#1546 - Overnight Mushroom Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 3/4 cups elbow macaroni (raw)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups bite sized cooked chicken pieces
1/2lb. diced Velveeta cheese
2 slices buttered bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a large bowl add salt, pepper, both cans of soup and the milk--stir until mixed. In a greased 2qt. casserole dish add raw macaroni, cooked chicken pieces, and diced cheese--pour the soup mixture over the top and stir just a little until mixed. Cover the casserole dish and refrigerator overnight. The next day, place the casserole into a cold oven. Turn heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes--remove from oven, stir the whole casserole mixture, spread buttered bread pieces on top, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes longer or until hot.

#1545 - Lemon Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 cup Parkay margarine (softened); 1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 1/4 tsp. salt; 2 cups flour
Filling: 4 eggs; 1/2 cup flour; 2 cups white sugar; 6 TBSP lemon juice

In a bowl add powdered sugar, Parkay, salt and 2 cups flour--mix with your hands or with a pastry blender. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes--set aside. In a bowl add eggs--beat with a whisk. Add white sugar--stir with a whisk. Add lemon juice and 1/2 cup flour--stir with a whisk until mixed. Pour lemon mixture over the hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lemon mixture is set. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, sprinkle the top with some powdered sugar before cutting into bars or squares.

#1544 - Chocolate Pistachio Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 ready-made chocolate pie crust
1 - 3.75oz. box INSTANT Jell-O pistachio pudding
1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained)
1 - 8oz. Breakstone's sour cream
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

In a bowl add pudding powder, sour cream--stir. Add drained pineapple--stir. Add Cool Whip--stir. Pour batter into the chocolate pie crust--refrigerate overnight.

#1543 - Frostless Oatmeal Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup Quaker quick oats
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP Hershey's cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a bowl add oats and boiling water--stir and set aside. In a mixer add brown sugar, white sugar and Crisco--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add baking soda, salt and cocoa--beat. Slowly add oatmeal--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon. Pour batter into a greased 9" square cake pan. Sprinkle the other 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the nuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

#1542 - Cake Mix Lemon Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Bottom batter: 1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix; 1 stick butter (softened); 2 beaten eggs
Top batter: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 3 cups Domino's powdered sugar; 2 eggs

In a large bowl add cake mix and butter--mix with your hands or a pastry blender. Add beaten eggs--mix with your hands or with a pastry blender. Spread the bottom mixture evenly in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a mixer add cream cheese, 2 eggs--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat. Pour the cream cheese batter evenly on top of the cake mix batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

#1541 - Coconut Rice Krispies Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
2 cups rice krispies cereal
2 cups Baker's angelflake coconut

In a mixer add Crisco, white sugar, and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and baking powder--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add rice krispies and coconut--stir with a wooden spoon until mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Do a test cookie to determine baking time.

#1540 - Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 to 10 red potatoes (washed, peeled and cut into quarters)
1 tsp. salt
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
2 TBSP softened butter
1/4 tsp. (or more) garlic salt
paprika

In a pot add quartered potatoes and cover with water--add the salt, turn heat to medium, bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes. In a large bowl add drained potatoes--mash them with a potato masher. In a bowl add sour cream, cubed cream cheese, butter and garlic salt--stir until mixed. Add cream cheese mixture to the mashed potatoes--stir until well mixed. Spray a 2 qt. casserole dish with Pam. Spread the potato mixture evenly into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle paprika over the top of the potatoes (to your taste). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until top of the potatoes are slightly browned (about 20-30 minutes).

#1539 - Raisin Filled Cookies

(by Julie [Edinger] Solomon - friend)

1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening
3 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
6 cups flour
Filling: 2 cups Sunmaid raisins; 2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar; 6 TBSP flour; 2 cups water

Filling: in a saucepan over medium heat add raisins, 2 cups brown sugar, 6 TBSP flour, and water--stir and cook until thickened into a paste (about 5 to 10 minutes). Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. In a mixer add Crisco and 3 cups brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla and baking soda--beat. Add 3 cups of the flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add the other 3 cups of the flour--stir with a wooden spoon. Roll the dough to 1/4" thick on floured counter (and flour the top of the cookie dough as well)--cut orange sized cookies using a cookie cutter. Place one spoonful of raisin paste on top of each cookie dough, then dip your finger in water and wet the whole edge of the cookie with water. Place a second cookie dough on top of the first and pinch the edges of the doughs together with your fingers or with the tines of a fork--the raisin paste should be in between the two cookie doughs. Place finished cookies on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

#1538 - Baked Salmon and Zucchini

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 14oz. can red sockeye salmon (drained and flaked)
4 TBSP fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (peel before shredding)
1 cup Italian flavored fine bread crumbs

In a bowl add flaked salmon, Parmesan cheese, mayo, zucchini, and bread crumbs--stir until mixed. Pour the mixture into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese over the top if you wish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until hot.

#1537 - Sweet and Sour Cabbage

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup water
4 TBSP butter
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
3 TBSP Breakstone's sour cream

In a bowl add cider vinegar, white sugar and sour cream--stir until mixed, then set aside. In a skillet over medium heat add butter, salt, pepper, and water--stir until butter is melted. Add cabbage--stir and cook until tender. Remove from heat and add sour cream mixture to cabbage--stir until mixed. Serve hot.

#1536 - Ricotta Cheese Cookies

(by Kim [Knecht] Bickel - friend)

3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 lb. Parkay margarine (softened)
1lb. ricotta cheese
1 to 2 tsp. vanilla
Frosting: 3 cups Domino's powdered sugar; 3 to 4 TBSP milk; 1/3 cup softened butter; 2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add Parkay and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt, baking soda and vanilla--beat. Add ricotta cheese--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely, then frost. Frosting: in a mixer add softened butter, some of the powdered sugar and the milk--beat. Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar and the 2 tsp. vanilla--beat until creamy.

