1 large box cherry Jello (regular and sugar-free both work well)
1 can Mandarin oranges
1 apple, chopped (do not peel)
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
1/2 cup nuts (optional, I use walnuts)

Prepare the Jello according to the package directions. Put in the refrigerator and allow to thicken slightly. Stir in the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for a couple of hours (overnight is best.)
Posted by Donna on Monday, November 08, 2004 at 03:26 AM
Filed in: Desserts • ◊ Permalink


2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (dark will taste funny)
1 cup water
1 cup raw peanuts
1/2 tsp. salt
2T butter
2 tsp. baking soda

Heat sugar, corn syrup, and water over medium heat to the soft ball stage (234? F). Add peanuts when the temperature reaches 250? F. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, to the hard crack stage (290? F), and remove from heat. Quickly stir in the butter and baking soda, and beat until frothy. Pour onto buttered cookie sheets to cool.
Posted by Donna on Monday, November 08, 2004 at 03:19 AM
Filed in: Desserts • ◊ Permalink


2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup crushed walnuts
2T cocoa
3T dark corn syrup
1/4 cup rum*
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients except powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll mixture into bite-sized balls, and roll each in powdered sugar.

Read More »

Posted by Donna on Monday, November 08, 2004 at 03:14 AM
Filed in: Candies • ◊ Permalink


2½ C Egg noodles cooked til slightly under done and drained
¼ C Onion finely minced
¼ C Celery diced
1 TBSP butter
1 can Condensed cream of mushroom soup
1can Solid white tuna in oil, drained (reserve oil)
¼-½ C Half & half (to desired creaminess)
1 small can mushroom pieces, drained (reserve liquid)
2 slices Swiss Cheese
2 slices American cheese
1 C Shredded cheddar

Melt butter and add onion and celery. Cook til translucent. Season with a bit of garlic salt, parsley and pepper. Add mushroom soup, the reserved oil and mushroom liquids and half and half. Stir to warm through. Add tuna, pasta, mushrooms and swiss and american cheeses. Stir until thoroughly combined and cheeses are melted. Add half & half as needed for a more creamy texture remembering liquid is absorbed by the noodles during baking.

Place in buttered 2 qt casserole and top with cheddar.

Finish with breadcrumb topping, below. Bake about 30-35 minutes at 350°

For bread crumb topping:
2 slices bread left out for a couple of hours then rubbed between your hands til crumbs form.
8 butter crackers finely crushed
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 C Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup melted butter
Posted by Donna on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at 02:11 AM
Filed in: Casseroles • ◊ Permalink


1 12oz can of cola (not diet)

1 Cup of ketchup

1/2 Cup of yellow mustard

1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar

1/2 TBSP of Worchestershire

1 1/2 TBSP of brown sugar

2 TBSP of chopped garlic

1 small onion chopped

2 TBSP butter


In a sauce pan melt the butter and sautee the chopped onion until soft. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let simmer until the sauce reduces to the thickness you like.

This sauce is excellent. It is sweet and tangy at the same time. You can use less garlic if that is your preference.
Posted by Donna on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 at 12:28 PM
Filed in: Sauces & Gravy • ◊ Permalink


As requested by Mary

1 large potato, peeled
3 tsp butter
1 lb powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (try to use the real stuff)
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

Boil the potato in salted water until tender and mash the potato.

While it is still hot add 2 teaspoons butter, the powdered sugar, vanilla, coconut, and stir together.

Pat evenly into a greased 8x8 inch pan or shape into eggs, logs, balls, etc,. Then put inside the fridge to cool.

Melt the chocolate and combine with the remaining butter.
Dip eggs into the chocolate and put on a cookie sheet or if you use a 8x8 inch pan spread the chocolate on top of the potato mixture and cut into squares before the chocolate hardens.
Posted by Donna on Sunday, October 24, 2004 at 02:35 PM
Filed in: Candies • ◊ Permalink



2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chicken fat (schmaltz)
celery--as much as you like
onion--as much as you like
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth (part reserved stock)
1 cup milk
salt and pepper
2 packets G Washington Golden or 1 boullion cube
2 boil in bag white rice bags
3 cups cooked diced chicken
2 cups sliced sauteed mushrooms
1 cup baby broccoli florets
buttered bread crumbs


Bake 2 chicken breasts and 2 thighs skin on. When done, save all broth and fat that has accumulated in pan. Cool. Separate chicken fat (schmaltz) from broth and save both. Remove skin from chicken and discard. Chop chicken into bite size pieces. Cover with some chicken broth and refrigerate if you're not going to use it right away. (I baked my chicken the night before.)

Melt butter & schmaltz over low heat in a medium saucepan; add onion and celery and cook until translucent. Salt and pepper. Stir in flour, blending well with a wire whisk. Add chicken broth/stock, milk, G. Washington or boullion cube, and salt and pepper again to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, simmer but don't boil for 1 minute. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Spread half of the rice in the bottom of the baking dish; top with half of the chicken, half of the sliced mushrooms and half the broccoli.

Pour in half of the sauce. Repeat layers; sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs to cover. Bake at 350? for 35-45 minutes. I got about 6 servings out of this...big servings.

For bread crumbs I used 2 slices of bread left out for a couple of hours then I rubbed them between my hands til they got *breadcrumby* and 8 townhouse crackers, crushed, mixed with 1/3 cup butter.

It's really important to bake your chicken and save the juices and separate the stock from the schmaltz when cool. Canned chicken broth just won't supply the same flavour.
Posted by Donna on Monday, October 11, 2004 at 09:32 AM
Filed in: Casseroles • ◊ Permalink


3 cups elbow macaroni, boiled in salted water. Cook in a 4 qt dutch oven for 6 minutes from second boil. Drain and put back in pan.

3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1/2 a small onion, diced finely
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tabasco
1/2 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk
1 cup half & half
1 lb cheddar cheese
8oz monteray jack cheese
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 c good parmesan
1/2 cup mozzerella

Melt butter in a dutch oven. add onions and cook until translucent. Add flour, paprika, mustard and tabasco all at once. Whisk until smooth then cook at least 2-3 minutes. Slowly add milk and 1/2 & 1/2, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and simmer 2 minutes until thickened.

Remove from heat and add all cheeses EXCEPT the mozzerella. Stir constantly until all cheese is melted. There will be more cheese sauce than your macaroni can take.

Pour cheese sauce over macaroni slowly until macaroni is entirely incorporated in cheese sauce. Then add about 1 cup more so that macaroni is very wet with sauce. The noodles will absorb a lot of the sauce.

Pour into a buttered 2 quart casserole dish and top with 1/2 cup mozzerella.

Combine all bread crumb ingredients (below) and sprinkle on top of mac and cheese. Bake at 350? for 30-35 minutes. Feeds about 7 or 8 people.

for bread crumb topping:
2 slices bread left out for a couple of hours then rubbed between your hands til crumbs form.
8 butter crackers finely crushed
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
Posted by Donna on Monday, October 11, 2004 at 09:30 AM
Filed in: Casseroles • ◊ Permalink


4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1-1/2 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 bag caramels (about 50)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves, divided

Preheat oven to 350?F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan to form handles. Generously grease foil.

Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar until well blended. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in flour until well blended. Spread half of the batter into prepared pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until top is firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Stir in 1 cup of the pecan halves.
Spread caramel mixture evenly over brownie; top with remaining brownie batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup pecan halves.

Bake an additional 30 minutes or until brownie feels firm to the touch. Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownie from pan; cut into 32 squares.
Posted by Donna on Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 08:40 AM
Filed in: Desserts • ◊ Permalink


1 lb. lean ground beef*

1 can (28oz) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes**

2 large green peppers, seeded and chopped (med. size pieces)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 small diced onion

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 cups of cooked rice

In a big soup pot brown the beef, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove beef from pot and add peppers and onions. Sautee them until they just start to turn soft. Add the beef back in, add the tomato sauce, the diced tomatoes, brown sugar and bouillon cubes. Mixture will be thick. Let simmer for about 40 minutes and the mixture will loosen up. Spoon into bowls and add some of the cooked rice. This is a thick and hearty soup.

