Spanish Macaroni

Spanish Macaroni

1 lb. ground beef

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 C. water

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

2 (14.5 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes, broken up a bit, undrained

1 1/2 c. macaroni, uncooked

1 Tbsp. chili powder

Cook the ground beef in a frying pan; drain off any fat. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with the meat. Bring to a boil; then turn the heat to low. Cover and cook on low heat until the macaroni is done (about 10 to 15 minutes). Stir occasionally so the macaroni will not stick to the pan.

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

2 C dried green split peas

1 meaty hambone or 1 large ham hock

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 C chopped onion

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

 2 tsp dried parsley flakes

Seasoning salt to taste

6 C chicken broth or water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Place ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. About 1 hour before readsy to serve remove ham and remove any meat off the bones, discard bones and set meat aside. Place 3-4 cups of the cooked soup in a blender with the cornstarch and puree. Place meat and pureed soup back into the crockpot to cook until thickened about an hour.

Cornbread Burger Bake

Cornbread Burger Bake

1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. cornmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1 can (8 oz.) cream-style corn
1/2 c. milk
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 c. grated cheese


In a bowl, mix the egg, cornmeal, baking soda, corn, milk and oil, mixture will be thin. Set aside. Cook the ground bee, onion, green pepper and chili powder in a skillet; drain off any fat. Place the meat mixture in a greased baking dish. Cover with the grated cheese and then the cornmeal mixture. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Chicken Shortcake

Chicken Shortcake
Shortcake:
¼ C. shortening, plus some for greasing the baking pan
1 C. cornmeal
1 C. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1 C. milk

Creamed Chicken:
3 C. chicken, cooked and chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 ½ C. milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Grease an 8 inch square baking pan with shortening and set aside. Heat oven to 425 degrees. To make the shortcake, melt ¼ c shorting over low heat and set aside. In a mixing bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add melted shorting, egg and milk. Stir just to combine, do not over mix, mixture may be lumpy. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. To prepare the chicken melt butter in a pan over low heat, add flour and stir. Gradually add the milk, stirring frequently. Keep stirring until thickened, season to taste and add chicken. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add more milk if sauce is too thick or add more flour if mixture is too thin. To serve cut the shortcake into 6 pieces and serve creamed chicken over the shortcake.

Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Marmalade Cream Cheese Filling

Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Marmalade Cream Cheese Filling
Cake:
1 Tsp. orange zest
1 C. butter, softened
1 ½ C sugar
1/3 C. orange juice
5 eggs
3 C. flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2/3 C milk

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ C sugar
1 Tbsp. orange juice
½ C orange marmalade


Glaze:
1 C. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. lemon zest

Combine all the filling ingredients together and set to the side. For the cake cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add orange juice and zest, blend well. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk, blend until smooth. Pour ½ of the cake batter into a 12 cup greased bundt pan. Add the filling, keeping it towards the center and away from the sides, top with remaining cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touch and pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Mix the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest for the glaze and drizzle over the top of the cake.

For more wonderful recipes visit Sweet Tooth Friday

Tuna and Rice

Tuna and Rice

3 Tbsp. butter
¼ C finely chopped onion
¼ C finely chopped celery
1 (6 oz) can tuna, drained and flaked
2 C cooked rice
¼ C minced parsley
Salt to taste
½ C chopped cashews

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft. Stir in the tuna, rice, parsley, and salt and heat through. Sprinkle with cashews and serve hot.

Polish Sausage and Potatoes with Cabbage and Tomatoes

Crockpot Polish Sausage and Potatoes

6 potatoes, baked and chopped

1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced

Place everything in a crockpot, cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through. Serve with diced onions, sour cream, sauerkraut, horseradish sauce, ketchup or any other condiments your family may like.

Cabbage and Tomatoes

1 onion, diced

Oil as needed

1 small head cabbage, chopped

Seasoning salt to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Water as needed

In a large pot sauté onion until soft in oil. Add cabbage and season to taste. Add tomatoes with juice and a small amount of water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to low and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or until cabbage is cooked.

My Husbands Favorite Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

My Husbands Favorite Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

2 C. flour

2 C. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 C. shredded carrots

1 C. oil

4 eggs

Nonstick Cooking spray

Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

½ C. butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

4 ½-4 1/4 C. powdered sugar, sifted, divided

Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add carrots, oil and eggs. Beat until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes then remove from pan to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and keep in the refrigerator any unused portion.

For the frosting beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar as needed to reach a nice spreadable consistency.

For more wonderful things check out Finer Things Friday

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches and Potato Salad

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches
6 boneless, skinless chicken pieces
Ranch dressing to taste
6 slices cheese
6 lettuce leaves
6 Hamburger buns
Condiments to taste (mayo, mustard, etc.)

Grill or broil chicken until almost done, baste on both sides with Ranch dressing. Assemble as sandwiches and serve.

Potato Salad
6 medium potatoes
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 C. mayonnaise
Paprika for garnish

Boil the potatoes in their jackets until done. Allow to cool and then chop into bite sized pieces. Place potatoes in a bowl with the eggs. Mix in salt, pepper, mustard, and mayonnaise. Garnish with paprika on top. Chill for about 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Bean Burritos

Bean Burritos

1 pound dry pinto beans, about 2-1/3 cups
2 quarts of tap water
2 to 4 ounces margarine
Adobo to taste
6 flour tortillas
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Soak the beans in 2 quarts of cold water overnight, the next day, bring the beans to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for an hour. Then add the margarine and adobo to taste. Cover again and simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour. The beans should be tender. When they are tender, drain off liquid. Place tortillas wrapped in foil in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes until warm. Assemble as burritos when tortillas are warmed with beans and cheese.

Sicilian Meat Roll

Sicilian Meat Roll

2 eggs, beaten

¼ C. soft bread crumbs

½ C. tomato juice

2 Tbsp. parsley, minced

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

2 lbs. ground beef

8 slices deli ham

1 ½ C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

6 slices mozzarella cheese

Combine eggs, bread crumbs, tomato juice, and seasonings including garlic. Add the ground beef and mix well. Turn onto a foil lined board and pat into a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Arrange the ham and cheese on top, leaving room around the edges. Roll up from the short end, making sure to keep all the ham and cheese inside the roll. Seal the edges and ends well. Place the roll seam side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until done, about 1-1 ½ hours. At the end of cooking place the cheese slices on top and allow to melt, remove from oven and serve.