Spicy Cider

Spicy Cider

Ingredients
8 c. apple juice
2-1/4 c. water
1-1/2 c. orange juice
3 4-inch cinnamon sticks
1 T. whole cloves
1/4 c. molasses
apple slices

Directions

Combine all ingredients except apple slices in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain before serving, if necessary. Garnish with apple slices, if desired. Makes about 3 quarts.

Frosted Cashew Cookies

Frosted Cashew Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. sour cream
1-3/4 c. salted whole cashews
Garnish: 36 whole cashews

Blend together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir together dry ingredients; add alternately with sour cream. Mix well. Carefully fold in 1-3/4 cups cashews. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden; cool. Frost cookies; top with remaining cashews. Makes 3-1/2 dozen. Golden Butter Icing: 1/2 c. butter 1/4 t. vanilla extract 3 T. half-and-half 2 c. powdered sugar Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until beginning to brown. Remove from heat; add half-and-half and vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar; beat until smooth and thick enough to spread.

BBQ Weiners

Note:   Sometimes supper has to be QUICK and inexpensive!

BBQ Weiners

Ingredients

2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
3/4 c. catsup
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 t. mustard
1/2 t. paprika
1/8 t. pepper
1 lb. hot dogs, sliced lengthwise
Optional: hot dog buns

Directions

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except hot dogs. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Place hot dogs in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan. Spoon sauce from skillet onto sliced hot dogs and cover with remaining sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve on buns, if desired. Serves 4 to 6.

Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole

Note:   What do you do with leftover rice?    I always make too much rice.     I worry about not have enough so I make too much.   I figure I have enough recipes like the one below that I don't worry if I have leftovers or enough.    


Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked/leftover rice
3 cups of chopped broccoli, cooked
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 (10 ounce) can of cream of celery soup
1-1/2 cups of grated Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/2 cup of Ritz crackers, crumbled
4 cups of shredded cooked chicken

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.  Spread the rice in the bottom of the pan.   Spread broccoli even over rice.    In a bowl mix together sour cream, mayo, and cream of celery soup.    Add garlic salt, pepper and cajun seasoning.    Mix well.    Add one cup of the cheese and the chicken.     Spread over the broccoli layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.     Add crumbled crackers and remaining cheese.     Return to oven to let crackers brown and cheese melt.   

Corn Dip

Note:   Don't ask me why, but all day today I have been craving this corn dip.    I like corn, but it isn't my favorite food in life.    However, nothing else in the kitchen has sounded good to me.    My mind just keeps screaming, "Corn dip!  Corn dip!"
Corn Dip

Ingredients
1 (11 ounce) can of Mexicorn/Fiesta Corn, drained
1 (7 ounce) can of chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Corn chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a pie plate with non-stick spray or butter.

In a separate bowl, mix together the corn, green chilies, Monterey and Parmesan cheese and sour cream.  Spread into prepared dish and bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges.

Serve warm with the corn chips. Can also be doubled and held in a slow cooker.

Cornbread Salad

Note:  Another really great potluck food is cornbread salad.    Sounds really weird, but it is so delish!    If you have never tried cornbread salad, I challenge you to make some and invite friends over to try it with you.

Cornbread Salad

Ingredients
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup of sour cream
1 envelope of Ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons of sweet pickle juice

2 (6 to 8 ounce) packages of Jiffy Mix or half a pan of homemade cornbread
2 cans of black-eyed peas or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup of chopped red onion
1 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup of chopped sweet pickles (optional)
1/4 cup of chopped pickled jalapeño
1 cup of chopped turkey, chicken or ham
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
10 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Directions

Mix together mayo, sour cream, Ranch dressing, and sweet pickle juice.  This creates the dressing for your salad.     Set aside.  Prepare cornbread and let cool completely.    Crumble cornbread into either a trifle bowl or a 9 x 13 glass pan.   Layer black eyed peas, corn, onion, bell pepper, pickles, jalapeno, turkey, tomato, and cheese on top of the crumbled cornbread.     Pour dressing evenly on top.    Cover tightly and put in the refrigerator overnight.   However, it is best if you can leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  

Before you serve, top with bacon.   

Church Potluck 7 Layer Salad

Note:    I grew up in a church believed (and still believes) in potluck dinners.    There were certain dishes that always seemed to be on those groaning tables.    This 7 layer salad seemed to be there all the time during the summer.

Church Potluck 7 Layer Salad

Ingredients
1-1/2 to 2 cups of mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons of dry ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
8 Roma tomatoes, cleaned, seeded and dried well, chopped
Salt and pepper
7-8 boiled eggs, reserve a couple for slicing
1 to 1-1/2 cups of frozen green peas, lightly steamed
1/2 to 1 cup of chopped celery
8 slices of cooked bacon, chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions



Mix the mayo, ranch dressing mix, sugar and half and half together; set aside.In a small, clear glass bowl, add half of the shredded lettuce. Lightly squeeze the chopped tomato in layers of paper towels. Sprinkle the tomatoes on top of the lettuce layer, sprinkling all around the outside edges first and working toward the middle. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Slice enough of the boiled eggs to line completely around the outside of the dish first, then chop the remaining eggs and sprinkle all around the inside on top of the tomatoes. Add the peas, again starting from the outside edges and toward the middle. Repeat with the chopped celery. Sprinkle lightly with more salt and pepper. Add the remaining shredded lettuce, top with the chopped bacon and the shredded cheese. Drop the dressing over the top in dollops and spread evenly across the top all the way to the edges, sealing the salad. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.