#943 - Chicken and Rice Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups cooked Carolina River rice (use 1 tsp. salt with rice when cooking)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 12oz. can Carnation evaporated milk
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 TBSP butter (melted)

Cook the rice according to package directions. Cook chicken breast and cut into bite sized pieces. In a small bowl add the eggs and beat them--add the pepper to the eggs and mix well. In a large bowl add cooked rice, shredded cheese, chicken pieces, evaporated milk, chopped onions, beaten eggs/pepper, parsley and melted butter--stir to mix. Pour all ingredients into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

#912 - Hot Dog Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

5-6 medium red potatoes (washed, scrubbed, and cut into thin slices)
8 hot dogs (beef, chicken, turkey--whatever you like) OR sausage
1 chopped onion
1/2 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup milk

Slice hot dogs into coin sized pieces. Grease a skillet and cook hot dog pieces and chopped onions over medium heat until browned. Once browned, turn heat to low and add flour to the hot dog pieces--stir. Add milk, salt and pepper--stir until thick. Remove from heat--add mustard and shredded cheddar cheese--stir. Grease a 2 qt. casserole--make alternating layers of the sliced potatoes and the hot dog mixture--end up with a layer of potatoes on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour uncovered--test with a fork to make sure potatoes are tender.

#882 - Creamed Dried Beef

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. can sliced mushrooms (diced into smaller pieces)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
@1 2/3 cups milk
1 - 5oz. package dried beef
4 slices bread (toasted)

Drain the mushrooms but save the liquid. Chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces--set aside. In a saucepan over low heat add butter--melt. Remove saucepan from heat--add pepper, flour--stir until thick. Pour reserved mushroom liquid into a measuring cup--add enough milk to the measuring cup to make 2 cups--add milk mixture to flour mixture in saucepan--stir. Return saucepan to stove over medium heat--stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Cut the dried beef into bite sized pieces--add chopped mushrooms and beef to the milk/flour mixture--stir and heat until hot enough to serve. Serve over toast.

#870 - Paprika Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 large baking potatoes
1/2 cup butter
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper

Melt butter in the microwave and pour into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Wash/scrub potatoes but do NOT peel--do not dry potatoes. Cut each potato in 8 wedges. In a bowl add Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper--stir. Put a few wedges in the bowl at a time and shake/toss to coat--place coated wedges in the baking dish (single layer). Repeat with all potato wedges--all wedges should be coated and in a single layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle any remaining spice mixture over the top of the potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes--turn potatoes over and bake another 15 minutes or until tender (test with a fork).

#798 - Green Beans with Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

10 slices bacon (cooked and drained--reserve 1/4 cup of bacon drippings)
2 - 16oz. bags frozen cut green beans
1lb. mushrooms (sliced)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 - 16oz. jar Cheez Whiz

Crumble the cooked bacon and set aside. Cook green beans according to package directions--drain well. In a skillet add reserved bacon drippings, sliced mushrooms and chopped onion--cook on medium and stir for about 10 minutes, then drain. Add the crumbled bacon (but reserve 2 TBSP crumbled bacon for later), cooked green beans and pepper to the skillet with the drained mushrooms and onions--stir lightly. Spray a 2 qt. casserole dish with Pam. Pour everything from the skillet into the casserole dish. Microwave the Cheez Whiz according to the label on the jar. Pour the melted Cheez Whiz on top of the green bean mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the 2 TBSP reserved crumbled bacon over the top. Bake at 350 degrees until hot enough to serve.

#780 - Turkey Noodle Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 1/2 cups Swanson chicken broth (or make your own)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 cups cooked and cubed turkey
8oz. medium egg noodles (raw)

In a large saucepan add broth, salt, pepper, celery, onion--bring to a boil. Add raw noodles--cook over medium heat until noodles are cooked to your taste. Add the turkey--stir and heat until hot enough to serve. If it seems too dry add more chicken broth.

#774 - One Pot Tuna and Noodles

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups water
8oz. extra broad egg noodles
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 - 10.75oz. Campbell's condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 - 6oz. can tuna (drained and flaked)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

In a saucepan over medium heat bring the water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil--add noodles and cook until tender. Add the frozen vegetables--cook until tender. Do not drain. Add the cheddar cheese soup--stir. Turn heat down to simmer. Add the flaked tuna, milk and pepper--stir. Heat until it's hot enough to serve. Place a lid on the saucepan, remove from heat and let it sit 5 minutes before serving.

