Fresh Veggies in Vinegar Marinade

Ingredients:
1 tomato, sliced into strips or wedges
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into thin strips
1 cucumber, sliced

Marinade:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan and on low, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let cool before adding to the vegetables. Chop or slice all the vegetables and combine them in a bowl with the cooled marinade. Stir until everything is coated and store in the refrigerator until serving.

Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

Fresh Cooked Green Beans

Ingredients:
Fresh Green Beans
Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
To prepare the green beans for cooking, snap the ends off of each bean. Wash green beans thoroughly with cold water. Place beans in a pressure cooker on top of a steaming rack. Fill the pressure cooker with hot water just to the level off the rack. Sprinkle the beans with a little bit of salt.  Place the uncovered pressure cooker on the stove over high heat and heat until the water is boiling. Once the water is boiling place the lid on the pressure cooker tightening it to make sure it is secure and place the bobber on the top. Keep the heat on high. Once the steam causes the bobber to bob back and forth start a timer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, cool the pressure cooker under cold water until all the pressure is released and you can easily open the lid. (Tip: Open the lid on the back side of the cooker so that the steam doesn't burn your hands or your face.) Check that the beans are fully cooked and tender by poking them with a fork. If they aren't all the way tender, put the pressure cooker back on the stove until they do come out tender. (Sometimes I will let the timer go for a little longer than 2 minutes just to be sure the beans are done.) Butter and add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm!

Tip: For variety, thinly slice a small amount of onion and add to the beans before cooking.

Time to Make: about 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: unknown

Roasted Potato Wedges

Ingredients:
potatoes (number and variety of your choosing: Russets work well)
1/4 cup (approximately) olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh herbs, to taste


Optional Ingredients:
2 T. butter, melted
garlic, minced
2 - 3 T. balsamic vinegar
cayenne pepper
paprika


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash potatoes.  Cut potatoes into wedges.  Toss with oil, butter, salt, pepper, and whatever else you’d like: garlic, balsamic, spices, etc.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Shake around. Stir.  Roast for another 20 minutes. Check them and if they aren't done keep them cooking till they are tender and soft. Add more seasoning if necessary.  Sprinkle with herbs.  Serve immediately.


Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 35 minutes
Recipe Origin: The Pioneer Woman
   found here at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/roasted-potato-wedges/

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 small-medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1 28-oz. bag shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 c. sour cream
1 10-oz. can cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup
2 1/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: Crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz or saltine crackers

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat. Add the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper and combine well. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Spread the mixture into a 9×13″ (or similar) dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout. Makes 6-8 main dish or 10-12 side dish servings.

Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep time plus 1 hour for baking
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: ourbestbites.com

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. margarine
3 cups milk
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
7 medium potatoes, cooked and sliced
2 Tbsp. onion, diced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the margarine, milk, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. Meanwhile prepare your cooked potatoes by slicing them into thin slices. Add the onions to the potatoes and mix together. Layer half of the potatoes in a greased 9x13 pan and top with half of the sauce. Repeat again with the other half of potatoes and sauce. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. After the hour is up, remove the tinfoil and continue baking until the top is browned.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 90 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Sauerkraut

Ingredients:
1 jar or can sauerkraut
1/3 cup apple, diced into small pieces
1/3 cup onion, diced into small pieces
a few Tbsp. caraway seeds
sugar, to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet, combine the sauerkraut, apple, onion, and caraway seeds. Turn the heat to medium and sprinkle sugar on the top of the ingredients. While stirring frequently, cook the sauerkraut until it has a sweet and salty flavor (adding more sugar if necessary). Keep sauerkraut on medium heat for about 45 minutes (until tender, not mooshy or chewy) adding water to the sauerkraut if it starts to dry out.

Tip: Rinse the sauerkraut with water bore cooking for less of a vinegar taste.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: at least an hour
Recipe Origin: Steven Manning (Dad)

Navajo Potatoes

Ingredients:
6-8 medium potatoes, cooked and grated
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup butter
8 ounces sour cream
1 + 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste
5 stalks green onions, diced
corn flakes, slightly crushed (for the topping)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the cooked potatoes, cream of chicken soup, butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, and green onions. Stir till well blended. Spread into a 9x13 pan and top with the corn flakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: Mom

Cucumbers in Sour Cream Dressing

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber, rinsed, peeled, and sliced
1 + 1/2 cups sour cream
1 + 1/2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped chives (the top of the green onion)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Prepare your cucumber by washing, peeling, and slicing it into thin/medium slices. Combine all the other ingredients in a medium bowl and stir till smooth. Add the cucumber and stir again till the cucumber slices are evenly coated. Chill in the refrigerator and serve.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Cheesy Cauliflower

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/2 head of cauliflower (you can always add more later)
2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a medium pot, combine the butter, flour, salt, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until warm and smooth. Meanwhile, in a separate medium pot, cook the cauliflower until its tender. Once the sauce is done, add the grated cheese and stir until its melted. (You can also add more cheese if you need too) Drain the cooked cauliflower and add it to the cheese sauce. Stir till cauliflower is well coated and serve warm.

Tip: You can use broccoli instead of cauliflower if you wish.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom