Sicilian Casserole by Joe Adamson
unclejoeadamson


Ingredients:

2 Cups noodles, cooked
1 Lb lean ground beef
1/2 Cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 Cup onion, chopped
1/4 Cup celery, sliced thin
8 Oz cream cheese, cubed
6 Oz tomato paste
3/4 Cup grated parmesan
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp salt + ½ Tsp
1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
3/4 Cup milk
3/4 Cup water

Directions:

Sweat onion, add and brown beef. You want to break beef up to pea size. Add water, salt, pepper, tomato paste. Simmer 5 minutes. In microwave bowl, add cream cheese & milk. Zap 4 minutes, stirring once or twice until smooth. Add 1/2 parmesan, gbp, 1/2 t salt, garlic and stir thoroughly. In greased 13x9 casserole, add 1 c meat sauce. Alternate layers with noodles, like a lasagna. Add remaining parmesan on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins.

Alternatives:

Yolk-free pasta ribbons are good in this.

Veggie folks can substitute red beans for ground beef with good results.

Use Fat-free cream cheese

Use Romano cheese for stronger flavor

Use minced roasted garlic in place of garlic powder

50/50 Salt substitute works well

Top with Italian bread crumbs. Spray top lightly with olive oil, then add the parmesan.



Cherry Whip (Pink Stuff) by Stephanie Angel
SABangel


Fast Ambrosia like dessert - Quick, Refreshing Comfort Food!


1 can Cherry Pie Filling
1 can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk, chilled and slightly whipped
1 9 oz. Carton Cool Whip
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can mandarin orange slices
2 cups mini-marshmallows
½ - 1 cup coconut
½ - 1 cup nuts

Mix together in order listed. Refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is preferable) before serving.

For a change of pace, I have used a different flavor Pie Filling – always delicious, although some Berry fillings will produce interesting purple shades...

Country Club Squash

2 Lbs. yellow squash, sliced
½ Cup chopped onion
½ Cup water
1 (8 oz.) carton commercial sour cream
½ Teaspoon salt
¼ Teaspoon pepper
¼ Teaspoon dried whole basil
1 Cup soft breadcrumbs
½ Cup (2 oz.) shredded medium Cheddar cheese
1/3 Cup butter or margarine, melted
½ Teaspoon paprika
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook squash and onion in ½ cup boiling water until tender; drain and mash. Combine squash, sour cream, salt, pepper, and basil; pour into a greased 2-qt casserole. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, butter, and paprika; sprinkle over squash mixture. Top with bacon. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Serves 6

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Banana Cream Layer Cake by George Augustus
GSAugustas

This delicious cake is similar to one served at the old Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas

3 ripe bananas, mashed plus 1 banana for garnish
½ C buttermilk
1 Tsp. vanilla
2 Cup plain cake flour
1 Tsp. Rumford brand double acting baking powder
1 Tsp. baking soda
½ Tsp. salt
¾ Cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ Cup sugar
2 Lg eggs
1 Cup finely chopped walnuts (divided use)
2 Cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream
2 Packets Oetker® Whip-It (stabilizer for whipping cream)
¼ Cup powdered sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine well the mashed bananas, the buttermilk, and the vanilla. Into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1½ cups of the sugar until the mixture is very light and fluffy; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the banana mixture and stir in ¾ cup of the walnuts. Divide the batter between two buttered and floured 8-inch cake pans and bake the layers in the middle of a preheated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Turn the layers out onto racks and let them cool completely. In a bowl with an electric mixer, combine the whipping cream and Oetker® Whip-It and beat slowly until cream thickens; increase speed and beat until it holds soft peaks; add the powdered sugar, and beat the cream until it is stiff enough to spread on cake (careful: do not overbeat). Spread on layers, tops, and sides. Arrange the remaining banana, sliced, decoratively on the cream and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup walnuts on top. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Whipped cream for cake frosting needs to be stabilised. Oetker® Whip-It is a commercial stabiliser for whipping cream. It is available at Central Market and other fine grocers or by mail order from Amazon.com (et al.). Price 79¢ per pkg.

Whip It Stabilizer for Whipping Cream (oetker) 2x10g

Cake Tips:

An old cookbook offers the following advice for novice cooks: “Many cakes fail because the butter and sugar are not creamed enough. When you think you have creamed it enough, cream it some more!” I love that!

When adding flour and liquids to cake batter, always start and end with the flour. Remember this rule: “Flour first, flour last.” I usually add the flour in four parts alternately with the liquid in thirds (one-fourth of the flour, then one-third of the liquid, and so on). Mix well after each addition.

