Mashed Potatoes

5# potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 pkg cream cheese
1/2 to 1 1/2 c sour cream
salt & pepper

whip or beat and put in greased 9 x 13 pan.
refrig or freeze until you need them.
This makes about 12 - 15 servings.

corn chowder

2 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery
1 can corn, drained
1 handful dried minced onions
1 3/4 c milk
1 cup frozen hash browns
1/4-1/2 ts basil
1 stick butter, salt pepper
I add everything except milk and basil
and simmer until potatoes are hot.
Then add milk and basil.
Serve with grated cheese or oyster crackers.
can add sausage, ham, bacon, etc.

Pulled Pork

Kate and Ted fixed this for us in Florida.
Sure feeds a crowd and everyone loves it.

Slice an onion or two for the bottom of crock pot.
Cut a whole pork loin in half and stuff it in pot.
Add  1 cup water, 1 stick of butter,
some seasoning like garlic powder  or seasoned salt, and
a little B-B-Q sauce. Cook it overnight and then shred.
I save some of the liquid from cooking and add as much as I need
to the meat after shredding, can add a little more B B Q sauce if
you want.

Frogmore Stew

We made this the first night we were all in Florida last time we went. You are supposed to dump it out on picnic table covered with news papers and serve with melted butter and hot sauce, kind of fun.

 

 

Ingredients

• 6 quarts water
• 3/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning TM
• 2 pounds new red potatoes
• 2 pounds hot smoked sausage links, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 12 ears corn - husked, cleaned and quartered
• 4 pounds large fresh shrimp, unpeeled

Directions

1. Bring water and Old Bay Seasoning to boil in a large stockpot.
2. Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Add sausage and cook for 5 minutes more. Add corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes. Drain immediately and serve.

This serves 12 so we may double or triple it.

4th of July menu

Here's this years menu, straight from Nancy's ipad!

Jeanne / Cliff.  Ribs /French bread / appetizer

Lorraine. Potato salad

Brownes. Salad and appetizer

Jim /Eva.  Deviled eggs and artichoke dip

Anne & Dave. Corn,  appetizer?
Colleen: appetizer, cupcakes

Bairds. Ice cream, dessert

Roeders. Pasta salad or other side

Hansen. Appetizer

Cooper. (are a "maybe")

Matt and Coleen have secured the fireworks roll!  

See you Monday!

Sent from my iPad

Limoncello Recipe

Guess where this recipe came from?...straight from Florence.

 

 

 

(makes 1.5 liters or about 6 cups)

10 medium-large lemons

4 cups of high percentage alcohol

1 cup of sugar

4 cups of water

Wash the lemons very well using natural products. Peel the rinds being careful not to cut into the white part of the lemon. Cut the rinds into skinny strips and seal them in a glass container with all of the alcohol for 15 days.

After 15 days, make a simple syrup using the sugar and water. (Melting the sugar into the water over low temperature until all sugar has dissolved.) Turn off and cool to room temperature.

Add the alcohol to the simple syrup mixture by using a filter to avoid adding the lemon peels. Run the limoncello through the filter three times and wring out the lemon peels into the alcohol.

Store the limoncello in a glass bottle and keep in a dry pantry until opened. Prior to drinking, place it in the freezer to chill and store in freezer after it is opened.

Crock pot mexican chicken

Chicken breasts
sack of frozen corn
jar of picante sauce
drained can of black beans

cook all together in crock pot, 4-6 hrs.
you can add 1/2 to 1 brick cream cheese or not.
serve over white rice with cheddar cheese on top.

Pam's Chicken and Rice

This recipe is in here for my daughter Kate.  She called time and again  for this recipe, all through college
and law school..
It can also be made with Lipton onion soup mix and more water.

4-6 chicken breasts
1 stick margarine
1 cup rice (Minute Rice)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can French onion soup
1 "soup can" water

Melt margarine, add soups, water, rice, and chicken. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours uncovered.

Southwest cornbread salad

Don't ask when this was served, just trust me that its good.
Lorraine



Ingredients
1 (6-ounce) package Mexican cornbread mix
1 (1-ounce) envelope buttermilk Ranch salad dressing mix
1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
5 green onions, chopped

Preparation
Prepare cornbread according to package directions; cool and crumble. Set aside.
Prepare salad dressing according to package directions.
Layer a large bowl with half each of cornbread, lettuce, and next 6 ingredients;
spoon half of dressing evenly over top. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients
and dressing. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Bridal Luncheon

Eva had a Bridal Luncheon for Norie when she and Brad got married.
When I was typing in the memorial day menu a few days ago I thought it
would be nice to include several other typical menus and this one
came to mind.
Eva served her chicken salad with her mother's Challah bread, with macaroons
and strawberries dipped in chocolate for dessert. Recipes for Challah bread, Chicken salad and Macaroons are in the blog.

