#47 - Snickerdoodles

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks Parkay margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 TBSP white sugar

In a mixer, add margarine, white sugar, eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and chill in refrigerator overnight. Roll in balls the size of a walnut. In another container put 2 TBSP of white sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Mix with a spoon. Roll each ball in the sugar/cinnamon mix. Place balls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees about 12 minutes (until slightly brown).

#46 - Chicken Noodle Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

4-6 chicken thighs
2 whole chicken breasts
2 medium onions
6 stalks (pieces) of celery
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 pound medium width egg noodles
2 pounds frozen cut string beans
salt
pepper

Put chicken in large pot and cover with water. Add 3 tsp. salt, 1 medium onion cut in half, and 3 ribs of celery cut in half. Cook until chicken is tender (about 2 hours on medium heat). Test for doneness with a fork. Remove chicken from broth and cool. Pour broth through a sieve and strain it, removing onion and celery. When chicken is cool, remove skin and de-bone. Refrigerate both chicken and broth overnight.

Spoon off the fat from the chicken broth and throw away the fat. In a large pot add broth, 1 chopped onion, 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley, and the heart and leaves of a stalk of celery (chopped finely). Add 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper and the bag of egg noodles. Add the string beans. Cook ans stir all ingredients for about 20 minutes on medium heat.

Cut the chicken in bite sized pieces and add to soup. Taste broth to make sure it has enough salt. If soup seems too thick, add water.

#45 - Chocolate Fudge

(by Aunt Faye [Herman] Minier)

3 - 6 oz. packages Nestle's chocolate bits
1 - 8 oz. jar Fluff marshmallow
1 tsp. vanilla
2 sticks Parkay margarine
2 cups of chopped nuts (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 - 13 oz. can Carnation evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups white sugar

This fits on a jelly roll pan (buttered). A jelly roll pan has an inch lip and measures 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1. This recipe makes 5 pounds of fudge.

In a large saucepan, mix together chocolate bits, marshmallow, vanilla, margarine, and nuts (optional). Set aside.

In a second saucepan, boil evaporated milk, salt and sugar. Boil over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, keep boiling and stirring for 15 minutes. Stirring must be constant. If you have a candy thermometer when it comes to 234 degrees it's ready.

Remove from heat and pour into the mixture in other saucepan. Stir until everything is melted and smooth. Pour into the jelly roll pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

#44 - Rice Krispy Treats

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 stick margarine
1 - 8 oz. jar Fluff marshmallow
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal

In a 3 qt. saucepan, melt margarine on low heat and add marshmallow. Stir until all melted and smooth. Remove from stove and add Rice Krispies. Stir until all coated.

Pour in a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan or 7 1/2 x 11 1/2 by 1 1/2 brownie pan--whichever pan you use, it must be buttered first. Take out a TBSP of mixture at a time and smoth it into the bottom of the pan using the back of the spoon. Repeat until all mixture is in pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

#43 - Beansoup

(by Grandmother Elizabeth McNevich)

3-5 pound ham (butt end)
1 medium onion
6-7 peeled and cubed red potatoes
2 - 40 oz. cans pork and beans (Weis brand Big Top if available)
1 tsp pepper

Cook ham in a large pot. Fill pot halfway with water. Cook on medium heat until done--takes about 3 hours. Test for doneness with a fork.

Let ham cool and keep the juice that ham cooked in. Let juice cool overnight and then remove all of the fat that floated to the top of the juice. Cut the fat off of the ham and remove the bones, cut the ham into bite sized pieces.

Use a five quart dutch oven. Add 1/2 cup of the ham broth. Add one medium onion (chopped). Cook until onion browns and juice has been cooked up by the onion. Add the rest of the ham broth. Peel and cube the potatoes and add. If the ham broth does not cover potatoes add water until potatoes are covered. Add one tsp. pepper. Cook until the potatoes are almost done (about 20 minutes).

Open the cans of pork and beans and remove the juice that is on top. Add the pork and beans into the soup. Cook until the beans are hot (10 minutes) and then add the cubed ham pieces. Stir and cook until hot.

#42 - Microwave Baked Corn

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
1 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 can 15-16 oz. creamed corn
2 TBSP margarine
1 tsp. salt

Butter a 1 qt. microwaveable dish and set aside.

Use a cup and put cornstarch in the cup. Add half of the milk - 1/2 cup) to the cornstarch and mix with a spoon (this prevents lumps). In a large bowl add the cornstarch/milk mixture, other 1/2 cup milk, sugar, eggs, corn, and salt. Mix by hand with a spoon.

Pour mixture into microwaveable dish. Add margarine to the top. Do not cover. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Remove and stir completely. Microwave on high for 9 more minutes. Remove and it is ready to serve. Note: If your microwave is higher than 700 watts, 9 minutes will be too long--try 6 minutes and taste to test.

#41 - Soft Molasses Cookies

(by Aunt Grace [Herman] Knouse)

1 cup margarine
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed with a spoon)
2 cups Brer Rabbit green label baking molasses
1 cup buttermilk
2 even TBSP Arm & Hammer baking soda
1/2 tsp. McCormick ground ginger
1 egg
7 cups flour

In a mixer, cream margarine and brown sugar. Add baking molasses, baking soda, buttermilk and ginger. Mix until smooth. Add 7 cups of flour one at a time. When it gets too stiff for mixer, use a wooden spoon and mix the rest by hand. Drop heaping teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheet.

Beat the egg in a cup with a fork. Using a teaspoon, put a little bit of egg on the top of each cookie and smooth it down with the back of the spoon so cookie is slightly flat. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.

#40 - Cream Cheese Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter or margarine
1 8 oz. package Philly cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Calumet baking powder

In a mixer, cream together butter/margarine and cream cheese. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg and vanilla. Add salt and baking powder and flour. Mix until smooth.

Chill dough in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a cookie press or cookie gun, form cookies on greased cookie sheet. For holidays, sprinkle colored sugar over the top of cookies before baking. Bake 12-15 minutes until slightly brown.

#39 - Krispy Baked Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
6 chicken legs OR 6 chicken thighs OR 4 chicken breasts

In a large ziploc bag, combine flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Shake bag to mix. Put the milk in a small bowl. One at a time, dip each piece of chicken in milk and then put right into flour mixture bag. Close bag and shake gently until covered. Remove and place in well-greased baking dish. Sprinkle more paprika and a little more salt over the top before placing in oven. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees, turning each piece after 30 minutes. Test for doneness with a fork.

#38 - Red Lobster Cheese/Garlic Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups of Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine bisquick, milk, and cheese with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Beat vigorously with wooden spoon for 30 seconds. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Combine melted butter/margarine and garlic powder. Brush over warm biscuits before removing warm biscuits from cookie sheet. Serve warm. Makes 10-12 biscuits.

#37 - Knox Jell-o Blocks

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin (found in same grocery store aisle as Jello)
3 - 3 oz. packages of any flavor Jello
3 cups of boiling water

In a large mixing bowl, combine Knox gelatin and flavored Jello. Add boiling water and stir until everything is completely dissolved (about 5 minutes). Pour into large shallow baking dish (13 x 9). When cool, refrigerate until very firm (at least a few hours). Cut into squares to serve. Eat with your fingers.

#36 - Snack Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12 oz. package oyster crackers
1 package of original ranch dressing mix (Hidden Valley brand)
3/4 cup crisco oil
1 TBSP McCormick dill weed
1/2 tsp. McCormick garlic powder

Pour all ingredients except crackers into a large ziploc bag. Close bag, shake and mix thoroughly. Open bag and add crackers. Close bag and shake to mix until all crackers are coated. (If you don't have a ziploc bag, you can mix in a bowl).

Pour everything into a 9 x 13 x 2 cake can and spread evenly over bottom of pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes while baking.

#35 - Baked Pretzel Snacks

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 20 oz. bag of broken beer pretzels (or regular pretzels and break them yourself)
2 sticks margarine
1 package Lipton onion soup

Melt margarine and stir in onion soup mix. Spread pretzels over two cake pans (9 x 13 x 2). Pour soup/margarine mix evenly over all pretzels. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour. Stir every twenty minutes while baking.

#34 - Apple Pie

(crust by Harriet Weaver; apple pie by Shirley McNevich)

Pie crust:

5 cups flour
2 cups Crisco (generous, heaping)
1/2 stick of margarine or butter
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Arm & Hammer baking soda
1 egg
1 TBSP cider vinegar

Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix flour, crisco, margarine, salt, and baking soda until it's crumbly. Set aside. In a measuring cup, add egg and vinegar and beat with a fork. Add water until the egg mixture and the water meet the 1 cup line on your measuring cup. Beat with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix everything with hands until you can form a ball. Roll out the dough.

Spray a 10" pie plate with Pam cooking spray. Roll out one crust and place in pie plate. Spray the dough (inside and edges) with Pam cooking spray.