#1535 - Fancy Butter Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 cups softened butter (NO substitutes)
2 1/4 cups white sugar
7 egg yolks
6 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 to 4 tsp. vanilla (if using pure vanilla extract, then 2 to 3 tsp.)
3/4 tsp. salt

In a mixer add softened butter and white sugar--beat. Add egg yolks--beat well. Add salt, vanilla and baking powder--beat. Add flour a little at a time--beat. Refrigerate dough (covered) for 1 hour. Remove dough from refrigerator and place some dough into a cookie press/gun--press cookies on to cookies sheets (DO NOT grease the cookie sheets). Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool for 1 or 2 minutes, then transfer them on to paper towels to cool. If you wish, once cookies are pressed on to cookie sheets lightly sprinkle holiday colored sugar on each cookie before baking.

#1534 - Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup Jif crunchy style peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups rice krispies cereal
1 - 6oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a mixer add peanut butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1 cup of rice krispies--stir with a wooden spoon. Add second cup of rice krispies--stir with a wooden spoon. Press the mixture into a 9" square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Cover the pan with foil and let it stand until chocolate chips melts. Once melted, remove the foil and spread the melted chocolate evenly with a spatula. Once cooled, cut into bars.

#1533 - Ham Barbeque

(by Margie Maenpa - friend)

2/3 cup Heinz ketchup
1 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP white sugar
1 or 2 TBSP French's yellow mustard
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion (chopped)
1/2lb. chipped ham

In a saucepan add ketchup, cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and chopped onions--stir. Add chipped ham--stir. Turn heat to medium, bring to a boil, then turn heat back to simmer and cook/stir until ham is well seasoned. Serve on rolls.

#1532 - Blueberry Cake

(by Margie [Fisher] Maenpa - friend)

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained)

In a mixer add 2 egg whites--beat until peaks form, then set aside. In a bowl add flour and white sugar--stir. Add butter--cut in using a knife until it makes crumbs--remove 3/4 cup of the crumbs and set them aside. To the remaining crumbs add baking powder, milk, and 2 eggs yolks--stir with a spoon until mixed. Add egg whites to the batter--fold them in using a spoon. Pour the batter into a 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the blueberries over the top of the batter. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#1531 - Bean Bake

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 slices bacon (fried, drained and crumbled)
1 chopped onion
1/4 cup King syrup molasses
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar
1 or 2 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1 - 15.5oz. can pinto beans (drained)
1 - 16oz. can pork 'n beans
1 - 15.5oz. can kidney beans (drained)
shredded cheddar cheese for topping (optional)

In a skillet fry bacon but save the drippings in the pan. Add chopped onions to drippings--turn heat to medium and cook/stir until onions are caramelized. Add molasses, brown sugar and mustard--stir. Remove from heat--add pinto beans, pork 'n beans, and kidney beans--stir until mixed. Add crumbled bacon--stir. Pour whole mixture into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top with shredded cheddar cheese before serving if you wish.

#1530 - Chili Bean Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 15.5oz. cans kidney beans
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/4 tsp. oregano
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 hard boiled eggs (sliced)

Drain the kidney beans--set aside. In a skillet add onions, green bell peppers and butter--cook and stir until onions are caramelized. In a large bowl add drained kidney beans and onion mixture--stir carefully until mixed. In a small bowl add sour cream, oregano and Tabasco sauce--stir. Pour the sour cream mixture into the kidney bean mixture--stir carefully until mixed. Cover and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, stir the mixture and add hard boiled egg slices to the top for garnish.

#1529 - Easy Chicken Nuggets

(by Shirley McNevich)

boneless/skinless chicken breasts
eggs (start with 3 eggs; add more as needed)
1 can Italian seasoned bread crumbs
canola oil for frying

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. In a second bowl add bread crumbs (add other seasonings if you wish, then stir). Cut the chicken breasts into nugget sized pieces. Dip each nugget into the eggs, then roll in the bread crumbs until well coated. Repeat with all nuggets. In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil--heat until very hot. Fry nuggets until bottom side is browned, then flip until the other sides are browned. Drain on paper towels before serving.

#1528 - Crockpot Stuffing

(by Margie [Fisher] Maenpa - friend)

1 cup butter
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
12 to 13 cups bread cubes
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 beaten eggs
Optional: 1 tsp. poultry seasoning

In a skillet over low heat add butter--melt. Add chopped onions, chopped celery and chopped parsley--cook/stir until celery is tender. In a large bowl add bread cubes--pour the celery mixture over the bread cubes and add salt, pepper--toss to coat. Pour enough chicken broth on the bread cubes to moisten the bread--stir. Add beaten eggs--stir. Add poultry seasoning if you wish--stir. Pour the whole mixture into a greased crock pot. Put the lid on and cook on high for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to low and heat on low for 4 to 8 hours.

#1527 - Angelfood Cake Squares

(by Margie [Fisher] Maenpa - friend)

1 - 3oz. box Jell-O gelatin (your choice of flavor)
1 cup boiling water
1 box angelfood cake mix (prepared according to box directions and cut into 1" cubes)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

In a bowl add the Jell-O powder and boiling water--stir until dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it starts to thicken (30-45 minutes). Spray a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with Pam. Add all of the angelfood cake cubes to the baking dish evenly. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add white sugar and lemon juice--beat until smooth. Add the partially thickened Jell-O--beat until mixed. Remove bowl from mixer--add 1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip to the cream cheese mixture--fold it in using a wooden spoon. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the angelfood cake cubes. Refrigerate until very cold. Cut into squares and serve squares with leftover Cool Whip.