Tuesday, March 31, 2015

#3447 - Hot Browns

(by Shirley McNevich)

white OR wheat bread (toasted)
deli turkey
deli ham
deli roast beef
deli provolone cheese
1 large sweet onion
2 TBSP butter
fresh tomatoes (sliced)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
cooked/crumbled bacon

Wash/peel the onion, slice it and separate into rings. In a skillet over medium heat add the butter--melt. Add the onions--cook/stir until caramelized, then remove from heat. Set your oven on broil. Place toasted bread on a foil lined cookie sheet. Place one slice of turkey, one slice of ham, and one slice of beef on each piece of toast. Spread caramelized onions, one tomato slice, crumbled bacon and fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top of the meat on each piece of toast. Carefully place one slice of deli provolone cheese on the top of each. Place the cookie sheet on the top rack of your oven and broil for 5-7 minutes or until sandwiches are hot and bubbling.

Monday, March 30, 2015

#3446 - Cider Vinegar Marinade

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups apple cider vinegar
4oz. canola oil
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
chicken OR beef

In a blender add cider vinegar, canola oil, soy sauce, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, salt and garlic powder--blend for 3-4 minutes. Place either chicken or beef into a Ziploc bag--pour the cider vinegar mixture into the bag with the meat. Squeeze out the air, seal the bag and shake/squeeze, then place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Grill or cook meat as desired.


Sunday, March 29, 2015

#3445 - Tortellini Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9oz. package cheese tortellini
10oz. fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (more if you wish)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small can sliced black olives (drained)
1 - 8oz. bottle robust Italian dressing
1 bag Italian style croutons
fresh ground black pepper (optional)

Prepare cheese tortellini according to package directions--drain but DO NOT rinse. Wash the baby spinach with cold water, then drain the spinach. Slice each cherry tomato in half. In a large bowl add drained cheese tortellini, drained baby spinach, drained olives, sliced cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and HALF of the Italian dressing--toss to coat. Add more dressing to suit your taste, then toss again. Top with Italian style croutons and fresh ground black pepper.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

#3444 - Caramel Chex Mix

(by Rachel [Guarini] Magid - friend)

4 cups plain popped popcorn
2 cups Corn Chex cereal
2 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup mixed nuts (optional)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
1/2 cup Nestle's white chocolate chips
1/2 cup Ocean Spray sweetened dried cranberries

In a roasting pan add plain popped popcorn, corn chex, rice chex and mixed nuts--stir and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat add butter, brown sugar and lite corn syrup--cook/stir until boiling. Remove from heat--pour the hot corn syrup mixture evenly over the cereal mixture--stir/toss to coat. Place the pan in the oven and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour (stirring every 15 minutes). Remove from oven and spread the mixture on wax paper to cool. Use your hands to break up any large clumps. Melt the white chocolate chips according to bag directions. In a bowl add 3 cups of the cereal mixture--pour the melted white chocolate chips over the 3 cups of cereal mixture--stir/toss to coat, then spread the mixture on wax paper to cool. Once coated cereal mixture is cooled, in a large mixing bowl add the plain cereal mixture, the white chocolate coated cereal mixture and the dried cranberries--toss to mix.

Friday, March 27, 2015

#3443 - Crushed Tomato Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

30oz. chicken broth
1 - 28oz. can crushed tomatoes (regular OR Italian style)
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper (to your taste)
Italian style croutons
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan over medium heat add chicken broth and crushed tomatoes--cook/stir until it just starts to boil. Turn heat back to low and cook/stir for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream--stir until well mixed. Add salt and pepper--stir. Taste--add more salt/pepper as necessary. Once you have the flavor right, carefully pour the whole mixture into a blender--set blender on puree and puree the soup until smooth. Pour soup into bowls, top with croutons and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

#3442 - Egg Noodle Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups bite sized cooked chicken pieces
4oz. wide egg noodles
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

Cook and drain the egg noodles according to bag directions but do NOT rinse. In a saucepan over medium heat add the cream of chicken soup, milk, fresh ground black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, chicken pieces and drained egg noodles--cook/stir until hot. Remove from heat--add chopped parsley--stir to mix.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

