White Trash... Classy, huh?

I found this recipe earlier this month and whipped up a bunch earlier this week. It was so easy to make! It literally took 15 minutes to whip up. I halved the recipe and still had plenty. The original recipe came from Heather's Helpings blog. Here's a link to the post:

http://heathershelpings.com/2011/12/11/white-trash/

I packaged them in ziplock baggies and stapled scrapbook paper on the top. Thanks Pinterest for the idea, and thanks Heather for the recipe!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cookies

These are the ONLY Christmas cookies that we made when I was growing up. We usually make a double batch of the recipe shown below. Mom said when she copied it over she tripled the recipe from the original. This is a recipe that Grandma Sites makes each year for Christmas, along with a handful of others.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oleo
3 beaten eggs
4 1/2 T. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
4 1/2 c. flour

Roll out 1/8” thick on floured board. Cut in desired shapes. Sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 400° for 5-8 min.

We DO NOT frost these cookies! People think we're weird but these cookies get sprinkled with colored sugar instead of getting frosted. These are the only cookies I think of when I'm hungry for Christmas cookies.

My brother and I like these just barely cooked through. Seth calls them burnt when they have just a hint of tan color on the bottom. Mom likes what Seth calls really burnt ones, the ones where the bottom is a nice toasty brown color.

Daddy Bread

This is a recipe I stumbled upon through e-mails from Lehman's Hardware Store. Aunt Deb and Uncle Gary love going there when they go to Holmes County. I've ordered a few things online from Lehman's, so now I get the e-mails on various deals. There was one on a bread bowl that had a link to this recipe.

Like the Four Cheese Chicken Fettuccine, this was part of the last meal I made for Kurt before he proposed.

Here's the link to Daddy Bread. I've only made it once, but I intend to make it again. It was very good!

Try it this holiday season. It makes three loaves, so you can keep one for home and take a couple to family gatherings.

Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine

Last time I made this was Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. This was part of the last meal I cooked for Kurt before he proposed on Easter morning.

Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine

8 ounces fettuccine or 2 c. egg noodles
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 c. whipping cream (I just use milk.)
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/4 t. garlic powder
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
2-1/2 c. cubed cooked chicken or 1 pint turkey

Topping:
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine soup, cream cheese, mushrooms, cream, butter and garlic powder. Stir in cheeses; cook and stir until melted. Add chicken; heat through. Drain noodles; add to the sauce. Transfer to a shallow greased 13x9 pan. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over noodle mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Buckeyes!

Everyone loves buckeyes, especially the candy kind! For our wedding, my mother-in-law and I made 600 of these little treats. After that adventure, I volunteered to make them for our Ohio ag teacher's banquet this week. It was a whole lot quicker making 300! Libby asked for the recipe, so I thought I'd share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 18 ounce jar of creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 lb confectioners' sugar

1 tbs vanilla

Chocolate flavored almond bark

Directions:



1. Before beginning, melt the almond bark on low heat in a crock pot. (A lot of people use chocolate chips and paraffin instead. I think the almond bark is a lot simpler, because it saves time. You can put the whole block in the crockpot, and it will be melted in about 30 minutes. Add a spoonful of vegetable oil at the beginning to keep it from sticking to the sides. If the chocolate gets lumpy as you're dipping the buckeyes, you can add more vegetable oil to smooth out the consistency. Keep the chocolate stirred periodically as it melts. I used to melt the chocolate in the microwave, but keeping it liquified in a crockpot is the way to go. That way, you don't have to worry about scorching it in the microwave or melting it again and again.)
2. Cream peanut butter and butter.

3. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well.

4. Form into 1 inch balls and freeze. (I use my Pampered Chef Small Scoop to scoop out even amounts. It's equal to about one tablespoon. Then, I roll the balls in my hands. This helps make sure all the buckeyes come out the same size.)

5. Dip balls into chocolate with a toothpick about 3/4 of the way covered.

6. Place chocolate side down on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

7. Freeze to set the chocolate. When they are frozen, use your finger to smooth over the hole where the toothpick was.
8. This recipe yields 80 buckeyes.

No Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

I bought several boxes of white chocolate pudding to have on hand to make Libby's "Amber Goo" recipe, and there was a recipe on the box for fluffy white cheesecake. I modified it a bit and came up with this creation. It was a hit!

No Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups milk

1 package (3.3 oz) white chocolate instant pudding

1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip

1 graham cracker crust

Raspberry preserves (optional)

Vanilla almond bark (optional)

Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup milk in a large bowl with a whisk until blended. Add the remaining milk and pudding mix. Beat 1 minute. Stir in Cool Whip; spoon into the crust.

