Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Country Crock Homestyle Mashed Potatoes
1 cup sour cream divided into 1/2 cups
2 tsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing mix
About 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend (mild cheddar & Monterey Jack)
About 1/3 cup Hormel Real Bacon Pieces
About 1/3 cup finely sliced green onion including some green.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° if serving immediately.

Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions.

Mix 1/2 cup sour cream with ranch dressing mix.

Distribute cooked potatoes evenly in 9 1/4 x 7 inch pan or the equivalent. If too full remove 1/4 to 1/2 cup of potatoes.

Poke holes in potatoes every one to two inches and spread sour cream mix over top and into holes.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.

If making ahead, refrigerate now.  To serve later bake cold potatoes at 325° for 20 to 30 minutes and add remaining ingredients as directed.

If serving immediately, bake until cheese melts slightly.  (Or try the microwave to melt the cheese.  Please let me know how well it works.)

Sprinkle evenly with bacon pieces and green onions.

Put remaining sour cream in a Zip lock bag. Cut a tiny hole in one corner.  Squeeze/pipe sour cream dollops all over the top.

Serves 10 for a meal or 20 for a potluck.

ENJOY!

Squashed Sausage Soup

This recipe is the result of a happy accident.  My dear husband made the pasta mix, but added salt.  It was MUCH too salty, but we ate half the package anyway.  Rather that eat more of the same, the next night I started rummaging through the frig for something to use to make the remainder into soup so the excess salt would be diluted.

The result was so tasty I just had to share it.


Ingredients

1 pkg Pasta Roni Angel Hair Pasta and Herb mix (it might be a good idea to break the noodles in half)
2  boxes Swanson Chicken Broth
2 onions (Vidalia preferred)
2 yellow squash, sliced thick and quartered
2 small zuchinni, sliced thick and halved
2 Keilbasa sliced evenly
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Make Pasta per package directions (microwave is fine)
Add broth and onions to large pot and cook over medium high heat
When onions are translucent add squash, zuchinni and keilbasa.
Continue boiling until vegetables barely begin to soften.
Remove from heat
Add salt and pepper to taste (go easy on the salt ;-)

(Serves 8)

Erma Bombeck's Taco Salad

1 head lettuce
1/2 pound ground beef or ground sirloin
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup dressing (your favorite)
sour cream
tortilla triangles


Wash and chop the lettuce. Drain and refrigerate. Put ground beef
in large glass bowl and microwave on HIGH for 3-4 minutes. Drain.
Add lettuce, tomatoes and 1/2 the cheese to bowl. Toss with
salad dressing. Divide salad onto 6 plates. Sprinkle remainder
of cheese on top of each serving. Put 1 1/2 teaspoons of sour
cream on top of each salad. Serve with tortilla triangles.

Serves 6

St. Joseph Seafood

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 lb cooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 6 1/2 oz can crab meat (tuna in water can be substituted)
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 dash salt
3/4 cup bread crumbs


Melt butter and cook vegetables 4 minutes on HIGH. Stir once
while cooking. Combine remaining ingredients, except bread
crumbs, with cooked vegetables. Top with bread crumbs. Cover
with wax paper. Cook 5 minutes on HIGH or until bubbly.

Serves 4 to 6
Refrigerate remainder
Can be reheated in microwave

Crockpot Tuna Noodle Casserole

1/4 cup dry sherry
2/3 cup milk
1 can cream of celery soup
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
10 oz frozen peas and carrots (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
2 cans tuna, drained
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (to taste)
10 oz egg noodles
2 tablespoons butter


In a large mixing bowl, combine soup, sherry, milk, parsley flakes,
vegetables, curry powder and tuna. Stir well and fold in noodles.
Blend again. Pour into well greased (or sprayed with Pam) crockpot
and dot with butter. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or
until vegetables and noodles are done.

Serves 4 to 6
Refrigerate remainder
Can be reheated in microwave

Hearty Tuna Chowder

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup each, chopped celery, chopped onion,
chopped green pepper
2 medium potatoes, cut in small cubes
1 can or package tuna in water (7 oz), undrained
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup evaporated milk or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Melt butter or margarine in a non-stick saucepan over
medium low heat. Saute celery, onion, green pepper and
potatoes for about 10 minutes. Stir flour into the mixture
and cook another 3 minutes; add tuna, bacon and broth. Stir
until smooth and thickened. Add corn and transfer mixture
to crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Add milk,
cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on HIGH for another
20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 4
Refrigerate remainder
Can be reheated in microwave

Crock Pot Dijon Chicken

4 chicken breast halves
1 heaping tablespoon honey Dijon mustard
salt and coarsely ground black pepper or seasoned pepper
2 (8 oz) packages baby spinach or 1 pound washed and
dried fresh spinach leaves
2 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces


Grease crock pot or spray with Pam. Wash chicken and pat dry.
Rub chicken with honey mustard and sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Top with spinach.
Spinach can be packed in, or add spinach in parts as spinach
wilts as it cooks. Dot spinach with butter and sprinkle with
more salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

Serves 4
Refrigerate remainder
Reheats in microwave the next day

Baked "Fried" Chicken

1 2 1/2-3 pound chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups (Ritz) cracker crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Melt butter in dish that is large enough to dip chicken
pieces. Mix crumbs and seasonings together in a seperate
bowl. Dip chicken into butter and roll in crumb mixture
and place in microwave baking dish. Be sure to put
larger pieces around the outer edge of the baking dish.
Cover with waxed paper and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.
Turn pieces over, cover and cook on HIGH for another
10 minutes. Test by piercing with a sharp knife and if
more cooking is needed, uncover and cook another 2-4
minutes.

