#3920 - German Red Cabbage

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter
5 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced green apples
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP water
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 onion (sliced; rings separated)

In a Dutch oven add butter, shredded cabbage, sliced onions, sliced apples, white sugar, water, vinegar, salt, pepper and ground cloves--cook/stir over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to low and simmer (with tilted lid) for 2 hours (stirring mixture every 15-20 minutes).

#3903 - Creamy Cucumber Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 large cucumbers (washed, peeled and thinly sliced)
1 sweet onion (peeled, thinly sliced and separated)
1 TBSP sea salt
1/2 to 1 cup mayo
2 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP white sugar
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper (less if you wish)

In a bowl add the sliced cucumbers, sliced onions and sea salt--toss to coat. Cover the bowl with Saran wrap and let it sit for 1 HOUR. After 1 hour, remove plastic wrap and drain off all liquid. Scoop the whole mixture into a collander. Fill a bowl 3/4 full with water (to provide some weight) and set the bowl carefully on top of the cucumber mixture in the collander (to help squeeze out more liquid). Let it sit for 30 minutes. In a bowl add mayo (start out with 1/2 cup--you can always add more later if needed), cider vinegar, white sugar, dried dill weed, garlic powder and pepper--stir to mix. Taste--if mixture is too sweet add more cider vinegar and stir again. If mixture is too sour add a little more white sugar and stir again. Once you like the taste, add the drained cucumbers/onions--toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Stir well before serving. NOTE: if you skip the steps for draining the cucumbers you will have a sloppy mess.

#3814 - Frozen Cucumbers and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

4lbs. cucumbers
8 cups sliced onions
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup water
4 cups white sugar
2 cups cider vinegar

Wash and slice the cucumbers. Place HALF of the sliced cucumbers into a large bowl, and the other half in a second large bowl. Place HALF of the sliced onions into each bowl with the sliced cucumbers. Pour HALF of the water into each bowl over the onions. Sprinkle HALF of the salt over the onions in each bowl. Cover each bowl with a tea towel and let them sit for 2 hours--do NOT drain. Add HALF of the white sugar and HALF of the cider vinegar to each bowl--stir the mixture in each bowl until the white sugar is dissolved. Taste the juice--if too sweet add more cider vinegar to each bowl and stir again. If too sour add more white sugar to each bowl and stir again. Divide both bowls of cucumber mixture into 2 cup size plastic containers with lids (leave a little empty space at the top of each container to allow for expansion during freezing). Place the lids on the containers and freeze them. After frozen, place one container in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and they will be ready to eat. Repeat when needed.

#3763 - Irish Brisket

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 carrots (washed, peeled and sliced)
10 small red potatoes (washed and quartered)
1 large onion (sliced and rings separated)
5-6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper (to your taste)
1 - 4lb. corned beef brisket with spice packet
1/2 of a large head of cabbage (cut into bite sized pieces)

Pour the beef broth into a crock pot. Salt/pepper all sides of the brisket (to your taste). Place the brisket in the center of the crock pot. Sprinkle the contents of the spice packet over the brisket. Place the lid on top and cook on low for 4 hours. Remove lid and add the carrots, potatoes and onions to the broth (adding more beef broth if necessary). Replace lid and cook on low for 3 hours. Remove lid and add the cabbage pieces to the broth (adding more beef broth if necessary). Replace lid and cook 1 hour longer or until cabbage is tender and brisket is tender. Optional: add your own mixture of spices in addition (or in place of) the spice packet.

#3761 - Baked Chicken and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter
2 sweet onions (peeled, sliced and rings separated)
a few garlic cloves (sliced thin)
1/4 cup A1 steak sauce (the thick and hearty variety)
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt
pepper
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper both sides of each chicken breast and place them in a greased glass baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat add butter--melt. Add sliced onions and cover the skillet--stir them every 3 minutes until they've cooked a total of 9 minutes. Add sliced garlic--keep cooking/stirring for around 10 minutes or until onions are a nice caramel brown color. Add the brown sugar and 3 TBSP of the A1 sauce--cook/stir until incorporated. Remove from heat. In a bowl add the remaining A1 sauce and the dijon mustard--stir to mix. Spread the mustard mixture evenly over each chicken breast. Use tongs to spread the onion mixture over the chicken breasts. Bake at 400 degrees 30-40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from oven and sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the chicken breasts.

