Campers or Cowboy Bean Treat

This recipe is perfect to make if you just want a quick meal. It is a hardy and filling meal that your family is sure to love.

Ingredients

1 lb hamburger
1 lb. bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (1 lb.) cans pork and beans
1  can kidney beans
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 to 2 Tbs. molasses
2 Tbs. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. liquid smoke
2 tsp. vinegar
1 pkg dry onion soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Brown the ground beef, bacon, onion and garlic in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven until the ground beef is no longer pink.  Drain off excess grease or fat.

Add pork and beans, kidney beans, ketchup, water, prepared mustard, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, vinegar and dry onion soup mix. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You can also cook this over the campfire.

Oven Barbecued Beef Roast

Oven Barbecued Beef Roast or Steaks

Originally this recipe called for beef steak instead of beef roast. However, steak prices are so high right now, that we opt for buying a round roast, or whatever is the cheapest at the time we go shopping.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 lbs. round roast, cut into strips or pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. ketchup
3/4 c. vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. prepared mustard
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 170° for longer baking time and a more tender meat or 350° for shorter baking time.

In a Dutch oven or an ovenproof skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat.

Cut off most of the fat from the roast. Add beef roast pieces or strips into the skillet.  Brown the pieces in hot oil. 

Add onions and garlic to the skillet.  Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned.

Stir in water, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Cover the Dutch oven or skillet and bake for 10 hours or until meat is tender.  If you are baking the beef at 350°, bake for 3 hours or until tender.

Soft Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

One of our favorite cookies to make and eat are Peanut Butter cookies. This recipe makes up a batch of peanut butter cookies that are soft and chewy.  I came across the written recipe tucked into one of my mother's cookbooks.

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. peanut butter, creamy
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar, divided
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
1 c. peanut butter chips
1/4 c. sugar, for rolling the dough in

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.  Lightly grease or spray a cookie sheet to keep the cookies from sticking, or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  

Cream together butter, peanut butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla.

Mix in baking soda, salt and flour. 

Stir in peanut butter chips by hand with a wooden spoon.

Roll some dough between the palms of your hands into 1 1/2-inch balls.  You may want to refrigerate the dough if it sticks too much to your hands.

Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough balls in the sugar. 

Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.  Bake for 7 to 9 minutes.  Remove from oven before they turn brown.  Leave them on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes to set up, so you can remove them and place them on a cooling rack.  It is important not to over bake the cookies, so they will remain very soft.

Saucy Beef Stir Fry

 

This stir fry recipe is super easy, getting you in and out of the kitchen quickly. My family loves this meal. I use beef roast and it does not matter which one you choose.  You can use steak instead, but that is usually a lot pricier then the roast if you are wanting to save some money. You can also ask the butcher to slice the meat thinly for you as well.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. beef broth or 1 to 2 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 1 1/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire
1/4 c. brown sugar or granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger minced (Optional)
1 to 2 red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. beef roast, fat removed, sliced into very thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced into half rings
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 can sliced carrots, drained
2 c. frozen broccoli
2 c. cooked rice

Directions

In a glass bowl, combine cornstarch, and beef broth. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.  Mix in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger root red pepper flakes and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the sliced beef, and cook until browned. This can take about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet or push the meat to one side if you are using a large skillet.

Add the onions and peppers to the skillet. Cook and stir until tender. 

Add the sliced carrots and broccoli. Cook until broccoli is no longer frozen. 

 If you removed the meat from the skillet, add it back into the skillet. Pour in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

This is a very easy recipe if you don't have much time to prepare a delicious treat for breakfast or lunch. Canned apple pie filling and refrigerated cinnamon rolls in the tube is the perfect way for those who don't like to cook or have much time to cook.

Ingredients

1 (8 or 10 count) Cinnamon rolls
1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling
1/4 Tbs. butter (melted)
1/2 - 1 tsp.  cinnamon
6 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or casserole dish.

Cut each cinnamon roll into 4 or 6 pieces and place them evenly on the bottom of the baking pan or casserole dish.

Pour the melted butter over the top of the cut up cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then 2 tablespoons brown sugar. 

Cut the apples in the pie filling into smaller, bite sized pieces.  You can either dump them in a bowl or leave them in the can and cut through them with a sharp knife.  Spread half of the apple pie mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Stir to combine. Smooth out the mixture evenly in the pan.

