Breakfast Fruit Salad

20 ounce can pineapple chunks

bananas, sliced

grapes

mandarin oranges

apples

strawberries

(any other fruit on hand)

Dressing

½ cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

1/3 cup orange juice

1 T lemon juice

pineapple juice/ drained off chunks

Combine sugar and cornstarch. Add juice and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and cook two minutes until thick. Coat and pour over fruit.

Transfer Day Chicken

8 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pat dry and place in shallow pan)

Mix:

1 can mushroom soup

½ cup mayonnaise

scant t. curry

speck garlic powder

speck of sage

Pour over chicken and bake ½ hour at 300 degrees, uncovered.

Combine in skillet:

1/3 cup butter or less

1 ½ cup dried bread crumbs

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Sprinkle over top. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes more or until brown.

Yogurt-Parmesan Chicken

Combine:

2 cups Crushed Ritz Crackers

3 T. Parmesan cheese

2 t. garlic salt

1 t. salt (scant)

Pat dry 8 chicken breasts and coat each piece with plain yogurt. Then coat each piece in crumb mix. Arrange in 9x13 butter dish or pan. Drizzle with ½ cup melted butter. Bake uncovered 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melting Moments

1 ½ cups Cornstarch

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

2 ¼ cup butter

3 cups sifted flour

Stir together cornstarch, sugar and flour in a bowl. Stir in shortening to form, a soft dough. Chill about one hour. Form in 1” balls and roll in sugar. Flatten with cookie stamp or bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

These truly do melt in your mouth and a very pretty special occasion cookie when you use a cookie stamp.

Lace Cookies

4 T. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 ½ t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

4 T. flour

Cream butter and brown sugar VERY WELL. Add beaten egg, vanilla and nuts and dry ingredients gradually. Drop from teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet several inches apart because they spread very thin. Use ½ t. for each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes or until edges are turning brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pan. Best if use a Teflon coated pan.

Favorite Breakfast Casserole

¼ cup butter

½ lb. fresh asparagus – 1” pieces

1 small/medium red bell pepper (chopped)

1 small/medium onion (chopped)

1 loaf French bread (cubed – 8 cups)

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cubed ham

Beat together:

1/3 cup honey

8 eggs

2 ½ cup milk

½ t. salt

½ t. pepper

Sauté asparagus, pepper and onions for 3-5 minutes. Grease 9x13 pan. Layer: bread, ham, 1 cup cheese and sautéed vegetables. Pour egg mixture over all. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes (or until golden and puffed), uncovered.

Lemon Bread

1 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

½ t. salt

½ t. soda

3 c. flour

3 lemons-rind

1 c nuts-chopped

Sauce: Let stand while baking bread.

Juice of 3 lemons (10 T.)

1 cup sugar

Cream sugar and margarine well, add eggs 1 at a time, sift flour, soda and salt together and add alternately with buttermilk.

Crab Canapés

3 cup mayonnaise

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups fine crab meat (1 can sized tuna can), break fine with a fork

1 ½ cup finely minced green onions or 1 c onion flakes, ½ cup green onions

Mix in morning and let blend during the day. Spread on rolls or cream puff shells. Broil until bubbly.

I used this for several wedding receptions on ½ small cream puff.

Amish Breakfast Casserole

1 lb. bacon – diced

1 medium onion (chopped)

6 eggs – lightly beaten

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or medium)

4 cups shredded hash browns (thawed)

1 ½ cups small curd cottage cheese

1 ¼ cups shredded Swiss cheese

Cook bacon and onion together until crisp. Combine with all other ingredients and put in 9x13 greased pan or glass casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to set up. Can make the day before.

Chicken Salad

Combine and refrigerate:

2 cups shell macaroni – cooked and drained

1 cup Kraft Coleslaw Dressing

1 cup miracle whip

Before serving add:

4 cups cooked and diced chicken

2 cups diced water chestnuts

½ T. grated onion

½ cup pimentos

2 cups chunk pineapple

2 cups red grapes – seedless

2 cups diced celery

1 ½ cups cashews

Chinese Chicken Salad

Step one Marinate Overnight

3 lg. cooked chicken breasts – cubed

1/3 cup salad oil

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup sugar

¼ cups green onions

1 ½ t. vanilla

1 t. “Accent”

Step Two Break and add to step 1

1 head crisp chilled lettuce

Step Three Add to lettuce and chicken mixture shortly before serving:

½ c. slivered toasted almonds

¼ c. toasted sesame seeds

10-15 won ton skins, deep fat fried and broken into pieces

This can be served by itself, or in a pita pocket.