After I poured the mixture into the crust, I spooned some raspberry preserves on top, and swirled it in with a toothpick. It added some great flavor (you could also do this with chocolate or any other flavor.) It would be fine without the additional flavor, also. Then, after the dessert set up, I melted white almond bark and swirled on top for appearances. I used a homemade graham cracker crust, but you could also buy a premade crust. Here's my crust recipe:

Graham Cracker Crust

2 1/4 cups crushed graham crackers (I save the graham crackers that break in their own container, and use the pieces for crushed graham crackers.)

1/2 cup melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

Mix crumbs and sugar. Moisten with melted butter. Press into a greased pie plate and bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.

Veggie Bake

I'm often asked to bring vegetables to family dinners. I can bake a pretty mean green bean casserole, but I hate taking the same dish to two consecutive dinners. So, this weekend I was looking for a new vegetable recipe and came across this one. It was very easy to make, and it got rave reviews. It could easily become a main dish with the addition of chicken breast. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 16 oz of mixed California Blend vegetables, cooked but not overdone
• 1 cup of cooked rice
• 1 stick margarine (or better yet, support the dairy industry and use butter!)
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 8 oz Velveeta cheese
• Ritz crackers for topping

Directions

Melt together margarine, soup and cheese. Mix together with rice and vegetables. Crush Ritz crackers on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

St. John Lutheran Church Hopewell Township has had a Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday for as long as I can remember. The Luther League kids do the service. Following the Sunrise Service, the Luther League members and parents host a breakfast. Every year there is pan after pan of Breakfast Casserole. I think the official recipe in the church cookbook is Do-Ahead Eggs. An assortment of sweet rolls, doughnuts, fruits, and drinks are also served.

Breakfast Casserole
7 slices bread
1 c. ham (approx)
8 eggs
2 c. milk
2 c. grated cheese
1 t. salt

Break bread into pieces and spread into greased 9x13 pan. Put ham on top of bread. Mix remaining ingredients and pour onto ham. Refrigerate. Bake at 350° for 35 min.

Hamburger Casserole

We've been making this at home for years.

Hamburger Casserole
1# hamburger (raw)
½ med. chopped onion or dried minced onion
1 can cream mushroom soup
4 slices or grated cheese
½ bag tater tots

Crumble meat into 9x9 baking dish. Salt and pepper. Mince onion on top. Spread soup over meat. Add cheese. Arrange tater tots over cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1½ hr.

*If you brown the hamburger with the onion first, reduce cooking time to 45 min.

** For a quicker meal, place Tater Tots in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish and bake according to directions. Meanwhile, brown hamburger and onion. Add cream of mushroom soup. When Tater Tots are done, top with hot meat mixture. Add cheese. Broil until cheese melts and bubbles.

Fruit Cobbler

Mom's probably had this recipe since Brent Carr and I were old enough for Luther League, the church high school youth group. Brent's mom, Kim, probably brought this for one of the carry-ins.

Fruit Cobbler (Peach or Apple)

1/2 c. oleo
3 c. sliced peaches w/ syrup
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
2 c. milk
cinnamon (optional)

Melt butter in 13x9 pan. Add fruit and syrup. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over fruit. Lightly fold in. Bake at 350° for 50 min. Serve warm with ice cream or Cool Whip.

Was very good with apples. Diced and cooked on a stove top with a little water to get syrup. Added cinnamon to mix.

Cook longer if using extra fruit.

Last weekend, Mom asked if I'd make something with her peach pie filling. She wanted to take the treat into the office to share as they near the end of tax season.

I substituted 1 quart of Mom's canned peach pie filling for the 3 c. of sliced peaches. With the extra fruit, Mom suggested bumping the milk up to 2-1/3 c. I sprinkled some cinnamon on top before baking, but you really couldn't tell afterwards. I'm pretty sure I only cooked it for 50 minutes, and it toothpick tested done.

Homemade Salsa

This is an authentic recipe from my parent's neighbor!

• 2 cans stewed tomatoes


• 1/2 yellow onion diced (more or less to taste)


• 2 jalepeno peppers diced (the more seeds you leave in, the hotter it gets!)


• fresh cilantro


• garlic salt

I don't really measure the ingredients, it's all about preference. I mix these in my magic bullet mixer that Amanda Kohnen got me for my bridal shower :) I can no longer eat salsa from a jar after trying this!

