Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Tortellini Alfredo Dish

By Denise B.

3 packages of 3-cheese tortellini (cooked)
2-3 jars of Alfredo sauce
chopped celery, onions (optional)
chopped summer sausage or ham
pepper

Mix together and warm in crock pot.

Fresh Apple Cake

by Kelly G.

(This gets better the longer it sits, so I suggest making it at least a day in advance.)

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 cups chopped Granny Smith apples, peeled (about 3 medium apples)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins or coconut, your choice (or both!)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a 10-inch tube pan. Combine 3 tablespoons of the sugar, 1 tsp. of the cinnamon and coat the inside of the pan with the mixture by shaking the pan all around until the sides and bottom are coated.

2. Beat the oil and the remaining 2 cups of sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spatula, stir in the apples and vanilla. Sift together the remining 2 tsp cinnamon, the nutmeg, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the apple mixture and mix well with a spatula. Add the pecans and raisins or coconut. The batter will be very thick.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Lift the pan from the counter about 2 inches and drop it back down to get out all of the air bubbles.

4. Bake the cake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to rest on the countertop for at tleast 30 minutes before turning out onto a cake plate to cool completely.

Cracker Snack Mix

by Kelly G.

12 cups original flavor Bugles
6 cups miniature pretzels
1 package (11 oz) miniature butter-flavored crackers
1 package (10 oz) Wheat Thins
1 package (9 1/4 oz) Cheese Nips
1 package (7 1/2 oz) nacho cheese Bugles
1 package (6 oz) miniature Parmesan fish-shaped cracker
1 cup mixed nuts OR peanuts
1 bottle (10 or 12 oz) butter flavored popcorn oil
2 envelopes ranch salad dressing mix

In a very large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a small bowl, combine oil and salad dressing mix. Pour over cracker mixture, toss to coat evenly.

Transfer to four ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1 in. baking pans. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely, stirring several times.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Potato Pan Rolls

by Erin U.

2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 cups water
2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

In a sauce pan, bring potatoes and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 miinutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; cool liquid to 110-115 degrees. Mash potatoes, set aside 1 cup to cool to 110-115 degrees (save remaining potatoes for another use).

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in reserved potato liquid; let stand for 5 minutes. Add reserved mashed potatoes, butter, honey, oil, eggs, salt and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and turn onto a floured surface; divide into 30 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Place 10 balls each in three greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 1/2 dozen.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Hot Reuben Spread

by Donna W.

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 pkg (2 1/2 oz. each) thinly sliced corned beef, chopped (or 1/2 lb deli sliced)
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss Cheese (6 oz)
3/4 cup drained sauerkraut
1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing
Pretzel crackers or cocktail rye bread slices for serving, if desired.


1. Spray inside of a 1 to 2 1/2 qt slower cooker with cooking spray
2. Mix all ingredients except crackers, spooon into cooker
3. cover and cook on low heat setting for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until cheese is melted. Stir until cheese is smooth.
4. Scrape down side of cooker with rubber spatula to help prevent edge of spread from scorching. Turn to low heat setting.
5. Serve with crackers or bread. Spread will hold up to 4 hours.

Can be used to make open faced Reuben sandwiches that you toast.

Makes 3 1/4 cups spread.
.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Frosted Pumpkin Gems

by Donna W.

Ingredients

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 2 cans (12 ounces each) whipped cream cheese frosting

Directions

•In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, cinnamon
and baking soda; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium
for 2 minutes.

•Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at
350° for 12-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the
center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans
to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cupcakes. Yield: 7 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 59 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 8 mg cholesterol, 64 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Sloppy Joes

by Donna W.

Brown:
1 lb hamburger
2 chopped onions (to taste) - I don't use onions

In a pan mix:
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tpsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

Add to the hamburg mixture and simmer about 1 hour. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve on hamburger rolls. Serves about 10.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

White Barbecue Sauce

By Donna W.

Ingredients:
2 cups mayo
2 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp salt
6 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp distilled white vinegar
4 tbsp white sugar

Combine all ingredients & mix until smooth. Use to baste chicken, pork chops or ribs as they cook on the grill. Serve extra as dipping sauce.

*When I use this for chicken, I like to marinate the chicken in the sauce before grilling.

Dill Potato Salad

by Donna W.

2.5 lb. skinned, cooked red potatoes, cooled
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 c. light mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. minced red onion
1 tbsp. dried dill, minced

*can substitute 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream for 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Add cubed cheddar cheese if desired.

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces. In a small bowl mix next 7 ingredients. Pour over potatoes. Add red onion and dill, mix well. Chill.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Best on the Planet Beans

by Trula H.

1/2 lb bacon diced
1/2 lb ground beef
Brown and drain.
1/2 c. ketchup
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
Combine the above and pour over:
1 lg can pork and beans: Do not drain
1 can red kidney beans, drained
2 cans french style green beans, drained
1 can butter beans, drained
Mix and bake 40 minutes uncovered at 350.