I recommend Rumford brand baking powder, as it contains no aluminium, which imparts a bitter taste to baked goods.


Carrot Cake

A very popular cake and very easy to make by this rule...

In a bowl, combine:

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon

Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat well with wire whip:

4 large eggs

Add slowly in a thin stream, beating constantly:

1 cup Wesson oil

Add:

2 cups sugar

Beat well. Add dry ingredients to first mixture, mix well.

Fold in:

1 lb carrots, grated or finely chopped (I use a food processor)
¾ cup chopped walnuts

Pour into prepared pans lined with bakers’ parchment. Bake at 350 degrees:

Two 9-inch round layers for 35 minutes, or
One 13 x 9 (¼ sheet cake) 45 minutes, or
Thirty cupcakes (50 grams each) 25 minutes. Cool on rack and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Using wire whip attachment, beat until light:

2 pkgs. (8 ounce each) cream cheese

Add:

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Mix thoroughly and beat until frosting is fluffy and ready to spread. Do not overbeat. Fill and frost cake. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.




Chicken Enchiladas in Cheese Cream

When I first tasted these, I thought they were heavenly.

2 whole boneless, skinned chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
½ cup water
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (3½ ounces each) whole green chillies, seeded, rinsed and chopped (avoid the chopped ones; they are chock full of seeds) You may substitute fresh roasted chillies in the same amount.
1 tablespoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled
½ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ pound Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded (2 cups)
¼ to ⅓ cup vegetable oil
12 fresh corn, or flour tortillas (6"). If tortillas are large, trim to 6"
6 green onions, trimmed and sliced

1. Place the chicken breasts in a medium-size saucepan. Add the water and sliced garlic. Cover. Bring to a simmer. Cook just until tender, about 15 minutes. Cool. Remove the chicken and reserve the broth. Cut the chicken into thin julienne strips. Set aside in a bowl.

2. Sauté the onion in the butter in a medium-size (10-inch) skillet just until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add the chillies, chilli powder, cumin, salt, oregano, and pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour until well combined; cook for 1 minute, stirring.

3. Stir in the reserved cooking broth, the 1 cup of chicken broth and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese until melted.

4. Combine 1 cup of the cheese sauce with the reserved chicken.

5. Preheat the oven to hot (400°F).

6. For corn tortillas*: Heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet until hot. Dip the tortillas one at a time in the hot oil, just until limp, about 5 to 10 seconds on each side; do not let them become crisp. Place on the work surface.

7. Divide the chicken filling equally along the centre of each tortilla. Top each with sliced green onions. Roll up the tortillas and place, seam-side down, in 2 rows in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining cheese sauce evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

8. Bake in the preheated hot oven (400) for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Garnish with extra sliced green onions, if you wish.

You can use flour tortillas if you prefer. Omit the oil in step 6. Just lay the tortillas out on the work surface and continue as directed.


English Muffins

Store-bought English muffins pale by comparison to homemade ones. They are somewhat troublesome, and the rings are difficult to find. Muffin rings are made of tin and have rolled edges. Check a bakery supply store. You can use round 4-inch tin cookie cutters if you can’t find muffin rings. This recipe makes 12 muffins.

In a 2-cup glass measure in microwave oven, heat just until hot (about one minute):

1 cup milk

Add:

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons tepid water (Total weight is 17 ounces)

Pour ¼ cup of this mixture into a small bowl and add to it:

1 Tbsp. sugar

Stir until dissolved. Stir in:

1 small packet (¼ ounce) dry yeast

Allow to stand several minutes until yeast is dissolved and starts to foam, stirring occasionally.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

1 lb. (about 3½ cups) bread flour (use a scale for best results)
1 tsp. salt.

Make a well in the centre of the flour. Add the dissolved yeast, the remainder of the milk and water, and
2 Tbsp. Wesson oil. Stir with flat wooden spoon by hand until well combined. Beat by hand just until smooth. Batter should be fairly stiff but not too dry and will drop slowly from spoon held over bowl. If necessary, add a little flour or water to adjust consistency. Scrape bowl and spoon.

Cover bowl and let rise in warm place about one hour. Batter will be bubbly. Stir batter down. Butter twelve muffin rings (4-inch) and place them on a well-floured board. If using cookie cutters, place them on the board with the rolled edge down. Sprinkle farina or corn meal inside each one. Pour approx. 1/3 cup (80 grams) of batter into the centre of each ring. (A gram scale is best.) Be careful not to lift up the batter or reposition the muffin after it makes contact with the board. The batter will spread out by itself as it rises. Let the muffins stand in warm place until the rings are nearly full. Do not cover board. Do not overproof them.

