Peppermint Ice Cream Pie

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips 

6 T. butter

4 c. crisp rice cereal 

1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened 

Melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir into the cereal. Press into 2 small buttered pie pans. Fill pans with softened ice cream. Freeze before serving. (Cut the crust BEFORE pies are completely frozen, because it’s nearly impossible to cut after.)

Recipe Notes: This was one of Grandma Vi’s favorites and her traditional birthday treat. 

Grandma’s Cranberry Chicken & Wild Rice

3 lb boneless chicken breasts, grilled 

16 oz can whole cranberry sauce

1 c. brown sugar

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

2 T. red wine vinegar 

1 T. flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg 

1/4 t. salt

1 T. lemon juice

Place grilled chicken in baking dish. Combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, and onion soup mix with 3/4 c. water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Combine remaining sauce ingredient, add to pan, and cook until mixture is thick. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake uncovered at 350° for 40 minutes. Serve with Grandma’s wild rice. 

Grandma’s Wild Rice

1 box Uncle Ben’s wild rice with 23 seasonings

1 T. butter

1-2 c. sliced mushrooms

1/2 c. sliced almonds

1 c. chopped celery

1 can sliced water chestnuts 

Cook rice as directed on box. While rice is cooking, melt butter in frying pan and sauté remaining ingredients for rice mixture. Combine with cooked rice, place in baking dish and bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes. (Can be made ahead of time and heated at the time of serving.)

Pot Roast

1 beef roast (about 2-3 lbs.)
10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry onion soup mix

Line pan or casserole dish with aluminum foil large enough to wrap roast. Put in roast and spread mushroom soup on top of it. Sprinkle onion soup on top of that. Wrap and seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 ½-3 hours. The roast will be very tender when done and will have made its own gravy.


Recipe notes: Works good in the crockpot. Just leave out foil.