Monday, March 31, 2014

#3088 - Creamy Rhubarb Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
3 cups bite sized rhubarb pieces
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cream
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

Prepare cake mix according to box directions--pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Spread the rhubarb pieces evenly over the top of the batter. In a bowl add cream and white sugar--stir to mix. Pour the cream mixture evenly over the rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. When serving, serve each piece upside down and top each piece with Cool Whip.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

#3087 - Applesauce Nut Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 - 3oz. box Jell-O vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups plain applesauce
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup canola oil
3 eggs
Domino's powdered sugar for sprinkling

In a saucepan add raisins--cover with water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, then drain them. In a mixer add yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, canola oil and eggs--beat. Add cinnamon and applesauce--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped nuts--stir. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Dust each piece with powdered sugar when serving.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

#3086 - Sweet Corn and Onions Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

5-6 ears sweet corn
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white sugar
1 small red onion (chopped)
4 TBSP cider vinegar
4 TBSP olive oil
more salt (IF necessary)
fresh ground black pepper

Husk the corn. Add the sweet corn cobs to a large pot--cover with water and add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. white sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling cook the corn for 6 minutes (if you like the corn chewy) or 12 minutes (if you like the corn soft). Drain the corn, place the cobs in a collander and rinse with cold water until the corn is at room temperature. Into a large bowl, use a sharp knife to slice the corn and its juice from the cob. Repeat with all corn. Once all of the corn is in the bowl, add the chopped onions, cider vinegar and olive oil--stir to mix. Add fresh ground black pepper to your taste--stir well. Taste--if not salty enough, add 1/8 tsp. of salt at a time--stir again and taste again. Add more salt as needed. Refrigerate until cold before serving. If you let the corn salad in the refrigerator overnight, stir it well before serving (and if too much liquid has accumulated, use a spoon to discard some of the liquid).

Friday, March 28, 2014

#3085 - Deviled Eggs and Ham

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 hard boiled eggs
3 TBSP minced onions (optional)
3 TBSP minced celery
1/2 cup small cubed cooked ham pieces
4 TBSP minced pickles OR pickle relish
2-4 heaping TBSP mayo
1/4 tsp. dill
1-2 tsp. French's yellow mustard (optional)
white sugar if necessary
salt
pepper
finely shredded cheddar cheese (ROOM TEMPERATURE)

Hard boil 8 eggs, then cool and peel eggs. Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Use a fork and remove yolks and place the yolks in a small bowl. Add minced onions, minced celery, cubed ham, pickles/relish, dill, mustard and 2 TBSP mayo to the yolks--stir well. If mixture is too dry, add more mayo and stir again. Taste--if too sour add a little white sugar and stir again. Add salt and pepper if necessary--stir well. Use one heaping tsp. of yolk mixture to fill each egg white half. Place completed deviled eggs on a jelly roll pan (pan with a lip) and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top of each deviled egg. Turn oven to broil and place deviled eggs under the broiler just until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

#3084 - Chocolate Crunch Bars

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1/2 cup softened butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 square Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate (melted according to box directions)
1 cup chopped nuts
1 pint Fluff marshmallow creme
1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 cup Jif peanut butter
1 cup rice krispies cereal

In a mixer add butter and eggs--beat. Add flour, baking powder, white sugar and salt--beat for 1 minute. Add melted chocolate and chopped nuts--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven--spread the whole jar of Fluff all over the top. Return to oven and bake for 3 more minutes. Remove from oven--spread melted marshmallow evenly all over the top until smooth. Cool completely. In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate bits and peanut butter--microwave on high in 20 second increments until melted, then stir until smooth. Add rice krispies--stir until mixed. Spread the rice krispies mixture over the cooled mixture. Cool to room temperature. Cut into bars or squares.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

