BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

This is a great tasting dip and very easy to make.  Some friends brought this dip to a Super Bowl Party we gave a few years ago and it was a big hit and one of the things that ran out early.  In fact, you might think about doubling the recipe and putting it in a crock pot for the evening.


BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Ingredients

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 cup red hot sauce

1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing

2 – 8 oz pkgs cream cheese

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Assorted crackers

Pre-heat oven to 375⁰ f.

In a large skillet with a little oil added, cook chicken.  Add red hot sauce and cream cheese stirring until cream cheese is melted.  Add ranch dressing.  Pour mixture into a 13 x 9 inch pan.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.  Bake for 1 hour.  Serve with crackers.

3 BEAN CASSEROLE

I love this recipe that came from the West Virginia State 4-H’ers and Extension Homemakers and the State 4-H Camp at Jackson’s Mill, West Virginia. 

It transfers easily to a crock-pot meal.  Instead of baking, just toss everything into a slow-cooker for at least 2 hours or until it bubbles and the bacon is cooked.

3 BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

1 20-oz can lima beans

1 29-oz can pork and beans

1 20-oz can kidney beans

½ cup ketchup

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar (white or apple cider)

1 tablespoon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon

3 slices bacon, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350^o f. 

Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet, stirring frequently.  Drain.  Add with all remaining ingredients to a large casserole mixing well.  Do Not Drain Beans Before Adding to Casserole.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Yields 12 servings. 

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

One of my cousins brought this dish to a family Christmas party and we all fell in love with it.  I personally like to use frozen O’Briens for the extra color and textures, but it’s great either way.

 It’s a huge casserole and great for parties. It’s also a great recipe to freeze and re-heat.  For a family meal to make ahead, line two 1 ½  quart casseroles with tin foil and divide casserole in half before baking.  After baking, let cool, cover casserole and place in freezer.  After it’s frozen, you can take it out of the casserole dish, wrap completely in foil or place in freezer bag (leave the original foil on the frozen casserole). 

When you want it for dinner, take it out and place it back in the original casserole dish and bake covered at 350^o f for 30 - 40 minutes or until heated through.  I’ve also made this and frozen it before adding the toppings.  If you do this, bake the covered casserole about 20 minutes, then follow the instructions for adding the topping and completing the baking.   Either way, it’s a really great tasting easy recipe.

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

Ingredients-Casserole

2 lb bag frozen hash browns or O’Brien potatoes

1 cup sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 – 2 tablespoons minced onions

1 stick ( ½ cup ) butter or margarine, melted

Pre-heat oven to 350^o f. 

Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased casserole dish.  Cover and bake for 45 – 50 minutes.

Ingredients-Topping

1 stick ( ½ cup ) butter or margarine, melted

1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed

1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or Colby-jack are best)

Add topping to casserole and bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

7 LAYER SALAD

A healthy, easy, low-carb salad that's been around since before anyone worried about things like that.  This was a popular buffet item at family parties when I was young and everyone likes it.

7  LAYER SALAD

Ingredients-Salad

1 head Lettuce

1 green pepper

6 stalks celery

2 red onions, sliced

10 oz frozen peas

Clean and dice lettuce, pepper, celery and onion.  Layer them with the frozen peas in a large casserole in the same order as listed above.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Ingredients-Topping

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup parmesan cheese

Bacon bits

Mix mayonnaise, sugar and parmesan and pour evenly over the salad.  Sprinkle on bacon bits to taste.

Serve.

EASY SPINACH QUICHE

Here is a quiche recipe for anyone who is not a swiss cheese fan.  It uses cheddar and cottage cheese instead.  It's quick, easy and delicious!



EASY SPINACH QUICHE

Ingredients

1 9-inch pie crust

6 eggs

1 10-oz package chopped spinach

3 tablespoons flour

1 stick ( ½ cup ) butter or margarine, melted

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1 container (12 oz) small curd cottage cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350^o f.  Bake pie crust according to instructions.

Next, cook spinach according to the package directions and drain.  Beat eggs 2 to 3 minutes and set aside.   Combine remaining ingredients, then add eggs and spinach.  Pour into pie crust and bake for 40 minutes.  Slice and serve.