For pie filling:

8 Macintosh apples (or any baking apples)
1 cup white sugar
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 TBSP margarine
1/2 tsp. McCormick ground cinnamon

Peel, core, and pare apples into thin slices. Put in a 3 qt. microwavable bowl. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon and margarine (do not mix yet--just add ingredients). Cover with Saran wrap and put in microwave for 5 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and stir completely. Put Saran wrap back on, put back in microwave for 5 minutes on high. Stir. Pour the apple filling into the pie crust.

Make a second crust slightly bigger than the first crust. Place on top of pie so that second crust hangs 1/2" over the edge. Pinch two crusts together and tuck second crust overlap under the first crust. Make edges fancy using a fork your fingers.

Place pie on top of a cookie sheet to catch any filling that cooks out. Sprinkle some white sugar and cinnamon over the top of the pie. Take a paring knife and poke holes all the way through the pie and all around the top of the pie. Right in the center of the pie, lift crust slightly and cut a small hole for air. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil (or use a pie shield) so edge doesn't get too done. Place in oven and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove foil/pie shield and bake for 15 more minutes or until crust is nice and brown.

You will have leftover pie dough if you are only making one pie. Use the suggestions:

This makes 5 - 10" crusts or 6 - 9" crusts. You can roll and re-roll and the crust won't get tough. You can refrigerate for a week, or you can freeze it for 3-4 months.

To freeze dough, make flat pieces (about an inch thick) and wrap each crust in saran wrap. Put in a ziploc bag. You can take out one at a time when you need them. To thaw in microwave, place one crust (leave saran wrap on). Set on defrost for :30 on each side. If not thawed, put in longer (microwaves vary).

#33 - Homemade Country Pie Crust

(by Harriet Weaver)

5 cups flour
2 cups Crisco (generous, heaping)
1/2 stick of margarine or butter
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Arm & Hammer baking soda
1 egg
1 TBSP cider vinegar

Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix flour, crisco, margarine, salt, and baking soda until it's crumbly. Set aside. In a measuring cup, add egg and vinegar and beat with a fork. Add water until the egg mixture and the water meet the 1 cup line on your measuring cup. Beat with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix everything with hands until you can form a ball. Roll out the dough.

This makes 5 - 10" crusts or 6 - 9" crusts. You can roll and re-roll and the crust won't get tough. You can refrigerate for a week, or you can freeze it for 3-4 months.

To freeze dough, make flat pieces (about an inch thick) and wrap each crust in saran wrap. Put in a ziploc bag. You can take out one at a time when you need them. To thaw in microwave, place one crust (leave saran wrap on). Set on defrost for :30 on each side. If not thawed, put in longer (microwaves vary).

When you want to bake a single crust, spray the inside of the pie plate with Pam cooking spray and form the crust on the inside of a pie plate. Crimp the edges of the crust using your fingers or a fork. Now spray the inside of the pie crust with Pam cooking spray. Place another pie plate in the first pie plate (with crust in between). Put both pie plates (with crust in between) in oven and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown. The second pie plate keeps the crust from shrinking.

Now you can fill with lemon merangue, chocolate merangue, coconut creme, banana cream, etc.

#32 - Chili

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 medium onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 pint home canned tomatoes or stewed tomatoes from the store
1/2 bottle of a 24 oz. size Heinz ketchup
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cans of kidney beans (40.5 oz. size) - Hanover brand if you can find them

In a Dutch oven, put in ground chuck, chopped onion, salt, and pepper. (If you like it spicier, you can also add chopped red pepper, chopped green pepper, or both) Add one cup of water and cook until meat starts to brown. Add tomatoes, ketchup, chili powder, kidney beans, and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Serve heated.

#31 - Homemade Polish Pigeons

(by Millie Barilla)

Makes approx. 23 pigeons.

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground veal
1 medium onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup Minute white rice (RAW--do not cook)
1 large head cabbage
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 quart tomatoes (either stewed or home canned)
2 cans Campbell's tomato soup
2 eggs
3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Mix by hand - beef, pork, veal, salt, and pepper. Add two eggs slightly beaten and mix by hand. Add parsley, chopped onion, Worcestershire sauce, and rice (uncooked). Use hands and mix everything thoroughly. Set aside.

Remove as much of cabbage core as you can and remove first two layers of cabbage head (do not throw away). In a large pot, place cabbage head in and cover with water. Add 1 tsp. salt. Boil the cabbage until you can get the leaves off and they are pliable (not too soggy). Trim the stem part of the leaves off (keep after removing) so cabbage bends easier.