Chicken Salad

1 8 oz pineapple chunks

2/3 C Mayo

1 t Dijon Mustard

1/3 C raisins

1/8 t salt

 ¼ C celery thinly slicked

2 T green onions

 ½ C slivered almonds

¾ t curry powder

4 C cooked chicken

Combine 2 T pineapple juice, with mayo, curry, mustard and salt for dressing.  Combine ingredients with dressing.  Refrigerate l hour.  I serve with fresh pineapple chunks. Eva

Coconut Macaroons

ingredients

1 14-ounce package sweetened flaked coconut

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flaked coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl to medium-firm peaks. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into coconut mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites. Drop half of coconut mixture by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Top each with a second level tablespoonful coconut mixture. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool macaroons on parchment paper. Slide metal spatula under macaroons to remove. (Macaroons can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.)

CROATIAN POTATO SALAD from Anne

I used a larger bag of potatoes this year (2011) but had tons left over and would guess we had about 30 people. I could have probably used a 10 lb bag. With 10 lbs. I'd probably use a little more than half of a yellow onion and about half a bottle of Italian dressing. You just need to play with it and add onion, vinegar, salt and pepper to your own taste. You want enough dressing to coat the potatoes lightly, but not be pooled at the bottom or the potatoes will get soggy.

I don't really have a written recipe, but here's how I make it...

Ingredients

red potatoes

yellow onion (very thinly sliced)

Italian salad dressing (Whatever kind you like best)

apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper.

Boil potatoes until tender throughout, but not too soft or mushy. Cool just enough to handle and peel.

Make it in a container with a tight lid. Cut the potatoes into medium thick slices and/or wedges. Cover the bottom of the container with about a one inch layer of potatoes. Sprinkle thinly sliced onions on top of that layer. Then, sprinkle with 2 or 3 capfuls of cider vinegar and with salt and pepper.

Keep repeating this until you've used all the potatoes.

Pour Italian dressing over the top and let it sit for quite a while to seep down through. If the container lid is tight enough, flip it over after a few hours to let the dressing drip down through again. (Can do multiple times.) I generally make this a day ahead of time and think it's better this way. Toss it around just before serving and taste test to see if any additional vinegar, salt or pepper is needed.

Memorial Day

Just came back from Aunt Jeanne's for Memorial Day gathering.
Enjoyed seeing everyone as usual.
Memorial Day Menu consisted of
Hamburgers, Hot dogs and Brats on the grill
Calico Beans
Croatian Potato Salad
Deviled Eggs
salad
slaw
and as always black olives and pickles
Bairds provided dessert of cakes and homemade ice cream gathering.

Brisket Recipe from Ted who got it from Aunt Jeanne

Trim fat off brisket.     Brush or rub liquid smoke over entire brisket.    Sprinkle celery salt,  and pepper over entire brisket.  Sometimes I add seasoned salt and garlic powder    Place in large baking bag.   Add all of a can of beer.  If you like you can add some onion either fresh or dehydrated.      Bake about 3 to 4 hours.  I usually start it for about 30 minutes at 325, then reduce the heat to 250 or so for the remaining time.  Then remove from oven and cover top of meat with your choice of barbeque sauce.  Return to oven for approx 30 min.  You can lower the temp some, 200 give or take.      When you remove the brisket save the juice in the bag.     Slice meat, if possible with an electric knife.  Add juice from bag to whatever dish you are serving or storing the meat in. 

  

other tips:

            -try to cover the brisket with the liquid smoke without getting it on your hands. The liquid smoke will make you hands smell for days.

            -follow the directions of the baking bag.

            -a whole brisket takes about 3 to 3.5 hours, a smaller brisket flat may not take quite so long, but it may be better to have it in longer than not enough.  Longer at a lower temp is better than shorter at a higher one.  Trying to rush it will make it tough.

            -once cooked, it will be tender, but it will dry out pretty quickly, so keep some of the juice on it after you have sliced it. You can also cover it with barbeque sauce if you prefer, or mix some juice and sauce and cover it. 

