Toffee

1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup butter (do not substitute margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
12 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 cup finely ground walnuts

Line cookie sheet with foil and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.  Place slivered almonds in a single layer on cookie sheet.  Cook butter, sugar, water, vanilla and salt in a heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring mixture constantly, 15-18 minutes or until candy thermometer registers 310 degrees.  Remove from heat immediately pour over almonds (do not scrape the pan). (The toffee mixture will not coat the entire baking sheet).  Sprinkle immediately with chocolate morsels and spread evenly to 1/2-inch from sides.  Sprinkle with ground almonds.  Let stand firm.  Break into small pieces and store in an airtight container.

Fluffy Thick Homestyle Pancakes

1 1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Make a well in center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.  Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat.  Pour or scoop batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake.  Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Phyllis' Tuna Casserole

2 boxes Kraft Mac & Cheese
2 cans tuna
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Frozen peas
Garlic salt
Pepper
Dried onion

Prepare mac & cheese according to box.  Drain tuna and add to mac & cheese.  Add the rest of the ingredients (seasonings and onions to taste) to mac & cheese.  Put in oven-safe dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

All-Purpose Rub

1/4 Part Red Pepper
1 Part Black Pepper
1 Part White Pepper
1 Part Garlic Powder
1 Part Paparika
1 Part Salt
1/2 Part Onion Powder
1 Part Sugar in the Raw(Turbinado) - optional

Mix and rub on favorite meat.  We use this for pork ribs.

Bratwurst

1 package bratwurst
1 cube of butter (do not use imitation)
1 onion, diced or sliced(you may use more depending on how much onion you like)
Water (you can use beer or apple juice)
Deli buns (please, do not use hot dog buns, they will not hold up)


In a large pan, cover brats with water or beer and add the whole cube of butter and all the onions.  Bring to a boil and simmer until brats are done all the way through.  Make sure not to cook on high heat or for too long, you do not want the casing to split open.  Grill brats to caramelize.  DO NOT THROW AWAY THE ONIONS!!!


Meanwhile, if desired, you can steam buns with liquid in a pot with a veggie steamer.  Drain the liquid from the onions (DO NOT RINSE) and serve the onions with the brats.

Macaroni Salad

1 lb. cooked elbow macaroni
1 lb. Black Forest ham, diced (can substitute Spam, if desired)
1 lb. provolone cheese, diced (can substitute mozzarella, if desired)
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen peas
Mayonnaise
lemon juice
salt
pepper

Cook macaroni and cool (I put the frozen corn and peas in with the macaroni to cool it and to thaw the veggies).  Meanwhile, dice the ham and cheese.  Add both when macaroni is thawed (if it's too hot it may melt the cheese).  Add as much or as little mayonnaise as you like and add a little lemon juice (not too much, just a couple dashes).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate.

Enchilada Sauce

We love using this enchilada sauce recipe for wet burritos and enchiladas.  It freezes very well.  I will never buy canned enchilada sauce again, since this is so easy to make!


1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons chili powder*
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules


In skillet put in shortening and melt, add flour and cook just until lightly browned (be careful don't do it to long).  Add seasonings making a paste.  Add water gradually then add tomato sauce and add beef granules.  Cook until thick stirring constantly.


*It's very important for this recipe to use high quality chili powder.  It will make all the difference.  If you do not have high quality chili powder and the end result tastes bitter, you can add a little sugar to even it out.  We use New Mexico chili powder, which is a little spicier than California chili powder.  I suggest using one of these two types.

Gulliver's Creamed Corn

2 pkgs.  (20 oz.) frozen kernel corn

16 oz.  Half and Half

1 tsp.   salt

¼ tsp.  Accent seasoning

6 tsp.   sugar

Pinch  white pepper

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2 Tbsp. flour

Combine all ingredients except last two in a pot and bring to a boil.  Simmer 5 minutes.  Blend butter with flour, add to the corn, mix well and remove from heat.

Chicken Marinade

¼ c. cider vinegar

3 tbsp. whole grain mustard (or ground mustard)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

½ lemon, juiced

½ c. brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. salt

6 tbsp. olive oil

Ground black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

In large, non-reactive container, whisk together ingredients beginning with cider vinegar through salt.  Then whisk in olive oil and pepper.  Place chicken in mixture. Cover and marinate chicken in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. Remove chicken from marinate just before you turn on the grill or broiler to let come up a few degrees. Discard marinade.

