Yummy Favorites - New and Old Recipes to Share

Moved on to allrecipes.com

2011-01-05T21:52:00.003-06:00

Unfortunately, I no longer have the extra time to spend on this blog. I've been using allrecipes.com to add recipes and search for new ones. You can check out my profile: http://allrecipes.com/Cook/arrionsue/.

Thanks for taking a look.

Rolled Sugar Cookies and Frosting

2010-01-14T14:09:00.006-06:00

I make these cookies for just about every holiday and any time my kids need plain sugar cookies for their classroom. Almond flavoring is a favorite of mine and I use them both in the cookie dough and frosting. Yum!

Rolled Sugar Cookies & Frosting

Cookie Ingredients

3 C. sifted powdered sugar
2 C. butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavoring
5 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Instructions

Mix sugar and butter. Add egg and flavorings; mix thoroughly. Stir dry ingredients together and blend in.

Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375°. Divide dough in quarters and roll 3/16” thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until delicately golden.

Cookie Frosting

2 C. powdered sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond flavoring
3 T. cream (half and half)

Blend sugar, salt, and flavoring. Add enough cream to make easy to spread. If desired, tint with a few drops of food coloring. Spread on cookies.

Recipe credit: Arrion Rathsack

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

2010-01-13T20:17:00.002-06:00

I made these for the first time this past Christmas and the family loved them. I am posting this for my sister-in-law Sarah who is looking forward to baking them herself!

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¼ C. All-Purpose Flour
½ C. Nestle Toll House Baking Cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 C. (2 sticks) butter softened
1 C. packed brown sugar
¾ C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 C. Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 375°

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies

Recipe Credit: Nestle

Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Soup

2010-01-08T12:27:00.002-06:00

This recipe is from Weight Watchers, considered 0 points for those counting! This is an Italian spin on their Garden Vegetable soup.

I am going to make up a batch and perhaps add some browned ground turkey or pasta, to make several different meals.

Ingredients

5-10 oz baby spinach leaves

16 oz of chopped carrots, celery, onions (I use 2 containers of the HEB Fresh Chopped Savory Vegetables)

1 medium garlic clove, minced

4 cups vegetable broth (I used a carton of HEB Central Market Organic vegetable broth)

2 bay leaves

1 T. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed

Instructions

Place all ingredients in slow cooker; cover and cook on high 5 hours.

Remove bay leaves, stir, and serve.

Yields about 8 - 1 Cup servings

Recipe Credit: Weight Watchers and Arrion Rathsack

Mini Loaf Pans

2009-12-15T15:49:00.004-06:00

I love my new Wilton mini-loaf pans. I picked up two of them on Amazon. One banana bread recipe fills a nine loaf pan. Bake for 20 minutes (instead of an hour for a traditional loaf).

Old Fashioned Donuts (if you can figure out the recipe)

2009-07-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

Donuts seem to be a favorite recipe in the first half of the 1900’s. Everyone had a donut recipe. I think my favorite one (as far as written presentation goes) was found in my Grandma Hazel’s Recipe Journal. The journal features hand written recipes from her circle of women friends, probably from the Starr Church Community.

Donuts

One cup sugar, one cup milk

Two eggs beaten fine as silk

Salt and nutmeg, lemon will do

Of baking powder, teaspoons two

Lightly stir the flour in

Roll on pie board, not too thin

Cut in diamonds, twists, or rings

Drop with care, the doughy things

Into fat that briskly swells

Evenly the spongy cells

Watch with care, the time for turning

Fry them brown, just short of burning

Roll in sugar, serve when cool

Price a quarter for this rule

Recipe Credit: Edna Bundt

Rolo Brownies

2009-07-06T07:00:00.006-05:00

These Rolo brownies are the best and great to share with a group (since they are far too dangerous to have sitting around the house). They are also best when they are still warm and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My friend Kristen Scheer brought a version of these to a potluck we had at our home several months ago. Her original recipe came from the Pampered Chef, she had substituted pretzels for salted nuts. I took it a step further and removed the chocolate chips. Check out the original recipe Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies at the Pampered Chef web site.

Try out the brownie pan I suggested on June 29 and test out my version of this recipe.

Rolo Brownies

Ingredients:
1 package (18-21 ounces) brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
¾ cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup chopped pretzels
5 rolls of Rolos, divided (about 40 pieces)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease Brownie tray. Combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs and ¼ cup of the brown sugar; mix well. Pour batter into brownie pan, spreading evenly.

Chop pretzels. Combine half of the pretzels and remaining ½ cup brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over
brownie batter. Bake 20-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cut 16 caramels into quarters.

