#1568 - Spice Whooppee Pies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups Crisco shortening
4 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
2 cups buttermilk
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
2 tsp. salt
2 cups hot water
2 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking soda
9 cups flour
Filling: 2 tsp. vanilla; 4 TBSP flour; 2 TBSP milk; 4 egg whites; 1 1/2 cups Crisco shortening; 1lb. Domino's powdered sugar

In a mixer add 2 cups Crisco, white sugar, egg yolks--beat. Add cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, allspice, baking soda and vanilla---beat. Add buttermilk and hot water--beat. Slowly add flour--beat (continue by hand if necessary). Drop by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely. Filling: in a mixer add vanilla, flour, milk, egg whites and 1 1/2 cups Crisco--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat until fluffy. When cookies are cool, spread icing on one cookie (bottom side) and then top with another cookie (bottom side facing icing). You can freeze them by wrapping each pie in saran wrap and placing in a container.

#1567 - Frosted Apple Cake

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks Parkay margarine (softened)
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups chopped baking apples (wash, peel and core before chopping)
1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting: 2 tsp. softened butter; 1/4 cup cream; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 1/2 cups Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)

In a mixer add Parkay and white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add chopped apples and chopped walnuts--stir. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Frosting: in a mixer add butter, cream, 1 tsp. vanilla and brown sugar--beat until smooth. Frost the cake while it's warm.

#1566 - Orange Cranberry Loaf

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cranberries
1 beaten egg
2 TBSP butter (melted)
1/2 cup orange juice
orange zest (grated orange rind) from one orange
2 tsp. water
1/2 cup chopped nuts

In a bowl add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and white sugar--stir. Add egg, melted butter, orange juice, orange zest and water--stir. Add nuts and cranberries--stir. Pour batter into a greased bread loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes--test with a toothpick for doneness.

#1565 - Sour Cream and Green Bean Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
2 quarts green beans (2 large cans or 4 small cans)
1/4lb. shredded cheddar cheese (or more)
3 slices buttered bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a bowl add soup, sour cream, salt, garlic salt--stir. Add drained green beans and shredded cheddar cheese--stir. Pour mixture into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Spread buttered bread pieces on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until hot.

#1564 - Potato Patties

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup water
2 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1 beaten egg

In a saucepan add water--bring to a boil. Remove from heat--add salt, potato flakes, milk and sour cream--stir. Add beaten egg--stir. In a skillet over medium heat add butter--melt. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into the hot skillet--fry until bottom is golden brown, then flip and fry the other side. Repeat with all batter.

#1563 - Stovetop Vanilla Pudding

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/3 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk
1 cup white sugar
2 TBSP butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 TBSP (or more) vanilla

Take the top pot off of a double boiler and set it on your counter. Fill the bottom pot of the double boiler halfway with water--put it on the stove and bring to a boil. In the top pot that's on your counter add cornstarch, milk, white sugar and salt--stir. Place top pot on to the bottom pot on the stove--stir the mixture slowly and keep stirring while the mixture gets thick. Add the butter, then keep stirring until the butter melts and the mixture gets smooth (you want it to thicken, but not too thick--it will thicken more when cooled). Remove the top pan and quickly add the vanilla--stir until well mixed. Place the pot with the pudding on an unused burner--let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled to room temperature, place a piece of Saran Wrap on the top of the pudding and press is lightly on to the top of the pudding so the whole top of the pudding is covered. Refrigerate the pudding until cold. When ready to serve, remove the Saran Wrap and stir pudding until smooth.

#1562 - Corned Beef Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup any shape pasta (cooked and drained according to box directions)
1 - 12oz. can corned beef
1/4lb. American cheese (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
3 slices buttered bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

Chop corned beef and American cheese into bite sized pieces. In a bowl add both soups and milk--stir. Add cooked/drained pasta, corned beef pieces, and cheese pieces--stir. Pour whole mixture into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Spread the buttered bread pieces all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.

#1561 - Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

(by Kim [Knecht] Bickel - friend)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup Picante chunky salsa

In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add salsa and stir with a spoon. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh cut vegetables.

