped
Directions:
I used breakfast sausage links (the fresh kind) and cooked them over medium heat, in a large cast iron pan, with a tiny bit of avocado oil. Once all browned up, I popped them out and placed on a paper towel lined plate.
Because I wanted actual vegetables, I tossed in a small onion chopped and about a cup of chopped bell pepper. I sautéed this till tender.
Add in the cooked rice, and mix well. Then add in the creamed corn, milk and pimentos.
Stirring well, heat through.
Add salt to taste (it’s going to need it – and I rarely salt food).
Serve with the sausages on top.
~Sarah