Preheat a cast-iron griddle over medium-low heat while the muffins are rising. Lift each muffin from the board with a wide, thin spatula* and place on the hot griddle. Put as many as the griddle will accommodate. Cook them on one side for about ten minutes. The bottoms should be lightly browned. Adjust heat if the muffins cook too fast or slow. Turn the muffins over (rings and all) and cook them on the other side for about five minutes or until the tops are brown. Lift off the rings. Place the muffins right side up on a rack to cool. Serve immediately, or put into plastic bags and store in the freezer. To serve: Split them open with a fork and toast them under a broiler. Serve them hot with butter and marmalade. To serve frozen muffins, remove desired quantity from freezer and thaw, then prepare as above.

*Use a broad, flexible spatula (pancake turner) with a long handle to lift the muffins. Bring the board with the muffins close to the range. Slip the spatula quickly under a muffin and transfer it quickly to the griddle. Be sure the spatula is completely under the muffin before lifting it up. It takes a bit of practise to do this without making a mess. My griddle holds six muffins, so I bake them in two batches.


Open Face Turkey Sandwiches with Thousand Island Dressing

Ideal for a luncheon or light supper

For each sandwich, use:

1 slice white bread
1 slice Swiss cheese
1 large slice turkey breast
Sliced tomatoes
Shredded lettuce

Top generously with Thousand Island Dressing

Thousand Island Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup chilli sauce
12 stuffed olives, diced
2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
¼ c. celery, chopped
¼ lb. sharp yellow cheese, grated

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until time to serve.

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Maggie's Warm Pasta Salad by Sindi Bogle

1 lb of rotini pasta
1 lb small grape tomatoes
4 cloves fresh garlic - chopped
2 -3 shallots - chopped
1 can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 lb fresh mozarella (I buy mine at Central Market)
Olive oil
salt/pepper
red pepper flakes

Cook pasta in salted water while you are making the sauce below.

In skillet, drizzle olive oil. Add the garlic, shallots, tomatoes & mushrooms. Saute over medium heat. When the tomotoes start to cook down, mash them with a fork to create a light maranara type sauce. Season with salt & pepper. I add a few red pepper flakes to mine for a little kick. Let sauce simmer on low while the pasta cooks.
Chop up the mozarella into small cubes. Add to a LARGE bowl. Add the fresh basil on top of the mozarella.

When the pasta is done, scoop it from the boiling water into the sauce and stir well. When it's mixed up, dump in on top of the cheese and basil and toss it together. The cheese will being to melt and the basil will wilt, and you've got a great warm pasta salad :)

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Chocolate Chatsdeux Chess Pie by Carolyn Booth
Chatsdeux


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cups of Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter melted
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Whipped Cream for garnish

1) Prepare Unbaked 9 inch Pie Shell.
2) Place oven rack in lowest position. Preheat oven to moderate (350 Degrees)
3) Mix together sugar,cocoa, and flour in large bowl until no lumps remain. Stir in milk and vanilla.Pour mixture into pie shell.
4) Bake on lowest rack in preheated moderate oven 350 Degrees, for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Garnish with whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

This pie is a rich fudge dessert and is requested for birthdays instead of a cake. Also a great holiday dessert. A tradition every year at our house.

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Kickin' Creamy Chicken Stew in a Slow Cooker by Sue Cole
Collecxions_Etc

Ingredients

5 Frozen Chicken Breasts, or 20 frozen Chicken Tenders
1 16 oz jar Salsa Verde
2 cans Black Beans
1 can Sweet Corn
1 can Diced Tomatos no salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 small (3 oz) package of cream cheese

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts or tenders in bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except cream cheese.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours. At this point I remove about 1/2 the liquid because I like my sauce thick, like a stew. You can leave all the liquid if you want a "soup". Add cream cheese, cook on warm setting for 30 minutes, then stir. This can be served over rice or wrapped in flour tortillas (not included in nutritional info.)
One serving is 1/2 a breast or 2 large chicken tenders. Serves 10


Peach Dump Cake

Ingredients

1/2 Box of yellow or white cake mix
1 Large can lite sliced peaches
3 Tablespoons of butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

Directions

Dump can of peaches and juice into 9x9 pan. Dump cake mix on top of peaches. Drop small pieces of butter onto top of cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until brown and enjoy :) Serves 6

Potato Medley

Ingredients

2 regular potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
oregano
olive oil
salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Cut all of the potatoes into cubes. Coat baking pan with olive oil and put potatoes in and sprinkle withh salt and oregano. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Serve and enjoy!! Makes about 4 servings.