#3441 - Potluck Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups mayo
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 head of iceberg lettuce (washed and torn into bite sized pieces)
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
1 red onion (chopped)
9oz. frozen whole kernel corn (thawed, rinsed and drained)
3 celery ribs (chopped)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 slices of bacon (fried and crumbled)
3-4 hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped)

In a bowl add mayo, sour cream and garlic powder--stir well. In a large glass salad bowl spread half of the lettuce, half of the chopped green/red/yellow bell peppers, half of the onions, half of the corn, half of the chopped celery and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Spread half of the mayo mixture over the top. Make a second layer of all of the ingredients, with the last layer being the remaining mayo mixture. Cover and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, sprinkle the crumbled bacon and chopped eggs all over the top and use a salad fork/spoon to toss the whole mixture.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

#3440 - Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup cold buttermilk
2 TBSP Crisco shortening
2 TBSP butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour

In a bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt--stir to mix. Add Crisco and butter--mix with your hands to make crumbs. Add the cold buttermilk--work the mixture with your hands just until the dough forms. Use your hands (NOT a rolling pin) to spread the dough on a floured counter to 1" thick. Use a biscuit cutter (or the greased top of a drinking glass) to cut the biscuits and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-19 minutes or until golden brown.

Monday, March 23, 2015

#3439 - White Chocolate Pecan Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oats
2 cups Nestle's white chocolate chips (more if you wish)
1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add oats, chopped pecans and white chocolate chips-stir to mix. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

#3438 - Three Step Strawberry Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1/2 cup butter (melted); 1/3 cup white sugar; 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

Batter: 3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 2 eggs; 3/4 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. vanilla

Topping: 1 pint Breakstone's sour cream; 3 TBSP white sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla

Garnish: 1 pint fresh strawberries and white sugar (to your taste)

In a bowl add melted butter, 1/3 cup white sugar and the graham cracker crumbs--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Use the back of a spoon to press down and make it smooth. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Add 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Pour the batter over the warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. In a bowl add sour cream, 3 TBSP white sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla--stir well. Spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Return cheesecake to oven and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. The next day wash the strawberries, remove the stems and mash them in a bowl with a potato masher. Taste--if too sour, add 1 tsp. white sugar at a time and stir. Keep tasting/adding white sugar until you like the flavor. When serving, drizzle the strawberry mixture over each slice.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

#3437 - White Cranberry Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 12oz. frozen pink lemonade concentrate (thawed)
8 cups cold white cranberry juice cocktail
2 quarts cold club soda

In a large punch bowl add both cans of thawed pink lemonade concentrate and the cold white cranberry juice cocktail--stir until well mixed. Add both quarts of cold club soda--stir well. Serve immediately.

Friday, March 20, 2015

#3436 - Strawberry Pretzel Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups finely crushed thin pretzel sticks
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup butter (melted)
12oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 TBSP milk
1 cup Cool Whip (thawed)
2 cups boiling water
1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O
1 1/2 cups ice water
4 cups fresh strawberries (sliced)

In a bowl add finely crushed pretzels, 1/4 cup white sugar and melted butter--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add 1/4 cup white sugar and the milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add thawed Cool Whip--stir until mixed. Spread the mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust. Place the pan in the refrigerator. In a bowl add strawberry Jell-O powder and boiling water--stir until dissolved. Add ice water--stir until mixed. Refrigerate the mixture until it starts to gel. Once it starts to gel, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and add the sliced strawberries--stir to mix. Spread the Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for a few more hours before serving.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

#3435 - Cider Vinegar Kale Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 bunches of kale (washed, stems removed, and then chopped)
3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp. lemon juice
garlic powder
salt
pepper
1 small red onion (chopped)
1 or 2 hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped) - OPTIONAL
Caesar salad croutons

In a bowl add olive oil, cider vinegar and lemon juice--stir. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to your taste--stir well. In a large salad bowl add the chopped kale and chopped red onions--pour the dressing mixture over the kale/onions and toss to coat. If kale seems too dry, make a second batch of the dressing, pour as needed over the kale and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours before serving. Top with Caesar salad croutons. Optional--just before serving add the chopped eggs--toss well.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

