Thursday, January 31, 2008

#833 - Baked Potatoes and Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 32oz. bag Ore Ida southern style hash browns (thawed)
1 - 8oz. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
crushed Ritz crackers (1 cup AFTER you crush them)
2 TBSP butter, melted

In a bowl add soup and sour cream--stir. Add the thawed hash browns and cheese--stir until mixed. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. In a separate bowl add the crushed crackers and melted butter--stir. Sprinkle cracker mixture on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until well heated.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

#832 - Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9" Keebler ready-made graham cracker crust
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 can Lucky Leaf blueberry pie filling

In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add vanilla and sour cream--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add Cool Whip--fold in with a spoon. Pour batter into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate a few hours, remove from refrigerator and add blueberry pie filling on top, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

#831 - Cream Cheese Pound Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 sticks softened butter (no substitutes)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
3 cups white sugar
3 cups cake flour
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add cream cheese, butter and white sugar--beat. Add a little cake flour, then add an egg--beat. Repeat until all cake flour and eggs have been added--beat until smooth. Add vanilla--beat. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake pan or tube pan. Place cake pan in your oven--DO NOT PREHEAT. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool. then carefully flip pound cake on to a cake dish.

Monday, January 28, 2008

#830 - No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9" ready-made Keebler graham cracker crust
1/2 of an 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 of an 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 pint fresh strawberries (thinly sliced)
1 cup strawberry glaze (buy a strawberry glaze mix or make your own)

Wash and slice the strawberries--drain on paper towels. In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add the Cool Whip--beat just until blended. Spread 1/2 cup of the strawberry glaze on the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Place the sliced strawberries on top of the glaze. Spread the other 1/2 cup of strawberry glaze on top of the strawberries. Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of the glaze. Refrigerate overnight.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

#829 - Strawberry Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 48oz. bottle Ocean Spray CranStrawberry drink (if your grocery store only has the 64oz. size, you can estimate)
2 quarts softened premium strawberry ice cream
2 cups frozen strawberries (thawed to room temperature)
3 - 12oz. cans of Sprite soda

In a punch bowl, pour in the CranStrawberry drink. Add the thawed strawberries--stir gently with a whisk. Add the softened ice cream--stir gently with a whisk. Open two of the cans of Sprite--pour into the mixture and whisk gently. If it seems too thick for your taste, add the third can of Sprite. Serve immediately.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

#828 - White Chocolate Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 3/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs (yolks only)
6 - 1oz. squares Baker's white baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting: 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 - 3oz. softened Philadelphia cream cheese, 3 3/4 cups Domino's powdered sugar, 2 - 1oz. squares Baker's white baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions), 1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add 1 cup butter and white sugar--beat. Add 4 egg yolks--beat. Add melted/cooled white chocolate and vanilla--beat. In a separate bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir. Add flour mixture to the batter in the mixer slowly--beat. Add milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add coconut and chopped pecans--stir with a wooden spoon. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake. Frosting: in a mixer add 1/2 cup softened butter and cream cheese--beat. Add powdered sugar slowly--beat. Add melted/cooled white chocolate--beat. Add vanilla--beat until mixture is fluffed. Remove from mixer and frost the cake. Keep cake refrigerated.

Friday, January 25, 2008

#827 - Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups Quaker quick oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a mixer add butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and cocoa--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Remove from mixer and add oats and nuts--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes. Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheets.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

#826 - Smooth Pumpkin Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can Libby's pumpkin
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon + cinnamon for sprinkling
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 9" pie crust dough or make your own

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add Eagle brand milk--stir with a spoon. Add pumpkin--stir until mixed. Add salt, vanilla and cinnamon--stir until smooth. Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam. Insert the pie dough, flute the edges and spray the inside of the pie crust with Pam. Pour pumpkin mixture into the pie crust. Place pie on top of a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top of the pie with cinnamon to your taste. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 more minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

#825 - Chocolate Walnut Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 10oz. bag Nestle's chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl add flour, baking soda and salt--stir and set aside. In a mixer add brown sugar and butter--beat about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add flour mixture slowly--beat. Remove from mixer and add chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. After they're baked, wait 2 minutes before removing them from cookie sheets.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

#824 - Caramel Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix
1 - 14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1/2 cup butter
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer, prepare cake mix according to box directions. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Pour 2 cups of the cake batter into the greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While baking, use a saucepan over low heat--add the caramels, butter and condensed milk. Cook and stir until smooth. Remove cake from oven after the 15 minutes and spread the melted caramel mixture over the top of the cake. Spread the rest of the cake batter over the caramel mixture. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until you can get the cake to spring back when you lightly touch it with your finger.