Repeat the layer by sprinkling 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top, then evenly spread out the remaining apple pie filling.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apples. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done.

Drizzle the top of the cinnamon rolls with icing that came in the package.

Best when served warm from the oven.

 Pigs in a Blanket

This is a simple recipe brings back childhood memories of hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough. This recipe uses home-made biscuits. However, if you want to make this meal even easier, use one tube of refrigerated crescent rolls. 

Also, you can put a slice of cheese on the hot dog and then wrap the biscuit dough around the outside of the hot dog. Home-made yeast dough works equally well to make Pigs in a Blanket.

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. cold butter cut into small pieces
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
3/4 c. buttermilk
8 beef hot dogs

Directions

Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the cut up butter in with the flour.  Cut the flour in with two knives until the butter is like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the flour, butter mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the center of the indention. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Do not over mix the dough, or it will be tough. 

Place the dough onto a floured surface. Gently knead the dough about 4 or 6 times with floured hands. 

Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough horizontally into 1-inch strips. Spread the strips out, leaving half an inch between strip. 

Place one hot dog on a strip of biscuit dough, beginning on the left edge of the biscuit dough strip. Begin to spiral the dough around the outside of the hot dog. Press the ends of the biscuit dough against the dough to keep the dough in place. Place the hot dog on the baking sheet. Repeat the process for each hot dog.

 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with ketchup and mustard.

Notes:

Use the kind of hot dogs that you like best. The cheap ones with chicken, beef and pork work just as well and the all beef ones.

 

 

Layered Enchilada Casserole

 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 chopped hot pepper (Optional)
1 chopped sweet pepper (Optional)
1 Tbs. taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans (You can drain them if desired)
1 (10 oz.) can ROTEL hot or mild diced tomatoes or salsa
2 c. whole kernel corn
2 c. enchilada sauce
2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, diced
10 corn tortillas, cut in half, or you can leave whole

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onions, hot pepper and sweet pepper. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the beans, and ROTEL, stirring to combine.  Heat through.

Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer one third of the tortillas over the sauce.

Add half of the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup corn and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.  Layer another third of the tortillas, and the remaining meat mixture. Next add the rest of the corn and then 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the cheese. Layer the last of the tortillas over the top.  

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove the lid or foil and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve with diced tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, cheese, and/or extra salsa.

 Biscuit Hamburger Bake

This recipe is comes from my mother's recipe box. It is a quick and easy meal to prepare. Comfort food for you and your family.

Ingredients

2 cups enriched flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups shortening
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup chili sauce

Parsley Sauce 

3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbs. minced parsley
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan.

Brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper together until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off fat.

Stir in prepared mustard and chili sauce. Set aside while you prepare the biscuits.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together.  Using 2 dull kitchen knives, cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

In a small bowl, mix the egg and milk together. Pour in the milk and egg mixture into the well you make in the flour. Mix only until the dough follows the spoon around in the bowl.

Divide the dough in half. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll or lightly pat each dough half into an 8-inch square. Place one half of the dough in the bottom of a greased, 8x8x2 inch pan. 

Place the meat mixture over the biscuit dough. Top with remaining biscuit dough.

Bake for 25 minutes.  As the hamburger biscuits bake, prepare the Parsley Sauce. 

Make white sauce by melting butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.  Stirring constantly add the salt, pepper, milk, parsley, celery salt and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. 

Cut into squares and serve with parsley sauce.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

 

This is an easy and simple way to make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables. It just takes a few minutes to prepare, and then you put it into the oven and bake, leaving you free to enjoy your day or evening. You can also add different vegetables like, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes or squash.

Ingredients

1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
2 lbs. potatoes, cut into bite size cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots sliced into round rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
6 chicken thighs, with or without the skin
salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder
onion powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 300° or 170°, depending on how long you want to bake it. See notes below.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

In a large baking pan, combine potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic and olive oil.  Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil. Season the vegetables with the seasoning mixture of paprika, salt, pepper and rosemary.

Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Place chicken on top of the vegetables in a baking pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour, or at 170° for 8 hours to 10 hours. Bake until the meat falls off the bone and the vegetables are tender.  We like cooking ours low and slow. Not only does this give the meal a great flavor, it gives you very tender meat.

