#1069 - Beef & Zucchini Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups sliced zucchini (1/4" thick slices)
1 1/2 cups water + 3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. salt + 1/2 tsp. salt
1 chopped onion
1/2 of a green pepper (chopped)
2 TBSP canola oil
1lb. ground chuck
2 TBSP raw rice
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed tomato soup
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 cup shredded American cheese
3 slices bread

Break 3 slices of bread into bite sized pieces--set aside. In a saucepan add 1 1/2 cups water, zucchini, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt--bring to a boil, then cook until zucchini starts to change color--remove from heat and drain. In a skillet add 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper, paprika, canola oil, green pepper, chopped onion, and ground chuck--cook over medium heat until browned. In a bowl add tomato soup and 3/4 cup water--stir. In a greased 2 qt. casserole layer zucchini, then ground chuck mixture, then raw rice, then tomato soup--keep layering until all ingredients are used up and tomato soup is on the top layer. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and place bread pieces on top of cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and bread crumbs are browned.

#1068 - Easy Pineapple Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 - 20oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (DO NOT discard juice)

In a mixer add the cake ingredients according to box directions EXCEPT omit the water. Drain the crushed pineapple--add the pineapple juice to the batter--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer and add the crushed pineapple--stir with a spoon until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Frost as desired.

#1067 - Chocolate Cream Cheese Crunch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. tub Cool Whip (thawed)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
3 cups milk (whole milk or 2%)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag Oreo cookies
4 TBSP softened butter
2 - 3.4oz. boxes Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding/pie filling

Place Oreo cookies in a Ziploc bag a few at a time--crush with a rolling pin so they are in small pieces (not crumbs). Continue with all cookies--set them aside. In a mixer add softened cream cheese, softened butter and powdered sugar--beat until smooth. SLOWLY add milk and both boxes vanilla pudding mix--beat until mixed, then beat on high until very smooth. Remove bowl from mixer--add Cool Whip to the pudding mixture and fold in using a wooden spoon. In a large glass serving bowl, start making layers with the crushed cookies, then pudding mixture--continue alternating until both have been used up--you should make sure you have enough crushed cookies left so that they can be the last layer on top. Refrigerate overnight.

#1066 - Pineapple Bread Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup butter (melted)
3 to 4 cups cubed bread (filling bread)
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup Carnation evaporated milk
3 1/2 cups Dole crushed pineapple

In a large bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add white sugar and milk--stir with a spoon until mixed. Add melted butter--stir. Add crushed pineapple--stir. Add cubed bread--stir lightly until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

#1065 - All American Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 thawed hot dogs
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cups cooked pasta noodles (your choice of shape)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's tomato soup
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard
3 slices of bread (torn into bite sized pieces)
1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or three cheese blend)

Cook and drain noodles according to package directions. Slice hot dogs into coin shaped pieces--add pieces to a greased skillet over medium heat. Add onions to the hot dogs--stir and brown hot dogs and onions. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish--set aside. In a bowl add tomato soup and mustard--stir. Add drained noodles to tomato soup mixture--stir carefully--if it seems too thick add a little water and restir. Add hot dogs and onions to noodle mixture--stir gently. Pour the noodle mixture into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. Place the bread pieces on top of the cheese evenly to cover the entire top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread has browned.

#1064 - Bacon Bites Appetizers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 - 8oz. tube Pillsbury crescent rolls

In a bowl add cream cheese, bacon, onion and pepper--stir until mixed. Open tube of rolls and separate them--on a flat surface lay the long ends of two of the triangles so they are touching--spray a little Pam on your fingers and pinch them together so now you have one rectangle instead of two triangles. Repeat with all dough pieces. Spoon/divide cream cheese mixture on to each dough rectangle--use a knife to spread the mixture out to cover the top of each dough rectangle. Roll each rectangle (long side first) to make a long tube of dough--use Pam on your fingers to seal it like a pie dough. Use a knife to cut each dough tube into bite sized pieces. Place dough pieces on to greased cookie sheets (NOT touching each other). Repeat with all dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until browned.

#1063 - Cinnamon Bun Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter (melted)
1/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup Kayro corn syrup (dark)
1/2 cup chopped pecans OR chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1 tube Pillsbury country style biscuits

Place raisins in a saucepan--cover with water and bring to a boil, then cook for 5 minutes--drain the raisins and set aside. Add butter to a mug--microwave until melted. In a bowl add melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon--stir. Add Kayro--stir. Grease an 8" or 9" square pan (2" deep). Spread cinnamon mixture in the bottom of the greased pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle raisins on top of the nuts. Remove biscuits from tube and separate them--arrange biscuits on top of raisins in the pan (it's ok if they touch each other). Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let them stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes place a cake plate upside down on top of the pan and invert them on to the plate.

#1062 - Lemon Cheese Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3 TBSP butter (melted)
2 TBSP flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
rind (zest) and juice of one lemon
1 unbaked pie dough

In a mixer add 2 egg whites--beat until stiff, then transfer them to a bowl so you can use the mixer again. In a mixer add cottage cheese, white sugar, melted butter, 2 egg yolks, flour--beat until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest--beat. Add milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add egg whites and fold them into the batter using a spoon. Place pie dough into a greased 9" pie plate--flute the edges and spray the inside of the dough with Pam. Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom of the pie dough. Pour batter into the pie dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a knife for doneness.

#1061 - Veal Pork Loaf

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 lbs. ground fresh veal
1 lb. ground fresh pork
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup to 1 cup breadcrumbs (enough to shape it into a loaf)

In a bowl add veal and pork--mix with your hands. Beat eggs slightly in a bowl--add to veal mixture. Add salt, pepper, chopped onion, and chopped parsley to the veal mixture--mix with your hands. Add 1/2 can of mushroom soup and breadcrumbs--mix with your hands. Add as many breadcrumbs as you need and re-work until it's stiff enough to make a loaf. Cut mixture in half and use your hands form two loaves from the veal mixture. Place each loaf into a separate greased loaf pan--add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water to each loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour (or until browned). Slice to serve--serve with mushrooms, tomato sauce, ketchup--whatever you like.

#1060 - Cherry Angelfood Salad

(by Pat Klase - friend)

1 box angelfood cake mix
1 can Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling (or any pie filling flavor)
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip.

Bake the angelfood cake according to box directions. Cool completely. Just before serving tear bite sized pieces of angelfood cake and place them in a large glass bowl--continue until you have torn the entire cake into pieces. Pour the can of cherry pie filling over the top of the angelfood cake pieces--stir with a spoon. Serve with Cool Whip.

#1059 - Stovetop Rice Pudding

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. raw Carolina River Rice
2 1/2 quarts milk
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vanilla
2 eggs (slightly beaten)

In a saucepan over low heat add rice, white sugar, rice and vanilla--stir and cook until rice is done and it starts to thicken. Remove saucepan from stove--add beaten eggs to the rice mixture and stir thoroughly. Cool completely, then transfer into a glass bowl/container--cover and refrigerate until very cold.

#1058 - Cottage Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 - 16oz. creamed cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
3 TBSP cornstarch
3 TBSP flour
1 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 pint sour cream
1 can Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling OR fresh sliced strawberries

In a mixer add cream cheese and cottage cheese--beat until creamy. Add eggs and white sugar--beat until smooth. Turn mixer on low while adding cornstarch, flour, lemon juice and vanilla. Keep mixer on low and add melted butter and sour cream--beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until edges of cake are firm. Turn off the oven but leave the cake in the oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove cake from oven and refrigerate overnight. Spoon pie filling or fresh strawberries on top before serving.

#1057 - Bisquick Sausage Appetizers

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups Bisquick
1 - 8oz. bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1lb. fresh ground sausage (not in casing)--get at grocery store meat counter

In a bowl add all ingredients--mix with your hands. Shape batter into penny-sized balls. Place all of them on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until browned. Place a toothpick in each ball and serve immediately.

#1056 - Italian Buttermilk Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Cake: 1 cup buttermilk; 1 tsp. baking soda; 5 eggs; 2 cups white sugar; 1/2 cup softened butter; 1/2 cup Crisco shortening; 2 cups flour; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 of a 7oz. bag Baker's angelflake coconut

Frosting: 12oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 6 TBSP softened butter; 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla; 24oz. Domino's powdered sugar (1 1/2 boxes); 3/4 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add 5 egg whites--beat on high until stiff, then scoop them into a bowl and set aside. Wash mixer bowl and place it back on mixer. In the mixer add white sugar, 1/2 cup butter and the Crisco--beat on medium speed. Add 5 egg yolks--beat. Add baking soda, vanilla and the buttermilk--beat. Add flour--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer--add beaten egg whites and fold them into the batter with a spoon. Add coconut--fold into batter with a spoon. Grease 3 - 9" round cake pans. Pour batter evenly into the three cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes on wire racks--use a table knife to loosen the first cake and place it on a cake plate--this will be the bottom layer. Frosting: in a mixer add cream cheese and 6 TBSP butter--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add powdered sugar--beat. Add pecans--beat. Frost the top and sides of the bottom cake layer. Place second cake layer on top of first layer--frost top and sides. Place third cake on top--frost top and sides. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Keep refrigerated.

#1055 - Eggplant Parmesan

(by Dottie Ellis - friend)

1 medium eggplant
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
3/4 to 1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 - 24oz. jar pasta sauce with mushrooms
1 TBSP oregano
1 or 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
canola oil for frying
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Add eggs to a bowl--beat slightly--set aside. Pour breadcrumbs and the salt into a bowl--stir and set aside. Wash, peel and cut eggplant horizontally into 1/2" thick slices. Dip each eggplant piece into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture to coat--place coated pieces into skillet coated with 1/4" to 1/2" canola oil over medium heat. Brown both sides of each piece and drain on paper towels. In a bowl add pasta sauce and oregano--stir. In a greased casserole dish layer eggplant, pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese--keep layering until all are used up--try to end up with pasta sauce on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

#1054 - Apple Pie Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 21oz. can Lucky Leaf apple pie filling

In a mixer add white sugar, canola oil and eggs--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add baking soda and flour--beat well. Remove bowl from mixer--add apple pie filling and stir gently with a spoon just until mixed. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour--test with a toothpick for doneness. Glaze if desired (or sprinkle with powdered sugar) once cake has cooled.

#1053 - Triple Lemon Angelfood Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box angelfood cake mix (mixed and baked according to box directions ONE DAY before making the rest of this recipe)
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 - 3oz. box Jell-O lemon pudding/pie filling (NOT instant)

Bake angelfood cake according to box directions and cool completely. The next day, use a large bread knife to saw the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. In a saucepan cook lemon pudding mix according to box directions--cool completely. In a mixer add the cream--use the whisk attachment and whip until it gets fluffy. Pour whipped cream into the lemon pudding--stir with a spoon. Place first layer of cake on a cake plate--spread lemon cream mixture on top. Repeat with all cake layers. Spread remaining lemon cream on top layer and on sides of cake. Refrigerate.

#1052 - Hearty Lasagna

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 chopped onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 minced garlic clove
1 - 6oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
1 - 24oz. can chopped tomatoes OR 1 qt. tomato juice
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles (cooked and drained according to package directions--make sure you add a little olive oil and a little salt when cooking them so they don't stick together)
1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 lb. ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Cook and drain lasagna noodles--set aside. In a skillet over medium heat brown the ground chuck with chopped onions, salt, pepper and garlic--cook and stir until browned and turn heat back to simmer. Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, oregano--stir and cook on simmer about 15 minutes or until it thickens. In a large lasagna pan make layers: meat sauce, then Parmesan cheese, then lasagna noodles, then shredded mozzarella cheese, then ricotta cheese--keep layering until ingredients are used up--try to end with meat sauce on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

#1051 - Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 cups flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (you can use powdered buttermilk if you wish, mixed according to can directions)
6 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening

Into a large bowl sift the four, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Instead of dumping all of the Crisco in at once, use a spoon to add the Criso in small scoops. Once all of the Crisco is added, light grease your hands with Pam and use your hands to start working the dough in the bowl. Add the buttermilk and continue working the dough until well mixed--it should be a very thick dough. Dump the dough on to a floured counter--sprinkle a little extra flour on top. Knead the dough for 20 seconds, then roll it out to 1/2" thick with a rolling pin. Use a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to cut the biscuits, re-rolling out the dough when necessary. Place biscuits on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 450 degrees for 14-18 minutes. Best to do a test biscuit on this recipe to get the time right.

#1050 - Fudge Ribbon Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP softened butter + 1/2 cup softened butter
1 - 8oz. softened Philadelphia cream cheese
2 1/4 cups white sugar
1 TBSP cornstarch
3 eggs
2 TBSP + 1 1/3 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 envelopes Nestle's Choco Bake (it's liquid chocolate that comes in a box of 8 envelopes and is made by Nestle--in the baking aisle of the grocery store)
Frosting: 1/4 cup milk; 1/4 cup softened butter; 1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's chocolate semi-sweet bits; 1 tsp. vanilla; 2 1/2 cups Domino's powdered sugar

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan--set aside. In a mixer add cream cheese, 2 TBSP butter, 1/4 cup white sugar, cornstarch--beat. Add 1 egg--beat. Add 2 TBSP milk and 1 tsp. vanilla--beat on high until very smooth--pour batter into a separate bowl and set aside because you need the mixer again. Wash your mixer bowl, then return it to the mixer--add 2 cups white sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup milk--turn mixer on VERY slowly and beat on low until mixed, then beat on low for 2 minutes. Afterwards add 1/3 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla and the 4 envelopes of Choco Bake--beat until mixed, then beat on low for 2 minutes. Pour half of the ChocoBake batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spoon to carefully spread the cream cheese batter on top of the Choco Bake batter--try to cover all of the top. Use a spoon to carefully spread the rest of the Choco Bake batter on top of the cream cheese batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frosting: in a saucepan over low heat add 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter--stir and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate bits--stir until bits melt. Add 1 tsp. vanilla--stir. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar--stir with a spoon until it becomes spreadable--if too thick, add a few drops of milk and stir again. Frost the cake.