Monday, January 21, 2008

#823 - Black and White Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

20 Oreo cookies (crushed) + extra for topping
3 TBSP butter (melted)
4 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
6 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)

Place Oreos into a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin--set aside. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan--set aside. In a bowl add crushed Oreos and melted butter--mix. Press cookie mixture into the bottom of the greased cake pan. Bake crust at 325 degrees for 10 minutes--remove from oven and let it cool while making the batter. In a mixer add cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla--beat until blended. Add the sour cream--beat. Add eggs--beat. Remove one cup of the batter--set aside. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the melted chocolate--stir with a spoon. Pour the chocolate cream cheese batter over the baked crust. Spoon the reserved batter on top of the chocolate batter (about 2" apart). Use a tableknife to swirl the vanilla batter through the chocolate batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Let it cool, then sprinkle extra crushed Oreos over the top. Refrigerate overnight.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

#822 - Pistachio Whip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup pistachio nuts (finely chopped)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
2 - 3.75oz. boxes Jell-O INSTANT pistachio pudding/pie filling
3 cups milk

In a bowl add flour, softened butter and chopped pistachios--mix until it forms crumbs. Press crumbs in to the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 18-23 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. In a mixer add cream cheese and powdered sugar--beat. Add half of the container of Cool Whip--beat. Spread this mixture over the cooled crust--set aside. Again with the mixer add both boxes of pudding mix and milk--beat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add the remaining Cool Whip--beat. Spread this mixture on top of the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

#821 - Homemade Honeybuns

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1 - 10oz. can Hungry Jack refrigerated flaky biscuits
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBSP butter (melted)

In a bowl add chopped nuts, honey and melted butter--stir. Pour the nut mixture into an ungreased bread loaf pan and spread on the bottom. Separate the biscuit dough into 10 biscuits--set aside. In a separate bowl add brown sugar and cinnamon--stir. Place 1 tsp. of the brown sugar mixture on the top of each biscuit and press lightly. Stand the biscuits on their edges so you have two rows of 5 standing biscuits. Drizzle the 2 TBSP melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes, then place a piece of foil over the top and invert the pan on to a plate. Cut and serve.

Friday, January 18, 2008

#820 - Beef Stew

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 to 2 1/2 lbs. sirloin tip roast beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
celery leaves/heart from the inside of the celery stalk (finely chopped)
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water + 2 qt. water
6-8 red potatoes (peeled, washed and cut into bite sized pieces)
2 - 1lb. bags baby carrots
1 can canned tomatoes (about 16 oz.)

Place the roast beef in a Dutch oven, add 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt--cook on medium and keep turning the roast until both sides are browned and the water cooks off (about 20 minutes). Add 1 qt. water to the roast--bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until meat is done--test with a fork for tenderness. Remove the roast and put it in a casserole dish to cool--refrigerate once cooled. Drain the broth into a container, let it cool on the counter and refrigerate the broth overnight. The next day, scoop the grease off of the top of the broth and throw the grease away. Put the remaining broth in a 4-5 qt. pot--add the chopped onion, chopped parsley, chopped celery, chopped celery heart and leaves to the broth--stir. Turn heat to medium and add 1 qt. water to the broth mixture--stir. Add 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper--stir. Add baby carrots and canned tomatoes--stir. Cook on medium until carrots are partially tender--stir occasionally. While the stew is cooking, wash/peel/chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Add potato pieces to the stew--stir. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender--test with a fork. Cut the roast beef into bite sized pieces--add to the stew and stir. Cook on medium until the meat is hot, then serve. If it doesn't seem like there is enough broth, add more water a little at a time.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

#819 - Macaroon Cookie Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1/3 cup softened Parkay margarine
1 egg
Topping: 1 - 14oz. can Eagle sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated), 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 1/4 cups Baker's angelflake coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add egg and Parkay--beat. Add cake mix--beat until crumbly. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Press the cake mixture evenly in the bottom--set aside. In a mixer add the egg and vanilla--beat. Add condensed milk--beat until blended. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in 1 cup of the coconut and all of the pecans using a spoon. Pour the milk mixture over the pressed cake mixture in the cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. If the center seems runny, it's ok because it will set when cooled. Cool completely, then cut into squares or bars.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