Hartwell Farm Corn Pudding

 

This is an old recipe I found in my mother's recipe box. It is such an easy recipe to put together with squares of cheese and bacon over the top, in a checkerboard fashion.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) can cream-style corn
1 c. medium-fine dry bread crumbs
1 c. milk
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 ounces sliced cheddar cheese, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
3 to  4 slices bacon, in 1 1/2-inch lengths

Directions

Heat oven to 325° .

In a bowl, mix cream corn, bread crumbs, milk, green pepper, salt, and pepper.  

Pour the cream corn mixture into a casserole dish or 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

In an alternating pattern, arrange pieces of cheese and bacon across the top.  Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Dishpan Cookies

 You will need a big bowl or clean dishpan to mix up these cookies. This recipe gives you a big supply of cookies if you need to bake cookies for a large group of people. Of course, they work equally well to bake them up and store in the freezer for your own family, too. That way, you just bring out the cookies as needed. 

Ingredients

2 c. brown sugar
2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. vegetable oil,  margarine or butter
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 c. chopped dates (optional)
1 c. raisins (optional)
2 c. coconut
4 c. cornflakes
1 (6 oz.) pkg chocolate chips

Directions

Cream brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Stir in soda, baking powder, salt and flour until thoroughly combined.

Add oatmeal, nuts, dates, raisins, coconut, cornflakes and chocolate chips.  Mix well.

Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Blue Cheese Salad Dressing

Serve this thick and creamy blue cheese dressing as a dip, or poured over a wedge of lettuce. You can add more blue cheese if you want more blue cheese flavor. 

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
3 Tbs. buttermilk
3 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 c. green onion, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the blue cheese and buttermilk. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, break up the blue cheese by mashing it against the side of the bowl until it is the size of small curd cottage cheese. 

Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and green onion. Mix until well blended. You can use a blender or an immersion blender to mix it up as well. This gives you a very smooth dressing.

Season with salt and pepper.

 Wacky Cake

Don't be fooled by the name of this cake. This moist cake is so quick and easy to make. It is one that my family requests often. When you need a dessert fast, this is the one won't let you down.

Ingredients

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. cold water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. vinegar
3 /4 c. oil

Directions

Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and soda together in a large mixing bowl. Add water, vanilla, vinegar and oil, mix well.

Pour in greased cake pan and bake 350° for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the cake has cooled, frost if desired. Or sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.

Smothered Chicken Fried Pork Chops

Ingredients

6 to 8 lean pork chops, 1-inch thick
1 egg
2 Tbs. water
1/2 c. flour
1 Tbs. salt
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup or chicken-rice soup
1 c. milk
3 to 4 potatoes washed and quartered
1 onion, sliced thinly into half rings

Directions

In a pan, or shallow bowl, beat the egg and water together.

In a low sided pan or bowl, mix the flour, salt, mustard, and garlic powder together. 

Dip the pork chops in the egg mixture. Let the excess egg drip off. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture. Set aside on a pan or rack for a few minutes. This helps the coating to stay on the meat and not fall off during frying. 

Heat the oil in a skillet.  Brown both sides of the pork chops. You don't need to cook the pork chops all the way through, you just want them to be nicely browned.  

Combine chicken-rice soup and milk together.  Hint: You can fill the empty soup can almost full of milk instead of using a measuring cup.

Place the pork chops in a Crock Pot or in a casserole dish that has a lid. Place the potatoes over the pork chops and add the onions.  Pour the soup and milk mixture over the top. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours; high for 4 hours.  Or bake in the oven at 200° for 6 to 8 hours.

 Spaghetti with Bacon Sauce

This is a very easy spaghetti dish that takes a few ingredients and turns them into a delicious supper. Spaghetti, bacon, tomatoes and peppers.

Ingredients

12 oz. piece of smoked bacon or 6 slices of bacon
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (14 Oz.) can tomatoes, chopped or 1 lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper to taste
pinch crushed red pepper
12 oz. spaghetti
6 Tbs. Parmesan cheese

Directions

Fill a pot with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, but reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for later.  

Cut bacon into 1/4-inch slices. Fry bacon, onion and pepper in a cast iron skillet until golden brown all over. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain. Drain off bacon grease from the skillet.

Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Add the cooked spaghetti, and 5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Toss lightly over low heat for 2 minutes.  Adjust the seasoning to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. 