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Cold Broccoli Salad by Patsy Crawford
Bandscout

2 bunches broccoli, florets only (5-6 cups)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Craisins
12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
.
Dressing:
1 Cup mayonnaise
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 t sugar

Separate florets from the stalks. Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture. Chill and serve.

This one is good to take to bunco night or make ahead and serve with a hot casserole.


Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken

VERY rich but VERY good

2 envelopes dry ranch dressing mix
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 oz. (at least) thinly sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp.(at least) butter
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can chicken broth
2 (10 1/2 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. cream cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together dry ranch mix, chicken, mushrooms butter and broth in crock pot. Cook on high 5-6 hours. About 1 hour prior to serving mix in mushroom soup, cream cheese & garlic. Cook on high for 1 more hour. Serve over rice or noodles.

I have lots more to send - I love to cook


Sharron's Crockpot Lasagna

1 lb. ground sausage
1 box lasagna noodles
1 can onion and garlic spaghetti sauce
1 can green pepper & mushroom spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz. cottage cheese, small curd
1 lb. mozzarella cheese

Brown the sausage in a skillet. No need to precook the lasagna noodles. Crumble them. Mix the ingredients together in a large crock pot, keeping some of the mozzarella cheese to sprinkle on top. Let cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high.

I put it on, go to church, come home , open a bag of salad and put in the frozen garlic toast. Lunch is ready.


Pretzel Wreath

Place almond bark in bowls - microwave according to package directions until melted and smooth. Dip rounded bottoms of five miniature pretzels, one at a time, into bark; shake off excess. Lay pretzels onto wax paper in a circular pattern with sides touching and rounded sides toward center. Repeat with five additional pretzels, placing directly on top of first circle in a staggered pattern. Decorate wreath as desired with colored sprinkles or colored sugar. Tie bows with red licorice.


Squash Carbonara

Choose any pasta shape you like and start the water for it; this recipe goes very fast.

Serves two

8 oz pasta
1 lb yellow and zucchini squash chopped rough
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder or fresh equivalent
3 or 4 strips bacon
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg plus 1 yolk
1/2 half cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Chop 3 or 4 slices of bacon and fry till crisp. Add squash, seasoning, and garlic to pan with bacon. Saute squash till slightly firm. Mix eggs, cream and cheese together in a bowl. Add al dente pasta to pan plus a 1/2 cup pasta water, remove from heat add egg mixture and toss till your sauce is creamy. Top with a good drizzle of olive oil.

This one is fun, fun, fun to make with kids at Sunday School or at day care.


Stuffed Baked Sweet Potato

4 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 cup milk or half and half
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 package chopped pecans
1 cup marshmallows (optional)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (optional)

Heat oven to 400° F. Pierce potatoes with fork; place on backing sheet. Bake 50 minutes or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F. Cut potatoes lengthwise, slice off top of each potato. Scoop out centers, leaving 1/8-inch thick shell. In medium bowl, mash potato pulp. Add milk, butter, and sugar, and beat until fluffy. Spoon into shells. Place shells in large shallow baking pans. Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes, or until heated through. With 2 to 3 minutes baking left, melt marshmallows and butter over medium heat in saucepan. Stir until melted. Remove potatoes from oven. Sprinkle pecans on top of potatoes. (Optional) Drizzle marshmallow liquid over potatoes and pecans. Let cool.


Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or Crisco
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 crushed bananas
1/2 cup nuts
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Add eggs & beat until smooth. Cream sugar & butter. Add bananas & nuts. Sift flour several times with baking soda, salt and baking powder, add to batter. Bake in slow oven 325 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour until done.


Veggie Crescent Pizza (Cold Pizza)

3 crescent roll pkgs.
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch French Onion or reg. dip mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Chopped Veggies:

Cucumbers
Mushrooms
Peppers
Tomatoes
Broccoli, etc.

Spread the 3 crescent roll packages onto 2 cookie sheets (or pizza pan). Bake as directed and let cool. Mix 2 packages cream cheese, 1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch French Onion or regular dip and mayonnaise. After rolls have cooled, spread the dip on. Then place your chopped vegetables on top. Let sit in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour. Cut into squares or slices. Serve cold.

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