            -you can cook the brisket, then let it cool in the bag and refrigerate it whole.  A day or two later you can slice it while its cold, then reheat in oven or microwave, be careful to keep the juice on it

            -if you do a whole brisket, the back part is marbled with a lot of fat and is best if you chop it or run it thru a food processor, then add barbeque sauce and juice and use it for sandwiches.

           

NANCY'S EASTER EGGS aka Scrumptious Eggs

from Finely Tuned Foods...KC Symphony Cookbook

1.5 lbs shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup cubed ham (didn't use this time)
7 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon seasoned salt

Put half the cheese in bottom of buttered 9 x 13 casserole. Sauté mushrooms and
onion in butter until tender; place over cheese. (spread ham over mushrooms) Top
with rest of cheese. (can do this much ahead of time; cover and refrigerate
until ready to bake). When ready, beat eggs, milk, flour, parsley.
Bake at 350 for 30 min. or until eggs are set.

White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies

It's not Dave's cookie recipe (working on him to add those) but this is definitely a new family favorite since this past holiday season. Dangerously good!!!

Makes about 4 dozen.

 

1 c. (2 sticks) of butter, softened

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 T. vanilla

2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 c. dried sweetened cranberries (like Craisins)

1 1/2 c. pecan pieces (toasted or not, either works fine)

1 1/4 c. uncooked quick cooking oats

12 oz. white chocolate chips

3 T vegetable shortening

 

Preheat oven to 375. Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, blending well. Combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended.

 Stir in cranberries, pecans and oatmeal until blended. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake for 9 - 11 minutes and cool completely.

 

Microwave white chocolate with vegetable shortening on high for about 1 minute or until chips melt. Stir quickly, once only if possible, until smooth. Dip half of each cookie or dip tops of cookies into white chocolate, letting excess drip back into bowl. Place on waxed paper to sit until firm.

 

Mom's Sausage Souffle

Staple of Easter brunches for many, many years. (It's always the Roberts family's Christmas morning breakfast as well.) Great because it's made the night before and ready for the oven on holiday mornings. This recipe makes about 6 servings.

 

1 lb bulk sausage, browned and drained

6 slices of bread, crust and all, torn into cubes

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 t. dry mustard

1/2 - 1 t. salt

4 eggs

2 c. milk

 

Heat oven to 350.  Blend sausage, bread, cheese, mustard and salt. Beat eggs with milk, then blend with the sausage mixture. Pour into greased casserole dish and set in refrigerator overnight. Bake the next morning for 45 minutes covered with foil, followed by 15 minutes at 325 degrees, uncovered.

Lorraine's Enchiladas

Lorraine told me how to make these about 30 years ago. I never had it written down, so Lorraine may have to correct it if I've morphed it over time. Also a recipe that you've had at my house every time I have served Mexican food. (I don't really know quantities because I always make a LOT). They freeze well.

Can of enchilada sauce

Small can of tomato sauce

Ground beef, drained and mixed with taco spice

Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Corn tortillas

I mix enchilada sauce with a small can of tomato sauce in a shallow bowl. (Not sure if Lorraine did this or if it was because my kids liked the enchilada sauce cut down a little).  Dip a corn tortilla completely in sauce and shake off excess. Place a few tablespoons of meat in a line across the tortilla. Spoon a T of sauce across the meat and add some shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in a greased casserole. Spread remaining sauce across the top and sprinkle with some additional cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes or until heated throughout and bubbly.

"Matt's Favorite Dessert" (aka Strawberry Sublime)

Great after Mexican food! (Which again means you've likely had it at my house). Actually, it's really good any time. You really want to use a stand mixer for this.

 

Crust

1 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

 

Filling

1 c. sugar

2 T. lemon juice

2 egg whites

1 10 oz package frozen, sweetened strawberries, partially thawed

1 c. heavy cream, whipped

1/2 t. vanilla

 

Mix crust ingredients together and spread on cookie sheet. Toast at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

 

Beat first 4 filling ingredients at high speed for 15 minutes. Fold in whipped cream and vanilla.

 

Spread half the cookie crumbs on the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. Cover with the filling mixture and top with remaining crumbs. Freeze until ready to serve, at least 6 hours.

 

Stuffed Burritos

The burritos you are served EVERY single time you have Mexican food at my house! (Sorry)  Annie

Flour tortillas

2 cans cream of chicken soup

3 4oz cans of chopped green chilies

Bag of shredded mexican blend cheese (or cheddar)

Ground beef, cooked drained and seasoned with taco spice

1 large can of refried beans

Spray a casserole dish.

