Kielbasa and Shells

Yield:

This recipe is basically like mac and cheese but better.

1 package of pasta (shells of any size, you can use others a well)
1 turkey kielbasa or polish (beef/pork) sausage
1 package of Swiss cheese slices
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of milk

Chop the kielbasa into bit size pieces.  Boil the shells with the kielbasa (no need to add salt or oil due to having the meat boiling with the shells).  Drain the water and add the slices of Swiss cheese, milk, and butter.

Ice Cream Jello

 

 

Yield: lots of yummyness

We have done all the colors of a rainbow.  You may do a 4th of July theme of red layer, cream red layer, blue layer, cream blue layer repeating over and over.  We then put a layer of white whipping cream or Cool Whip layer on the top.  We think doing a cranberry theme with ice cream and sparkling cider would be good for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It is really an easy recipe, just time consuming, but definitely worth it because it tastes so good!

INGREDIENTS:
Jello boxes (suggestions: strawberry, cherry, cranberry, pineapple, blueberry, grape, mango, peach, apricot, orange, lime, watermelon, raspberry, lemon, strawberry/banana, strawberry/kiwi, tropical punch and so forth)
Water and ice
Gallon of ice cream (vanilla)

DIRECTIONS:
Follow the directions on the Jello box for the first layer (adding hot and cold water).  To speed the process up, we use ice with cold water.  Make sure you measure accurately on what the directions say on the Jello box.

Next is the cream layer.  Instead of measuring cold water we substitute ice cream in its place.  The cream layers usually set up quicker than the normal layers.

Then add another regular Jello layer (hot water, cold water with ice). Carefully ladle the next layers in so that you don't put holes in the previous Jello layers.

Fruit Pizza

Yield:

Crust:
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir together sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in shortening, add milk, egg, and almond flavoring.  Knead flour enough for a rolling consistency.  Grease pan very lightly and press down onto it evenly.  Be sure there are no thin spots. Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown.  Set aside to cool.

Frosting:
4 oz of cream cheese
1/2 cup of whipped topping

Combine the cream cheese with the whipped topping.  Spread onto cool cookie crust.  Top with fruits (strawberries, grapes, kiwis, bananas, mandarin oranges, pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, apples, peaches, and so forth).

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Yield: one dozen meatballs

Meatballs:

1 pound of ground beef
1 egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon chopped onion
dash of pepper

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your hand.  It will be some what sticky.  Form into balls and brown in a small amount of oil.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil.  Pour the meatballs and 1 tablespoon oil in a dish and set aside.

Sauce:

1 __ oz can pineapple tidbits, with the juice (the smaller can)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
6 tablespoons water
1/2 cup sugar

In a frying pan, mix the above ingredients and heat until it thickens.  I usually mix the water and cornstarch separately and then put it in the frying pan so it doesn't make dumplings!  Put meatballs back in sauce and heat through.  Serve over rice and thoroughly enjoy!

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

Yield: 1 pie

Crust
2 cups of graham cracker (crushed into crumbs)
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/3 cup of sugar

Combine all three ingredients and press firmly in a lightly greased (cooking spray) nine-inch pie dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let the crust cool while you make the key lime pie cheese cake filling.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
1 (8 oz.) package of softened cream cheese
1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz.) container of frozen whipped topping
1 cup fresh lime juice (about five limes)
Lime slices and mint for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipping topping.  Stir in the lime juice until well blended and mixture is thick and smooth.  Immediately pour lime filling into cool pie shell.  Chill for at least two hours.  Garnish with mint and fresh lime slices.  Enjoy!

"Dirt Cups" or Jello Pudding Cups

Yield: 8-10 cups

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cold milk
1 package instant chocolate pudding
8 oz. Cool Whip
8-10 clear cups

DIRECTIONS:
Mix pudding into milk well blended.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  Stir in Cool Whip and 1/2 crushed cookies.  Place 1 teaspoon cookies into cup.  Fill 3/4 full with pudding.  Top with remaining cookies.  Refrigerate one hour.  Garish with gummy worms, frogs, candy flowers, or chopped nuts.  Another way to do it is do a cookie layer, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding layer, Cool Whip/chocolate pudding layer and top it off with crushed cookies/gummy worms.

Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Yield: see note*

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (1 pkg. makes about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup margarine, melted
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 (12 oz) bag chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Mix first four ingredients together well, and press into 9x13 pan.  Melt chocolate chips.  Pour over and cool thoroughly in refrigerator.

*For those counting calories, I figured out that an entire pan full is 5,980 calories, so:
1/20 = 299
1/25 = 239
1/30 =199
1/40 = 149.5

Chocolate Cream Pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 baked pie shell

1 cup powdered sugar

3 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate (or a little over 1/2 cup chocolate chips)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter, softened

 

DIRECTIONS:

In a small pot on low heat melt chocolate (not cook!).  In small electric mixer bowl, combine chocolate, then sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla.  Don't put the butter in until after the sugar-it matters!!  Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.  Spread onto shell and chill.  Top with whipped cream.

Diana's Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

1 whole egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

 

DIRECTIONS:

Sift flour and salt together.  Cut shortening into flour until it resembles coarse corn meal.

Beat egg and combine with vinegar and water.  Combine with flour mixture and blend well.  Fore best results, handle dough as little as possible.

For a baked pie shell: After building up fluted edge, prick pastry thoroughly to prevent puffing.

Bake at 475 for 8 to 10 min. until golden brown.

Raspberry-topped Lemon Pie

Yield: Serves four to eight, depending on how you slice it.

INGREDIENTS:1 (10 oz) pkg frozen red raspberries in syrup, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
Yellow food coloring (optional)
1 graham cracker pie crust
Whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:Preheat oven to 350.

In small saucepan, combine raspberries and cornstarch; cook and stir until thickened and clear. When using homemade frozen raspberries I add a little bit more cornstarch.  Mix egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk & lemon juice.  Pour into crust and bake 8 minutes.

Chill slightly and add raspberry mixture. Chill four hours before serving.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Yield: 1 pie

INGREDIENTS:

1 graham cracker crust (or Oreo)

¾ cup hot fudge sauce

1 cup peanut butter

¼ cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (8oz.) container Cool Whip

1 Reese’s Peanut butter cup

DIRECTIONS:

Spread fudge sauce in bottom of graham cracker crust.  Beat peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar until very smooth.  Stir in whipped topping and some of the cut up peanut butter cup. Garnish with whipped cream and chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

Special Salad

(Serves 8-10)

This is a modified version of a recipe I got from my mother. When we lived in St. Louis, there was this little restaurant my parents loved to go to, and this was the House Salad there. Growing up, i always called it "special" salad because its been my favorite since forever. It's fresh, light, and has a lemony/parmesany dressing that is to die for. It's total comfort food to me, and even to this day my family still calls it "Special Salad".

Note: If you want to make this a main-dish salad, get 1/4 lb thick sliced pastrami from the deli and cut it up into strips. DELICIOUS. 

INGREDIENTS 

Salad

1 large head lettuce ripped or cut into bite-sozd pieces (either green leaf, red leaf of romaine. I like red leaf the best)

1 large hot house tomato, chopped (or 2-3 small roma tomatoes)

1 small can artichoke hearts, chopped

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Dressing

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

6 tablespoons parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir and refrigerate while you make the dressing.

For the dressing, put the lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix in the garlic powder, dry mustard, and pepper. once mixed, start adding parmesan a little bit at a time while stirring. (At this point, you want it to be very pasty, but not dry. Add the olive oil until it's creamy in consistency. You may have to add more or less oil than specified. 