#3083 - Fresh Tomato Pasta

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. any shape pasta
1/2 lb. of your favorite Italian sausage (loose)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onions
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. whole tomatoes (chopped)--more if you wish
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain pasta according to box directions but do NOT rinse--set aside. Cut the sausage into coin shaped pieces, remove the casings from each sausage piece, then cut each sausage piece into quarters. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil, loose sausage pieces and chopped onions--cook/stir until sausage is browned and onions are tender. Add the minced garlic, salt, pepper and chopped tomatoes--cook/stir until mixture is hot. Remove from heat--add drained pasta--stir to mix. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

#3082 - Mahogany Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup boiling water

In a mixer add eggs, Crisco, sour cream, cocoa and vanilla--beat until mixed, then beat for 2 minutes. Sift the flour, white sugar, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to batter--beat until mixed, then beat for 1 minute. Slowly add boiling water--beat. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.


Monday, March 24, 2014

#3081 - Chocolate Upside Down Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
4 tsp. baking powder
4 TBSP softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping: 1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed); 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa; 2 cups hot water

In a mixer add 1 1/2 cups white sugar and butter--beat. Add salt, baking powder and vanilla--beat. Add milk and 2 TBSP cocoa--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Add chopped walnuts--beat. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan--set aside. Topping: in a bowl and brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa--stir until mixed. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the cake pan. Slowly pour the 2 cups of hot water evenly over the whole top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Loosen edges of cake and invert it on to a cake plate.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

#3080 - Hash Browns and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

2-4 red potatoes (washed, peeled and shredded)
1/2 cup chopped onions
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheese (optional--your choice of type)

Shred the potatoes into a bowl. Take a paper towel and place a handful of the shredded potatoes into the paper towel. Close the paper towel and squeeze to get as much moisture out of the potatoes as possible (you may want to do this again with another paper towel). Dump the dry shredded potatoes into a separate bowl. Repeat with all of the shredded potatoes--get them as dry as you can. In a skillet at some olive oil and the chopped onions over medium heat--cook/stir until onions are tender. Dump the onions into the dry shredded potatoes--use your hands to mix them together. Place some olive oil into a skillet and turn heat to medium--when pan is hot, sprinkle a handful of the potato/onion mixture into the pan and press it flat using a spatula (to about the size of a small plate) . When bottom side is well browned, use a spatula to flip it and brown the other side. Remove it from the pan and repeat with remaining potatoes/onions. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper (and also shredded cheese if you wish).

Saturday, March 22, 2014

#3079 - Sour Cream Spice Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups Breakstone's sour cream
2 cups raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Put the raisins in a saucepan, cover them with water, bring to a boil and cook them for five minutes. Drain the raisins and set aside. In a mixer add white sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon and baking soda--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained raisins and chopped nuts--stir to mix. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Friday, March 21, 2014

#3078 - Hot Water Chocolate Cake

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1/2 cup softened Parkay margarine
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
a dash of salt
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup boiling water

In a mixer add Parkay and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, cocoa and salt--beat. Add baking soda and baking powder--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add boiling water--stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

#3077 - Lemon Cheese Salad

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

Crust: 12 whole graham crackers (crushed); 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup butter
Filling: 1 - 3oz. box lemon Jell-O; 1 1/2 cups boiling water; 6oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 3/4 cup white sugar; 3/4 cup cottage cheese; 1 envelope Dream Whip (prepared according envelope directions); 1/2 cup chopped Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1/2 cup chopped Nestle's butterscotch chips

Crust: in a bowl add crushed graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup white sugar and butter--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Spread the crumbs on the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. Use the back of a spoon to smooth it out the crust--set aside. In a blender or a chopper, chop the chocolate chips and the butterscotch chips. In a bowl add lemon Jell-O and boiling water--stir with a whisk until mixed. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until partially set. In a mixer add cream cheese and 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add cottage cheese--beat. Remove from mixer--add prepared Dream Whip, the chopped chocolate chips and chopped butterscotch chips--stir to mix. When Jell-O mixture is partially set, add the Jell-O mixture to the cream cheese mixture--stir well. Spread the whole mixture over the graham cracker crust. Refrigerate overnight.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

