#140 - Sweet Ritz Cracker Snack Mix

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 boxes tiny Ritz dinosaur crackers
2 cups any kind of whole nuts
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Mix nuts and crackers in a large pot. In a large saucepan, bring sugar, butter/margarine and corn syrup to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Stir--baking soda will foam up. Mix everything together with the nuts and crackers. Bake 30-45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Pour onto wax paper to cool.

#139 - Freezer Pickles

(by Grandma Dora McNevich)

7 cups sliced cucumbers (unpeeled)
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups white sugar
1 cup chopped onions
1 chopped green pepper
1 TBSP celery seed
1 1/2 TBSP salt

Wash and slice cucumbers. Mix sugar and vinegar in large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Add cucumbers, onions, green pepper, celery seed, and salt. Stir with a spoon. Divide evenly into 3-4 pint sized plastic containers. Freeze. When ready to eat, thaw one container at a time and refrigerate.

#138 - German Apple Cake

(by Mitzie [Shade] Williams - friend)

3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups white sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups sliced baking apples (macintosh, granny smith, etc.)
1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a mixer, combine eggs and canola oil and beat until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 2 tsp. vanilla, salt and beat until smooth. Take bowl off of mixer and fold in apples and nuts (optional) using a spoon. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan and pour the batter in the cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool. In a mixer, add powdered sugar, butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cake.

#137 - Pound Cake

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baranowski)

1 pound Imperial margarine, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
6 eggs
3 cups unsifted cake flour

In a mixer, combine margarine, sugar and mix well. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Add flour 1 cup at a time and mix until smooth. Pour into two greased bread loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the edges and dump on to cutting board to slice.

#136 - Butterscotch Bars

(by Linda [Reigle] Bauman - friend)

1 - 12oz. Nestle's butterscotch morsels
6 TBSP butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
2 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup unsifted flour
2 TBSP lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a saucepan with water and heat until hot (not boiling or butterscotch morsels will get lumpy). Place butterscotch morsels and butter in second saucepan and set on top of first saucepan (or use a double boiler if you have one). Heat morsels and butter until they are smooth. Transfer the melted butterscotch morsels and butter into a bowl. By hand, stir in the graham cracker crumbs and nuts (optional) with a fork. Stir until the mixture forms small crumbs. Take out 2 cups of the crumb mixture and set aside for later. Press the remaining mixture into a 15" x 10" by 1" baking pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. In a mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Blend in the flour and lemon juice. Remove the crust from the oven. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the crust. Smooth out evenly. Sprinkle the 2 cups of graham crackers that you set aside over the entire top of the cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares. Chill before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

#135 - Pecan Crispies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup Parkay margarine
2 1/2 cups dark brown Domino's sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer, combine Crisco, margarine and brown sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift dry ingredients, add to the batter and blend well. Add the pecans and stir them in by hand using a spoon. Drop teaspoonsful on to greased cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

#134 - Coconut Washboard Cookies

(by Aunt Hazel [Haupt] Herman)

2 cups dark brown Domino's sugar
1 cup Crisco OR Parkay margarine
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a mixer, combine brown sugar and Crisco (OR Parkay). Add the warm water, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt and blend well. Add flour a little at a time--if it gets too stiff for the mixer continue mixing by hand with a spoon. Add the coconut and stir. Take out teaspoonsful and roll each into a walnut-sized ball. Place balls on a greased cookie sheet. Dip a fork in flour and flatten each ball into an oblong shape. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

#133 - Bread and Butter Pickles

(by Grace Pennypacker - friend)

8 cups thickly sliced unpeeled cucumbers (washed)
2 cups thickly sliced onions
4 tsp. salt
2 cups cider vinegar
3 cups white sugar
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. mustard seed

Use a large stainless steel pot or a large glass bowl. Add cucumbers and sliced onions. Add 2 tsp. salt over the top and cover everything with cold water. Let stand for 1 hour in the saltwater. Drain off the water. In a saucepan, add the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, 2 tsp. salt and the mustard seed. Stir over medium heat and bring it to a boil. In a large cookpot (5-6 quarts), add the cucumbers and onions, and pour the heated vinegar mixture over the top. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring with a spoon. Put pint jars in the oven on the racks and set temp. to 200 degrees. Take the jar lids and rings and cover them with water in a saucepan--bring them to a boil. Put cucumbers/onions/juice in each jar until you run out of the mixture. Take a tableknife and insert it all around the sides and middle of the jars to get the air bubbles out. Put the ring and center piece on each jar and turn tightly. Put the jars on a surface that can safely stand heat. Let them cool and as they cool they will seal themselves. If the jars seal properly, they will last about 2 years. Once you open a jar, refrigerate it.

