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HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS

Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and grease it
Make sure your edges of the foil are not bunched up…try and make it smooth.

Container large enough to coat marshmallows:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
*Put in bowl and set aside

Large bowl:
1/2 cup water
2 packages unflavored Knox Gelatin
*Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let sit to gel up

Heavy medium saucepan:
1/2 cup water
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
*Mix water and sugar in pan and heat to boiling, boil for 2 minutes
*Whisk the hot mixture into the gel, blending well
*Chill for at least 10 minutes
*At highest speed beat this mixture until it turns white and becomes thick like meringue
*Beat in vanilla
*Pour into prepared pan
*Chill about an hour and a half
*Use ends of foil to lift marshmallows from pan
*Use sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuttings and cut into small squares
*Coat the marshmallows in the powdered sugar/cornstarch mixture, shake or pat off as much excess powder - they become very sweet otherwise
*Store in covered airtight container

 

KAREN'S APPLE PIE

 

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. Cortland Apples
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1-½ Tablespoons Cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon Ginger
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• Pastry for 2 pie crusts (home made or prepared)

Preperation

• Peel, core and slice apples into large bowl
• Add all ingredients except butter
• Prepare pie dough of choice and assemble in pan
• Add apple mixture to pie dish
• Dot with butter
• Put on top crust, crimp edges, brush top with water, sprinkle with sugar
• Cut slit in top center crust to vent
• Place pie on cookie sheet (prevents overflow onto bottom of oven)
• Bake 400 degrees for one hour
• Let rest and cool for at least 2-3 hours
• Serve plain or with ice cream

  

  

 

 

APPLE CRISP
(from Linda Moczan, PA) 

heat oven to 350*
13 x 9 dish

4 apples peeled & sliced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 softened butter
 
Place apples in bottom of dish
Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples
Dab butter pieces on top
 
Bake 30 min. or until apples are tender
Serve warm and if desired, with cool whip or ice cream

 

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES
From Kylee Schmitt

4 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet baking chocolate
½ cup butter ( 1 stick )
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 425
Butter or spray 4 custard cups and place on baking sheet
Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl on high for one minute
Stir with whisk until chocolate is completely melted (you may have to put back in microwave for 15-20 seconds)
Stir in powdered sugar until well blended
Whisk in eggs and egg yolksStir in flour
Pour into custard cups, Bake approx. 12-15 minutes
Remove from custard cups by placing dessert plate on top of cup and turn upside down so it drops onto plate.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar and sliced strawberries….serve hot.

 

DREAMSICLE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:
graham crust (make it yourself or pre-made is fine.)
16oz cream cheese
6oz can of frozen orange juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
10oz of whipped cream (cool whip)

Instructions:
Mix softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and orange juice with mixer.
Fold in whipped cream.
Pour into crust.
Chill one hour.
Soooo easy and beyond good.

 

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

2 Chicken Breasts (bone in for flavor)
2 Cans Swanson Chicken Stock
1 Medium onion (diced thin)
3 Celery Stalks (diced thin)
4 Carrots or 2 handfuls of the mini carrots (sliced thin)
2 Cups already cooked noodles of your choice (I used broad noodles)

Simmer chicken in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them along with salt and pepper to taste

Meanwhile heat up the broth and add the other ingredients
All except the cooked noodles, these will go in at the end before serving otherwise they get all mushy

When chicken is tender (about 15 minutes), remove from pan, cool just a bit so you can take them apart into edible chunks (or shredded, however you like your chicken to be in your soup)

Pour the juice the chicken was simmering in, into the broth pot for added flavor…don't want to throw any of that down the drain!

Then add the chicken to the already simmering pot of goodies!

Simmer till vegetables are tender. I like to simmer mine for at least an hour to get the flavor through

This is a very easy and fast recipe with lots of flavor…we don't add an other flavorings like herbs…it's just pure chicken flavor and delish!

