CHRISTMAS TOFFEE (CHOCOLATE SALTINE TOFFEE)

CHRISTMAS TOFFEE (CHOCOLATE SALTINE TOFFEE)

From Allie Troyer

saltine crackers (enough to line your jelly roll pan)
2 sticks butter, cubed
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 - 1 cup mini M&M's or chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and then line the pan with saltine crackers.

Place the butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized pot over low or medium-low heat.  Stir until the butter is melted.  Once the butter has melted, bring to a boil for 3 minutes.  Stir constantly.

Once it's nice and bubbly and changed to more of a caramel color, remove pan from heat and pour evenly over saltine crackers.  Spread mixture with a knife...however it doesn't have to be perfect.  Try to move fast during this part so the toffee doesn't harden.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes.  The mixture will spread evenly over the crackers as it bakes.

Remove pan from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  

Melt the chocolate and then pour over the top with a spatula.

Sprinkle M&M's or nuts on top and then place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Once the chocolate has hardened, break or cut pieces off the foil and store in a container.*

*Allie's note: The toffee will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks. 

JEFF'S FAVORITE MEATBALLS

JEFF'S FAVORITE MEATBALLS

From Allie Toms Troyer

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs*
2 garlic cloves, minced, optional
1 egg
1/4 cup mozzarella* cheese, finely grated
3 T. ketchup
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 T. dried parsley or 1 T. fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients minus the meat and slightly mix them together before adding the meat.

Add meat and mix all together. 

Form mixture into one-inch balls.  Makes 24 one-inch balls. 

Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.   Makes 24 one-inch balls.  I bake 12 at a time and freeze the other 12 for a quick easy dinner for the following week.

*Allie's note:  I use Italian style bread crumbs - you can use whatever kind you wish. For the cheese, I use mozzarella but you can use whatever kind you like.

COLD DAY CHILI

COLD DAY CHILI

From Allie Toms Troyer

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 T. jalapeno, finely chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans Mexican style tomatoes, like Rotel (undrained)
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 T. chili powder
2 T. cumin
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 t. paprika
1 can kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup water

Cook ground meat with onions and peppers; drain excess grease.

Add corn, tomatoes, jalapeno, sauce, seasonings and water and bring to a boil.

Add beans.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Serve with toppings and some corn muffins!  Enjoy!!

Toppings:  
Sour cream
Shredded cheese of your choice
Green onion, if desired

Makes 6-8 servings.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

From Rachel (Reid) Brown

Make the cinnamon streusel:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 t. ground cinnamon

6 T. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter.

Mix streusel mixture together with your hands or a fork til crumbly. 

Set aside.

Make the pancake batter:

3/4 cup all- purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 T. light brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/8 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 large egg

2 T. canola oil

1 t. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin, canola oil and vanilla extract. 

Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

Heat a griddle or pan to medium low. Coat with cooking spray.

Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto heated skillet.  Add 2 T. of cinnamon streusel.

Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes.  

Carefully flip pancake over and cover generously with cinnamon streusel. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Continue this process to make the rest of the pancakes.

Serve warm with maple syrup and butter.

Rachel’s Note:  for a variation - skip all of the cinnamon streusel ingredients and add dark chocolate chips to the pancake batter.  We LOVE pumpkin-chocolate chip pancakes!!

BBQ PORK

BBQ PORK

From Sonya Troyer

Pork Loin (or Chicken Breast*)

Put meat in crockpot.

Pour 1 can of Coke over the loin.

Cover and cook 8 hours on high.

Drain excess juice off.

Shred, then add your favorite BBQ sauce!

*If using chicken breasts, put chicken in crockpot. 

Cook 6-8 hours until it shreds easily.

Add your favorite BBQ sauce.

We make sandwiches using hamburger buns!