Easy Tex Mex Pasta Salad

My sister whipped this up one time, and it was so easy, I could remember the recipe and replicate it. This is a great recipe to take to picnics, because you don't have to worry about anything going bad in it. Also, most of the ingredients are things you have in the pantry. Feel free to add in your own "Tex Mex" ingredients.

Ingredients

1 box rotini pasta, cooked and drained (the multi-colored kind gives it a good appearance)

1 can whole corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 jar salsa of your choice, 16 oz

Mix the ingredients together. Chill. Serve in a bright colored bowl.

Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

This recipe is something I have heard my friend Mary talk about a few times. We tried it a couple of weeks ago and it turned out really tasty.

Ingredients:
Pork Chops (thawed)
Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing (I prefer the Kroger Brand)

Put pork chops in a gallon size zip lock bag. Cover chops with entire bottle of dressing. At Kroger, I have seen this dressing cost as low as 88 cents per bottle. You can also use Greek Dressing or Italian Dressing, instead. Feel free to add garlic powder, onion powder, or other spices. Let the chops set in the dressing in the fridge all day or over night then grill them. They should turn out flavorful and juicy. You could use this same concept with chicken.

Reese Cup Dessert

Mom clipped this recipe out of an issue "Country Living," the classified ad one, back when I was in college. This was a BIG hit with the girls at college! Really, how can you go wrong with a chocolate & peanut butter dessert?

Reese Cup Dessert
Bottom Layer:
Melt 1 c. margarine.

Add 1 c. sugar, 1 egg, 1 t. vanilla. Cream together.

Add 1-1/4 c. flour, 1/2 c. cocoa, 3/4 t. soda, 1/4 t. salt.

Mix and press into a greased 13x9 pan.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes only. Cool.

Middle Layer:
Mix 8 oz. package of cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3/4 c. peanut butter, 8 oz. Cool Whip. Mix well and spread over bottom layer.

Top Layer:
Spread 8 oz. Cool Whip over middle layer. Optional, sprinkle 10 Reese Cups cut up on top or shaved chocolate. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

The bottom layer is between a chocolate cookie and a brownie. The middle layer is basically peanut butter pie filling. I prefer omitting the Reese Cups on top. I think they taste a little off after sitting cut open on the Cool Whip. But, the new Reese Cup minis may be the answer to that.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

I found this on allrecipes.com and there are a lot of different variations to this type of salad. It is definitely one of my favorites and great to bring for a carry-in, especially since strawberries are coming in season. Enjoy :)

2 bunches spinach torn into bite sized pieces
4 cups diced strawberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds


Toss together spinach and strawberries in large bowl. Wisk together the rest of the ingredients in a smaller bowl and pour over the spinach and strawberries. Toss and serve!

*You can also add grilled chicken too!

Peanut Butter Fritos

One last quick recipe for the night! This is another easy one with few ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup corn syrup, like Karo Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 large bag Fritos scoops

PREPARATION:
Spread fritos out on a big jelly roll pan turning them so most of the scoop sides are up.

In a sauce pan combine corn syrup and sugar and stir gently.

Cook only until little bubbles begin to form. Do not cook too long or it will get too hard when it cools.

Remove from heat and mix in peanut butter until it melts. Pour over chips on pan. Good to eat immediately. Sometimes we melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the top.

If you want it to look even more special, you can melt white chocolate and regular chocolate chips and drizzle both on top. I couldn't find a good picture for this one, so I will try to take a picture next time we make this. It tastes better than it sounds.

Crescent Cream Puffs

This was another Grandma Duncan recipe. Another family favorite. It doesn't look like what I would call a "cream puff," but that is what the dessert was first called when I got the recipe.


In a greased 13x 9 glass pan, place a layer of crescent rolls (an entire container - either regular or the seamless kind).
Cream together:
2 packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla

Layer on top of the first crescent rolls.
Add a second layer of crescent rolls to the top of the dish.
Melt 1/2 cup margarine, pour on top of crescents.
Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon to taste. Sprinkle over crescents and butter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool. (I like them cold, so I usually make the night before and refrigerate.) Cut into squares and serve.

Cake Mix Cookies

My favorite recipes are desserts, appetizers, and anything easy! I do cook real meals, but I don't usually use recipes unless it is for a special occasion. The cake mix cookie is one of my favorites because it is so quick and easy with only three ingredients, but people still seem to think they count as homemade. Grandma Duncan shared the recipe with me many years ago, and like Grandma, I now keep all the ingredients in my cupboard just incase I need to pull together a quick snack or dessert.