KAREN'S SUNDAY NIGHT PIZZA

I have been making this for all our married life - it was a Sunday night supper when our boys were growing up and a family favorite.
This makes a large jelly roll size pizza - enough for a family of 5 at least

• (2) 6.5 oz. bags pizza crust mix
  (1) 15 oz. Dei Fratelli pizza sauce
  (4) cup pkg. shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  (1) small onion - quartered and sliced thin
  (1) 7 oz. can stems & pieces mushrooms/drained
  1/2 cup green olives or black olives/sliced
  (2) small Roma Tomatoes/sliced thin
  3/4 lb. ground Sirloin or Italian Sausage
  Salt
  Pepper
  Oregano
• You will need a sheet cake pan or large round pizza pan
• Prepare pizza crust as directed, let stand about 5 min. for easier handling
  Grease pan, pat out dough to come up the edges of pan
• Then layer these ingredients:
  Mushrooms
  Olives
  Onions
  Tomatoes
• Then take your ground Sirloin and pinch flat pieces off….
  this makes the meat cook faster
• Salt, pepper and Oregano
• Top off with the shredded cheese
• Bake 425 degrees for 25 minutes
• Let stand about 5 minutes to set up some.
• I don't use a pizza cutter - I use a large butcher knife….I cut up and down, if you try and draw the knife across it pulls the cheese and toppings off.

ENJOY!

POT ROAST

3-3.5 lb Chuck Roast
1 16 oz. box Swanson Beef Broth
1 Large Onion
2-3 Bay Leaves
2 Small jars Heinz Chicken Gravy
Potatoes
Carrots
4-5 Very small Onions

• Brown the roast in about 3 Tablespoons of oil along with one large sliced onion, salt and pepper.
• After it's browned to your liking add about 1 cup of water in the pan to loosen the browned on pieces and this will become the start of your base to cook the beef in.
• Add 2-3 bay leaves and about 1 cup of Swanson Beef Broth
• Cover and simmer very low for approx 4 hours till fork tender.
• When the meat is done remove it to a baking dish, cover it with foil, and place in a warm oven until the vegetables are done.
• I use the juice from the meat, the extra beef broth and 2 jars of Heinz Chicken Gravy to simmer the potatoes, carrots and onions in till tender.
• When the vegies are tender I remove them to a dish, place covered in the oven and thicken the gravy with either 'Wondra' or a mixture of flour/water….stir in till thickened.
• This is a foolproof way of making gravy as well..and the flavor is superb.

    
I served this with some Marie Callender's Corn Bread

 

Happy Eating!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA DIP

• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (2 breasts)
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese - softened
• 1 cup mayo (I use Hellmann's)
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 of 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chili peppers (I use the whole can)
• 1 can Del Monte Zesty Tomatoes - do not drain
• Tortilla Chips
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken in casserole dish with about 1 cup of water in bottom, season chicken with salt and pepper, cover, cook about 10-15 minutes in microwave.
You can prepare it the same way using a pan on the stove as well, remove, cool and shred.

Mix all ingredients.

Place mixture into a medium baking/casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 30 min. at 350 degrees until edges are golden brown

REVEL BARS

Ingredients: (For the Oat batter mixture)

• 1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter (softened)
• 2 Cups packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 TSP Vanilla
• 3 Cups Quaker QUICK COOKING Oats
• 2 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 Tsp Salt

Ingredients: (For the Chocolate Mixture)

• 1 - 14oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 - 12 oz pkg NESTLE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tsp Vanilla

Directions:

First, Preheat oven to 350* degrees. Beat butter & Brown sugar together…

Add eggs & Vanilla…

In a separate bowl, combine Flour, Oats, Soda & Salt together.

Add this to the butter mixture.

Now, this will get really thick, and kind of hard to work with, I usually end up turning off my mixer & stirring it by hand.

Now, press 2/3's of this mixture into your pan. (Save 1/3 of it). I usually put a sandwich baggie over my hand and press it down with that, as the batter sticks to everything else!

Now, you'll need a double boiler for this next part…I guess if you don't have one, you could probably try to melt these ingredients together in the microwave, but I've never tried it, so I'm not sure how that would work.

In your double boiler, melt together your Sweetened condensed milk, Chocolate Chips, 2 tsp butter & 2 tsp vanilla. Stirring constantly.(Sorry, I didn't take picture of this step).

Pour this over the mixture in your pan.

Now drop the remaining 1/3rd of your batter mixture all over the top of your melted chocolate mixture.

