Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
3 cans diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos
1 lb. ground beef, browned
15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained
15.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained
11 oz. can Mexicorn

Directions:
1. Mix a little water with taco seasoning.
2. Mix a little water with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.
3. Add all other ingredients and cook on top of stove. Soup should be ready in 20 minutes, but the longer it simmers, the better it is.

Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped potatoes
water (enough to cover potatoes
1/2 cup celery slices
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
2 chicken bouillon cubes
combination of 1 1/2 cups milk & 2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 lb. Velveeta, cubed

Directions:
1. Put first 9 ingredients in large pan and stir well.
2. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes (until potatoes are done)
3. Pour milk mixture in pan and add Velveeta.
4. Ready to serve when cheese has melted

Breakfast Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Layer in 9x13 casserole dish:
1. crescent rolls (1 can)
2. cooked and crumbled sausage (or crumbled bacon ~ I usually used pre-packaged Oscar Mayer bacon bits.)
3. mixture of 3 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 2 level Tablespoons dried onion
4. grated cheddar
5. Bake approximately 20 minutes. It's done when it begins to brown on top.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (I cheat and buy canned sweet potatoes.)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 stick butter
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased baking dish; cover with topping.

Topping: (I love this topping, so I usually double it! ☺)
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 stick butter, melted

Directions for topping:
1. Mix all topping ingredients thoroughly and sprinkle over souffle.
2. Bake about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Garlic Cheese Grits

Ingredients:
2 cups grits
2 rolls garlic cheese (I can't find this in the Northeast, so I add garlic powder with 4 oz. Velveeta
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
worcestershire sauce to taste
salt to taste
8 cups water
2 sticks margarine
2 eggs, slightly beaten
cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook grits in 8 cups water.
2. When done, add all other ingredients while grits are hot. Mix well.
3. Bake in 9x13 dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Grits will begin to brown on top.

Pearl Gibson's Potato Salad

When Bill and I first married we lived across the street from the sweetest couple, Don and Pearl Gibson. Pearl made THE BEST Southern potato salad I had ever tasted, so I asked her to teach me how to make it. Here is her recipe...

Ingredients:
5 lbs. potatoes
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 dozen eggs
sweet pickle relish
1 large onion, chopped
mustard
paprika

Directions:
1. Clean potatoes and cover with cold water in dutch oven.
2. Bring potatoes to a boil. Turn down temperature and cook until potatoes are done.
3. Prepare hard-boiled eggs while potatoes are cooking.
3. Remove potatoes from stove and add cold water.
4. Peel off skins and cut potatoes into bite-size pieces.
5. Remove shell from eggs.
6. Chop eggs and add to potatoes.
7. Add desire amount of sweet pickle relish. (I usually use an entire small jar.)
8. Add chopped onions.
9. Add enough mayonnaise or Miracle Whip to make the potato salad creamy.
10. Add salt & pepper for taste and mustard for color.
11. Sprinkle paprika on top of potato salad and chill until ready to serve.

California Potatoes

Ingredients:
32 oz. frozen hashbrowns
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 stick margarine
16 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt margarine and pour over hashbrowns and onions.
3. Add sour cream, soup, cheese and salt & pepper.
4. Mix ingredients thoroughly and put in buttered casserole.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes on 375 degrees or until it begins to brown on top.

Aunt Betty's Baked Beans

When Bill and I interviewed babysitters, we knew immediately that Betty Taylor was the one for our precious little Beth Ann. As we got to know Betty and her family, we grew to love them more and more. We spent many nights at their home enjoying a delicious meal with their family. We came to know Betty not only as the best babysitter, but also a great cook. If you like Southern style sweet baked beans, you will LOVE this recipe. It is often a requested dish at our picnics.

Ingredients:
32 oz. pork & beans
1 - 1 1/4 Tablespoons dried onions
1/4 box (4 oz.) brown sugar
1/2 - 3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 stick margarine

Directions:
1. Melt margarine.
2. Mix all other ingredients with margarine and pour in casserole dish.
3. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for thirty minutes, stirring 2-3 times during baking.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Donna's BBQ Pork

Ingredients:
5-6 pound pork roast
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cidar vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon Tabasco sauce (I use Frank's.)
salt & pepper to taste
Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ sauce

Directions:
1. Mix together all ingredients except the BBQ sauce.
2. Pour mixture over pork roast in slow cooker.
3. Cook 5-6 hours until done.
4. Shred with forks and serve.
5. Serve with Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ sauce on the side.

