#251 - Oat Chocolate Bars
(by Shirley McNevich)
Batter:
1 cup softened butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups uncooked Quaker quick oats
Filling:
1 - 12oz. package Nestlé’s semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 cake pan. In a mixer, combine 1 cup butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla and mix. Mix in flour, 1 tsp. salt and baking soda. Add the Quaker oats and mix well--if it gets too stiff for mixer, continue by hand with a wooden spoon. Press 2/3 of the batter into the greased cake pan--save the rest for later. Filling: melt the chocolate bits in a saucepan with Eagle milk, 2 TBSP butter, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. salt--cook over medium heat and stir constantly. Remove from heat as soon as chocolate is melted. Pour this mixture on top of the pressed oat mixture in the cake pan. Sprinkle the nuts over the melted chocolate filling. Crumble the other 1/3 remaining oat mixture over the top of the walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into bars when cooled.
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#252 - Hermit Cookies
(by Shirley McNevich)
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups dark brown Domino's sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups Sun Maid raisins
1 cup chopped dates
Cook raisins in water--boil water, then cook them for 5 minutes. Drain the raisins. In a mixer, combine butter/margarine, sugar, eggs and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and flour--use a spoon and mix these dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk to the mixer and blend. Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the mixer and mix. By hand with a wooden spoon, add the dates, nuts and raisins to the batter and stir until well mixed. Drop heaping teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Test with your finger--if you lightly touch a cookie and it gets dinged, put them back in a minute or two longer.
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#253 - Baked Ham
(by Dorothy [Blair] Duffy - friend)
1 - 16oz. canned ham
1 - 3oz. package orange Jell-O
1/3 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup boiling water
1 - 17oz. can canned sweet potatoes or yams
In a bowl, dissolve Jell-O, brown sugar, dry mustard in the boiling water. Place the opened canned ham in a shallow pan and arrange the sweet potatoes or yams along the sides of the ham. Pour the Jell-O mixture over the ham and potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Baste using the juice in the bottom of the pan every 15 minutes while it's cooking.
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#254 - Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
(by Shirley McNevich)
2 lb. ground chuck
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 egg
2 slices bread broken into bite sized pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 TBSP canola oil
2 - 10.75oz. cans Campbell's tomato soup
In a medium sized bowl, add all ingredients EXCEPT the tomato soup--mix them thoroughly with your hands. Form golf ball sized meatballs with the mixture using your hands. In a skillet, add 1 TBSP canola oil and brown the meatballs, turning until brown on all sides. Put meatballs in a Dutch oven or a crockpot. Pour the two cans of tomato soup in a bowl--use one of the empty cans, fill with water, and add the water to the soup and stir until mixed. Pour the soup over the meatballs--if using Dutch oven bake with lid on for 2 hours. If using a crockpot, you'll have to judge the time yourself.
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#255 - Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
(by Shirley McNevich)
1/2 of an 8oz. package Philly cream cheese, softened
1 TBSP white sugar
1 TBSP cold milk
1 cup Jif peanut butter
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 - 9" prepared graham cracker crust--regular or chocolate
2 - 3.9oz. boxes Jell-O instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
4 regular size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut into small pieces
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, 1 TBSP milk and peanut butter until smooth. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip. Spread this mixture on bottom of pie crust. In a second bowl, stir pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk until thick. Immediately stir in remaining 1/2 cup Cool Whip. Spread mixture evenly over peanut butter layer. Scatter peanut butter cups over top of pie. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
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#256 - Cranberry Relish
(by Shirley McNevich)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 - 3oz. package raspberry Jell-O
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 - 8oz. can Dole crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup diced celery
In a large pot, dissolve sugar in water and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, stir and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until berries pop. Remove from heat. Stir in Jell-O until completely dissolved--the Jell-O will thicken the mixture. Cool completely. Add walnuts, crushed pineapple and celery--stir well. Refrigerate 24 hours.
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#257 - Fruity Cheese Whip
(by Martha [Engle] Sweetser - friend)
1 - 3oz. box Jell-O (any flavor)
1 - 15 oz. can DelMonte fruit cocktail (do NOT drain)
1 envelope Dream Whip
8oz. Philly cream cheese
In a saucepan, add Jell-O and fruit cocktail with juice. Bring it to a boil while stirring. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and cool completely. In a mixer, prepare Dream Whip according to package directions. Add softened cream cheese with the Dream Whip and blend well until creamy. By hand, fold in the Jell-O mixture with the Dream Whip mixture. Pour into an 8 x 8 x 2 glass baking dish and refrigerate overnight before serving.
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#258 - Cheesecake Coffee Cake
(by Shirley McNevich)
3 cups Bisquick
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 - 8oz. softened Philly cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves
In a bowl, combine Bisquick, 1/4 cup white sugar, melted butter and milk. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Sprinkle some extra Bisquick on your counter, and then dump the dough on the counter. Knead the dough 30 times with your hands. Pat the dough evenly in the bottom and sides of an ungreased round cake pan (9" x 1.5"). Prepare the cheese filling: in a mixer, combine 1/2 cup white sugar, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla and beat all ingredients until smooth. Pour the cheese filling over the dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until edge is golden brown and cheese filling is set. Remove from oven and cool 20 minutes. Spread preserves over the top. Keep leftover cake refrigerated.