FUDGE BROWNIE PIE

This is a great variation on brownies.  It's great warm with vanilla ice cream over it.  




FUDGE BROWNIE PIE

Ingredients

9 inch unbaked graham cracker or cookie pie crust

1 stick ( ½ cup) butter or margarine

3 – 1 oz squares unsweetened bakers chocolate

1 cup sugar

¼ cup dark corn syrup

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 ^o f . 

Melt margarine and chocolate over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in sugar, syrup, flour vanilla and salt.  Stir in eggs.

Pour into pie crust and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 -35 minutes until filling puffs and the center is firm.  Cool.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Optional:  you can add ½ cup chopped nuts or 2 tablespoons instant coffee to the mixture.

SCOTCHAROOS

This is a popular twist on Rice Krispies Treats that is just as quick and easy for those hungry kids.  It's also a great bake sale item.  Try these and enjoy!




SCOTCHAROOS

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

Chocolate and/or butterscotch chips (optional)

6 cups Rice Krispies

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Combine sugar and syrup in a 3 quart saucepan.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils.  Remove from heat.  Add peanut butter and mix well.  Add Rice Krispies and stir until well blended. 

Press the mixture into the pan.  Melt all the chips and pour evenly over the mixture and let cool.  

CHESS CAKE

This is an ooey, gooey butter cake and an old family recipe that is quick and easy and really delicious.  Again, this is Aunt Jean's recipe, but this one probably came from Grandma Johnson.


CHESS CAKE

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

3 eggs

1 box (1 lb or 2 cups) confectioner’s sugar

8 oz cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 ^o f .  Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Mix cake mix, margarine and 1 egg.  Spread in bottom of pan.  Beat remaining 2 eggs, then add the confectioner’s sugar and cream cheese until smooth.  Spread over the cake mixture and bake for 45 minutes.  After cooling, cut into squares and serve.

BAKED PINEAPPLE

I got this recipe from my Aunt Jean also.  It's a great side dish for Sunday dinner.  Baking the pineapple releases all it's sweetness and the buttered Ritz crackers make a great counterpoint.  

As always, Splenda or one of the new sugar substitutes can be used instead of real sugar.


BAKED PINEAPPLE

Ingredients

2- 20 oz cans of chunk pineapple

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 stack Ritz crackers

1 stick (½ cup) melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 ^o f . 

Drain pineapple and mix with flour and sugar by hand.  Pour into a well greased (using butter or butter flavored Pam or Crisco) small 9 inch casserole.

Crush crackers and mix with melted butter.  Pour evenly on top of pineapple mix.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Serve warm.

BROWNED RICE

This is one of Aunt Jean’s recipes and is great as a side with beef or pork roasts.

BROWNED RICE

Ingredients

¼ cup chopped onion

1 can onion soup

1 can beef broth

½ stick (¼ cup) butter or margarine

1 cup uncooked rice

1- 4 oz can sliced mushrooms

 Preheat oven to 350 ^o f . 

Brown onions in butter.  Add other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Pour into greased casserole and bake for 45 – 55 minutes.

CHILI RICE DINNER

Great quick family casserole.  I got the original recipe off a Minute Rice Box and changed a few things to my own taste.

CHILI RICE DINNER

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef                       15 oz tomato sauce

 cup chopped onion                     ½ cup water

1 tablespoon chili powder              1 cup minute rice

½ teaspoon dry mustard               10 oz frozen corn

1 cup shredded cheese                1 cup diced green peppers

A dash of ground cloves               Optional - 1 can black beans, drained

Brown beef and onion in skillet.  Add corn, spices, green pepper, tomato sauce and water.  Cover and bring to full boil, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until rice is fully constituted.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

BROCCOLI EN CASSEROLE

Here is one my Grandmother passed down to my Mom and then to me and it’s a favorite for Thanksgiving Dinner.

BROCCOLI EN CASSEROLE

Ingredients

20 oz frozen broccoli

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp salt garlic powder

1 stick butter, cut in small pieces

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can (8 oz) mushrooms, drained

Cook broccoli according to package instructions.  Combine garlic and cheddar in a large bowl.  Add drained broccoli and remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.  Pour into greased casserole and bake for 30 minutes in preheated 350 ⁰ f.