Orange Cookies

2 cups shortening

2 ¼ cups sugar

3 eggs

3 t. vanilla

6 cups flour

4 ½ t. baking powder

2/4 t. salt

12 t. milk

grated orange peel (3 oranges)

Chill dough. Mix and roll out. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 on a greased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes. Frost when cookies have cooled completely.

Decorator Frosting

2 cups shortening

2 ½ lb. powdered sugar

¼ t. salt

Add shortening and mix well. Add ½ t. lemon juice or more to cut sweetness. Add flavoring (vanilla). Start with ¼ c. milk and mix. Add a tiny bit of milk so not stiff. Want in fluffy and able to peak.

Sour Cream and Onions

1 cup sour cream

2 T. vinegar

1 T. Sugar

1 t. salt

Add sliced cucumber and red onion.

Spinach Dip

1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable Soup (or Mrs. Grasses)

1 cup mayo

1 cup sour cream

3 green onions

1 can water chestnuts (drained/chopped)

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

2 pkgs. Frozen chopped spinach (thawed with juice squeezed out)

Make the day before for best flavor.

Barbequed Tri-Tip

Marinate tri-tip roast in Bernstein's Italian Dressing over night or longer.
Grill on barbecue - medium heat - about 15 to 20 minutes per side. You treat it like a roast when barbecuing. Best if barbecued medium rare to medium. Slice into 1/4" slices and serve.
This is our all-time favorite barbecued meat!

Chicken Chalupas

3-4 cooked chicken breasts

1 pkg. flour tortillas

2 cans cream chicken soup

4 ounce – Ortega chilies

1 c. chopped onion

2 c. sour cream

2 c. Jack cheese

2 c. Cheddar cheese

Mix everything together except ½ c. cheese for top. Take 2/3 of the mixture and roll up in flour tortillas. Take other 1/3 of mixture and spread across top of tortillas in pan. Sprinkle cheese on top. Place in 9x13 greased pan. Bake 20-25 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger (browned)

Large jar of Prego w/mushrooms

Lasagna noodles – 8 noodles per pan

1 jar ricotta cheese (medium)

Mozzarella cheese

Layer from bottom up:

  • Sauce/hamburger
  • Cooked noodles
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Cooked noodles
  • Sauce/hamburger
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese

Cook 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef

¼ c. rice

1 beaten egg

1T. Parsley

2 T. chopped onion

½ t. salt

Dash pepper

½ 10 oz. can tomato soup

Sauce

1 ½ 10 oz. cans tomato soup

¾ c. water

1 t. Worchester sauce

Mix top ingredients and form into meatballs. Place in 9x13 pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake additional 20-25 minutes.
Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. breadcrumbs

½ c. chopped onion

½ c. grated carrot

½ c. ketchup

¼ c. BBQ sauce

½ c. milk

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

1 t. thyme

1 t. sage

Sauce

2 c. ketchup

2 c. brown sugar

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except sauce ingredients. Mix well. Place in greased 9x6 loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and drain off excess juices. Spoon enough sauce to cover top. Bake for 20 more minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before cutting. Makes 8 servings.

Crock Pot Roast

1 roast

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 ½ c. water

1 pkg. Lipton’s beefy mushroom or onion soup mix

1-2 cans cream mushroom soup

Brown the roast and put into the crock-pot. Add water and bouillon cubes. Sprinkle soup mix on top. Roast 6-7 hours on low. For gravy, warm up cream of mushroom soup and use some of the roast drippings for flavor and gravy consistency you like.