#3076 - Garlic Bacon Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

6-8 slices of bacon (cut into 1" pieces)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
1lb. fresh or frozen green beans (thawed and drained if frozen)
1 cup water
good pinch of salt
ground black pepper to your taste

If using fresh green beans wash them, cut off the ends and cut them into small pieces. Place bacon pieces in a skillet--cook/stir until bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon pieces and set them inside. To the hot fat still in the skillet add the chopped onions and garlic--cook/stir in the bacon fat until onions are tender. Slowly add the water and the green beans--cook/stir until water is gone and beans are tender (if beans are not yet tender, add a few more TBSP of water and keep cooking/stirring). Remove from heat--sprinkle salt and pepper over the top of the green bean mixture. Crumble the cripsy bacon and sprinkle the crumbled bacon all over the top of the bean mixture.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

#3075 - Orange Pineapple Salad

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

1 - 20oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained but save 1/2 cup of the juice)
1 - 11oz. can mandarin oranges (drained but save 1/2 cup of the juice)
2 - 3oz. boxes orange Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup white sugar
4 TBSP flour
2 TBSP butter
1 beaten egg
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

In a bowl add both boxes of orange Jell-O powder and the boiling water--whisk until dissolved. Add the drained crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges and mini marshmallows--stir. Pour the mixture into a serving dish--refrigerate until cold and set. In a saucepan (not on heat yet) add white sugar and flour--stir. Add 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and 1/2 cup mandarin orange juice--stir well. Add butter and beaten egg--stir. Turn heat to medium--cook/stir until mixture is thickened. Cool to room temperature, then add the Cool Whip--stir well. Pour the whole Cool Whip mixture over the cold Jell-O mixture. Refrigerate until cold.

Monday, March 17, 2014

#3074 - Rhubarb Salad

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 cups small rhubarb pieces
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 - 3oz. box strawberry OR raspberry Jell-O

In a saucepan add rhubarb pieces, white sugar and water--cook/stir over medium heat until rhubarb is soft. Remove from heat--add Jell-O powder--stir until dissolved. Pour mixture into a glass serving bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.


Sunday, March 16, 2014

#3073 - Green Pepper Cabbage Slaw

(by Becky Lynn Mohr)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
1 head of cabbage (shredded)
1 tsp. salt
2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. celery seed

In a bowl add shredded cabbage--sprinkle the salt over the top. Let it stand for one hour, then drain off any liquid. Add the chopped green bell peppers and chopped carrots. In a saucepan add the white sugar, water and cider vinegar--bring to a boil and stir. Remove from heat and cool it to room temperature. Sprinkle the mustard seed and celery seed over the cabbage mixture. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cabbage mixture--stir well. Divide the cabbage mixture into plastic containers and place them in the freezer. When you're ready to eat it, remove one container at a time and bring it to room temperature.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

#3072 - Microwave Green Bean Casserole

(by Becky Lynn Mohr - friend)

2 - 10oz. packs frozen french cut green beans (thawed, rinsed in hot water and drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup1 can French's french fried onion rings

Grease a microwave safe casserole dish. Put the drained green beans in the casserole dish. Pour the mushroom soup over the green beans. Sprinkle the french fried onion rings all over the top. Cover with wax paper and cook on high for 5-8 minutes or until hot.