Salsa

1 qt. tomatoes

1 small can green chilies

1 diced onion

(mashed in bowl)

1 bunch cilantro

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. sugar

1 small can tomato sauce

2 diced jalapeño peppers

Restaurant-Style Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water


Mix all but cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and begin heating.  Mix cornstarch and water in a cup and dissolve.  Add to saucepan.  Heat until sauce thickens to desired thickness.  Add water to thin out if you over thickened it.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup oats (I use quick oats)
1 cup skim milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup applesauce
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt


Soak oats in milk for 1 hour (I only soak them until I've added the rest of the ingredients to the bowl).  Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.  Pour into a greased muffin pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.


Variations:
You can add many things to these muffins.  Some of the things I've added are:
Craisins (my favorite)
Raisins
Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored and cubed into bite size pieces)

"See's" Fudge

1 (8 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
2 cups chopped nuts
1/2 lb. butter or margarine
3 (6 oz.) packages chocolate chips

Put in bowl and set aside.

In large saucepan, combine:
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can evaporated milk

Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for exactly 9 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour over first mixture.  Mix thoroughly until everything is melted and mixed well.  Pour into buttered pans (approx. 3-4 pie pans or equivalent) and refrigerate.  

Oatmeal Cake

1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Stir oatmeal in boiling water.  Let stand while making other ingredients.  Add oatmeal to mixture last.  Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees in 9x13-inch cake pan.


TOPPING:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 tablespoons cream or canned milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup nuts 
1/2 cup packed coconut (or more, if desired)


Melt to spreading consistency over low heat.  Spread on top of hot cake.  Put back into oven until topping bubbles.

Helen's Brownies (similar to Mississippi Mud Pie)

1 cube butter or margarine
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa


Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.


In large bowl, sift:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda


Pour boiled liquid gradually into flour mixture, stirring until blended.


Add:
2 slightly beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk


Pour into a jelly roll pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.


FROSTING:
1 cube butter or margarine
4 tablespoons cocoa


Melt, remove from heat.


Add:
6 to 8 tablespoons milk or Half & Half
1 box powdered sugar, whole box at one time


Will be lumpy, but continue to beat until smooth.


Add: 
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts


Add a little more milk if frosting is too thick.  Frosting spreads better if spread while brownies are still warm.

Brownies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 oz. dark chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts


Melt chocolate chips in shortening over low heat, cream shortening mixture and sugar.  Add eggs, mayonnaise and vanilla, beating thoroughly.  Add flour, salt and baking powder to creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts.  Pour into well greased 8x10 inch pan.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool.  Cut into squares.

Minute Cookies

2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon white Karo syrup
1/2 cup milk
1 cube butter or margarine


Mix together and cook for 1 minute after it comes to a full boil.  Remove from heat.


Stir in:
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick oats
1 cup chopped nuts or coconut, if desired

Lemon Snickerdoodles

Mix thoroughly:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs


Add:
2 teaspoons lemon flavoring
1/3 teaspoons yellow food coloring


Sift together:
2 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  


Mix well.  Roll into small balls about the size of a walnut.  Dip in sugar.  Place 2-inches apart, sugar side up, on heavy cookie sheet.  Bake about 8-10 minutes.

Roll Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Cream butter, add sugar gradually.  Add beaten egg.  Mix and sift dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk.  Add vanilla.  Chill dough for 1 hour.  Roll part of the dough at a time to 1/8 of an inch in thickness.  Cut with floured cookie cutter.  Bake on greased baking sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Sausage and Rice Casserole

1/2 lb. sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup green pepper (optional)
2 cans chicken rice soup
1 cup rice*, cooked or Minute rice
1 cup water
1 can whole or chopped mushrooms
Grated cheese


Brown sausage, onion, celery and pepper in large frying pan.  Add soup, rice, water and mushrooms.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  This can be served at this point with grated cheese melted over it or place in casserole dish, top with cheese and heat in oven at 300 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Pork

1/2 lb. lean pork
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)
1 small carrot
1/2 small onion
1 green pepper
1 small can chunk pineapple
1 clove garlic
1 egg
1 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 pint peanut oil
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. vinegar
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup water


Cut pork into 1-inch squares.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and MSG; set aside.  Slice carrot.  Cut onion and green pepper into 1-inch squares.  Chop garlic.  Beat egg and mix with flour and 2 tablespoons cornstarch.  Coat pork with egg/flour mixture.  Heat peanut oil in saucepan.  Drop pork squares, one by one into hot oil and deep fry until well done and crisp outside.  Remove from oil and drain.