#132 - Bacon Wrappers

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

3 cans water chestnuts
Enough raw bacon strips that when cut in half will equal the number of water chestnuts
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups Heinz ketchup

Drain water off of water chestnuts. Slice the raw bacon strips in half. Wrap each 1/2 bacon strip around a water chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Repeat for all the bacon and water chestnuts. Place them in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and the ketchup using a spoon. Pour the ketchup/brown sugar mixture evenly over all of the wraps. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

#131 - Blueberry Lemon Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
the juice from 1 small lemon
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 TBSP white sugar

In a mixer, combine butter and 1/2 cup white sugar until creamy. Add the egg and lemon juice and mix well. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until well blended. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased baking dish - 8 x 8 x 2". In another bowl, stir together with a spoon the blueberries and the 2 TBSP white sugar. Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the top of the first mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve. Makes 8 servings.

#130 - Mock Graham Cracker Cheese Pie

(by Grace B. Rosenblum - friend)

14-16 graham crackers (put in plastic bag and crush with rolling pin)
1 stick melted butter
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
4 eggs (separated)
Juice from 2 lemons and the rind of 1 lemon

Save about 1/4 cup of the crushed graham crackers for later. In a small bowl by hand, mix the rest of crushed graham crackers and the melted butter. Line a pie plate with the graham cracker/butter mixture. Beat the egg whites in a mixer until they are stiff. Set the egg whites aside. Beat the 4 egg yolks in the mixer. Add the condensed milk to the egg yolks, as well as the juice from 2 lemons and the rind of 1 lemon (use a peeler and scrape the outside of the lemon to remove the yellow rind). Blend well. With a spoon, fold in the 4 egg whites with the egg yolk/lemon juice/lemon rind/milk mix. Pour everything into the pie shell. Sprinkle the saved graham cracker crumbs over the top of the pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes--make sure that the oven has been preheated before baking. Cool the pie and refrigerate. Keep refrigerated.

#129 - Double Chocolate Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter (softened - 2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl (by hand with a spoon) stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the butter/sugar/eggs/vanilla. Mix completely and beat with mixer. Remove from mixer and add chocolate bits and nuts (optional) using a spoon and mix by hand. Drop teasponsful on a greased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees or just until set. Cool slightly before removing cookies or they will fall apart. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

#128 - Quick Microwave Fudge

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1- 18-20oz. jar creamy or crunchy Jif peanut butter
1 container of pre-made frosting (any flavor, any brand)

Put ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high for 3 minutes, or until peanut butter melts. Remove from microwave and stir with a spoon until it's mixed well and smooth. Line an 8 x 8 x 2" pan with foil (you do not need to butter the pan). Pour the fudge into the pan and let it cool at least an hour, then refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight. Dump upside down on a cutting board, peel off the foil, and cut into squares. Keep refrigerated.

#127 - Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

(by ???)

2 cups butter
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
4 cups flour
5 cups dry oatmeal (Quaker quick oats)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
24 oz. Nestle's chocolate bits
1 plain 8 oz. Hershey bar cut into 1/4" pieces
5 cups chopped nuts (optional)

In a mixer, combine butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Put oatmeal in a blender (small amount at a time) and continue blending until it turns to powder. In a separate bowl, add the powdered oatmeal and mix together (using a spoon) with the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add that mixture slowly to the batter already in the mixer--if the batter gets too stiff for the mixer continue by hand. Add the chocolate chips, Hershey bar chunks and nuts (optional). Drop heaping teaspoonsful on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325-350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool slightly before removing them from the cookie sheets.

#126 - Peanut Butter Blossoms

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup Jif peanut butter
2 TBSP milk
1/4 cup white sugar for the batter
1/4 cup white sugar to roll the cookies in later
1/2 cup dark brown Domino's sugar (packed)
1/2 cup Parkay margarine
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag Hershey's kisses

In a mixer, combine Parkay, brown sugar, white sugar and beat with mixer. Add the egg, vanilla, peanut butter, milk, salt, baking soda. Beat. Slowly add the flour and beat. Once batter is ready take out a teaspoonful at a time and roll it into a ball in your hand. Roll in a bowl with the white sugar to cover the cookie. Put on a greased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Bring them out of the oven and press one Hershey's kiss (unwrapped) into the middle of each cookie. Return to oven and bake another 3-4 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.