#768 - Cauliflower and Brown Rice Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. sliced mushrooms
1 large chopped onion
2 TBSP butter
juice from 1 lemon
1 large head cauliflower (washed and broken into small pieces)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups cooked brown rice (cooked according to package directions)
2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt

In a saucepan over medium heat--add the butter and melt. Add the mushrooms, chopped onions, crushed garlic--saute until tender. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top of the mushroom mixture. Add basil and pepper--stir. In a separate saucepan add the cauliflower pieces--cover with water and add 1 tsp. salt--bring to a boil over medium heat, then boil for 5 minutes. Drain the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower to the mushroom mixture--stir. Add cooked brown rice to the mushroom mixture--stir. Grease a casserole dish. Pour entire mixture into the casserole dish. Cover the casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole--bake uncovered for 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.

#732 - Baked French Fries

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 large baking potatoes
salt and pepper to your taste
Pam cooking spray

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Wash but do NOT peel the potatoes. Cut the washed potatoes into wedges with the peel still on. If you slice them into very thick wedges you will have to increase your baking time. Spray a baking pan with Pam. Arrange the potato wedges in a single layer on the pan, then spray the top of the potato wedges with Pam. Sprinkle the potato wedges with salt and pepper to your taste. Bake 15-20 minutes, then turn potato wedges. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper to your taste. Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes more.

#717 - Boiled and Grilled BBQ Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
12 TBSP honey
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chives
1 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. salt

In a bowl add the pepper, red pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and chives--stir and save for grilling. Bring enough water to a boil with 1 tsp. salt to fit all of the chicken breasts. Boil the chicken in the boiling water for a few minutes to cook the insides of the chicken. Place chicken breasts on your BBQ grill (medium heat). Spread the BBQ sauce and honey on the top side, then sprinkle with the spice mixture you made earlier. Cook for five minutes on this side, then turn the chicken pieces. Spread the BBQ sauce and honey on the top side again and sprinkle with your spice mixture. Cook for 5 minutes on this side also. When you think the chicken is ready, use a knife to cut and check the center of each piece--if it's pink it's not ready yet--cook longer.

#655 - Three Cheese Potato Bake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1 - 8oz. sour cream
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 - 30oz. package frozen Ore Ida hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 - 2oz. jar pimentos (drained and chopped)
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Reynolds Pot Lux disposable 8 x 8 pan

In a bowl add soups, sour cream, pepper--stir. Add frozen hash browns--stir. Add chopped onions and drained/chopped pimentos--stir. Add cheddar cheese and swiss cheese--stir. Spray the disposable pan with Pam, then pour entire potato mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. Place the pan on a cookie sheet to catch drips. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown--make sure you use the cookie sheet to pick it up out of the oven because the throwaway pans are flimsy.

#590 - Potato Appetizers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 16oz. package sliced bacon
4 baking potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced into 1/8" chips)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Wash, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/8" chips. Place sliced potatoes into a bowl--add melted butter and pepper. Stir with a spoon until well coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a greased jelly roll pan (pan needs to have a lip). Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until tender. While potatoes are baking, cook bacon according to package directions. Crumble the cooked bacon into a bowl. After potatoes have baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and use tongs to turn each potato onto the other side. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese over the top of each potato. Return to oven and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

#545 - Baked Corn

(by Helen L. [Orwig] Clark)

1 14-16oz. can cream style corn
5 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup regular milk
2 beaten eggs
dash of cinnamon
2 TBSP melted butter

In a large bowl add corn, white sugar, flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg--stir well. Add the milk and stir. In a separate container beat the two eggs, then add the beaten eggs to the corn mixture and stir. Pour entire corn mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon and 2 TBSP melted butter over the top. Place baking dish on a cookie sheet to catch any spillage while baking. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

#536 - Grilled Corn on the Cob

(by Shirley McNevich)

ears of corn on the cob (still in the husks)
butter
ground pepper (preferably from a pepper mill)
salt

Carefully pull the husks down (but do NOT remove them) from each ear of corn. Butter them generously and grind pepper from a pepper mill on the butter (to your taste), then sprinkle with salt. Pull the husks back up and cook on the grill (you can also wrap each husked ear of corn in aluminum foil if you wish). Turn a few times while cooking. To check for doneness, carefully open one husk and poke corn with a fork--if it seems too hard, cook them longer.