#3434 - Dijon Potato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 1/4 lbs. red potatoes
1 tsp. salt (for cooking the potatoes)
3 TBSP cider vinegar
2 hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped--more if you wish)
1 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup mayo
1/3 cup honey-Dijon salad dressing
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
5 TBSP chopped celery (more if you wish)
1/2 to 1 tsp. celery seed
white sugar (if necessary)

Wash and peel the potatoes, cover them with water and add the salt--bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook the potatoes for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and cool them. Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces and place them in a large bowl. In a separate bowl add cider vinegar, chopped eggs, seasoning salt, pepper, mayo, honey-Dijon salad dressing, Dijon mustard, chopped celery and celery seed--stir well. Taste the dressing--if too sour add a little white sugar at a time and stir again. If too sweet add a little more Dijon mustard and stir again. Once you like the flavor, pour the dressing mixture over the potato pieces--toss to coat. Refrigerate until cold. Optional--if you like skins on your potato pieces, skip peeling the potatoes.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

#3433 - Irish Cabbage Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 head of cabbage
1lb. ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped onions (more if you wish)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 TBSP raw rice
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's tomato soup
1 - 8oz. can Hunt's tomato sauce

Slice and separate/cut the cabbage into bite sized pieces and spread them in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In a skillet over medium heat add ground chuck, chopped onions, chopped green bell peppers, salt, pepper and raw rice--cook/stir until beef is browned. Spread the ground chuck mixture evenly over the cabbage pieces. In a bowl add tomato soup and tomato sauce--stir to mix. Spread the tomato sauce mixture evenly over the beef mixture. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Monday, March 16, 2015

#3432 - Oreo Cookie Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar
1 cup thawed Cool Whip
20 Oreo cookies (crushed)
1 tsp. vanilla

Place a few cookies in a Ziploc bag at a time--close the bag and smash the cookies with a rolling pin (just so they are in broken pieces and NOT pulverized). Repeat with all cookies. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat. Add Cool Whip and vanilla--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add crushed Oreo cookie pieces--stir to mix. If frosting is too thin add a little more powdered sugar--stir well. If frosting is too thick add a little milk--stir well.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

#3431 - Dutch Oven Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups bread flour OR all-purpose flour
1 tsp. active dry yeast (make sure the yeast is not too old)
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP cornmeal

In a bowl add flour, yeast, white sugar and salt--stir to mix. Add the warm water--stir until mixed. Cover the bowl with Saran wrap, set the bowl on your counter and set a kitchen timer for 19 HOURS. After 19 hours, lightly sprinkle some flour on your counter. Place the dough (which will be "gooey") on the floured counter and turn/fold it a few times, adding more flour if necessary. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, sprinkle some more flour on the dough and use your hands to roll the dough into a ball. Sprinkle 1 TBSP of cornmeal on a towel to roughly the size of the dough ball. Place the dough ball on the cornmeal. Sprinkle the other 1 TBSP of cornmeal over the top of the dough. Place another towel over the top of the dough. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 3 hours). Place your Dutch oven (including the lid) in your oven and set the oven at 475 degrees. Once the oven is heated to 475 degrees, remove the hot Dutch oven, place the dough ball in the center of the Dutch oven, put the lid on the Dutch oven and put the whole thing in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place the Dutch oven on a wire rack for 1 hour before removing bread and slicing it.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

#3430 - Chicken Slider Sandwiches

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
1 bottle McCormick's Perfect Pinch spice mix (Cajun style)
1lb. bacon
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
8 slices of any kind of deli cheese
sliced tomatoes (halved)
lettuce
16 slider rolls

Cut the bacon slices in half and fry the bacon in a cast iron skillet until done but not too crispy--drain the bacon on paper towels but leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast, then slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise (through the middle) so you have thinner breast pieces. Afterward, slice each chicken piece in half. You should end up with 16 chicken pieces. Slice each piece of deli cheese into 4 equal pieces. Sprinkle the cajun seasoning over each chicken piece (to your taste) and place them in the skillet with the bacon grease--cook over medium heat until bottoms are browned, the flip them and continue cooking until chicken is done. Place some cooked bacon on top of each chicken piece (while chicken is still in the skillet) and place two squares of cheese on top of the bacon/chicken pieces. Hold a lid on the skillet just until the cheese starts to melt. Use a spatula to remove the chicken pieces and place them on the slider rolls. Drizzle a little BBQ sauce over each sandwich. Top with lettuce and tomato.