Fettuccine with Chicken and Asparagus

1 pound cooked fettuccine

1 ½ c. chopped asparagus (cut into 2” pieces)

1 ½ pounds cooked chicken breasts cut into ½ inch slices

½ c. yellow onion, diced

1 t. lemon zest

1 t. salt

½ t. pepper

2 cups nonfat milk

½ c. Alfredo sauce

½ c. Dijon mustard

Combine fettuccine, asparagus, chicken, mushrooms, onion, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine the milk, Alfredo sauce and mustard in another bowl, mixing until smooth. Add to the chicken and pasta mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

Herb Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¾ c. butter, melted

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

1 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix

¼ t. dried sage

¼ t. dried thyme

Rinse chicken breasts and pat with paper towels to remove moisture. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken. Stir together until well blended. Place each chicken breast in herb mixture and coat on both sides. Place on greased baking sheet and cook at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

8 slices French bread

1 pound cooked ham, thinly sliced

8 ounces Swiss cheese, sliced

2 eggs

¾ c. milk

¼ c. butter

¼ c. olive oil

Powdered sugar

Strawberry jam

Top 4 slices of bread with ham, Swiss cheese, and another slice of bread. Beat eggs. Add milk. Dip tops and bottoms of sandwiches into egg mixture. Heat oil and butter in frying pan over medium heat. Fry sandwiches until golden on each side. Put in oven at 200 degrees until ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with strawberry jam.

Beef Stroganoff

2 ½ lbs. round steak – cut in cubes

Sprinkle meat with 8 shakes of Worcestershire sauce and coat with flour.

Sauté until clear:

1 diced onion

½ pkt. Mushrooms

1 cube of butter

Add meat and brown. Can add more butter if needed. Place in a crock-pot with 2 beef bouillon cubes and cover. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, until meat is tender. (Can use an electric skillet and cook for 2-3 hours)

Mix and add: (cook until warm)

1 can tomato paste (small)

1 c. sour cream

1 c. whipping cream

Fiesta Rice Quesadillas

1 ½ c. water

1 ½ c. instant white rice, uncooked

1 – 10 oz. can chunk chicken – drained and shredded

1 – 15 oz. jar cheese and salsa dip

2 – 15 oz. cans black beans – drained and rinsed

1 pkg. taco seasoning mix

2/3 c. water

1 pkg. flour tortillas (8 – 8” tortillas)

1 c. shredded Colby-jack cheese

Bring 1 ½ c. water to boil. Stir in rice and remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and dip. Stir constantly until hot. In another saucepan, combine beans, taco seasoning mix and 2/3 c. water. Bring to boil. Place two tortillas on greased cookie sheet. Spoon 1 c. rice mixture on each tortillas and spread to edges. Top with second tortillas and 1 ½ c. bean mixture. Spread to edges. Repeat with the third tortilla and remaining rice mixture. Top with a fourth tortilla and ½ c. cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Mixture

1 large carrot – sliced

2 medium potatoes – diced

¼ c. butter

¼ c. flour

1 c. chicken broth

1 c. milk

1 t. sage

½ t. thyme

½ t. salt

Dash of pepper

2 c. cooked chicken – diced

½ c. peas

Marie Calendar’s Frozen Pie Crust

Cook carrots and potatoes until just soft. Meanwhile melt butter in saucepan, add flour and cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Add broth, milk and seasonings slowly and bring to a boil. Stir and cook until thickened. Stir in peas, chicken, carrots and potatoes.

Pour into a 10 inch pie pan. Cut slits in semi thawed piecrust. Lay over the top of the chicken mixture. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Can bubble over so put a drip pan on a lower rack in the oven.

Fast Tortellini Alfredo

1 – 18 oz. pkg frozen tortellini

½ c. cream cheese

1 c. milk

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 c. frozen peas

1 c. chopped ham

Cook tortellini as directed in a large saucepan. Drain and set aside.

In same saucepan, put cream cheese, milk and Parmesan cheese and mix well. Stir in peas and tortellini; cover. Cook on medium-low heat 5 minutes or until sauce is thick enough to coat tortellini, stirring occasionally.

