Life With Boys

Mindy once asked, “Will someone please write down Mom’s recipes before she dies?” … Good thing I did — I just found them the other day so I thought I’d post them here.

Buffet Supper Chicken Casserole
4 chicken breasts
1 cup white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of thyme, powdered ginger
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can cream of chicken soup

Allow one generous chicken breast per person. Have chicken breasts boned. Roll breasts in seasoned flour and brown lightly in melted butter or shortening in skillet. Place browned breasts in buttered casserole. Blend soup with wine. Heat. Sauce will thicken slightly. Add salt, pepper, thyme and ginger. Add water chestnuts stir and pour over chicken. Cook in covered casserole at low heat for 1 hour.

Spaghetti
1 pound hamburger
1 package spaghetti sauce seasoning
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small jar Prego- traditional
1 can sliced olives
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can stewed tomatoes
Salt to taste
Water to desired consistency

Brown hamburger with onions and drain. Add seasoning package. Add all other ingredients. Simmer.

Stuffed Ham Slices
1 loaf un-sliced French bread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 package cream cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4-teaspoon salt
8 slices ham
1 large dill pickle

Split bread, lengthwise; remove some of the bread from the center with at fork, leaving a 3/4-inch shell. Spread mayonnaise over hollows. Sprinkle parsley over mayonnaise. Blend cream cheese, celery, cheddar cheese, onion and salt in a medium bowl; spoon in bread halves; pack down leaving a small space in the hallow. Quarter pickle lengthwise; roll each quarter in a double-thick slice of ham. Place rolls, end to end in center of bottom half of loaf; cover with other half of bread. Wrap in plastic, chill. Cut in slices so you see pickle in the center to serve.

Grits Casserole
3/4 cup grits
3 cups boiling water
1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs well beaten
3/4 stick softened butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
3-4 drops Tabasco sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook grits in boiling water, do not salt; boil until dry. Mix cheese eggs. butter, salt and Tabasco. Blend mixture with grits. Puts in a casserole dish, sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Corned Beef
Toppings:
2 crushed bay leaves
4 peppercorns
5-6 allspice balls
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
5-6 cloves

baby peeled carrots
baby potatoes “murfs”
1 head of cabbage- quartered

Sprinkle topping on top. Add water. Cook forever (You can do it in a crock pot all day.) About 1 hour before serving add carrots, potatoes and cabbage.

Porcupine Meat Balls
1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 cups rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients, except soup and water. Form large meatballs, place in skillet. Pour soup over meatballs. Cook for 45 minutes.

Midwest Country Chili
1 pound hamburger, cooked and drained
1/2 onion, diced
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
1 large can Chili beans
1 small can kidney beans
1 small can pinto beans
1 small can stewed tomatoes
1 cup strong coffee
1 package Chili seasoning
2 cups water
**1/2 cup Minute Rice (optional)

Brown hamburger and drain. Combine all ingredients including juices. Bring to boil and simmer.

Sally’s Dip
1 can chopped black olives
1 small can diced green chili’s
2 bunches green onions (chop up white and green)
2 fresh tomatoes- diced
1 can stewed diced tomatoes
1 medium bottle Wishbone Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with corn chips.

Potato Salad
4-6 medium potatoes
1 1/2 chopped onion
1 tablespoon mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
salt to taste
4-6 chopped hard-boiled eggs

Boil potatoes with skins on, they are done when the skin will easily come off. Peel while the potatoes are still warm. Dice into chunks (while warm!) Add onions and 1/2 cup mayonnaise. Allow to cool. Add more mayonnaise and salt to taste. Add eggs. Result should be slightly sloppy with chunks.

Peanut Butter Bon Bons
2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 cups crisp rice cereal
1 6-ounce package butterscotch pieces
1 6-ounce semi-sweet chocolate

In a saucepan melt peanut butter and butter on the stovetop. In a large bowl combine powdered sugar and cereal; pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture. Blend together with hands. Form 1/2 inch balls. Chill until firm. Melt butterscotch pieces and chocolate pieces in separate ziplock bags in the microwave. Cover balls with butterscotch or chocolate. Place on waxed paper, chill. Store at room temperature.

Banana Nut Bread
3 medium ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash bananas with sugar and water. Add eggs. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda together. Blend dry ingredients with shortening- cut with blender. Add nuts. Combine wet with dry. Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour. ** High altitude- add 2 tablespoons of flour.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 can cooked pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)
1 egg
2 1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda- dissolved in 1 teaspoon milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture along with dissolved soda and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a lightly greased sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about five dozen. ** High altitude- add 2 tablespoons of flour.

Tuna Noodle Casserole
Wide egg noodles (6 ounces)
7 ounces canned tuna
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of celery, cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook noodles. Place noodles in a large casserole dish, add celery and onion, mayonnaise and tuna. Mix with a spoon. On the stove blend soup, milk; when warm add cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add to noodle mixture. Place in a casserole dish, sprinkle with cheese. Cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Chili Dip
1 can Hormel Chili without beans
1 package cream cheese

Bring chili to a boil. Add cream cheese, stir until dissolved. Serve warm with corn chips.

Stuffed Crescent Rolls
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cans Pillsbury refrigerated Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
4 teaspoons jam or jelly

Glaze
1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend the first three ingredients until smooth. Separate crescent dough into 8 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal. Spread about 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture on each rectangle. Starting at longer side, roll up, press to seal. Gently stretch each roll to about 10 inches. Coil loosely into spirals with seam on inside. Seal ends. Make a deep indentation (thumb print) in center of each roll, fill with jam. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20- 25 minutes until golden brown. Blend glaze together, drizzle over warm rolls.

Cheese Souffle
6 slices white bread
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
4 eggs
2 cups milk
8 slices Canadian bacon
1 cup crushed corn flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Remove crusts from bread. Butter bread and cut into cubes. Place in bottom of pan. Sprinkle mustard and alt over bread. Place Canadian bacon on top of bread cubes. Sprinkle grated cheese over bacon. Beat 4 eggs and add milk. Pour over everything. Let sit overnight. Before baking sprinkle corn flakes over entire dish. Bake in a double boiler for 45 minutes.

Microwave Fudge
1 (28-ounce) package Eagle brand chocolate- or vanilla-flavored candy coating
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle brand Sweetened Condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a 2-quart bowl, combine chocolate, margarine, sweetened condensed milk and salt. Cook on 100% power. Cook for 1 minute, stir. Cook for another 30 seconds if needed. Continue until mixture is melted and smooth. Spread evenly in to a 9×9 inch pan (well greased). Chill 3 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto a cutting board; cut into squares. store in a tightly covered container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Happy Cooking!