#1110 - Whipped Cranberry Dessert

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed and mashed with a potato masher or processed with a food processor)
1 - 16oz. bag mini marshmallows (if you can find the multi-colored ones, they make it look nicer)
1 to 1 1/2 cups white sugar (less if you like it tart; more if you want it sweeter)
2 cups baking apples (washed, peeled, cored, and cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Cool Whip (thawed and refrigerated)

In a large bowl mash cranberries with a potato masher (or you can use a food processor)--pick out any large pieces of cranberry peels and discard. Add 1 cup white sugar and marshmallows to the mashed cranberries--stir. Taste--if too tart, add more white sugar and re-stir. Cover the bowl with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, chop the apples and the walnuts--add to the cranberry mixture and stir. Add refrigerated Cool Whip to the cranberry mixture--fold in using a large spoon. Keep refrigerated.

#1109 - Crushed Frosted Flakes Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups Frosted Flakes cereal
1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels (melted according to bag directions)

Place Frosted Flakes into a Ziploc bag--close the bag and crush them coarsely using a rolling pin--set aside. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add crushed Frosted Flakes--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Melt chocolate according to bag directions--drizzle the melted chocolate on the top of the cookie batter--use a table knife to swirl the chocolate through the cookie batter. Drop by tablespoonsful of batter on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Use a spatula to take the cookies off of the cookie sheets after a minute or two--cool on paper towels.

#1108 - Thanksgiving Turkey

(by Shirley McNevich)

Filling:

2 bags filling bread (14-16 oz.)
3/4 to 1 cup chopped celery (use leaves and everything from heart, and some of the stalk)
1 large onion (chopped)
3/4 cup fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 eggs (beaten)
3/4 to 1 cup milk
2 TBSP Parkay margarine

Make this the day before Thanksgiving. In a frying pan, add Parkay, onion, celery, and parsley. Heat on medium heat with lid on for 10 minutes, stirring after first 5 minutes. Put filling bread in a large bowl and add the onion/celery/parsley mixture--mix with your hands. Add the beaten eggs, salt, pepper and milk and continue mixing with your hands--leave it in the bowl, cover with Saran wrap and refrigerate until the next day.

1 - 18 to 20lb. turkey (if frozen--thawed completely in cold water the day before)
1 large onion (cut in half)
4 ribs of celery (cut each rib into 3 pieces)
6 tsp. salt put into an empty salt shaker
1 Reynold's Wrap turkey bag
cord string
2 sets poultry pins (usually in grocery store in same section as cooking bags--it's a seasonal item)
1 TBSP flour
1 large roasting pan
1 quart water

The next day (Thanksgiving Day), spray the inside of the turkey cooking bag with Pam--put the 1 TBSP flour inside of the bag. Close the end of the bag and shake it to distribute the flour--set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make sure the turkey is thawed--remove turkey from its wrapper--open up the neck/rear of the turkey and remove the giblets and neck. Wash giblets and neck in water, then place them in a saucepan if you want to use them. Wash the turkey (both inside and out) with cold water--check for any remaining feathers and remove them (use tweezers). Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Using the salt shaker with the 6 tsp. salt, shake about 2 tsp. of the salt all over the inside of the turkey. Using your hands, stuff the filling that you made yesterday into the rear of the turkey. Shake about 1/2 tsp. salt into the neck. When you can't get any more filling in the rear end, stuff remaining filling into the neck. Use the poultry nails--pull the skin on either side of the two turkey openings (neck and rear) and insert poultry pins so they will hold your filling in the turkey. Take the cord string, wrap it around the top poultry pin, then start connecting the poultry pins (like lacing a shoe), pulling tight as you put the string on each pin. When you get to the bottom tie the string into a knot and cut off excess string. Use a separate piece of string to tie the wings together. Put the prepared turkey bag into the roasting pan. Open up the end, put the turkey inside of the bag. Pour 1 quart of water into the bag with the turkey. Shake any salt left in your salt shaker all over the top and sides of the turkey--it's ok if some of the salt goes into the water. Put one half of the onion in the water by the neck end, and the other half onion in the water by the rear end of the turkey. Arrange celery evenly in the water around the turkey. Use the special tie that comes in the box with the cooking bag--tie the bag shut according to the instructions on the cooking bag box. Take a sharp knife and POKE 5 or 6 HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE BAG. If you skip poking the holes, the bag will explode. Put the roaster in the preheated oven and bake 3 1/2 to 4 hours--test with a fork for doneness. If making a smaller turkey, the cooking times are listed on the cooking bag box.

#1107 - Homemade Turkey Broth

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 turkey carcass (left over from your Thanksgiving turkey--all of the bones)
1 onion (cut it in half)
4 ribs of celery (cut each rib into 3 pieces)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Remove any meat from the carcass--save the meat for turkey soup. In a large pot (4-6 quarts) add the carcass and bones. Add enough water to cover the carcass and the bones. Add the onion, celery and parsley--turn heat to medium and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat back to low. Put a lid on the pot and let it cook on low heat for 1 hour. Turn heat off, and wait until broth is at about room temperature. Remove carcass and bones--discard them. Pour the remaining broth mixture through a sieve--throw away everything that gets caught in the sieve. Scoop broth into glass jars and refrigerate the broth. The next day, skim off the fat that has risen to the top. Use the broth for turkey soup, etc.

#1106 - Chicken & Broccoli Bowties

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups raw bowtie pasta noodles (cooked according to package directions)
4 cups chopped broccoli (fresh or frozen)
3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Italian salad dressing
1 or 2 minced garlic cloves
2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
4oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature and cubed)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Poke chicken breasts all over on both sides using a fork. Place chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag--pour the Italian dressing into the bag, then seal and work it around with your hands to coat all chicken. Open the bag a little bit, squeeze out the air, and reseal. Place in refrigerator for a few hours to marinate. When ready to cook, cook pasta according to box directions. Cook pasta until almost done, then add broccoli to the pasta water--continue cooking and stirring until pasta is done. Drain pasta and broccoli, then return it to your saucepan. Remove chicken from refrigerator--cut chicken into bite sized pieces (DO NOT discard Italian dressing). Place chicken pieces, minced garlic, and pepper in a skillet with some of the leftover Italian dressing--cook and stir until chicken is cooked through and browned. Add the cream cheese and pasta sauce to the chicken--cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat and pour pasta mixture into the saucepan with the bowtie pasta/broccoli mixture. Return to heat--add Parmesan cheese to the mixture--cook and stir until all ingredients are hot.

#1105 - Ham & Broccoli Stovetop Noodles

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12oz. bag egg noodles
1 - 16oz. bag frozen broccoli pieces
3 cups cooked ham (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (fresh, not canned)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

In a saucepan cook noodles according to package directions EXCEPT only cook the noodles for 5 minutes. Once cooked, add broccoli and ham pieces to the noodles/boiling water--cook and stir for 5 minutes, then drain the whole mixture. Once drained, return the mixture to the saucepan. Add milk, butter, garlic powder, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese--turn heat to low, stir and cook until hot enough to serve.

#1104 - Chocolate Pudding Pound Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box chocolate cake mix (NO PUDDING in mix)
1 - 3.75oz. box Jell-O INSTANT chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans (coarse)
Glaze: 2 TBSP Hershey's cocoa; 1 TBSP canola oil; 5 tsp. water; 1 TBSP Kayro clear corn syrup; 1 cup Domino's powdered sugar

In a mixer add eggs and canola oil--beat. Add chocolate cake mix--beat. Add water--beat. Add pudding mix--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer--add pecans and stir with a spoon. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10" tube cake pan/bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Wait about 30 minutes after cooling cake, then loosen edges of cake with a knife and invert it on to a cake plate--set aside until it cools completely. In a saucepan over low heat add cocoa, 1 tsp. canola oil, 5 tsp. water, corn syrup--cook and stir until smooth. Remove from heat--add powdered sugar and stir with a spoon until smooth. Let glaze cool to room temperature--stir. Drizzle glaze on cooled cake.