Blend the soup and green chilies in a bowl. Line up next to the refried beans, ground beef, and cheese.

On a flour tortilla, spread a few tablespoons of refried beans across the center in a line. Spoon a few tablespoons of taco meat on top of the beans. Follow with a few tablespoons of of the soup mixture and top with shredded cheese. Roll up and place in the casserole, seam side down. Repeat, filling the dish. Spoon the remaining soup mixture across the top, making sure all exposed tortillas are moistened. Sprinkle shredded cheese across the top.

Bake at 350 for about 30 - 35 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through.

Mexican Corn Dip (aka Crack Dip)

The first time the Roberts family was introduced to this dip was when Kate Brennan (Topeka Brennan family/niece of Mary DeCoursey) brought it for a party being held at Breit's. Instant addiction and therefore the aka..... It makes a lot and is great for a crowd. We think best with Frito Scoops.

2 11 oz cans of Mexican corn, drained

1 4 oz can of chopped green chilies, drained

5 green onions, chopped

1 T sugar

1 c. mayo

1 c. sour cream

2 c.shredded Cheddar or Mex blend cheese

(Recipe also says 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped, but I've never used them)

Combine all and mix well. Refrigerate overnight (or as long as possible). Keeps in fridge for 5 days. (We've never personally tested the 5 day theory :)

Hot Ham Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (7 1/2 oz each) small party rolls
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (optional)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seed
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ts horseradish
• 8 ounces boiled ham, chopped
• 6 ounces shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese(I use Baby Swiss)

Preparation:

Melt or soften butter; add mustard, poppy seed, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Without separating rolls, slice party rolls horizontally. Spread both sides evenly with butter mixture. Fill evenly with ham and cheese. Wrap each package in tightly in foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake at 375 ° for about 15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Good for baptisms, graduations,

etc.,anything that you just need to be able to come home and have food be ready.

I've made these using any kind of rolls and even french bread that I've removed about an inch of bread from the middle.They freeze well. Do you know that a cooler will keep things warm as well as cold?  You can warm sandwiches and keep wrapped in foil in a cooler for hours.

Strawberries

Take Jeanne with you to buy them. Some things can't be duplicated!  J

Serve with powdered sugar. Nancy

Italian sausage

Rope style hot Italian sausage from Scimeca’s is the best.  Call ahead.

Grill

Cut into pieces.
Aunt Jeanne said they had both hot and mild once and no one ate the mild.

Oyster Dressing

Make 1 day ahead

1 quart of oysters

3 packs (sleeves) of Krispy (saltine) crackers, crumbled

Butter

3 eggs

1 pint ½ & ½

Spray casserole with Pam.

Layer: (3 times)

            crumbled crackers

           oysters

            small pats of butter

 Top with one more layer of crumbled crackers

Beat the 3 eggs, combine with the ½ & ½  Pour over the casserole, as much as the pan will allow. You will not use all the liquid…save it for the next day.

Refrigerate.  The next morning, look at see if there is liquid on the bottom.  If not, put the rest of the mixture in, or if you don’t have any mixture left, pour just some ½ & ½. 

Bake at 365 for 45 minutes.  It should puff up like a soufflé, and be brown on the top.

Wild rice

½ lb wild rice (pure, not mixed)

2 pints of sliced mushrooms, combined regular and portobellas

2 sticks of butter

Put the rice in a colander, boil water and rinse the rice with the boiling water several times, until rice kernels pop open.  This can take quite a while.

Sauté the mushrooms in one stick of the butter until they are just done (when the juice comes out)

Combine sautéed mushrooms and the rice with the other stick of butter (melted) into a casserole.  May need to add some water before cooking.

Salt, pepper, garlic salt as needed

Cover and cook at 350 for an hour.

Jeanne's Bar-B-Que Sauce for ribs and chicken

Verified with mom(Jeanne) first

1 bottle Heinz chili sauce

½ stick butter

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white vinegar

Dash A-1 sauce

1 sliced lemon

Combine all, heat throughout, (until it thickens), serve warm

Can be made ahead and frozen

Need about 3 recipes for the holiday crowd.

Plaza III Steak(hamburger) Soup

 My original recipe calls for 1 bottle of BV sauce instead of bullion cubes and accent, so that's the way I've always made it.
I also run the tomatoes through the blender.