Friday, March 13, 2015

#3429 - Melted Chocolate Butter Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. Domino's powdered sugar
1/4 stick softened butter
2 TBSP milk (as needed)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 square Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate (melted)
a dash of salt (if necessary)

Melt the baking chocolate according to box directions, then cool slightly. In a mixer add butter--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat. Add vanilla and melted baking chocolate--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Taste--add a dash of salt if necessary and beat again. If frosting is too thick add milk 1 TBSP at a time and beat again. If frosting is too thin add a little more powdered sugar and beat again. RECIPE MAY BE DOUBLED IF NEEDED.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

#3428 - Buttermilk Chicken Strips

(by Shirley McNevich)

3lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
buttermilk
3 cups flour
3 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
canola oil
salt
pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half sideways (from one side to the other through the middle), then cut all of the chicken into strips. In a glass bowl add the chicken strips--pour buttermilk over the chicken strips until the chicken strips are covered. Cover the bowl and let them sit for 1 hour. In a bowl add the flour and Lawry's seasoning salt--stir to mix. Add 1/4 cup of buttermilk to the flour mixture--stir with a fork. Add a little more buttermilk at a time and stir until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add an inch or so of canola oil--heat oil until hot. Remove one chicken strip at a time from the buttermilk and dip/coat it in the batter mixture, then place it in the hot oil. Repeat with more chicken strips (but don't let them touch each other). When the bottoms are browned and crispy, flip the chicken strips until the other sides are browned and crispy. Set them on paper towels to soak up extra oil. Continue with remaining chicken strips.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

#3427 - Green Easter Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 jar green maraschino cherries (drained)
1 fresh lemon (more if you wish)
1 fresh lime (more if you wish)
46oz. Dole pineapple juice (cold)
1 - 2 liter ginger ale (cold)
2 quarts good quality lime sherbet

When ready to serve, use an ice cream scoop to scoop all of the lime sherbet into a large punch bowl. Slowly pour the cold pineapple juice and the cold ginger ale over the lime sherbet--stir. Slice the lemon and the lime--float the lemon and lime slices on top, as well as green marachino cherries. Optional: instead of draining the green maraschino cherries, you can also add the green marachino cherry juice but the flavor will be a bit sweeter.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

#3426 - Sour Cream Egg Noodle Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

12oz. raw egg noodles
2 - 10.75oz cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
8oz. Breakstone's sour cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3-4 cups bite sized cooked chicken pieces
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook and drain egg noodles according to bag directions--DO NOT RINSE. In a bowl add both cans of soup, sour cream, whole milk, salt and pepper--stir well to mix. Add the bite sized cooked chicken pieces and drained egg noodles--stir carefully to coat. Pour the whole mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In a separate bowl add crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter--stir. Spread the Ritz cracker mixture over the whole top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until hot. Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top before serving.

Monday, March 09, 2015

#3425 - Pepperoni Spaghetti Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. raw spaghetti
1lb. ground Italian sausage
pepperoni slices (cut into bite sized pieces)
26oz. pasta sauce
grated Parmesan cheese
1 - 8oz. bag Kraft Italian 3 Cheese Blend

Break the raw spaghetti in half, cook the spaghetti in salted water according to box directions, then drain but DO NOT RINSE.  Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Spread the drained spaghetti in the baking dish. In a skillet over medium heat add the ground Italian sausage--cook/stir until meat is browned. Spread the sausage evenly over the spaghetti. Pour the pasta sauce all over the top. Place a layer of pepperoni pieces all over the pasta sauce. Sprinkle the cheese blend all over the top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the three cheese blend. If you wish, spread more pepperoni pieces over the top of the cheese. Rip off a large piece of foil and spray it with Pam. Place the foil (Pam side down) over the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, remove the foil, return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and browned. Optional: if you want the pepperoni to be crispy, you can cook it slightly in the skillet after you remove the Italian sausage.