#125 - Ginger Snaps

(by Aunt Hazel [Haupt] Herman)

2 cups white sugar
2 cups Crisco OR Parkay margarine
3 eggs
1 TBSP ginger
2 cups Brer Rabbit molasses (green label)
1 TBSP baking soda
7 cups flour
1/2 cup more white sugar to roll them in

In a mixer, combine sugar and Crisco OR Parkay. Add eggs. Beat until smooth. Add ginger, baking soda, and molasses. Beat until smooth. Add the flour one cup at a time. After about 3-4 cups, it gets too stiff for the mixer so continue mixing by hand. Take out heaping teaspoonsful. Roll each teraspoonful in a ball and roll into a bowl with the extra 1/2 cup sugar to coat each cookie with sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet and keep cookie balls about 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

#124 - Candied Sweet Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 large whole yams
1/2 - 3/4 cup dark brown Domino's sugar
canola oil
salt

Peel yams and cut each yam into quarters. Put yams in a saucepan. Cover yams with water and add a pinch of salt. Turn heat on medium. After water comes to a boil, cook 10-12 minutes (they won't be completely done until later). Drain water from yams. Use a frying pan and add 2 TBSP canola oil. Add yams to frying pan and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the yams (1/2 cup brown sugar for not-so-sweet; 3/4 cup brown sugar if you like them sweeter). Put a lid on the frying pan and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes.

#123 - Broccoli Casserole

(by Julie Adams - friend)

3 - 8 oz. packages of frozen broccoli
4 slices of bread cut into bite sized pieces (like filling)
12 Ritz crackers
1/2-3/4 lb. grated sharp cheese
5 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk

Cook broccoli in salted water (1 tsp. salt) according to directions on the package. Drain water off the broccoli and set the water aside for later. In a buttered casserole (about 2 qt. size), add 1/3 of the broccoli first, then 1/3 of the crumbs next, then 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat, making a second layer of each. Repeat, making a third layer of each. In a separate bowl, add the milk to the beaten eggs and enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli so that you end up with 4 1/2 cups total of the milk/egg/broccoli water mixture--stir with a spoon. Pour that liquid over the top of everything in the casserole. Crush the Ritz crackers and sprinkle over the top. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

#122 - Blueberry Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 package Betty Crocker blueberry muffin mix
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Mix batter according to package directions (everything is stirred by hand -- do not use a mixer), but instead of 3/4 cup milk as listed on the directions, only use 1/2 cup milk. Add the packaged blueberries that come with the mix and also add the fresh or frozen blueberries last. Pour batter into each paper cupcake liner and fill each 2/3 full, making sure there are blueberries in each one. Bake according to box directions.

#121 - Hard Sugar Cookies

(by Art Keithan - friend)

2/3 cup Crisco OR Parkay margarine
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
4 tsp. milk
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

In a mixer, combine Crisco/Parkay and sugar. Add the egg, vanilla. Slowly add in the milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Chill dough for at least one hour. Roll out with a rolling pin and cut out with circular cookie cutter and place on your greased cookie sheets OR drop teasponsful on your greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle white sugar or holiday colored sugar on each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

#120 - Pumpkin Bread

(Laura [Frey] McDonald- friend)

3 cups white sugar
1 cup Crisco OR Parkay margarine
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup cold tap water
3 1/3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice (if you don't have pumpkin spice you can substitute 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1 tsp. ground ginger)

In a mixer, combine sugar, Crisco OR Parkay. Add pumpkin and water and blend. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Pour evenly into 2 greased 8 1/2 " x 4 1/2 " by 3" bread loaf pans. Bake both at the same time at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Test with toothpick for doneness. Cool about 20 minutes before removing from the pans.

#119 - Vegetable Pizza

(by Tami [Neidig] Moody - friend)

2 packages crescent roll dough OR 2 packages pizza crust mix
1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (dry)
8 oz. grated mozarella cheese
1 bunch broccoli (chopped)
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 small head cauliflower (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 tomato (chopped)
1/2 pound sliced or chopped pepperoni

Make the dough according to package directions and press into a jelly roll pan (15 1/2" x 10 1/2" x 1" deep). Press the seams together if you made the two balls of dough separately. Bake following the directions on the package. In a mixer, slowly combine cream cheese, mayo and Hidden Valley dressing mix. Cool the crust, then spread the cream cheese/mayo/ranch mixture on the dough. Evenly distribute the cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, onion, carrots, tomato and pepperoni on the pizza. Evenly distribute the mozarella cheese on the pizza last. Serve hot or cold--if serving hot, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes..

#118 - Swiss Steak

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 lbs. either round steak or sirloin steak
2 cans Campbell's tomato soup
1/2 chopped medium onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cut the steak into fist-sized pieces. Put steak in a frying pan, spray with Pam, add 1/2 chopped medium onion and brown the steak on both sides. Pour 3/4 cup of water into the pan and then transfer everything to a dutch oven. Add the tomato soup and another 1/2 cup water. Stir everything with a spoon. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes--turn steaks after the first 45 minutes and then return to oven. Test with a fork--if not tender enough, bake longer.