 1/2  cup           butter or margarine
   1/2  cup           all-purpose flour
    8      cups          hot water
    2      pounds        lean ground beef
    2      tablespoons   beef bouillon granules
    1      cup           onions -- chopped
    1      cup           carrots -- diced
    1      cup           celery -- sliced
    2      cups          frozen mixed vegetables
   28      ounces        canned tomatoes -- diced
    1      teaspoon      pepper -- or to taste
    1      tablespoon    Accent® seasoning mix -- (optional)

Melt butter or margarine in a soup pot that holds at least 20 cups.  Blend
in flour to make a smooth paste.  Add hot water a little at a time.  Simmer
until smooth.  Sauté beef in a large skillet and drain off fat (I usually
rinse under very hot water which gets some more of the fat off the meat).
Add meat, bouillon, all vegetables and seasonings to saucepan.  Bring to
boil.  reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked.  Do not add salt.

 

Beef Stew

I think the original name for this stew was "Stay in bed beef stew". Mom thought that was funny.
I also do this without the veggies and serve it over  noodles or rice.
I think you could do this in a crock pot also.

2 pounds stewing beef, well trimmed
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 or 3 bay leaves 
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1½ cups frozen peas (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250°.

Add the raw beef and and all of the vegetables (except the mushrooms and peas) to a large stew pot. Add the undiluted soups and mix everything together well. Place the bay leaves on top of the mixture. The mixture will look quite dry at this point.

Bake the stew with lid on for 5 hours. If you are using mushrooms and peas, add them at the beginning of the last hour. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Scrambled Eggs

I think of this as being Aunt Jeanne's egg recipe.  Seems like she started bringing
it on Easter and we all have followed her lead.

2 doz eggs
1/2 c butter
1/2 cup milk
1 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
2 can mushroom soup
1/2 c cream sherry(optional)
1 lg can sliced mushrooms
8 oz grated cheese

Scramble eggs with butter, milk and seasoning. (Yes this means to cook them)
mix soup, sherry and mushrooms. (I use milk instead of sherry)
In 9 x 13 inch pan layer eggs, soup mixture, then cheese.
Make at least 2 layers ending with cheese.
refrigerate at least 8 hrs. or overnight.
Set out 30 min. before cooking.
Bake 50 min. at 300.
serves 10 -12

Loretta's Chili

Buy packet of William's Chili seasoning. Follow directions on back.
I put the can of tomatoes in blender and with 1 can of chili beans. And I also always
err on the side of more chili seasoning to meat, I might use 3 lbs of meat and
enough William's for 4 lbs.

Mom didn't have anything chunky in the chili...someone wouldn't have eaten it!

Spaghetti sauce

 Mom's Spaghetti Sauce

Brown 1 lb. hamburger, drain.

Add

1 envelope Spaghetti seasoning

Add:

1 small can tomato paste

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 tsp sugar

White sauce with vegetables

Mom's White Sauce from Nora

In medium sauce pan, melt 1/2 stick butter.  Add approximately 3 tablespoons of flour to form a paste.  Gradually add 2 cups of milk.  When it starts to thicken, add 3/4 cup of shredded cheese and either 1 can asparagus or 1 can new potatoes, salt and pepper to taste.

 She also made this without the cheese and added new potatoes and peas. Lorraine

Loretta's Fried Chicken

Lorraine,

I don't know if these recipes are unique to Mom or not, but in my mind I'm fixing Mom's fried chicken and gravy (served over broken bread)  and her white sauce with asparagus or new potatoes and her spaghetti sauce.  Here they are:

Mom's Fried Chicken and Gravy

2 tbls. butter

2 tbls. crisco

Heat on stove in large frying pan.

Put 3 heaping tbls. flour, plus salt and pepper to taste In brown paper bag.  Shake fresh chicken thighs and legs in bag until coated.(Chicken tenders would be good, but don't bake as long.)

Place chicken pieces in heated frying pan, skin side down until skin brownded and crisp, turn to brown other side. 

Preheat oven to 350, place browned chicken on cookie sheet, skin side up and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.   

Gravy

Mix 3 tbls flour with drippings from pan, gradually stir in approximately 2 cups of milk on low heat, stirring until desired thickness.  Add salt and pepper, serve over broken bread.

 Love, Nora 

Sausage Dip

 - the dip I bring when assigned an appetizer.  (Kate Hansen)

Cream Cheese,8 oz.

Sausage, 1 lb

Rotel, 1 can

For the non-cooks  (including me in my early days) cook the sausage first then add cream cheese and Rotel. 

Heat until cheese is melted. Best warm with tortilla chips.