#1103 - Cream Cheese Sundae Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (you can make your own if you wish)
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup mashed overripe bananas
1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)
1 banana (cut into coin shaped pieces)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained)

In a bowl add graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1/4 cup white sugar--stir and press mixture on to bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add vanilla and eggs--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer--add mashed bananas to cream cheese mixture--stir. Scoop batter on to the graham cracker crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center is just about set. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove cake from refrigerator. Slice banana into coin shaped pieces--in a bowl add banana pieces and lemon juice--toss to coat. Slice strawberries into bite sized pieces. Make sure pineapple is drained well. Just before serving add sliced bananas, strawberry pieces and crushed pineapple evenly on top. Cut into squares for serving.

#1102 - Beginner's Fudge

(Shirley McNevich)

3 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat add chocolate chips, Eagle brand milk and salt--cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove saucepan from heat--add vanilla and nuts--stir. Pour mixture into a buttered 8" or 9" square pan. Let fudge cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Cut into squares.

#1101 - Sour Cream Salsa Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Hellmann's lite mayo
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1 - 1.4oz. envelope Knorr veggie soup mix
1 - 12oz. jar Picante chunky salsa (your choice of mild, medium or hot)
tortilla chips

In a bowl add mayo and sour cream--stir. Add soup mix--stir. Add salsa--stir until mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold. Serve with tortilla chips.

#1100 - Shrimp Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. cooked shrimp (washed, peeled, and cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup Hellmann's mayo
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 hard boiled eggs (chopped)

In a bowl add mayo, chopped celery, chopped eggs and Old Bay--stir. Add shrimp pieces--stir until mixed. If too dry add a little more mayo and stir again. Refrigerate until cold. Serve on sandwiches or salads. Does not last very long in refrigerator so don't store it too long.

#1099 - Gooey Chocolate Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add salt--stir. Add butter and white sugar--stir. Add chocolate syrup and vanilla--stir. Add flour a little at a time--stir until you have brownie batter. Add chopped nuts if you wish--stir. Pour batter into a greased 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE or brownies will be dry instead of gooey.

#1098 - Homemade Candy Apples

(by Shirley McNevich)

16 apples
16 popsicle sticks
red food coloring
2 cups water
1 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
6 cups white sugar
candy thermometer
chopped nuts (optional)

If using chopped nuts, put them in a bowl and set them aside. Make sure apples are at room temperature. Wash the apples in warm water and dry them with paper towels. Remove the stems from the apples. Insert a popsicle stick into each apple (where the stem was removed). Place greased cookie sheets on your counter to hold finished candy apples. In a saucepan over medium heat add white sugar, water and lite corn syrup--stir and make sure that you keep stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved. Continue stirring and heating until candy thermometer gets to 300 degrees. Once at 300 degrees, remove saucepan from heat and quickly add a few drops of red food coloring--stir. Start with the first apple--dip it into the candy mixture and coat the apple. Once coated, dip quickly into the chopped nuts (optional). Place coated apple stick side up on prepared cookie sheets. Continue with all apples. When you get near the end, you may need to reheat the candy mixture. You may also need to tilt the saucepan and use a spoon to help coat the last few apples. Once cooled, wrap candy apples in clear cellophane and use a twist tie to keep the air out. Saran Wrap and other plastic wraps tend to stick to the apples so we don't recommend using them.

#1097 - Red Potato Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 red potatoes
1 stick butter (melted)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup (dry)
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or your choice)

Wash and peel potatoes (only remove skin if you wish)--slice potatoes into 1/8" slices and add slices to a bowl. In a separate bowl add dry soup mix and melted butter--stir. Pour butter mixture on to the potatoes--mix with a spoon and toss to coat. Pour coated potatoes into a greased casserole dish. Put the lid on the casserole. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes--remove from oven and test potatoes with a fork--return to oven if necessary until potatoes are tender. Once potatoes tender, remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheese on top, return to oven UNCOVERED until cheese is melted.

