Baked Beans

Set oven to 300

In a large bowl mix:

1 large (70 oz.) pork 'n beans

1 green pepper-diced

1 large yellow onion-diced

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp liquid smoke

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Mix, then place in a 9x13 pan, sprinkled with 2/3 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 3 hours.

Chinese Chicken Salad

6 cooked chicken breasts

1 head of lettuce

Rice noodles (found on the Asian aisle)

1/4 c. sesame seeds

slivered almonds

green onions, sliced

chopped celery

Fill a large bowl with lettuce, topped with shredded chicken, noodles, celery, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds. Serve dressing on the side.

Dressing:

1/4 c red vinegar

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp soy sauce

Mix everything together and heat until the sugar dissolves.

Chicken Divan

Set oven to 350 degrees.

Spread enough barely cooked broccoli to cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  On top of the broccoli add a layer of bite size boiled chicken.  Next add a layer of the divan sauce (recipe to follow).  Now add about 2 cups of soft  bread crumbs, drizzled with 1/4 cup of margarine or butter.  Cover in grated cheddar cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Sauce:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup of mayonaise

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp curry powder

Pizza

Set oven to 425 degrees

Mix together and press in a 9x13 pan:

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup oil

2/3 cup milk

Add on top of the uncooked crust:

Store bought or homemade pizza sauce and any other toppings you desire.  Cook in oven for 20 minutes.

Pizza Sauce:

8 oz. tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

Lentil Soup

Leftover hambone with little meat shards still on it
6-8 c. water
2-3 carrots, chopped
2 celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 tsp. salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Bring all ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2- 4 hours. Remove ham bone and take any meat that was on it off. Return the meat to the soup. Simmer til you serve.

Tortilla Soup

1 onion sauted in 2 tbsp oil
2 chicken breasts, diced
2 cans beef broth ( 3 c. water with some beef boullion)
2 cans chicken broth (3 c. water with some chicken boullion)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can corn
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tdp pepper
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce

Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese (Monterey Jack)

Leftover Chicken Broth Soup

Bring your left over chicken stock to a boil. Add a little shredded carrot, diced celery, salt, pepper, chopped green onions, and a few peas.

This is a great broth to sip if you are sick, or it makes for a really light summer meal. The point is to have a lot of broth a few veggies. When the recipe says "a little", it really means it.

Mom's Carrot Salad

Make a tossed salad, but use shredded carrots as the base instead of lettuce. This one's really simple folks.

Mom's Cottage Cheese Salad

1 large cootage cheese
tomatoes, diced
green pepper, diced
cucumber, diced
radishes, slivered
salt
pepper
fresh squeeze of lemon

Note: This salad is excellent with baked potatos and makes for good leftovers

Quick Cottage Cheese Dessert Salad

1 large cottage cheese
12 oz. cool whip
1 large jello (just the powder!)

Mix all of the above ingredients. Raspberry is usually the best flavor of jello to use. If you use orange flavored, then it also tastes good if you add mandarin oranges and pineapple (drained)

Sweet Poppy Seed Spinach Salad

3/4 lb mushrooms
2 bunches spinach
1 head lettuce
3/4 c. swiss cheese
1 c. cottage cheese
1/2 lb crumbled bacon

Dressing:
3/4c. vinegar
1 1/2 c. oil
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp grated purple onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dry mustard

Meatloaf

1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 raw egg
1-2 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
dash sage
squirt mustard
lots of ketchup (3/4-1 c.)

Mix everything except the mustard and ketchup with your hands. Add mustard and mix. Add the ketchup until it's juicy and reddish in color. Shape so it's a roundish mound in a baking dish. Cover the mound with ketchup, a little mustard, and a dash of allspice. Stir with fingers until it's 'frosted'. Bake at 350 for 1-1 1/2 hours.

Sugar Cookies

1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk

Cream the margarine and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. The dough should look like a thick icing. Grease and flour your surface and place the ball of dough on top of the greased surface. Place about 1/2 c. of flour on top of the dough and roll out with a rolling pin till about 1/4 inch thick. Take cookie cutters and cut out shapes and place them on a baking tray. Gather the leftover dough and roll out and cut with cookie cutters again. Repeat until the dough is gone. Bake at 350 f0r 10-12 minutes. Frost with a nice butter cream frosting.

No-fail Fudge

4 c sugar
1 can large evaporated milk
2 bars margarine
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (a bag and a half)
24 large marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

Bing the sugar and the evaporated milk to a slow boil on medium heat. Once its reached a boil, let it boil for 10 minutes. The last two minutes that it is boiling, add the butter. When the ten minutes is done, stir in the chocolate chips until they are completely melted. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the marshmallows until they are completely melted. This may take some fast and furious stirring, but make sure they are all melted! Add vanilla. Pour in a 9x13 pan and refridgerate for 24 hours.

Tuna Buns

1 can tuna
4 boiled eggs
1/2 c. cubed cream cheese
3 tbsp onion, chopped
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
pepper
miracle whip

Combine all ingredients. Make sure the cream cheese is well mixed and incorporated in the mixture. You might have to get in and stir with your hands to break up the cream cheese. Spread thickly on 1 package of hot dog buns. Wrap as many hot dogs as you can in a tin foil 'package'. I usually put 5 on the bottom, then stack 5 on top of the bottom row. Then I wrap the whole bundle in tin foil. Pinch the edges closed. Bake at 300 f0r 20 min.

Note: I usually at least double the recipe, and these make great leftovers, hot or cold!

Hamburger Gravy

1 lb hamburger, browned
1 onion, diced

Saute the hamburger and onion. Add 2-3 tbsp flour and stir until well coated. Add water to cover. Let it simmer and thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Lasagna

Sauce:

1 lb. hamburger, browned

1 onion, diced

1 carrot

1 celery

2-4 c. tomato pasta sauce

1 1/2 c. tomatoes, diced -or- 8 oz. tomato sauce

In a separate bowl:

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

In a 9x13 pan, pour 3/4 c. of sauce on the bottom. Layer 3 pieces uncooked oven ready lassagna noodles. Add 2/3 c. ricotta mix, and 3/4 c sauce. Add one layer of mozarella cheese next. Repeat all steps two more times. Finish with lasagna noodles on top and cover in sauce, mozarella and parmesan cheese.

Tuna Toast

toasted whole wheat bread
2-3 tbsp margarine
2-3 tbsp flour
milk
salt to taste
1 can tuna
frozen peas

melt margarine in skillet, add flour and stir til smooth. Add enough milk until it is smooth and thick. Add tuna and peas. Serve over a piece of toasted wheat bread.

New Years veggie dip

4 tomatoes diced
1/2 c. green onions, sliced
1 c. celery
1 c. green pepper
1/4 c. oil
2 tbsp red vinegar
1 tsp salt
pepper

combine all ingredienrs and enjoy!

Vinaigrette

This is a delicious yet light dressing that will add just the right amount of kick to any salad. It's so easy and good that you can't help but smile as you eat it. Two thumbs up.

4 oz. oil
1 oz. vinegar
1 oz. lemon juice
1 tsp dry mustard
4 oz. water
herb salt (parsley, thyme, dill, basil, celery seed)
pepper

shake well.