Mama Sherri's BBQ Baby Back Ribs

I like to buy pork ribs in bulk. Then I cut them apart into serving sizes (2 ribs). I wrap them individually and freeze. This preparation really makes a difference when actually making the ribs. Ingredients: frozen ribs Celery salt Onion powder Garlic salt Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ sauce Directions: 1. Layer frozen ribs in crockpot. Sprinkle each layer with spices. 2. Slow cook on low for 8-10 hours. (I usually put them in before I leave for school. They are ready for dinner, and I return to a great smelling home.) 3. About 15 minutes before dinner time, put ribs on broiler pan (rib side up). 4. Slather with BBQ sauce and put under broiler for 5 minutes. 5. Remove from oven and flip over ribs. 6. Slather with BBQ sauce and put under broiler again for 5 minutes. 7. Serve with your favorite sides.

Aunt Betty's Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 lb. round steak, cubed
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg. wide egg noodles

Directions:

1. In dutch oven, brown round steak and onions in small amount of cooking oil.
2. Stir in flour, salt and pepper.
3. Add tomato juice and drained mushrooms.
4. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. Cook egg noodles per package directions.
6. Add sour cream to meat mixture.
7. Stir into drained, cooked noodles.

Hidden Valley Bacon & Cheddar Dip

Ingredients:

1 oz. packet powdered Original Ranch Party Dip
1 pint sour cream
1/4 - 1/2 c. bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions:

1. Blend powdered dip mix and sour cream.
2. Add bacon bits and cheese.
3. Serve with potato chips or crackers.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
16 oz. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
16 oz. pasta (rotini or shells)
1/2 bottle McCormick Salad Supreme
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on box.
2. Prepare vegetables.
3. Mix all ingredients and chill.

Paula Deen's Apple Dumplings

Oh, my goodness! This recipe is SO SIMPLE and SO DELICIOUS!!! Serve this to your family or guests, and they will think you have spent a lot of time preparing this fantastic dessert.

Ingredients:
2 cans crescent rolls
2 Granny Smith apples
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 cup sugar (or Splenda)
12 oz. DIET Mountain Dew

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and core apples.
3. Cut each apple into 8 wedges.
4. Roll each wedge in a crescent roll. (Be sure to seal the crescent roll.)
5. Place rolls in a 9x13 baking dish.
6. Melt butter in small saucepan.
7. When butter is melted, add sugar (or Splenda).
8. Add cinnamon to butter/sugar and mix well.
9. Spoon cinnamon/butter/sugar mixture over crescent rolls.
10. Pour diet DIET Mountain Dew over rolls.
11. Bake 45 minutes.

Tom & Wanda's Corn-on-the-Cob

This is the EASIEST way to make corn-on-the-cob! When finished, the corn is completely silk-free. It is delcious too!

Directions:

1. Wrap ear of corn (yes, with the shuck still on the corn) with a dry paper towel.
2. Put in microwave and cook on high for 2 1/2 minutes.
3. Turn ear of corn over and cook on high for another 2 1/2 minutes.
4. Shuck the corn as soon as it is removed from microwave; silks will come off easily while hot. ☺
5. Repeat process for each ear of corn.

If you plan on making several ears of corn, simply wrap each one with foil. Put in a cooler. With lid closed, the corn will remain hot for longer than an hour.

Aunt Dorothy's Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup butter (or margarine) melted
1 1/2 - 2 cups pecans
3 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix sugar, syrup, butter.
3. Add eggs and pecans. (I like to turn pecans right side up...for a pretty pie.)
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
5. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30-35 minutes.

Southern Style Green Beans

Ingredients:
2-4 cans Italian-cut green beans
1 bag bacon bits
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Directions:
1. Pour one can beans (with liquid) into pan.
2. Sprinkle some of the bacon bits.
3. Spinkle some of the soup mix.
4. Repeat layers 1-3 until all beans have been put in pan.
5. If needed, add water to cover beans.
6. Put lid on pan, and cook on medium-high until liquid begins to boil.
7. Turn down to simmer.
8. Cook green beans until liquid is almost completely evaporated. (This may take several hours. ~ According to us Southerners, this is called "cooking down" the beans. ☺

No-Fail Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 oz. pkg. strawberry jello
1 pint strawberries
1 baked pie shell
Directions:
1. Stir together sugar and cornstarch in sauce pan.
2. Add water.
3. Cook on medium until thick.
4. Add jello and cool completely.
5. Placed rinsed/trimmed strawberries in baked pie shell.
6. Pour cooled jello mix on top.
7. Put in refrigerator 2 hours.
8. Serve with whipped topping.

Yummy Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwich

You only need two items for this delicious sandwich ~ Pepperidge Farm Garlic Parmesan Cheese loaf (found in the freezer aisle) and shaved deli ham. Thaw the bread in advance. When ready to make this sandwich, preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Pile plenty of shaved ham between bread. Wrap sandwich in foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Voila...an AMAZING sandwich! Serve this sandwich with hot cheese potato soup for a scrumptious meal.