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

Sour Cream Buns

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115° F)
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
3 T. granulated sugar
2 T. shortening
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 to 3 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Spread:
2 T. butter, nearly melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Icing:
1 - 2 cups powdered sugar
3 - 4 T. milk
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla


Directions:
In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. In a small saucepan combine sour cream, granulated sugar, shortening, and salt. Heat and stir over medium-low heat until warm (105°F to 115°F) and shortening is melted. Stir in baking soda. Stir sour cream mixture and egg into yeast. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with a wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough ( 3 to 5 minutes total). Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Grease a large baking pan. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon spread until well mixed. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle; Spread dough with cinnamon spread up to the edges. Roll up, starting from long side; seal seam. Slice into twelve 1-1/2-inch-wide pieces. Place each bun, cut side down, into the baking pan (OR in a prepared, greased, muffin cup). Cover and let rise in a warm place until 1/4 to 1/2 inch above tops of cups (45 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake buns in the preheated oven about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans. Combine ingredients for the icing and spread a little over the rolls while still warm. Serve warm.

Tip: If you use a baking pan to bake the rolls, pack the rolls a little so that they will bake touching each other. This will make them better.

Time to Make: about 90 minutes
Difficutly: Easy
Recipe Origin: Better Homes and Gardens

Brownies (Annette's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
4 T. butter or margarine
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Icing:
3 T. powdered cocoa
2 dashes salt
3 cups unsifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
4-5 T. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwavable bowl, combine the shortening and butter and heat until melted in 30 second increments. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Slowly add the 2 cups sugar, beating all the time until light and fluffy. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and melted shortening/butter mixture while beating. Add the flour mixture and combine. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a greased 9x13" pan.

While the brownies are baking, combine all the ingredients for the icing and mix until smooth. Once the brownies are done, spread the icing over them almost immediately after they come out of the oven so the icing melts into the brownies, then cool completely.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardener

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork roast (shoulder or butt works best)
2 medium onions
1 cup ginger ale
1 - 18 ounce bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Buns or rolls for sandwiches

Directions:
Dice or slice the onions. Put half the onions in a 4 quart crock pot and place the roast on top. Top with the remaining onions and the ginger ale. (add a little extra ginger ale if you need a bit more to cover the roast). Cook the meat on high for 4-7 hours (or until you can easily shred the pork). Shred the pork once it shreds easily and drain off and discard the liquid. Put the shredded pork in the crock pot and add the BBQ sauce (as much as you think it needs). Continue cooking for 2-3 hours. Serve as a sandwich inside your favorite rolls or buns.

Difficulty: easy
Time to make: at least 7 hours depending on your slow cooker.
Recipe origin: online somewhere

Chicken Taco Dish

Ingredients:
1 package Taco Seasoning
1 can black beans
1 can chili beans
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours (stirring occasionally). After 4 hours, shred the chicken, stir and continue cooking on low for 2 more hours. Serve hot over rice or chips.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 6 hours
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Sugar Top Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
cinnamon + sugar (for sprinkling the muffins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir till well blended. Add the beaten egg, milk, and vegetable oil and stir till just blended. Add the walnuts and stir till mixed. Pour batter into a greased (or lined) muffin tin and sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom's cookbook

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed (optional)
1 + 3/4 cup chicken broth (save the water you boil the chicken and veggies in)
2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
2/3 cup milk
2 - 9 inch unbaked pie crusts

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot, combine the chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add enough hot water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain (save the water) and set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and saute the onions until they are translucent. Add the flour to the onions and mix well, then slowly add the chicken broth (using only 1 + 3/4 cup of the broth) and milk and chicken bouillon. Add the salt, pepper, and celery seed and heat until thick. Once thickened, pour the chicken and veggies into a pie dish lined with one of the pie crusts. Pour the onion/chicken broth mixture onto the top and cover with the top crust. Cut slits into the top crust to let out the steam and bake the pot pie for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before eating.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com by Robbie Rice

Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1 small tub sour cream
1 small tub guacamole
2-3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 medium tomato, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, diced

Directions:
In an 8x8 pan spread the refried beans in an even layer. Spread the guacamole on top of the refried beans. Spread the sour cream on top of the guacamole. Top the sour cream with half the cheese, the tomatoes, the olives, and the green onions. Then top with the remaining cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

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

Alice Springs Chicken

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts
8 pieces of bacon
mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Chicken Marinade:
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 + 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Whip all ingredients for 30 seconds with an electric mixer and continue with the recipe below.