Make sure you test the dressing before you put it on the salad! It should be mildly tart. If it's too tart, you can add more cheese or more olive oil, or both. If it's not tart enough for your liking, add more lemon juice. :) 

Once dressing is made, pour over salad and toss. It is excellent when eaten just after being tossed, but does not keep well for leftovers because it wilts. 

the best pasta sauce you'll ever have

Serves 10-12

This recipe is a hand-me down from my Jewish Great Grandmother on my father's side.  It is a tangy, savory, meaty sauce that you can never get enough of.  It makes A LOT of sauce (like a big saucepan full), so it's great for leftovers.  (I haven't tried canning it, but I bet it would be great too).

Best served with some toasted garlic bread and Special Salad.

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 2 boxes fusili pasta (you can go with any pasta, really. Just make sure it has texture. I like the fusili because the corkscrew shape grabs onto all the meaty stuff in the sauce.)

2 lbs ground italian sausage (I buy one mild and one hot. It makes a nice mixture.)

2 (8-oz) containers of baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 very large white onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup ketchup

1/2 tablespoon of each of the following fresh herbs, chopped:

rosemary

basil

oregano

dash of pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp anise seeds

3 (20-oz) cans crushed tomatoes

olive oil

Fresh grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Make the pasta sauce before you boil the pasta. The sauce takes a bit more time to get ready.

In a large saucepan sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil until halway cooked.  Add the ground sausage and brown.  Once browned, add the ketchup (it acts as a thickener) and all spices.  Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Add the three cans of crushed tomatoes, and let simmer on low for 10 minutes so the flavors can mix together.

During those 10 minutes, start the pasta.  If you're having LOTS of people, make both the boxes.  One box should be fine for about six people.  Also, if you're making garlic bread, get that in the oven too.  Once the pasta is done, you can eat!

Top with the freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Baja Fish Taco

Makes 8 tacos

This is a DELICIOUS fish taco recipe.  I always went to Rubio's for fish tacos, but they get so expensive, and I figured out how to make them better.  It takes a little while to prepare all the components, but you can make most of the stuff the night before.  This recipe is small because I usually just make it for me and Brett.  We'll generally eat 3-4 tacos on our own, so the bigger families will have to double/triple this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Fish

Tilapia filets (4 filets make 8 tacos. You can buy a 2 pound bag of Tilapia filets at Walmart)

Shortening

Zatarain's Fish-Fri Crispy Southern Seasoning (If not available, use regular flour and mix some fajita seasoning with it)

Tacos

Small tortillas (I prefer corn)

Cabbage, shredded

Shredded cheese 

5 limes

Guacamole (recipe below)

White Taco Sauce (recipe below)

White Taco Sauce

1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped (reserve the other half for guacamole)

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup mayo

cilantro

2 garlic cloves

1-2 green onions

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 lime, juiced

dash of salt, pepper, paprika

I think the white sauce is what makes these tacos AWESOME.  Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor (I use my Ninja food processor).  Mix well until smooth and runny consistency.  Make this ahead and let it sit in fridge so the flavors can meld. 

Guacamole

3-4 avocados

1 small can chopped green chiles

1 anaheim pepper

1/2 jalapeño

1 roma tomato

1/2 small onion

2 green onions

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 lime, juiced (or more. Lime juice to taste)

I throw all this into my food processor, too.  It's just easier.  You can chop up everything by hand if you don't want to be lazy like me.  Make this ahead as well and refrigerate so the flavors can meld. 

DIRECTIONS: 

 

For the fish, you want to start a frying pan on medium heat.  Add some shortening so it's about 1/2-1 inch high after melting.  Make sure it's medium heat!  (Seriously, or the fish will burn).  Coat the thawed fish with the Fish-Fri Crispy Southern Seasoning.  (Last time I made it, I put the breading in a zippy bag, and then added the fish filets one at a time, gently turning the bag for an even coat. Less mess that way.)

Test the oil to see if it's ready.  If you put in a little pinch of the Fish-Fri seasoning, it should sizzle and fry.  At that point, you can put in your fish filets.  Fry on each side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side IF ON MEDIUM HEAT.)