We like hot rotel, 1/3 fat cream cheese and low fat sausage. 

Challah Bread

(This recipe is from Eva.  It was her mother's recipe.)  

I(Eva) make this with the bread machine to knead it and then roll it out by hand

3/4 C warm water

1 lg egg

3 T margarine cut up

3 C bread flour

4T sugar

1 1/4 t salt

2 t active dry yeast

Coating

 l lg egg yolk

1T water

 

Preheat oven to 375

Place in bread machine in the order above but put on the dough cycle

Divide dough in half and then divide each half into thirds Braid bread so that you have two average size loafs or you can do l large loaf.  Let rise in warm draft free area until almost doubled in size approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Brush on egg yolk mixture.   Bake for 10 minutes and then add foil and cover to prevent to much browning.  Do this for another 10 -15 minutes and enjoy!

Calico Beans

This recipe for baked beans came from Berniece McEwen.  I've made them for so many years that I quit using the recipe 20 yrs ago.  I had to get this recipe from Barb who originally got it from me! I usually double this for the crowd but usually have some left over.

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. bacon, crisp, cut up

1 c. chopped onion

2 cans pork & beans

1 can (1 lb.) kidney beans, drained

1 can lima beans, drained

1 c. ketchup

3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 white sugar

3 T. white vinegar

1 tsp. salt, pepper

Brown ground beef, drain.  Saute onions in bacon drippings.  Put all ingredients in crock pot at 275 for 3-4 hours.

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM (or Peach)

This recipe comes from the Bairds.  They bring it in the summer...always tastes great!

2 packages thawed strawberries

1 cup sugar

4 egg beaters  ( originally called for 4 eggs, but no one uses raw eggs anymore )

2 cans sweetened condensed milk ( Eagle Brand )

1 pint whipping cream

3 12 oz cans of strawberry soda pop

vanilla extract, teaspoon or two.

milk to fill

Mix sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Mix in everything except pop and milk.
Pour into can. Add pop, then milk to the fill line.

This is for a 6 quart ice cream maker. If you have a 4 quart maker try one can
of sweetened condensed milk and less strawberries and pop, and one less egg.
Everything is flexible. 
You can make it with half n half instead of whipping cream. You can make it with
either whole milk or 2%.

For Peach ice cream swap the fruit and pop to peach.  The peach flavor is pretty
mild, you might need to add more fruit, or a can of peach nectar if you can find
it.  Ted


This recipe is from my Mother who got it from her church women's group.

Potato Salad

Everyone loved Mom's potato salad.  I remember helping her
mainly by peeling the potatoes. It had to be made while the potatoes were hot,
so I peeled hot potatoes.  It seemed that she always used white baking potatoes.
This recipe is probably 1/2 of what Mom used to make for our family.

6 medium sized baking potatoes(boiled w/ skin on)
6 hard boiled eggs
1 c miracle whip
2 ts vinegar
1 scant Tbls mustard
1/2 finely chopped onion
salt and pepper to taste.
Peel potatoes. Mix everything together while potatoes are hot.

Add more Miracle whip if it needs to be more moist,
usually needs it after it sits for a while.( I actually added  more MW, a
little more vinegar, & a little more mustard to taste.)

Pastry for 2-Crust Pie

Mom's crust was some of the best.
She never touched it with her hands.

2 c all-purpose flour
1 ts salt
more than 3/4 and less than 1 c Crisco
4 1/2 Tbls ice water

Add salt to flour
add Crisco and cut with
knife and fork until it looks like cornmeal.(no big clumps)
Add Tbls of water one at a time tossing with fork
as you do.  Roll in a tight ball in wax paper and
refrigerate for at least 30 min.

When you're ready to make pie...
Divide in 1/2 and roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper.
No flour. Place in pie pan by removing one side of paper
and then invert it into pie plate and peeling off second piece
of paper. Help it off by scraping with a knife if you need to.

Roll the top the same way.

Apple Pie

Pastry for 2 crust pie.

2 lb tart apples, peeled and sliced
1  c sugar
1 ts cinnamon,( a little extra)
4 tbls flour
dash salt
2 Tbls butter

Roll out 1/2 pastry and place in the bottom of a  9 inch pie plate.
Trim & refrigerate until apples are ready.
refrigerate other 1/2 of pastry.
Mix sugar, flour cinnamon and salt.
sprinkle over apples. Toss lightly.
Turn into pastry lined pie plate, mounding in the center.
Dot with pieces of  butter.
Roll out remaining pastry & adjust over filling.
Cut about 4 slits in the top.
Trim and crimp edges.
Mom then put a little milk on a piece of wax paper
and dabbed the pie crust with the milk.
Bake 45-50 min. at 425 or until apples are
fork tender and crust is brown.