Wash 3-4 chicken breast and trip off the fat. Marinade the chicken with 2/3 of the marinade for about 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Heat a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil until hot. Sear both sides of the chicken in the frying pan and then place the chicken in a baking dish. Saute some mushrooms in a pan with butter. Brush the chicken with some of the marinade (but save some for serving). Sprinkle the chicken with some salt, pepper, and paprika. Stack 2 pieces of cooked bacon on each chicken breast. Spoon mushrooms on chicken, spread 1/4 cup of monterey jack cheese and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on each chicken breast. Bake chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked completely. Serve with the remaining marinade.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time + 10 minutes cooking time
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Salt Dough

Ingredients:
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup flour

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and roll the dough into a ball. Flatten with a rolling pin and imprint with whatever design you want. Bake at 250 degrees for several hours (or until firm). Once the dough is cooled, paint and decorate however you want.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep time + several hours bake time
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Scratch Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 + 1/2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks (if you want, keep the egg whites for spreading over the crust before baking)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 + 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted (for garnishing the top of the pie)
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, half-and-half, and egg yolks. Whisk together till smooth. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the cream and egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk till smooth. Over medium heat, gradually bring mixture to a boil, stirring CONSTANTLY with a rubber spatula. (Mixture should be thicker once it reaches boiling point.) Remove from heat, and stir in the butter and vanilla till smooth. Add the 1 + 1/2 cups of coconut and mix well. Pour into pie shell cover the custard portion with plastic wrap. Chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm. Top with whipped topping and toasted coconut.

Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes plus a few hours chill time
Recipe Origin: http://addapinch.com/cooking/2013/04/18/coconut-cream-pie-recipe/#.UiOWeYI5mc1

Blackberry Cheese Streusel Pie

Ingredients:

Crust: (makes 2 pie crusts)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup + 1 Tbsp. shortening
1/3 cup ice water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 egg, beaten

Cheese Filling:
1 - 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice

Topping:
6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
6 tablespoons whole almonds
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 1/2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
4 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Directions:
To prepare your crust combine the flour, salt, sugar, and shortening in a medium bowl and mix with a pastry tool (or fork) until the shortening is cut into the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the water, vinegar, and egg and mix well. Then combine the wet ingredients with the other ingredients and mix till just blended. Divide dough in half and wrap the two halves in plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes. Once chilled, roll the crusts out on a floured surface and line 2 - 9 inch pie tins with the dough. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and set aside.

To make the cheese layer, first preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the cheese is fluffy. Add the sugar, salt, egg, and lemon juice and mix well. Pour the cheese filling into the pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While the cheese layer is baking, prepare your streusel topping. Place the brown sugar, almonds, butter, oats, and flour in a food processor and process them to your desired consistency. (Note: Instead of using a processor, I placed the almonds and oats into a nut chopper and chopped them until they were small pieces. Then I added that to the other ingredients and used a pastry tool to cut in the butter).

After the cheese layer has finished baking for 20 minutes, remove the pie from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and top the cheese layer with a can of blackberry pie filling. Top the pie filling with the streusel topping and continue to bake it at 400 degrees for another 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is over, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

Note: This pie can be made 1 day in advance, but should be stored in the refrigerator once it is cooled.

Difficulty: medium
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: combination of several recipes

Pear Puree

Ingredients:
6 Pears, ripened, peeled, and cored

Directions:
Place cored and peeled pears in a food blender. Blend till smooth and then pour into ice cube trays. Cover with plastic wrap and place in trays in the freezer. Once frozen, remove pear cubes and place in a freezer bag or container. Thaw in a plastic bag under hot water just before serving and mix with baby cereal. Add water if necessary to get the desired consistency that you want.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown
Introduce to Baby: Makes a good beginner food.

Easy Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 quart strawberries, washed and sliced
1 pkg. strawberry glaze
1 8-9" pie crust, baked and ready to fill
whip cream (for garnishing)

Directions:
Prepare your pie crust according to the directions on the package (or use this recipe). While pie crust bakes, wash and slice the strawberries. Mix the strawberries with the strawberry glaze. Once the pie crust is cooled, fill it with the strawberry filling. Garnish it with whip cream just before serving. Store pie in refrigerator before and after serving.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Nancy Drury

Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan and set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over low/med heat. Once melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Quickly add the eggs and beat till well blended (quickly so they don't cook). Combine the buttermilk and the baking soda in a large cup and add to the other ingredients. Stir till smooth. Stir in the cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended (leaving a few lumps). Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep plus 40 minutes cook time
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com (by Bethany Weathersby)

Superfoods Puree

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small shallot, or small piece of onion, minced
1⁄2 cup ground turkey
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed but not dried

Directions:
Put the sweet potato in a steamer and steam until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the steamer and reserve the steaming water. While the sweet potato is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the shallot and turkey, and stir-fry until the turkey is browned and crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked sweet potato and 4 Tbs. of the steaming water. Cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Put the contents of the frying pan in a blender and blend to a puree. Thin with a little of the steaming water, if necessary. Cool quickly, then refrigerate. Freeze in individual portions; when needed, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To serve, heat the puree in the microwave or a saucepan until piping hot. Let cool slightly and check the temperature before serving.

Makes about 23 ice cubes.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 25 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annabel Karmel (baby food book author)
Introduce to Baby: Makes a good food for more experienced eaters.