#3740 - Sweet and Sour Kielbasa

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 TBSP butter
2 large onions (sliced, cut in half, and rings separated)
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
14oz. Heinz ketchup
3 TBSP cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce
2lb. kielbasa

Cut all of the kielbasa into 1" coin shaped pieces. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat add butter--melt. Add onions and kielbasa pieces--cook/stir until onions are tender and kielbasa is browned, then drain off any grease. In a blender add brown sugar, ketchup, cider vinegar, brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce--beat until mixed. Taste--if too sweet add more cider vinegar and beat again. If too sour add a little more brown sugar and beat again. Dump the kielbasa mixture into a crockpot and pour the ketchup mixture over the top--stir well to mix. Cook on low heat 5-6 hours. Serve with toothpicks.

#3686 - Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 TBSP canola oil
4 pork chops
1 red onion (sliced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP honey
salt
pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of each pork chop (to your taste). In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil. When oil is hot, add pork chops--cook both sides of each pork chop until browned, then place them on a plate but leave the drippings in the skillet. To the drippings in the skillet add sliced onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are soft. Add cider vinegar, soy sauce and honey--stir well. Place the pork chops back into the skillet--cover the skillet and turn heat back to simmer. Simmer the pork chops until pork chops are done (no longer pink inside). Place pork chops on plates and cover with the onion mixture.

#3683 - Sour Tomato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cucumbers (washed, peeled and sliced)
1 onion (peeled, sliced, then quarter the slices and separate them)
3 tomatoes (washed, sliced, then cut slices into strips)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil

In a small bowl add cider vinegar, white sugar, salt, black pepper and canola oil--stir well. Taste--adjust as necessary (more white sugar if too sour; more cider vinegar if too sweet). In a large bowl add cucumber slices, onions and tomato strips--toss with your hands to mix. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumber mixture--stir well. If you don't have enough liquid, re-make a second batch of the vinegar/white sugar/salt/pepper/canola oil mixture, pour it into the cucumber mixture and stir well. Cover and refrigerate a few hours before serving, but refrigerating overnight is preferable.

#3639 - Onion Sauce Skirt Steaks

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 - 6oz. skirt steaks
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion (sliced)
salt and pepper (to your taste)

Salt and pepper both sides of each skirt steak. In a skillet over medium heat add olive oil, then place the steaks in the skillet. Cook steaks on both sides until done to your taste. Place steaks on a serving plate to rest. To the drippings in the skillet add onions--cook/stir until softened. Add red wine vinegar--cook/stir until onion mixture is tender and hot. Serve the onion sauce over the steaks.

#3619 - Parmesan Peas and Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 medium onion (more if you wish)
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 TBSP butter
16oz. frozen peas
3 TBSP water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Parmesan cheese

Peel and slice the onion, then cut the slices in half. Separate the sliced onions. In a skillet over medium heat add butter, onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add frozen peas and water--cook/stir until boiling. Once boiling, turn heat back to simmer, tilt a lid on the skillet and simmer 5-7 minutes or until peas are tender. Remove from heat--add salt and pepper--stir. Scoop the mixture into a serving bowl and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

#3544 - Spicy Rotini Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. box rotini pasta (cooked and drained according to box directions, but do NOT rinse)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt (less if you wish)
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/2 cup sliced green bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
1/2 cup bite sized broccoli
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small bowl add canola oil, white vinegar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, white sugar, onion powder and dill weed--stir well to mix. In a large bowl add drained pasta, green bell peppers, sliced onions, sliced cucumbers and bite sized broccoli pieces--toss to mix. Pour the vinegar mixture over the pasta mixture--toss well. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Toss again before serving. Optional--sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and toss well just before serving.

#3518 - Tomato Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 large tomatoes (washed, cored and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 large onion (cut in half, thinly sliced, and separated)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper (more if you wish)

In a bowl add tomato pieces, onion pieces and Italian seasoning--toss and set aside. In a separate bowl add canola oil, cider vinegar, white sugar, salt and pepper--stir until white sugar is dissolved. Pour the dressing mixture over the tomato mixture--toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Toss again before serving.

#3297 - Cucumber and Onion Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 large cucumbers (washed, peeled and sliced thin)
1 white onion (washed, sliced thin and separated)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
1 TBSP pepper (LESS if you wish)
salt to your taste

In a bowl add white sugar, white vinegar, water, pepper and salt--stir well. Alternate making layers of cucumber slices, then onion slices in a 2 qt. casserole dish. Keep alternating layers until you run out of cucumber slices and onions. Slowly pour the vinegar mixture all over the cucumbers/onions. If the mixture does not cover everything, make a second batch of the white vinegar mixture and pour over the cucumber/onion mixture. Place the lid on the casserole dish and refrigerate overnight. The next day, taste--add more salt if necessary.

#2269 - Microwave Fried Onions

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 onion
1 TBSP olive oil
Montreal steak seasoning

Peel the onion, then slice it and separate the rings. In a microwave safe bowl add sliced onions and olive oil--stir to coat. Sprinkle some Montreal steak seasoning over the onions--stir to coat. Place bowl in microwave--microwave on high for 1 minute, then remove from microwave and stir onions. Return to microwave and heat on high in increments of 20 seconds, stirring in between and repeating until onions are tender. Use onions on hot dogs or hamburgers.

#2238 - Green Peppers and Steak

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 lbs. sirloin tip steak
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup water
1 medium onion (sliced)
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2 green bell peppers (sliced)
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 to 3 tsp. white sugar
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 tomatoes (sliced)
cooked rice

In a skillet add canola oil and steak pieces--cook over medium heat until bottoms are browned, then flip the steaks and brown them on the other side. Add water, sliced onions, garlic salt and sliced peppers--stir and bring to water to a boil. Once boiling, put a lid on the skillet, turn heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes. Drain the liquid from the steak mixture--add soy sauce, white sugar and cornstarch to the steak liquid--stir to mix, then pour it back over the steaks in the skillet. Add tomato slices to the top of the steaks--turn heat back to medium and cook until tomatoes are tender. Serve the steak mixture over cooked rice.

#1710 - Dill Weed Refrigerator Pickles

(by Shirley McNevich)

9 cups cucumber slices (wash but do not peel before slicing--slice into coin shaped pieces)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed
2 cups white sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sliced onions
a pinch of garlic salt
a pinch of dill weed

In a large bowl add white sugar and vinegar--stir. Add salt, celery seed, garlic salt and dill weed--stir. In a large glass jar add sliced onions and cucumber slices--pour the cider mixture over the cucumber and onions. Close the lid tight and let it sit on the counter overnight. The next day refrigerate--refrigerate for 4 days before eating.

#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.

#617 - 24 Hour Bread and Butter Pickles

(by Kenneth Miller - friend)

9 cups thickly sliced cucumbers (washed but not peeled)
2 cups thickly sliced onions
2 cups white sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. celery seed

Place sliced cucumbers and sliced onions in a 1 gallon glass jar OR a stainless steel pot OR a granite pot--set aside. In a saucepan add white sugar, cider vinegar, salt, celery seed and mustard seed. Turn heat on high--stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour this juice over the cucumbers. Place Saran Wrap over the jar/pot--let stand for 24 hours. The next day using a large pot, empty the cucumbers and juice into the pot. Heat just until very hot (not boiling). Put pint jars in the oven on the racks and set temp. to 200 degrees. Take the jar lids and rings and cover them with water in a saucepan--bring them to a boil. Put cucumbers/onion/juice in each jar until you run out of the mixture. Take a tableknife and insert it all around the sides and middle of the jars to get the air bubbles out. Put the ring and center piece on each jar and turn tightly. Put the jars on a surface that can safely stand heat. Let them cool and as they cool they will seal themselves. If the jars seal properly, they will last about 2 years. Once you open a jar, refrigerate it. If any jars have buttons that don't go down, use those jars first because they didn't seal.