*I have used ground turkey with great success.

**Any flavor (or plain) of diced tomatoes except for Mexican or spicy varieties.

You can also make this in the crock pot. Just throw everything in and set it to low. Let cook for about a work day.
Posted by Donna on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 at 06:52 PM
Filed in: Soups & Stews • ◊ Permalink


As requested by Brenda. This is not the same as blueberry pudding which is wrapped in cheesecloth and boiled.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh
water to cover berries
sugar to taste

Mix the first 5 ingredients together. Set aside. In a sauce pan, place the remaining 3 ingredients and boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and drop in dumplings by the tablespoonfuls.
Posted by Donna on Thursday, July 08, 2004 at 12:50 PM
Filed in: Sides • ◊ Permalink


3 packets active dry yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water - divided
1 TBSP. sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 TBSP. salt
2 TBSP. vegetable oil
2 cups rye flour
2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water; stir in sugar; let stand 6 minutes or until bubbly.

Combine dissolved yeast, 1 cup warm water, molasses, salt, oil, and rye flour in a large bowl; beat until smooth.

Work in all-purpose flour until dough is smooth, pliable, and elastic, not sticky.

Knead dough for 4 minutes. Place dough in a large bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Punch dough down. Divide and shape dough into 2 large round loaves and place on greased and cornmeal-dusted cookie sheet.

Cover dough with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Bake loaves in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until crust makes hollow sound when tapped on.

Best served warm with whipped butter. YUM!!
Posted by Donna on Friday, June 04, 2004 at 02:46 PM
Filed in: Breads • ◊ Permalink


3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 pkg. (9 squares) bittersweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup whipping cream
Boiling water

Grease and flour 9-inch springform pan. Stir water, sugar, corn syrup and cornstarch in heavy 4- or 6-quart saucepan. Cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Add chocolate and salt; increase heat to medium. Continue cooking until chocolate is completely melted and is about to come to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add butter; stir until melted. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until mixture has cooled (may still be warm to the touch), stirring occasionally.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Beat cream with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gently stir into chocolate mixture. Spoon into prepared pan. Place pan in larger baking pan, then place on center rack in oven. Carefully pour boiling water into larger pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.

Bake at 350?F for 45 minutes or until mixture is just set. (Top will feel slightly firm to the touch.) Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Cover top with plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
Posted by Donna on Thursday, May 06, 2004 at 07:33 AM
Filed in: Cakes • ◊ Permalink


*1 1/2 lbs. of ground smoked ham

1 1/2 lbs. of ground pork

2 eggs

1 1/2 Cups of Cornflakes soaked in milk

1 1/2 TBSP of packed brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste.

*You can ask your butcher or the meat department in your grocery store to grind up a small boneless smoked ham. Most will do this.

Preheat oven to 300

Add milk to the cornflakes so that they are just covered and let stand till all the milk is absorbed. Then mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Shape mixture in a loaf form and bake in a casserole dish. This is going to take a while to bake through, around 3 hours. This recipe makes a lot but leftovers freeze and reheat very well.
Posted by Donna on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 at 07:45 PM
Filed in: Pork • ◊ Permalink


Day old mashed potatoes, cold

*Green onions, chopped

*Shredded cheddar cheese

Seasoned bread crumbs

2 TBSP of unsalted butter

1 TBSP of olive oil

*The amount of green onions and cheddar to use depends on how much you like and how much mashed potatoes you have left over.

In a mixing bowl combine the potatoes, cheese, and onions. In a skillet melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Form patties with the potato mixture. Roll the patty in the bread crumbs and sautee in the skillet. Sautee until both sides are a golden brown color and the patty is cooked through. Serve as a side with left-over gravy.
Posted by Donna on Tuesday, April 06, 2004 at 07:36 PM
Filed in: Veggies • ◊ Permalink


Page 11 of 15 pages « First  <  9 10 11 12 13 >  Last »