Remove brownies from oven and place on a cooling rack. Immediately press remaining 24 caramels evenly into brownie in four rows of six caramels each. Sprinkle quartered caramels and remaining pretzals over brownies. Cut into squares; serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack, Kristen Scheer, and The Pampered Chef

Three Bean Salad

2009-07-02T07:00:00.002-05:00

A handwritten recipe, from my Grandma Ruth Bolger’s recipe box. I would substitute white beans for the mixed beans, Olive Oil for the salad oil, and try Splenda instead of sugar.

This photo was taken in 1960, my mother (Nancy Smith on the far right seated) is pregnant with my sister Annette. It looks like they are having some sort of luncheon or perhaps even baby shower for my mom. (seated left to right: Darlene Bolger, Betty Thomas (?), Grandma Ruth Bolger, and Nancy Bolger Smith. Standing l to r: May Bolger Opperman and Carolyn Bolger Conner).

3 Bean Salad

Ingredients
1 3oz can French Cut Green Beans
1 3oz can Mixed Beans
1 15oz can Kidney Beans
½ c. diced Green Pepper
½ c. minced Onion
½ c. Salad Oil
½ c. Cider Vinegar
¾ c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Instructions
Drain beans and combine with pepper and onion.
Mix oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix lightly with beans and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Recipe Credit: Grandma Ruth Bolger

Brownie Pan

2009-06-29T07:00:00.003-05:00

The other day I made brownies and was reminded of this great product I picked up. It's one of those things you might not think is worth the money, but this one definately is (and my husband who would be first to criticize such a purchase, actually thinks it was worth it!)

It's a special brownie pan that evenly cooks your brownies and gives you a perfect batch all the way around (now you do have to follow the instructions...)

Anyway, I purchased the Baker's Edge version on Amazon. I am a major brownie addict and I definately recommend getting one if you love to make brownies.

Peanut Butter Snack Attack

2009-06-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

This is a great snack for kids to help make. Alex had a great time preparing this and gobbling them up afterwards! He could also choose between apples, bananas, or raisins for the fruit. He picked apples (which I peeled, since he hates that part).

It’s a great snack, but on occasion, I am going to start serving it to my picky eater for breakfast.

Peanut Butter Snack Attack

Ingredients
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 T. low sugar peanut butter
¼ apple, thinly sliced (or banana slices or raisins)
honey

Instructions
Spread the peanut butter all over the tortilla, layer the apples on top. Drizzle with honey. Roll up the tortilla (and squish it down to hold it together). Carefully, cut the rolled tortilla into 1” slices.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional Information: 110 calories, 2.5 g. fat, .5 g saturated fat, 340 mg sodium, 20 g. carbohydrates, 3 g. fiber, 4 g. protein.

Sweet Potato with Garlic Herb Cheese

2009-06-22T07:00:00.002-05:00

I never thought about putting cheese with a sweet potato, but this makes a real treat! I created a filling, yet low calorie lunch by pairing it with a grilled chicken breast (4oz) and cantaloupe (a total of 335 calories and 4.3 g. fat).

Sweet Potato with Garlic Herb Cheese

Ingredients
12 oz Sweet Potato
2 wedges of Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb cheese

Instructions
Clean and prick the potato with a fork. Place in a baking dish and cover with a paper towel. Bake the potato in the microwave about 5-10 minutes, flipping after about 5 minutes.

Slice the potato in half. Cut each half open and spread a wedge of cheese inside.

Makes two 6 ounce servings.

Nutritional information per serving: 166 calories, 2 g. fat, 1 g. saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 352 mg sodium, 31 g. carbohydrates, 5 g. protein.

Reduced Sugar Choc-Oat Chip Cookies Recipe

2009-06-20T20:23:00.003-05:00

Reduced Sugar Choc-Oat Chip Cookies Recipe

Posted using ShareThis

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves

2009-06-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

The original recipe is called “Mini Chipotle-Spiced Turkey Meat Loaves”. It was made by Biggest Loser contestant Tara on an episode this past spring. Check out the original recipe on the Jennie-O web site: Mini Chipotle-Spiced Turkey Meat Loaves.

I have taken out the chipotle, carrots, and celery; replacing them with a chopped bell pepper mix (yellow, red, and green). I’ve also added a dash of cayenne pepper to the topping, instead of chipotle, for some added zing. The leftovers are fantastic and perfect size for a lunch on the go.