Friday, March 14, 2014

#3071 - Sweet Corn Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 ears of sweet corn
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 TBSP butter (cut into small pieces)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Husk the corn. Holding one ear of corn at a time over a bowl, use a sharp knife to cut the corn from the cob into the bowl. Once all of the corn is off of the cob, turn the knife around and use the dull side to continue scraping the cob on all sides to remove any of the leftover liquid (corn milk) from the cob so it goes into the bowl. Repeat with all of the sweet corn. Add the heavy cream to the corn--stir. Add the salt and pepper--stir. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the corn--stir well. Pour the whole mixture into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand for 2-3 minutes, then stir well before serving.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

#3070 - Hawaiian Wedding Cake

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1 box Duncan Hines deluxe yellow cake mix (cake mix should have pudding in the mix)
1 - 11oz. can mandarin oranges (drained but save the juice)
3/4 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1/2 cup Dole crushed pineapple (drained)
Frosting: 1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed); 1 - 3oz. box Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding; 1 1/4 cups milk; 1 cup Dole crushed pineapple (drained); 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a mixer add cake mix, canola oil and eggs--beat. Add the mandarin orange juice--beat. Add 1/2 cup coconut--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained mandarin oranges and 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple--stir. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frosting: in a mixer add vanilla instant pudding powder and milk--beat until thickened. Add Cool Whip--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1 cup drained crushed pineapple and 1 cup coconut--stir. Frost the cake.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

#3069 - Orange Fluff

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 - 3oz. box orange Jell-O
1 - 11oz. can mandarin oranges (drained)
1 - 16oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained)

In a bowl add mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple--stir. Add Jell-O powder--stir well. Add Cool Whip and cottage cheese--stir to mix. Refrigerate until cold.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

#3068 - Cherry Crumb Pie

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1 unbaked deep dish pie crust dough
2 - 21oz. cans Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling
1 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 TBSP butter

Grease a 10" deep dish pie plate. Insert the deep dish pie dough, flute the edges and spray the inside of the dough with Pam. In a bowl add both cans of cherry pie filling and cornstarch--stir to mix. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. In a bowl add flour, brown sugar and butter--mix with a pastry blender to make crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the cherry mixture. Place foil strips over just the edges of the pie crust. Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, remove the foil strips and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cherry mixture is hot and bubbling. Cool completely.

Monday, March 10, 2014

#3067 - Crockpot Reuben Casserole

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

2 lbs. deli sliced corned beef
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Hellmann's mayo
16oz. sauerkraut (well drained)
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Cut all of the corned beef slices into bite sized pieces. In a crockpot layer some corned beef, then some mayo, then some shredded cheddar cheese, then some sauerkraut, then some shredded Swiss cheese. Keep repeating the layers until you run out of ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Serve the mixture over toast slices.

Sunday, March 09, 2014

#3066 - Brown Sugar Cream Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked pie crust dough
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 TBSP softened butter
1 cup cream
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBSP flour

Grease a 9" pie plate, insert the dough, flute the edges and spray the inside of the dough with Pam. In a blender add cream and milk--blend. Add cinnamon, flour and salt--blend. Add butter--blend. Add brown sugar--blend. Pour mixture into the pie dough. Place the pie on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Cool to room temperture, then refrigerate until cold.

Saturday, March 08, 2014

#3065 - Brown Bag Apple Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup white sugar
3 heaping TBSP flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick cold butter
1 - 9" unbaked pie crust dough
7-8 baking apples (washed, peeled, cored and sliced)
extra cinnamon and white sugar for sprinkling

Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam--insert the pie dough, flute the edges and spray the inside of the dough with Pam. In a bowl add white sugar, flour, and cinnamon--stir. Add lemon juice and sliced apples--stir well. Pour the apple mixture into the pie dough. Slice the cold butter into small pieces and place them evenly over the apples. Optional: sprinkle some more cinnamon and white sugar all over the top. Slide the pie into a large brown paper bag, fold the bag a few times and staple it shut. Place the whole thing on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour. Cut the bag off and let the pie cool.


Friday, March 07, 2014

#3064 - Cheddar Cheese Tuna Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 regular sized cans of tuna (drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1 small onion (chopped)
1 1/2 lbs. shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
12oz. frozen peas (thawed and drained)
1lb. egg noodles (cooked and drained according to bag directions)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (crushed)

Flake the tuna into a bowl. Add the cheddar cheese soup, chopped onions, cream of mushroom soup and drained peas to the tuna--stir to mix. Add the cooked/drained egg noodles--stir until mixed. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese over the noodle mixture. Pour the rest of the noodle mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes longer.