Add carrot, onion and green pepper to same oil and fry 1 minute.  Remove from pan and drain.  Mix ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and water together.  Heat 4 tablespoons oil in the pan.  Cook the mixture until boiling and thick.  Place pork, carrot, onion, green pepper and pineapple into the ketchup mixture and mix well.  Serve hot and with rice.

Chicken and Rice Bake

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or Lawry's seasoning salt 
4 boneless and skinless chicken breast or thighs


In 2 quart shallow baking dish, mix soup with rice, paprika, salt and pepper.  Then add water and mix.  Place chicken on top of the rice mixture.  Sprinkle with additional salt and paprika.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Then uncover and continue baking until rice is soft (approximately 15 to 20 minutes longer).

Banana Bread

Sift Together:
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour (more can be added to make thick batter)


1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts


Cream together sugar and butter.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat.  Add bananas, milk, vanilla and sifted ingredients; stir in nuts.  Pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes or until done.

Cheese Ball

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. package Longhorn-style cheddar cheese, grated
16 oz. shrimp, cleaned and cooked (optional)
1 medium onion, minced
4 to 5 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup jalapeño juice (use canned peppers)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
 1/2 cup raw shelled pistachio nuts*, chopped


Mix cheese, shrimp, onion, jalapeño peppers and juice and mayonnaise together.  Form 2 balls and roll in pistachio nuts*.  Refrigerate.


(When we make this, we omit the shrimp and it tastes fine both ways).


*We've substituted walnuts and almonds in place of pistachios and it works well.

Quaker's Classic Meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey
3/4 cup Oats (quick or old fashioned)

3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup ketchup (or BBQ sauce)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl; mix lightly, but thoroughly. Shape meatloaf mixture into 10 x 6-inch loaf on rack of broiler pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until meatloaf is to medium doneness, until not pink in center and juices run clear. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Mock Lasagna Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sugar
24 ounces tomato sauce
8 ounces wide egg noodles
1 pint sour cream
1 pint cottage cheese
1/2 chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown beef and drain well.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, sugar and tomato sauce, stirring well.  Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  Cook egg noodles and drain.  To the noodles, add sour cream, cottage cheese, and onion, mix well.  In a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole dish, alternatively layer the beef mixture with the noodle mixture, starting and ending with the beef mixture*.  Cover with shredded cheese.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes, uncovered. 


*You can also just mix them both together in the pan and bake.  It tastes the same either way.

Soft Ginger Cookies

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar


Cream together then add:
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses


Mix well and add dry ingredients:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour


Put 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.  Roll dough into balls and then roll them in the sugar.  Place on a greased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.  DO NOT FLATTEN!  Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-9 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

1/2 cup onion, minced
1 cup sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup butter
1 lb. ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 beef bouillon cube (I use Better Than Bouillon)
2 cans of canned mushrooms, drained (I mince them as well, but that's personal preference)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of cream of mushroom soup
1 (12 oz.) bag egg noodles, cooked


Sauté onion and garlic in butter over medium heat.  Stir in ground beef and brown.  (After browning meat, I get a spoon and spoon out the fat).  Stir in flour, salt, mushrooms, and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes.  Stir in soup.  Cook 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream until heated.  Serve over cooked noodles.

Pork Steak

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 pork steaks

salt and pepper

garlic powder

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms or 2 (4 1/2 oz.) canned mushrooms

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

1 3/4 cups water

1 (1 oz.) package dried onion soup mix

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown steaks on each side.  While browning, season steaks with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Transfer steaks to a 9x13 inch casserole dish.  Sauté the onions and mushrooms in same skillet.  Add water, Worcestershire sauce, dry soup mix, and mushroom soup.  Mix together until sauce forms.  Pour sauce over steaks.  Cover dish with aluminum foil.  Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes.

We serve with brown rice.