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves

Ingredients
FOR MEAT LOAF:
¼ C. white onion, coarsely chopped
½ C. bell pepper mix (yellow, red, green), coarsely chopped
1 (20-ounce) package JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE® extra lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 egg whites
Salt & pepper
FOR TOPPING:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar substitute (such as Splenda® Brand)
Couple dashes of ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small food processor, combine onion and peppers. Pulse until finely chopped. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey with the pepper and vegetable mixture. Add egg whites and oats; gently mix until combined. Place about 1/3 cup of the prepared meat loaf mixture into 9 wells of a standard size muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Remove meat loaves from oven and spoon the topping over each meat loaf. Return meat loaf to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until meat loaf is firm and the internal temperature registers 170°F. Let meat loaf stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 9 mini loaves.

Nutritional Information for 1 mini loaf: 110 calories, 1 g. fat, 0 g. saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 180 mg sodium, 6 g. carbohydrates, 16 g. protein.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack and Jennie-O Turkey Store

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Red Onions and Bell Peppers

2009-06-14T19:18:00.004-05:00

I'm back and armed with some new low calorie meal choices (I'll throw in a few naughty ones too...)

Let's start off with my BBQ Chicken Pizza with Red Onions and Bell Peppers

A great way to use extra grilled chicken you might have on hand. I recently calculated the calories and it makes a nice low cal dinner and satisfies my pizza cravings.

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Red Onions and Bell Peppers

Ingredients
Betty Crocker Pizza Crust Mix
½ C. Hot Water
6 oz of chopped grilled chicken breast
¼ C. chopped red onion
¼ C. chopped bell peppers
6 T. BBQ Sauce (I used Memphis Style)
1 Cup Kraft 2% Milk Mexican Style Four Cheese

Instructions
Heat oven to 425˚. Grease a large rectangular cookie sheet with olive oil spray.

Prepare pizza crust per instructions. While dough is resting, prepare the pizza toppings.

Press dough into a rectangle on cookie sheet, using floured fingers as necessary. Spread BBQ sauce evenly on dough. Add chicken, onion, and peppers. Bake for about 8 minutes. Evenly sprinkle cheese onto pizza. Bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until crust is starting to turn golden brown and cheese has melted.

4 Servings

Nutritional Information: 321 calories, 8 g. fat, 4 g. saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 878 mg sodium, 44 g. carbohydrates, 1 g. fiber, 18 g. protein

Recipe credit: Arrion Rathsack

Country Style Scalloped Corn

2009-01-23T16:02:00.005-06:00

This recipe comes from my Grandma Ruth Bolger's recipe box. Now, I prefer my corn on a cob, fresh off the Iowa farm. However, that's not always possible when you live in Texas!

This is a photo of my Grandma Ruth Bolger and her siblings. From right to left: Mae, Wesley, Bill, Ruth, and Dorothy.

Country Style Scalloped Corn

Ingredients

½ C. melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 16oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 C. sour cream

1 16oz can cream-style corn

1 9oz box corn muffin mix

Instructions
Melt butter and beat eggs. Drain the whole kernel corn. Combine all the ingredients together, adding the muffin mix last. Pour mixture into a greased 7x11 inch baking dish. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serves 10

Recipe Credit: Grandma Ruth Bolger

Ham & Cheese Baby Quiche

2009-01-19T09:30:00.004-06:00

This is one of my favorite quiche recipes. They make nice individual serving sizes. Don't count the calories on this one, just enjoy!

Ham & Cheese Baby Quiche

Ingredients
16 tarts (check the freezer section)
2 C. shredded swiss cheese
1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
3 large eggs
3 T. flour
1 C. heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 C. diced ham or canadian bacon
salt, pepper, dash ground red pepper
onion powder

Instructions
Combine ingredients in large bowl. Spoon into tarts evenly. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 325° for 25 minutes.

Refrigerate or freeze leftovers. Thaw and bake 10 minutes at 325°.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack

White Cake

2009-01-15T10:00:00.003-06:00

Another recipe from my great grandma Hazel's recipe exchange journal. It's a very simple and easy recipe for homemade White Cake by Lvene Thomas (1910-2004), my Great Aunt. Once again, I am amazed by all the different people (I am related to) who wrote in this journal.

Seated on the far right are my grandmothers Ruth Bolger (glasses) and Eileen Smith. Standing on the far right, is my great aunt Lvene Thomas (who wrote this recipe) and next to her is my great aunt Lillian Ford. I am sure my dad or mom can help name some of the other women in this photo.

I tried making this cake yesterday and it turned out great. I made a creamy white frosting with shortening, powdered sugar, vanilla, and skim milk. Yum!

White Cake

Ingredients

1/2 C. butter

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 C. water

1/2 tsp almond flavor

1/2 tsp vanilla flavor

3 C. pastry flour

5 tsp. baking powder

4 egg whites

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar together until they are light. Add flavoring. Add about one third of the flour and water. Beat 100 strokes. Add remainder of flour and water and beat 100 strokes. Beat egg whites and add to mixture. The dough is again beaten 100 strokes. Pour into a greased pan and bake until done.

(The flour and baking powder should be sifted several times).

This is also very good with 1/3 C. black walnut meats added.

Arrion's Add On: Try baking at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe credit: Lvene Thomas (1910-2004)

Easy Chocolate Cake

2009-01-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

I recently reviewed and scanned several recipe journals that belonged to my maternal Great Grandmother Hazel Wilson Bolger. This recipe is from a journal that appears to be part of a recipe exchange group. Several of my grandmothers, great aunts, and distant cousins wrote recipes in this journal.

This particular entry was written by my Grandmother Eileen Smith, May 5, 1945. This was just two days before Victory in Europe Day, the end of WWII. Many of the recipes do not include instructions for temperature or time. So, make your best educated guess... and watch carefully! I have not had time to try all the recipes, but when I do, I'll provide feedback on instructions.

Easy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Sift together the following 4 ingredients

1 3/4 C. flour

1 1/4 C. sugar

4 T. cocoa

pinch of salt

1 1/2 C. sour cream

2 eggs, beaten

2 t. soda dissolved in 1/4 C. boiling water

1 t. vanilla

Instructions

Combine beaten eggs and sour cream.

Add to dry ingredients. Beat well.

Add soda and vanilla.

Recipe Credit: Eileen Smith

2 Dinner Hamburger Vegetable Soup

2009-01-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

We had this recipe on New Year's Eve with a large family group. I loved it so much, I made it when I arrived back home. It's super easy and fast. I also created a second dinner from the leftovers (since there are only two of us who eat regular food- my son is on the Chicken Nugget and Carrot diet).

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1-2 lbs ground beef, browned
2 bags frozen vegetable soup vegetables (16 oz bag)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato juice
worchester sauce
garlic herb mix (I used Pappy's Choice Garlic Herb - LOVE IT!)

Instructions
In a large crockpot, add vegetables, tomatoes and juice. Add the browned hamburger. Stir. Add 5-6 dashes of worchester sauce and sprinkle garlic herb over the top. Stir and taste. Add more sauce or herbs as needed, they will cook into the soup, so you can check again later to see if you want to add more. I cooked 8 hours on low.

Dinner Two - Hamburger Vegetable Macaroni Chili

Ingredients
5 cups Hamburger Vegetable Soup
1 cup of water
3 cups elbow macaroni
chili powder
pepper
Pappy's Choice Garlic Herb
Shredded cheese (I use monterrey/cheddar mix)

Instructions
In a large pot, heat the hamburger soup and water to boil, as it cooks, add chili powder, pepper, and garllic herb to your taste. Add macaroni to the boiling soup. Boil for about 5 minutes, than turn down heat to medium-medium/low. Let macaroni continue to cook another 3-5 minutes until done. Some of the liquid will boil off. Serve with cheese.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack

Back in Business

2009-01-05T13:08:00.005-06:00

After a nice long vacation break, I am back and armed with 100's of recipes from my Great Grandma Hazel, Great Aunt Laura, Grandma Bolger, Grandma Smith, and many of their friends and family members from Coon Rapids and the Starr Church Community. I spent hours scanning old recipe journals (falling to pieces as I scanned) and typing up recipes from old handwritten cards.

I also have a few new recipes up my sleeve! I am looking forward to starting up regular posts, once I dig myself out of the post-vacation mess my house has become.

Orange Ambrosia Mold

2008-12-15T10:44:00.002-06:00

This is one of my favorite jello recipes. It could be a salad or dessert. Kids love it too, especially when you add marshmellows!

Orange Ambrosia Mold

Ingredients
1 (8oz) can crushed pineapple
2 C. boil water
1 (8oz) orange sugar free gelatin
1 3/4 C. thawed cool whip (lite or fat free)
1 (11oz) can mandarin orange segments, drained
1 C. mini marshmellows

Instructions
Drain pineapple, save juice. Add cold water to juice to measure 1 Cup.
In a large bowl, stir boiling water into gelatin. Stir 2 minutes ro until completely dissolved.
Stir in measured liquid juice. Refridgerate 1 1/4 hrs. or until slightly thickened.
Stir in cool whip with a wire wisk until smooth. Refridgerate 10 minutes or until mixture will mound. Stir in pineapple, oranges, and marshmellows. Spoon into 6 c. mold.
Refridgerate 4 hours or until firm.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-12-15T10:33:00.006-06:00

This is based on the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie recipe, but I changed it up a bit because my cookies always ended up flat when I followed their recipe.