In a large second pot, place trimmed cabbage stems in the bottom of the pot as well as the first two layers of cabbage that you removed earlier. Put 2-3 TBSP of meat filling mixture onto each cooked cabbage leaf and tuck in the corners. Secure it like a napkin by rolling it. Place them in the pot with the extra cabbage.

In a bowl, stir the tomatoes and tomato soup until thoroughly mixed. Pour this mixture into the pot with the rolled pigeons and cabbage. Put a lid on the pot and put in oven. Bake for 2 hours at 375 degrees until cabbage is done (test with a fork).

Extra pigeons can be frozen.

#30 - Milky Way Wonder Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

13 fun size Milky Way bars
2 sticks Parkay margarine
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. Arm & Hammer baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt Milky Ways and 1 stick of Parkay margarine. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside while making batter.

For batter, use larger mixing bowl. Cream 1 stick Parkay margarine and 2 cups white sugar until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs and beat. Add 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Add 2 1/2 cups flour gradually. Add the melted candy mix and beat until smooth.

Pour into 10" angel food cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool slightly and remove from pan.

Icing:
1 cup Carnation evaporated milk
1 cup white sugar
3 egg yolks
1 stick Parkay margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
7 oz. Baker's coconut
1 cup of chopped pecans

Combine Carnation milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine, vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 12 minutes. Stir constantly. It should be cooked until it's thick. Remove from stove and add coconut and chopped pecans. Stir until thick enough to spread with a knife. Frost the cake.

#29 - Egg Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 hard boiled eggs
2 TBSP Helman's mayo
1 tsp. French's mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 cup of finely chopped celery

Hard boil 8 eggs. Cool and peel eggs. Finely chop all eggs and place in large bowl. Add mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, white sugar, and celery. Mix by hand. Refrigerate.

#28 - Deviled Eggs

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 hard boiled eggs
2 TBSP Helman's mayo
1 tsp. French's mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. white sugar

Hard boil 6 eggs. Cool and peel eggs.
Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Use a fork and remove yolks and place in a small bowl.
Mash yolks with a fork and add 2 TBSP Helman's mayo, 1 level tsp. French's mustard, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. white sugar. Stir yolk mixture by hand. Use one heaping tsp. of yolk mixture to fill each egg white. Sprinkle paprika over the top. Refrigerate on an egg plate or dinner plate.

#27 - TandyKakes

(by Sarah Williams)

4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups white sugar
2 cups cake flour (if you don't have cake flour, for every cup of cake flour called for in your recipe you can substitute one cup of all purpose flour but you have to take out 2 TBSP of the all purpose flour--means you will be using slightly less than 1 cup)
1 cup milk
2 TBSP butter or margarine
2 tsp. Calumet baking powder
1 cup peanut butter
1 8oz. Hershey's Chocolate candy bar

Using a mixer, beat eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar, butter, baking powder, milk. Gradually add cake flour and beat until smooth. Pour on a greased jelly roll pan (flat pan 15 1/2"x 10 1/2" x 1 1/8"). Looks like a cookie sheet but with sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Spread peanut butter on cake while still warm.

Cool the cake. Melt the chocolate bar and spread over the top with a knife. Cut and eat.

#26 - Funnel Cakes

(by Lois Minnich)

2 cups milk
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Calumet baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
canola oil

In a mixer, beat eggs, sugar. Add salt, vanilla and baking powder. Add milk. Slowly mix in flour. Mix until smooth.

Fill iron skillet 1/4 full with canola oil. Heat very high until oil is very hot. Using a funnel, cover one end of funnel with your finger. Fill funnel with batter. With funnel over pan, remove finger and start letting batter hit oil. Go in all directions so funnel cake will stay together.

Using a large fork, lift up slightly to look at bottom of funnel cake. When bottom is golden brown, flip and cook other side. When fully cooked, put on plate and top with powdered sugar, fruit filling, etc.

#25 - Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 egg
1 1/3 cup white sugar
8 oz. Philly Cream Cheese
6 oz. Nestle's chocolate bits
1/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
salt
Arm & Hammer baking soda
1/2 cup Crisco canola oil
cider vinegar
vanilla
flour
cold water

Filling:
Combine 1 egg, 1/3 cup of sugar, 8 oz. cream cheese. Beat with mixer until smooth. By hand, stir in 6 oz. chocolate bits. Set aside.

