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What the Neighbours Eat

Alberta's Tories never met a starchy 'prairie slop' they didn't like. Read their recipes.

D. Grant Black 22 Nov 2004TheTyee.ca
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The Alberta provincial election is today and we all know Ralph Klein is going to be served up another big helping of premiership. I spent a few years in Calgary and experienced the special nuances that make Alberta unique, like hardy, protein-rich diets and a propensity for "mono-political democracy."

On their website, the Alberta PC Party has a series of recipes from MLAs and party supporters called "Klein's Kitchen" from their 1995 cook book. Being Alberta Tories, these are somewhat unsophisticated people in the kitchen, and many recipes involve hamburger as a main ingredient. Ralph Klein, of course, has chosen to contribute his cheesecake recipe, complete with a very special icing.

I've compiled a short list of some of these contributed recipes from the artery-clogging "Klein's Kitchen." Bear in mind, these are down-homey Alberta politicians with Prairie diets from the 1940s. When the national fitness program ParticipAction arrived in the early 1970s, it was considered a Communist plot to undermine the beef, pork and icing sugar industries in rural Alberta.

Here's the winning, high-performance diet that will fuel Alberta's Tories to another 33 years in power. (All punctuation and spelling mistakes are their own, a result of chronic education under-funding in the province.)

From "Klein's Kitchen" in the Alberta PC Cookbook

(A very limited number of these cookbooks were produced and sold at a fundraiser in 1995.)

We hope you enjoy this collection of "Ralph's Team Family Favourite Recipes". Colleen and I wish to thank you so very much for your support of the "United Auction". Bon Appetite! -- Premier Ralph Klein and Colleen Klein

CHOCOLATE MARBLE CHEESECAKE
Premier Ralph Klein, MLA Calgary Elbow

CHEESECAKE
1/2 c chocolate-wafer crumbs
1 T butter or margarine (softened)
3 pkg (8oz size) cream cheese (softened)
1 c sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
5 large eggs
2 squares semisweet chocolate, (melted)

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING
1 pkg (6 oz) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
Dash salt
Miniature chocolate nonpareils (optional)

CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE
Gary Friedel, MLA Peace River

For a hearty meal cooked in a crockpot or a stove-top.
1 1/2 hot or sweet Italian sausage
2 large potatoes
2 onions
4 cloves garlic chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 c chicken stock or bouillon
1 19oz can of tomatoes (undrained) chopped
2 T chopped fresh dill (or 1 T dried dillweed)
1/2 t each caraway seeds, celery seed and salt
1/4 t pepper and nutmeg
4 c coarsely sliced trimmed cabbage
1/2 c coarsely chopped parsley
2 T butter

SWEET AND SOUR MEAT LOAF
Marilyn Haley, Executive Director PC Alberta

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 c cracker crumbs, crushed
1 med. onion, chopped
1/4 t salt
1/2 can tomato soup
1 egg (beaten)
2 t dry mustard
1/4 c water
1/2 can tomato soup
2 T vinegar
2 T brown sugar

PAT'S PRAIRIE SLOP (also known as Saturday Nite Supper)
Hon. Pat Nelson, MLA Calgary Foothills

Spaghetti or macaroni (cooked)
1 lb. lean ground beef (browned)
1  19oz can of tomatoes
1 can mushrooms

Mix together and cover with cheese and cook in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Cultural journalist D. Grant Black lives in Saskatchewan, which he calls "The 1970s with High-Speed Internet."
 [Tyee]

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