#474 - Copper Pennies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2lb. carrots (washed and peeled)
1 medium chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's tomato soup
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the carrots into round coin-shaped pieces. Put carrots in a saucepan and cover them with water--add a tsp. salt to the carrots. Cook over medium heat until tender. Drain the carrots. In a bowl, add the tomato soup and white sugar--stir. Add mustard and Worcestershire sauce--stir. Add vinegar and canola oil--stir. Add chopped onion and chopped pepper--stir until mixed. Add carrots into the mixture and stir well. Taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper to your taste. Refrigerate everything at least overnight (two days is better) to marinate. Serve cold. It will keep in the refrigerator indefinitely if stored in glass with a lid.

#328 - Homemade Chicken Fingers

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves (cut crosswise into 1" strips)
2/3 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 egg, beaten slightly in 1/4 cup milk
3 TBSP melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray the foil with Pam. In a large Ziploc bag mix Bisquick, Parmesan cheese, salt, paprika, garlic salt and pepper. Mix beaten egg and 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and stir together. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, then drop in the Ziploc bag and shake to coat. Remove and repeat with all chicken pieces. Place breaded chicken pieces on the foil and drizzle melted butter over the chicken pieces. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-14 minutes, turning each chicken piece on the other side halfway through the baking.

#322 - Teriyaki Chicken Wings

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 green onions - thinly sliced
16 chicken wings, separated at the joints, wing tips discarded

Combine water, pepper, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, and ginger in a small saucepan. Gently heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in green onions. Place chicken wings in a large ziploc freezer bag. Pour in the teriyaki marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal. Turn bag to distribute the marinade over the wings. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with foil. Place chicken wings on the foil and cover with the marinade from the bag. Cover pan with more foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes to crisp up the skin.

#291 - Crispy Potato Pancakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups freshly grated Idaho potatoes
4 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup grated onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
canola oil for frying

Wash, peel, and grate potatoes into a bowl. Fill bowl with cold water to cover the grated potatoes. Set bowl with grated potatoes into the sink and turn cold water on slowly--keep the cold water running for about 5 minutes until the potato starch disappears. Drain water off of potatoes using a colander, then sprinkle grated potatoes on to paper towels on your counter and pat them completely dry. Mix eggs and flour together in a bowl until smooth, then add onion, salt and pepper and mix well. Add grated potatoes to egg mixture and stir until mixed (at this point, you can add grated cheese if you wish). Pour 1/4" of canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop 1/4 cup portions of batter into the oil--do NOT flatten yet--turn potato cake after 2 minutes using a spatula and then flatten using the spatula and brown other side for 2 more minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving--serve hot.

#262 - Tuna Ranch Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. your choice of pasta
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2/3 cup bottled ranch dressing
1 - 6oz. can tuna (drained)
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, but save 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Coat a large skillet with Pam and heat over medium heat--add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add vegetables and pepper to the onions and cook 5 minutes. Stir in ranch dressing, tuna, pasta, and saved pasta water--heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the sharp cheese. Transfer entire mixture into a 2 qt. casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sharp cheese over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

#254 - Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 lb. ground chuck
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 egg
2 slices bread broken into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 TBSP canola oil
2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's tomato soup

In a medium sized bowl, add all ingredients EXCEPT the tomato soup--mix them thoroughly with your hands. Form golf ball sized meatballs with the mixture using your hands. In a skillet, add 1 TBSP canola oil and brown the meatballs, turning until brown on all sides. Put meatballs in a Dutch oven or a crockpot. Pour the two cans of tomato soup in a bowl--use one of the empty cans, fill with water, and add the water to the soup and stir until mixed. Pour the soup over the meatballs--if using Dutch oven bake with lid on for 2 hours. If using a crockpot, you'll have to judge the time yourself.