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve.

Smothered Mushroom Chicken

This is a very versatile recipe. You can add different vegetables like potatoes, peas, broccoli, sliced zucchini, or peppers.  This can be served over rice or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. olive oil
1 chicken, cut up or 8 chicken pieces
3/4 c. flour
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. chopped carrots
1 can mushrooms, drained
3 c. chicken broth
3 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. onion salt
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 c. heavy cream

Directions

Melt butter and olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Place flour in a low sided bowl, or a large plastic bag. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour. Fry the chicken in the butter and olive oil. Set chicken in a 13 x 9-inch pan, or you can use a Dutch oven.

Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the butter and olive oil in the skillet.

Stir in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook and stir for 5 minutes to remove the flour taste.

Stirring continuously, pour in the chicken broth.  Season with cayenne pepper, thyme, onion salt and bay leaf.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. 

Place the chicken pieces back in the skillet.  Add the onions, celery, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms.  

Cover the baking pan with foil or, if using a Dutch oven, cover with a lid. Bake at 250° for 2 hours, or until chicken is done, and the juices run clear. 

About 15 minutes before removing the chicken from the oven, pour in the heavy cream. Do not cover. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.

Copycat Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing

My family loves Dorothy Lynch salad dressing and used to buy it all the time. But those bottles of dressing come with a pretty high price tag!  Our neighbor gave us this recipe, and it is even better than the kind you buy in a bottle at the grocery store.  It takes only a few minutes to prepare. 

When choosing the tomato soup, try to get Campbells Tomato soup.  It does cost more, but it will give your salad the best flavor.

Ingredients

1 can tomato soup
3/4 to 1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vinegar
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. celery seed
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 c. salad oil, warm

Directions

Combine tomato soup, sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, celery seed, pepper and paprika together in a blender.

With the blender running, slowly pour in the oil.

Pour the salad dressing into a large empty jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. Shake well before using.

Mexicali Casserole

If you like Mexican food, you are sure to like this casserole dish. It is an easy dish to make, combining all the flavors that you enjoy eating.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 or 2 jalapeños (Optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 (16 oz. can kidney beans
1 c. water
2/3 c. uncooked rice
1/3 c. sliced ripe olives
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. 

Over medium heat, cook ground beef, onions, pepper and garlic in a cast iron skillet.  Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain.

Stir in chili powder, tomatoes, corn, kidney beans, water, rice, and olives. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to an 11 x 7-inch baking dish, or you can leave it in the oven safe skillet you fried the meat and vegetables in.  Cover and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. 

Remove the lid or cover and sprinkle cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Spicy Beef and Potato Dish

Our family was practically raised on meat and potatoes for every meal.  This recipe is one of those meal ideas and it is so easy and simple to do. It combines ground beef or sausage, potatoes, onions and peppers for a one dish meal. You can make it as spicy as you like by adding hot peppers and or using hot sausage.

Ingredients

 2 Tbs. oil
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 lb. ground beef or spicy sausage
1 onion, diced
1 sweet pepper, diced
1 to 2 hot peppers, chopped (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheese

 Directions

In a cast iron skillet, heat oil until hot.  Add cubed potatoes. Cook the potatoes over medium high heat, stirring often, until they are starting to turn brown.  The potatoes do not have to be done, just starting to brown nicely. 

Add the ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, hot pepper, and garlic cloves.  Cook and stir until the meat is cooked and the potatoes and onions are tender.

Stir in paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and prepared mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheese with desired. Cover with a lid until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream if desired.

 Yeast Coffee Cake

 Warm inviting yeast coffee cake to enjoy with your morning coffee. We prefer the breads made with yeast as a rising agent. It has a better flavor than baking powder, and you don't have to worry about yeast having aluminum in it.

Ingredients

1 pkg. yeast
1/3 c. warm water (110° to 115°
1/2  c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg, separated
4 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. milk, scalded, cooled to lukewarm

Brown Sugar Topping

Ingredients

1/8 c. melted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
raisins (Optional)

Directions

Grease two 9-inch round pans. 

Soften yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water for 5 to  10 minutes. This allows the yeast to bloom and show that it is alive.

Cream butter until softened. Gradually add the sugar, cream the mixture until light and fluffy.

Add egg yolk and beat well. 

