SUMMERTIME COOKIES

2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 stick margarine.  Combine in pan and cook over medium heat.  Boil for one minute.  Start timing when it starts to bubble on sides.  Remove from heat and add:
1/2 cup peanut butter, 3 cups quick oats, and 1 t vanilla.  Stir well.  Drop on wax paper by tsp.  Dry at least 1/2 hour before moving.

This is fast and easy.  Looks a little weird when done.  As a matter of fact, my husband looked at them and said "Don't you have to bake these?"  But no, you don't.  They're done!  Very good taste and kind of interesting consistency, almost like a cross between a cookie and a candy.

SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
4 cups flour
2 eggs
1-1/2 t vanilla
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup oil
1 t salt
1 t soda
1 t cream of tartar

Cream sugar and oil and butter.  Add eggs.  Add all dry ingredients and vanilla.  Mix and chill.  Make balls the size of walnut, roll in sugar and flatten with bottom of glass.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes on greased cooky sheet.

This card came from someone else, not my mom's writing, but boy, these sure are good!  Easy to make and with a delicious chewiness.  They are sure to be gone out of the cookie jar.

OATMEAL-FUDGE BARS

Oatmeal Layer:
1/2 cup soft margarine
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Fudge Layer:
1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 T butter
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla

Grease 9 X 9 baking pan.  Beat margarine and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Sift flour with soda and salt into mixture.  Stir well.  Stir in oats and nuts.  Save one cup for topping.  Press remainder into prepared pan.  Preheat oven to 350.  In saucepan combine chips, salt, milk, and margarine.  Stir over heat until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in nuts and vanilla.  Spread chocolate mixture over oatmeal layer and distribute reserved oatmeal mixture over all.  Bake 25 minutes or until surface is lightly brown.  Let cool completely in pan on rack.  Cut into bars.

This one is all right.  There are other chocolate/oat cookies that I like more, but it's still pretty good.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SQUARES

2-3/4 cup sifted flour
2-1/2 t baking powder
1 lb. brown sugar
1 cup chopped nutmeats
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
2/3 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 pkg. chocolate chips

Mix and sift baking powder, flour and salt.  Melt shortening and add brown sugar.  Stir until well mixed.  Allow to cool slightly.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Add dry ingredients.  Then nuts, chocolate chips, and vanilla.  Pour into greased pan about 10-1/2 X 15-1/2 X 3/4".  Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 325 or until just done.  Glaze if desired with powdered sugar, vanilla and water mixed into a semi-thin frostin.  Allow to cool.  Then cut into bars.

This is a very easy and pleasant bar recipe.  Most of these ingredients are already on hand in the house usually, so it's a great little go-to recipe.  Everyone at bowling really woofed them down!

SEA BREEZE SALAD

7 oz. shell noodles
2 cans tuna
1 tomato, sliced
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup Bernstein's Italian with Cheese dressing or marinade
1/2 cup olives sliced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion rings
1 t seasoned salt

Prepare shell noodles and drain.  Combine remaining ingredients with shells and mix well.  Chill.  Toss again before serving.

I like a tasty tuna salad, and this was very good.  The Bernsteins dressing really makes it have a good flavor.

7 LAYER BARS

1 - Melt 1 cube of margarine in 9 X 13 pan.  Brush up on sides.
2 - Sprinkle with 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 - Sprinkle with 1 can (1 cup) flaked coconut
4 - Sprinkle with 1 pkg. chocolate chips
5 - Sprinkle with 1 pkg. butterscotch chips
6 - Dribble over entire mixture 1 can Eagle Brand (Bordens) sweetened condensed milk
7 - Sprinkle with 1 cup chopped nuts.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes at 325.  Cut into squares.  Do not overbake or they will be too dry.

I think everybody's made this before.  It's an old standby that's easy to make and deadly calorie-wise!  Always a hit and always gone.

VALENTINE DELIGHT SALAD

1st Layer:

1-1/2 cup boiling water
1 pkg. strawberry jello
1 T lemon juice
1-10 oz. pkg. frozen sliced strawberries

Dissolve jello in boiling water.  Add lemon juice and frozen strawberries.  Stir until berries are thawed.  Pour into 7-1/2 X 11-1/2 pyrex dish and refrigerate until set.

2nd Layer:

1-1/2 cup boiling water
1 pkg. lemon jello
1/3 cup sugar
16 large or 2 cups small marshmallows
1-3oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple (including juice)
1 cup whipping cream or 1 pkg. dream whip

Dissolve jello in boiling water.  Immediately add marshmallows, sugar, and cream cheese.  Stir until marshmallows are melted.  Beat vigorously with egg beater.  Add pineapple.  Let partially congeal in refrigerator.  Fold in whipped cream and pour over first layer.

I have to say that this is the only recipe I have that uses the word "congeal."  How cool is that?  This is a very tasty jello side dish/dessert.  I had a hard time getting the marshmallows to melt like they were supposed to, so I just gave up and let them be.  I liked the flavors together, so I'll probably hang onto this one in case I ever need a jello recipe.

SHRIMP & ARTICHOKE RICE SALAD

1 box Chicken Rice-A-Roni
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 (6 oz.) jars marinated artichoke hearts (reserve oil from 1 jar)
6 oz. shrimp or 1 can shrimp
1 can water chestnuts (drained & sliced)
3 chopped green onions
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/4 to 1/2 t curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Cook Rice-A-Roni according to box directions.  Cool.  Mix remaining ingredients, including artichoke liquid.  Add to rice.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Serves 8 - 10.

This is kind of weird.  It tastes interesting, but it kind of threw me off eating a cold rice side dish.  Someone thought they had a good idea with this one, but I don't know.  I actually did have a second helping just because I was still thinking about it.  I'm just not sure.  I'd like to know if any of you like it or not....... I only wish I had a picture of this one.

LEMON PILAF (Excellent with fish)

1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped green onions with tops
2 T butter or margarine
3 cups cooked rice
1 T grated lemon rind
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Saute celery and onions in butter until tender.  Add rice, lemon rind, and seasonings.  Toss lightly.  Continue cooking over low heat about two minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.  Serve with chicken or fish.  Makes 6 servings.

I like this recipe a lot.  It's just nice to make something a little different other than just plain rice.  I would definitely keep this one.

APRICOT SWEET POTATOES

2 T butter flavor Crisco
1 can (18 oz.) vacuum-packed sweet potatoes or yams, drained and cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 T cornstarch
1 t grated orange peel
1/4 t salt
1/8 t cinnamon
1 can (5-1/2 oz.) apricot nectar
1/3 cup water
12 frozen apricot halves, cut into quarters
1/2 cup pecan halves or large pieces

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease lightly 1 to1-1/2 quart casserole or baking dish with butter flavor crisco.  Arrange potatoes in casserole.  Mix sugar, cornstarch, orange peel, salt, and cinnamon in heavy 1-quart saucepan.  Stir in apricot nectar and 1/3 cup water.  Cook and stir on medium-high heat until mixture comes to full rolling boil.  Remove from heat and stir in Butter Flavor Crisco (the 2 T) and apricots.  Pour evenly over potatoes and sprinkle with pecans.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Well, this is my recipe!  She handwrote "Bonnie Ann" on it, plus I recognize it because I love to make this for the holidays.  Sometimes I even melt the mini marshmallows on top, but this is really good just like it is.  When greasing the casserole dish, that's not when you use the 2 T Crisco.  That comes later.  Just grease the dish like regular.  Also, I don't use the frozen apricot halves.  I cheat and use canned.  They're just easier to handle and cut up.  I usually have to make a double recipe for Thanksgiving. I can't believe I forgot to take a pic...rats.

CREAMY COLE SLAW

6 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 T sugar
2 T vinegar
2 t celery seed
1 t salt

Combine cabbage and onion in bowl.  In small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, celery seed and salt.  Stir till sugar is dissolved and ingredients are well blended.  Drizzle mixture over cabbage mixture.  Toss lightly to mix well.  Serves 6-8.

Pretty good, basic coleslaw recipe.  This one isn't too fancy, so it works well on top of a BBQ pork sandwich or something like that.  Easy to make too if you buy the packaged shredded coleslaw mix.

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

Lettuce
green pepper strips
carrots
celery
chicken breast, 1/2" cubes

Sprinkle cashews over top
Top with chinese noodles

Serve with poppyseed dressing

This is just written on a scrap piece of paper.  It's a good combination of ingredients and fast to make for lunch if you have leftover chicken.

GLORIFIED RICE PUDDING

1 cup raw rice
3/4 t salt
2 cups water

Bring to boiling, cover and simmr 20 minutes.

1 cup pineapple (crushed or tidbits including juice)
24 marshmallows (or 2 cups miniature)
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup sugar
shake or two of cinnamon

Add to rice and stir well.

I cup whipping cream whipped or 1 envelope of Dreme Whip made up.  Fold in.  Serves 8 to 10.

I like rice pudding, and this was a nice variation.  I already had some dates left from the last recipe I made of hers and also had a half a bag of marshmallow in the cupboard just dying to get rid of, so this recipe was good to make.  I think I like the regular rice pudding better, though.  I love pineapple and everything, but nothing beats the classic.

PRUNE CABBAGE SLAW

1/2 cup pitted prunes
1 cup sour cream
2 T sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 t celery salt
1/4 t salt
dash of pepper
6 cups shredded cabbage

Cut prunes into narrow strips.  Combine sour cream with sugar, vinegar, celery salt, salt, and pepper.  Add cut up prunes.  Let sit 30 minutes.  Toss prune dresing with cabbage.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Well, it really makes about 15 servings 'cuz everybody takes such a small amount because they're just plain scared to take more!  It's really not as bad as it sounds, and the prunes give it a little sweetness.  I took a big ole helping and liked it, but not so much anyone else.  I took a shortcut and bought the preshredded slaw mix at the store, so that's why in the picture you can see carrot shreds.