This is probably one of Ben's favorites. They disappear quickly hot off the cooling rack.

Tip: Buy a cookie scoop. I purchased one last year and it makes it really easy to scoop up dough and drop onto the cookie sheet. I also use it to fill cupcake and muffin cups. Really GREAT tool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Arrion's version of Toll House)

Ingredients
2 2/3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 C. margarine softened
1 C. packed brown sugar
2/3 C. sugar (try Splenda)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
2 C. semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions
Combine the flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat margerine, sugars, and vanilla. Beat in egg. Gradually add dry ingredients. Gently stir in chips.

Drop by rounded Tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees, 8-10 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes. Remove from pan to wire cooling rack.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Recipe Credit: Nestle and Arrion Rathsack

Light Waldorf Salad

2008-12-12T21:30:00.004-06:00

This is a really yummy fruit and nut salad, made with yogurt. It's considered low fat and goes great with a cold chicken breast for lunch. This recipe makes four servings... so try not to eat the whole thing!

Light Waldorf Salad

Ingredients
2 apples, cored and diced
1 C. seedless grapes, halved
1 C. plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 C. chopped celery
1/4 C. chopped walnuts
2 T. raisans
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

Instructions
Combine apples, grapes, yogurt, celery, walnuts, raisins and juice.
Serve sprinkled with cinnamon.

Taco Soup with Black Beans

2008-12-12T21:20:00.003-06:00

Another great crock pot recipe. The leftovers are almost better than the fresh soup! Consider adding fresh lime juice or chopped cilantro after cooking.

Taco Soup with Black Beans

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef, browned
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can corn, undrained
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can red beans, undrained
1 env. dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 env. dry taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Squeeze about half a lime into the finished soup (optional).
Garnish with tortilla or chips, shredded cheese, sour cream.

Italian Meatloaf

2008-12-11T20:25:00.003-06:00

This is a great recipe for a large family meal. A nice twist on your traditional meatloaf or even spaghetti and meatballs. Serve with your favorite pasta and sauce.

To remove meatloaf and other meats from the crockpot, make yourself some foil handles. Place three, double strips of heavy foil, crisscrossed on the bottom of the pot and ends left hanging over the top edge. Place them in the pot first and put your meat on top.

Italian Meatloaf

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 C. quick-cooking oats
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 C. pasta sauce (use the rest with pasta)
1 tsp. garlic powder
onion slices

Instructions
Combine meat, eggs, oats, soup mix, pasta sauce, and garlic powder. Shape into a loaf and place in the crockpot. Top with onion slices.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Serve with pasta and additional sauce.

Ham and Potatoes

2008-12-11T20:07:00.003-06:00

This is a great recipe for your leftover Christmas Ham. Just pop the ingredients in the crockpot and it's ready for dinner. This is the first in a series of crockpot recipes I plan to post. I love getting out the crockpot this time of year, you'll always have a yummy stew, casserole, or roast for dinner!

My family traditionally has lima beans with ham and potatoes. I would toss in some frozen lima beans with this recipe.

Ham and Potatoes

Ingredients
5-6 potatoes, sliced
About 2 C.+ ham, diced
8 oz + American or Velveeta Cheese, cubed
half a small onion, diced
1 can of cream of chicken soup (I use the healthy request, reduced fat stuff)
1/2 C. milk

Instructions
Layer potatoes, ham, cheese, and onion in the crockpot. Add the soup on top.
Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack

Chocolate Sheet Cake

2008-12-07T11:16:00.004-06:00

Growing up, Ben's Grandma Beckhoff would make chocolate cake at Christmas. I have since discovered it's one of Ben's favorites. While this is not the original recipe, it's pretty close. I have discovered that here in Texas, this cake is otherwise known as a "Texas Sheet Cake". A chocolate cake with a hint of cinnamon.

Don't forget to include a red hot and green frosting ivy leaves!

The photo shows Ben's sister Sarah Rathsack and his mom Brenda Rathsack decorating the chocolate sheet cake, Christmas 2007.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ingredients
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. butter or margerine
1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions
Combine flour, sugar, soda, and salt. In saucepan, combine butter, cocoa, and 1 C. water. Bring mixture just to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate mix to dry mix and beat with mixer till combined. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute.