Peach Jam

Ingredients:
3 Cups Finely Chopped Peaches (about 10 ripe peaches, peeled & pitted)
4 + 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon will get you at least this much)
1 Box Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Peel, pit, and finely chop the peaches and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and sugar and stir till well blended. In a small sauce pan, mix the water and sure jell. Heat (stirring constantly) until the mixture is boiling and boil for 1 minute. After 1 minute is up, add the contents of the saucepan to the rest of the ingredients. Stir the ingredients for about 3 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. Pour jam into containers and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to set. After 24 hours is up, place the jam in the freezer and store for up to 1 year.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Sure Jell recipe on the package

Farfalle with Zucchini

Ingredients:
4 whole (to 5) Regular-sized Zucchini
1 whole Medium Onion
Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
3 cloves Garlic
Farfalle (bowtie) Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
⅔ cups White Wine (or Chicken Broth)
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
½ cups (to 3/4 Cup) Cream
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Herbs (lemon Thyme, Fresh Basil, Chives, Etc.)
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil.
Dice 1 medium onion and the zucchini into small slices. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Next dice up the garlic.
Once the water is boiling, go ahead and cook the pasta according to directions on the package, on the al dente side so it has a nice “bite” to it.

While the pasta is boiling, heat a couple tablespoons olive oil over medium high to high heat in a saucepan. When the oil is hot, throw in half the zucchini and let it brown. Once brown, toss it onto a plate and repeat with the 2nd half of zucchini and repeat the process. Once the zucchini is cooked, throw in the onions and garlic. Next throw in the halved grape tomatoes on top and toss around a bit, keeping the heat at medium low to medium.

Pour in 1/3 cup white wine (or chicken broth) and with a whisk or spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the flavorful bits will be released. Pour another 1/3 cup wine (or chicken broth) into a dish and sprinkle the Arrowroot in and stir. Pour this into the pan with the onions and tomatoes, and now add in ½ to ¾ cup cream. Next, turn the heat off and add in the zucchini and stir gently to combine. Grab a cup or two of the cooking liquid from the pasta and pour into the saucepan if the sauce needs to be thinned out a bit. Salt and pepper to taste. Or thicken with a little cornstarch if the sauce needs to be a little thicker.

To serve, pour the drained pasta into a large serving bowl or platter. Add your choice of fresh herbs, and pour the contents of the pan over the top. Add some Parmesan and a final sprinkling of fresh basil. Eat warm. Serves 8.

Difficutly: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time plus 30 minutes cook time
Recipe Origin: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Tuna Cheese Melt

Ingredients:
1 can tuna fish
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
cheddar cheese, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
whole wheat bread slices

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the tuna fish and the mayonnaise. Mix well. Spread some tuna on top of a slice of bread and place cheddar cheese slices across the bread. Top with the slices of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 400 degrees and bake until the cheese is melted and the tuna fish is hot.

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

Tamale Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 can chile
1 can tamales, sliced
hamburger buns
cheddar cheese, grated (for topping)
ketchup

Directions:
In a small pot, combine the chile and tamales. Heat over medium until hot all the way through. Split the hamburger bun halves and place them on a baking sheet. Place a few spoonfuls of the chile mixture on each bun and top with the cheddar cheese. Broil the sandwiches until the cheese is melted. Serve topped with ketchup.

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

Meatball Subs

Ingredients:
1 lb. extra lean ground beef
10 ritz crackers, crushed
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 + 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese, grated (for topping)
3-4 subway buns

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, crackers, egg, and pepper and mix well. Shape into 12 meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes (until cooked through). Meanwhile, heat the spaghetti sauce in a small pot. When the meatballs are done, toss them in the sauce and place 3-4 meatballs on each toasted sandwich bun. Top with additional sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: kraftfoods.com

Home Ec Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb ground hamburger, browned and drained
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pkg mixed vegetables
1 cup water
1 can tomato soup
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1 beef bouillon cube
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and add salt and pepper, to taste. Meanwhile, cook the vegetables in the water until they are heated. Add the vegetables to the ground beef and add the tomato soup, celery salt, beef bouillon, and garlic salt. Continue cooking until the bouillon cube is dissolved. Serve hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Gooey Buns

Ingredients:
1 lb cold hot dogs
3/4 lb cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. grated sweet or dill pickles
1/4 cup mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped (optional)
hot dog buns

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, grate the hot dogs, cheese, and pickles. Add the mustard, mayonnaise, and onion and stir till its blended. Spread some mixture across a hot dog bun and wrap the bun in tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until the mixture is heated through).

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Fiesta Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
apple cider vinegar (enough to moisten the vegetables)
Monterey Jack cheese, sliced
3 eggs
bread
1 can green chilies

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the tomato, onion, green pepper and vinegar. Stir till well blended and set aside. Heat a griddle with non-stick spray. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Place the monterey jack cheese slices in between two slices of bread topped with some green chilies and dip both sides of the sandwich in egg batter (like french toast). Place sandwiches on the hot griddle and cook both sides like a grilled cheese sandwich. Cut the sandwich in half and top with the vegetable mix. Serve warm.

