Quick but yummy!

This is just a short post today. I really wanted to share this recipe! It's one of our family's favorites!

We used to have a Chinese restaurant in our little town that served a Sesame Seed Chicken dish that we loved. It went out of business a few years ago and we've spent some time looking for a similar dish. Nothing even came close until we found this recipe, and it's pretty darn close to what the restaurant served. Now it's regularly on the menu in our home.

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

* 3 whole boneless chicken breasts

Marinade

* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon cooking wine or dry sherry or water
* 3-5 drops sesame oil
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce

* 1 cup water
* 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 teaspoons soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 green onion, thinly slice
* 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
* 3 1/2-4 cups peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)

Cut the chicken into small, approximately 1-inch cubes. Add the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce.

Mix together all of the sauce ingredients except for the green onion. Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.

Heat oil for deep-frying. When the oil is ready, add the marinated chicken a few pieces at a time, sliding them into oil carefully, and not to overcrowd. Deepfry until golden brown. Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil. Mix in the green onion. Place the chicken on a large platter and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

I thought I'd add this, in case you can't find hoisin sauce or think it's too expensive. We used this today and it was just as good as the bottled stuff.

HOISIN SAUCE

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. peanut butter ...or black bean paste

1 Tbsp. honey or molasses

2 tsp. white vinegar

2 tsp. sesame seed oil

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

20 drops Chinese hot sauce (we didn't use this)

Mix all together until smooth, store in refrigerator.

Thanksgiving menu & recipes

This is the start of the Thanksgiving week! I'm going to share our menu and recipes.



*Turkey with Custer's Turkey Rub
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Squash
Stuffing
*Whole wheat rolls
*Green Bean casserole
*Pea salad OR Seven layer salad (kids' choice)
*Pumpkin pie
*Cranberry swirl cheesecake pie
*Upside down apple gingerbread cake

* - recipes are given



Turkey with Custer's Turkey Rub: this recipe comes from www.recipezaar.com, courtesy of Chef Shadows

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  

Mix all ingredients together and rub UNDER and ON the turkey's skin. Bake as desired. I prefer to use an oven baking bag to keep the turkey moist.



Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp (1 pkt) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 2 to 2 1/4 c. all purpose flour

In a mixing bowl combine whole wheat flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a saucepan, heat milk, water and butter to 120 - 130 degrees (very warm). Add to flour mixture. Beat in egg. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, then 1 minute on medium speed. Gradually stir in enough all purpose flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 - 8 minutes. (Sorry, I prefer to let my bread machine or KitchenAid do all the mixing & kneading for me) Place in a greased bowl and let rise, covered, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled. Punch down, shape into 9 to 12 balls and place in greased 9 inch square pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, cover the rolls with foil during the last 5 minutes to prevent extra browning. Remove from oven and pan, let cool on wire rack.



Green Bean Casserole - from the French's French Fried Onions can

• 4 cups (32 oz.) regular cut green beans, cooked
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 2.8 oz. can french fried onions, divided

In 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish mix soup, milk, pepper and 2/3 c. (1/2 can) french fried onions. Stir in beans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Top with rest of french fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes.



Pea Salad

• 1 16 oz. pkg frozen peas, thawed
  
• 1 cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
• 1 small white or red onion, diced
• 1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except veggies in a bowl. Stir in veggies. Store in refrigerator.



Seven Layer Salad

The layer salad is made up of a layer of shredded/torn lettuce leaves (about 1/2 to 3/4 head of lettuce), 2 stalks of celery diced, tablespoon of minced dried onion, 16 oz. bag frozen peas (thawed), layer of thinned mayonnaise or Miracle whip (thinned with milk to make spreading easy), 8 oz. shredded cheddar, bacon bits, sunflower seeds.



Pumpkin Pie

• 3 slightly beaten eggs
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 2 to 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1 c. evaporated milk

Mix the ingredients together in order given. Pour into 9 inch unbaked pie shell and bake in 400 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or until set.



Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Pie (from All You magazine, November 20, 2009 edition)

• 1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust
• 12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1 large egg plus yolk from one large egg, at room temperature
• 6 Tbsp. sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. whole berry cranberry sauce, pureed and strained (about 5 Tbsp. after straining)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and yolk and beat until incorporated. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl and stir until combined. Scrape half of filling into prepared crust. Dollop half of cranberry puree on top of filling. Top with remaining filling and then remaining puree. Use a knife to swirl puree through filling, creating a marbled design, taking care not to drab crumbs from the crust into filling. Place pie on baking sheet and bake until set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in center, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.