IMPOSSIBLE LASAGNE PIE

1/2 cup small curd creamed cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup milk
2 eggs
2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
snipped fresh parsley

Grease pie plate, 10 X 1-1/2", or square baking dish.  Layer cottage cheese and parmesan cheese in plate.  Mix cooked beef, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the oregano, basil, and tomato pate.  Spoon evenly over top.

Beat milk, eggs, baking mix, salt, and pepper 15 seconds in blender on high or 1 minute with hand beater or until smooth.  Pour into plate.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Return to oven 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Cool 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with snipped fresh parsley.  6 to 8 servings.

This recipe is a cut out piece of cardboard from the box of Bisquick I'm guessing since this says it's a recipe from their cookbook offer. It was really weird assembling it, putting the cottage cheese on the bottom and the rest on top.  I thought, This is just impossible!!  But it tastes pretty good after all and can be made with ingredients you might have on hand.  I think that kids would really like it.  It's no substitute for lasagne though.

PARSLEY BUTTERED NOODLES

1 beaten egg
2 T milk
1/2 t salt
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 T butter
2 T snipped parsley

In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk, and salt.  Add enough of the flour to make a stiff dough.  Roll very thin on floured surface.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Roll up loosely slice into noodles 1/4" wide.  Spread out and let dry two hours.  Place in clear plastic bag to store.  To cook, drop noodles into boiling water with salt added.  Cook uncovered for about ten minutes.  Drain.  Add butter and parsley.  Toss to mix well.  Six servings.

You know what?  This is pretty easy.  I've never tried making my own noodles before.  After mixing the dough in the mixer, I just rolled it out really flat, took a knife and scored it, separated it a little, dried for a couple hours, and then cooked them.  They were really tasty, and it was nice having fresh pasta.  I'll definitely do this again.

BREAD (WHITE NO KNEAD)

2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 t salt
2 T soft margarine
7 cups sifted flour

In large bowl of electric mixer, combine yeast and water.  Stir until yeast is dissolved.  Add sugar, butter, and 4 cups of the flour.  Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add remaining flour and mix with spoon thoroughly.  Turn into lightly greased bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise until double.  Punch down and turn into 2 well greased 6 cup ring molds.  Cover with damp cloth and let rise again until double.  Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

This is good and pretty easy.  I bet you could do this in a bread machine, at least for the dough mixing and rising part of it.  Once again I don't have a ring mold, so I used a regular bread pan.  Delicious out of the oven with lots of butter but after that can be used as toast because it gets a little hard by the next day.

GOLDEN SESAME COOKIES

3 T sesame seeds
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup margarine, room temp.
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/3 cups flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t nutmeg

Bake sesame seeds in preheated 350 oven on ungreased cookie sheet until golden (7-10 minutes).  Set aside.  Cream sugars and margarine until smooth.  Beat in peanut butter and egg.  Combine flour, 2 T sesame seeds, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.  Add to creamed mixture, mixing until blended.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten crisscross fashion with a floured fork.  Sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  4 dozen.  Recipe from the kitchen of Phyllis Schlitt.

These are really delicious, kind of like a peanut butter cookie with a sesame seed flavor. They were a big hit, and I'll definitely save this one. This recipe card is really cute too! I'm not sure whether my mom typed this carefully between the lines on this card or my sister-in-law Phyllis did it and gave her the card. The top of the card says, "Kissin' wears out, cookin' don't". I'm going to attach a copy below along with the picture of the cookies.

QUICK RAISIN BREAD

3 T butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup raisins
1 T grated lemon rind or orange rind
3 cups flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/4 t mace
1/2 t lemon or orange extract
1/2 t vanilla
1 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Stir in raisins and lemon rind.  Mix and sift dry ingredients.  Add to raisin mixture alternately with combined milk and extracts.  Pour into greased and floured spring form mold with hole.  Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes.  Makes one ring loaf.

I was kind of bummed that I don't have a ring loaf pan, but I used a regular bread pan instead.  I loved the flavors of the lemon in this, and also you don't get a chance to use mace very often!  I thought this was a little too dry however and crumbly on the outside, which is too bad.  I think if it was a different consistency I would save this one.

NUT SQUARES

1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
6 T flour
1/4 t soda
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Beat egg until light.  Add sugar and beat until well mixed.  Sift dry ingredients and add to egg mixture.  Add vanilla and stir in nuts.  Bake in buttered 8 X 8" pan at 300 for 25 minutes.  Upon removing from oven, spinkle top with powderes sugar.  When cool, cut in squares and if desired roll in powdered sugar.  These keep pretty well in a covered tin box.

This is one of the easiest and fastest desserts I've made from her recipe card file so far, and pretty good too!  I think I'm going to keep this one as I usually have all these ingredients on hand anyway, and they would be easy to whip up in a jiffy.

Looks like I got a little carried away with the powdered sugar, but I like them like that!

