FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES

(Adapted from Rachael Ray's French Dip Sandwich recipe)

4 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
1 cloved garlic, minced
1 tbsp. flour
2 cans beef broth
1-2 lbs. deli sliced roast beef
Montreal Steak seasoning or salt and pepper
swiss cheese or provolone cheese (optional)
sandwich rolls (we have used mini bagels)

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add onions and garlic to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and onions and cook a minute longer. Whisk in beef broth in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Lightly season meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. Pile meat onto rolls or bagels as desired.  Top with 1/2 slice of cheese.  Put in 400* oven for about 10 minutes to toast bread and melt cheese. Set out ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce.  Dip and enjoy!

RITZY CHICKEN WITH POPPY SEEDS

1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6-8 chicken breasts, skinned and bones
1 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp. poppy seeds

Combine first 8 ingredients in a container suitable for marinating.  Add chicken breasts.  Coat and marinate refrigerated over night.  Remove the coated chicken from mixture and roll in cracker crumbs.  Arrange in a single layer in a 9x13 pan.  Melt butter and pour half over the chicken.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350*.  Spoon the remaining butter and the poppy seeds over the chicken and cook 15 minutes longer.

MISSISSIPPI MUD

Layer 1...
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tbs. sugar

Mix and press into a 9x13 pan.  Bake 15 minutes at 350*.  Chill.

Layer 2...
1 cup powdered sugar
8oz. cream cheese
1 cup Cool Whip

Mix and layer on baked, cooled crust.

Layer 3...
2 small packages of cook and serve chocolate pudding

Cook as directed.  Cool 5 minutes.  Pour over 2nd layer and chill.  Top with Cool Whip.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter

Cream together.  Then add...

2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 baking powder
2 cups flour
(1/4 to 1/2 cup milk if too dry)

Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet.  Flatten with a fork, criss cross.  Bake 375* for 10-12 minutes.

CINNAMON SNAPS

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Additional sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar.  Add egg and molasses.  Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll in additional sugar.

Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set and tops are cracked.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Yield: 4 1/2 dozen.

BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO THINGIES

(Recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman)

30 whole fresh jalapenos, 2-3 inches in size

2 8oz. packages cream cheese, softened

2 packages Hormel Black Label bacon, cut in half

Put some latex gloves on before working with the jalapenos!!  Chop tops off and slice jalapenos in half length-wise.  With a spoon remove the seeds and white membrane (leave a little in you like things HOT!)  Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half.  Wrap jalapeno halves with 1/2 slice of bacon.  Secure by sticking a toothpick through the middle.  (At this point, you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use.) Bake on a pan in a 375* oven for 20-25 minutes.  If it still doesn't look brown enough, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off.  Serve immediately, or they are also still yummy at room temperature.

THE EASIEST HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

2 quarts half and half

2 cans sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

milk

Add first 4 ingredients to your ice cream maker canister.  Add milk up to manufacturers recommended fill line on canister.  Mix well.  Run machine according to your ice cream makers directions.  Enjoy!

CORN CHOWDER

1 lg. onion, chopped

1/4 cup butter

package of bacon

2 cans cream of potato soup

1 can cream corn

1 can whole kernel corn

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 can evaporated milk

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

cayenne pepper, to taste

Saute onions in butter.  Meanwhile, in a different pan cook bacon until crisp.  Add cream cheese to sauteed onions and stir until mostly melted.  Stir in evaporated milk, potato soup, corn and cream corn.  Add salt, pepper and cayenne as desired.  Crumble bacon and add to soup.  Add flour to some of the bacon grease and add to soup.  Done!

QUESADILLA CASSEROLE

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

2- 8oz. cans tomato sauce

1- 15oz. can black bean, drained and rinsed

1- 8 3/4oz. can whole kernel corn, undrained

1- 4 1/2oz. can chopped green chiles, undrained

2 tsp. chili powder

1tsp. cumin

1tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

6 flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion in large skillet on medium high heat; drain.  Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chiles; mix well.  Stir in all of the spices except red pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.  Add red pepper to taste, if desired.

Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom of 13x9x2 inch baking dish sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.  Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed.  Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese.

Bake in preheated 350* oven 15 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BEEF STEW

Layer the following in the order given...

1 lb. stew meat

2 potatoes, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

6 celery stalks, chopped

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 lg. green pepper, chopped

Mix together the following...

1 tbsp. sugar

3 tbs. tapioca

1 cup V-8 juice

Pour over the layered ingredients.  Cook covered at 250* for 5 hours.  Do not peek!!

*Note... I usually add more meat, more potatoes, and more carrots and double the sauce and it turns out great!  Just add however much you want to your taste.

ROBERT'S BRUSCHETTA

1 medium onion 

5 roma tomatoes

Minced garlic- Use as much as you like, according to your taste, we usually do a 1/2 to a whole bulb of garlic.

Balsamic vinegar, Robert puts about 3 teaspoons, add more or less to taste. 

about 4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons of dry basil

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. (or more, according to how much you want in it) of fresh mozzerella cut into small pieces Or sometimes we just slice it thin and put on the bread and bruschetta. 

Cut a French baguette in diagonal slices. Sometimes we have it plain, sometime we toast it in the oven, and sometime we fry it in butter like this (my favorite... yum!!)...

However you eat it... it's just GOOD!

BROCCOLI SALAD

2 lb. broccoli cut in 1 inch pieces

1 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled

2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

1/2 red onion diced

DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

PASTA SALAD

(Recipe from my friend Fawn at Yummie Tummies)

1 box of Penne Pasta (or whatever kind of pasta you like)
1 Cucumber
1 Bell Pepper
1 small box of Cherry Tomatoes
3-5 sticks of Mozzarella String Cheese (cubed)
1 can of olives
1 bag of mini pepperoni's
1 small bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
(optional) 1 small purple onion and you can sprinkle parmesan cheese on top if you like.

Just add all of your chopped veggies, olives, cubed cheese and mini pepperoni's to your cooked pasta. Then pour the dressing on top.  Chill and enjoy!

CHICKEN ORANGE PASTA SALAD

(Recipe from my friend Fawn at Yummie Tummies)

2 cups uncooked bowtie pasta

2 cups cooked chicken

2 celery ribs chopped

1 can (110z) mandarin oranges drained

1/3 c plain yogurt

1/3 c mayo

1/4 c orange juice concentrate

1 T white vinegar

2 t sugar

1/4t salt

1/4 t ground mustard

3 cups torn salad greens

Cook pasta. Drain & rinse with cold water. Combine chicken, pasta, celery, & oranges. In a separate small bowl mix yogurt, oj concentrate, vinegar, sugar, salt & mustard with whisk. Pour over pasta mixture and add greens...toss and enjoy!