Upside Down Apple Gingerbread Cake (another one taken from the All You magazine listed above)

• 8 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
• 3 peeled, cored & thickly sliced Golden Delicious apples
• 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c. molasses
• 1 1/2 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine. Add apple slices and sprinkle with brown sugar. Saute' 5 minutes until apples are softened. Pour liquid into cake pan and arrange apple slices in a single layer on top of the liquid.
Beat remaining 6 Tbsp. of butter or margarine with sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/2 c. hot water alternately until smooth, repeat twice. Pour batter into pan; spread evenly over apples. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen the cake, then invert onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

NOTE: I have not made this yet and the directions from All You magazine seemed a bit vague about the amount of water. I did look through my other cookbooks and the amount of liquid seems correct, but I'm making no claims until I make this one myself.

2nd NOTE: This turned out okay in looks (some of the apples are buried in the cake instead of being on top) but SMELLED and TASTES GREAT!! I think I forgot some of the water but it still turned out well.

Pies!

The art of pie making seems to be disappearing, but with these recipes you'll be able to impress!

A good pie starts with a crust:


Easy Pie Crust

• 1/2 c. melted margarine or butter
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 cup flour

Mix together with a fork and press into a pie plate, using your fingers to press the mixture up the sides. Smooth off the edges with your fingers. Add filling & bake as directed. This crust may brown quickly because of the sugar; you can cover the exposed edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. For a baked pie crust, bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.



Now, to get a flaky crust, the key with this next recipe is to work the dough as little as possible and to use cold dough. It's best to let the dough rest 1/2 hour in the fridge before rolling it out.

Pie crust: makes 1 double crust or 2 single crusts

• 2 c. flour with a dash of salt
• 1 c. shortening (lard, Crisco shortening, or butter)
• 1/2 c. ice water

Cut shortening into flour until it's coarse crumbs. Add ice water and stir in with a fork. You'll have to use your hands to finish working it in. Form into a ball and wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and let rest in fridge for 1/2 hour if you have time. Divide in half and roll 1/2 out on a floured surface until it's big enough to fit into your pie plate. Add pie filling. Bake as directed OR top with the second half of the dough that has been rolled out like the first half. Dip your finger in water and dampen the dough between the top and bottom crusts at the edges. Pinch to seal. Trim excess dough from edges with a sharp knife. Cut a few decorative slits in the top crust then bake as the directed.


Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 2/3 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/3 c. melted margarine or butter

Mix all ingredients together and press into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.


Mom's Apple Pie - my mom gave me this recipe for her signature apple pie. I'm not supposed to share, but it's too good to keep to myself!

• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 5 to 6 cups peeled, cored and sliced baking apples

Combine all ingredients and stir carefully. Put in an unbaked pie shell and dot with 2 Tbsp. butter cut into small pieces. Top with top crust, seal edges and cut slits in the top crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with a bit of white sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Cover edges of the crust with foil if they begin to get too dark.

Crumb topped Apple Pie: Prepare as above but don't add the top crust. Instead, make a topping of 1 c. flour, 1/2 c. firm butter or margarine and 1/2 c. backed brown sugar mixed until crumbly. Cover pie with foil during last 10 minutes of baking.



Blueberry Pie

• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tssp. salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 4 c. blueberries, divided
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cook sugar, cornstarch salt, water and 2 c. blueberries over medium heat until it boils and becomes thick and clear. Remove from heat. Add butter and lemon juice. Cool a bit and add the rest of the blueberries. Stir gently to mix. Pour into unbaked pie shell and cover with a top crust. Seal edges. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes then at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Can also put into baked pie shell and chill. Top with whipped cream if desired when serving.



Lemon Meringue Pie

Filling:

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 3 Tbsp. margarine
• 1/4 c. lemon juice

Mix sugar, cornstarch and water in pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. boil one minue. Stir about 1/2 of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return to pan and boil for 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and margarine until melted. Pour into baked pie shell.

Meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg whites with lemon juice at high speed until light and foamy. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating at high speed until stiff and sugar is dissolved. Slowly mix in vanilla. Pile meringue on hot pie filling, spreading in from the edge and sealing to the edge. Bake at 400 for 8 t0 10 minutes. Watch carefully! Remove when lightly browned. Cool slowly away from drafts. Store in refrigerator.

