Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

4 to 6 sweet potatoes, baked, peeled, and mashed
1/4 to 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 to 4 TBSP chopped chives or green onions
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped, divided

Mix sweet potatoes, yogurt, half of the cheese, green onions, and most of the bacon in a large bowl.  Pour into greased baking dish and smooth.  Sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon over the top.  Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.

Scalloped Corn

1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz sour cream
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can cream style corn
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
shredded cheddar cheese, optional
green onions or chives, optional

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream

2 quarts chocolate milk
9 oz thawed cool whip
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix ingredients together and freeze in ice cream freezer.

Porcupine Meat Balls

1&1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water

Combine meat, rice, salt, pepper, and onion.  Shape into small balls.  Blend soup and water; heat in pressure pan until mixture begins to simmer.  Add meat balls.  Cook at 15 lbs pressure for 10 minutes.  Release pressure normally.

Marinated Cheese

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley or 1&1/2 TBSP dried
3 TBSP minced green onions
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
2 oz jar diced pimentos, drained
8 oz block sharp cheddar cheese, chilled
8 oz cream cheese, chilled

Combine first 10 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly and shake vigorously.  Set marinade aside.  Cut both blocks of cheese into 1/4" cubes.  Arrange cheese cubes on plate or tray.  Pour marinade over cheese.  Cover and marinate in fridge for at least 8 hours. 

Nana's Fluffy Cheesecake

8oz cream cheese, softened
8oz cool whip
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 graham cracker crust

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Gradually add sugar, blend in sour cream and vanilla.  Fold in cool whip and spoon into graham cracker crust.  Chill for 4 hours before serving.

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden)

3/4 cup onions, diced
1 slice bacon, diced
1&1/4 tsp garlic, minced
1 oz. chicken boullion
1 quart water
2 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, then in 1/4" slices
2 cups Kale, sliced
1&1/2 cups cooked sausage
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Saute onions and bacon in saucepan over medium heat until onions are almost clear.  Add garlic and cook one additional minute. 

Add boullion, water, and potatoes.  Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer 5 more minutes. 

Easy Sausage Balls

10 oz Sharp cheddar cheese
2&1/2 cups Bisquick
1 lb hot sausage

Melt cheese in microwave.  Mix all ingredients together and form into balls.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until completely cooked.

*We also like these as breakfast.  We eat them with strawberry or grape jelly.

Squash Dressing

2 cups cornbread crumbs
2 cups boiled squash
1/2 stick butter melted
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can pet milk
salt and pepper to taste

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Top with grated cheese and melt. 

Peach Crunch

2 sticks butter
2 cups flour
1 cup pecans

Put flour in 9x13 pan.  Cut butter into flour with 2 knives.  Put pecans in and mix.  Press into pan with fingers.  Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely.

1 Large Cool Whip
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioner's sugar

Mix all together.  Spread on top of flour mixture.  Allow to stand in fridge for 3 hours, or until set up.  Top with 2 cans pie filling.  Refrigerate.

Marinated Salad

1 can whole kernel corn
1 can french cut green beans
1 can English peas
1 jar pimentos
1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped

Mix all ingredients in large bowl.

Dressing:
Heat to boiling:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP pepper
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1 TBSP water

Combine dressing with vegetables.  Cover and refrigerate.  Best if it is served after at least 4 hours in fridge.

Corned Beef Ball

2 pkgs cream cheese
2 pkgs corned beef
6 green onions chopped
1 TBSP mayonaise
1 TBSP Horseradish
Garlic Salt

Mix together and form into ball.

French Toast Casserole

Loaf of French Bread
8 eggs
2 cups half & half
1 cup milk
2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cut bread into cubes. Lay bread in greased 9x13 glass pan.  Mix eggs, half & half, milk, sugar, and vanilla and pour mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Mix all ingredients for topping with a fork and sprinkle over bread.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Percolator Punch

3 cups apple juice or apple cider
2&1/2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp whole allspice

In coffee percolator, mix juices, brown sugar, and salt.  In basket, place cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.  Plug in coffee pot and run through cycle.  Serves 10.

Chicken Enchiladas

2&1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz. sour cream, divided
8 oz shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese, divided
16 oz. jar taco sauce
12-8" flour tortillas

Mix chicken soup, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1 cup of cheese.  Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place, seam-side down, in greased 9x13 pan.  Top with sauce, cover with tin foil.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake an additional five minutes.  Makes 6 servings.

Yeasted Waffles

Batter should be made 12 to 24 hours in advance.

1&3/4 cups whole, low-fat, or skim milk
8 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 TBSP Sugar
1 tsp salt
1&1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1.  Heat milk and butter over med-low heat until butter is melted, 3 to 5 minutes.  Cool until warm to touch. 
2.  Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in large bowl to combine.
3.  Gradually whisk warm milk mixture into flour; whisk until batter is smooth.
4.  In small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until combined, then add it to the batter and whisk until incorporated. 
5.  Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. 
6.  Remove batter from refrigerator and whisk batter to recombine (batter will deflate).
7.  Cook waffles according to waffle iron directions.

Mama Ruth's Mexican Cornbread

1&1/2 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup oil
1 small can cream style corn
3 tsp. baking powder
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 jalepeno peppers, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Beat eggs well.  Add all ingredients and mix well.  Bake in a large and small black skillet for 45 minutes at 350.

Pasta Figoli (from Olive Garden)

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, julienned (we used matchstick carrots)
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-15 oz. can red kidney beans ( with liquid)
1-15 oz. can Great Northern beans (with liquid)
1-15 oz. can tomato sauce
1-12 oz. can V8 juice
1 TBSP white vinegar
1&1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 pound ditalini pasta (or some other small pasta)

Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium heat.  Drain off most of the fat.  Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute for 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
About 50 minutes into the simmering, cook the pasta in separate pot.  Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.  Drain pasta.  Add it to the pot of soup.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more and serve.

This freezes really well.  If you're going to freeze, don't add the pasta, it makes the soup very thick.

Cherry Cheese Pie

9-inch graham cracker crust
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
14 oz Eagle brand milk
1/3 cup real lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Canned Cherry Pie Filling

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Beat in milk until smooth.  Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.  Pour into crust.  Chill 3 hours or until set.  Top with pie filling.

Ham and Cheese Rolls

Sliced Ham and Swiss Cheese (we also like Havarti Cheese)
24  Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp mustard

Melt butter, sugar, poppy seeds, and mustard.  Cook until it thickens.  Open rolls and spread with mixture.  Add ham and cheese.  Spread remaining mixture on top of rolls and bake at 350 until cheese melts.

Microwave Pecan Brittle

1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup sugar
5 tsp. margarine or butter

Cook the above in a microwave-safe glass bowl for 3 minutes.  Then add:

2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 3/4" of slivered paraffin GulfWax

Put back in microwave and cook 7&1/2 minutes.  Take out and stir in 2 tsp baking soda.
Pour into greased pans.  Pour into several pans in order for it to spread out thin.

Sausage Casserole

1 lb. hot pork sausage
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small can mushrooms, chopped with liquid
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans pet milk
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
2/3 cup raw rice

Brown sausage in skillet and pour off fat.  In mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients.  Add sausage, mix, pour into large casserole dish.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.  Stir, and cook 30 minutes more.

Hash Brown Potato and Egg Bake

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1- 30oz. bag frozen country-style shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed, patted dry
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
9 large eggs
1&1/4 cups milk
1-8oz. container sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs or panko bread crumbs
2 TBSP butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 350.  Spray 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.  In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon and onion over meduim-high heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is tender; drain on paper towels.

In large bowl, toss bacon mixture, potatoes, and cheeses.  Spoon into baking dish.  In same bowl, beat eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, mustard, and pepper with fork or wire whisk until well-blended.

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.  In small bowl, toss crumbs and butter.  Sprinkle over casserole.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.