#833 - Baked Potatoes and Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup
1 - 32oz. bag Ore Ida southern style hash browns (thawed)
1 - 8oz. bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
crushed Ritz crackers (1 cup AFTER you crush them)
2 TBSP butter, melted

In a bowl add soup and sour cream--stir. Add the thawed hash browns and cheese--stir until mixed. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. In a separate bowl add the crushed crackers and melted butter--stir. Sprinkle cracker mixture on top of potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until well heated.

#832 - Blueberry No Bake Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9" Keebler ready-made graham cracker crust
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 can Lucky Leaf blueberry pie filling

In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add vanilla and sour cream--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add Cool Whip--fold in with a spoon. Pour batter into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate a few hours, remove from refrigerator and add blueberry pie filling on top, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

#831 - Cream Cheese Pound Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 sticks softened butter (no substitutes)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
3 cups white sugar
3 cups cake flour
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add cream cheese, butter and white sugar--beat. Add a little cake flour, then add an egg--beat. Repeat until all cake flour and eggs have been added--beat until smooth. Add vanilla--beat. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake pan or tube pan. Place cake pan in your oven--DO NOT PREHEAT. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool. then carefully flip pound cake on to a cake dish.

#830 - No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 9" ready-made Keebler graham cracker crust
1/2 of an 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 of an 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
1 pint fresh strawberries (thinly sliced)
1 cup strawberry glaze (buy a strawberry glaze mix or make your own)

Wash and slice the strawberries--drain on paper towels. In a mixer add cream cheese and white sugar--beat. Add vanilla--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add the Cool Whip--beat just until blended. Spread 1/2 cup of the strawberry glaze on the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Place the sliced strawberries on top of the glaze. Spread the other 1/2 cup of strawberry glaze on top of the strawberries. Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of the glaze. Refrigerate overnight.

#829 - Strawberry Punch

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 48oz. bottle Ocean Spray CranStrawberry drink (if your grocery store only has the 64oz. size, you can estimate)
2 quarts softened premium strawberry ice cream
2 cups frozen strawberries (thawed to room temperature)
3 - 12oz. cans of Sprite soda

In a punch bowl, pour in the CranStrawberry drink. Add the thawed strawberries--stir gently with a whisk. Add the softened ice cream--stir gently with a whisk. Open two of the cans of Sprite--pour into the mixture and whisk gently. If it seems too thick for your taste, add the third can of Sprite. Serve immediately.

#828 - White Chocolate Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 3/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs (yolks only)
6 - 1oz. squares Baker's white baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting: 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 - 3oz. softened Philadelphia cream cheese, 3 3/4 cups Domino's powdered sugar, 2 - 1oz. squares Baker's white baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions), 1 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add 1 cup butter and white sugar--beat. Add 4 egg yolks--beat. Add melted/cooled white chocolate and vanilla--beat. In a separate bowl add flour, baking powder and salt--stir. Add flour mixture to the batter in the mixer slowly--beat. Add milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer and add coconut and chopped pecans--stir with a wooden spoon. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake. Frosting: in a mixer add 1/2 cup softened butter and cream cheese--beat. Add powdered sugar slowly--beat. Add melted/cooled white chocolate--beat. Add vanilla--beat until mixture is fluffed. Remove from mixer and frost the cake. Keep cake refrigerated.

#827 - Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups Quaker quick oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a mixer add butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and cocoa--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Remove from mixer and add oats and nuts--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes. Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheets.

#826 - Smooth Pumpkin Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 15oz. can Libby's pumpkin
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon + cinnamon for sprinkling
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 9" pie crust dough or make your own

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. Add Eagle brand milk--stir with a spoon. Add pumpkin--stir until mixed. Add salt, vanilla and cinnamon--stir until smooth. Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam. Insert the pie dough, flute the edges and spray the inside of the pie crust with Pam. Pour pumpkin mixture into the pie crust. Place pie on top of a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top of the pie with cinnamon to your taste. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30-40 more minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

#825 - Chocolate Walnut Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1 1/2 sticks butter (softened)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 10oz. bag Nestle's chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a bowl add flour, baking soda and salt--stir and set aside. In a mixer add brown sugar and butter--beat about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add flour mixture slowly--beat. Remove from mixer and add chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. After they're baked, wait 2 minutes before removing them from cookie sheets.