Bake at 350* for 25-30minutes…JUST UNTIL THE TOP GETS LIGHTLY BROWNED! DO NOT OVER COOK.

I cook mine for exactly 25 minutes, but oven temps may vary.

Cool completely & enjoy!

PECAN PRALINES
(From an old Godchaux Sugar Refinery recipe book printed approx. 1879)

• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3 cups broken pecan meats (you can use halves; I prefer pieces)
• 1 tblspn butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

• Place sugars and water in larger heavy pot. (I use as old heavy iron pot.) Bring to boil.
• When sugars are dissolved, add pecans.
• Turn heat down and allow mixture to gently simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally.
• Cook for approx. 15 -20 minutes..."until the mixture grains when metal spoon is rubbed against side of pot." (This is direct wording from original copy.)
• Remove from heat. Add margarine and vanilla. Stir mixture until it appears to granulate and adhere to the spoon.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto plain wax paper. Allow to cool before removing and enjoy.
• This is what pralines really tasted like in the 1800's.
• Most of today's pralines have milk in their recipes and are not the authentic taste.
• If you don't cook this long enough, put it back and cook longer. If you've cooked it too long and it gets hard before you've finished "dropping...", add a little more water and return to simmer once more.

This recipe is from:
http://www.softmemories.com/HeirloomRecipes/1800s.htm#Pecan Pralines
The Godchaux Sugar Refinery was an old company in New Orleans, LA

CHICKEN SALAD
My cousin Linda Schmitt from Lancaster, PA served this at her daughter's graduation party a few weeks ago and we just loved it!

*3 Chicken Breasts - Cook chicken breasts till tender (I like poaching them in just a bit of water and or chicken stock for my salads). When cooled pull chicken apart
*1 Carrot - diced or shredded
*2 Stalks Celery - diced
*1 Cup Cashew Nuts
*1 Cup Pea Pods - cut into thirds or bit size pieces
Mix all these ingredients together

Add Hellmann's Mayo - approx 1½ cups. Whip the mayo to make it creamy and add salt and pepper to taste. If you think this isn't enough mayo add a bit more….it's a preference thing

Refrigerate until needed

Just before serving mix in about 1½ cups Chow Mien Noodles

Serve on Croissant Rolls or on a bed of lettuce
Enjoy!!

RHUBARB CAKE

This is a heavy moist cake and just delicious!
Oven 350
9 x 13 cake pan

2 cups rhubarb - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup sugar
Mix this sugar with the rhubarb - let sit while mixing cake

1/2 cup margarine or butter - soft
1-1/2 cups sugar
Cream these two together till creamy
3 eggs - add this to the creamed mixture

Now add
2 cups flour
1 teasp. Vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teasp. baking soda
1/2 teasp. baking powder
Dash of salt
Mix all together as you would any other cake, beat about 2 minutes
Add rhubarb - fold into cake batter

Put in buttered/floured cake pan
Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar
Bake 40-45 minutes (insert knife in center - if it comes out clean it's done)

Serve with whip cream, cool whip or ice cream
VARIATION:
I have used apples cut up in place of the rhubarb and it's just as delicious.

 

MAYONNAISE CAKE
This is a cake I grew up with and it's so rich and moist and doesn't require oil or eggs

1 CUP SUGAR
2 CUPS FLOUR
2 TEASP. BAKING SODA
4 HEAPING TABLESPOONS COCOA
DASH OF SALT
1 CUP MAYONNAISE
1 CUP COLD WATER
1 TEASP. VANILLA

Sift dry ingredients and set aside, Mix water, mayonnaise and vanilla in large bowl then add dry ingredients
Pour into greased, floured 9x13 pan
Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes
Frost with Butter Cream Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting

BUTTER CREAM ICING INGREDIENTS

1 cup of vegetable shortening
1 lb of powdered sugar
4 to 6 tbsp water
2 tsp of butter flavoring or vanilla extract

To make the butter cream icing, slowly cream the vegetable shortening and powdered sugar together.
As the shortening and sugar start blending, slowly add flavoring and 4 tbsp of water.
Mix on medium speed until the icing is smooth and creamy.
If a thinner consistency is desired, simply add the remaining 2 tbsp of water.