#1049 - Pumpkin Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned Libby's pumpkin
1 cup raisins (put in saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, then drain them)
3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk

Boil raisins as described above--drain and cool. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add pumpkin--beat. In a separate bowl add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt--stir to mix. Remove bowl from mixer--add milk to batter and stir until blended. Add flour mixture to batter--stir just until mixed. Add drained raisins--stir. Add cupcake liners to muffin tins--fill each 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

#1048 - Cherry Pudding Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

14 whole graham crackers
1 - 6oz. box Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 cup Cool Whip (thawed)
1 - 21oz. can Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling

Grease a 9" square cake pan. Line the bottom of the cake pan with whole graham crackers (break them when you need to at the ends and corners)--set aside. In a mixer add pudding mix and cold milk--beat on low until mixed, then beat for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer off and let the pudding mixture stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove bowl from mixer--add Cool Whip to the pudding mixture and stir with a spoon. Spread 1/2 of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers in the cake pan. Make another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture in the cake pan. Pour the rest of the pudding mixture on top of the graham crackers in the cake pan. Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture. Carefully spoon the cherry pie filling evenly on top of the graham crackers. Refrigerate overnight.

#1047 - Glazed Ham Balls

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 lb. ground cured ham
1/4 lb. fresh ground pork
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard
1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/2 cup (or more) breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs
canola oil (for frying)
cracker crumbs (for coating)
Topping: 1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar; 1 tsp. French's yellow mustard; 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1/2 cup pineapple juice; 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

In a bowl add eggs--beat with a fork. In a separate bowl add ham, pork, beaten eggs, pepper, paprika, 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp. mustard, ketchup, and bread crumbs--mix with your hands thoroughly. Mixture should have enough consistency to form (and hold) into a ball shape--if it doesn't, add more bread crumbs and remix--set aside. In a separate bowl add cracker crumbs--set aside. Scoop ham mixture a bit at a time into your hands and form into meatball-sized balls. As you finish forming each ball, roll them in the cracker crumbs--place each on wax paper. In a skillet over medium heat add a little canola oil. Place a few ham balls at a time into the skillet and brown them all sides. Remove browned ham balls and place them in a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. In a bowl add brown sugar, 1 tsp. mustard, cider vinegar, pineapple juice, and 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce--stir until mixed. Pour the brown sugar mixture on top of each ham ball. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

#1046 - Chocolate Coffee Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crumbs: 10 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate (chopped coarsely with a knife); 3/4 cup chopped walnuts; 2/3 cup white sugar

Cake: 3/4 cup softened butter; 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 3 eggs; 1 1/2 cups sour cream; 2 tsp. vanilla; 2 1/2 cups flour; 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1/2 tsp. salt

In a bowl add chopped chocolate, chopped walnuts and 2/3 cup white sugar--stir and set aside. In a mixer add butter and 1 1/4 cups white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add sour cream and vanilla--beat. Add flour slowly--beat. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt--beat. Grease a 10" tube pan/bundt cake pan. Pour 2 cups of the batter into the pan evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate crumb mixture on top of the batter in the pan. Add another 2 cups of batter on top, and sprinkle another 1 cup of the chocolate crumbs on top. Pour remaining batter on top, and sprinkle remaining chocolate crumbs on top (you should end up with 3 layers). Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool 20 minutes, then invert on to a cake plate.

#1045 - Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup mayo or Miracle Whip

In a blender add milk, white sugar, cider vinegar and mayo--set blender to "mix" and beat 3-5 minutes. Use as a salad dressing. Refrigerate leftover dressing.

#1044 - Basic White Cake

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter (softened)
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
2 1/2 cups CAKE flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 or 2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add egg whites--beat until stiff--set aside. Into a bowl sift the cake flour, salt and baking powder--set aside. In a mixer add butter, egg yolks, and white sugar--beat. Add vanilla and milk--beat. Add cake flour mixture--beat. Add beaten egg whites to the batter--beat well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350-375 degrees for 25-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#1043 - Sour Cream Fudge Cake

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

3 squares Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add chocolate squares--pour boiling water over the chocolate squares. Stir until chocolate is melted--set aside. Into a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt--set aside. In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add melted chocolate--beat. Add flour mixture--beat until smooth. Pour batter into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Frost as desired.

#1042 - Root Beer Floats

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 heavy beer mug (clear glass) for each float
1 - 2 liter bottle A&W root beer (chilled)
1 quart premium vanilla ice cream

Place a large bowl in the sink and fill it with cool water. Dip each mug into the water, dump out any excess water and place mugs in your freezer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove mugs from freezer and place each on its own plate. Slowly fill each mug 2/3 full with root beer. Carefully place one large overflowing scoop of vanilla ice cream into each mug. Slowly pour root beer on top of ice cream in each mug until it gets close to the top of the mug (it should fizz and spill over a bit). Place a spoon and a straw in each mug. Serve immediately.

#1041 - Creamed Icing/Frosting

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 TBSP butter (no substitutes)
1/3 tsp. salt
1 egg white
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar
1 TBSP flour
2 TBSP milk
2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer add egg white and 1 cup of the powdered sugar--beat until stiff--scrape mixture into a bowl and set aside. In the mixer again, add Crisco, butter, salt, 1 cup powdered sugar, flour, milk and vanilla--beat until very light and fluffy. Add the egg mixture that you set aside to the frosting in the mixer--beat until fluffy and creamy.

#1040 - Chopped Onion Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large chopped onion (chop very, very fine)
1 cup mayo (no lite mayo or substitutes)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper (if you wish)

In a bowl add chopped onion, mayo and Parmesan cheese--stir until mixed. Spray a small casserole dish (or dip dish) with Pam. Pour mixture into the prepared dish--sprinkle salt and pepper on top if you wish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven--stir. Cool to room temperature, then serve with chips, bread, or vegetables.

#1039 - Flour Icing/Frosting

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

3 TBSP flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or Parkay margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1 or 2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over low heat add flour and slowly add milk--stir and heat until it makes a paste. Add butter/margarine and white sugar--stir until mixed and until white sugar is completely dissolved. Pour hot mixture into a mixer and add vanilla--beat on high until creamy and spreadable. Makes enough to frost one 9 x 13 cake. If icing is too thick add a little more milk--beat. If icing is too runny add a little powdered sugar--beat.

#1038 - Chocolate Mashed Potato Cake

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

2 cups white sugar
1 cup mayo
4 eggs
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 2/3 cup flour (sifted--measure before sifting)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a mixer add white sugar, mayo, and eggs--beat. Add mashed potatoes--beat. Add cocoa, baking soda and vanilla--beat. Add buttermilk and flour--beat. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Frost as desired.

#1037 - Cold Oven Pound Cake

(by Aunt Isabelle "Snooky" [McNevich] Worhach)

2 sticks butter (softened)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups sifted flour (measure before sifting)
1 tsp. vanilla
Domino's powdered sugar (optional)

In a mixer add butter and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add salt, baking powder and milk--beat. Add flour and vanilla--beat. Once mixed beat on medium speed for 20 minutes, stopping only to scrape sides and bottom of mixer bowl occasionally. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake or tube cake pan. Place in COLD oven (DO NOT PREHEAT), then turn heat on to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour. Cool completely, then dump it upside down on to a serving plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you wish, or you can glaze it.

#1036 - Egg Noodle Tetrazzini

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
1 TBSP butter
3 3/4 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas (thawed and drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan over medium heat add water, milk and butter--stir and bring to a boil. Add dry egg noodles--stir until dry noodles are coated. Add drained peas--stir. Stir and bring back to a boil--turn heat back to simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer about 10 minutes (stir occasionally)--cook until noodles are done to your taste and liquid is almost gone. Remove lid--add soup, chicken pieces and Parmesan cheese--stir and cook until hot enough to serve.

#1035 - Honey Teriyaki Steaks

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 bottle KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki barbeque sauce (1 bottle does about 4-6 steaks)
your favorite grilling steaks
Montreal Steak seasoning

Cut your steaks and trim off the fat from the edges--use a fork to poke holes all over the top and bottom of each steak. Place steak pieces on a cutting board--place a piece of Saran Wrap over the top of each steak piece use a meat tenderizer to pound the steaks on each side. Sprinkle each side of each steak with Montreal Steak seasoning and use the back of a fork to press the seasoning mixture into the steaks. Place cut steaks one at a time into a large Ziploc bag and pour some of the barbeque sauce on top of each steak piece as you add it to the bag. Pour any extra barbeque sauce into the bag. Squeeze out the air from the bag before zipping it shut. Carefully work the outside of the bag to knead the barbeque sauce into the steaks. Place the bag on a dish and refrigerate the steak bag at least a few hours before grilling the steaks. When ready to grill, use tongs to remove each steak from the bag and place each steak on preheated grill. Use the leftover barbeque sauce in the bag to brush on to both sides of the steaks as you are grilling them. Note: this barbeque sauce discolors the steaks so it's much harder to tell when they are cooked.