#824 - Caramel Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix
1 - 14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
1/2 cup butter
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer, prepare cake mix according to box directions. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Pour 2 cups of the cake batter into the greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While baking, use a saucepan over low heat--add the caramels, butter and condensed milk. Cook and stir until smooth. Remove cake from oven after the 15 minutes and spread the melted caramel mixture over the top of the cake. Spread the rest of the cake batter over the caramel mixture. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top of cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until you can get the cake to spring back when you lightly touch it with your finger.

#823 - Black and White Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

20 Oreo cookies (crushed) + extra for topping
3 TBSP butter (melted)
4 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
6 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate (melted and cooled according to box directions)

Place Oreos into a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin--set aside. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan--set aside. In a bowl add crushed Oreos and melted butter--mix. Press cookie mixture into the bottom of the greased cake pan. Bake crust at 325 degrees for 10 minutes--remove from oven and let it cool while making the batter. In a mixer add cream cheese, white sugar and vanilla--beat until blended. Add the sour cream--beat. Add eggs--beat. Remove one cup of the batter--set aside. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the melted chocolate--stir with a spoon. Pour the chocolate cream cheese batter over the baked crust. Spoon the reserved batter on top of the chocolate batter (about 2" apart). Use a tableknife to swirl the vanilla batter through the chocolate batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Let it cool, then sprinkle extra crushed Oreos over the top. Refrigerate overnight.

#822 - Pistachio Whip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup pistachio nuts (finely chopped)
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
2 - 3.75oz. boxes Jell-O INSTANT pistachio pudding/pie filling
3 cups milk

In a bowl add flour, softened butter and chopped pistachios--mix until it forms crumbs. Press crumbs in to the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 18-23 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely. In a mixer add cream cheese and powdered sugar--beat. Add half of the container of Cool Whip--beat. Spread this mixture over the cooled crust--set aside. Again with the mixer add both boxes of pudding mix and milk--beat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Add the remaining Cool Whip--beat. Spread this mixture on top of the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate overnight.

#821 - Homemade Honeybuns

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1 - 10oz. can Hungry Jack refrigerated flaky biscuits
2 TBSP Domino's dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 TBSP butter (melted)

In a bowl add chopped nuts, honey and melted butter--stir. Pour the nut mixture into an ungreased bread loaf pan and spread on the bottom. Separate the biscuit dough into 10 biscuits--set aside. In a separate bowl add brown sugar and cinnamon--stir. Place 1 tsp. of the brown sugar mixture on the top of each biscuit and press lightly. Stand the biscuits on their edges so you have two rows of 5 standing biscuits. Drizzle the 2 TBSP melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes, then place a piece of foil over the top and invert the pan on to a plate. Cut and serve.

#820 - Beef Stew

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 to 2 1/2 lbs. sirloin tip roast beef
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 ribs of celery (chopped)
celery leaves/heart from the inside of the celery stalk (finely chopped)
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water + 2 qt. water
6-8 red potatoes (peeled, washed and cut into bite sized pieces)
2 - 1lb. bags baby carrots
1 can canned tomatoes (about 16 oz.)

Place the roast beef in a Dutch oven, add 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt--cook on medium and keep turning the roast until both sides are browned and the water cooks off (about 20 minutes). Add 1 qt. water to the roast--bring the water to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until meat is done--test with a fork for tenderness. Remove the roast and put it in a casserole dish to cool--refrigerate once cooled. Drain the broth into a container, let it cool on the counter and refrigerate the broth overnight. The next day, scoop the grease off of the top of the broth and throw the grease away. Put the remaining broth in a 4-5 qt. pot--add the chopped onion, chopped parsley, chopped celery, chopped celery heart and leaves to the broth--stir. Turn heat to medium and add 1 qt. water to the broth mixture--stir. Add 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper--stir. Add baby carrots and canned tomatoes--stir. Cook on medium until carrots are partially tender--stir occasionally. While the stew is cooking, wash/peel/chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Add potato pieces to the stew--stir. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender--test with a fork. Cut the roast beef into bite sized pieces--add to the stew and stir. Cook on medium until the meat is hot, then serve. If it doesn't seem like there is enough broth, add more water a little at a time.

#819 - Macaroon Cookie Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1/3 cup softened Parkay margarine
1 egg
Topping: 1 - 14oz. can Eagle sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated), 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 1/4 cups Baker's angelflake coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans

In a mixer add egg and Parkay--beat. Add cake mix--beat until crumbly. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Press the cake mixture evenly in the bottom--set aside. In a mixer add the egg and vanilla--beat. Add condensed milk--beat until blended. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in 1 cup of the coconut and all of the pecans using a spoon. Pour the milk mixture over the pressed cake mixture in the cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. If the center seems runny, it's ok because it will set when cooled. Cool completely, then cut into squares or bars.

#818 - Pineapple Cheesecake Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel (zest)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel (zest)
Filling: 1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened), 1/4 cup white sugar, 2 TBSP milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple (drained), 1 TBSP melted butter, 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut

In a bowl add flour, 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and both orange and lemon zest--stir and mix until crumbly. Press the mixture into a greased 9 x 9 square pan or 11 x 7 greased pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until browned--remove from oven and cool completely. In a mixer add cream cheese and 1/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add egg and vanilla--beat. Add milk--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add drained pineapple--stir with a wooden spoon. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled crust. In a small bowl mix melted butter and coconut--set aside. Bake cheesecake at 350 for 10 minutes--remove from oven, sprinkle coconut/butter mixture evenly on top. Return cheesecake pan to oven and bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until coconut is browned. Cool, refrigerate and cut into squares.

#817 - Ground Beef and Potato Casserole

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

1lb. ground chuck
1 - 9oz. bag frozen green beans (cooked according to package directions and DRAINED)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
1 - 2.8oz. can Durkee or French's french fried onions
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 chopped onion

Cook string beans with 1 tsp. salt--drain and set aside. In a skillet, brown the ground chuck with 1 tsp. salt, pepper and chopped onion--drain but keep it in the skillet. Turn heat to medium. Add the tomato soup and water to the drained beef--stir. Add string beans to the beef mixture--stir. Grease a 2 qt. casserole dish. In a bowl add mashed potatoes and half of the can of french fried onions--stir. Spoon the potato mixture in the bottom and up the sides of the casserole to make a well in the center. Scoop the beef mixture into the center well of the mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and the other half can of french fried onions rings on top--return to oven for 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

#816 - One Pan Rhubarb Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 cups rhubarb (cut into small pieces)
1 cup white sugar
1 - 6oz. box strawberry Jell-O (dry--do not mix)
1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix (dry--do not mix)
2 cups cold water
5 TBPS butter

Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle the 4 cups rhubarb evenly on the bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle the white sugar over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the dry Jell-O over the white sugar. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the dry Jell-O. Pour the water slowly over the top. Dot the butter on the top. Bake at 350 degrees at 40-50 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#815 - Lemonade Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 9" ready-made graham cracker crusts
1 - 5oz. can Carnation evaporated milk
1 - 3.4oz. box Jell-O lemon INSTANT pudding
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed--do NOT dilute)

In a mixer add dry pudding mix and evaporated milk--beat for 3 minutes and set aside. In a second mixer bowl add cream cheese--beat. Add thawed lemonade concentrate to cream cheese--beat. Add Cool Whip--beat. Dump cream cheese mixture and pudding mixture together--fold using a wooden spoon until mixed. Pour half of the combined mixture into each of the graham cracker crusts. Refrigerate overnight.

#814 - Milky Way Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup Jif peanut butter
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 bags bite sized (NOT fun size) Milky Way candies--about 54 pieces

Unwrap the Milky Ways--set aside. In a mixer add white sugar, brown sugar and butter--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add peanut butter--beat. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt--beat. Add flour--beat well. Wrap a heaping tsp. of cookie dough around each unwrapped Milky Way and form the dough so candy is covered. Place on greased cookie sheets. Repeat until you run out of dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven, let them cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and place them on paper towels to cool.