Whities

Here's something to go with Mom's Chocolate Sheet cake.
I've served these at my house many times.  I usually double
this and bake them in a deep pan about 17 x 11.  Bake them a
little longer when doubled. I don't double icing.


1/2 milk
2 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c butter
2 ts almond
4 eggs

Bake in cookie sheet.

375
18, 20 min.

Icing
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 butter
1 1/2 ts almond
3 tb milk

Can ice hot or cool.  Hot it soaks in. Good either way.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is the second dessert Mom always had in her freezer.
She didn't add the cinnamon to it but I always do.



2 c flour
2c sugar
4 Tbls Cocoa
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c butter
1 c water
2 eggs beaten
1 c buttermilk
1 ts soda
1 ts van.
(I add 1 ts cinnamon)

ICING
6 Tbls milk
4 Tbls cocoa
1/2 c butter 1 box powdered sugar
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour & sugar.
Bring to boil cocoa, butter, oil and water. Pour over flour & sugar mixture.
Mix well.
Add remaining ingredients.
Pour into Greased & floured 11 x 17 inch pan.
Bake for 25 to 25 min. Until it pulls away from the pan.

Icing.
Boil milk, cocoa, & butter.
Remove from heat and add powdered sugar and nuts.
Frost cake immediately on removal from the oven.

Banana Split Pie

Pat says Mom often made this for Mike's Birthday.  It is one of his favorites!

Bundt Cake

Pat had Mom's recipe, so here it is!

Layered Salad

I have no idea if my memory is correct, but I think I remember Dad coming home from something at the drugstore where Ruth (or one of the other nurses) had made this salad. Dad was hooked! It's one of the few, if not only times, I remember Dad liking something so much that he got the recipe and and started making this himself....many times from that point forward. (I want to think this was around the early 80's but I am not certain.) It became a staple for Christmas Eve dinner and at some point was delegated to me. I generally make an additional, small casserole (or a section of a very large one) without the bacon so our family non-carnivores can enjoy it as well :)  Annie

2 - 3 c. fresh spinach, chopped

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T sugar

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

2 - 3 c. lettuce, shredded

8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T sugar

10 oz. package frozen peas, uncooked/thawed

1/2 c Bermuda onions or scallions, sliced

1 c mayonnaise

1 c Miracle Whip

1 - 2 c Swiss cheese, shredded

Sprinkle raw spinach over the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle salt, pepper and sugar over spinach. Top with the following layers; bacon, lettuce, eggs and water chestnuts. Sprinkle again with salt, pepper and sugar. Layer peas and then sliced onions. Combine equal parts mayonnaise and Miracle Whip and spread across entire top of salad. Spread shredded cheese across top. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving and overnight is best. Serves 8 - 12.

I've always found I need more mayo and MW mixture and more cheese than this indicates to cover the top entirely. When I make it for Christmas I always double the spinach, lettuce and maybe water chestnuts but not everything else. I probably add about 3 more eggs and a half package of peas. I don't usually add more bacon or onions and I don't think I change the seasonings.

Mom's Dressing (Loretta)

 

This recipe is from Nora and she said

"I've made this dressing for the past 10 years and rely alot on the smell for the correct amount of poultry seasoning and sage. "

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped onion
3 1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk + 2 pieces)

Sautee

In Large Mixing Bowl combine:

1/2 loaf of bread, broken into pieces
1/2 load of bread, toasted, broken into pieces
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. peppter
Add 7 or 8 crushed saltine crackers

Add:

2 cups of milk
1 cup of chicken broth
3 beaten eggs, plus spash of water

Add Sauteed mixture, place in 9 by 13 pan.

Bake at 350 covered for 1 hour, uncover and bake at 275 for one hour.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentines Day!

I can't remember doing anything special for food on Valentines Day..
It was all about candy and cards!!
I do remember going to Nana's house for lunch on Valentines Day,
It was a real treat since we usually ate at school.
How smart was she to have us once a year and make it special?
I have my grand kids all the time and its no big deal!!!

