Charleston Shrimp and Grits

When my in-laws were on their mission in South Carolina, Bart and I decided to take our 7-month-old, Hunter, out to meet them. (My dad was kind enough to give us some frequent flyer tickets to make the trip). We had a wonderful time with them, and they took us to a restaurant in Charleston, where I ate one of the best meals I've ever had. Of course, I can't get the exact recipe I had that day, but this one from the internet gets good reviews.

• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, halved lengthwise, and deveined if you wish
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste
• 1 1/2 c. stone-ground grits, not instant or quick-cooking
• 6 thick slices bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. (about 1/4 pound) grated medium to sharp Cheddar cheese
• Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

Combine shrimp, lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of hot pepper sauce. Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.

Bring 6 c. of water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a large sauce pan.
Whisk in grits a few handfuls at a time. (They will bubble up initially.) Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.
While the grits simmer, get the gravy under way.

Fry bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in onion, green pepper, and garlic and cook until the onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and sautee 5 minutes. Stir in stock and remaining salt and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat while you finish the grits.

When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much butter as you wish, followed by cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like. Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.

Return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, no more than 5 minutes. Serve immediately, mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy.

SERVES 4.

Layered Banana Pudding (SC version)

My in-laws, Jim and Belle Benson, served a mission in South Carolina. They brought back some really great recipes. This is so delicious! We just visited Belle a couple of weeks ago, and she made this for us one night. I asked her for the recipe, and she sent it to me in the mail. I never get mail anymore, and it felt so special! Love her so much. She wrote a note at the bottom of the recipe: "Hi. Yesterday it was 85 degrees, today it is raining and blowing at 60 degrees. Still hoping for a great summer. It was great to have you here for a few days. Looking forward to July. Love, Mom."



Line bottom of a 9x13 with vanilla wafers.

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. milk
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cool whip
4 bananas, sliced
2 packages instant vanilla pudding (3 oz. size)

Mix cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, add 1/2 of cool whip.
Mix pudding (per package instructions) and fold into cream cheese mixture.
Pour half over the wafers. Top with sliced bananas. Pour rest of mixture over the bananas.
Top with cool whip and chill.

(For an 8x8 pan, half the recipe)

Pumpkin Cake

This is another Fall recipe. My sister Karen's mother-in-law, Bonnie Holyoak, makes this cake, and it gets rave reviews.

1 pkg. Yellow Cake Mix (minus 1 c. set aside for later)

1 egg

1/3 c. Soft Butter

Blend together with a fork and press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Beat  together the following ingredients and pour over cake mixture in the pan:

 1 lg. can of pumpkin

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Ginger

2 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Cloves

2 ½ c. canned milk

1 c. Sugar

Mix together the following and crumble on top of the cake:

 2 Tbsp. sugar

¼ c. soft butter

1 c. cake mix (that was reserved earlier)

Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Gypsy Stew

My sister Karen Holyoak is really talented in the kitchen, and has a knack for finding recipes that use healthy foods in unexpected ways. For instance, this stew contains sweet potatoes and prunes. It is savory, though, and reminds me of Fall. It is one of the tastiest stews I have ever eaten!

4 Tbsp. olive oil

2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1lb. stew meat

2 c. diced peeled sweet potatoes 

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

3 c. chicken or beef stock

1 Tbsp. tamari 

1 c. chopped fresh tomato

1/2 c. chopped prunes

1/2 c. sliced carrots

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

In the oil, sautee: onion, celery, garlic, stew meat, and sweet potatoes about 5-10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Add seasonings and stir to blend. Then add stock and tamari, and cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more.

Amish Baked Oatmeal

This is a recipe that my sister Mandy Wright uses. It is a family favorite at her house, and it is delicious on a cold morning. Very filling.

3 c. quick oats
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1/2 c. melted butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350
Mix all ingredients together
pour into a 9x13 baking dish
bake for 25-30 minutes

Serve with a little bit of milk, some brown sugar, some fruit, or just eat it plain!