#1096 - Mini Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. box brownie mix
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup hot water
1 beaten egg
1 bag Reese's mini-peanut butter cups
mini-muffin paper liners
mini-muffin tin

In a bowl add brownie mix, canola oil, beaten egg and hot water--stir with a spoon until smooth. Line mini-muffin tins with paper liners. Fill each paper liner half full with batter. Unwrap a peanut butter cup and press it into the middle of the batter in the paper liner. Repeat with all batter and all peanut butter cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

#1095 - Brown Sugar Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked pie dough
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
3 TBSP flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 - 12oz. can Carnation evaporated milk (NOT CONDENSED)
2 1/2 TBSP butter
cinnamon

Spray a pie plate with Pam, insert unbaked pie dough, spray the dough with Pam and flute the edges of the pie dough. In a bowl add brown sugar, flour and salt--stir with a spoon. Pour the flour mixture into the pie dough. Carefully and evenly pour the evaporated milk all over the top of the flour mixture until the can is empty. Dot the top of the pie with the 2 1/2 TBSP butter. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the pie (to your taste). Place the pie on top of a cookie sheet, then place in oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes--test with a tableknife for doneness. Cool completely, then refrigerate.

#1094 - Homemade Pot Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3lb. sirloin tip roast (if making beef pot pie)
3lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast (if making chicken pot pie)
1 - 3lb. ham end (if making ham pot pie)
3 quarts of broth from cooking the beef, chicken or ham
1 large onion (chopped)
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 red potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced 1/8" thick)
Noodle Dough: 2 cups flour; 1 tsp. salt; 1 TBSP butter; 2 beaten eggs; 1/2 cup cold water

In a Dutch oven cook either the beef, chicken or ham--add 1 tsp. salt to beef or chicken, but NOT ham. Cook on medium heat--add 2 cups water if cooking beef, 2 quarts of water if cooking chicken, 2 quarts water if cooking ham. Cook until tender (roast or ham will take 2-3 hours; chicken will take about 1 hour). Remove meat from Dutch oven. Pour all broth into a container--when it gets to room temperature refrigerate the broth. Cover meat with Saran wrap when cooled and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove broth from refrigerator--skim off all the fat that rose to the top of your container. Measure broth--you need 3 quarts--if not add water to the broth until you have 3 quarts. Put broth in Dutch oven--turn heat to medium. To the broth add chopped onion, chopped celery and chopped parsley. Add 1/2 tsp. pepper to the broth. If making chicken or beef pot pie, add 1 tsp. salt to the broth--DO NOT add salt if making ham pot pie. Noodles--in a bowl add flour, salt, butter--mix with your hands until it makes crumbs. Add beaten eggs to flour mixture--mix with your hands. Add 1/2 cup water to flour mixture--mix with your hands until you can form a ball. Cut the dough ball into 3 equal sized dough balls. Flour your counter, put one dough ball on top of flour, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough ball. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough as thin as you can get it--sprinkle with more flour if it gets sticky. Use a tableknife to cut the dough into 1" squares. Repeat with other 2 dough balls. When broth is boiling, add sliced potatoes to the broth. When broth comes back to a boil add each individual 1" dough square ONE AT A TIME to the broth. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and boil for 20 minutes. While it's cooking, cut your meat into bite sized pieces. After the noodles have cooked for 20 minutes, add the meat pieces--stir. Put lid back on, turn heat to simmer and cook until meat is hot.

#1093 - Sliced Microwave Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 baking potatoes
salt to taste
pepper to taste
butter
chopped green onions (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)

Wash and rinse potatoes. On a cutting board and using a sharp knife, slice each potato down (in width) 1/8" slices but DO NOT cut all the way through--you want the potatoes to stay together. Place the potatoes in a microwave safe dish. Put butter, salt and pepper on top of potatoes and between slices. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top of each potato. Microwave on high until potatoes are tender. Remove from microwave and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of potatoes. Return to microwave and microwave on high until cheese melts. Scoop sour cream on top before serving if you wish.