#1560 - Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crumbs: 1 1/2 cups Nilla wafer crumbs; 6 TBSP butter (melted); 6 TBSP Domino's powdered sugar; 6 TBSP Hershey's cocoa

Batter: 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa; 1/2 stick butter (melted); 3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated); 3 eggs; 2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze: 1 - 12oz. bag Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits; 1 cup whipping cream; 1 tsp. vanilla

In a bowl add all crumb ingredients--stir and set aside. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add 3 eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla--beat. Add 1/2 stick melted butter--beat. Add 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa--beat. Slowly add Eagle brand milk--beat. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. Press a heaping TBSP of crumb mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the crumb mixture in each paper liner. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Glaze: melt chocolate chips according to bag directions, then add whipping cream and vanilla--stir until smooth. Frost the whole top of each cheesecake with the glaze mixture.

#1559 - Fudge Nut Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 unbaked 9" pie crust dough
6 TBSP butter
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1/3 cup water
2 beaten eggs
2 to 3 TBSP instant coffee crystals
1 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. vanilla

Grease a 9" pie plate, insert pie crust dough, spray the inside of the dough with Pam, and flute the edges. In a saucepan over low heat add butter and cocoa--stir and melt until smooth. Add Eagle brand milk, water, beaten eggs, instant coffee, chocolate bits--stir and cook until well blended and melted. Remove from heat--add pecans and vanilla--stir. Pour the whole mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until center is set.

#1558 - Oatmeal and Apple Muffins

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup Quaker quick oats
3/4 cup milk + 2 TBSP milk
1 beaten egg
2 TBSP canola oil
2 TBSP King syrup molasses
3/4 cup grated apples (any type of baking apples--peel before grating)
1 1/4 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a large bowl add oats and pour the milk over them--let them soak for 15 minutes. Add beaten egg, canola oil, molasses, grated apples, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt--stir just until mixed. Place cupcake liners into muffin tins. Fill each liner 1/2 to 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 17-20 minutes.

#1557 - Salisbury Steak

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1lb. ground chuck
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 onion (chopped)
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
1 TBSP canola oil
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

In a bowl add 1/4 cup of the mushroom soup, ground chuck, salt, pepper, chopped onions, beaten egg and Italian bread crumbs--mix with your hands until well mixed, then shape it into six patties. In a skillet over medium heat add canola oil--cook the patties until browned on both sides. Pour off the grease from the pan and set cooked patties aside. Return pan to heat and add the rest of the soup and the fresh mushrooms--cook and stir. Place the patties back in the pan with the soup/mushroom mixture--turn heat to low and cover with a lid--cook for 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and meat patties are cooked through (turn halfway through cooking).

#1556 - Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

(by Bernice Merrill - friend)

2/3 cup softened butter
2/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Quaker quick oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 6oz. bag craisins (they are dried/sweetened cranberries)
2/3 cup Nestle's white chocolate bits

In a mixer add butter and brown sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add baking soda, salt and oats--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add craisins and white chocolate chips--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes.

#1555 - Amish Macaroni Salad

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups elbow macaroni (once measured, cook according to box directions until tender)
3 hard boiled eggs
1 onion (chopped)--OPTIONAL
3 ribs of celery (including the inner yellow leaves)
1/2 of a red bell pepper
2 TBSP pickle relish
2 cups Miracle Whip
3 TBSP French's yellow mustard
3/4 cup white sugar (add more if too sour)
2 1/4 tsp. white vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. celery seed

Cook macaroni until tender using box directions (make sure macaroni is very tender)--drain. On a cutting board, peel and chop hard boiled eggs. Chop onion, celery, and red bell pepper. In a large bowl add chopped eggs, chopped onions, chopped celery, chopped red bell pepper, pickle relish, Miracle Whip, mustard, white sugar, vinegar, salt and celery seed--stir until mixed. Add cooked macaroni--stir until mixed and well coated. Taste--if too sour for your taste, add a little more white sugar and stir again. Refrigerate until cold in a glass container.

