Angel Sugar Crisps

This is a yummy, very crisp sugar cookie. The recipe comes from Taste of Home, a never ending source of good homemade foods. Be sure to use Turbinado or raw sugar to roll them in. Regular granulated sugar is just not the same. They are baked in a hot oven which makes them crisp.

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup solid shortening

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp salt

Turbinado or raw sugar

Cream together butter, shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla until fluffy.

Sift together flour, soda, cream of tartar, and salt. (I didn't sift this). Add to creamed mixture. Mix until blended.

Scoop cookies into 1½" balls. Roll in turbinado sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets. 

Bake @400 for 10 minutes.

Yield: 2½ dozen

Ham and Egg Cheese Casserole

I made 10 of these casseroles for our church brunch, having many requests for the recipe. It is not one of those recipes filled with bread, so it is popular with the men. I added some crumbled bacon to the mix. The recipes called for the cheeses on the bottom of the casserole. I thought this was strange, but then realized it creates a crust for the egg mixture. Still I just had to add a shredded cheddar cheese topping . . . couldn't help it and was glad I did. Also, use the convection bake mode on your oven. I didn't and had the bottom burn on some of the casseroles before they were set. Lesson learned.

1½ cups (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1½ cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

6 green onions. sliced

1 med sweet red pepper, chopped

2 Tbs butter

1¾ cups fully cooked ham, cut into small chunks

¼ cup flour

8 eggs

1¾ cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Extra cheddar cheese for topping, optional

Combine cheeses (3 cups total) and sprinkle into a greased 13x9x2" baking dish.

In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms, onions, and red pepper in butter. Stir in ham. Spoon over the cheese.

In a bowl, combine flour, eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ham mixture; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake on convection mode @325 for 35-45 minutes until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Serves 8-10

Quinoa, Black Bean, and Mango Salad

This is a yummy Mexican side dish served to my Bridge Babes in the Northwoods. I was hesitant to use cilantro, fearful some wouldn't like it, so I used fresh parsley instead. It was good, but next time in goes the cilantro.

1½ cups pre-washed white quinoa

2¼ cups water

Salt and pepper

5 Tbs lime juice (3 limes)

½  jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

¾ tsp ground cumin

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼" pieces

1 can (15 oz) black beans,  rinsed

2 scallions, sliced thin

1 avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced thin

Toast quinoa i large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until very fragrant, making a popping sound, 5-7 minutes. Stir in water and ½ tsp salt, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until most of water has been absorbed and quinoa is nearly tender, about 15 minutes. Spread quinoa onto a rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 20 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.

Process lime juice, jalapeño, cumin, and 1 tsp salt in blender until jalapeño is finely chopped, about 15 seconds. With blender running, add oil and cilantro. Continue to process until smooth and emulsified, about 20 seconds.

Add bell pepper, mango, beans, scallions, and lime-jalapeno dressing to cooled quinoa. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with sliced avocado when serving.

Cranberry Sauce ~ Grandma Leu

This has been a family favorite at Thanksgiving. I decreased the sugar from Grandma's recipe, and it is still very sweet.

1 bag of cranberries

2 apples, peeled and cored, cut up

2 navel oranges, including the peel, cut up

1½ cups sugar

Grind the cranberries, apples, and oranges in a food processor. Remove to a medium size bowl. Add sugar, more or less to taste. Chill.

This keeps a long time in the refrigerator, so make it in advance of Thanksgiving.                                                                  

Olive Garden Salad

Who doesn't like the never ending salad bowl at Olive Garden? Now you can have it at home anytime you want.

12 oz bag iceberg salad mix

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup pepperoncini whole peppers

½ cup black olives

¾ cup croutons

¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved

DRESSING:

1 packet Italian dressing mix

¾ cup vegetable or canola oil

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbs mayonnaise

⅓ cup white vinegar

¼ cup water

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp garlic powder

Using a whisk, mix all dressing ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Refrigerate at least one hour. Pour ⅔ cup dressing over the salad, toss and serve.

Can be stored in the refrigerator up to three weeks.

Really Good Potato Salad

 I took this to the 2021 Packer Party, and got many compliments.

DRESSING:

2 cups Miracle Whip (not mayonnaise)

1 cup sour cream

½ cup half and half

3 Tbs sugar

3 Tbs mustard

1 Tbs vinegar

¼ c sweet pickle juice

8-10 lbs red potatoes, cooked, peeled, and cut up

½ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped onions

¼ c sweet pickle relish

8-10 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Mix Miracle Whip, sour cream, half and half, sugar, mustard, vinegar and pickle juice. Add to WARM, cut-up potatoes, celery, onion, relish, and eggs. Toss lightly with a spatula.

Refrigerate for 1 day before serving.

Au Gratin Potatoes

A dressed up version of scalloped potatoes.

1 med onion, grated

1 ¼ lbs Gruyere cheese (can use a nice Swiss cheese), grated

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced

Pepper

Paprika

2 Tbs butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9x13 dish. Layer half of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese and onions. Layer the rest of the potatoes, and top with remaining cheese and onion. Sprinkle with pepper, paprika, and butter. Pour cream overall. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Cover with foil and continue to bake for another 90 minutes or more.

Optional:

Use a round iron skillet and arrange the potatoes in a circle around the pan. 

Bake @400 degrees for 50-60 min.