#1092 - Chocolate Coffee Whip

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 TBSP Domino's powdered sugar
3 TBSP fresh brewed coffee
3 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

Melt chocolate according to box directions. In a saucepan over medium heat add melted chocolate and powdered sugar--stir. Add coffee--stir. Add egg yolks--stir until thick. Remove saucepan from heat--let it cool to room temperature. In a mixer add heavy whipping cream--beat until stiff. Pour whipped cream into the chocolate batter--stir. Pour entire mixture into a glass bowl--refrigerate until cold.

#1091 - Cake Mix Apple Crisp

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 baking apples (washed, peeled, cored and cut into slices)
1/2 box Jiffy yellow golden cake mix
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 stick butter (melted)

Place sliced apples in a buttered glass baking dish. Sprinkle the 1/2 box Jiffy yellow cake mix on top of the sliced apples. In a separate bowl add cinnamon and sugar--stir. Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of the cake mix. Melt the butter, then drizzle the melted butter on top of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender.

#1090 - Chicken and Corn Flakes Casserole

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baronowski)

3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 - 8oz. bag egg noodles (cooked and drained according to package directions)
2 - 10oz. cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1 - 12oz. can Carnation evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
8oz. of your favorite cheese (cubed)
1 cup crushed corn flakes cereal

In a bowl add both cans of cream of chicken soup, evaporated milk--stir. Add cubed chicken, cooked egg noodles--stir. Add cubed cheese--stir well. Pour mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle crushed corn flakes on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

#1089 - No Fail Scratch Dumplings

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baronowski)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 heaping tsp. baking powder
1 TBSP butter
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt

Into a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter--cut in the butter. Add beaten egg and milk to flour mixture--stir until you can form mixture into a soft ball. In a saucepan add 1 quart water--bring to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat and drop 1 TBSP balls into the hot water--continue until all dough is used up. Return saucepan to stovetop, turn heat to medium and put a lid on the saucepan. Set timer for 20 minutes--DO NOT take off the lid before 20 minutes are up or they will fall. Serve them in soup, stew or with sauerkraut.

#1088 - Bisquick Pumpkin Bread

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baronowski)

1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup Libby's canned pumpkin
3 eggs
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (put in water, bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes and drain)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a mixer add canola oil and eggs--beat. Add pumpkin--beat. Add Bisquick--beat. Add white sugar and cinnamon--beat until mixed, then beat on high for 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer--add raisins and nuts--stir with a spoon. Grease JUST THE BOTTOM of a bread loaf pan. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

#1087 - Shrimp Cocktail Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1 cup good quality cocktail sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10oz. of baby shrimp (FULLY COOKED)
2 green onions (chopped into very small pieces--you can add more or less to your taste)
1 tomato (chopped into bite sized pieces)
fresh ground pepper (optional)

If shrimp is frozen, dump shrimp into a bowl and add warm water. Keep draining the water and adding more warm water until the shrimp are at room temperature--drain and set aside. If you use shrimp from a can, drain and rinse well--set aside. In a bowl add softened cream cheese, sour cream and mayo--stir until well mixed--you can use a mixer if you want it really smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on to a dinner plate. Use a spoon to gently spread the cocktail sauce on top of the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle the chopped tomatoes on top of cocktail sauce layer (grind a little pepper on top of tomatoes if you wish). Sprinkle chopped green onions on top of the tomato layer. Sprinkle shrimp on top of the green onions layer. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the shrimp layer. Carefully cover the plate with Saran Wrap and refrigerate until cold. Serve with good quality crackers.

#1086 - Microwave Pickles

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baronowski)

2 cucumbers (washed and sliced into coin shaped pieces)
1 onion (sliced crossways--separate into rings, and slice rings in half)
1 TBSP salt
1/2 TBSP mustard seed
1/2 TBSP celery seed
1/2 TBSP turmeric
1/2 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup white sugar

In a microwave safe bowl add salt, mustard seed, celery seed, turmeric, white vinegar and white sugar--stir until mixed. Add cucumber slices and sliced onions--stir. Cover with a piece of Saran Wrap--microwave on high for 8 minutes (stopping every 2 minutes to stir them). Pour the whole mixture into a large glass jar--put the lid on and let it sit on the counter until room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. You can eat them the next day. You MUST use a glass jar--any other container will get stains.