Mix:

1 box cake mix (any variety)

2 eggs

1/2 cup solid shortening

Roll into balls the size of buckeyes. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

This recipe can be varied. I usually use yellow cake mix, and roll them in cinnamon and sugar to mimic snicker doodles. I have also used funfetti and frosting, or strawberry rolled in plain sugar. Grandma also made lemon, and Gracie and I have made chocolate cake mix with snicker bars crushed up in the mix. The picture above was our newest experiment. It is a yellow cake mix with crushed up heath bars and peanut butter chips.

Jell-O Punch

Well I haven't posted anything on the RHMC blog since I first joined, but I have been taking advantage of many of your recipes - they are all delicious! I am going to try to make up for my lack of posts tonight.

My first addition for tonight is the Jell-O Punch that Amanda requested. This punch is great to make ahead, and then you have almost no work the day of your event. Our family got the recipe from one of my mom's school teacher friends, and we have used it for showers, holidays, retirement parties and weddings ever since. I think we even made it for an Ag Ed Society event in college. The best part about the punch is that you can make it any color without changing the flavor very much.



Mix together:


8 cups boiling water
4 cups sugar
2 (3 oz) packages Jell-O (any flavor, changes the color)
2 cans pineapple juice
1 (12 oz) can concentrated lemonade


Pour into 2 (1 gallon) Ziploc freezer bags (I usually double the bags). Freeze.

To serve, thaw a couple hours ahead of time. Pour one bag into punch bowl. Add a 2-liter bottle of 7-up, sprite, or Sierra Mist to bowl and mix. Will be a slushy mixture - no need to add ice or ice cream to make the punch cold. You will need 1 2-liter bottle of pop per bag of punch.

Pecan Sticky Muffins

I decided to do some baking tonight since Kurt and I are planning to head down to the Ohio Beef Expo on Saturday. This recipe has been hiding in Mom's recipe box on the back side of a scrap of paper for years. She jotted a few recipes down out of Taste of Home magazine while waiting at the eye doctor I believe. On the other side of the scrap of paper is Peanut Crunch Cake. We've made that countless times, but neglected on the side with these muffins were recipes for a breakfast skillet dish and a ham and swiss casserole.

Here's the link to Taste of Home's Pecan Sticky Muffins. They smelled so good while baking. Beware, your muffins tins will be quite full, but they seem to rise almost straight up. They take a little wiggling with a knife to get them out and then you need a spoon to save the sticky pecan goo that may stick in the muffin tins. When I made this, it made 15 muffins so be prepared to prep a few extra muffin cups in the muffin tins.

"Hit the Spot" Frozen Fruit

I was first introduced to this recipe at a graduation party for one of my high school classmates. It was a hot June day and the slushy fruit just hit the spot. Since then, my mom has used this recipe for our parties and many family get- togethers. Often, people say,"That fruit just hits the spot." It is good anytime of the year. The fresh fruits taste good on winter days and the chill cools one off in the summer.

Ingredients:
2 cartons of fresh strawberries (tops cut off and sliced into bite size pieces)
1 carton of fresh blueberries
1 carton of fresh black raspberries
1 bag of purple grapes (removed from vine)
6 bananas (sliced)
2 15 ounce cans of mandarin oranges
1 medium size jar of maraschino cherries
1 29 ounce can of peaches
1 29 ounce can of crushed pineapple
2 cans of frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cups of sugar

Combine all of the fruit into a large plastic bowl with lid. I like to use one of my 16 cup Tupperware bowls. Dump in frozen orange juice concentrate. Fill orange juice concentrate containers with water and dump the water into a saucer on the stove top. Add sugar to the water and heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the sugar water to the fruit mixture. Stir the mixture lightly, trying not to crush the fruit. When it seems mixed well place in freezer and keep there over night. Remove it from your freezer 2-3 hours prior to serving or as long you think it will take to get back to a slushy consistency depending on the temperature outside.

Please note: Feel free to cut this recipe in half. Also feel free to add or delete certain fruits.

Taco Soup

This recipe came from my sister, Lindsay. It is so easy to make and so tasty! Plus I can keep all of the ingredients on hand and always have a good, quick meal to serve in a pinch. Give it a try:

1 pound of hamburger- browned and drained

To the hamburger add: (for each one, add the entire contents from the can)
1 can of Rotel Tomatoes
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of black beans
1 can of shoepeg corn (or white corn if you can't find it)
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 packet of ranch seasoning

Let it simmer together for at least 20 minutes (but the longer the better).

When we eat this, we crush up tortilla chips and put them in the bottom of the bowl and add shredded cheese and sour cream to the top.

Enjoy!

