Bean Dip

 

1 lb. hamburger, browned 

toco sauce

1 lg. onion, chopped & sauted

(1) 12 oz. can refried beans 

8 oz. cheddar 

8 oz. mozzarella

Put into a crock pot. Heat until cheese is melted. Stir. Serve with chips.

Chinese Chicken

12 chicken thighs

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. soy sauce

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. red wine

2 t. ginger

 3 medium cloves garlic, minced fine 

Mix marinade ingredients and marinate chicken. Place in a foil lined pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, basting with marinade every 15 minutes. Use cooked marinade as sauce for rice. 

Goulash

2 c. dry macaroni noodles 
1 lb ground beef

1 lg onion, diced

jalapeño peppers (to taste), diced 

1 qt whole canned tomatoes

15 oz can tomato sauce

1 t oregano 

1 t. paprika

2 t. garlic powder

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, brown beef, onions, and peppers until onions are tender. Drain grease and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. Pour over cooked noodles and mix well. 

Gingersnaps

1 c. sugar (plus extra for rolling)

3/4 c. shortening 

1 egg

1 t. cinnamon 

1/2 t. ginger

1/2 t. cloves

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

2 c. flour

4 T. molasses 

Combine sugar, shortening, salt, molasses, egg, and spices. Beat. Sift flour and soda together; add to other ingredients. Mix well. Roll into balls; roll in sugar. Don’t flatten. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Dutch Pancakes

2 T. butter

½ c. flour

½ c. milk

2 eggs, beaten

½ t. salt 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in pie dish. Meanwhile, make batter by alternately adding milk and flour/salt mixture. Pour batter into pie dish. Bake 20-25 minutes. Pancake should puff up, crisp, and brown. Top with powdered sugar, cinnamon, jam, cooked apples and cinnamon, or syrup.

Cranberry Relish

1 bag cranberries, chopped
1 apple, chopped
juice of one orange
¼ c. wine
sugar to taste

Combine cranberries, apple, and orange juice. Cook briefly in sauce pan until the color of the berries darkens. Add remaining ingredients; freeze. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving and allow to thaw slightly. (Chop with spoon until it is slushy.) 

Recipe Notes: I sometimes use leftover cranberry relish as a substitute for bananas in my banana bread recipe. (Just reduce the sugar slightly.)  

Sweet French Dressing

1 c. vinegar
1 small onion, diced
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. paprika
2 T. ketchup
1 pint oil
dash of celery seed
1 t. garlic salt

Combine in blender. Serve over mixed salad greens.

Pizza Fondue

1 onion, diced
1/2 lb. ground beef
(2) 10.5 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 t. fennel seed
1 1/2 t. oregano
10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown onion and ground beef. Add tomato sauce, cornstarch, and spices. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring continually. Stir in cheeses. Place in fondue pot to keep warm and serve with cubes of French bread for dipping.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

2 lb. frozen hash brown cubed potatoes, thawed
2 cans cream of potato soup
16 oz. sour cream
2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. butter, melted
salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill weed

Mix first five ingredients, put into a 13 X 9 inch pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dill weed. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 1/2 hour.

Recipe notes: Sometimes I sauted diced onion and green pepper and add it to this recipe, along with some diced ham. It makes a great main dish meal!

Chex Mix

United States

5 c. stick pretzels
4 c. Cheerios

8 c. assorted Chex cereal (corn, wheat, rice)

3 c. mixed nuts

1 c. butter

4 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. liquid smoke
2 t. seasoning salt
½ t. garlic powder

In a large roasting pan combine pretzels, cereals, and nuts; set aside. Heat remaining ingredients in a small saucepan until butter melts. Drizzle over cereal mixture; stir gently to coat. Bake in a 300 degree (Fahrenheit) oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on a large piece of foil to cool. Store in an airtight container. Make 20 cups.

Recipe notes: This is a traditional snack food at holiday parties in the USA. My family always made a big batch so we would have plenty for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Gingerbread

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. honey
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. boiling water

Cream shortening and sugar. Add beaten egg, molasses, and honey. Sift together dry ingredients. Add boiling water and flour mixture alternately to egg mixture. Mix well. Pour into a greased 9 X 12- inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Best served warm.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. ~Psalm 34:8

Chicken or Turkey With Rice

3 c. uncooked rice
1/2 c. chopped celery
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
6 to 8 pieces of  chicken or 2 to 3 turkey drumsticks

Put rice in bottom of a 13 X 9 inch glass baking dish. Add celery. Mix soups with water and pour over rice. There should be enough water to cover about 1 inch above rice. Place chicken or turkey on top, cover with foil, and cook at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Recipe notes: Meat may also be cooked ahead, de-boned, and mixed with rice. To use brown rice as a healthier alternative, precook rice and reduce water and cooking time.

There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves.  ~Thomas Wolfe