Thursday, March 06, 2014

#3063 - Easy Chocolate Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
Frosting: 1/2 stick butter (melted); milk as needed; 1 tsp. vanilla; 8oz. Domino's powdered sugar

In a mixer add brown sugar and Crisco--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda and salt--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. Add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chocolate chips--stir. Press the batter into a greased and floured 15 x 10 jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frosting: in a bowl add melted butter, vanilla and powdered sugar--mix until smooth. If too thick add 1 TBSP milk and a time and stir again. Frost the top of the cooled mixture. Cut into bars or squares.

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

#3062 - Blackberry Jam

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 quart fresh blackberries (very ripe)
1/2 cup Domino's SUPERFINE sugar (NOT regular white sugar)
1 lemon

Wash and rinse the blackberries, then drain them. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the small core of each blackberry if present (it's usually whitish in color and will be hard if the berry isn't quite ripe). If the blackberries have hollow centers then the cores have already been removed. Place the blackberries in a food processor or blender and coarsely chop them. Juice the lemon. Pour the chopped blackberries, superfine sugar and 2 TBSP of fresh lemon juice into a bowl--stir well to mix. Transfer the mixture into a skillet--turn heat to medium and bring to a boil (you can stir the mixture once or twice, but do NOT stir constantly). Once boiling, cook for 10-14 minutes or until very thick (only stir occasionally). Once mixture is very thick, scoop the hot mixture into a glass bowl and cool the jam to room temperature. Once at room temperature, you can use the jam right away. Store the remaining jam in the refrigerator in a glass jar that has a lid. Jam will only last a few days.

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

#3061 - Double Chocolate Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Topping: 2 cups mini marshmallows; 1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits; 1 1/2 cups Kellogg's rice krispies cereal; 1 cup Jif peanut butter

In a mixer add white sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add baking powder, salt and cocoa--beat. Add chopped pecans--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. As soon as you take it out of the oven, spread the mini marshmallows evenly over the top. Return it to oven and bake 3-5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are melted. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. While it's cooling, in a saucepan over low heat add chocolate bits and peanut butter--cook/stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat--add the rice krispies--stir to mix. Spread the whole rice krispies mixture over the top of the cooled mixture. Cool completely, then refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars or squares.

Monday, March 03, 2014

#3060 - Cream of Chicken Potato Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 red potatoes (peeled, cooked with 1 tsp. salt, cooled and sliced)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream

In a large bowl add the soup, shredded cheddar cheese, softened butter, chopped onions and sour cream--stir until mixed. Add the sliced cooked potatoes--stir lightly to coat. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until hot.

Sunday, March 02, 2014

#3059 - Vegetable Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. shredded cheese (your choice of type)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 - 16oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained)

Place drained vegetables in a greased casserole dish. In a saucepan add 1/4 cup of the butter--cook/stir over low heat until melted. Add the shredded cheese--cook/stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Pour the melted cheese mixture over the vegetables--stir to mix. Melt the other 1/4 cup of butter and add it to the cracker crumbs--stir. Spread the cracker mixture over the top of the vegetables. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot.

Saturday, March 01, 2014

#3058 - Baked Chicken and Rice

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups raw Minute rice
2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cooked and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of raw chicken breasts, then cook them until done. Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle the raw rice evenly over the bottom of the buttered baking dish. In a bowl add both cans of mushroom soup with the milk--stir until mixed. Pour the mushroom soup mixture carefully over the raw rice. Place the cooked chicken pieces evenly over the soup mixture. Sprinkle the envelope of Lipton onion soup mix evenly over the top of the chicken pieces. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until rice is cooked.