#1554 - Baguette Bread

(by Shirley McNevich)

(makes 3 loaves)
4 cups flour
1 TBSP yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups water (warm but not hot)

In a large bowl add flour and salt--stir. In a separate bowl add yeast and warm water--stir. Add half of the flour mixture from the other bowl to the yeast mixture--work with your hands until dough forms. Cover the top of the dough bowl with a tea towel and let it sit on your counter for 3 hours. At this point, the dough will be triple the size it was when you covered it. Remove the tea towel and start adding the other half of the flour mixture to the dough--keep working it with your hands until all flour has been used. Flour your counter, then place the dough on top of the flour. Use your hands to knead the dough for 10 minutes (no less). Spray the inside of a bowl with Pam, then place the dough in the oiled bowl and cover it with a tea towel. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. After one hour, cut the dough into three equal sized pieces, form each into a baguette loaf shape, and place them on a cookie sheet. Once they are on the cookie sheets, let them sit for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a bowl of water on a separate cookie sheet in the oven. Place the cookie sheets with the bread doughs into the oven. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then remove the bowl of water. After removing the bowl of water bake the bread for 10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Ovens vary, so keep a close eye on them when making them for the first time. Also, the two outside loaves on the cookie sheet may get done quicker than the inside loaf.

#1553 - Chili Cheese Eggs

(by Shirley McNevich)

6 hard boiled eggs (cooled and peeled)
1/4 cup Cheez Whiz
2 TBSP finely chopped green chili peppers (washed)
dash of salt
paprika for sprinkling

Cut eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. In a bowl add egg yolks--crush with a fork. Add Cheez Whiz, chopped chili peppers, and salt to the crushed egg yolks--stir to mix. Fill the empty egg whites with the cheese mixture (just like deviled eggs). Sprinkle the tops with paprika. Refrigerate until cold.

#1552 - Toffee Pudding

(by Shirley McNevich)

3/4 cup crushed Nilla wafers
1 - 3oz. box Jell-O instant vanilla pudding (mixed according to box directions)
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)
7oz. of Heath toffee bars (finely chopped)

Mix vanilla pudding according to box directions. Grease a 9" square baking pan. Sprinkle half of the crushed Nilla wafers on the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the pudding on top of the wafers. Spread half of the Cool Whip on top of the pudding. Sprinkle half of the crushed Heath bars on top of the Cool Whip. Repeat the layers (crushed Nilla wafers, pudding, Cool Whip, then crushed Heath bars). Refrigerate overnight.

#1551 - Baked Vegetable Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 onion (chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
2 TBSP butter
1 cup canned whole tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 - 15.5oz. can butter beans (drained)
1 1/2 cup grated Velveeta cheese
2 slices buttered bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a skillet add butter, chopped onions and chopped green peppers--cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper--stir, then turn heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add butter beans--stir and cook until beans are hot. Make layers of the bean mixture and layers of cheese in a greased 2 qt. casserole dish. Place buttered bread pieces all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until hot.

#1550 - Garbanzo Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 - 15oz. cans garbanzo beans (drained--save some of the juice)
2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup pickle relish
1/2lb. bacon (fried, drained and crumbled)
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 TBSP French's yellow mustard
2 TBSP Heinz ketchup

In a blender add drained garbanzo beans, cottage cheese, pickle relish, crumbled bacon, chopped onions, mustard and ketchup--blend on high until smooth. If the mixture is too thick add a little bit of the garbanzo bean juice and blend again. Refrigerate until cold. Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.

#1549 - Caramel Krispies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick Parkay margarine
1 - 14oz. bag Kraft caramels (unwrap each caramel)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 bag campfire-sized marshmallows
2 to 3 cups crushed Rice Krispies cereal

Place Saran Wrap on a cookie sheet--set aside. Place rice krispies in a Ziploc bag--close the bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Put crushed rice krispies into a bowl. In a saucepan over low heat add Parkay--melt. Add Eagle milk--stir. Add all unwrapped caramels--turn heat to medium--stir and cook until mixture is melted and smooth. Use a toothpick to stick each marshmallow--dip each marshmallow into the caramel mixture until coated, then roll marshmallow in the crushed rice krispies. Place finished marshmallow on to the cookie sheet and remove the toothpick. Repeat with all marshmallows. Cool completely, then refrigerate.