Miniature Coffee Cakes

I found this recipe in Mom's recipe box while searching for a coffee cake recipe. These are really good. I'm not sure why the recipe was buried in the back of the Bread sections. I don't remember making them before, but I'll definitely make them again.

Miniature Coffee Cakes
1 3/4 c. flour
1 T. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt

1 pkg. Instant pudding

1/3 c. oleo

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1 1/4 c. milk

1/2 c. nuts, optional

Mix and put in cupcake papers.

Topping:

1/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

2 T. melted oleo

1/2 c. nuts

Put topping over cakes. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 min. Makes 2 doz.

Santa Fe Enchilada Bake (That's the technical name. I call it tortilla casserole.)

I wish I had a great story about how I secured this recipe, but alas, it was on the back of a package of shredded cheese. Greg, who doesn't like Mexican food, liked it enough that I have permission to make it once a year. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 large onion and green pepper, chopped
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 pkg (10oz) frozen corn, thawed & drained (I used frozen sweet corn and didn't worry about the package size)
• 12 flour tortillas
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Directions

Cook and stir chicken, onion, and peppers in a sprayed skilled on medium heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in salsa and corn. Arrange 6 tortillas on the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking dish. Cover with layers of half of the chicken mixture, half of the sour cream, and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers; cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove foil 30 minutes through baking. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Dumplings

Last year for Fathers Day, Kurt's family got together and grilled out for supper. Kurt's sister, Anita, brought Chicken and Dumplings as a side dish. Kurt and I both thought it was really good! I told Anita how much Kurt and I liked it and how Kurt thought I should learn how to make it. She said she received the recipe from either her mother-in-law or grandmother-in-law. The recipe was simple enough that I was able to remember it until I got back home to write it down.

Dumplings
Mix:
2 c. flour
2 eggs
2 T. lard
1 t. baking soda
salt & pepper to taste
milk to consistency (like a pie dough)

Roll out about 1/8" thick and cut into squares or rectangles.

Cook in broth for 20 min. Add canned meat and cook additional 20 min.

The first time I made the recipe, I made beef and dumplings because I'd been hungry for beef and noodles. I made a full batch of dough, divided it, and froze half. I wrapped the dough tightly in plastic wrap and then stuck it in a plastic bag. I labeled and dated the bag and stuck it in the freezer.

Start with a pint of broth and the broth off the meat, but you may need to add more broth or potato water while the dumplings are cooking. Potato water is the water your potatoes are boiling in while you are cooking them to be soft enough for mashing. (Hint: You should be making mashed potatoes as a side for the meat and dumplings unless you are taking this for a potluck or carry-in.) Later, add a pint of meat and cooked until the dumplings are cooked, firm is fine but not chewy.

The first time I made this, the dumplings were undercooked and slightly tough. The second time I made this, I rolled them out thinner and cut them in smaller pieces. The dumplings were much better then. The first ones would have been fine had I cooked them longer, but we were getting pressed for time.

A half batch of dumpling dough fed four adults, two men and two women, with a man-sized meal or better of leftovers when served with mashed potatoes and home-frozen sweet corn.

As I type this, I'm considering making a batch of dough and freezing both halves to have on hand for a meal later. However, I don't know how well the dough defrosts in the microwave, so it will probably needed thawed out in the frig ahead of time. You can always make more fresh dough if you don't have time for the portion in the freezer to thaw out and you are really craving a dumpling meal.

P.S. Amanda, this post was prompted by your lard post on Facebook.

Taco Corn Bread Squares

I found this recipe a few years back in Mom's copy of " Taste of Home's 2000 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes" when I was looking for something different to make the guys for Saturday dinner. (Side note: At our house, lunch or dinner is the noon meal, and supper is the evening meal.)

Taco Corn Bread Squares (aka Taco Bake)
Here's the recipe straight from the Taste of Home website:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Taco-Corn-Bread-Squares

When I make it, I make the cornbread first in a deep 9x9 pan and get it going in the oven. Then, I make a batch of taco meat using 1 lb. of hamburger, taco seasoning, and minced onion just like you would for tacos. The recipe calls for 2-1/2 cups Taco-Seasoned Meat. In Mom's book, the Taco-Seasoned meat is a 4 lb. batch of taco meat divided into four portions to freeze and use later. Once the taco meat is done, I stir in the refried beans. Then, spread the meat-bean mix on the cornbread. Add shredded cheese on top. Put the pan under the broiler just long enough for the cheese to melt and get a little bubbly.

My tweak on the recipe is close to a 30 minute meal. I omit the sour cream and topping veggies in the dish. Sometimes, I set them out separate on the table with salsa so people can doctor it up as they wish.

When I made a batch of this earlier in the week, Mom set aside a little bowl of the meat-bean mix to make a single-serving of nachos later in the week. For supper, Mom turned her portion into more of a taco salad with soft corn bread "croutons."

Another use for Taco-Seasoned Meat listed in the cookbook is Taco Twist Bake. I've never tried it, but it sounds good, too.

Texas Sheet Cake

Greg's mom is a wonderful cook. She has to be, since she has three boys and a husband to feed! When we were dating, I would spend a lot of weekends at his parents' house, and I was always amazed by the fact that Diane would flawlessly have meat, vegetables, fruit, and a dessert on the table for each meal, even though she had housework and farm chores to occupy her time also. Since we've gotten married, I've been no less amazed.

I usually try not to make dishes that she makes, because I'm afraid to hear those words, "This isn't how my mom makes it." God bless Greg, the few times I have made something his mo

m also fixes, he's either liked my version of the dish too or has at least bit his tongue. One of Greg's favorite goodies from his mom's kitchen is Texas Sheet Cake. For my birthday a few years ago, she bought me a Pampered Chef stone cookie pan (I love P.C.!) and gave me the recipe. It took me a little bit to muster up the courage to give it a try, but I did, and I'm fairly confident that I can make it in the same delicious way. Here's the recipe. It's super easy, it tastes like you spent tons of time doing it, and it makes the house smell delicious while it's baking!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks margarine or butter

1 cup water

4 tbs cocoa

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tbs vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Frosting Ingredients

1 stick margarine or butter

3 tbs cocoa

1/3 cup milk

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Sift together sugar, flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Bring margarine, water, and cocoa to a boil. Beat together eggs, milk, vinegar, vanilla, and baking soda. Add boiled mixture and egg mixture to the sifted ingredients. Pour into a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, for the frosting, bring margarine, cocoa, and milk to a boil. Add other ingredients and beat. Frosting will be stiff. Spread on warm cake. Top with chopped nuts if desired.

Step 1- sift dry ingredients.

Step 2- boil cocoa, butter, and water.

Step 3- Beat eggs, milk, vinegar, vanilla, and baking soda.

Step 4- Combine dry ingredients, boiled mixture, and egg mixture.

Step 5- Bake.

Step 6- Frost and enjoy!

I had leftover homemade frosting from a birthday cake last week, so I used that to ice to the sheet cake. The frosting in this recipe is really good, though! I usually pour it on when the cake comes right out of the oven, so it ends up as more of a glaze than frosting. If you don't like nuts, you can also put mini MMs or mini chocolate chips on top. Or, it's good with just frosting!

PS- I do cook "real" stuff, too, even though most of the recipes I share are for desserts. I made Jaime's cavatini last night, and it was a hit! Plus, we have plenty of leftovers in the freezer and fridge for nights when I'm not home or I don't feel like cooking!

My Aunt Joy's Easy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

You have to try this recipe sometime. It is very flavorful and easy to make! It is nice because you do not have to boil the macaroni first, so you can just put all the ingredients into a baking dish and then put it in the oven and go about the other 15 million activities calling your name.

We've enjoyed this recipe many, many times at family gatherings. It is especially nice in the summer when we go boating. Joy can start the recipe and we can go out on the lake while it is cooking. I have used it many times in my short cooking career.

Easy Do Macaroni and Cheese

½ stick margarine
2 c. milk
1 ¼ c raw macaroni
¼ lb. velveeta cheese, cubed
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt margarine; add raw macaroni and mix. Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Serves 4. Recipe can easily be doubled in 9X13 baking dish for more servings. Joy says she always double the recipe. Also, cheese comes out most evenly spread around if dish can be stirred one time once cheese is melted a bit, but this is not necessary.

En-JOY!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I made this dip a few weeks ago for Super Bowl Sunday. Greg can be kind of picky, but he actually liked this. It was really easy, and I made only about an hour in advance, though you could make it a lot sooner and let it simmer in the crockpot. Someone also suggested serving it on buns as a spicy shredded chicken sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (I used Kroger brand buffalo wing sauce)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers. (I served it with Ritz chips, and they were great!)

Skillet Cavatini with Cheesy Garlic Bread

Kurt came over for supper on Valentine's Day. I made the cavatini, and he helped make the garlic bread. I sprinkled the garlic on the bread just to be safe.

The cheesy garlic bread is my favorite reason to make cavatini or spaghetti. Some evenings when I'm the only one home for supper, I think about making just the cheesy garlic bread, but I never actually done it.