Note: you can substitute lime juice for the lemon juice to make a lime meringue pie. Add a drop or two of green food coloring to the filling if desired.


Cherry Crunch Pie

• 1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust
• 2 21 oz. cans cherry pie filling
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1/3 c. quick cooking or old fashioned oats
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix cornstarch paste and pie filling and spoon into prepared crust. Combine sugars, flour and oats in a second bowl; mix in melted butter. Spoon onto filling. Bake on baking sheet for 40 minutes Cool for at least 4 hours and serve. Store in refrigerator.



Streusel Topped Pumpkin Pie

• 1 9 inch graham cracker crust
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. cold butter or margarine
• 3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. With mixer or whisk, beat pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, egg, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Pour into crust and bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sugar, flour, remaining 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. Remove pie from oven and reduce oven temp to 350 degrees. Sprinkle streusel mixture over pie. Bake 40 minutes or until set. Cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

• 3 slightly beaten eggs
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 2 to 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1 c. evaporated milk

Mix the ingredients together in order given. Pour into 9 inch unbaked pie shell and bake in 400 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or until set.



Coconut Cream Pie

• 1 9 inch baked pie shell
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 3 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla or 1 tsp. coconut extract
• 3/4 c. shredded coconut

Mix sugar, salt, cornstarch and flour in a saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually stir 1/2 of mixture into egg yolks. Return mixture to pan. Boil one minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla or coconut extract, stirring untill butter is melted. Fold in coconut. Put filling in baked pie shell. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. May top with whipped cream and additional coconut if desired.


Now for some cheesecake pies:

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

• 1 9 inch graham cracker crust
• 1 can apple pie filling, civided
• 2 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. caramel ice cream topping
• 2 Tbsp. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 3/4 c. apple pie filling. Spoon remaining filling into crust. Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and mix well. Pour over apple filling. Bake 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool to room temperature. Mix reserved apple pie filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat about 1 minute. Arrange apple slices from reserved filling around the outside edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve.



Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Pie

• 1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust
• 2 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
• Whipped topping, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined. Pour into pie crust. Stir jam; drizzle over the filling. Cut through filling with knife to swirl the jam. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Store in refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing. If desired, top each serving with whipped topping.



Instant Imitation Cheesecake Pie

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 4 serving size box of instant pudding, lemon or vanilla works best
• 1 c. milk
• 3/4 c. sour cream

Mix milk & sour cream until smooth. Add pudding mix & mix well. Pour into graham crust & chill. Top with cherry or blueberry pie filling if desired.



Lowfat Low Carb Cheesecake Dream Pie

• 1 graham cracker, crushed
• 2/3 c. boiling water
• 1 small pkg. sugar free jello (any flavor, but raspberry, mixed fruit, lemon or orange works great)
• 1 c. lowfat small curd cottage cheese
• 1 8 oz. pkg. fat free cream cheese
• 1 8 oz. container Cool Whip Free or Lite

Spray 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs on the bottom. Stir boiling water into jello; stir at least 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Pour into blender and add cottage and cream cheeses. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and fold in Cool Whip until smooth and well blended. Pour into pie plate. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Store in fridge. Each serving has 100 calories, Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Sodium 300 mg. and Sugar 5 g.

In memory of Grandma....

This has been a difficult week for us. We lost my paternal grandmother, a lovely, gentle, wise woman that was a wonderful cook. She raised 5 children and enjoyed 17 grandchildren and several great grandchildren, even 3 great great children before she passed at the age of 90.

I have many wonderful memories to keep, and I especially remember going to her house for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinners and seeing the table just LOADED with food! I'm going to share some of her well-loved recipes.

Honey Bear Brownies

• 1/3 c. margarine
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. chopped nuts

Cream margarine and sugar. Blend in hone and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. combine flour, cocoa and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased 9 inch square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies pull away from edge of pan. Cool and cut.


Never Fail Biscuits (oh my, these were the best!)

• 4 c. flour
• 8 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3/4 c. margarine or butter
• 2 c. milk

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with pastry cutter. Add milk and stir just until moistened. Roll out on lightly floured surface and cut into biscuits. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 until golden brown (sorry, she didn't give a time). Makes about 2 dozen biscuits.


Brown Bread

• 1 1/2 c. raisins
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. margarine, melted
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• chopped nuts (optional)

Boil raisins and water together gently until 3/4 c. liquid remains (about 10 minutes). Cool. Add to beaten egg and melted margarine then add dry ingredients. Place in greased cans (yes, cans), filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool. When serving, slice 1/2 inch thick and may spread with butter or cream cheese.