#1085 - Potato Pizza Casserole

(by Aunt Janie [McNevich] Baranowski)

4 cups sliced raw potatoes
1lb. ground chuck
1 chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 - 15oz. jar pizza sauce
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a greased 9 x 13 pan/dish add potato slices evenly. In a skillet brown the ground chuck with the chopped onions, salt and pepper. In a bowl add milk and cheddar cheese soup--stir. Add browned ground chuck to the cheese soup mixture--stir. Pour the cheese soup mixture on top of the potatoes. In a bowl add pizza sauce, oregano and white sugar--stir. Pour pizza sauce mixture on top of cheese soup mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, remove from oven, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, return to oven and bake 15 minutes longer.

#1084 - Blueberry Dream Whip Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - ready-made graham cracker crust (or make your own)
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1 cup Lucky Leaf blueberry pie filling

Prepare Dream Whip according to envelope directions--set aside. In a mixer add cream cheese and powdered sugar--beat. Add prepared Dream Whip to the cream cheese mixture in the mixer--beat. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly into graham cracker crust. Place the crust in refrigerator for one hour, then remove it from refrigerator and spread blueberry pie filling on top of cream cheese mixture in the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate overnight.

#1083 - No Apple Apple Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups water
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. cream of tartar
40-50 Ritz crackers (no generic substitutes)
1 lemon (for zest and 2 TBSP lemon juice)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 unbaked pie doughs

Squeeze lemon to get 2 TBSP lemon juice. Peel the rind of the lemon and scrape to get the zest--set aside. Spray Pam on the inside of a pie dish--add unbaked pie dough to the pie dish and spray the pie dough with Pam. Crush Ritz crackers into a bowl (large pieces, not crumbs)--set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat add water, white sugar and cream of tartar--stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, boil for 1 minute then add lemon zest and lemon juice--stir. Add crushed crackers to the cream of tartar mixture but do NOT stir--boil for another 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour entire mixture into the prepared pie dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top of the cracker mixture. Cut butter into small pieces and put it evenly on top of the cracker mixture. Place second pie dough on top--seal it (using water or Pam) and flute the edges. Use a sharp knife and make air holes in the top of the crust. Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust is browned. Cool completely.

#1082 - Liver and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. calves' liver
1 onion (sliced)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup canola oil + extra for frying onions
salt to your taste
1/2 cup water

In a bowl add flour--salt each side of each piece of liver. Dip each piece of liver in the flour (both sides) to coat. In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil. Put coated liver pieces in the skillet and brown liver pieces on both sides. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and put a lid on the skillet--turn heat back to low. Cook until liver is done to your liking. In a separate skillet add a little canola oil and sliced onions--cook and stir over medium heat until soft and brown. When both the liver and onions are done, serve sliced onions on top of liver.

#1081 - Zucchini Fritters

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups grated zucchini (peel before grating)
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
canola oil

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add grated zucchini, flour and grated Parmesan cheese--stir until mixed. In a frying skillet (over medium heat) add enough canola oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Drop large spoonfuls into the skillet (make sure they don't touch)--fry until bottoms are golden brown, then flip and fry opposite sides until golden brown. Set finished fritters on paper towels to soak up extra oil.

#1080 - Homemade French Bread Pizza

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 loaf French bread
1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
Your favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, etc.)

Slice the French bread loaf into 6" to 8" pieces, then slice each piece in half lengthwise. Spread pizza sauce on each bread slice, then place slices on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees just until the edges of the bread start to lightly brown. Remove from oven, add pizza toppings and shredded mozzarella cheese on top of bread slices. Return bread slices to oven and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and golden brown. Wait a few minutes before eating so you don't burn your mouth. This works best if your pizza toppings are at room temperature.