Place the fried filets on a plate covered with a paper towel.  The filets will have a natural split down the middle.  Split each filet so you have little fish strips about 1.5" in width. (One filet makes two fish strips...for two fish tacos). 

Now you can build your tacos.  In a WARMED tortilla, layer the fish, cabbage, cheese, white sauce, and guacamole. Drizzle with a lime wedge. (You can also add some pico de gallo or salsa on top as well.)  Enjoy!  It's a delicious recipe. 

Candy Cane Cookies

Yield:

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
24 pieces round peppermint candy
1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixer bowl or by hand, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg, almond extract, vanilla, and salt. Blend flour into mixture in several additions, beat until just combined.

Remove half the dough from the bowl. Blend red food coloring into the half remaining in the bowl until the coloring is even. Cover dough with a kitchen towel to keep it from drying out as you work. Use a floured teaspoon to measure 1 teaspoon each of white and red dough for each cookie.

Roll into 4-inch ropes on a lightly floured surface. Place a red and white rope side-by-side, press together lightly and twist to form a spiral. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Curve top down to form handle of a candy cane. Bake until set, about 9 minutes. While the cookies are baking, put peppermint candies in a resealable plastic bag and crush into small pieces with a rolling pin. Mix the candy with the sugar.

Place cooling rack over shallow pan. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet and gently place onto cooling rack. Sprinkle with candy/sugar mixture.

Source: The Daily Herald

Gingersnaps

Yield: 3 dozen
These cookies may lack the "snap" of traditional gingersnaps, but you will not be able to resist this soft, chewy cookie loaded with spice.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/4 cup flour

DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until fluffy.  Stir dry ingredients into molasses mixture.  Form into balls, and roll in sugar (optional).

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

Chicken Cabbage Salad

Serves 8

This is a great, quick salad if you're in the mood for some Asian flair.  Sweet, salty, crunchy and refreshing, it's pretty well rounded.  Makes an excellent dish for potlucks.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Cabbage Salad

1 head of cabbage, chopped

2 chicken breasts, cubed

3-5 green onions (I prefer more)

2 packages of chicken-flavored Ramen Noodles, crushed

sliced almonds, fried in butter and salt

Pineapple or mandarin oranges (optional)

Dressing

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 seasoning packets from the noodles

2-3 tablespoons of sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Combine cabbage, green onions, chicken, and Ramon Noodles.  Add the sauce and fried almonds.  You may fold in pineapple tidbits or rings (cut up) and mandarin oranges.  In addition, we add some pineapple juice to the dressing.

Corn Chowder

Serves 8

Serve this meal with hot rolls or garlic bread.

To make this a heartier chowder, try adding chopped ham to it as well. (It's great to add ham when you have Honey Baked Ham leftovers from Thanksgiving or Christmas).

INGREDIENTS:

3 (__ oz) cans chicken broth

4-5 small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/2 cups celery, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

3 cups corn kernels

8 oz (1/2 lb.) bacon, chopped

2 (__ oz) cans evaporated milk

1/2-1 cup potato flakes

salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Put the potatoes and carrots into a pot.  Cover them with chicken broth so it goes about 2 inches above the potatoes and carrots.  (If you run out of chicken broth, you can also use water.) Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are soft all the way through, about 20 minutes.  While the potatoes & carrots are cooking, throw the chopped bacon, celery and onions into a saucepan. Saute until bacon is cooked.

By this time, the potatoes and carrots should be done.  Add the celery, onion, and bacon to the veggie/broth pot.  Do not drain the water.  Add the 2 - 3 cups corn (depending on how much corn you like. It is corn chowder, of course.)  Give it a good stir and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low.  Add the evaporated milk. (Do not boil after adding the milk because it will scorch.)

The chowder is a little watery at this point.  Depending on how thick you like your chowder, you can add potato flakes to thicken it up.  Stir the flakes in slowly, little bits at a time until it's at the desired thickness.