Stir in 1 cup flour and mix well.

Pour in the yeast mixture and combine thoroughly.

Alternately, add the rest of the flour and the milk to the butter mixture.  Beat well after each addition. 

In a clean, grease free bowl, beat egg white until rounded peaks are formed. Fold into the flour and yeast mixture until well blended.  

Cover and let rise in a warm location about 2 hours.  

Punch down and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll or pat each portion into a round. Put each round into the prepared pans.  Cover and place in a warm location.  Let rise about 90 minutes. 

Prepare the brown sugar topping. 

Brush melted butter over the tops of the coffee cakes.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and raisins if desired. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

Pizza Hamburger Casserole 

All the fantastic flavors of pizza in one dish.  This recipe is quick and easy.  Although the directions call for cooking the pasta and then add it to the dish, you can also add the dry pasta in the dish.  Add either 1 cup of water, beef bouillon or beef stock to help cook the macaroni.  Just check the pasta occasionally to see if more liquid is needed and add accordingly.  

If you have pizza sauce on hand, you can use that instead of the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.

Ingredients

3 c. macaroni, uncooked
2 lbs. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 sweet peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 oz.) can of mushrooms
1 1 (32 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 or 2 (2 1/4-ounce) cans sliced ripe olives
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
4 to 8 oz. sliced pepperoni
16 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni and about 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Cook according to package directions. Drain

In a cast iron skillet, brown the hamburger, onion, pepper and garlic. Drain off any excess grease. 

Add the macaroni, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, crushed tomatoes, basil, red pepper, oregano, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

Place in a 9 x 13-inch pan. Top with pepperoni.

Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

 Egg Rolls

These egg rolls are really delicious, but they do take a bit of time to assemble. If you want to save some time, you can use a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead. Just make sure the carrots are finely shredded, or they will poke through the egg roll wrappers. 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground pork or chicken (we use spicy pork)
3 to 4 cups cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 to 2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
water or 1 egg, beaten
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil for frying

Directions 

In a large cast iron skillet, cook the ground pork, onions until lightly browned. Drain off the grease.

Add cabbage, and carrots and cook down until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in ginger, salt, garlic powder and soy sauce.

Pour some water in a small bowl. Or beat an egg until frothy.  This is the glue to hold the egg roll wrapper together.

Lay out one egg roll skin. Have a corner of the egg roll pointed toward you. Dip your finger or a pastry brush in the water or beaten egg. Rub the liquid around the inside edge of the egg rolls. This will act as a glue to hold the egg rolls together.

Place about 2 tablespoonfuls to 1/4 cup of  the pork vegetable mixture on egg roll paper. Fold the left and right corners toward the center. Fold up the bottom corner and continue to roll.  

You can either preheat the oven to 350° and bake the egg rolls 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Or you can heat up some oil in a deep fryer to 350° and fry 2 to 4 egg rolls at a time. Turn them occasionally for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 

Serve with egg roll sauce or soy sauce, or your favorite sauce. 

Rice and Raisins

When I was growing up, my mother made this delicious dessert treat, Rice and Raisins, quite often. It was simple to make, easy on the budget, and it was so darn good!!! It was comfort food at its best.

Our family called it Rice and Raisins, while others often call it Rice Pudding.

My kids grew up loving this dessert, and they ask for it often. I am hoping to instill traditions and memories in their lives as I have in mine.

Ingredients

2 c. water
1 c. short-grain rice
1/4 c. granulated sugar (More or less depending on how sweet you want it to be)
2 cans Evaporated milk
1/3 c. or more raisins 
1 tsp. or more cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. butter

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice. Bring the water back to a boil.  Lower heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. If the rice becomes dry, add more water.

Lower the heat to keep the water at a simmer.  Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook slowly for approximately 25 minutes, or until rice is tender. Do not lift the lid of the pot until to check on the rice. Add some hot water during cooking time if the rice becomes dry.

When the rice is tender, shake the cans of evaporated milk, so it is thoroughly mixed. Pour in one can of milk with the rice.

Stir in the raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring in the other can of milk. Cook until the rice is soft and raisins and plumped. You want it to be more of a pudding, and not really liquidy.

Stir in the vanilla and butter.

Serve while warm and enjoy!