Cupcake batter:
With mixer, combine 1/2 cup canola oil, 1 cup white sugar, 1 TBSP vinnegar, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 cup of cold water and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat all ingredients with a mixer until smooth.

Place batter in paper cups in cupcake pans (makes 18-24 cupcakes). Fill each cup 1/3 full with chocolate batter. Place one heaping tsp. of filling into middle of each cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool and serve.

#24 - Chicken Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 whole chicken breast (or 2 pre- skinned and pre- boned chicken breasts)
1/2 medium onion
1 stalk celery
3 hard boiled eggs
1 jar Helman's light mayo
salt

Cook one whole chicken breast in 3 qt. saucepan, adding enough water to cover (if you use precut chicken breasts, you will need 2 instead of 1). Add 1 tsp. salt. Cut up 1/2 onion and place in with chicken (do not chop or slice). Cut 3 sticks of celery in half and add to chicken. Cook until tender (takes about an hour). Use fork to test for doneness.

Let chicken cool. Take off skin and remove bones (unless your chicken comes already skinned and boned). You can throw away celery and onion, strain broth through sieve and save it for broth or gravy if you wish. It can be frozen in a plastic container with a lid.

On a cutting board, cut up chicken in bite sized pieces. Add 3 chopped sticks of celery, 3 chopped hard boiled eggs, 3 TBSP Helman's light mayo. Stir by hand. If it seems too dry add a little more mayo. Refrigerate before serving.

#23 - Perogies (REAL ones!)

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 medium red potatoes
2 medium onions
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1 stalk celery
1 pound of the sharpest cheese you can find
4 cups flour
2 eggs
salt
2 tsp. soft Parkay margarine
canola oil (for frying)
pepper

Peel potatoes, cut each in half, and put in 3 qt. saucepan with warm tap water (enough to cover potatoes). Add 1 tsp. salt, 1 chopped medium onion, 1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley, 1/2 cup of finely chopped celery heart (the part at the center of the celery stalk - use leaves and all).

Bring the water to a boil and cover with lid. Cook for 20 minutes with lid tilted to prevent boiling over. Test with fork for doneness (they should be soft). If potatoes are not soft, cook longer.

Remove potatoes from heat. Drain water off using a sieve. Any onions, celery or parsley that accidentally get drained should be put back in with potatoes. Add one pound of sharp cheese cut in small pieces (or shred it) to potatoes.

Use a potato masher to mash potato mixture and cheese. Add 1/2 tsp. pepper and then mash like mashed potatoes. If the potato/cheese filling is too stiff, add a dash or two of milk and remash. Set aside to cool.

Dough:

In a mixing bowl, add 4 cups flour, 2 eggs (slightly beaten with a fork), 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. Parkay margarine (room temp.). Mix with your hands until eggs and margarine are crumbly. Add 3/4 cup water a little at a time. You should be able to make a large ball with the dough. If it's too dry, add up to 1/4 cup of more water.

Divide the dough into four smaller balls. Flour your counter so dough doesn't stick. Take out one of the dough balls. Sprinkle flour on top of dough ball and roll with rolling pin until about 1/4" thick.

Cut circles in the dough using a glass jar upside down (the opening in the jar should be about 3-4"). On each circle place one tsp. of the potato filling. Dip your finger in a glass of water and wet entire edge of pierogie using your finger. Fold pierogie and pinch edge shut all the way around.

Using an 8-10 qt. pot, fill with hot tap water about 3/4 full. Add 2 tsp. salt and bring to a rolling boil. Add pierogies one at a time to the boiling water. Boil for about 5 minutes. You can cook about 5 pierogies at a time. When pierogies are done they will float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and put on a cookie sheet (they cannot touch each other or they will stick together). Repeat with remaining pierogies. At this point, they are NOT readt to eat.

After they cool, you can wrap each pierogie with saran wrap and freeze for later. Put saran wrapped pierogies in ziploc bag before freezing. They will keep 6-9 months.

When you are ready to eat pierogies, they must be deep fried. Using a large iron skillet, add canola oil until it reaces 1/4 the way up the side of the pan. Thickly slice an onion and place in the pan. Heat oil. Add pierogies and brown on each side. When the onions get really brown, remove them. Continue frying pierogies (you don't need to add more onion--the oil is already flavored). You may have to add more oil if frying alot of pierogies at a time.

Frozen pierogies can go straight from freezer into oil but be careful of oil spatter.

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU TURN PIEROGIES. IF YOU POKE THEM THE FILLING WILL OOZE OUT. Use spatula or a slotted spoon to turn.