Oatmeal Cake

• 1 1/4 c. boiling water
• 1 c. rolled oats (old fashioned kind)
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine boiling water and oatmeal; let set for 20 minutes. Cream shortening and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs. Add oatmeal. Combine dry ingredients and beat into oatmeal mixture. Bake in greased 9 x 13 inch pan in 350 degree oven for 35 - 40 minutes.

Topping:

• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. evaporated milk
• 1 c. coconut and/or nuts

Bring butter, sugar and milk to a boil. Add coconut and /or nuts. Spread on warm baked cake. Broil briefly until lightly browned.


Broccoli & Cheese Casserole

• 4 c. cut broccoli (20 oz. frozen or 1 bunch fresh)
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 Tbsp. minced onion
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 2 oz. jar pimento, drained
• 3/4 c. sour cream
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli, celery and onion together gently, until barely tender. Drain (save water for making soup!) Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Pour into a 2 1/2 quart casserole, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.


Scalloped Corn

• 15 oz. can cream corn
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Mix together all ingredients except butter. Pour into a casserole dish. Dot the top with butter . Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.



Potato Cheese Casserole (this was present at EVERY family gathering!)

• 10 or 12 baking potatoes
• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• cooked bacon bits (optional)
• sliced stuffed green olives (optional)
• paprika

Boil or bake potatoes until tender; cool, peel and cube. Cut cheese into cubes. Mix potatoes, cheese, onion and mayonnaise. Place in casserole dish. Top with bacon and olives. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.


Pineapple Fluff

• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. crushed pineapple, undrained
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 regular size pkg. lemon Jello
• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

Combine 1 c. sugar with beaten egg yolks and undrained pineapple in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add the Jello and stir until mixed. Cool to room temperature. Beat egg whites until stiff and gradually add 1 c. sugar a little at a time and beat until very stiff. Fold into cooled pineapple mixture. Spread 1 c. graham cracker crumbs on bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread mixture carefully over the crumbs. Sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs on top. Chill until set. Store in refrigerator.



Suet Pudding (EVERY Christmas!!!)

• 1 c. raisins
• 1 c. molasses
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. chopped suet (you can get this from a butcher/slaughterhouse)
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

Mix together raisins, molasses, brown sugar, suet, buttermilk. Mix together the dry ingredients and combine wit hfirst mixture, stirring until well mixed. Put in greased casserole or stainless steel bowl. Cover with aluminum foil. Steam about 4 hours until done in a large covered pot on low heat (place bowl on rack in pot, keep an inch or two of water boiling gently in bottom of pot.) Serve warm with hot pudding sauce.

Hot Pudding Sauce:

• 2 eggs
• 2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 2 c. water
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla

Beat eggs. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Serve warm or at room temperature, store in refrigerator.


Pie Crust

• 6 c. flour
• 2 1/2 c. margarine
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 3/4 c. cold water
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar

Cut together flour, margarine and salt with pastry cutter. Combine water, egg and vinegar with a fork and mix together with flour mixture, first with a fork then with hands until combined and doesn't stick to bowl. Use as needed for pie crusts and the remainder can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator until needed.


Fresh Strawberry Pie

• 1 quart fresh strawberries
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Slice half of the strawberries and place in baked pie shell; crush remaining berries and add remaining ingredients. Cook until thick. Cool. Pour over sliced berries and chill until firm. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.


Caramel Corn (with 17 grandkids, this never lasted long)

• 1 c. margarine, melted
• 2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 6 quarts hot popped popcorn

mix margarine, sugar, syrup and salt in saucepan and boil gently 5 minutes. Then add vanilla and soda. Immediately pour slowly over popcorn, stirring constantly until all popcorn is coated. Bake in a large pan such as a turkey roaster, uncovered, in 225 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.


Four-Bean Salad

• 1 16 oz. can each lima beans, kidney beans, green beans and yellow beans, drained
• 1/2 c. diced green pepper
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 c. honey
• 2/3 c. white vinegar
• 1/3 c. salad oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Combine beans, green pepper and onions. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients and pour over bean mixture. Mix and marinade for 12 to 24 hours to let the flavors blend. Keep stored in refrigerator.


Old Fashioned Cabbage Slaw

• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1/4 c. chopped green pepper
• 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
• 3 c. chopped or grated green cabbage

Place ingredients in a large bowl in order given. Mix well. cover and chill thoroughly.