#818 - Pineapple Cheesecake Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel (zest)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (zest)
Filling: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened), 1/4 cup white sugar, 2 TBSP milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained), 1 TBSP melted butter, 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a bowl add flour, 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and both orange and lemon zest--stir and mix until crumbly. Press the mixture into a greased 9 x 9 square pan or 11 x 7 greased pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until browned--remove from oven and cool completely. In a mixer add cream cheese and 1/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained pineapple--stir with a wooden spoon. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust. In a small bowl mix melted butter and coconut--set aside. Bake cheesecake at 350 for 10 minutes--remove from oven, sprinkle coconut/butter mixture evenly on top. Return cheesecake pan to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until coconut is browned. Cool, refrigerate and cut into squares.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

#817 - Ground Beef and Potato Casserole

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1lb. ground chuck
1 - 9oz. bag frozen green beans (cooked according to package directions and DRAINED)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
1 - 2.8oz. can Durkee or French's french fried onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 chopped onion

Cook string beans with 1 tsp. salt--drain and set aside. In a skillet, brown the ground chuck with 1 tsp. salt, pepper and chopped onion--drain but keep it in the skillet. Turn heat to medium. Add the tomato soup and water to the drained beef--stir. Add string beans to the beef mixture--stir. Grease a 2 qt. casserole dish. In a bowl add mashed potatoes and half of the can of french fried onions--stir. Spoon the potato mixture in the bottom and up the sides of the casserole to make a well in the center. Scoop the beef mixture into the center well of the mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and the other half can of french fried onions rings on top--return to oven for 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Monday, January 14, 2008

#816 - One Pan Rhubarb Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups rhubarb (cut into small pieces)
1 cup white sugar
1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O (dry--do not mix)
1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix (dry--do not mix)
2 cups cold water
5 TBPS butter

Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the 4 cups rhubarb evenly on the bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle the white sugar over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the dry Jell-O over the white sugar. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the dry Jell-O. Pour the water slowly over the top. Dot the butter on the top. Bake at 350 degrees at 40-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

#815 - Lemonade Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 9" ready-made graham cracker crusts
1 - 5oz. can Carnation evaporated milk
1 - 3.4oz. box Jell-O lemon INSTANT pudding
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed--do NOT dilute)

In a mixer add dry pudding mix and evaporated milk--beat for 3 minutes and set aside. In a second mixer bowl add cream cheese--beat. Add thawed lemonade concentrate to cream cheese--beat. Add Cool Whip--beat. Dump cream cheese mixture and pudding mixture together--fold using a wooden spoon until mixed. Pour half of the combined mixture into each of the graham cracker crusts. Refrigerate overnight.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

#814 - Milky Way Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup Jif peanut butter
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 bags bite sized (NOT fun size) Milky Way candies--about 54 pieces

Unwrap the Milky Ways--set aside. In a mixer add white sugar, brown sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add peanut butter--beat. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt--beat. Add flour--beat well. Wrap a heaping tsp. of cookie dough around each unwrapped Milky Way and form the dough so candy is covered. Place on greased cookie sheets. Repeat until you run out of dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven, let them cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and place them on paper towels to cool.

Friday, January 11, 2008

#813 - Strawberry Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a bowl add strawberries and 1/2 cup white sugar--stir, then let them sit for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain the strawberries but SAVE the drained juice. In a mixer add butter and 1/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and nutmeg--beat. Add flour--beat. Add reserved juice--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add the strawberries--stir gently with a wooden spoon just until mixed. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Fill each liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 425 degrees for 17-20 minutes. Test with your finger--if muffin tops spring back when touched lightly, they're ready.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

#812 - Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 sticks butter (softened)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups Quaker quick oats (uncooked)
1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's butterscotch chips

In a bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon--stir and set aside. In a mixer add softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture a little at a time--beat. Add quick oats--beat. Remove from mixer, add butterscotch chips--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonsful on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes. If you want the cookies to be crisp bake for 9-10 minutes instead.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

#811 - Ice Cream Delight

(by Shirley McNevich)

60-70 Ritz crackers
1 stick butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 - 3oz. boxes Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding
2 - 8oz. containers Cool Whip (thawed)
1 qt. premium vanilla ice cream (softened)

Place the Ritz crackers a few at a time in a heavy plastic bag--crush with a rolling pin. Repeat with all crackers. Reserve 1 cup of the crushed crackers for later. Place the rest of the crushed crackers in a bowl with the melted butter--mix. Press the cracker/butter mixture into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan--use a wooden spoon to smooth it out, then bake it at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool the cracker crust after removing from oven. In a mixer add the two boxes instant pudding and the milk--beat until smooth. Add one container of Cool Whip to the mixer--beat well. Add the softened ice cream a few scoops at a time--beat. Pour entire mixture over the crackers in the cake pan. Freeze the entire pan overnight. The next day, remove from freezer, top with the other container of Cool Whip. Sprinkle the reserved crushed crackers on top. Keep frozen.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