HERB SEASONING SALT FOR FRENCH BREAD

Mix together in a jar:

1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t pepper
1 T thyme leaves
1 T salt
1 t season salt
2 T marjoram
2 T oregano
2 T rosemary leaves
2 T basil
2 T parsley flakes
3 T sesame seed

Shake in jar until well blended.  Can also be used on white fish, chicken or omelets and vegetables.

Stir 2 tsp into 1 cup soft margarine.  Spread on french bread.  Rewrap in foil and bake in 400 oven for 15-20 minutes.

Really good and handy to have on hand.  I just mixed it up in a tupperware container so I could easily identify it and store it.  Tastes good.  I bet you could also sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top of the herb seasoning too.

SPINACH LASAGNA

SAUCE:
Saute in a little oil:
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 carrot
1/2 bell pepper
2 T chopped parsley
(optional - ground beef, good without meat)

Add and Simmer 1/2 hour:
2 cups chopped tomatoes
12 to 16 oz. tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t basil
1 t salt
shake of pepper
1/4 t honey

Slice and set aside:
1-1/2 lbs. jack cheese (enough to layer pan twice)

Make spinach "filling" by mixing together:
20 oz. chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 beaten egg

Grease or Pam Spray baking dish.  Layer items as follows:
1/3 sauce
a layer of uncooked lasagne noodles
1/2 spinach filling
a layer of jack cheese slices
1/3 sauce
a layer of noodles
1/2 spinach filling
a layer of jack cheese
1/3 sauce
a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese

Bake at 375 covered with foil for 45 minutes
Remove foil and bake another 1/2 hour
Let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving

I thought this was really good.  It looks intimidating because it's so long, but if you just get each part ready and then assemble, it's really not.  I added a pound of ground turkey into the sauce in the first step just because my boys always say they want meat!!  We had leftovers for a few days afterwards, and it held up well.  I was a little leery about putting the uncooked noodles in, especially because they weren't the special kind they make now that advertise that you can use them raw, but they cooked just fine, maybe a little crisp in the very corners, but nothing really bad.  (P.S. - this recipe card says it came from "Adult Retreat"......That must've been fun!)

DIVINITY

2 cups sugar
2/3 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 large stiff beaten egg whites
1 t vanilla
1 cup chopped walnut meats

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  Boil to 270 degrees.  Slowly pour over stiff-beaten egg whites beating constantly with rotary beater or electric mixer.  Beat candy until it is cool and holds its shape.  Add vanilla and nut meats and drop by teaspoonfuls on greased pan or waxed paper.  If desired, pour on greased plate or pan, cool, and cut into squares.  Makes about 3 dozen pieces.

My sons had never even heard of divinity before, so this was a new eating experience for them!  I don't think this candy is made much anymore, which is not to say it's not good.  It is, it's just not popular and hard to find anywhere.  It's important to have the egg whites already beaten in the mixer on stand-by while you bring the sugar mixture to a boil.  Then you can pour it in, and it happens very quickly so be ready to spoon it out onto your pan that you've got ready to go also.  I made larger pieces than teaspoonfuls because I could feel that it was hardening fast.  It might be better to pour it all in a pan at once and cut into squares later, but I did manage to get it out in larger spoonfuls quickly before it was too late.  Tastes like a remember from my childhood!  I forgot to take a picture...my bad....

PRUNE NUT BARS

1-1/2 cups chopped, cooked prunes
1/2 cup margarine (room temp.)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/3 cup sifted flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup flaked coconut
powdered sugar

Mix margarine, sugar, and 1 cup flour until crumbly.  Press into greased 9" square pan.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Sift remaining 1/3 cup flour with the baking powder and salt.  Gradually beat sugar into eggs.  Add flour mixture, mix well.  Add lemon and vanilla, nuts, coconut, and prunes.  Spread over baked base.  Bake at 350 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool.  Cut into bars and roll in powdered sugar.  Makes 2 dozen.

My first reaction when I saw this one was why???? You're going to make cookies.  Why make prune nut bars?  I can only reason that prunes were a lot more popular then than they are today.  They don't even call them prunes anymore, only dried plums.  Well, these are all right, not as bad as I thought it would be.  I'm not going to make these again just because it makes everybody a little squeamish when I say what kind they are, and frankly there's just better cookies in this world to make.

COCONUT OAT DROPS

1 egg beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 t shortening
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 t salt
1 T honey

Beat egg.  Add sugar gradually, then shortening and vanilla.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Drop by tsp. on a greased cookie sheet and flatten with fork.  Bake in moderate oven 375 ten to 12 minutes.  Makes 60 1" in diameter.

These are all right.  I wouldn't really make them again.  What I got a kick out of was that this was a handwritten recipe card in someone else's writing (don't know who), so she got it from someone, and the person wrote on the top of the card "Good luck"!  I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean...

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup raisins
1 large egg
2 cups milk

Mi together dry ingredients.  Cut in butter and then add raisins.  Beat egg into milk and add to other ingredients.  Pour into greased 9 x 11 pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Insert toothpick to test for doneness.

This is all right, has a nice flavor, although sadly it's very dry.  It was the best right out of the oven with lots of butter, but then there's no staying power after that.

Tostada Dip

Refried beans - heat
shredded cheddar over
sour cream
shredded lettuce

That's all that's written in handwriting on this scrap of paper.  Actually, on the back of this piece of paper is the front of a church Easter bulletin from March 26, 1978.  Somebody probably just mentioned this to her at church and she quickly wrote it down on that handy piece of paper she had there.  This is okay, not as elaborate or seasoned as tostada dips are today.  I have recipes that I like better, but maybe in 1978 this was a new idea so this was how it all started!

REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
3/4 cup Reese's Creamy peanut butter
1-3/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 t vanilla
4 eggs slightly beaten
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 cups (12-oz. pkg) Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips or 2 cups (11.5 oz pkg.) Hershey's Milk Chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 13 x 9 x 2" baking pan.  Melt butter.  Add peanut butter.  Stir until melted.  Stir in sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs.  With spoon stir until well blended.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and edges are firm.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.  About 36 bars.  Add ice cream and top with your favorite Hershey's Syrup to make a Super Sundae!

Anything with chocolate and peanut butter together is bound to be good, and this is no exception.  Talk about easy to make!  This is a no-brainer.  Looks like she cut this out of a magazine.

HOT CROSS MUFFINS

1-2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup C and H granulated sugar
2 t baking powder
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1/3 cup salad oil
2/3 cup undiluted Carnation evaporated milk
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sifted C and H powdered sugar
1-1/2 t undiluted Carnation evaporated milk

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into medium bowl.  Make well in center of flour mixture.  Beat together egg, oil, and 2/3 cup evaporated milk.  Pour into well.  Stir with wooden spoon just until flour is moistened.  Stir in raisins.  Spoon into buttered muffin tins, filling cups 2/3 full.  Bake in hot oven (400) about 20 minutes.  Remove from tins and cool 5 minutes.  Combine powdered sugar and the remaining evaporated milk.  Drizzle over tops of muffins to form a cross.  Serve warm.  Makes 12 muffins.

Well, I am assuming that this recipe was put out by C and H sugar since that was mentioned a few times!  I love hot cross buns, but unfortunately I found these to be a little dry, although the flavor was fine.  I don't think I would make this one again.

FIVE MINUTE CHOCOLATE MINT FUDGE

2 T butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1-2/3 cups sugar
1/2 t salt
1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips (1-1/2 pkg.)
1/2 t peppermint extract
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine butter, evaporated milk, sugar and salt in a 2-1/2 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil.  cook 4 to 5 minutes stirring constantly.  (Start tming when mixture starts to ubble around edges of pan.)  Remove from heat.  Stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips, extract and nuts.  Stir vigorously for one minute or until marshmallows are completely melted and blended.  Pour into 9" square buttered pan and allow to cool.  Cutinto squares.  Makes about 2 pounds.

This is really good.  As always when making fudge, make sure you have your pan prepared ahead of time and all other ingredients measured out and ready to go.  This was pretty easy and unlike some fudge recipes where you have to stir forever over a hot stove.  The marshmallows did take longer than I thought they would to melt, and I think if I make this again I will not wait until they're all the way melted and just pour into the pan earlier with still some specks of marshmallow left.  I think that will make the fudge a tad softer, and the marshmallow will be find, kind of like a rocky road look!

MANHATTAN STYLE CLAM DIP (Served in a large shell)

8 oz dairy sour cream
1/4 cup chili sauce or catsup
6.5 oz. can chopped or minced clams, drained
1 T finely chopped green onion
1 t lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine ingredients.  Stir together until thoroughly blended.  Serving suggestion:  Serve with assorted chips and vegetables.  Makes about 1-2/3 cups.

This isn't very good.  That's all I can say about this.  I just had to dump it after everyone tried it.

CHEESE CAKE by Marilyn Hendriksen

Graham Cracker crumbs (about 2 squares)
1 pound small crud cream style cottage cheese
2 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, melted
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 T lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
1 pint (2 cups) dairy sour cream

Butter a 9: spring-form pan.  Dust with graham cracker crumbs.  Sieve cottage cheese into large bowl.  Add cream cheese.  Beat high speed until creamy adding sugar, then eggs.  Reduce to low speed adding corn starch, lemon juice and vanilla.  Add melted margarine and sour cream.  Blend on low speed.  Pour into pan.

Bake in 350 oven for one hour and 10 minutes or until firm around edges.  Turn off oven and let stand in oven for 2 hours.  Remove and cool completely on wire rack.  Chill.  Remove sides of pan.  Makes about 12 servings.

Note:  Cheesecake may be frozen.  Cheesecake may be topped with fruit glaze made with either fresh or frozen fruit.

This is truly delicious!  A plain and simple cheesecake that's not hard to make and fills the house with a wonderful smell.  I made the mistake of making it for game night, and I didn't realize that it needed to sit in the oven for 2 hours and then sit out of oven and then chill, so it wasn't ready in time.  It looked so beautiful that I hated to cut it in half and freeze it in two hunks in freezer, but I did and brought out one half the following week.  It was really good although the consistency gets a little softer when thawing, so it would've probably been better had I not frozen it, but anyway still good, and needless to say there's none left.

CHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

                                                  To serve 3 or 4                          To serve 6 or 8

Chicken (3/4" cubes) cooked         2-1/2 cups                                      5 cups
Corn tortillas cut in strips               4                                                     8
Cream of Chicken soup                  1/2 can                                           1 can
Ortega Diced green chiles              1/2 small can                                  1small can
onion, grated or diced fine             1/2 medium                                     1 medium
milk                                                1/2 cup                                            1 cup
cheddar cheese, grated                   1/2 cup                                            1 cup

Mix soup, chili, milk and chicken.  Butter baking dish well.  Layer tortilla strips on bottom, then layer of mix, then strips, etc. until all is used (mix being last layer).  Cover with cheese.  Set in refrigerator 18 to 24 hours.  Bake 1 hour in 350 oven.

This is nice, and I really like the way the recipe is divided up depending on the crowd size.  I have a recipe similar to this that I like a little better because it also has salsa in it.  There is no problem with this one too, and may be good for those that like a milder flavor.  I like to add a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving!

CRANBERRY-APPLE PUNCH

3 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 cups strong tea
2 cans (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 quarts cranberry cocktail
1 quart apple juice
2 cups orange juice

Heat water and sugar to boiling.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Cool.  Prepare tea using 3 tsp. or 3 tea bags and 2 cups boiling water.  Cool.  Chill all ingredients.  Combine in large punch bowl.  60 servings of 1/2 cup.  Pretty with frozen fruit ring.  Champagne or 7-up may be added.

This is really refreshing.  Everyone thinks it tastes like Snapple, which makes sense since it's like a flavored tea.  I also think you could sub in different juices and experiement with this, maybe even using Splenda instead of sugar if you want to make it sugar free.  I'm going to mess around some more with this one.

M & M's Party Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1-1/2 t vanilla
2-1/4 cup sifted flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1-1/2 cups M & M's

Cream sugars, shortening, eggs and vanilla together.  Mix dry ingredients together and add.  Stir in M & M's.  Drop by teaspoonfls on ungreased baking sheet.  If desired, decorate tops with additional M & M's.  Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes.  Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Well, who doesn't like these?  Apparently this recipe has been around for decades, and they're just as good as always.  Ah, the smell of baking M & M's wafting through the house.....

BAVARIAN (PINEAPPLE-EGGNOG)

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t salt
3/4 t nutmeg
2 envelopes plain gelatin
3/4 cup milk
1 8-1/2 oz can crushed pineapple
3 eggs
2 T lemon juice
1 t rum or brandy flavor
1 cup whipping cream
pineapple slices for garnish

Stir together 1/3 cup suar, salt, nutmeg, and gelatin.  Add milk, undrained crushed pineapple, and beaten egg yolks.  Cook over hot water, stirring now and then, until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and flavoring.  Chill until mixture thickens and mounds on a spoon.  Beat egg whites until frothy.  Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.  Beat cream until stiff.  Fold egg whites and cream into pineapple mixture.  Turn into 1-1/2 quart mold.  Chill until firm.  Unmold and garnish with slics of pineapple, if desired.  (Star mold is perfect size.)

I'm realizing that Jell-O type desserts must have been very popular back in the day because she has quite a few of these.  I don't think people are that much into gelatin side dishes and/or desserts that much anymore.  This one definately has an egg nog taste due to the nutmeg, and it's also kind of similar to the other one posted earlier called the Luscious Pineapple Dazzler.  I used the rum extract for this.  It's pretty tasty and would be a good side dish I think during the holiday season but not something I would make regularly.

CHEESECAKE (CHOCOLATE VELVET CREAM)

(Can be made days ahead and frozen)

Crust: 1-1/2 cup finely crushed chocolate wafers
           1/3 cup melted margarine
           Press onto bottom of 9" spring pan.  Bake at 325 for ten minutes.

Cream:  8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened)
              1/4 cup sugar
              1 t vanilla
              Mix until well blended.  Stir in the following:
              2 beaten egg yolks
              1-6 oz. pkg. choc. chips (melted)
              Beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in 1/4 sugar.
              Fold into chocolate mixture.
              Fold in: 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
                           3/4 cup chopped pecans

Pour over crumbs and freeze.  Decorate with whipped cream when serving.  Serves 8-10.

This is pretty good, not my favorite.  The kids liked it though.

BAKED ALASKA

6 egg whites
1/2 t cream of tartar

Beat until stiff and then gradually add:

1 cup sugar

Beat until stiff and glossy.  Cover ice cream and cake with thick coating.  (Should be on a board)

500 degree oven for 3-5 minutes.

That's all the directions there were for this so I simply baked a layer cake and put all my leftover ice creams in the middle and slathered it with this mixture all around.  I did not bake it on a board however and used a regular baking sheet.  I have to say it tastes really good and a great way to use up maybe an old cake mix or like I said the bottom of an ice cream container.  It didn't look that great though (see pic), but if you have kids that are just hungry and don't care, it'll get eaten!

STICKS, BREAD (Italian)

1 pkg. yeast (dry)
2/3 cup warm water
2 T salad oil
2T olive oil
1 t salt
1 T sugar
2-1/4 cups unsifted flour (about)
1 egg (beaten)
poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

Dissolve yeast in water.  Add oil, salt, sugar, and one cup of theflour.  Beat until smooth.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough.  Turn out on floured board and knead til sooth and elastic (about 5 minutes.)  Place dough in buttered bowl, cover with damp towel, and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).  Punch dough down, divide in half, and cut each half into 24 equal sized pieces.  Roll each in palm of hands into 6 or 8 inch lengths.  Place parallel on greased baking sheets about 1/2 inch apart.  Brush with egg and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seed, if desired.  Let rise in warm place until almost doubled (about 30 minutes.).  Bake in 325 oven for 30 minutes or until golden.  Makes 4 dozen.

This is surprisingly easy.  I've never made bread sticks before, and these are really good!  I used poppy on one baking sheet and sesame on the other.  Definitely will made these again.

PEAR-NUT BREAD

2-3 fresh pears
1/2 cup salad oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup dairy sour cream
1 t vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 t soda
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Peel and core pears, chop to get 1 cup fruit.  In a large mixer bowl beat together oil and sugar til blended.  Beat in eggs one at a time, the sour cream and vanilla.  Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add to oil sugar mixture and blend well.  Add nuts and pears. (Fold in with a spoon).  Bake at 350 in well greased 9x5 loaf pan about an hour.  Cool about 15 minutes before turning out onto rack.

This bread tastes really nice, the flavors blending well together, nice and moist.  It got eaten very quickly.

WALNUT COFFEE RING (WITH BISCUITS)

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2-8oz. pkg. refrigerator biscuits (10 in each)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 t grated orange rind
1/4 t nutmeg
2/3 cup large pieces of walnuts

In a 10 inch skillet over low heat melt the butter and remove from the heat.  Cut each biscuit in quarters and add to the skillet.  Toss to coat with butter.  In a small mixing bowl stir together the sugar, orange rind and nutmeg.  Sprinkle over biscuit wedges.  Add walnuts and toss togeter.  Spoon into a well buttered 8" ring mold.  Bake at 375 until browned (30 to 35 minutes.)  If top browns too much before end of baking, cover with a sheet of foil.  Let stand about 5 minutes at room temp.  Then invert on a serving plate and remove mold.  Serve warm.

This is good, kind of like a monkey bread.  I had to use a springform pan because I don't have the ring mold.  I think the ring mold would have made it even better because it would've been thicker.  Definitely need to use the foil during end of baking time because it started to get really brown.

BLUEBERRY SURPRISE

3 oz. lemon jello
3 oz. black raspberry jello
1 cup boiling water
2-1/2 cups cold water
1 T lemon juice
21 oz. can blueberry pie filling

Topping:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 t vanilla

(Double for 9x13 dish)

There were no directions for this one, so I simply mixed the above ingredients and put in the refrigerator and when set I added the topping.  I could't find the black raspberry jello flavor at my store (maybe they don't make it anymore) so I used raspberry.  This is actually pretty good considering not too many people really rave about jello anymore, but it's very light and has a nice flavor.  I think it would be perfect after a heavy meal.

HOT WASSLE

1 Gallon apple cider
1-6 oz. can orange juice frozen concentrate
1-6oz can frozen lemonade
3 sticks of cinnamon
1 T whole cloves

Mix together and simmer about 1/2 hour.  Serve hot in mugs or punch cups.

Love and joy unto you, and to you your wassle too!  We always had this growing up around the holiday season.  It's always good, and you can refrigerate leftovers I've found and just zap up an individual cup the next day......keeps you toasty!

FRY BREAD (NAVAJO)

3 cups unsifted flour
1-1/2 t salt
1 T baking powder
1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1-1/4 lukewarm water (about)
Hot fat for frying

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and dry milk.  Add just enough lukewarm water to make a soft dough.  Knead thoroughly.  Pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a large egg. Shape in round and flat with a small hole in the middle.  Then work it back and forth from one end to the other to make it thinner and thinner gradually stretching it to about 9" in diameter.  If in a hurry, you can roll out the dough like pie crust.  In a frying pan, have ready hot fat at least an inch deep.  Drop the thin round of dough into the hot fat and fry to a light brown on one side.  Then turn and fry on the other.  As it fries, the bread pffs and becomes light and crisp.  Drain each piece on a pape towl.  Serve hot on paper napkins with butter, jam, or honey.  Makes 9 to 12 pieces the size of a 9" plate. 

This one is a keeper.  So easy to make.  I just rolled the balls of dough out on a pastry until pie crust thin and put in the hot skillet.  Great flavor and would be great also as a taco shell I think.

PIE (MINCEMEAT CUSTARD)

2 Eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups mincemeat
1/4 t salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 single unbaked crust (9")

Beat eggs with sugar and salt.  Add milk.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Line 9" pan with pastry and spread mincemeat evenly over bottom crust.  Pour the custard mixture over.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until silver knife inserted in custard comes out clean.  Decorate with "wreath" of cherries, citron, and nuts.

This is really easy and also very unusual.  I've heard of mincemeat pie but not mixed with custard.  It's actually very interesting.  If you like mincemeat pie, you should like this.  I didn't decorate it with the wreath as suggested, but I'm sure that would've looked cool!

LACY BUTTERSCOTCH

2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cups sugr
1-4 oz. pkg butterscotch pudding mix
3/4 cups soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 t vanilla

Combine oatmeal, sugar and pudding mix.  Add butter, nuts and vanilla and mix u ntil well blended and of pie dough consistency.  Form dough into 1/2 inch balls and place about 3" apart on cooky sheet as cookies flatten during baking.  Bake at 350 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.  Let cool about 3 minutes or until easily lifted off sheets.  Don't cool too long or cookies crumble on lifting.  Makes 7 dozen.

Well, this was really strange to make, and the flatten during baking is an understatement!  When I took these out of the oven it was like one giant cookie on the sheet.  But I did as the directions said to do about the cooling and merely used the side of the spatula to cut them apart and lift them onto a wire rack to finish cooling.  It really looked like a disaster, but amazingly enough these are super delicious, kind of crispy and chewy both with a nice butterscotch flavor!  I think I'll save this one and make it again making sure to spread way apart on pan so that they will look a lot nicer with a proper round shape.

LIGHT CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE (THE BEST)

1 lb. dried fruit (finely chopped apples, dates, gold raisins, etc.)
6 oz. candied fruit (cherries and chopped candied pineapple)
4 T brandy or applejack, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 t each cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2/3 cup applesauce
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
(1-1/2 hours in ring with both bottoms)

Grease baking pan.  Line bottom of pan with waxed paper.  Grease wax paper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine drie fruit, candied fruit and 2 T of the brandy.  Mix well.  Cover and let stand while preparing batter.

In a 1-1/2 quart mixer bowl beat flour, sugar, spice, and salt at low speed of an electric mixer 25 to 35 seconds to blend.  Add butter, eggs, and fruit sauce.  Beat at low speed one minute to blend.  Turn mixer to high speed.  Beat 3 minutes.  Scrape sies of bowl often.  Stir batter and nuts into fruit mixture.  Mix well.  Spoon into prepared pan filling about 2/3 full.  This recipe makes 5 cups batter.

Spread batter evenly in pan.  Bake at 300 F until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes.  To loosen, run a sharp knife around edge of pan.  Remove waxed paper.  Place on rack to cool  Drizzle remaining brandy over warm cake.  When cake is cool, wrap in brandy or liqueur soaked cheesecloth if desired.  Wrap in oil.  Store in cool place.  Pour more brndy or fruit liqueur over cheesecloth during aging.

I had high hopes for this one since I don't really like fruitcake, but it said it's the best!  I wasn't sure wht the direction was, 1-1/2 hours in ring with both bottoms?  Must be some kind of baking pan that they don't make anymore, not sure.  I also love how she gives the exact mixing times (25-35 seconds).  I followed this recipe exactly using brandy (not sure what applejack is).  Baking time was missing (unless that's the 1-1/2 hours referenced earlier), so I baked it for one hour.  I also poured the remaining brandy on the top. 

Sad to say that this just doesn't taste very good, and it's kind of hard too.  I really couldn't give it away.  I hope that somewhere in this file there's another fruitcake recipe that says it's the bestest!

EGG NOG (Dad's method) *****

1 quart dairy egg nog
1 pint vanilla ice cream (beat into nog in blender)
add brandy, etc.
1/2 pint whipping cream (for topping)
nutmeg (sprinkle over)

Well, this was certainly festive for Christmas, and the ice cream added those much needed extra calories!  It was very delicious and rich, definitely one you could make every year!

COOKIES (Gingerbread Boys - will hang on tree for weeks without breaking)

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 t soda
2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 t cloves
1 t allspice
1-1/2 cups light molasses
2/3 cup water or apple cider
6-1/2 cups unsifted flour (about)

In mixer cream together the margarine, sugar, soda, salt, and sices until light and fluffy.  Add molasses and beat until well blended.  Mix in water or cider.  Stir in flour adding enough to make a stiff dough.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Roll out small amounts of dough at a time on floured board to 1/8 to 1/4 inches thick.  Cut with cutter and transfer to lightly greased cookie sheet with turner under cutter.  Insert short length of drinking straw into top of each cooky to make a hole for hanging.  Decorate with frosting faces when baked and cooled.  Bake at 10-15 minutes,

I naturally made these during the Christmas holiday only I baked this in giant sheets for my kids to make gingerbread houses.  (See attached photo)  I would have liked to try the whole straw hole thing and make ornaments, but I already had baked three batches of this, so that was plenty!  I ate the scraps left over, and it was really delicious.  Had to increase the baking time to 20 minutes.