#117 - Cantonese Bake

(by Grace Rosenblum - friend)

1 - 6oz. can name brand tuna fish
1 can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup water to thin the soup
1 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 small can sliced water chesnuts
1 small can of chinese noodles
1 can cashew nuts

In a bowl mix by hand all of the ingredients. Put in a greased baking dish or casserole dish. Sprinkle chopped cashew nuts over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve hot.

#116 - Lemon Cake

(by Lillian Thomas - friend)

1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 - 3.5oz. Jello lemon instant pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup cold tap water
3/4 cup canola oil

In a mixer, combine all ingredients and blend all together. Once mixed, beat the mixture on medium for 5 minutes. Grease an angelfood cake pan. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Use icing below.

Icing: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 TBSP butter, the juice that you can squeeze out of a fresh lemon, 1/4 cup warm tap water (if it comes out thick, add more water). In a mixer, blend all ingredients until smooth. Ice the cake after the cake is cool.

#115 - Brown Sugar Icing

(by Aunt Florence [Herman] Brosius)

(good for chocolate cakes/cookies/cupcakes)

1/2 cup butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir. Add milk and then bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Add powdered sugar and beat with a spoon. Ice your cake, cookies, or cupcakes.

#114 - Pecan Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Kayro dark corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
2 TBSP melted Parkay margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
1 unbaked 9" pie crust (our pie crust is recipe #33)

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, Kayro, sugar, Parkay, and vanilla. Stir by hand until well mixed. Stir in pecans. Spray the pie tin with Pam. Place pie dough into pie tin and spray inside of the pie with Pam. Flute the edges of the pie dough. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

#113 - Crumb Pie

(by Hannah Garman - friend)

2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Crisco OR 1/2 cup Parkay margarine
1/2 cup Brer Rabbit molasses (green label)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup hot tap water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 - 10" pie crust (recipe #33 if you want to make it from scratch)

Mix by hand in a bowl - flour, sugar, salt, and Crisco/Parkay. Mix with your hands until it's crumbly. Take out 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside. In another bowl, mix with a spoon the molasses, water, baking soda and stir until the baking soda fizzes. Add the crumb mixture to the molasses mixture. Mix thoroughly, then pour into the 10" unbaked pie crust. Pour the 1/2 cup of crumb mixture that you set aside over the top of the pie. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

#112 - Impossible Pumpkin Pie

(by Mitzie [Shade] Williams - friend)

5 eggs
1/2 stick Parkay margarine
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 TBSP vanilla

In a blender, combine eggs, margarine, Bisquick, milk, sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla. Blend on low for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased 9" pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Don't open the oven door while baking.

#111 - Amazing Coconut Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a blender, combine milk, sugar, Bisquick, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Cover and blend on low speed for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased 9" pie pan. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the coconut over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. You can serve it warm or refrigerate and serve it cold.

#110 - Strawberry Shortcake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/3 cups original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP white sugar
3 TBSP butter or Parkay margarine (melted)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. By hand, stir the Bisquick, milk, sugar, and melted butter/margarine until a soft dough forms. Pour batter in an 8 x 8 x 2 cake pan or a 9 inch round cake pan. Pat dough down with your hand until it's even all over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. Test with a toothpick for doneness. While the shortcake is cooling, wash and de-stem 1 quart of fresh strawberries. With a potato masher, mash the berries. Add 1/2 cup white sugar to the berries and stir--taste a small spoonful--add more sugar if it's not sweet enough. To serve, place a piece of shortcake in a bowl, crumble the cake into small pieces, pour some berries over the top, and add a little cold milk.

#109 - Potato Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 - 8 medium red potatoes (cubed)
1 medium onion chopped
3-4 stalks of celery (chopped; if you use the leaves, chop them fine)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 TBSP parsley flakes or fresh parsley
2 TBSP Parkay margarine
1 1/2 cups milk

Put cubed potatoes in a pot and cover them halfway with water. Add the onion, celery, salt, parsley and pepper. Cook the potatoes until they are soft when you stick them with a fork. Add the margarine and the milk. Stir and continue heating.

#108 - Pumpkin Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15 oz. can Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 cup 2% milk (for a creamier pie, use 1 cup Carnation evaporated milk instead of 2%)
1 unbaked 9" pie shell (4 cup volume) (our pie crust recipe is #33 on this blog)

By hand, mix pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon. In a separate bowl beat the eggs with a fork. Add the eggs to the mixture and stir them in. Stir in the milk. Spray the pie plate with Pam, then put in the pie dough and flute the edges. Spray the inside of the pie dough with Pam. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top of the pumpkin. Put small pieces of foil around just the edge of the pie crust all the way around the pie so it doesn't burn. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the temperature back to 350 degrees. Bake for another 35 minutes. Open oven door and remove the foil from the pie crust edges. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes. When you think it's done, insert a knife through the middle of the pie. If it's clean when it comes out, it's done. If not, bake a few more minutes and retest.