#810 - Strawberry Cool Whip Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O (DRY--do NOT mix according to box directions)
1 - 16oz. package frozen sliced strawberries (thawed but NOT drained)
1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
3 TBSP flour
Frosting: 1 - 8oz. Cool Whip, fresh sliced strawberries for garnish

In a mixer add dry Jell-O, dry cake mix, flour, water, and canola oil--beat until smooth. Add 1 - 16oz. package of sliced strawberries--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Make sure Cool Whip has been refrigerated for 2 hours. Spread Cool Whip on cooled cake. Garnish with the fresh sliced strawberries (dry the strawberries on paper towels if they are too wet).

Monday, January 07, 2008

#809 - Microwave Drop Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's white chocolate chips
1 cup Jif peanut butter
1 - 8oz. jar Fluff marshmallow
2 cups Kellogg's rice krispies cereal

Line cookie sheets with saran wrap--set aside. In a microwave safe bowl add white chocolate chips--microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and add peanut butter and marshmallow--stir well. Add rice krispies--stir. Drop by teaspoonsful on to the saran wrap covered cookie sheets. Cool completely, then refrigerate.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

#808 - Microwave Smores

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 graham cracker squares
1/3 of a Hershey's milk chocolate bar
1 large marshmallow

Place a paper napkin on the dish in your microwave (if your microwave doesn't have a dish, use a microwave safe plate). Place one of the graham cracker squares on the paper towel. Place the chocolate on top of the graham cracker and the marshmallow on top of the chocolate. Microwave on high for :15 to :25 seconds (just until the marshmallow puffs up). Place the second graham cracker on top--let it stand for 1 minute before squishing and eating.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

#807 - Baked Mashed Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 TBSP butter
2 diced celery ribs
1 diced onion
4 cups red potatoes (washed, peeled and cubed)
1/2 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
2 slices bread
1/3 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a skillet add 2 TBSP butter, diced celery and chopped onion--cook on medium heat until celery and onions are tender--set aside. Add water to a pot with 1 tsp. salt and the cubed red potatoes--bring water to a boil, then cook until potatoes are tender--drain. Place drained potato cubes in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add the milk and stir. Add the beaten eggs, celery/onions, and sour cream--stir well. Remove the crust from the bread and break both slices into small pieces--add the bread pieces to the potato mixture--stir. Add salt and pepper to your taste--stir. Scoop the entire mixture into a greased 1.5 quart casserole dish. Place the remaining 2 TBSP butter on the top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top. Return to oven and bake 10 more minutes.

Friday, January 04, 2008

#806 - Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup sauerkraut (rinsed in water, drained and chopped)

In a bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt--stir and set aside. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add cocoa--beat. Put sauerkraut in a sieve or colander--rinse well, drain. Dump drained sauerkraut on to a cutting board and use a large knife to chop finely. Add chopped sauerkraut to batter--beat. Add flour mixture slowly--beat. Pour batter in to a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool the cake completely, then frost as desired.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

#805 - Cream of Celery Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 chopped onion
1 pint frozen peas (thawed and drained)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. any kind of pasta noodles (cooked according to box directions, then drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of celery soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 slices bread (broken into bite sized pieces)

In a skillet, add ground chuck, salt, pepper and chopped onion--brown, drain and set aside. Cook the pasta according to box directions. In a bowl add soup and milk--stir. In a large bowl add cooked/drained noodles and ground chuck mixture--mix well. Pour soup/milk mixture into ground chuck/noodles--stir. Add thawed/drained peas--stir. Grease a 2qt. casserole dish. Pour entire mixture into the greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes--remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheese and breadcrumbs on top and return to oven for 15 more minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

#804 - Chocolate Walnut Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits

In a mixer add butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla--beat. Add flour, salt and only 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts--beat. Spray a 9 x 13 cake pan with Pam. Pour batter into the greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned lightly. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate bits over the top. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate bits with a knife so the top is coated. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped walnuts over the top and press them down slightly. Cool completely, then cut into bars.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

#803 - Cherry Apple Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 scoops Kool-Aid pre-sweetened cherry soft drink mix (use the scoop inside the Kool-Aid)
3 qts. water
ice
4 cups apple juice
1 - 2 liter bottle 7Up or Sprite

In a glass/plastic container or punch bowl, dissolve the cherry Kool-Aid with the water--stir to mix. Add the apple juice--stir. Add ice. Add 7Up or Sprite to your taste--stir.