 Honey Garlic Chicken

Garlic is one of our favorite ways to enhance the flavor of meats or breads.  Garlic Honey Chicken is a quick and easy meal that take any time at all to prepare. We usually double the sauce when we make this because we like to add it to the rice.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1/2-inch cubes or split the chicken breast in half so you have 2 thin pieces of chicken from each breast
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 onion, sliced in half and thinly sliced
2 c. frozen broccoli
1 can sliced carrots, drained
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c.  soy sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbs. cold water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
prepared cooked rice

Directions

Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes. Or, you can cut each chicken breast in half, so you have 2 thin pieces of chicken breast from each piece.

Salt each side of the chicken breast with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet.  Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and cook for another minute.

Add the onion, broccoli and sliced carrots. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic cloves and red pepper flakes.  Pour over the chicken.  Toss to coat the chicken cubes, or turn the chicken pieces over if using the halved chicken breasts. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then simmer for about 1 minute. 

Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture.  Cook and stir until the sauce is slightly thickened, and the chicken is cooked through. 

Serve over prepared cooked rice and enjoy.

Sausage Cream Corn

This side dish combines two great flavors, corn and sausage. It is a great tasting casserole dish that is easy to prepare. 

Ingredients

1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage meat, or sausage meat of your choice
1 large onion, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 sweet pepper, chopped
2 (14-3/4 oz.) cans cream style corn, or you can use whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. parsley
1 1/4 c. herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. shaved Parmagiano Reggiano cheese
1 Tbs. butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large cast-iron skillet, cook sausage, onion, shallot, garlic clove and sweet pepper until browned. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and put in a small bowl. Drain off grease.

Add the corn, parsley and stuffing mix to the skillet. Stir to combine.

Pour in the heavy whipping cream and butter. You can leave this in the cast iron skillet, or transfer the mixture into a greased 1 quart baking dish.

Sprinkle the Parmagiano Reggiano over the top.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Extra Chocolaty Pudding From Scratch

 Chocolate pudding is one of those desserts that is smooth and creamy. It brings peace to a hectic day and comfort in troubling times. It is always nice to cook up a batch of pudding that my family and I can enjoy together as we unwind from the day.

 Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
3 Tbs cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
1 (6 oz.) pkg semisweet chocolate pieces, or 1 cup
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Beat eggs in a heatproof bowl.  Set aside.

Mix the sugar, cornstarch cocoa and salt in a large heavy bottom saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk until combined. Stirring or whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. Boil and stir for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat.

Whisking or stirring constantly, gradually add about 1 cup of the hot pudding mixture into the beaten eggs.  Do not add the hot pudding all at once to the eggs, or it will cook the eggs.  Pour in about a heaping tablespoon of the hot pudding mixture at a time. 

Pour the tempered eggs back into the pudding mixture, whisking constantly. 

Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. 

Add the semisweet chocolate pieces, stirring until they are melted.

Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla.  Cool slightly. Pour into dessert dishes. You can chill the pudding in the refrigerator or serve warm, which is what we like best. 

Easy Pots De Creme Chocolate Pudding

This is the easy version to making Pots De Creme Chocolate pudding.  It uses a box of chocolate pudding mix instead of buying heavy cream.  This recipe is perfect if you need a fast easy dessert. You can make it early in the day and chill until it is ready to serve. We don't always let our pudding cool because we like warm pudding the best.

Ingredients

2 1/4 c. milk
1 (4 oz.) pkg regular chocolate pudding mix
1 (6 oz.) pkg semisweet chocolate pieces, or 1 cup
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, but use 2 1/4 cups milk instead.

While the pudding is hot, add semisweet chocolate pieces, stirring until the chocolate is melted.  Cool. 

Pour in vanilla.  Beat well until the pudding is smooth and creamy.

Pour the mixture into cups or dessert bowls and chill.  

Serve with whipped cream.

Saucy Franks

One of my favorite recipes is, Saucy Franks. In no time at all, you can have a delicious meal on the table that your family will enjoy.  You can use beef hot dogs or any kind of hot dogs that you like best.

Ingredients

6 to 8 oz. uncooked noodles
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1 lb.  hot dogs or frankfurters * See notes
1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed tomato soup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. water
2 to 3 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 green pepper, chopped

Directions

Fill a pot with water. Add some salt to the water and bring the water to a boil.  Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. 