Spread onto greased 13x9x2 pan (or 15x10x1 pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack, but frost while still warm.

Chocolate Frosting
In a saucepan combine 1/4 C. butter, 3 T. cocoa, and 3 T. buttermilk. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Add 2 1/4 C. sifted powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Beat till smooth. If desired, stir in 3/4 C. coarsely chopped pecans.

Decorate with red hot candies and use green frosting for ivy leaves.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack

Casbah Sugar Cookies

2008-12-06T11:00:00.005-06:00

These cookies taste like those lofthouse sugar cookies you can buy at the store, only these are made with fresh ingredients and no preservatives. My husband's mother Brenda and his Grandma Beckhoff made these cookies every Christmas. They would be frosted white, with a red hot in the middle and two little green frosted ivy leaves.

Casbah Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
1 C. butter
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Instructions
With a mixer, beat well the butter and sugar until creamy. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix well. Chill in fridge. Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet and then smash down ball with the bottom of greased glass pressed in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Frosting
1/3 C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 C. powdered sugar
2 T. milk (or more)

Mix all together with mixer. Spread on the cookies.

Recipe Credit: Brenda Rathsack and Janet Starwalt Beckhoff (1934-2002)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

2008-12-06T10:45:00.002-06:00

I always thought that Mac and Cheese was too difficult to make, so I never tried. I stuck to my favorite Kraft Macaroni and Cheese from a box. The other day, I came across this recipe from my mother-in-law Brenda Rathsack. She had written a bunch of recipes for my husband Ben on a steno-pad when he first went off to college. Now of course, Ben has never made anything other than chicken fajitas or chicken stir-fry (i.e. all the same ingredients except for the bottle of spice he grabs.) He did say he tried a tuna casserole once, enough said.

Anyway, this is VERY simple. I am now addicted to the stuff. It's REAL mac and cheese. (Can you tell I am excited?)

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
1 bag of elbow macaroni
Milk (I did use whole milk - but try 2%)
1/2 a large box of Kraft Deluxe American Cheese - cubed
Butter - about 1/2 a stick or more

Instructions
After macaroni is cooked and drained, place it back in the pan. Start heating (about medium). Add enough milk to just cover the macaroni.
Add cubed cheese and butter.
Heat until cheese has melted and milk has thickened.
You'll know when it's ready!

Recipe Credit: Brenda Rathsack

Mom's Sugar Cookies

2008-12-05T20:22:00.005-06:00

I have been making these cookies for as long as I can remember. In particular, I can remember dipping the glass in sugar and smashing the cookie dough along side my mom and older sisters. At Christmas, we would add red and green sprinkles. My family has always liked to store and eat these cookies straight from the freezer. They have a great lemon flavor, which makes them different from a traditional sugar cookie. This is one of my personal favorites.

Mom's Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
2 eggs - beaten with a fork
2/3 C. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon flavor extract
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions
Mix together first five ingredients. Sift together flour, powder, and salt. Add to the sugar mixture.

Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of greased glass dipped in sugar.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until a they just start to turn a light golden brown on the edges.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Credit: Nancy Smith

Grandma Smith's Orange Cookies

2008-12-05T13:42:00.003-06:00

These cookies are a Smith family favorite and once again could be found stored in an aluminum cake pan on Grandma Smith's porch. I think these are my sister Allison's favorite cookies and I always think of her or grandma when I hear "orange cookies". My mom has another version which I will post sometime as well.

Grandma's Orange Cookies

Ingredients
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. soft butter
1 egg
1 tsp. lemon flavor
1 tsp. vanilla flavor

Liquid mix
1 T. vinegar
Add buttermilk to make 1 C. liquid

Dry mix
3 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Juice of one orange

Instructions
Combine and mix the first 5 ingredients. Set aside.
Mix together vinegar and butter milk. Set aside.
Mix together flour, soda, powder, and salt.

Add the liquid mix and dry mix to the sugar mix alternating each a little at a time.
Add the orange juice.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until just a little bit brown. Touch the top, as soon as it doesn't dent, they're done.

Frosting
Mix together to following ingredients in order.
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 stick melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon flavoring
orange juice

Add the orange juice to make stiff enough to spread and smooth on the cookies.

It's my understanding that there is a special procedure for storage. It includes an aluminum cake pan and wax paper. Carefully layer cookies and wax paper in the pan and store in the freezer.