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

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 can corn (with the juice)
1/2 can evaporated milk
1 + 1/2 cups diced ham or 4-8 slices of bacon, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
melted butter, to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, combine the potatoes, carrots, and onion and cover with water. Boil till the vegetables are tender. Add the can of corn and evaporated milk and heat until just before boiling. Add the ham, salt and pepper, and melted butter. Heat and serve warm.

Tips: If the soup thick, add more milk or water.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 40 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Clam Chowder

Ingredients:
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
2 cups potatoes, finely chopped
2 cans minced clams
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 + 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. thyme

Directions:
In a large pot, combine the celery, onion, and potatoes. Drain the juice from the cans of clams over the veggies and add enough water to cover the veggies. Simmer the veggies over med heat until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, combine and blend the melted butter and flour in a medium bowl. Add the half and half to the flour mixture and whisk until it is smooth. Once the potatoes are tender, add the half and half mixture to it as well as the chopped minced clams, pepper, salt, sugar, and thyme. Stir till blended and continue cooking until it is heated well. Serve warm.

To Freeze:
Prepare as directed above and then chill until cooled. Divide into labeled freezer bags. If you double the recipe you will get 4-5 quart sized freezer bags full with 4 cups of soup in each. To reheat, thaw bags in the refrigerator overnight or under warm water. Then heat on a stove top over low-medium heat until hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 40 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
egg noodles
1 can canned chicken (the juice and the chicken)
1 chicken bouillon (can add another if it needs more flavor)
frozen peas
baby carrots
salt and pepper, to taste
celery salt, to taste

Directions:
Add the desired amount of egg noodles in a large pot and cook according to the directions on the bag. Once the noodles are cooked, add the carrots, chicken and the chicken bouillon. Stir until the chicken bouillon is dissolved. Then add the frozen peas, salt, pepper, and celery salt. Heat till the peas are done and serve warm.

Tip: You can cook the noodles in chicken broth, just dont add the chicken bouillon later.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 25 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Taco Dip Dinner

Ingredients:
1 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 small onion, diced
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups shredded lettuce
3 tomatoes, diced
tortilla chips

Directions:
In a large skillet, prepare the ground beef according to the directions on the taco seasoning package. Add the onion to the ground beef and cook it till tender. Place the ground beef in the middle of a large serving platter and cover it with the grated cheese. For the next ring, spread around the shredded lettuce. For the next ring, spread around the diced tomato. Serve with tortilla ships and salsa.

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

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 + 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
10 ounces pineapple, chunked (save the juice)
1/4 cup sugar
1/6 cup corn starch
1/8 cup water
cooked rice

Directions:
In a large skillet, combine the tomatoes, onion, green pepper, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and chunked pineapple. In a medium bowl, mix together the juice from the pineapple, sugar, corn starch, and water. Mix till blended and add to the skillet. Stir all ingredients and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

Tips: Can add cooked chicken or pork to sauce while it is cooking.

For Canning: This sauce can be made according to the directions (omitting the rice and meat of course) and then put into pint jars for canning.  To seal the jars, place the jars in a water bath for 35 minutes. This amount will make about 3 pints.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
5 green peppers
1 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup rice, cooked
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Wash the green peppers and cut off the tops. Clean the inside and boil the peppers until they are tender. In a large skillet, brown the hamburger and drain off the grease. Add the rice, onion, salt and pepper and cook till the onion is tender. Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

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

Stir Fry

Ingredients:
broccoli
carrots
onion
celery
green pepper
zucchini
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup water

Gravy:
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 chicken bouillon cube

cooked rice
cooked chicken

Directions:
Wash and chunk any of the vegetables you want to use in the stir fry. Set aside. Heat a large skillet with the olive oil over med/high heat. Add your vegetables and cook till slightly wilted (stirring often). Add 1/4 cup water and simmer vegetables until they are soft. Add the ingredients for the gravy and cook until the bouillon is dissolved. Serve hot over cooked rice.

Tip: Cook any type of meat in a separate skillet and add it to the vegetables once they are cooking to add flavor.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Spinach Tortellini

Ingredients:
1 lbs fresh cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
9 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 cup tomato, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, copped OR 1 + 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
In a large pot, boil the tortellini until its tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook till the onion is tender. Add the spinach, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and cook ingredients for 5 minutes. Stir in the whipping cream and parmesan cheese and then add the cooked tortellini. Stir everything together and serve warm.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Sassy Meatballs

Ingredients:
Meatballs:
2 eggs
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped craisins
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
1.5 lbs. ground beef

Sauce:
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup beef broth
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. chopped onions
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and stir till well blended. Shape into balls and cook in a large skillet over med heat until they are done all the way through. In a medium pot, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and stir till well blended. Heat over med heat and stir until the sauce is smooth. Place the hot sauce and the cooked meatballs into a crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serve hot.

Tip: You can also use frozen meatballs if you don't want to make your own, just brown them before adding them to the sauce.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep plus 4 hours cooking
Recipe Origin: Devin Walker's Mom

Pepper Steak

Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 pounds beef steak, chunked into small pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup beef broth
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green peppers, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
cooked rice

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the steak over med/high heat until all sides are browned. Turn heat to med and add the onion to the skillet. Cook till the onion is tender. in a small bowl, mix the beef broth, soy sauce, and garlic until well blended. Add the mixture to the skillet, cover and simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, add the green peppers and simmer (covered) for 5 more minutes. Add the tomatoes and the cornstarch and water. (Mix the cornstarch and water in a small cup together first before adding them). Cook the ingredients until it starts to thicken and serve hot over rice.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Parmesan Salmon

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. red pepper (cayenne)
1 lbs salmon fillets (4 fillets)
2 tsp. lemon juice
ritz crackers, crushed (for topping)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, and red pepper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the salmon fillets on a foil lined pan skin side down. Drizzle each of the fish with the lemon juice and top with the cheese mixture (spreading the cheese mixture evenly across the top). Top with the crushed ritz crackers. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (Salmon is done when it flakes easily).

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: kraftfoods.com

Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1.5 - 2 lbs. ground beef
1 large egg
1 cup quick oats
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic salt

Tomato soup or catsup for topping

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix till well blended. Spread the mixture into a bread pan and bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes (until hamburger is done in the middle). Serve hot topped with catsup or tomato soup.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 2 hours
Recipe Origin: Mom

Many Way Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup ritz crackers, crushed
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can cream of vegetable soup
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ritz crackers, onion, egg, and salt. Stir well and shape into balls. Brown the meatballs in a large skillet over med heat. In a medium bowl, combine the soup, water, and parsley and mix well. When the meatballs are browned, drain the grease off and add the soup mixture. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Hawaiian Haystacks

Ingredients:
3 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can water
6 cups rice cooked
3 cups chicken, cooked and chopped

Toppings:
tomato, chopped
celery, diced
green onion, diced
cheddar cheese, grated
crushed pineapple
flaked coconut
slivered almonds
maraschino cherries
chinese noodles
black olives, sliced

Directions:
In a large pot, combine the soup, water, and cooked chicken and cook over med till hot. To make the haystacks, place the rice on your plate followed by the chicken gravy mixture, followed by any of the toppings that you want.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 lb ground hamburger, cooked and drained
1 medium onion, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 can tomato sauce
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. corn meal
12 small tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
lettuce (for garnishing)
sour cream (for garnishing)
salsa (for garnishing)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook till tender. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, milk, and corn meal. Stir till blended. Dip each of the flour tortillas into the sauce until they are coated and then fill them with the meat mixture. Place them seam side down in a large baking dish. Pour any remaining sauce onto the enchiladas and top them with the grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve on lettuce with sour cream and salsa.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 40 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Deviled Ham Pie

Ingredients:
Pie Crust
4.5 ounce can deviled ham
3 ounce can mushrooms, sliced (optional)
10 ounces broccoli or asparagus, cooked
1/4 cup milk
1 can Cheddar Cheese soup

Directions:
Prepare a single pie crust recipe. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the pie crust to a square. Spread the deviled ham out on 1/2 of the crust to within 1/2" of the edge of the crust. Top the ham with the mushrooms. Fold the crust onto itself and seal the edges with a little bit of water. Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. While the pie cooks, combine the milk and cheddar cheese soup in a small pot and heat over med till hot. In a medium pot, cook your vegetable until they are tender. Once the pie is done cooking, cut it into serving pieces and top each serving with the cooked vegetables and cheddar soup mix.

Tip: You can use grated cheddar cheese in place of the soup and milk mixture if you want.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
10 ounces chicken, cooked and chunked
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
flour tortillas
salsa
green onions (optional)
cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the chicken soup, chicken, and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese. Mix together till blended. Spread 1/4 cup of the mixture onto 1/2 of a floured tortilla. Spread the mixture to within 1/2" of the edge of the tortilla. Fold over the tortillas and seal the edge with a little bit of water. Place the tortillas on a large baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes (until the tortillas are hot). Remove the tortillas from the oven and top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Garnish with salsa, green onions, and cilantro if desired.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: campbell soups recipe book

Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce

Ingredients:
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:
Place a large skillet on the stove and add the olive oil. Heat the skillet over med/high heat while you prepare the chicken for cooking. Coat the chicken breasts with the flour and place them in the skillet. Cook each side for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape the bottom to loosen the chicken drippings. Add the cream cheese and cook for 2-3 minutes (stirring constantly) until the cheese is melted and starting to thicken. Return the chicken to the pan and turn it to coat both sides. Cook it for a few more minutes to reheat the chicken through. Place the chicken and sauce on your serving dish and sprinkle with the basil and cherry tomatoes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Broccoli Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Chicken Stuffing Mix
1 cup water
6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (halves)
10 ounces broccoli, cooked and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the stuffing mix and water and stir till mixed, set aside. Pound the chicken breasts down to 1/4" thickness. Add the cooked broccoli to the stuffing mix and stir till blended. Spread the stuffing mix onto the chicken breast to just before the edge of the chicken. Roll up the chicken and place it seam side down in a 9x13 baking dish. Place any extra stuffing around the chicken. In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken soup and milk. Pour the soup mix over the chicken and sprinkle the chicken with the paprika and parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (until chicken is cooked through). Serve warm.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: kraftfoods.com

BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:
1 pkg boneless pork ribs
1 bottle BBQ sauce

Directions:
Place the ribs in a large pot and cover with hot water. Put the pot on the stove on med/high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to med and continue boiling for 2 hours. (Check the water level throughout the boiling time and add more if it starts to get below the ribs). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After 2 hours, drain the water and place the ribs in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the BBQ sauce. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tip: There is no need to cut the ribs apart, they will fall apart on their own.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 2 + 1/2 hours
Recipe Origin: Mom

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
2 cups macaroni noodles
4 cups hot water
1 can drained tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
crushed potato chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot, boil the macaroni noodles in the 4 cups of water until it is tender. Drain the noodles. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, tuna, soup, and milk. Stir till well blended. Put mixture into a casserole dish and top with the grated cheese and crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Hamburger and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
3 cups cooked rice
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk
soy sauce, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
cheddar cheese, grated (for topping)

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and drain. Add the onion and green pepper and cook until the veggies are tender. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice and the soup. Add the hamburger mixture stir till well blended. Add teh evaporated milk and stir again. Add soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste and stir again. Place ingredients in a square 8x8 microwavable pan and cover. Microwave for 10 minutes. Remove from microwave and top with cheese. Cover the casserole until the cheese melts and serve hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Tricia Richards

Easy Lasagna

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
3/4 cup water
16 ounces spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 - 8 ounce pkg. lasagna noodles
1 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, cook and drain the ground beef. Add the water, spaghetti sauce, and salt to the ground beef and bring the ingredients to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat. In an 11x7 casserole dish, layer the ingredients in the following order: sauce, uncooked noodles, ricotta (or cottage cheese), and mozzarella. Repeat the layers until you are almost out of sauce (end with the sauce). Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. After the hour is over, LET THE LASAGNA STAND for 10 minutes. Garnish it with parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 90 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pkg stove top stuffing, chicken flavor
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 + 1/2 cups hot water
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the stuffing mix, melted butter, and water. Stir just till blended and set aside. In a greased 9x13 pan, place the chicken breast evenly across the bottom. In a small bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup and the sour cream. Spread the mixture over the chicken breasts. Top the dish with the stuffing mix. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes (until the chicken is done cooking).

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

Chicken Chile Casserole

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
1 can chicken soup with rice
1 can chopped green chilies
1 large can stewed tomatoes, drained
1 lbs. chicken or hamburger, cooked and drained
tortilla chips
3 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, saute the onion. Add the chicken soup, green chilies, and stewed tomatoes. Cook ingredients for a few minute and then add the meat. Stir till well blended. In a 9x13 pan, alternate layering the tortilla chips, the grated cheese, and the meat mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 1 hour
Recipe Origin: Mom

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

Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 an envelope dry onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
1 medium head of lettuce, chopped (about 4 cups)
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
1 - 6 ounce pkg corn chips
Thousand Island dressing

Directions:
In a large pan, cook and drain the ground beef. Add the onion soup mix and water and cook for about 10 minutes over med heat.
Meanwhile, chop the head of lettuce and place it in a large bowl. Add the tomato, onion, green pepper, black olives, and cheese. Finally add the ground beef and corn chips and stir till ingredients are mixed. Serve topped with Thousand Island Dressing.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Sweet Pork Salad

Ingredients:
Pork ingredients:
1 medium picnic pork roast
1 cup mild salsa
1 cup brown sugar

Salad ingredients:
flour tortillas
cheddar cheese, shredded
black beans, warmed
white or brown rice, cooked
lettuce
pico de gallo
guacamole
Fresco cheese crumbles
crispy tortilla strips
Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Directions:
To make the pork, brown the pork roast and place it in a crock pot. Add the salsa and brown sugar and cook for 4-8 hours. To make the salad, warm a flour tortilla and top with cheddar cheese. Then top with pork, black beans, rice, lettuce, and the other ingredients. Top with the dressing.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: 45 minutes prep time plus a few hours for the roast to cook
Recipe Origin: Nancy and Tricia

Raspberry Apple Jello Salad

Ingredients:
1 large pkg raspberry jello
2 cups raspberries
1 pkg dream whip, prepared
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 apple, chunked into tiny pieces