#1034 - Easy Ice Cream Bars

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut
2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup butter
1 quart premium vanilla ice cream (softened)

In a greased 9 x 13 cake pan add chopped pecans--sprinkle them evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle coconut evenly on top of the chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes just to toast--stir once or twice while baking. Remove from oven and cool. Pour pecan/coconut mixture into a bowl. Add Rice Krispies to a large Ziploc bag--crush them using a rolling pin. Add crushed Rice Krispies to the pecan mixture--stir and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat add brown sugar and butter--stir and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute once boiling. Remove from heat and pour hot sugar mixture over the Rice Krispie mixture--stir and coat. Press 1/2 of the Rice Krispie mixture into a greased 9" square pan. Let the crust cool to room temperature, then place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour. Place a piece of foil on top of remaining Rice Krispie mixture--set aside. After 1 hour, spread the vanilla ice cream on top of the frozen Rice Krispie crust. Place the pan back in the freezer for 1/2 hour or until firm. Remove pan from freezer and spread remaining Rice Krispie mixture on top of the ice cream evenly. Cover the pan with foil and freeze overnight. Cut into bars to serve.

#1033 - Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. box any shape pasta (cooked and drained according to box directions with 1 tsp. salt--rinse pasta in HOT water rather than cold water)
2 skinless/boneless chicken breast halves (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 8oz. bottle Caesar salad dressing
2 green onions (sliced thin) OR 1 small chopped onion
1 - 10oz. bag frozen sugar snap peas OR regular peas (thawed and drained)
1 fresh carrot (washed, peeled and sliced into thin pieces)
1 cup fresh spinach pieces
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Remove chicken breasts from package--cover each with Saran wrap, pound each with a meat tenderizer--remove Saran wrap, then salt and pepper both sides of each piece to your taste. Cut all chicken into bite sized pieces. In a skillet over medium heat add 3 to 6 TBSP of the Caesar dressing--add chicken pieces to the skillet. Stir and cook until chicken is cooked. Add onions, peas and carrot slices--stir and cook until hot. Add spinach--cook and stir until spinach is hot. In a large salad bowl add cooked/drained pasta and chicken mixture--toss. Pour the remaining Caesar dressing on the mixture--toss to coat. Serve warm. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top just before serving.

#1032 - Pumpkin Coffee Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
Topping: 1 - 16oz. can Libby's pumpkin, 1 beaten egg, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Crumbs: 1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed), 1/3 cup butter (softened), 2 tsp. cinnamon

In a bowl add brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 2 tsp. cinnamon--use two table knives to cut the mixture into crumbs--set aside. In a mixer add 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup white sugar and vanilla--beat. Add 3 eggs--beat. Add sour cream--beat. Add baking powder and baking soda--beat. Add flour--beat and set aside. In a bowl add pumpkin, 1 beaten egg, 1/3 cup white sugar, and pumpkin pie spice--stir until mixed. Pour 1/2 of the batter from the mixer into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Sprinkle half the the brown sugar crumb mixture on top of the cake batter. Spread ALL of the pumpkin mixture on top of the crumbs. Pour the rest of the batter from the mixer on top of the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar crumb mixture on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#1031 - Quick Meatless Taco Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 small chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 or 2 chopped tomatoes
drained and sliced olives (optional--your choice of amount)
1 small can kidney beans (drained)
16oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 16oz. bottle French dressing
tortilla chips (crushed using your hands)
1 or 2 heads iceberg lettuce (washed and broken into bite sized pieces)

Prepare just a few minutes before serving (chilling all ingredients except the tortilla chips). In a bowl add chopped onion, chopped red peppers, chopped green peppers, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives and kidney beans--stir until mixed. In a separate bowl add lettuce. When ready to serve, add lots of lettuce to a dinner sized plate. Add a heaping serving of the kidney bean mixture. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, French dressing and crushed tortilla chips.

#1030 - Pecan Brownies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - large box Jell-O chocolate INSTANT pudding (6oz.)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter (melted)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting: 1 cup white sugar; 1 cup Carnation evaporated milk; 3 egg yolks; 1/2 cup butter; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 1/2 cups Baker's angelflake coconut; 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Add eggs to a cup--beat with a fork. In a bowl add melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla, and chopped pecans--stir. In a separate bowl add chocolate pudding, flour, baking powder and white sugar--stir. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture--just stir until mixed. Pour batter into a greased jelly roll pan (15" x 10" x 1"). Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness. Cool completely. Frosting--add egg yolks to a bowl and beat with a fork. In a saucepan over medium heat add white sugar, Carnation milk, beaten egg yolks, and butter--stir and cook until it thickens (about 11-12 minutes). Remove from heat--add vanilla, chopped pecans and coconut--stir. Let it set a few minutes and re-stir. Once cooled, stir frosting and frost the brownies.