#583 - Brown Sugar Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick of butter OR Parkay
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
(if you want to make them into spice cookies, add 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. ground cloves to the batter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer add butter/margarine, brown sugar, egg--beat until smooth. Add vanilla, baking powder, salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. On a floured counter, roll out the dough and flour it on top. Use a rolling pin to roll dough to 1/8" thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

#582 - Grilled Chicken Rub Fajitas

(by Shirley McNevich)

This rub makes enough for 1 large chicken breast. Double it, triple it, etc. depending on the number of chicken breasts you are going to grill.

2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBSP fresh or dried parsley
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. salt

Fajitas: soft taco or soft tortilla shells, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce.

Mix all rub ingredients in a bowl--stir with a spoon. Poke the chicken breast all over with a fork. Rub both sides of the chicken breast with the rub. Drop the chicken breast in a Ziploc bag along with the remaining rub liquid. Seal the bag and work it around in your hands to distribute the rub all through the chicken breast. Allow it to marinate in the bag at least two hours before grilling. Turn on the grill and place the chicken breast AWAY from the direct flame (or the outside will get done and the inside will be raw). Flip occasionally while grilling. When you think it's ready, take the chicken breast off of the grill and slice it in half--grill longer if inside isn't cooked well. When fully cooked, cube the chicken. Place some cubed chicken, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce into soft taco or soft tortilla shells--roll to hold ingredients. One large chicken breast makes about 2 fajitas.

#581 - Barbeque Sauce

(by Aunt Faye [Herman] Minier)

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
3 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP white sugar
1 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 cup water
6 TBSP chopped onion

Add all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat--stir and bring to a boil--boil for 5 minutes, then turn heat off. Use the sauce on beef, chicken, or pork.

#580 - Red Beets

(by Aunt Mae [Herman] Cook)

fresh red beets (as many as you want to use)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 heaping cup white sugar
2 cups of the cooked beet water (explained below)
1 TBSP salt

Wash red beets, then twist the top and bottom roots off using your hands. Scrub each red beet with a vegetable brush so they are really clean. Place cleaned beets in a large cooking pot and cover completely with water. Turn stove heat on high--when it comes to a boil turn heat back to medium (if you use a lid, make sure it's tilted so juice doesn't cook out). After you turn heat back to medium, cook the beats for 1 hour--to test for doneness use a meat fork. They should be tender like a cooked potato when they're ready. Turn heat off, use tongs to take each beet out of the pot and transfer all of them into another large granite or stainless steel pot (NOT the juice--do not use a teflon pot). Let beets cool, then remove the top layer of skin from each beet (they come off very easily). Slice each beet into coin shaped pieces (or you can halve and quarter them). Return sliced beets to the pot you used to cool them. In a large bowl, add 2 cups of the red beet water that's still on the stove, white sugar, salt, and vinegar--stir. Pour this juice mixture over the red beets. You will remake this same juice mixture over and over until all of the beets are completely covered. Let the beets stand in the juice overnight with a lid. Let the extra beet water sit also in case you need to make more beet juice when canning. The next day put the pot containing the beets/juice on the stove and turn heat on medium until it gets very hot (but not boiling). Put center part of canning lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, then turn heat for the lids down to low. Wash pint or quart sized canning jars, then place them in the oven and set oven to 200 degrees. When jars are hot and beets are hot, fill each jar (using tongs to hold the jars) with red beets and juice. Use a table knife and poke it all the way to the bottom of the jar when you think it's full with beets and juice--this will get rid of the air bubbles. Use a damp dishcloth to wipe the top edge of the jar--use a fork to pull out one canning lid and place it on top of the jar. Put the metal ring on top and make it as tight as you can. Sit the filled jars on a heatproof surface. Let them sit until they seal (you will hear them pop and the center of the lid will pop--takes about an hour until you start hearing the pops). Let them cool to room temperature. You can store the ones you're going to eat right away in the refrigerator. Store the rest in cupboards--they will last up to 2 years. If you get a jar that doesn't pop, use that one first because it won't keep.

#579 - Quick Taco Bake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 medium chopped onion
1 envelope taco seasoning mix (1.25oz. size)
1 - 15oz. can Hunt's tomato sauce
1 - 15.25oz. Del Monte whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 eggs (beaten)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a skillet to brown the ground chuck. salt, pepper and chopped onion--drain when browned. In a 13 x 9 x 2 greased baking dish, spoon ground chuck into the bottom evenly. In a bowl add taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce and corn--stir and spoon over the top of the ground beef evenly. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of corn mixture. In a bowl add Bisquick, beaten eggs, and milk--stir until mixed. Pour batter mixture on top of shredded cheese evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown--can be served with sour cream.

#578 - Fresh Peach Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cups white sugar
3 TBSP flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
5 cups sliced fresh peaches
2 TBSP butter
2 - 9" ready-made or homemade pie crusts (unbaked)
1 egg white (beaten)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray inside of a 9" pie plate with Pam cooking spray. Place one crust into the pie plate and spray inside of crust with Pam also. In a bowl add white sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt--stir well. Add sliced peaches to the mixture and stir lightly. Pour peach mixture into the pie crust and dot with 2 TBSP butter. Add top crust, use Pam or water to seal while crimping the edges of the pie doughs together. Use a sharp knife to poke holes through the top crust all the way to the bottom of the pie for air. Use the same knife to make a dime-sized hole right in the center of the pie. Beat the egg white and brush the egg white all over the top crust. Sprinkle a tsp. or two of white sugar over the top of the crust. Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You can cover crust edges with foil and remove foil when there is 10 minutes left of baking--this keeps the edges from burning.

#577 - Easy Snickers Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 regular size Snickers candy bars
12oz. Cool Whip
1 ready-made graham cracker crust

Place Snickers bars in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave until melted and you are able to stir the mixture. Add Cool Whip to the mixture and fold in Cool Whip using a spoon. Scoop mixture into the graham cracker crust evenly. Refrigerate at least a few hours before serving (preferably overnight). Top with more Cool Whip if desired.

#576 - Fresh Cherry Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 ready-made or homemade 9" pie crusts
4 cups pitted fresh sour cherries
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup quick cook tapioca pudding mix
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 TBSP butter OR Parkay margarine
butter for dotting
1 egg white (lightly beaten)
2 tsp. white sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of a 9" pie plate with Pam cooking spray. Place one crust into the pie plate and spray inside of crust with Pam also. In a bowl add pitted cherries, white sugar, tapioca mix, salt and vanilla--stir well and let it stand for 10 minutes. Pour cherry mixture into the pie crust and dot with 2 TBSP butter or Parkay margarine. Add top crust, use Pam or water to seal while crimping the edges of the pie doughs together. Use a sharp knife to poke holes through the top crust all the way to the bottom of the pie for air. Use the same knife to make a dime-sized hole right in the center of the pie. Beat the egg white and brush the egg white all over the top crust. Sprinkle a tsp. or two of white sugar over the top of the crust. Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes--reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You can cover crust edges with foil and remove foil when there is 10 minutes left of baking--this keeps the edges from burning.

#575 - Fresh Blueberry Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - pie crust doughs (or make your own from scratch)
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, thaw for 1 hour at room temperature and drain them)
3/4 cup white sugar (and some extra for sprinkling)
1/3 cup quick cook tapioca pudding mix
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 egg white (lightly beaten)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray inside of a 9" pie plate with Pam cooking spray. Place one crust into the pie plate and spray inside of crust with Pam also. In a bowl add blueberries, 3/4 cup white sugar, tapioca mix, lemon juice and lemon zest--stir well and let it stand for 5 minutes. Pour blueberry mixture into the pie crust. Add top crust, use Pam or water to seal while crimping the edges of the pie doughs together. Use a sharp knife to poke holes through the top crust all the way to the bottom of the pie for air. Use the same knife to make a dime-sized hole right in the center of the pie. Beat the egg white and brush the egg white all over the top crust. Sprinkle a tsp. or two of white sugar over the top of the crust. Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes--reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown. You can cover crust edges with foil and remove foil when there is 10 minutes left of baking--this keeps the edges from burning.

#574 - Tuna a la King

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 6.5oz. can Bumblebee white albacore tuna (drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8.5oz. can peas (drained)
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

In a microwave safe bowl combine all ingredients (make sure to flake the tuna)--stir with a spoon until mixed well. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes--stir again. Return to microwave and heat 2 more minutes on high. Serve over cooked rice, your favorite cooked pasta or toast.

#573 - Philly Marble Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Parkay margarine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (measure before sifting)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 - 1oz. squares unsweetened Baker's chocolate (melted)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Glaze: 2 TBSP Parkay margarine, 2 TBSP milk, 1 1/2 cups sifted Domino's powdered sugar (measure before sifting), 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixer add cream cheese, 1 cup Parkay, white sugar, vanilla--beat. Add eggs one at a time--beat after each. Add sifted flour and baking powder--beat well. Remove bowl from mixer--measure 2 cups of the batter and set aside. Put bowl back on the mixer--add melted chocolate and baking soda--beat well. Grease and flour a 10" angelfood cake pan OR bundt cake pan. Spoon some chocolate batter in first, then some of the reserved white batter--keep alternating until both batters are gone. Use a table knife and swirl it through the batter a few times to marbleize the batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Cool for 20 minutes, then invert the cake upside down on a plate and glaze the cake right away. Glaze--in a saucepan heat the Parkay and the milk while stirring. Add powdered sugar and vanilla--stir until smooth.

#572 - White Tube Pan Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 sticks butter (softened)
2 cups cake flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
Topping: 1 - 8oz. Dole crushed pineapple (drained), 1 small can mandarin oranges (drained), 2 cups miniature marshmallows, 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut, 1 - 8oz. Breakstone's sour cream

Add white sugar, eggs, butter, cake flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt into a blender--beat for 20 minutes. Pour batter into a greased angelfood cake pan (tube pan). Place cake into a COLD oven, turn oven to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. Cool and remove from pan. Topping: add crushed pineapple, oranges, marshmallows, coconut, and sour cream in a bowl--stir well and refrigerate. Serve each slice of cake with a large spoonful of the topping. Keep topping refrigerated.

#571 - Strawberry Chiffon Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. box strawberry Jell-O
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup white sugar
1 envelope Dream Whip (mix according to package directions)
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (fresh if they are in season)
1 - 9" pie crust (baked according to package directions OR make and bake your own pie crust--bottom only)

Bake your pie crust first and made sure it's completely cooled. In a bowl add Jell-O and the boiling water--stir. Add white sugar and stir well until mixed. Cool Jell-O mixture on the counter until cool, then refrigerate until it starts to gel. Remove Jell-O from refrigerator. Mix Dream Whip according to package directions. Fold Dream Whip into the thickened Jell-O. Add the strawberries to the Jell-O and stir. Pour Jell-O mixture into the baked pie crust. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

#570 - Wintergreen Cake (Pink Lozenge Cake)

(by Pat Klase - friend)

1/4lb. wintergreen lozenges (pink wintergreen lozenges candy)
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl, soak the pink lozenges in the milk in the refrigerator overnight. In a mixer beat egg whites until stiff--remove bowl from mixer and set aside. In a separate mixer bowl add white sugar and butter--beat. Add baking powder, salt and vanilla--beat. Remove milk/lozenge mixture from the refrigerator and stir well. Alternate adding some of the milk/lozenge mixture and flour--beat after each. Beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer and use a spoon to fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Frost as desired.

#569 - Walnut Taffy

(by Aunt Hazel [Haupt] Herman)

2 cups King syrup
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp. vanilla
butter
1 cup cold water (for testing taffy)
1 cup chopped black walnuts (optional)

In a large iron skillet add King syrup, white sugar, and vinegar--stir constantly over medium heat until mixture is boiling. Once boiling stir constantly and cook for about 20 minutes. Take out a spoonful and drop it into the test water--if it makes noise (cracks) it's done. If not cook longer and retest. Remove from heat, add 2 TBSP butter, vanilla and walnuts--stir well until butter is melted. Pour hot mixture on to a well buttered 14" x 10" cookie sheet (cookie sheet must have at least a 5/8" lip). Let it cool completely--usually takes a few hours until it hardens. Once cool use a butter knife to loosen the edge. Take pan over to the sink and turn entire taffy upside down and place it on top of the pan. Use the butter knife handle to crack the taffy into bite sized pieces. Place taffy pieces into a container and keep refrigerated. This taffy is not for chewing.

#568 - Cream Cheese Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese (softened)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
5 eggs
1 3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
2 TBSP any flavor jam (strawberry, raspberry, etc.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (about 24). In a mixer add cream cheese, 1 cup of the white sugar and the eggs--beat. Add 1 1/2 tsp. of the vanilla--beat. Pour batter into cupcake liners to about 2/3 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. While baking, prepare the topping: in a bowl using a spoon mix the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the white sugar, and 1/4 tsp. of the vanilla--stir well. Remove cupcakes from the oven--the centers of the cupcakes will have fallen. Fill each center with the sour cream topping and put 1/4 tsp. of jam of the top center of each cupcake. Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes at the same temperature.

#567 - Raspberry Banana Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup Crisco shortening
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3 mashed ripe bananas (you can use a potato masher or a large fork to mash them)
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda--set aside. In a mixer add Crisco and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add flour mixture a little at a time--beat. Add mashed bananas--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in the raspberries. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan a few minutes before removing. Cool removed bread on a baker's rack.

#566 - Blueberry Crunch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 20oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (DO NOT drain)
3 cups blueberries
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped pecans AND 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 stick melted Parkay margarine
1/4 cup white sugar
1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the can of crushed pineapple (including the juice) evenly on to the bottom of the baking dish. In a bowl, add the 3/4 cup white sugar. Wet and drain the blueberries, then add them to the bowl with the white sugar and gently shake to coat them with sugar. Spread the white sugar coated blueberries on top of the crushed pineapple. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans on top of the blueberries, then sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly on top of the pecans. In a separate bowl, add the 1/4 cup white sugar and the 1 cup chopped pecans--gently mix them together and sprinkle this mixture on top evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

#565 - Coconut Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Breakstone's sour cream
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip
1 - 12oz. bag Baker's Angelflake coconut
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar (sifted)

Do not use a mixer--use a bowl and add sour cream and powdered sugar--stir well. Add coconut--stir well. Fold in the Cool Whip.

#564 - Butterscotch Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 TBSP butter
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar
1 1/2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat butter in a saucepan, then stir in powdered sugar. Remove from heat, add milk and vanilla--stir well. Add pecans and stir.