Score the hot dogs/frankfurters in a corkscrew fashion.

Melt butter in a cast iron skillet. Add the hot dogs and onion. Cook until the hot dogs are browned on all sides and the onions are caramelized.

Stir in condensed tomato soup, brown sugar, water, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a bubble, then turn the heat down to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add green pepper.  Cook covered 5 minutes longer. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Notes

We use beef hotdogs because we like those best. However, they are rather expensive on our budget anymore. So we usually use the cheaper hotdogs made with chicken, and pork.

Rhubarb Goodie

Rhubarb is one of those fruits you either love or hate. We like rhubarb, but it has to be in small pieces for me to enjoy. It is tart, but is a good source of vitamin K1, and it is high in fiber.

Ingredients

4 c.  rhubarb cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Topping

3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. soda
1/3 c. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

In a bowl, combine sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon. Add in the rhubarb.

Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. 

Prepare the topping.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and soda.

Mix in the melted butter.  The mixture will be crumbly.  Sprinkle over the rhubarb mixture in the baking pan.

Bake 40 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender and the top is golden brown.

Cheeseburger Garlic Loaf

I made a Cheeseburger Garlic Loaf for supper. Sometimes I just use seasoned ground beef and cheese and roll it up in bread dough or in the center of bread buns. This time I added some sauce in with the meat and it was so good. This recipe does take a bit of time, but definitely worth it when you sit down to eat. 

Ingredients

2 Pkg. active dry yeast
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 c. lukewarm milk
1/2 c. butter or shortening
6 garlic cloves
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
5 1/2 to 6 c. flour

Cheeseburger Filling 

1 lb. ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/3 to 1/2 c. spaghetti sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1 Tbs. prepared mustard
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
Salt and pepper
8 oz. cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
garlic powder.

Directions

In a large bowl, soak yeast and sugar in the warm water. Allow the yeast to sit for 5 minutes in a warm location to make sure it is active.

Add milk, salt, butter or shortening, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat with a mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon until it is a smooth batter.

Add remaining flour until dough becomes too stiff to mix with a spoon. Turn the dough out on a floured board and knead for about 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic and no longer sticky.   You can also work the dough in a bread machine or with your mixer using the dough hook according to manufacture's directions. 

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel or sheet of plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm location, while you prepare the filling. 

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown ground beef, onion and garlic together until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.  

Add the spaghetti sauce, ketchup, mustard, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook to reduce the liquid content, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool a bit. 

Divide the dough in half, with one half being just a bit bigger. Roll the bigger dough ball into a large rectangle. Spread the meat mixture over the top of the dough. Top with cheese. Fold over an inch of dough on the two narrow ends to keep the filling from leaking out. Roll up in a jellyroll fashion, starting with the long end.  Place the meat filled dough on a cookie sheet.**See notes below.    Divide the other dough into 10 or 12 balls. Place in two greased round cake pans, or a 9 x 9-inch pan. Place in a warm location and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes.  Sprinkle garlic powder over the tops of the cheeseburger loaf and dinner rolls if desired.

Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.

Remove the pan from the oven and rub some butter over the tops of the rolls and cheeseburger loaf for a soft top, and a delicious butter taste.  

Notes: 

I use a large 10-inch by 15-inch greased cake pan. I put the meat filled dough down the center and the diner buns on each side of the dough. 

Baking Mix Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler is an old recipe that my mother and her mother made often.  It can be made with fresh peaches or canned  peaches. This recipe is simple to make and is so delicious. Perfect for times when you need a quick dessert to serve your family or to take somewhere.  You can make it with baking mix or Bisquick.

Ingredients

1 c. baking mix
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. milk
1/2 c. melted butter
6 peaches (6 cups), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices or 1 (29 oz. can) sliced peaches, drained
1 c. brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. 

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk baking mix, nutmeg, cinnamon and milk together. Stir in the melted butter. 

Pour the mixture in a large cast iron skillet or an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

Combine the peaches and brown sugar together in a bowl. You can use the same bowl that you mixed up the cobbler part of the recipe to save on dishes.  Mix or toss the peaches to coat them with the brown sugar. Spoon the peaches across the top of the baking mix. Do not mix them in. 

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until done or until golden brown.  Insert a toothpick into the cobbler part and if it comes out clean, the peach cobbler is done.

Remove from oven. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.