Antonio Stew

This recipe is from my Granny, and was obtained by my Dad and my Uncle Al. Here's the long story on the stew, from my Dad:

"Antonio Stew?  Really long story.  See, there was this alfalfa field... like 40 acres or so, owned by Mrs. Mazetti.  She was a cantankerous old woman with a history of chasing off kids with her shotgun... or at least that was the rumor we all heard as kids.  One poor sap even got shot in the butt with rock salt... at least that is how the story went.  Mrs. Mazetti's field was right across the street from Sequoia School, with a dirt road between them.  That dirt road was Locust Street... and if you headed south on it for half a mile, you'd get to where I lived... in sandy soil in a bunch of tumble weeds, with a fish-and muskrat-filled, tree-lined drainage ditch on one edge of our property.

"Well, one day, a sheepherder with a shepherds trailer and a couple of border collies and a flock of sheep showed up in the fields of Mrs. Mazetti... they were there to graze for a month or two on the already harvested alfalfa stalks in the fall.  The year was 1964, and the sheepherder was an old Basque man named Antonio.  Alan and I would go visit him, usually on weekends while we were running around, and we'd tell him the latest news and he'd tell us about raising sheep and such.  He hadn't heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated.  He had no radio or TV... just his traveling bunkhouse.  But he invited us in for lunch... and it was a lamb stew that was absolutely mouth-watering.  It was spicy, the lamb was braised; there were potatoes and other vegetables... but the lamb was so delicious.  We rarely ate his meager meal, but he was insistent that we try it... and it was wonderful.

"Alan did his best to remember how Antonio created this dish, and my mom tried to recreate it... it was close, but there is no better lamb stew than that created in the small confines of a sheepherders meager surroundings.

"By the way, one day, Antonio and the sheep were gone... on to 'greener pastures'.  A couple of years later, Alan, Rod and I were riding our bicycles following the railroad tracks all over the countryside surrounding Manteca... near the "Bargain Barn"... a flea market weekend business held in a former WWII Magnesium plant... and we could see a sheepherder in a field in the distance.  I think we recognized the well-trained dogs first... then there he was... Antonio.  It was a sweet reunion... he was so glad to see how we had grown... and we were glad to see the old Basque sheepherder was still alive and doing what he loved.  And yes, quickly came the aroma of a fresh batch of Antonio Stew as only Antonio knew how to create it."

lamb meat - 3 or 4 lbs.
cooking oil (enough to brown the meat)
salt, to taste
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small dry red pepper, finely minced
3 or 4 Del Monte hot chili peppers, chopped
2 1/2 tsp. Louisiana hot sauce
potatoes, in chunks
peas, frozen or canned

Brown lamb meat in cooking oil. Drain. Add salt, and transfer to cooking pot. Add all ingredients except for potatoes and peas. Simmer until tender. Add potatoes and simmer. Add peas, and simmer a little longer.

Brian Burgers

These hamburger patties are named after my Dad. This is his explanation for them:

"Brian Burgers... it was my favorite recipe of how to doctor up hamburger so it tasted more like steak... lots of Worcestershireshireshire Sauce, onions, even fresh bread crumbs... salt, pepper... all mixed together and fried in a skillet...  a favorite after work/school snack if I was cooking for myself. Just concocted it one day, making modifications to what my Mom regularly cooked.  At least, that is how I remember it."

2 lbs. hamburger
oil to fry patties in
salt, to taste
1 onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash of barbecue spice
3 slices of bread
water

Break bread into small pieces. Soak the pieces in water, then squeeze the water out. Mix remaining ingredients (except for oil). Form the burger mixture into patties and fry them in the oil over medium heat, with a lid over them. Drain them well before serving.

Depression Salad

This is another recipe from Granny. It is something her mother, Verna Daniels, used to make.

chopped iceberg lettuce
carrots, peeled and grated
chopped celery (optional - if you have it)
chopped green onion (optional)
sliced cucumbers (optional)

Dressing:
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. vinegar
milk (to thin as desired)

(The optional items were added to the recipe later, when times were better)

Rhoda's Macaroni Salad

This also comes from my Granny. It is a recipe from my paternal great-grandmother: Rhoda McConnell.

cooked macaroni
mayonnaise
sweet pickle relish
chopped hard-boiled eggs
chopped red onion
chopped canned red pimentos

*Tip: soak chopped red onions in ice water for 10 minutes, so they won't be hot.

Mix all ingredients together. Sorry there are no amounts! Guess you have to eyeball it!

Verna's Salad-Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a recipe given to me by my Granny, Helen Mesa. It was something her mother, Verna, used to make.

Shredded cabbage (about 1/2 c. per bell pepper)
Bell Peppers, de-stemmed and de-seeded
Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Lettuce leaves

Mix the cabbage with some vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Pack this mixture into the bell peppers. Cut the bell peppers cross-ways into 1-inch rings. Serve the rings flat on the lettuce leaves.

Rocks

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes. Don't worry, these won't break your teeth, in spite of their name.

 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. chopped walnuts
2 c. raisins
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. clove powder

Cream sugar and butter. Add the eggs, walnuts, raisins, flour, soda, and spices. Drop by tsp. onto a cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Put them in at 350 degrees, and raise the temperature to 400 degrees.

Orange Cinnamon Ice Box Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. shortening
3 Tbsp. orange peel (I assume, grated)
2 eggs
5 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. cinnamon powder

*Cream powdered sugar and shortening. Add egg, and beat.
*Sift dry ingredients and combine the two mixtures.
*Form into cookie rolls (refrigerate 1 hour for better handling), slice and bake.

(Once again, I assume a baking time of 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees).

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 6-oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Mix ingredients. Drop by tsp. on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.

Sour Cream Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1 c. shortening or butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3 c. flour
1/2 c. sour cream

Mix all ingredients well. Shape into cookie rolls and wrap rolls in wax paper. Refrigerate until the rolls are firm enough to be sliced (about 1 hour). Can also be frozen, and baked without thawing.

(That is the end of Granny's instruction. I'm not sure the cooking time, but I'm assuming the neighborhood of 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees - maybe extra minutes if frozen).

Peanut Butter Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped nuts

*Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add the egg, and mix well.
*Sift dry ingredients separately, then add to butter mixture.
*Form into walnut-sized balls. Put on cookie sheet and press with a salad fork.
*Bake on the top oven rack 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before removing from cookie sheet.

Carrot Raisin Cookies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1/2 c. shortening or butter
1 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 c. grated carrot
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. undiluted orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. vanilla extract

*Beat shortening, sugar and eggs. Stir in carrots, and set aside.
*Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add raisins and nuts.
*Combine egg and flour mixture, and add in the milk.
*Stir in orange juice concentrate and vanilla.
*Drop by tsp. 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet.
*Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, until lightly browned around the edges.

Oatmeal Pineapple Hermits

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 c. oatmeal
2 c. raisins
1 c. chopped nuts (pecans)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening or butter
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 can crushed pineapple (well-drained, reserve pineapple juice)

*Sift dry ingredients and set aside.
*Beat eggs, then add sugar and shortening in a large bowl and mix well.
*Mix in flour mixture and pineapple juice alternately to form a batter (may not need all of the juice)
*Add remaining ingredients and mix.
*Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
*Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Nut Squares

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. flour
1 c. walnuts

Mix all ingredients. Pat mixture into a greased 8x12 pan. Bake about half an hour at 300 degrees. It will rise and then settle. Cool and cut into squares to serve.

Lemon Thins

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients. Roll the cookies into balls and flatten. Sugar the tops, if desired. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cocoa Drops

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

3 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 c. shortening or butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips

*Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside.
*In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until light and fluffy.
*At low speed, beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
*Add the chocolate chips and stir.
*Drop by tsp. onto greased cookie sheet.
*Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Coconut Crispies

Our Granny (my dad's mother, Helen Mesa), would send us a box of homemade cookies every year. This is one of those cookie recipes.

2 c. white sugar
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs, well beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. chopped nuts (pecans)
4 c. rice crispies

Mix in the order given. Drop by Tbsp. onto a cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees, or until they start to brown

Chicken and Dumplings

Tonight I made this for the first time in my life, and it was so good. I know my Mom's were even better, but boy was this delicious. Some of the foods in my life make me grateful for my Mother's family's southern roots. This is one of them.

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbs. butter
1/3 c. water
64 oz. chicken broth
3 chicken breasts, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, washed and sliced
Bisquick mix
milk

Sautee onion in butter and water. When onions are soft, add 3 cloves crushed garlic. Let cook for a couple of minutes. Add broth, chicken, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil and cook until the carrots are soft. Mix the Bisquick, following the instructions for 1 batch of biscuits. Drop the biscuit mix by spoonfuls into the boiling pot. Let them boil uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the soup doesn't scorch on the bottom. Cover the pot and boil for 10 more minutes. Makes 8 hearty servings.

Hawaiin Haystacks

Per request, I am posting my Mom's Hawaiin Haystack recipe. As a time saver, she recommends getting chickens from Costco, de-boning them, and shredding the meat. She estimates that one Costco chicken can serve 10 people.

Put each of the following into its own serving dish:
Cooked rice
Cooked chicken, shredded
Diced celery
Diced tomatoes
Sliced Green onions
Shredded cheese
Shredded carrots
Pineapple tidbits (canned)
Mandarin oranges (canned)
Shredded coconut
Nuts of your choice
Crunchy chow mein noodles.

Prepare one or both of the following sauces:

Sweet & Sour Sauce:
1 cup reserved pineapple juice + water
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch or potato starch

Curry Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt

Start the haystacks with the rice, let individuals pile their haystacks with whatever ingredients they enjoy, and then ladle one of the sauces on top of the haystack. Mmmm.......

Laura's Tropical Fruit Salad

This must be made on a hot day. It is great for an outdoor summer picnic or luncheon. Coconut oil turns to a liquid at 76 degrees. Any cooler than that, and your salad may have white coconut oil chunks, not pretty. I came up with this during my health food days, when I was invited to an outdoor luncheon at my friend Karen Schlosser's house. There were no leftovers of this one.

1 pint strawberries, washed, destemmed, and cut into fourths
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
about 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size pieces
1 small can mandarine oranges, drained
2 Tbsp. finely shredded coconut
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
Mix these ingredients together

Sauce:
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/4 c. grade B maple syrup

Make the sauce and pour over the salad, mixing well. Serve right away. Does not refrigerate well. You can increase the sauce if you end up with too many fruits. (That sounded weird...)

Sweet Apple Salad

Nature's treat is a fresh juicy apple. Yet I can't help but adulterate my apples with real maple syrup. It makes them taste sweet and buttery, like a dessert. For this salad, the fresh crisp apples are the best. No mealy mushy apples need apply. When we lived in Montana, we had an apple tree in the front yard. In the Fall, after the first frost, they turned pink and sweet. Perfect time to make this salad.

6 crisp juicy apples (cored, sliced, and diced to bite-sized pieces)
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 c. grade B real maple syrup
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix diced apples and the lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Healthy Sweet Slaw

This is such a pretty dish, and good for you. It's one you could take to a potluck and no one would look at it and think, "Oh, no. Health food." In fact, whenever I have taken it anywhere, folks request the recipe.

1 small head purple cabbage, grated (I use a food processor grater)
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)
1/2 c. raisins
Mix these ingredients together in a bowl

Blend these to make a sauce:
1/2 c. reserved pineapple juice
1/4 c. honey or agave nectar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

Pour the sauce over the slaw and mix well. If it is not flavorful enough (this depends on the size of your cabbage), more sauce can be made and added. Sometimes, I will add a bit of sesame oil and some sesame seeds to the sauce, for a different flavor.

Root Bake

I went through a health food phase for a while. Although I fell off the health food wagon, I still make many of those dishes, including this one. It is a pretty dish to serve, and very flavorful. I use local organic ingredients for the best flavor.

6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2 inch squares)
2 medium yams, peeled and diced (1/2 inch squares)
2 medium beets, peeled and diced (1/2 inch squares), rinse diced beets well
(you will want to wear disposable gloves or your fingers will stain pink)
1 large white or yellow onion, diced and sauteed in olive oil with salt
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/4-1/3 c. olive oil

Mix everything but the beets in a large bowl. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Add the beets and gently mix them in. Don't overmix. Bake covered for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Test the yams. If they are not soft, continue to bake covered until they are. (Hint: I like my roots a bit saltier than this, but you can put salt on the table for those who need more).

Fried Green Tomatoes

I love fried green tomatoes as I love few other foods in this world. They are tart and salty goodness. I eat so many, it's a wonder that I never get sick of them. When we're trying to use up green tomatoes at the end of summer, we eat fried green tomatoes almost every day! In fact, a confession..... I love fried green tomatoes so much that one evening, when I was a teenager, I came in the back door, smelled them cooking, and I was so excited that I jumped in the air, in my graceless way, and landed like a clutz, breaking my foot. There's no pain I won't endure for a fried green tomato. Bart is the best fried green tomato chef, although he did not eat them growing up, and this is his recipe:

Slice green tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick.
First, dip tomato slices in flour to coat.
Next, dip slices in a beaten egg mixture:
2 eggs to 1/2 c. milk
Next, dip slices in a bread crumb mixture:
1/4 c. cornmeal, 1/4 c. flour, 1/2 c. fine breadcrumbs, 2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
Fry in a frying pan with about 1/2 inch of oil at medium heat. Brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on a paper towel, cooling slightly to serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

This came to me with a carrot cake recipe, but is so good that I use it on many other things.

1 stick butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 box confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well.

Hearty Carrot Cake

This came from the kitchen of Joan DeTullio, who got it from her sister, Wendy. I love the texture of it, and how moist it is after it sits airtight overnight.

Blend:
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
3/4 c. vegetable oil

Add and mix well:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon

Add and mix well:
2 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Pour batter into a greased and floured tube/bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes (until it passes the clean toothpick test) at 350 degrees. Cool completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

Laura's Pasta Salad

Another of my "inventions," this recipe is an adapted version of a pasta salad I liked as a child. A friend brought some pasta salad in her lunch once in the fifth grade, and I remember coming home and trying to explain the dish to my mom, so she could make some. This is my new and improved version.

12 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz. pkg. grape tomatoes, cut in half
10 oz. pkg. broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large can olives, sliced
1 bunch fresh chives, cut small
1 bunch fresh basil, cut small
1/2 pkg. sliced pepperoni, cut pieces into quarters
1/4 c. fresh grated parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients together, and coat with dressing made from 2 packets of italian dressing mix. (Use a dry packet mix that calls for oil and vinegar). Store in the refrigerator overnight to blend flavors.

Egg Nog Cake

My Mom found this recipe years ago, and at least one has shown up at every holiday dinner since. This tastes better the second day, if stored airtight.

1 yellow cake mix
1 1/2 c. egg nog
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
1/2 c. soft butter
1 tsp. rum extract (or almond extract, if desired)
slivered almonds

Grease a bundt pan with butter and thinly sprinkle with slivered almonds. Stir together other ingredients, and pour into bundt pan. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Bart's favorite pie, and one they made at holidays when he grew up. Belle's mother, Thora Welch, used to make this pie. Belle said that even people who don't like raisins usually like this pie, and that she and Jim would serve it often to company.

Combine and set aside:
1 c. whipping cream
2 Tbsp. vinegar

Beat together:
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. raisins, cut fine

Combine cream mixture with egg mixture. Mix well, and pour into a pie crust. Bake at 450 degrees until browned, then for another 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

Lazy Pie - Peach Cobbler

This is a recipe given to my mother by our friend Cindy Coppel. It is one of Bart's all-time favorite desserts. And it is so easy to make.

1 1/2 c. Bisquick
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 #3 can of fruit (such as peaches)
1/2 c. brown sugar

Melt the butter in a 9x13 baking dish.

Mix Bisquick, sugar, and milk. Pour this over the melted butter. Do not stir!

Mix fruit (with juice) and brown sugar. Spoon this onto the Bisquick mixture. Do not stir!

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees, until lightly browned. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cracker Jack-style Caramel Corn

I grew up eating soft caramel corn, and have converted Bart to the same. However, this yummy recipe from his mother Belle's Aunt Bessie is what he was used to eating before he met me.

2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Boil brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add baking soda and cream of tartar. Pour caramel sauce over 10 quarts of popped popcorn and stir to coat. Bake for 1 hour at 200 degrees.

Soft Caramel Corn

Family friend, Kristin Yates, introduced us to this recipe in the 90's, and there was no looking back. It's the only caramel corn we've made since.

1 lb. brown sugar (2 1/3 c.)
1 c. dark corn syrup
1 stick butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Boil ingredients for 5 minutes, to the soft ball stage.

Pour the mixture over 6 quarts of plain popped popcorn, stirring to coat. If the consistency is ooey-gooey, you did it right. The original recipe I copied gave further instructions: eat, spit out unpopped kernels/grannies/old maids, get fat.

Blue Ribbon Banana Bread

This recipe comes from a collection series called Favorite Recipes of America, which my mother used regularly. I am always disappointed by the taste of banana bread, unless it is this recipe. And it is best the second day.

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. soft butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. sour cream or buttermilk
3 mashed ripe bananas
1 c. nuts, chopped (optional)

Cream the sugar and butter. Add the eggs. Add dry ingredients. Add the bananas. Makes 2-3 loaves. Bake for 30-40 minutes (until it passes the toothpick test) at 350 degrees.

Applesauce Cake

Bart's mother, Belle, says this is her favorite cake. It is delicious, like a spice cake.

2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. shortening
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
17 oz. applesauce
3/4 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. raisins

Mix dry ingredients well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Pout into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool to frost.

Frosting:
Boil:
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. canned milk
Remove from heat, and add:
3/4 powdered sugar

Rice Pudding

One of Bart's favorite things to eat, rice pudding was something I actually watched his dad make once. It is a warm and filling traditional treat.

1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 qt. milk
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
dash of salt

Combine ingredients and bake covered for 90 minutes at 300 degrees. Is yummy with raisins added.

Cow Pies: no-bake cookies

We've been making these since I was a kid. I hardly ever make them, because I cannot stop eating them.

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 stick butter
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. quick oats

Boil milk and sugar for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients, adding oats last. Mix well, and drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Store in the refrigerator 5-6 days. Makes about 3 dozen one inch cookies.

Mom's Potato Salad

Our Mom makes the best potato salad on the planet. That's all.

6-8 peeled & diced potatoes, boiled and cooled
3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
2 diced green onions
2 diced celery stalks
1 diced dill pickle
1 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
salt & pepper, to taste
paprika

Mix all together, but the eggs and paprika. Smooth the potato salad into a serving dish. Top with egg and paprika. Refrigerate to cool before serving.

Tips: If you leave out the pickle, add 1Tbsp. vinegar. If you use red potatoes, substitute sour cream for mayonnaise.

Laura's Black Bean Soup

My good friend, Sher, once listed off to me the yummy ingredients their family used as a taco bar for dinner. I basically took that list, and made a soup of it.

1 large onion, chopped and sauteed in soup pot
2 cloves garlic, crushed and sauteed with the onion for a few minutes
2 cans black beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 small pkg. frozen corn
1 fresh bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 of a fresh lime
4 c. broth (I use water and rapunzel bullion)
2 large tomatoes, diced

Mix all ingredients and heat through, but do not overcook. Serve with frito chips, diced avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Tortellini Soup

My sister Karen, who is a whiz in the kitchen, has inherited our mother's knack for finding great recipes. This is a recipe Karen gave me which has become a personal favorite.

1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach
2 cans chopped Italian tomatoes
1 can cannelloni beans
6 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp. basil
pinch of oregano
1 pkg. dry cheese-filled tortellini

Sautee onion in bottom of soup pot. When onion is soft, add garlic. Cook until just brown. Add broth, to deglaze the pot. Add remaining ingredients, and serve just as the tortellini are soft. Top with parmesan cheese.

Shepherd's Pie

This is a recipe I recall eating from early childhood. It is very filling and reminds me of cold weather.

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. oregano
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1 can stewed diced tomatoes
1/2 c. water
3 c. mashed potatoes
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
paprika

Sautee the onion, then add the ground beef, cook and drain. Mix the cooked beef with the spices, vegetables, and water, heating it through. Pour this mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the mixture. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Monterey Chicken

It seemed that Mom always served this when the missionaries came to dinner. It also holds the record in our family as the #1 requested birthday dinner.

8 medium chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt & pepper

Place thawed chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix the other ingredients together to make a sauce. Smear the sauce over the chicken. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve over rice.

Runzas

A McConnell family favorite, especially served with soup on a cold day. I would always be so excited when I came into the kitchen and saw Mom making these yummy meat and veggie- filled bread pockets. Bart says his mother made a similar dinner.

Make 90 minute bread, and set it aside to rise.

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. butter

After cooking and draining meat, add other ingredients and cook on the stove top until the onion is soft. Take roll-sized pieces of the bread dough, and flatten the pieces into squares. Put a spoonful of the meat mixture onto each dough square, then pinch the corners of the square together to enclose the mixture. Let the runzas rise on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden on top. Rub with butter when fresh from the oven. Let cool slightly before serving. (These are great cold, as leftovers).

Buttermilk Pancakes

Jim Benson (Bart's father) was famous for his perfect buttermilk pancakes. His mother, Laura, used to make buttermilk pancakes without a recipe. Jim watched his mother and learned. He perfected the formula, and this is his recipe, as found in Belle Benson's recipe collection. I guess we each have to figure this out for ourselves!

flour
buttermilk
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. oil
salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix ingredients, leaving the batter lumpy. Do not stir again.

Zucchini Cheddar Bake

A favorite recipe at our home, from dear friend Joan DeTullio.

2 zucchini, sliced thin
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 eggs
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. Bisquick
pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Mix all ingredients in one bowl. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Option: add cooked sausage to the mix before baking.

Stuffed Mushrooms

One of the favorite appetizers of all time at the McConnell house. They usually go very quickly, as they should, for they are best eaten warm.

1-2 lbs. medium white mushrooms
1 roll freezer sausage
1 pkg. cream cheese

Wash and de-stem mushrooms. Mince the stems. Brown and drain the sausage. Mix the stems, sausage, and cream cheese. Stuff this mixture into the mushrooms, and line them up on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Holiday Cheese Ball

This was a holiday favorite for years at the McConnell house.

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. finely grated cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
pepper
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix ingredients well, and form into a ball. Refrigerate to harden.

Place 1/2 cup chopped pecans on a large piece of saran wrap. Lay cheese ball on saran wrap, rolling it in the nuts to coat.

Serve with crackers.