You can sprinkle with crushed ritz crackers or buttered bread crumbs before baking.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE

This is an easy recipe my Mom used often.  It makes a great cheese cake!

CHERRY CHEESE CAKE

Ingredients-Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons sugar

1 stick melted butter

Pre-heat oven to 350 ⁰ f.

Mix crust ingredients together.  Press in a cake pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool thoroughly

Ingredients-filling

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 3 oz package of cream cheese

1 cup sugar

2 pkgs Dream Whip

2 large cans cherry pie filling (Mom’s favorite brand was Lucky)

Bring cream cheese to room temperature.  Then, make Dream Whip according to package instructions.  Beat together sugar and cream cheese and add to dream whip.  Pour over crust and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Pour pie filling on top and serve.

BEEF STROGANOFF

This is a great recipe from a surprising source.  It came from Senator Robert C Byrd of West Virginia many years ago.  Enjoy!

BEEF STROGANOFF

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs round steak

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 cup or 3 oz can of sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup chopped onion

1 can tomato soup

1 cup sour cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Cut beef into long thin strips.  Brown well in the butter in a heavy skillet.  Add mushrooms, chopped onion and garlic.  Cook until lightly browned.  Blend in tomato soup, sour cream and salt & pepper.  Cover and simmer about one hour or until beef is tender.  Stir occasionally.  Serve over hot cooked rice.

14 DAY PICKLES

Fair warning!  These are incredible pickles and worth the effort it will take.  If you like sweet pickles or bread and butter pickles, these will taste like a little bit of heaven!

14 DAY PICKLES

Ingredients

2 gallons cleaned sliced cucumbers

2 cups salt

1 gallon boiling water

1 gallon boiling water

1 tablespoon alum

1 gallon cold water

Use a glass, ceramic or plastic container for this.

Day 1 - Place cucumbers in 2 gallon container.  Spread salt on top. Pour 1 gallon boiling water over the cucumbers and salt.

Day 2 - Let stand

Day 3 - Let stand

Day 4 - Let stand

Day 5 - Let stand

Day 6 - Let stand

Day 7 - Let stand

Day 8 - Let stand

Day 9 – Drain, pour 1 gallon boiling water over the cucumbers, let stand 24 hours

Day 10 - Drain water, mix together alum and 1 gallon cold water and pour over cucumbers and let stand 24 hours.

Ingredients-Syrup

6 cups sugar

5 cups apple cider vinegar

8 teaspoons mixed pickling spices in cheesecloth

Day 11 – Drain, mix syrup ingredients and boil, then pour over cucumbers

Day 12 – Drain and re-heat syrup and pour over pickles

Day 13 – Drain and re-heat syrup and pour over pickles

Day 14 – Drain syrup, add 1 cup sugar and re-heat syrup, removing the spices in cheesecloth.  Place pickles in canning jars and pour syrup over pickles.  Add some of the spices from the cheese cloth to each jar and seal.  

Jars should seal tightly as they cool.  If any jars don’t seal, place in hot water bath and then cool again.  Any pickles that don’t seal should be used as soon as possible.

VEGETABLE DIP

I've been using this recipe at every party we have had and it always gets rave reviews.   It’s such a hit, I usually double the recipe.

VEGETABLE DIP

Ingredients

1 pint mayonnaise                      1 package (3 oz) cream cheese

½ cup buttermilk                       ½ teaspoobn garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder               1 teaspoon Accent

2 ½ tablespoons parsley flakes

Salt & pepper to taste (I don’t use either because that’s my taste)

In a blender, mix all ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight. 

CORN FINGERS

This recipe came from DHB’s Aunt Jean.  It’s a regular for Sunday dinner at their house. 

CORN FINGERS

Ingredients

1 ½ sticks margarine

2 cups flour

1 can cream style corn

¼ cup milk

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Pre-heat oven to 425 ⁰ f.

First, melt margarine in a 9 X 13 pan.

Combine remaining ingredients; knead; roll out into a rectangle and cut into 1 X 3 inch strips.  Roll strips into margarine and bake in the same pan for 20 -25 minutes.

