Category: Cooking

It’s that time of year, when we start thinking about cooking wonderful treats. This recipe has been in my family for generations!

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter flavored Crisco (shortening)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 large package chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Mix all ingredients (except chocolate chips & nuts) thoroughly and spread evenly in large greased and floured, jelly roll pan. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 15-20 minutes, or until browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler, spread melted chocolate over the top of the bar mixture, sprinkle with nuts and finish cooling in the refrigerator. Cut into squares and serve.

The day before make an ice circle in a jello mold. In the mold place maraschino cherries, frozen blueberries, sliced oranges, limes, lemons, and pour over enough ginger ale to cover all the fruit.

5 min 5 min prep

1- 12 ounce can of frozen Lemonade
1- 12 ounce can of frozen Orange juice
1- 12 ounce can of frozen Limeade
1/4 gallon of orange sherbet
1- 2 liter bottle diet 7-Up
1 bottle Martini’s Alcohol Free Sparkling Cider (white grape is best)

I assure you now. Make this for your next party and there won’t be a drop left!

Photo courtesy of my cousin, Fond of Photography

Difficulty: Very easy

Chef’s Note
I used to cook the potatoes before, now I do not. I peel them rinse them well in cold water and then slice them in half and then slice from one end to the other, about an eighth of an inch. I let the potatoes soak in cold water.

Ingredients

4-6 potatoes
4 slices smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and broken up (set aside)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of oil
Salt and pepper
Parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. peel, slice and set aside potatoes;
2. in large skillet sauté bacon drain bacon on paper towel and set aside, reserve the bacon fat in the pan;
3. Add the oil bring up the temperature again;
4. sauté the potatoes until tender and turning brown;
5. Stir the potatoes frequently;
6. when potatoes are nearly done, add onion and toss to coat;
7. sauté until onions are cooked, crumble up the bacon and then add to potatoes and onions:

Serve immediately.

Ingredients:
5 lbs pot roast
4 large onions sliced
3 heaping tsp. pickling spices
4 bay leaves
1 tbs. Juniper Berries
1 pint vinegar
hot water
To Marinate:
Put all ingredients in a large covered pot. Add enough hot water to cover meat. Let stand in refrigerator 4-5 days. Each day, spoon spices over meat.
To Prepare:
In a large kettle add a small amount of shortening and brown meat on all sides. Strain liquid and add to meat. Cover and simmer slowly 3-4 hours until tender.
Take some of the juice, add a little salt, pepper, (sometimes I add some beef bullion crystals) to taste and thicken for gravy.
Serve with red cabbage, mashed potatoes and peas.

(Note: You can adjust this recipe to make larger or smaller amounts.)

This one is even better than the original!

3 Eggs
1/2 cup sugar or (1/3 cup Splenda sugar blend)
1 stick butter
1 tbs. baking powder
2 tbs. flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups hot cooked carrots

Place all ingredients into blender and puree. Pour into buttered (or Pam) casserole dish 8 X 10 and bake at 350* for about 30 minutes or until set.
This is good either warm or cold.

These brownies are so easy because they are start with a cake mix! I’ve tried making brownies before with a cake mix, but I’ve never had much luck until finding this recipe.
1 (18 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray a 13X9-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, milk, butter, and eggs with an electric mixer.
4. Stir in chocolate chips (batter will be VERY thick).
5. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until brownies are done.
7. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Why would one make Mustard Pickles, which also contain cauliflower, onions, green peppers and green tomatoes? Because I have more pickling cucumbers than I know what to do with! I am also one of those people who hates to waste anything and let’s face it, you can only eat so many salads.
So Hubby helped me to can all the mixture. Worse case scenario, it will totally stink and we will throw it all away. Best case? It will be so delicious that we will want to have hotdogs and other stuff that’s good with this mustard condiment, so we can eat it like crazy.
Last night I chopped up the vegetables and put them to soak in salt water.

Today I cooked the mustard sauce, added the vegetables,


and then canned them.

I think it will be really great on hotdogs. So I have decided to have hotdogs tomorrow so I can check it out.

Tonight we had chicken shish kebobs with the marinade you can find under the cooking section. It is good with both beef and chicken.

I am signing off now so I can get to bed early. For some unknown reason I woke up at 4:30 this morning and tonight I am tired.

1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
3/4 cup oil
1 green onion, chopped
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

3 green bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 red onions, cut into 1 1/2 inch wedges
10 metal skewers

Mix soy sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, oil and green onion. Add sirloin and marinate several hours or overnight. Skewer beef, and vegetables in desired pattern. Grill over hot coals for 18 to 20 minutes. 10 servings.

Note: On a hot grill this cooks much faster. It was really delicious!

This is how my cake looked today at the picnic.

1 cup plus 1 teaspoon of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups blueberries, rinsed and drained (may substitute frozen blueberries, or substitute some of the blueberries for raspberries)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Confectioner’s sugar

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust with flour. Or use a 9-inch round cake pan that has been greased and dusted with flour and lined on the bottom with parchment paper.

2 In a small bowl combine 1 cup of flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside.

3 Using a mixer, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour the batter into the baking pan.

4 In a medium bowl, combine the berries with the remaining teaspoon of flour and the lemon juice. Spoon the berry mixture over the batter.

5 Bake for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.(It took me about 1 hour and 15 minutes) Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. If using a springform pan, slide a thin knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan before you release and remove the springform. If using a cake pan, slide a thin knife around the edges of the cake and invert it onto a cake rack. Transfer the cake to a platter, berry side up. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups fat free milk

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, salt, dried marjoram, dried thyme, and dried rubbed sage in a shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour mixture, turning to coat; shake off excess. Reserve remaining flour mixture.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

Combine reserved flour mixture and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add milk mixture to pan; place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with chops.