Sunday, March 08, 2015

#3424 - Easy Banana Cream Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 baked 9" pie crust
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup softened butter
1 TBSP vanilla
4 bananas
whipped cream OR thawed Cool Whip

Add 2 egg yolks to a small bowl--beat with a fork. In a saucepan over medium heat add 1/2 cup white sugar, cornstarch and milk--cook/stir until boiling. Use a spoon to add a little of the boiling milk mixture to the beaten egg yolks--beat with a fork, then slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the boiling milk mixture while stirring. Turn heat back a little and continue cooking/stirring until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat--add softened butter and vanilla--stir until mixed and smooth. Cool the mixture for 15 minutes. Peel 3 of the bananas and cut them into coin shaped pieces. Add the banana pieces to the milk mixture--stir carefully. Pour the milk mixture into the baked pie crust. Refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve spread whipped cream or Cool Whip over the whole top of the pie. Peel the last banana, slice it into coin shaped pieces and arrange them over the top of the whipped cream/Cool Whip.

Saturday, March 07, 2015

#3423 - Bacon and Beef Bean Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 chopped onion
1/2 lb. bacon
1 - 16oz. can pork and beans
1 - 16oz. can lima beans (drained)
1 - 16oz. can kidney beans drained)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 TBSP French's yellow mustard
2 tsp. cider vinegar (more if you wish)

Chop the raw bacon into bite sized pieces. In a Dutch oven add the ground beef, chopped raw bacon, chopped onions, salt and pepper--cook/stir over medium heat until meat is browned. Add pork and beans, drained lima beans, drained kidney beans, ketchup, mustard and cider vinegar--stir to mix. Place the lid on the Dutch oven--bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (stirring every 15 minutes) or until hot and bubbling.

Friday, March 06, 2015

#3422 - Crispy Lemon Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup softened butter
1 TBSP milk
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla


In a bowl add flour, white sugar, salt and baking soda--stir to mix. Cut in the softened butter using a pastry blender to make crumbs. Add milk, lemon zest and vanilla--stir with a fork until moistened. Use your hands to roll the dough into a dough ball. Cut the dough in half and roll each into a 2" thick dough log. Wrap each dough log with Saran wrap and refrigerate them overnight. The next day, unwrap one dough log and slice the dough with a sharp knife to make 1/8" thick cookies and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Repeat with all dough.

Thursday, March 05, 2015

#3421 - Cream Cheese Cherry Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained but reserve 2 TBSP of the liquid)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 21oz. can Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 - 6oz. ready-made graham cracker crust

In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add vanilla and reserved 2 TBSP pineapple juice--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1/4 cup of the drained crushed pineapple and 1/2 cup of the cherry pie filling--stir to mix. In a mixer add heavy cream and powdered sugar--beat until you get soft peaks. Add the cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture--stir until mixed. Spread the cream cheese mixture into the graham cracker crust. Spread the remaining cherry pie filling over the whole top, leaving 1" all the way around between the cherry pie filling and the outside of the crust. Spread the remaining drained crushed pineapple all the way around in the space between the cherry pie filling and the outside crust. Refrigerate until cold.

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

#3420 - Andes Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour (sift after measuring)
1 - 10oz. bag Andes Mints baking chips

In a mixer add butter, brown sugar and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda and baking powder--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add Andes Mints baking chips--stir to mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 90 minutes. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Place cookies on paper towels to cool. Note: if using just one cookie sheet keep remaining dough in refrigerator between baking.

Tuesday, March 03, 2015

#3419 - Parmesan Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 medium red potatoes (washed and halved lengthwise--do NOT peel)
9 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese (more or less to your taste)
6 TBSP butter (melted)
salt
pepper

Pour the melted butter into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Add salt and pepper to your taste--stir carefully. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the melted butter. Place the potatoes (cut side down) carefully into the butter mixture in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

#3418 - Ritzy Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup chopped onions
2-3 tsp. canola oil
15oz. chicken broth
6oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
3-5 large baking potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced thin)
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP butter (melted)
1-2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add canola oil and chopped onions--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add chicken broth, cubed cream cheese, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard--cook/stir until melted and blended. Taste--add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat--add sliced potatoes--stir to coat. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese all over the top (to your taste). Spread the crushed Ritz crackers all over the top. Drizzle the melted butter over the crushed Ritz crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped parsley evenly over the top. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes before serving.

Sunday, March 01, 2015

#3417 - Buttery Yellow Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add softened butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add baking powder, salt, milk and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frost as desired.