Serve hot.

APPLE BLOSSOM CAKE

This is one of my Mom’s favorite cakes.  She used to make several and freeze them.  If she had unexpected guests, she would just take one out of the freezer and cut slices while it was still frozen.  By the time she offered them refreshments, the cake was thawed, coffee was made and her reputation as a great hostess was still intact!  She usually baked it in either a Bundt or loaf pan.  Of course, if you use a Bundt pan you need to line it with the topping after greasing and before pouring in the cake mix.

APPLE BLOSSOM CAKE

Ingredients - Cake

2 eggs, beaten                          2 cups sugar

1 ¼ cup oil                               1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla                       1 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups flour                             3 cups chopped apples

1 ½ teaspoon baking soda              1 cup chopped nuts

½ teaspoon salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 ⁰ f.

Blend eggs, oil and vanilla.  Sift flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add apples and nuts to egg mixture.  Add dry ingredients and mix everything together.  Pour into a greased pan.

Ingredients – Topping

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chopped nuts

Mix sugar, vanilla and nuts together.  Sprinkle on top of the cake.  Bake for 35 – 45 minutes.  Cool and serve.

EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Here is an easy chicken casserole that normally I would say is fool-proof.  Unless my husband is replacing old oven dials and gets them marked wrong!  He was at his Mom's and wanted to fix her this recipe. He followed all my instructions and 2 ½ hours after he put it in the oven, it was still half raw.  He called me and we finally figured out that the new oven dial had been marked wrong for the oven.  He was pre-heating instead of baking!  At least he hadn't been broiling!!!  He would have burned the house down.

EASY CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1½ cups raw rice                                             

1 can cream of celery soup                         

1 can cream of chicken soup                        

1 can cream of mushroom soup           

1 cup milk

7 or 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ cup butter or margarine (1 stick)

1 ½ oz. Grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon paprika

One note:  7 or 8 chicken breasts are around 2 lbs of chicken.  I usually use 3 lbs and layer them because my family really, really loves this recipe.  The grated parmesan cheese and paprika are more to taste rather than exact measurements.  I love both, so I am generous when I use them.

Mix together soup and milk.  Sprinkle rice over the bottom of a 3 quart (or larger if you use more chicken) greased casserole.  Pour ¾ of the soup mix over the rice and stir, making sure you get to all the rice.  Place chicken breasts evenly on rice.  Cut butter into small pats and place on chicken.  Cover with remaining soup mix.  Sprinkle cheese and paprika on top.  Bake at 275 ⁰ f. for 2 ½ hours or at 350 ⁰ f.  for 1 ½ hours.

This can be made the night before and refrigerated.  Don’t sprinkle cheese and paprika until just before baking.   

GRANDMA'S TOMATO DUMPLINGS

This recipe was given to me by my DHB’s grandmother before she passed away 2 months before her 107^th birthday.  She was a wonderful lady and she cooked with lard, real butter, whole milk, salt, sugar and plenty of pepper and outlived 4 of her 7 children.  I fixed this recipe for my Mom’s oldest niece and it has become the most requested dish at her family’s Thanksgiving dinners.  If you like tomatoes, I know you will love this.

GRANDMA’S TOMATO DUMPLINGS

Ingredients: Tomato Sauce

1 quart cooked or home canned tomatoes

½ cup water

¾ teaspoon salt

½ stick butter or margarine (4 tablespoons)

½ cup sugar (do NOT add extra.  All you want to do is cut the acid from the tomatoes. Extra sugar makes it super sweet and you DON'T want that!  I know.  I tried it once.)

In a 3 or 4 quart sauce pan, bring tomatoes, water, salt, butter and sugar to a fast rolling boil.

Ingredients: Dumplings

1 quart cooked or home canned tomatoes

 cup milk

Mix Bisquick and milk until a soft dough forms.  Using a teaspoon, dip out small spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture and drop into the tomatoes until all the dumplings are floating on the tomatoes.  Turn heat to low, cover and cook for 13 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Serve immediately or this is a great dish to make ahead and reheat in a slow oven (200^{0 -} 300⁰ f. ) until hot.