Skillet Cavatini
2 c. macaroni
1 lb. hamburger
minced onion (fresh or dried)
pepperoni
diced green peppers (optional)
1 pint or more of spaghetti and/or pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese

Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions. While boiling macaroni, brown hamburger and minced onion. Add quartered pepperoni and diced green peppers (optional) until it looks like enough. Stir in 1 pint of sauce and the macaroni. If it looks a little dry for your liking, add more sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve with cheesy garlic bread.

Cheesy Garlic Bread
Butter sliced bread. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 8 min. or just a little longer. The cheese should be bubbly and starting to brown a little.

I usually make at least two pieces of garlic bread per person. A few years back, Seth said he liked this cheesy garlic bread better than Pizza Hut's!

It takes me roughly 30 minutes to make this meal give or take a little.

Corn Dip

I as actually introduced to this recipe at New Year's Eve two years ago. Jenny W. brought it, and there were a few of us that couldn't get enough of it. I am fairly certian that she got the recipe from the Pioneer Woman, but I could be wrong. I do make it alot though. I will warn you, that this makes ALOT. So if you have a week or weekend with several things to take food to, this is a good one because you can split in half and still have plenty.

Here it is:
4 cans corn (15oz) drained
1 can chopped chilles (4oz) drained
1 can chopped jalpenos (4oz) drained
1 can black beans (15 oz) drained and rinsed
1 whole red bell pepper chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped (and scallions are the tops of green onions- just incase you were confused:)
1 cup sour cream
1 bag finely grated Mexican Cheese (8oz)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro- coarsely chopped

Make sure that you some what dry the chilles and jalpenos before you add them. Stir all together and enjoy
Other notes- not that I am the pioneer woman- but Jenny told me to make sure you drain everything really good- so I dump everything in my strainer and let it drain while I chop all of the veggies.

Enjoy!

Lettuce Wraps

I'll admit it. Sometimes when I go to Columbus for meetings, I think about what I am going to pick up for lunch that day a couple days ahead of time. I like to get food that I can't get here in Mercer county. There has even been a time or two that I've called P.F. Changs on my way down to order Lettuce Wraps from the curbside pick up.

When I came across this recipe, I couldn't wait to try it. I've tweaked it a little bit and it definitely gives me my "fix" when I can't get to a Changs. We love it and serve it with white or brown rice.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (found near the onions in a small package)
2 tablespoons minced ginger (can use fresh-I just bought a container of ground in spice section for future use)
2 cloves garlic (I use two teaspoons or minced dry garlic- that way I do not have to have fresh garlic on hand)
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and fine chopped
3 tablespoons of water chestnuts, finely chopped (sold in a can near the Oriental stuff)
1 pound chicken breast, cut into small (1 cm or less) cubes
1 head of lettuce



Directions:
1. Cut up chicken breasts. I think you can buy chicken breasts already diced into small pieces. To make it easier, rather than buying full breast buy the tenderloins. Then, use kitchen scissors to cut the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine soy sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.

3. Heat a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, garlic, water chestnuts, and jalapeno pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is almost cooked through. Add half the sauce to the skillet until the meat is cooked though, about two minutes.

4. Serve in lettuce leaves with the remaining sauce.

Note: Please do not hesitate to make this if you do not have one of the ingredients. It will taste good without certain ingredients.

Corn Casserole

My sister-in-law makes "cornbread corn," which is always yummy. I tried her recipe without much luck, but I found this delicious Paula Dean recipe today and fixed it for a family dinner. Be careful not to overbake it, and everyone will enjoy its deliciousness. One word of advice, try baking it in a smaller dish than the recipe says. I used a 7x9 dish, and it was perfect; the 9x13 dish doesn't bake right, because there's not enough in the pan. Also, I use two quart freezer bags of sweet corn that we froze over the summer instead of the two cans of corn as the recipe says.

Ingredients

• 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Dutch Apple Pie

I baked this Dutch Apple Pie for Kurt since Valentine's Day is nearly here. Shhhh... don't tell him!

Dutch Apple Pie

Filling:

6 tart apples (approx 6 c. heaping)

1 t. lemon juice

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. butter

Topping:

1/3 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. flour

Put apples in shell. Sprinkle with juice, sugar, cinnamon. Dot with butter. Crumble topping on top. Bake at 450° for 15 min, then at 350° for 30 min. or more. Check the crust part way through. You may need to cover the edges with foil or a crust saver ring.

Kurt recommends eating this pie with a big dollop of Cool Whip.