Easter

We never ate Easter Brunch at home when we were growing up.
Our Grandma Foster (Nana) always took us out to eat.
For years we ate at the Town House Hotel, I think until they had a fire(?)
After that we moved around, probably until there got to be too many of us and we
moved to homes.( I remember being at Victory Hills Sheila's first Easter.)
Loretta and Jeanne took turns having it for years, now Nancy, Anne and Barb
usually take turns hosting.


Typical Easter Menus

Eggs
Escalloped Potatoes
Cinnamon Rolls
Strawberries with powdered sugar
Italian sausage
Honey Baked Ham
Bundt Cake

Grandma DeCoursey's Rolls, Cinnamon or Parker House

In Mixing bowl
2 c boiling water
1/3 c Crisco
1/2 c sugar
1 ts salt
mix and wait for mixture to cool a bit. (leave you finger
in for a minute..can't be hot. must mean its close to body temp!)

in small bowl add
1 ts sugar
5-6 ts. Active dry yeast
1/4 c lukewarm water ( barely warm)

beat 3 large eggs and add to yeast mixture.

Add yeast mixture to cooled water mixture.
I use Kitchen aide mixer to add in 8 1/4 cups flour.
I use reagular beater for 1st 5 c. flour, then
switch to kneading attachment for last 3 1/4 cups. don't over knead!

When it forms a ball I cover it and put it in the fridge
overnight.  Or leave out to rise quicker, must double in size.

Roll the dough out any way you want.
I do lots of little sections, fold them in half and
put them in a pile until they're all rolled out.


For Cinnamon Rolls
 I melt 1 stick of butter, add 1 c sugar to it and 4 heaping
ts. of cinnamon. Spread this mixture on each section, roll up  and then cut into
rolls about 1/2 inch thick. I have to make 2 of the cinnamon mixtures,
I do not double it because it gets too hard.  Its better if I just make it twice.

I put rolls in pan right next to each other, let rise at least 1 hr.,and then bake at 405 until I see them,
starting to turn brown...just barely...about 7 mins. or more.

I make icing in blender and pour over rolls at any time..hot or cold.

For Parker House Rolls
Just cut rolled dough into small circles,
dip in melted butter and fold in half.  Bake the same way.

Moms Party Dip

We knew something was happening if Mom made this dip. It was either Bridge, Christmas Eve, or some kind of party. My Grankids love it.   I asked Mom about the recipe once and she said it was from a recipe for clam dip but she had to leave out everything someone in the family didn't like, so she left out ketchup, horseradish, red peppers and the clams.



1 8  oz cream cheese, softened
about 3 heaping Tb miracle Whip
several dashes of worcestershire sauce
best with grated onion but onion powder will do
little sprinkle of garlic salt or powder
add cream or 1/2 & 1/2 if you want it runnier

Best with potato chips.

Eva's Artichoke Dip

2-8 ounce blocks  of cream cheese or you can use neufchatel. 

3/4 stick melted butter

blend. 

1 can (13.25 oz)regular can of Artichokes that are quartered and drained. 

Add to mixture saving one out for decoration.

top with Parmesan cheese

Bake for 20 min. at 350 degrees.....is that easy or what.  xoxoxo

Escalloped Potatoes aka Cheesy potatoes

We usually have these for Easter Brunch and Christmas eve dinner. Doubled it will fill crock pot.

2 pds frozen hash brown potatoes(thawed)
1/2 c melted butter
1 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 c cheddar cheese
1/2 c onion( I use onion salt)
2 c sour cream
2 c corn flakes crushed and mixed w/ 1/4 c melted butter

Mix everything excepet corn flakes, then sprinkle corn flakes on top.
bake at 350 for 45 min.

Italian Cream Cake

Mom always had some of this in her freezer. She froze it in single layes, iced and ready to go.

1/2 c margarine
1/2 c vegtable shortening
2 c sugar
5 eggs seperated
2 c flour
1 ts soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 ts vanilla
1can (31/2 ounces)angel flake coconut
1 c pecans

Frosting
1 8oz cream cheese softened
1/4 c margarine, room temp
1 ts vanilla
1 box powdered sugar
chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350.
Cake
 Cream margarine & shortening; add sugar and beat until smooth.
 Add egg yolks & beat well..
Sift together flour & soda and add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla. Add cocnut & pecans. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Poor into 3 greased cake pans.
Bake 30-35 min. or until cake tests done...cool.
Frosting. Beat cream cheese and margarine until smooth;add sugar  & mix well
Add vanilla & beat until smooth. divide into 3rds & uste one part for each layer.
top with pecanss if desired.
I've always used butter instead of margarine
and its almost better if it sits a day before serving.