Directions:
Prepare the jello according to the directions on the package. Add the raspberries to the jello and chill till the jello is fully set. In a small bowl, combine the dream whip, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Mix ingredients till slightly lumpy. Mix in the tiny apple chunks and stir again. 30 minutes before serving, top the jello with the cream cheese mixture.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 10 minutes prep time plus a few hours chill time
Recipe Origin: Mom

Potato Salad

Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes
3 hard boiled eggs
6 green onion stalks, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Peel and boil the potatoes until they are tender. Chop the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Combine all the other ingredients with the potatoes and stir till well blended. Chill salad in the refrigerator until serving.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Wallace Manning (Grandpa)

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups macaroni, cooked and drained
1 cup ham, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup pickle, diced
1/4 cup pickle liquid
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard

Directions:
Cook and drain the macaroni and run under cold water until it is cooled. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir till well blended. If salad is too dry, add more mayonnaise.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Lemon Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
1 - 4 ounce pkg instant lemon pudding mix, prepared
1 large can of fruit cocktail
2 sliced bananas
strawberries, sliced
blueberries
raspberries
apples, sliced

Directions:
In a large bowl, prepare the pudding mix according to the directions on the box. Add any of the fruit that you want and mix the salad well. Serve immediately.

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

Holiday Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
2 bananas, chunked
2 Golden Delicious Apples, chunked
2 Gala Apples, chunked
1 pineapple, chunked
2 pears, chunked
2 oranges, chunked
2 cups grapes
2 - 6 ounce containers of raspberry yogurt
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
walnuts (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir till well blended. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.

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

Easy Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups of tricolor pasta, cooked and drained

1 bottle of zesty italian dressing

Topping choices:

black Olives

pepperoni slices

cubed cheese

broccoli chunks

carrot chunks

feta crumbles

chunked tomatoes

chunked green peppers

chunked cucumbers

cubed ham, turkey, or chicken

diced red onions

Directions:

Cook and drain pasta. Run pasta under cold water till cooled, drain it, and place it in a large bowl. Add any combination of the ingredients to the pasta. Stir until the dish is evenly blended. Pour the entire bottle of italian dressing over the pasta and stir again until everything is evenly coated.

Difficulty: Easy

Time to Make: about 30 minutes

Recipe Origin: unknown

Cole Slaw

Ingredients:
1 small head green cabbage, finely shredded
2 large carrots, finely shredded
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sour cream
2 Tbsp. grated spanish onion (optional)
2 tsp. celery salt
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Combine the shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl and whisk till well blended and smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add mayo mixture to the cabbage and carrots and stir till evenly coated.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Bobby Flay (off of Food Network)

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
18 ounces cooked chicken, diced
1 + 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
3 stalks celery, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
seasoned salt, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir till well blended. Serve over croissants, rolls, or by itself.

Tips: For variety, add sliced black olives, green grapes, or diced tomatoes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Nancy Drury

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
dash of salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir till well blended. Drop batter onto a hot, greased griddle and brown both sides. Serve hot with maple syrup.

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

Waffles

Ingredients:
2 + 1/4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 + 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
2 + 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
diced ham (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir till well blended. Drop batter into a hot, greased waffle maker and bake till the waffle sensor indicates the waffles are done. Serve warm with maple syrup.

German Pancakes

Ingredients:
1/3 cup margarine
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
dash of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the margarine in a 9x13 pan and place the pan in the oven while it preheats to melt the margarine. In a medium bowl, combine all the other ingredients and stir till well blended. Take the pan out of the oven when the margarine is melted and pour the batter into the pan. Do not mix the batter. Bake the pancakes at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Make sure the pancakes have a lot of room to rise. Serve warm with lemon juice, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

French Pancakes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and powdered sugar. Mix till blended. Add the milk, eggs, water, and vanilla and stir lightly. Pour a small amount of batter on a hot, greased skillet. Brown both sides of the pancake. Top with powdered sugar before serving.

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

Farmer's Brunch Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen hash browns
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup ham, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
4 eggs, beaten
12 ounces evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan and arrange the frozen hash browns on the bottom. Top the hash browns with the shredded cheese, ham, and onion. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, pepper, and salt. Beat well with a spoon. Pour the mixture over the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips: You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate it over night (unbaked), Just increase the baking time to 60-65 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 30 minutes prep time and 1 hour for baking.
Recipe Origin: Tricia Richards

Crepes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. sugar
2 large eggs
1 + 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir till smooth. Let batter sit for a few minutes to let the air bubbles rise. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet or crepe pan with some melted butter. Drop 3-4 Tbsp. of batter onto the hot pan. Tilt the pan to spread the batter out evenly in a circle. Cook batter until small bubbles appear on the top of the crepe. Check that the crepe is lightly browned underneath by lifting the edge with a knife. Once it is browned, flip the crepe to the other side and brown lightly. Cool crepes and serve with fruit, sour cream, and powdered sugar.