Turkey Casserole and Beer Bread

I made the Turkey Casserole and Beer Bread when Mom and I were stuck at home on Wednesday because of the snow/sleet/freezing rain mix. Along with Dad, the three of us put a pretty good dent in it, but we still have some good leftovers to eat.

Turkey Casserole
Layer 1 - Mix: 1 pt. turkey, 1 can cream chicken soup, and minced onion
Layer 2 - small can mushrooms
Layer 3 - can mixed vegetables, drained
Layer 4 - cooked noodles (2 c. uncooked)
Layer 5 - 1 1/2 c. hash browns
Layer 6 - grated cheddar cheese
Layer 7 - can cream mushroom soup

Place layers in a greased 13x9 pan. Cover with foil and bake at 325° for 75 min.

Mom's been making this recipe for years. It's been made frequently enough that the recipe card is tattered and splattered. I think it may have come from Coopers originally hence the use of turkey. Feel free to substitute a can of chicken for the turkey. When I make it, I frequently omit Layer 2, the mushrooms, or only put them on half to two-thirds of the casserole.

I suggest serving this with applesauce and bread preferably homemade applesauce and fresh from the oven bread. Typically, we made Pillsbury breadsticks when I was a kid. A few years ago, Mom bought a hand-thrown ceramic bread baker that came with a recipe for beer bread. Now, we make that.

Beer Bread (Quick Version)
1 box Jiffy biscuit mix
6 oz. beer

Mix together and pour in a greased pie pan. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes. If making with the turkey casserole, bake at 325° for 20 minutes. You can toothpick test for doneness and the top should have a little brown color to it.

You can serve it with butter and jam or just plain.

Potato Chowder

I am excited to share and get some new recipes... thanks for inviting me.

My first post is potato chowder- a recipe I got from my mom, who I think got it from a cooking light or tastefully simple magazine. At any rate- this one is super easy, it is really tasty, and a lowfat-but-doesn't-taste-lowfat option. And, I am planning to make this for supper tonight!

What you need:
8 cups of potatoes- peeled and chopped
1 medium sized onion- chopped
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
3 cans of chicken broth (15 oz)
1 brick of cream cheese
dash of black pepper
bacon bits, scallions, shredded cheese- all for serving if you desire.

wisk the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup together in your pan. Add the potatoes, onion, and dash of pepper. Cook until the potatoes are soft. I do this on the stove at a medium heat- or I have put this in my crock pot at low for the entire day- both work great.
Once the potatoes are soft, cube the cream cheese and add it to the soup. Once the cream cheese has "melted" you are ready to eat. Serve it with bacon bits, scallions, and cheddar cheese. It will be sure to warm you up on a cold day like today... ENJOY!

"Amber Goo"

I love new recipes! Thanks for sharing the Blog with me!

This is some kind of chocolate brownie trifle. One my friend’s mom made this for all of our Jr. High and High School Christmas parties with the girls. When I requested the recipe from her to make for this year, she said she always called it “Amber Goo” because Amber requested it for every gathering.

Bake 13x9 pan of regular brownies. Cool.

Mix:
- 2 packages white chocolate pudding
- 1 ¾ cup milk
- Almost ¼ cup coffee

Fold in 1 tub of cool whip (regular size)

Layer:
Brownies
Pudding mixture
Crushed Heath Bars (You can buy pre-crushed Heath Bars in the chocolate chip section)
(Repeat 2-3 times)

Chocolate Brownie Pie

Thanks for the invite to post, Amanda. This is an awesome idea, ladies! I'll do my best to not disgrace the Mercer County name.

My first contribution is a yummy dessert with chocolate, so you know it can't be bad. One of my former students made this for me, and I was quickly hooked. It's super easy to make, and everybody that loves chocolate loves it. I'll be honest, I kind of like to show off my culinary skills, so I made it for the first time for Greg's family Christmas this year to prove my domestic worth. It looks really pretty, and it's yummy too. It was a hit, and my self-esteem was salvaged. Here goes.

Chocolate Brownie Pie

• 1 package fudge brownie mix
• 1 cup cold milk
• I large package chocolate pudding
• 1 8 oz tub of Cool Whip

Prepare brownies according to package directions and bake in a 9 inch pie pan until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (You'll end up scooping out the middle of the brownies, so if the middle is a little gooey, it's ok. Keep an eye on the outside edge, so it doesn't burn.) Cool completely and then scoop out the middle of the brownies, leaving a crust around the pie pan. Then, mix the pudding and milk, beating with a whisk. Stir in half of the Cool Whip and 1/4 cup of the removed brownie crumbles. Spoon into the brownie crust. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Sprinkle with brownie crumbs and powdered sugar if desired.