Serves 4 to 6
Refrigerate leftovers
Can be reheated in microwave

Crocked Chicken

1 1/3 cups rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can (6 oz.) evaporated milk
1 chicken, cut up
1 package dry onion soup mix


Butter crockpot (I would spray well with Pam). Add rice, soups and milk. Place chicken over rice mixture in crockpot. Sprinkle dry soup mix over chicken. Cook on LOW 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.

Serves 4
Refrigerate leftovers
Can be reheated in microwave

Crab Mornay

2 cups medium white sauce
2 cups cooked crab meat
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, grated

Basic White Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk


Microwave butter 30 seconds on High. Blend in flour and salt,
gradually stir in milk. Microwave 4 1/2 minutes total on High
or until mixture boils and thickens, strirring twice during
last half of cooking time.

Layer 1/2 of the crab meat, white sauce and cheese into an
8" by 8" baking dish. Repeat with a second layer.
Microwave 8-10 minutes on Medium-High.

Can be prepared a day ahead of time, stored in refrigerator
and heated later
Serves 5 to 6
Refrigerate leftovers
Can be reheated in microwave

Crock Pot Chicken And Sausage Gumbo

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3/4 to 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces
1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen cut okra
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen medium shrimp, cleaned and cooked
1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice


In a small saucepan, combine flour and oil; mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, about 8 to 12 minutes or until mixture turns a light red-brown. Place flour and oil mixture in 3 1/2 to 4 quart crockpot. Stir in all remaining ingredients except shrimp and rice. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Add cooked shrimp to the gumbo; mix well. Cover and continue to cook on LOW for 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Serve gumbo over hot cooked rice.

Serves 6 to 8
Refrigerate leftovers
Can be reheated in microwave

Gram's Beef Stew

This recipe has changed over the years. Commercial seasonings have been added, but it is essentially the same basic recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation.

You will need a large frying pan and a 6 quart pot.

1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
Lawry's Seasoned Garlic Salt
WaterMcCormick Beef Stew Seasoning Mix
Teriyaki Sauce*
2 pounds carrots
4 onions
1 - 3 potatoes (see **Freezing Option)
If you have a bit more that 1 1/2 pounds of beef stew meat, that is OK. Just don't try to use less meat. Brown the stew meat in a large frying pan. Turn meat as it browns. After turning twice, Sprinkle with Lawry's Seasoned Garlic Salt. Turn again and sprinkle the other side with Garlic Salt. You will probably have to cook two batches of meat. When the first batch is done add it to the sauce pan, and immediately start the next batch in the same frying pan. When the second batch is done and the meat has all been transferred to the pot, add water to the frying pan and stir to remove the browned bits on the bottom. Add that water to the pot. Add one more frying pan of water to the pot. (Sorry that's the best measurment I can give.) Be careful to leave room for the remaining ingredients.

Add McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning Mix
Add 2 glub-glubs of Teriyaki sauce* Stir and set on high until pot almost boils, then reduce to medium low heat. Set the timer for 1/2 hour.

Peel the carrots and slice them lengthwise and then into 2 inch pieces. Try to keep the diameters equal. At the half hour buzzer, add the carrots to the pot, and set the timer for another 1/2 hour.

Peel the onions and half them then cut the halves into wedges. At the 1/2 hour buzzer add the onions to the pot, and set the timer for another 1/2 hour.
Cut down on the number of potatoes if you plan to freeze a portion.**
Peel and quartered and slice the potatoes into uniform large bite size pieces. At the 1/2 hour when the buzzer goes off, add the potatoes and set timer for 1/2 hour.

The stew will be done when the potato separates easily with a fork. Usually at the end of the half hour, but be prepared to add a little extra time if necessary.

Serve with a nice salad.

*A note about Teriyaki sauce: The best Teriyaki Sauce USED to be Lawry's. But some genius in their marketing department decided to add Pineapple Juice to their already perfect sauce. It can no longer be used for cooking or flavoring. In the meantime Kikoman stepped up to the bat and improved their sauce by adding Roasted Garlic. It is now my kitchen staple. Cheers to Kikomen! Jeers to Lawry's...

**Freezing Option: Remove 1/2 of the ingredients before you add potatoes to freeze for another day. DO NOT FREEZE POTATOES. This freezes nicely in a gallon Zip Lock Freezer bag. To serve later, thaw, add 1 quartered and sliced potato. Cook until potato is done.