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#259 - Hoagie Salad
(by Shirley McNevich)
1lb. small or medium pasta shells (cooked according to package directions)
1/2 lb. regular salami, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 lb. hard salami, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 lb. sharp cheese, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup chopped olives
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped tomatoes (add them last)
1 - 16oz. bottle Italian dressing
Put all ingredients except tomatoes in a large bowl--mix as you would mix a salad. Pour the bottle of Italian dressing over the top and stir. Refrigerate overnight. When read to serve, add the chopped tomatoes and stir.
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#260 - Homemade Stromboli
(by Shirley McNevich)
1 loaf frozen bread dough
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. French's mustard
3/4 lb. cooked ham (chipped)
1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 lb. sliced pepperoni
fresh onions (chopped) - optional
green peppers (chopped) - optional
mushrooms (sliced) - optional
oregano
garlic salt
butter
Allow dough to rise as directed on bread dough package. Roll out the dough to about 8" by 10". Mix mustard and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl--use a pastry brush to brush the top of the dough with the mustard mixture. Add a layer of ham, and then a layer of cheese, then a layer of pepperoni on the dough--keep layering and insert onions, green peppers, and mushrooms as desired. Sprinkle the last layer with oregano and garlic salt. Fold dough over and seal with water so it is half moon shaped. Place the seam side of the stromboli down on a greased pan. Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with oregano and garlic salt. Cut slits in the top of the dough but don't cut all the way through to the filling layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until browned.
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#261 - Pumpkin Bread
(by Rachel Guarini - friend)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp. Calumet baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup Planter's Chopped Pecans
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Add sugar, pumpkin, Miracle Whip and milk - mix well. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, and then add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir just until moistened. Gently stir in pecans. Pour batter into greased and floured loaf pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan. Cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.
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#262 - Tuna Ranch Casserole
(by Shirley McNevich)
8oz. your choice of pasta
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2/3 cup bottled ranch dressing
1 - 6oz. can tuna (drained)
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, but save 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Coat a large skillet with Pam and heat over medium heat--add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add vegetables and pepper to the onions and cook 5 minutes. Stir in ranch dressing, tuna, pasta, and saved pasta water--heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the sharp cheese. Transfer entire mixture into a 2 qt. casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sharp cheese over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
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#263 - Potato and Egg Casserole
(by Shirley McNevich)
1/2 stick butter
16oz. Ore Ida hash brown potatoes
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 TBSP minced onion
3 TBSP ranch dressing
3/4 cup milk
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
chopped peppers (green and red) if desired
Mix butter and potatoes in casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are thawed. Remove from oven and drizzle dressing over potatoes. Add milk, tomatoes, pepper, onions, salt and cheese--add peppers if desired. Pour mixture over potatoes and bake at 350 degrees until eggs are set, stirring occasionally.
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#264 - Onion Dip
(by Shirley McNevich)
1 pint sour cream
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
Open the sour cream, add the soup mix and stir until blended. Refrigerate several hours before serving–you can transfer dip into any dip serving dish. Serve with assorted vegetables or chips.
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#265 - Strawberry Daiquiri Punch
(by Shirley McNevich)
6 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 - 6oz. container limeade frozen concentrate
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 - 16oz. bottle Sprite (chilled)
2 cups ice cubes
fresh strawberries for decoration (optional)
Remove stems and caps from fresh strawberries--thaw frozen berries after measuring and do not drain. Place strawberries half at a time in a blender--cover, blend until smooth. Transfer all blended berries to a large pitcher and stir in limeade and pineapple juice. Cover and chill until serving. Just before serving, stir in the Sprite and the ice. Serve in a punch bowl and add fresh strawberries as decoration if you wish.
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#266 - Chocolate Covered Strawberries
(by Shirley McNevich)
Make sure that strawberries are completely dry before dipping or the chocolate coating may clump. Dip berries no more than two hours before serving.
Fresh strawberries (rinsed and patted dry--leave the stems and caps in place)
12oz. EITHER chocolate or vanilla candy melts (available in Wal-Mart craft department)--if only doing a few berries, reduce the amount of chocolate
In a small saucepan, melt the candy coating you choose over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and tip saucepan--hold the strawberry by the stem and dip 3/4 of the berry. Hold and allow the extra coating to drip off of the berry. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or saran wrap. Allow to dry. Working quickly, repeat with remaining berries.
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#267 - Oreo Cookie Cheesecake
(by Shirley McNevich)
Crust: 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/3 cup melted butter; 1 tbsp. cinnamon
Batter: 4 - 8oz. packages Philly cream cheese; 2 tbsp. flour; 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cup chopped Oreo cookies; 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 2 extra large eggs; 2 egg yolks; 1 tbsp. vanilla
Topping: 2 cups sour cream; 1/4 cup white sugar; 1 tbsp. vanilla; extra crushed Oreo cookies to sprinkle on the top
Using a spoon and a bowl, combine the crust ingredients above and line the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. To make the filling mix the cream cheese, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and heavy whipping cream together in a mixer. Fold the chopped Oreos into the filling. Remove crust from oven and pour cream cheese mixture into the baked crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for 50 minutes more. Remove from oven. To make the topping, turn the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the sour cream, vanilla and sugar together in a mixer. Spread the topping on top of the warm cheesecake. Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and then refrigerate. Garnish with crushed Oreo cookies.