Recipe credit: Eileen Kinnick Smith (1918-1999)

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-12-05T10:51:00.006-06:00

This recipe comes from my Grandma Eileen Smith, whose mother Dorothy Sorenson Kinnick immigrated from Denmark in 1904. It's written a bit differently, because it's based on an oral description of the recipe. Basically, grandma told me the recipe and I wrote it down. Grandma would have fresh rolls in an aluminum pan sitting out on the "porch" when we would visit. If you want to make half the dough into plain rolls as the recipe indicates, you'll need to improvise as further instructions are not provided. One of the classic "Danish" pastries.

Cinnamon Rolls

1 1/2 C. scalded milk
1 stick of butter
2/3 C. sugar
Stir until butter melts.
Add 1 C. cold water and 3 pkgs. of dry yeast
Stir in and let it stand until bubbly (15 minutes).
Add 3 eggs (beaten with a fork) and 2 tsp. salt.
Add 5 C. flour.
Beat well and add about 2 more Cups flour.
Put it on a floured board and cover with a tupperwear bowl and let it rest 10 minutes.

Kneed 2-3 minutes.

Put it into a greased bowl and let it rise about an hour.

Flatten 1/2 the dough on a floured surface.

Spread flattened dough with butter.
Mix 1/2 C. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon, sprinkle on top.

Roll up and cut with a piece of thread.

If you make it all into cinnamon rolls, you'll need to double the filling for the other half of dough. I usually make half of it into plain rolls and half into cinnamon rolls.

Depending upon how thick you cut them and how close you put them in the pan. The recipe says 1/2 recipe in a 9x13 pan, but they are really thick and hard to get done in the middle so I usually make them half that big.

Bake at 350 degrees, 15-20 minutes.

Recipe Credit: Eileen Kinnick Smith (1918-1999)

Hot Chocolate Mix

2008-12-04T22:29:00.003-06:00

My mom used to make this recipe every winter. It's cold outside, so it seems like a great recipe to post. According to the card, it comes from my Aunt Carolyn Conner (my mom's older sister). I bet you could substitute the No Sugar Added Quik Chocolate for the regular stuff.

Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients
8 Qt. Box of powdered milk
1 lb. box of Quik chocolate
1 (6oz) Coffee Mate
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Instructions
Combine ingredients and store in air tight container.

Add 1/3 C. mix to a mug of hot water.

Recipe Credit: Carolyn Conner

Fricadels

2008-12-04T21:32:00.007-06:00

My great-grandmother Dorothy Sorensen Kinnick immigrated from Denmark to the United States in 1903, landing at Ellis Island. This is a recipe handed down to me from her daughter Eileen Kinnick Smith (my Grandma Smith). It's best described as a danish hamburger recipe! But they have always been refered to as Fricadels.

The photo shows the Kinnick family abt. summer 1938. L.to R. Edward (Buzz), Mary Eileen (Grandma Smith), Leo, Paul, and Dorothy Kinnick.

Fricadels

Ingredients

1lb hamburger

1 egg

1 T. flour

1/2 C. Milk

Onion, pepper, salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and shape burger mix into patties. Drop 2 T. fat in skillet. Fry patties on both sides until done in the middle.

Recipe credit: Dorothy Sorensen Kinnick (1887-1983)

Pumpkin Bread

2008-12-04T20:17:00.002-06:00

I came across this recipe after I married my husband. His mother had written it down for him on a recipe card. I tried it one Christmas and it was wonderful. It makes a very moist pumpkin bread. I make it every year. My son loves it and my daughter is allergic to bananas, so she'll be eating pumpkin bread Christmas morning.

Update: Made this recipe a few days ago. Turned out great, here are a couple of photos. 12/28/08

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients and Instructions
Combine these five ingredients:
3 1/2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Combine these ingredients:
3 C. granulated sugar
1 C. vegetable oil
4 eggs
2/3 C. water
2 C. canned pumpkin (1 15oz can)

Combine dry ingredients (first 5.) Mix oil, water, and eggs well. Add sugar.
Fold in half the flour mixture and half the pumpkin. Mix until blended. Add remaining flour and pumpkin. Mix only until combined (don't over mix.)

Pour into pre-greased/floured pans.
Bake ~1 hour in preheated oven at 350 degrees.
Cool slightly and move them from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves

UPDATE: I recently tried using two 9 hole mini-loaf pans. Bakes about 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Recipe Credit: Brenda Rathsack and Arrion Rathsack

Grandma Kinnick's Oatmeal Cookies

2008-12-04T19:59:00.001-06:00

I remember my Grandma Smith (and my mother) making these cookies from her mother's recipe. In particular, I remember helping roll the dough into logs, wrapping them in wax paper, and putting them in the fridge to chill. I also remember eating a bunch of the dough. Yum! My dad and husband prefer raisins, but I usually leave them out because my son Alex doesn't like them in his cookies. Watch them carefully to determine to correct baking time, they can burn easily.

