#739 - Strawberry Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 TBSP cinnamon
2 cups white sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 - 10oz. packages frozen sliced strawberries (thawed and drained)

In a bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and white sugar--stir to mix. Add beaten eggs and canola oil--stir well. Add sliced strawberries--stir just until mixed. Pour batter into two greased and floured bread loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

#738 - Cranberry Citrus Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 can frozen cranberry juice
1 can frozen lemonade
1 can frozen limeade
2 liter Sprite
1 lemon
1 lime
frozen cranberries

In a punch bowl add the contents of the cranberry, lemonade, and limeade cans. Use one of the empty cans and add 3 cans of cold water--stir until mixed. Add about 1/2 of the Sprite bottle to start--stir. If too tart add more water. Add more soda as desired. Slice the lemon and lime and float on top. Add a few handfuls of the frozen cranberries as garnish.

#737 - Skillet Lasagna

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 chopped onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 - 14oz. cans beef broth
1 - 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (spice)
1 1/2 cups uncooked corkscrew pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet add the ground beef, salt, pepper and chopped onion--cook until browned. Drain off the fat and put ground beef back in the skillet. Add the beef broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the browned beef--stir and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the uncooked corkscrew pasta to the beef--cover with a lid and cook on medium another 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked to your taste. Add the Parmesan cheese--stir.

#736 - Burger Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 lb. ground sirloin or ground chuck
1 chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 small package Velveeta cheese
1 jar salsa (mild, medium or hot)

In a skillet add the ground beef, chopped onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until beef is browned--drain off the fat but keep browned beef in the skillet. Add the salsa to the browned beef--cook and stir over medium heat. Slice the cheese into small pieces (about 1/2 to 3/4 of the whole block of cheese). Stir and cook until cheese is melted. Pour entire mixture into a serving bowl. Serve with tortilla chips--serve warm.

#735 - Hot Dog Chili Sauce

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 lbs. ground beef
1 large chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 TBSP hot sauce or Tabasco sauce
2 TBSP French's yellow mustard
shredded cheese of your choice

In a skillet add the ground beef, chopped onion, salt and pepper--cook until meat starts to brown, then add the garlic. Stir and cook until meat is browned. Reduce heat to simmer, then add ketchup, barbecue sauce, hot sauce and mustard--stir. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, then remove from heat. Serve over your favorite hot dogs. After putting chili sauce on top of hot dog, sprinkle with the shredded cheese of your choice.

#734 - Quick Peanut Brittle

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 TBSP butter
dash of salt
1/2 cup Kayro lite corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups Planter's dry roasted peanuts

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam--set aside (best if cookie sheet has a lip). In a microwave safe bowl add the dry roasted peanuts, salt, lite corn syrup and white sugar--stir until mixed. Place bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 3 to 7 minutes (microwaves vary--if you have a low wattage microwave try about 6-7 minutes; if you have a higher wattage microwave try about 3-4 minutes). You will know the mixture is ready when the peanuts are browned and the corn syrup is bubbling. Remove from microwave, add vanilla and butter--stir until butter is melted. Return to microwave and cook another 2 minutes (longer for low wattage microwaves). Remove from microwave, add the baking soda and stir until mixture is foaming. Pour the mixture on to the prepared cookie sheet and spread it out with a greased spatula. Once cool and set, break into pieces. You may have to test this recipe out a few times to get the best times to use for cooking with your particular microwave.

#733 - Pineapple Citrus Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 12oz. cans frozen lemonade
2 - 12oz. cans frozen orange juice
2 - 46oz. cans of pineapple juice (NOT frozen)
1 cup of white sugar
6 cups of water
2 liters ginger ale
1 lemon

In a large container add the frozen lemonade, frozen orange juice, pineapple juice, white sugar, and water--stir until well mixed. Pour mixture into containers and freeze for 12 hours. Remove from freezer, empty containers into a punch bowl and add enough ginger ale so that it is slushy when you stir it. Add more ginger ale as needed. Slice the lemon and float on top as garnish.

#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.

#731 - Breakfast Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. baby red potatoes (washed and cut into bite sized pieces)
4 sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups cooked ham (diced)
3 TBSP Parkay margarine
salt and pepper to your taste

Place bite sized potato pieces into a bowl--add sliced green onions, mix and set aside. In a skillet, add the Parkay and melt. Add potatoes/green onions to the skillet--stir, cook and turn pieces for about 8 minutes over medium heat. Add the diced ham and cook another 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Salt and pepper to your taste.

#730 - Potato and Cheese Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP Parkay margarine
2lbs. ground chuck (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 chopped onion
1 cup water
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 large potatoes (washed, peeled, and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs (fine)

In a skillet over medium heat melt the Parkay. Add the ground chuck pieces and the chopped onion. Brown the ground chuck, then add the water--bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, put a lid on the skillet, and simmer for 30 minutes. In a bowl add the soup, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper--stir well and set aside. Drain any fat off of the ground chuck, then scoop it into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Evenly place the potato pieces on top of the ground chuck. Pour the soup mixture evenly over the top of everything. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour, remove from oven and sprinkle bread crumbs over the top. Return to oven and continue baking another 20 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top and return to oven--bake until cheese is melted.

#729 - Burger Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs (fine)
1/2 cup milk
1 lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped green peppers
1/3 cup chopped red peppers
1 large egg
3 cups mashed potatoes
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Add the egg to the milk--beat with a fork. Add ground chuck, salt, pepper, chopped onions, chopped green peppers, and chopped red peppers to the milk mixture--mix with your hands. Spread mixture into a greased 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Bring out of oven, spread the mashed potatoes over the top and sprinkle with the shredded cheddar cheese. Put it back in the 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and mashed potatoes are hot.

#728 - Skillet Beef and Macaroni

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground chuck
1 chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 ribs of celery (diced)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 cup Pace picante sauce
1 - 8oz. can whole kernel corn (drained)
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni (cooked according to box directions)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet brown the ground chuck, chopped onion, celery, oregano, salt and pepper--stir while browning. When browned, drain the fat off. Add the soup, picante sauce, drained corn and cooked macaroni to the browned beef mixture in the skillet. Stir and heat until hot. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese and heat until cheese is melted. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips.

#727 - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 of an 8oz. package of linguine pasta
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli (cut into bite sized pieces)
2 TBSP butter
1lb. cubed skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook the linguine according to package directions. During the last 4 minutes of cooking the linguine, add the chopped broccoli. Drain the pasta/broccoli--set aside. In a skillet, melt the butter with the pepper and salt. Brown the cubed chicken in the butter--cook and stir until chicken is cooked and browned. Add the soup, milk, and Parmesan cheese to the chicken in the skillet--stir. Add the linguine/broccoli to the chicken mixture--stir. Stir and heat until hot--serve. After putting on plates, sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese.

#726 - Cherry Pecan Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 - 10oz. jar maraschino cherries (drained and chopped)
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add butter, eggs and white sugar--beat. Add buttermilk--beat. In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt. Add sifted ingredients to the mixer--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped cherries, vanilla and chopped pecans--stir by hand just until mixed. Pour batter into a greased bread loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool 20 minutes before removing bread from loaf pan.

#725 - Scratch Lemon Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 medium sized lemons
6 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup white sugar
2 sticks Parkay margarine (room temp.)
3 large eggs
Frosting: 1 medium sized lemon, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (room temp.), 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

Grease either an 8" springform pan OR line 2 - 8" round cake pans with wax paper. In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir and set aside. Cut 2 lemons in half--remove seeds, squeeze juice into a cup and save the peels. In a small bowl add the vanilla and 6 TBSP of the fresh squeezed lemon juice from the lemons--stir and set aside. Use a vegetable slicer to slice the leftover lemon peels and place pieces into a blender. Add 1 cup of white sugar to the lemon peel in the blender--chop on high until finely ground. In a mixer add the lemon peel/sugar mixture and Parkay--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add lemon juice/vanilla mixture--beat. Add flour mixture--beat until smooth. Pour batter into your choice of the cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (springform pan) or 30-35 minutes (2 - 8" cake pans)--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool the cakes(s) about 20 minutes before removing from the pans. After cakes are completely cooled, frost: use the vegetable peeler to remove the peel from 1 lemon and put the peel pieces into a blender. Add the 1/3 cup white sugar to the lemon peel in the blender--turn on high and chop until lemon peel is finely ground. Add the 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice and the cream cheese to the lemon peel mixture in the blender--beat until smooth. Chill the frosting for 1 hour. Frost the cake(s). Keep refrigerated.

#724 - Nut Bread

(by Aunt Mary [Witt] Jurewicz)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 TBSP canola oil
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup chopped black walnuts

In a mixer add all ingredients--beat slowly until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Grease a bread loaf pan. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

#723 - Pizza Quiche

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked pie crust dough (9")
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cream (half and half)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 large chopped onion
2 TBSP canola oil
1 - 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
1/2 tsp. white sugar
1/8 tsp. dried basil
12 slices pepperoni (chopped)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced olives (drained)

Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam. Place pie crust dough in greased pie plate, flute the edges and spray the inside with Pam. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes--remove from oven. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of the Swiss cheese in the pie crust. In a bowl add eggs--beat. Add cream, salt, oregano, cayenne pepper and pepper to the beaten eggs--beat well. Pour the egg mixture into the pie crust over the Swiss cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes--test with a knife--if knife comes out clean it's ready. While quiche is baking, use a skillet and add canola oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender. Add the tomatoes to the onions in the skillet--stir. Add white sugar and dried basil to the tomatoes--stir. Bring entire mixture to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer--simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove quiche from oven, sprinkle it with the remaining 1/3 cup Swiss cheese, then pour tomato mixture on top of the Swiss cheese. Place chopped pepperoni and sliced olives on top of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the pepperoni and olives. Return to oven and bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let it stand a few minutes before cutting.

#722 - Dutch Apple Dessert

(by Shirley McNevich)

5 baking apples (peeled, cored and sliced--about 5 cups of slices)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup + 2 TBSP cold butter
1 1/2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup packed Domino's dark brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl add apple slices, Eagle brand milk and cinnamon--stir. In a separate bowl add 1 cup Bisquick and 1/2 cup butter--mix until it makes crumbs. Dump apple mixture into Bisquick mixture--stir until mixed. Grease a 9" square baking pan. Scoop apple mixture into the greased baking pan. In a small bowl add 1/2 cup Bisquick, brown sugar, and 2 TBSP butter--mix until it makes crumbs. Add nuts to crumbs if desired. Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the apple mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.

#721 - Peanut Butter Pudding Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 ready-made graham cracker crust
2 cups milk
1 - 3oz. box Jell-O vanilla pudding mix (NOT instant)
1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
2 1/2 cups Cool Whip
1/3 cup Nestle's milk chocolate chips
1 tsp. Crisco shortening

In a saucepan over medium heat add milk and pudding mix--stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add peanut butter chips and stir until melted. Pour entire mixture into the graham cracker crust. Cool the pie completely. Cover it and refrigerate at least four hours until it is set. Remove from refrigerator and spoon Cool Whip over the entire top of the pie. Use a microwave safe bowl--add chocolate chips and shortening--melt in :30 second increments in the microwave until completely melted--stir. Let the chocolate mixture stand for 5 minutes, then use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate mixture over the top of the Cool Whip. Refrigerate overnight. Keep refrigerated.

#720 - Layered Fruit Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

20 graham cracker squares (10 doubles snapped in half)
2 envelopes Dream Whip
2 3/4 cups cold milk
2 - 4oz. boxes Jell-O coconut cream INSTANT pudding/pie filling
1 - 11oz. can mandarin orange segments (drained)--substitute any fruit/berries you like such as strawberries, blueberries, etc. if you wish
1/4 cup toasted chopped almonds (optional)

Line the bottom of a 9" square baking pan with the graham crackers (break if necessary). In a mixer prepare Dream Whip according to package directions (using 1 cup of the cold milk). Once beaten add 1 3/4 cups milk and the dry pudding to the Dream Whip--blend, then beat on high for 2 minutes. Open the oranges--drain and keep a few segments for garnish. Remove bowl from mixer and dice the orange segments. Add diced oranges to the pudding batter and fold in using a spoon. Spoon 1/2 of the batter over the graham crackers in the baking pan. Place another layer of graham crackers on top of the batter. Put the second 1/2 of the batter on top of the graham crackers layer. Garnish with the extra orange segments that you had set aside. Refrigerate overnight before serving. Keep refrigerated.