CREAM CHEESE DANISH

CREAM CHEESE DANISH

From Roy Reid (From Janice Kidd)

2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls, "butter flake" variety preferred
2 pkgs. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 t. vanilla

Topping:
1/3-1/2 cup butter, melted (3/4 to 1 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Press one pkg. of crescent rolls evenly into the bottom of the pan, pressing seams together. You may need to cut off about 1 inch of the end.

Mix until smooth the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the crescent roll layer in the dish.

Place the rolled out contents of the second pkg. of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Press the seams together if possible.  As above, you may need to cut off a portion of the crescent rolls to make it fit the dish.

Add sugar, cinnamon, and pecans to melted butter and spread evenly over the top of the crescent rolls.

Bake until browned at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  Watch carefully.

If serving warm, just use a spoon. Cool if you prefer to cut into bars before serving.

Janice Kidd's note:  Reduced fat cream cheese is fine. This is a great dish for carry-in meals because it is terrific warm, very good at room temperature, and leftovers are not half bad cold straight from the fridge.  I tasted this at a brunch for a Bible study group. I was one of the crowd clamoring for the recipe and was delighted it was so easy to prepare once I got over obsessing about putting the crescent rolls down 'perfectly.'  

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

From Lucy Reid (From Aunt Juanita Stevenson)

Melt to smooth paste shortening size of an egg.

Cream:
1 cup sugar
2 unbeaten eggs
1 cup plus 1 T. sifted flour
2 T. cocoa
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
dash salt
1 1/2-2 cups coconut 

Mix well and set in refrigerator until cold or overnight.

Make into balls the size of an English walnut and roll in powdered sugar.

Bake on cold cookie sheet 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

ORANGE DELICIOUS

ORANGE DELICIOUS

From Lucy Reid (From Aunt Claribel Willoughby)

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1  1/2 cups cold water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 tray ice cubes

Mix in blender, adding ice slowly. 

CRAZY CAKE

CRAZY CAKE

From Lucy Reid (From Fran Ruble)

1  1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3 T. cocoa
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda

Sift ingredients into loaf pan.  

Add:

1 T. vinegar
1 T. vanilla
5 T. melted shortening

Pour 1 cup cold water over all and mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

GRANDMA NANCY'S CHICKEN SALAD

GRANDMA NANCY'S CHICKEN SALAD

From Angie Reid (From Mom, Nancy Ionoff)

4 chicken breasts, cooked, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt, pepper, to taste
Grapes, chopped
Slivered or chopped almonds

Mix together and add more sour cream and mayonnaise, if needed.

BEST CARROT CAKE

BEST CARROT CAKE

From Angie Reid  (from Grace Denhoff)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 cups flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 t. vanilla
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2 oz.) can flaked coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped (or walnuts)

Line 3 cake pans with waxed paper; lightly grease, flour.  Set aside.

Stir together the first 4.

Beat eggs and next 4 at medium speed til smooth.

Add flour mixture, at low speed until blended.

Fold in carrots and next 3.

Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.

Drizzle buttermilk glaze evenly over layers. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.

Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Frost with cream cheese frosting.

SOUR CREAM BANANA PUDDING

SOUR CREAM BANANA PUDDING

From Angie Reid (From Karis Denhoff)

1 large box instant vanilla pudding
2  1/2 cups milk
8 oz. sour cream
1 large container Cool Whip
1 large box vanilla wafers
4-5 bananas

Mix pudding with the milk; beat according to pkg. directions.

Add sour cream and half the cool whip.  Mix well.

Layer vanilla wafers and bananas in a large bowl, pouring pudding over each layer.

Put remaining Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers.

Chill thoroughly.

LAYERED GREEN PEA SALAD

LAYERED GREEN PEA SALAD

From Angie Reid (Dad's Sunday dinners)

1 small head of lettuce, washed and dried
1 bag frozen peas
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 can water chestnuts
1  1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1  1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a 9 x 13 dish, make layers - half the lettuce, then 1/2 the peas, then onion, 
then peas. Top with remaining lettuce.

Mix the dressing - mayo and sugar - and spread over the salad.  

Garnish with crumbled bacon.  Top with cheddar cheese.

Cover.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Serves 6.

CALYPSO BEANS

CALYPSO BEANS

From Angie Reid (From Mom, Nancy Ionoff)

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 cup onions
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T. mustard
2 T. vinegar
1 large can pork n beans
1 large can kidney beans
1 large can butter beans

Brown bacon, hamburger, and onion; drain.

Add remaining ingredients.

Cook in crockpot for 6 hours on high or 1  1/2 hours in oven.

MAC N CHEESE

MAC N CHEESE

From Angie Reid (from Karis)

4 T. butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
1/2 t. salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cooked macaroni in a large bowl while still hot and mix in the cheddar.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients - then combine with the macaroni-cheese mixture.

Pour all into a casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes.  

Top with additional cheese, if desired.

BAKED CHEESE SQUARES

BAKED CHEESE SQUARES

From Angie Reid  (From Aunt Tammy Flowers)

9 eggs
1/2 t. salt
1  1/2 lbs. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can Green chiles

Mix together.

Bake in greased 9 x 13 pan at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

COLESLAW

COLESLAW

From Angie Reid (From Aunt Tammy Flowers)

1 pkg. coleslaw cabbage
1 bottle coleslaw dressing
1 can pineapple, drained if needed
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Mix all together and chill.

HEAVENLY HASH

HEAVENLY HASH

From Angie Reid (from Aunt Tammy Flowers)

1 cup Mandarin oranges
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and drained
1 cup coconut
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients and mix.

Chill for several hours or overnight.

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

From Angie Reid (from Aunt Tammy Flowers)

1 boiled & boned chicken
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
8 oz. Velveeta cheese (more is better)
12 oz. spaghetti

Cook spaghetti in the chicken broth, drain and add all the ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbling and hot all the way through.

Tammy's note: Sometimes I buy a roasted chicken and cook the spaghetti in chicken broth.

CHEESECAKE

CHEESECAKE

From Lucy Reid (Aunt Juanita Stevenson)

1 pkg. lemon jello dissolved in 1 cup water

Beat: 
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar

Whip:
1 large can evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla

Beat cream cheese and sugar.  Whip milk.  Put jello in last.

Crust:

24 graham crackers
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

JIFFY CAKE DESSERT

JIFFY CAKE DESSERT

From Lucy Reid (Aunt Clara Willoughby)

Prepare 1 small Jiffy Cake mix as directed on box.

Pour in 9 x 13 pan.

Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Cool well.

Mix 2 packages Instant Vanilla Pudding with 3 cups milk.

Add 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese.

Spread over cake.

Now spread on 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, well drained.

Cover with 9 oz. container of Cool Whip.

Chill or will freeze well.

PEANUT BUTTER PINWHEELS

PEANUT BUTTER PINWHEELS

From Lucy Reid (Aunt Juanita Stevenson)

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1  1/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. soda
2 T. milk
1 pkg. (6 oz.) chocolate bits

Cream shortening, sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla.

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk.

Roll out cookie dough to rectangle 1/4 inch in thickness.

Melt chocolate bits over hot water and cool slightly.

Roll in jelly roll fashion and chill 1/2 hour.

Slice with a sharp knife into thin slices (1/8 inch thick).

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

From Lucy Reid (Grandma Stevenson)

3 squares unsweetened chocolate
4 T. butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
1  1/2 cups sifted flour
1  1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Melt butter and chocolate.  Cool.

Add sugar, egg, vanilla and salt. Mix well.

Add flour and baking powder, alternately with the milk.

Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 7 minutes at 375 degrees.  Makes 3 dozen.


Frost with the following:
1  1/2 squares of chocolate, melted
1 T. butter 
6 marshmallows cut. 
1/8 cup water
1 t. vanilla

Thicken with 1 cup powdered sugar