Here's a photo of my Great Grandma Dorothy Kinnick, holding my Dad Billy Smith, around 1940.

Grandma Kinnick’s Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. white sugar

1 egg

1 C. Flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 C. oats

1 C. raisins (optional)

Instructions

Soften margarine by smashing & whipping with a fork. Add sugar, egg, & vanilla. Add flour, salt, soda, & powder. Add oats (& raisins.)

Stir all ingredients with fork, do not use mixer. Mold into 1-2 inch thick rolls/logs. Chill for 2-3 hours.

Cut rolls in 1/2 inch slices and place greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, watch first batch closely. Bake until golden brown.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Recipe Credit: Dorothy Christine Sorensen Kinnick (1887-1983)

Cran-Raspberry Fruit Salad

2008-12-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

I started making this recipe several years ago for Thanksgiving, to replace our traditional can of Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce (cut in perfect little slices). I've adapted it a bit over time to include less sugar and calories. It's now one of my favorite jello salad recipes.

Cran-Raspberry Fruit Salad

Ingredients
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, reserving juice
1/2 cup Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail
Juice from one lemon
1 3-ounce package sugar free raspberry-flavored gelatin
1 16-ounce can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Instructions
Combine reserved pineapple juice, cranberry juice cocktail and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add gelatin, stirring until it is completely dissolved. Break up cranberry sauce with a fork. Stir into gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until mixture begins to set. Stir in pineapple. Chill until firm.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack & http://www.oceanspray.com

Mom's Banana Bread

2008-12-04T18:29:00.000-06:00

Every year at Christmas we bake our banana bread, and chill it in the fridge. On Christmas morning, we slice it up and slather parkay margerine on each piece. My husband thinks we are crazy and he warms his slices in the microwave. Any more, we love it so much, half the loaf is gone within 30 minutes out the oven. I like to make it year 'round, any time we have some over ripe bananas, it's time to make banana bread.

Mom’s Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup banana pulp
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 well-beaten eggs

Instructions
Sift flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Cream shortening well and beat into sugar. Add eggs, mix in well. Mash ripe bananas as soon as peeled with silver fork. 3-4 ripe bananas yield 1 cup. Add flour alternately with bananas mixing well after each addition. Turn into greased loaf pan and bake in (350 degrees F) 1 hour or until done. 8x4x3

Recipe Credit: Nancy Smith

New Fashioned Chicken and Noodles

2008-12-04T16:49:00.002-06:00

I used to love my Grandma Smith's homemade chicken and noodles. Of course the egg noodles were from scratch and the chicken was often leftovers from homemade fried chicken. I tried making noodles from scratch, they were good, but time consuming. In effort to save even a few calories, I use chicken breasts, low fat broth, bouillon, and you can even use no yolk noodles (although I heard they really don't save you much in fat/calories/choles/etc.)

I was never able to get my grandma's recipe, but came up with this one on my own (after looking at several different cookbooks and websites). Enjoy!

New Fashioned Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients
32 oz low fat chicken broth
4 C. water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
3 chicken breast halves (abt. 1½ lb package) cut in large chunks
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tsp celery flakes
¼ tsp pepper
dash salt
3 T. butter (don’t substitute!)
2 C. whole milk
3 T. flour
12 oz Bag of Egg Noodles

Instructions
In a six-quart pot combine broth, water, granules, chicken breasts chunks, herbs, pepper & pepper, & onion powder. Bring to boil, then turn heat down to medium, and cook until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally (if it starts to boil over, take a stick of butter and rub it around the rim of the pot). Remove from heat. Remove chicken. Add the butter. Let chicken cool slightly (so it’s easy to handle), shred or chop into small pieces. Set aside.

Combine ½ C. milk and 3 T. flour, mix or shake well. Bring broth to boil again. Add bag of noodles, cook about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ C. milk. Add the milk and flour mix. Stir into the noodles. Turn down to medium heat. Stir and cook until thick and bubbly. Stir in chicken and cook a few more minutes until chicken is warm and sauce further thickens.

You can make your own noodles, but I found it takes to much time and effort, the bagged works well. The broth and herbs add the good flavor!

Serves about 6-8. Great with homemade mashed potatoes, peas, and corn!

UPDATE: I recently used a bag of Amish Kluski noodles and they worked great. More like old fashioned noodles.

Recipe Credit: Arrion Rathsack