Christmas Crunch (Super Easy!!)

These are so easy to make, especially when you are in a pinch for a quick treat. People will be asking for the recipe every time you make them!!

Little Debbie Star Crunch Cookies
1 c. powdered sugar

Unwrap cookies. Slice into 6-8 wedges. (I used the Big Size cookies and cut them into 8 wedges ). Place powdered sugar in a gallon size ziploc bag. Add wedges. Shake til all pieces are coated with the sugar. Place on a tray to serve and wait for the reaction when you tell people what your secret recipe is!! (They'll think you slaved for hours!)

Enjoy!!

Mint Fudge

2, 12 oz. bags white chocolate chips
14 oz. can Eaglebrand milk
pinch of salt
1 t. vanilla
30 hard peppermint candies, unwrapped and crushed
30 hard spearmint candies, unwrapped and crushed

Line 8" square pan with parchment paper. Allow to hang over the sides. Stir together chips, milk, and salt. Melt according to package directions. Stir in vanilla and 1 c. crushed candy. Pour into pan. Spread evenly. Scatter remaining candy over top. Chill in refrigerator until set. (About 2 hours) Use overhang of paper to lift from pan. Slice into small squares. Store in covered container.

(Photo of fudge before slicing into squares)

*Makes a nice Christmas gift or exchange item ~~ Looks festive for a party : )

Crockpot Ham & Bean Soup

1 leftover ham bone with some ham attached*
26 oz. Del Monte green peppers and onions pasta sauce**
15 oz. can navy beans
15 oz. can mixed beans
15 oz. can pinto beans
15 oz. can seasoned or plain lima beans

15 oz. kidney beans
15 oz. can blackeye peas
15 oz. can white beans
15 oz. can black beans
chopped onion, if desired
2 T. Tony Chachere's creole seasoning (or to taste)***
4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed

Place ham bone in bottom of crockpot. Add all other ingredients, except potatoes. (I didn't drain the beans, just dumped it all in.) Cook on low all day~~at least 6 hours. Add cubed potatoes the last 3 hours, or they will get too mushy and fall apart. (After 6 hours, I removed the ham bone, stirring the excess ham from it in the soup, and cooked the soup another 2 hours) Yum! ***May not need seasoning, I'd use the salt free kind

*If you don't have a leftover ham bone, and decide to use a small ham, you may need to adjust the seasoning amount, or just leave it out until the soup is done. Ham is often very salty and you may not need to add any additional seasoning. Adding potatoes to the soup will help cut down on the saltiness, or serve over rice.

**you can use diced tomatoes, diced green peppers, and onion instead of the pasta sauce if desired

I used 6 different kinds of beans, you don't have to use all/only the ones I listed, create your own bean soup.

Enjoy!

Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

(Photos above of potpie without crust; one shows the veggies well)

2, 12 oz. bags steam fresh vegetables, any variety ( I use broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots)
6 T. SR flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. pepper
2 1/2 c. 1% or skim milk
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 large can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. sour cream, I used fat free
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, cut into bite size pieces
1-2 box(es) Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened, depending on how much crust you want (it's my favorite part!!)

                                                                                                                   Picture to the right is of the unbaked crust added to potpie ----> 

Cook and drain vegetables as directed on bags. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 2 qt pan, mix flour, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, and milk with whisk until blended. Stir in onion. Cook over medium heat 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in soups and sour cream. Add chicken, vegetables, and mushrooms. Mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated. Pour into sprayed 9x13 dish. Unroll pie crust and place over hot filling. (If you use all four crusts, you will have to accordion fold it on top to fit them all on top. There will be some hanging on the sides of the dish.) Seal edge and flute if desired. Cut several slits in crust before baking. Bake 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

photo above is of baked chicken pot pie~~YUM!!

picture below is a serving, ready to eat!

My Grandmother's German Cream Cheese Brownies

4 oz. Baker's German sweet chocolate
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 t. almond extract
1/2 c. flour

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir sugar into chocolate mixture. Add in 2 eggs and flavorings until well blended. Combine flour, salt, & baking powder. Stir in with egg mixture. Add nuts. Spread in sprayed 8x8 pan.

Cream Cheese Layer:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. flour

Combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Place spoonfuls over brownie batter. Swirl with knife or spatula to marbelize.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in pan. Cut in squares. Yields about 16 brownies.

Fruit Cocktail Cake

1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. soda
2 c. fruit cocktail, reserve juice
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Cream sugar with eggs. Mix flour and soda with juice from fruit cocktail. Add fruit cocktail and sugar mixture. Turn onto large, long pan (jelly roll?) that has been greased. Sprinkle brown sugar and pecans over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Topping:

1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 stick margarine
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. angel flake coconut

Boil evaporated milk, margarine, and sugar 2-3 minutes. Add coconut. Spread on cake and return to oven for 2 more minutes.

*This is another one of my grandmother's recipes I've got to try!

My Grandmother's Jam Cake

3 eggs, beaten
2 c. sugar
1 c. crisco
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ground cloves
1 t.. allspice
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. blackberry jam
2 c. buttermilk*
1 c. chopped nuts
1 c. raisins
1 1/2 t. soda
1/4 t. salt

Cream sugar with shortening. Add eggs and blend. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with buttermilk. Stir in jam. Add other ingredients. Pour in 3 sprayed cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.Remove from pans when cooled.

Caramel Frosting:

2 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3/4 stick margarine
1 t. vanilla

Place 2 1/2 c. sugar and milk in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Caramelize 1/2 c. sugar in skillet. Add to milk mixture. Cook until soft ball stage. Spread on cooled cakes or stack for layer cake. Be sure to frost all sides and top.

*buttermilk can be made by combining 1 c. milk with 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to set for 12 minutes then add to batter.

My Grandmother's Magic White Cake

2 c. sifted flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. crisco
1 t. salt
2/3 c.milk
3 1/2 t. baking powder
4 unbeaten egg whites
1 t. vanilla

Blend together flour, sugar, crisco, and salt. Stir in baking powder, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Pour in sprayed layer cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-30 minutes.

My Grandmother's Hearty Bean Soup

2 1/2 c. dried white beans
4 c. water
1 medium minced onion
1 t. bacon drippings
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. liquid aromatic bitters (this used to be sold in drug stores before the war. It was used as a flavor enhancer for soups and stews, and some claimed medicinal cures. It was made from berries and herbs)

Thoroughly wash and cover white beans with cold water. Allow to soak overnight, until the skins are no longer wrinkled. Add enough water, when ready to cook,  to make 4 c. water. Simmer for 1 hour. In a skillet, saute onion and drippings. Add to the beans. Add salt and pepper. Simmer another 2 hours. Before removing from heat, add ketchup and bitters. Stir well and spoon into dishes. My grandmother's recipe has -->be sure to include the bitters for it is this blend of spices in liquid form that gives the special aroma and savor to this simple soup so good.

**as far as I know Bitters are not sold anywhere except liquor stores now, and I don't think that is what this recipe is referring to...just use what you normally would to enhance the flavor of your soups. (such as liquid smoke, etc...)

Summer Cooler

2 c. sugar
2 qts water
1 qt can orange juice
1 qt pineapple juice
juice of 2 lemons
6 c. strong tea
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
2 qts. gingerale, chilled

Combine sugar and water over heat until syrupy. Cool. Stir in remaining ingredients, except gingerale. Chill. Before serving, add gingerale. Makes 2 gallons.

*This was another of my grandmother's recipes : )

My Grandmother's Pineapple Coconut Cake

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 can coconut
1 yellow cake mix*
1 stick margarine
chopped nuts

Place undrained pineapple in sprayed 9x13 dish. Sprinkle coconut over top. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of coconut. Cut margarine over top. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown. RICH!

*cake mixes used to be 18 oz, but now they are 15 oz. Add another 2/3 c. cake mix to make recipe turn out right.

My Grandmother's 5 Cup Salad

1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup flake coconut
1 cup sour cream

Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate Chip Turkey Cookies

Basic Chocolate Chip Cookie
2 1/2 c. SR flour
1 c. margarine
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz. pkg chocolate chip morsels*

Decorations:
hand shaped cookie cutter
1 c. white frosting
chocolate frosting
food coloring
white chocolate chip morsels
candy corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, adding chocolate chips last. Add more flour to dough to make stiff, if needed. Press dough onto cookie sheet and use hand shaped cookie cutter to make turkey shapes. Remove extra dough scraps and repeat. Place each turkey 3" apart. Once turkey hands are cut out, refrigerate on baking sheet for 15 minutes*. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Divide white frosting into 4 bowls. Tint each with a different food coloring: red, orange, green, and yellow. Frost fingers of turkey hands with icing for feathers. Spread chocolate frosting on thumbs for heads. Place 1 white chocolate chip morsel upside down for eye and use a toothpick dipped in chocolate to make a pupil. Add candy corn for a beak Place cookie on plate and use chocolate icing to draw legs on cookie and plate.

*I've also made with 1/2 chocolate chip and 1/2 butterscotch chips.

**refrigerating the turkey hands before baking will  help them retain their shape during the baking process.

***can also be made with sugar cookie dough

Cute for a family project or as a special treat : )

My Grandmother's Strawberry Preserves

1 qt. strawberries
3 c. sugar, divided

Put berries and 1 1/2 c. sugar in large saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Add remaining sugar. Boil 15 minutes longer.. Spoon into earthenware jar. Skim off foam. Cover and let stand for 24 hours. Stir occasionally. Put cold preserves in sterilized jars. Seal.

*The short cooking time and small quantity of berries are the secret of this recipe. Never cook more than 1 qt.of berries at a time.

Joan's Apple Dumplings

This is my sister in law's recipe which gives the dumplings a nice orange taste to them. (reminds me of the Pillsbury orange rolls, but with apples, too) I usually double the recipe and make it sugar free by using splenda. Here is her original recipe and mine is below:

Joan's Apple Dumplings recipe:

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 can crescent rolls
1 c. orange juice
1 c. sugar
1 stick butter
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon

Roll each quarter apple up in a crescent roll. Place in greased baking dish. Mix and boil orange juice, sugar, butter and vanilla. Pour over dumplings. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Sherri's variation:

2 Granny Smith apples, sliced in 8 pieces each, I don't peel them (that's where the vitamins and nutrients are) I have also used red delicious, Fuji, and honey crisp apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 c. orange juice*
2 c. splenda or sugar
2 sticks butter or margarine
2 t. vanilla
2 t. cinnamon

Same directions as Joan's, except I added the cinnamon to the orange juice mixture, too. *Depending on what size apples are used,  you may not need this much liquid. I like my apple dumplings to have enough liquid to pour over them when they are done baking, but not so much that they spill over when transporting them in the car. Bake in a sprayed 9x13 dish for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream. YUM!! (I've made this the day before and baked for 40 minutes, since it has been in the refrigerator. Still yummy!) *May need to cook longer than 40 minutes if the apple qtrs are very big. Cover dish with foil to keep the dumplings from burning.

**another friend substituted mountain dew for the orange juice, pouring it over the dumplings before baking, (after boiling the margarine, sugar and cinnamon) and baked for 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees. and said it was wonderful! I haven't tried that yet..

Olive Garden's Zuppa Tuscana Soup

1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 t. crushed red peppers
1 lg. diced onion
4 T. bacon pieces
2 t. garlic puree
10 c. water
5 cubes chicken bouillon
1 c. heavy cream
1 lb. sliced potatoes
1/4 bunch kale

Saute sausage and red pepper in pot. Drain fat. Refrigerate while preparing other ingredients. Saute bacon, onions, and garlic for about 15 minutes or til onions are soft. Mix together chicken bouillon cubes and water. Add to the onion, bacon, and garlic mixture. Cook until boiling. Add potatoes, and cook until soft, about 1/2 hour. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sausage. Add kale just before serving.

Southwestern Chicken Dip

16 oz. velveeta cheese, cut up
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies, drained
6 oz. southwestern grilled chicken strips, chopped
1/4 c. green onion, chopped
1 t. cumin

Mix all ingredients. Microwave on high 6-7 minutes until cheese is melted, stirring every 3 minutes. Serve with chips.

O'Charley's Potato Soup

3 lbs. red potatoes, diced
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. flour
2 qts. half & half
1 lb. velveeta cheese, cubed
1/8 t. pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. hot sauce
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked crispy
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. chopped chives

Place diced potatoes in pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 10 minutes or until tender. In separate pan, combine melted butter and flour, mixing til smooth. Add half and half. Stir well. Drain potatoes. Add to cream mixture. Stir in pepper, garlic powder, & hot sauce. Cover and cook on low for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. Place soup in bowls and top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Cheerwine Punch

3, 2 lt. bottles cheerwine
2, 46 oz. cans unsweetened pineapple juice

Mix together. Chill. (or chill ingredients first and then mix together. Makes 36 cups.

Redneck Sushi

1 pkg. ham
1 jar dill pickle stackers
1 tub cream cheese, softened
toothpicks

Dry liquid off ham and pickles with paper towels. Spread thin layer of cream cheese on ham. Place pickle on top. Roll up. Cut in slices. Secure with toothpicks. Serve.