Stir in ham and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Apple Puffed Pancake

6 eggs

1 ½ c. skim milk

1 t. vanilla

1 c. flour

2 T. sugar

½ t. salt

½ t. cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

½ c. butter at room temperature

4 apples – peeled, quartered & thinly sliced

1 T. brown sugar

Powdered sugar – optional

Preheat oven to 425. Combine eggs, milk and vanilla in the blender. Add flour, granular sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and blend.

Place butter in a 9X13 glass baking dish and place in oven until butter is melted. Remove from oven and place apples in a single layer in the dish. Return to oven and cook for 4 minutes.

Pour batter over apples, sprinkle with brown sugar, and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Let set for a couple minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

This can be used as a dessert by doubling the cinnamon and sugar and serving a la mode.

Crock Pot Meatballs

1 – 12oz. bottle chili sauce

½ can cranberry sauce or ¾ c. plum jelly

50 Kirkland Italian Meatballs (Costco)

Preheat oven to 375. Place 50 frozen meatballs on a cookie sheet. Cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Pour chili sauce and cranberry sauce (what I use most) in the crock-pot. Stir with a wire whisk till mostly smooth. Put cooked meatballs in crock-pot and coat with sauce. Cook on low for 2 hours. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Originally used as an appetizer but works great as a main dish. So yummy!

Chocolate Popcorn

2 bags microwave popcorn

1 c. M&M’s

1 ½ c. mini marshmallows

1 c. straight pretzels – broken in half

½ c. peanuts – optional

1 package white chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine M&M’s, marshmallows, pretzels and nuts. The amounts can be adjusted to your liking.

Add popcorn to the bowl, being careful to keep out the un-popped kernels.

Melt 1 package of white chocolate chips in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir smooth. Be careful not to get the chocolate too hot or it will harden. Pour over the popcorn mixture and stir until well coated.

Dump out onto wax paper to cool and set up.

Chex Mix

1 c. Karo syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. butter

1 T. vanilla

1 large box of Rice or Corn Chex

1 can cashews

1 lb. M&M’s

Sunflower seeds – optional

Boil Karo syrup, sugar and butter for 3 minutes. Take off stove and add the vanilla. Combine Chex, nuts and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Pour hot mixture over and stir gently. When slightly cooled, pour M&M’s in and mix. Pour out onto wax paper to cool. Store in a large container with a lid.

Crock Pot Beans

1 onion - chopped

1 lb. hamburger, cooked and drained

1 lb bacon – cooked and crumbled

Cook hamburger in onion and bacon drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside.

Layer in 5 quart Crock Pot:

Hamburger and onion

5 – 11 oz. cans Pork & Beans

2 c. sugar

1 ½ c. brown sugar

3 T. rice vinegar

1 T. liquid smoke

1 can black beans – rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans – rinsed and drained

1 c. ketchup

1 more can Pork & Beans

Cook on low for 9 hours. Stir after 3 hours. Stir in bacon before serving.

Low Fat Pumpkin Muffins

½ c. buttermilk

2/3 c. pumpkin – canned

¼ c. sour cream – nonfat

2 egg whites

1 T. sugar

½ c. chocolate chips

1½ c. flour

½ c. brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

½ t. salt

½ t. cinnamon

½ t. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400. Mix wet ingredients then add dry. Do not over mix. Spray muffin tins or use muffin liners and bake 18 - 22 minutes.

Low Fat Banana Muffins

1 egg

¼ c. sour cream – nonfat

2 bananas – ripe & mashed

¼ buttermilk

1½ c. flour

½ c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Mix wet ingredients first then add dry. Do not over mix. Bake in sprayed or lined muffin tin for 15 – 20 minutes.

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

3 oz. cream cheese softened

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 banana

1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 can (8 0z.) crushed pineapple, with juice

2 tbs. lemon juice concentrate

1 cup ice

Blend together and enjoy!

Pasta with Asparagus

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

2-3 dashes hot pepper sauce

¼ cup olive oil

1 tbs. butter or margarine

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

½ pound mostaccioli or elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

In a skillet, cook garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pepper sauce in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes. Add asparagus, salt and pepper: sauté until asparagus is crisp tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese: mix well. Pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Meatballs

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onions (or to taste)

1 can tomato paste

1 cup seasoned dried breadcrumbs

¼ cup milk

2 eggs beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley