#1526 - Yam Bake

(by Mary E. Fahringer - friend)

2 lbs. raw yams
1 tsp. salt
1 - 13.25oz. can pineapple tidbits (drained)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 cup mini marshmallows

Wash, peel and cut the yams into quarters. In a pot over medium heat add yam quarters covered with water--add salt and cook until tender--drain. Grease a glass pie plate. Arrange the yams in the greased plate. Spread the drained pineapple tidbits on top of the yams. Dot the marmalade on top of the pineapple tidbits. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet (to catch drips) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes--remove from oven, sprinkle the marshmallows on top, and return to oven until marshmallows are browned and starting to melt.

#1525 - Toffee Crunches

(by Mary E. Fisher - friend)

2 sticks butter (NO substitutes)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box graham crackers
chopped walnuts OR chopped pecans
1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits

Line a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with 1 " lip on all sides) with foil--grease the foil. Line up graham crackers edge to edge to cover the whole bottom--break graham crackers when necessary. In a saucepan over low heat add butter--melt. Add white sugar, turn heat to medium--stir and bring to a boil, then stir/cook for 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat--add vanilla and chopped nuts--stir. Carefully spread the mixture evenly on top of the graham crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the chocolate bits all over the top (they will melt). Once bits have melted, use the greased back of a spoon or spatula to spread the melted chocolate into one even layer (if the bits are not melting enough, return to the oven for a minute or two). Cool completely, then refrigerate until very cold. Break into pieces.

#1524 - Peanut Butter Pretzel Snacks

(by Mary E. Fisher - friend)

2 TBSP Jif peanut butter
1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's white chocolate chips
1 - 12oz. bag Reese's peanut butter chips
2 cups broken thin pretzel pieces

In a microwave safe bowl add white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter--stir. Microwave on high for 2 minutes--remove from microwave and stir. If not completely melted, keep returning to microwave and heating on high for 10 seconds at a time (stirring each time before returning to microwave). Continue until mixture is smooth. Add the broken pretzels--stir. Spread the mixture all over greased cookie sheet. Cool completely, then refrigerate until hard. Break into pieces.

#1523 - Baked Ham and Eggs

(by Margie [Fisher] Maenpaa - friend)

1 - 8oz. can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
8oz. smoked/cooked ham (cut into bite sized pieces)
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Unroll the dough--place the dough pieces all over the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish--pinch the seams of the dough together. Sprinkle the ham pieces evenly over the dough. In a bowl add eggs, milk and pepper--beat with a whisk. Pour the egg mixture carefully on top of the ham layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle both cheeses all over the top, return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes or until hot.

#1522 - Cream Cheese Cutout Sugar Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add cream cheese, butter and Crisco--beat. Add white sugar--beat. Add egg, salt, baking soda and vanilla--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours (covered). Remove dough from refrigerator, divide dough into 4 pieces. Flour your counter, place one dough ball on the flour, flour the top of the dough, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/8" thick. Cut cookies with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets--bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely. Repeat with the rest of the dough (keep other dough refrigerated while working with other dough). Frost as desired (you can use our frosting recipe--it's #2 on this blog).

#1521 - Rice Krispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup softened butter
2/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips (more if you wish)

In a mixer add butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat. Add vanilla, salt and baking soda--beat. Add eggs--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add rice krispies and chocolate chips--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool 2-3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

#1520 - Cake Mix Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box white or yellow cake mix
1/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 cup softened Parkay margarine
1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a mixer add brown sugar, eggs, water and Parkay--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add cake mix and stir just until mixed. Spread the batter on a greased jelly roll pan (1" lip on all sides). Sprinkle the chocolate chips all over the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into squares.

#1519 - Butter Cake Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe cake mix
1 beaten egg
1 stick softened butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Filling: 1lb. Domino's powdered sugar; 1 egg; 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)

In a bowl add cake mix, softened butter, beaten egg and chopped pecans--mix with your hands until well mixed. Press the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish--set aside. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add egg--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until mixed. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into squares.

#1518 - Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
1 cup Jif peanut butter
1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup water
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups Quaker quick oats
white sugar for dipping

In a mixer add Crisco, peanut butter and brown sugar--beat. Add water, egg and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, oats--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Refrigerate dough (covered) for 3 hours. Shape the cold dough into penny sized balls and place them on greased cookie sheets. Put some white sugar in a bowl. Dip a fork in the white sugar and make a crisscross pattern on each cookie to flatten them Keep re-dipping the fork in the white sugar after each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until browned. Cool cookies sightly before removing rom cookie sheets.

#1517 - Cheddar Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP Parkay margarine
1 onion (chopped)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed broccoli cheese soup
1/3 cup milk
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 red potatoes (cooked, peeled and sliced)
3 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)

Wash and peel potatoes. In a pot add water, 1 tsp. salt and whole potatoes--bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, then drain and slice the potatoes. In a skillet over medium heat add Parkay--melt. Add chopped onions--cook/stir until tender. Add soup, milk, crumbled bacon and pepper--stir. Add sliced potatoes--stir and bring to a boil, then turn heat to low. Cover the skillet, then cook/stir for five minutes.

#1516 - Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 medium red potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced thin)
2 TBSP Parkay margarine
1 onion (chopped)
2 TBSP flour
1/2 cup milk + extra milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

In a greased microwave safe casserole dish add potato slices, chopped onions, salt and pepper--stir until mixed. Cut Parkay into small pieces and dot the top of the mixture with Parkay. Put the lid on the casserole dish. Microwave on high for 12-15 minutes--bring it out and stir it. In a bowl add flour and 1/2 cup milk--stir until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the top of the potatoes, then add enough milk to almost cover the potatoes. Add the Parmesan cheese to the potatoes--stir. Put the casserole dish back in the microwave without the lid--microwave on high for 5 minutes--stir and test. If not done enough or hot enough, keep returning them to the microwave for 3 minutes at a time, stirring each time you remove them from the microwave.

#1515 - Scrambled Egg Patties

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 eggs
2 TBSP water

In a microwave safe bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add water--beat with a fork. Place bowl in microwave and microwave on high for 20 seconds. Remove from microwave--stir carefully with a fork and return to microwave. Microwave on high in 10 second increments, checking in between. When egg patty is almost done, flip it with a fork. Keep microwaving for 10 second increments until patty is almost solid. Use egg patty on a bagel or bread and add cheese, bacon, salt, pepper, etc. to make an egg sandwich.

#1514 - Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. fresh broccoli (washed and cut into small pieces)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (cut into bite sized pieces--measure after cutting)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed broccoli cheese soup
1/3 cup milk
2 slices buttered bread

Cook broccoli pieces in boiling water with 1 tsp. salt until tender--drain. Grease a casserole dish. Add drained broccoli pieces and chicken pieces to the casserole dish. In a separate bowl add broccoli cheese soup and milk--stir. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and broccoli in the casserole dish. Cut the buttered bread into bite sized pieces--spread them evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through.

#1513 - Broccoli and Cheese Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed broccoli and cheese soup
1 - 10oz. box frozen/chopped broccoli (thawed and drained)
1 tomato (chopped)
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
2 tsp. dijon mustard

In a bowl add soup, drained broccoli, chopped tomato, sour cream and dijon mustard--stir until mixed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold. Transfer into a dip bowl when ready to serve and serve with good quality crackers.

#1512 - Microwave Raspberry Fudge

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup raspberry preserves (NOT jelly)
3 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
2 cups Nestle's white chocolate bits

In a microwaveable bowl, add the semi-sweet chocolate bits and the whole can of Eagle brand milk--microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time (remove bowl and stir after every 30 seconds). Keep heating and stirring until mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from microwave--add vanilla and salt--stir until mixed. Line a fudge pan with foil and spray it with Pam. Pour the mixture into the greased/lined fudge pan. Lift up the pan and drop it on to the counter a few times to distribute the fudge mixture. Let the pan sit on the counter until room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Once fudge is cold add the cream, white chocolate bits and raspberry preserves to a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time (remove bowl and stir every 30 seconds). Keep heating and stirring until mixture is smooth. Let the raspberry mixture cool to room temperature--stir. Remove the fudge pan from the refrigerator--pour the raspberry mixture evenly over the top. Refrigerate until cold--cut into bite sized pieces (if you cut it before it's cold, the raspberry mixture will drip off of the top).

#1511 - Beef Cheese Ball

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2 TBSP mayo
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1 TBSP grated onion
6oz. minced dried beef (mince dried beef in your blender)

In a mixer add cream cheese, mayo, mustard and grated onions--beat until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1/2 of the minced dried beef--stir until mixed. Form the mixture into one large ball. Place a piece of wax paper on your counter and sprinkle the other 1/2 of the minced dried beef all over the wax paper. Roll the cheese ball over the beef until all beef is on the cheese ball. Serve with good quality crackers.

#1510 - Coconut Candy

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 tsp. butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1 tsp. vanilla

Butter a fudge pan--set aside. In a saucepan over low heat add butter--stir until melted. Add milk and white sugar--turn heat to medium and stir constantly. Keep stirring and cooking until mixture gets to 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (usually take a little more than 10-12 minutes). Remove saucepan from heat--add coconut and vanilla--stir quickly until mixed, then beat the mixture briskly with a wooden spoon until it starts to thicken. Pour the mixture into the buttered fudge pan. Pick the pan straight up a few inches and drop it on the counter to get rid of air bubbles in the mixture--repeat a couple of times. Cool completely, then cut into bite sized pieces. Keep refrigerated.

#1509 - Tomato Macaroni Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/4 lb. ground chuck
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's tomato soup
1 can of water (use empty soup can to measure)
1/4 cup uncooked corkscrew pasta
2 tsp. chili powder

In a skillet over medium heat add ground chuck, salt, pepper and chopped onions--cook and stir until meat is browned, then drain off the fat. Add the tomato soup and water to the beef mixture--stir. Add dry corkscrew macaroni and chili powder--stir. Turn heat to simmer and cover with a lid--cook (stirring occasionally) until pasta is tender.

#1508 - No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - Keebler ready-made chocolate crust
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 - 10oz. bag Reese's peanut butter chips
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)

In a saucepan over low heat add peanut butter chips and condensed milk--cook and stir until melted and smooth. Cool it for 10 minutes, then stir. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add peanut butter chip mixture--beat well. Pour the mixture into another bowl so you can use the mixer again. In the mixer add cold heavy whipping cream--beat until stiff. Add whipping cream mixture to cream cheese batter--stir just until blended. Pour the whole mixture into the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

#1507 - Coffee Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookies (like Nilla wafers only chocolate); 1/3 cup melted butter; 1/2 TBSP white sugar; extra crushed chocolate wafer cookies for topping

Batter: 2 squares Baker's sweet chocolate; 2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 4 eggs; 3/4 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. instant coffee granules (3 tsp. if you want more coffee flavor); 1/4 tsp. salt

Butter the sides and bottom of a springform cheesecake pan. In a bowl add melted butter, crushed cookies and 1/2 TBSP white sugar--stir. Press the cookie mixture just on the bottom of the buttered cheesecake pan. Melt the Baker's chocolate according to box directions. In a mixer add softened cream cheese--beat. Add 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add melted chocolate (when chocolate has cooled slightly)--beat. Add instant coffee and salt--beat until smooth. Pour the batter on top of the cookie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center of cheesecake is almost set. Cool completely. Sprinkle more crushed chocolate wafer cookies on top of the cheesecake if you wish. Refrigerate overnight.