Tips: Loosed the crepe from the pan before trying to flip it over for a better flip. Also, spread the pan with melted butter after each crepe has cooked to keep the next crepe from sticking to the pan. You can store cooked crepes for up to 3 days in a refrigerator or 1 month frozen.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix together ingredients and pour the batter in a greased 8x8 pan. In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the topping. Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter and bake the cake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean). Cool slightly before serving.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown

Easy Ginger Ale Punch

Ingredients:
2 liters Ginger Ale, chilled
1 can frozen white grape juice, prepared
Ice

Directions:
Prepare the white grape juice according to the directions on the can. Pour both ingredients into a large punch bowl, add ice and serve cold.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 5 minutes
Recipe Origin: Waterford

Pink Punch

Ingredients:
2 liters of cherry 7up, chilled
46 ounces of pineapple juice, chilled

Directions:
In a large punch bowl combine the lemon lime pop with the pineapple juice. Serve cold.

Tips: You can add less pineapple juice if it is too strong.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 5 minutes
Recipe Origin: Waterford

Wedding Punch

Ingredients:
5 quarts water
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon extract
1 Tbsp. citric acid
Ice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients together in a large thermos or 5 gallon bucket. Stir till well mixed. Serve cold.

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

Wassail (Apple Juice Recipe)

Ingredients:
4 cups apple cider or juice
1 cups orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large pot over med heat. Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to low/med and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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

Sherbet Punch

Ingredients:
2 liters lemon lime pop
Sherbet, any flavor

Directions:
Pour the lemon lime pop into a large punch bowl. Add scoops of sherbet to the pop. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve cold.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown

Pineapple Orange Slush

Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
6 cups HOT water
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
46 ounces pineapple juice
lemon lime pop

Directions:
In a 5 quart ice cream container, combine the hot water and sugar. Stir till sugar is dissolved. Add the orange juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate, and pineapple juice. Carefully stir till well mixed. Freeze mixture (stirring every 45 minutes so it freezes evenly). Serve over lemon lime pop. Store covered and frozen.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes plus freezing time
Recipe Origin: Mormon Cookbook

Orange Julius

Ingredients:
6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 ice cubes

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till the ice chunks are gone. Serve immediately.

Tips: Add fruit for variety.

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

Orange Ice

Ingredients:
1 cup water, boiling
1 cup cold water
2 cups sugar
3 cups orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
lemon-lime pop

Directions:
Boil the 1 cup of water and dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Add the remaining water, orange juice, and lemon juice. Stir till well blended. Pour mixture into a pan and freeze (stir mixture every so often while its freezing). Serve over lemon lime pop.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes prep time plus a few hours freezing time
Recipe Origin: Mom

Hot Wassail

Ingredients:
5 quarts water
3 cups sugar
3 sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups orange juice
thin apple or lemon or orange slices for garnishing

Directions:
In a large pot, combine all ingredients. Simmer over low/med heat for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

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

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. cayenne (1/2 tsp. if you like it spicy)
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup cilantro, diced
3 tomatillos, quarted

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the ranch mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, and cayenne. Stir till smooth. Set aside. In a blender combine the garlic, cilantro, and tomatillos and puree the ingredients. Add the blended mix to the ranch mix and stir till smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Spinach Dip

Ingredients:
8 ounces spinach, chopped
3 cups light mayonnaise
5 cups sour cream
10 ounces water chestnuts, drained and diced
2.5 ounces Knorr Dry Veggie Soup & Dip Mix
1/2 bunch green onions, finely chopped

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir till well blended. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour and then serve with potato chips.

Note: Using miracle whip in place of mayonnaise will dramatically change the flavor of the dip.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Nancy Drury

Honey Butter

Ingredients:
1 cup honey
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Beat all the ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes (until the mixture thickens). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Citrus Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1 - 6 ounce carton plain low fat yogurt
1/3 cup light cool whip, thawed
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp. finely shredded lime, orange, and/or lemon zest
1 Tbsp. orange juice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir till smooth. Serve with fruit. Serves about 8.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: Diabetic Living Cookbook

Dad's Clam Dip

Ingredients:
2 blocks Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 cans minced clams
Louisiana Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:
Place your cream cheese in a medium bowl. Drain one of the cans of minced clams and add the clams to the cream cheese. Add the other can of clams to your cream cheese with the liquid. Stir with a fork till desired consistency. Add hot sauce (to taste) and stir. Serve with potato chips.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: Steven Manning (Dad)

Cowboy Salsa

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans corn, drained
2-3 tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 pkg italian dressing, prepared according to directions on the pkg

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocados, cilantro, and red onion. Stir ingredients well. Pour the italian dressing over the ingredients and stir till everything is evenly coated. Chill in the refrigerator till serving. Eat with tortilla chips, or as a salad by itself.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Tricia Richards