Cattlemen’s Club Twice-Baked Potatoes

5 large potatoes, scrubbed and baked

1/3 cup half-and-half

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons green onions or chives, minced

4 strips bacon, fried and crumbled

1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in butter

Bake potatoes for 1 hour at 350° until tender in center. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out potato carefully so as not to tear skins. Mash potatoes with mixer, add half-and-half and continue to beat until smooth. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Mixture should be somewhat softer than regular mashed potatoes to prevent drying out when baking again.

Fill skin shells with mashed potato mixture and arrange on cookie sheet. Top each with extra grated cheese. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Great with steaks!

Serves 10.

Pat's Yummy Salad

My Wisconsin friend, Pat Farr, served this delicious salad at a birthday luncheon. I could have eaten the entire bowl myself. Always a crowd pleaser. You may want to double the recipe in case someone like me can't get enough of it.

6 slices bacon (not thick cut)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs water
Mixed Salad Greens, small box
Cauliflower, chopped in small bits
1 avocado, cut into large chunks

Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Remove and set aside. Drain most of the bacon grease from the pan.

Mix well, sugar and beaten egg; add lemon juice and water. Add the mixture to the frying pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Cool about 15 minutes, just so it isn't real hot when you dress the salad.

Pour the dressing over the mixed greens, cauliflower, bacon bits, and avocado.

German Sauerkraut

It is best served with Sauerbraten, grilled Bratwurst, roast Pork, or chops. This can be made into a main dish by adding 1/2 pound smoked sausage (cut in 3-inch lengths) or 4 pre-cooked bratwurst, before simmering. I served this as a side dish to our gourmet group, along with slow-cooked pork roast.

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 Granny Smith or Roma apple, peeled and diced

1 package fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seed

1/4 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup, or more, dry white wine, or beer

Heat drippings in a large saucepan; when sizzling, add onions and apple and sauté

over very low heat until soft and coated with the drippings. Stir in sauerkraut; make sure it's well mixed.

Add brown sugar, caraway seed, pepper, salt and allspice; mix well. Stir in wine or beer; mix well.

Cover and simmer 40-45 minutes. May need to add additional wine or beer (or even water) if it evaporates too soon. I had to do this.

Slow-Cooked Pork Roast with Gravy

I thickened the gravy and served it over the pork and mashed potatoes, or noodles. I used an 8-lb roast and cooked it for 8 hours. German Sauerkraut goes well with this.

3 to 4 lb bone-in pork roast

1 Tbsp canola oil

3/4 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 large yellow onion, sliced pole to pole

Sliced mushrooms, as many as you want

FOR THE GRAVY:

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c dry white wine

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master seasoning

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 chicken bouillon cubes*

1 beef bouillon, cube

3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 475°.

Pat roast dry with paper towels; place in bowl of slow cooker, which has been removed from the cooker (if non-removable, place roast in oven-proof pan.) Rub all sides of roast with oil.

In a small bowl, mix together salts, pepper and garlic powder; distribute evenly over all sides of roast. Place, uncovered, in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, to lightly brown; turn meat over to brown remaining side for additional 10-15 minutes.

While meat is browning, empty cans of soup into a medium-small bowl; gradually whisk wine, soy sauce, Kitchen Bouquet, and Worcestershire sauce into soup; stir in pressed/minced garlic, bouillon cubes & whole bay leaves.

Remove roast from oven and place in slow-cooker; scatter onions over roast. Pour soup and wine mixture over roast, making sure that bouillon cubes and bay leaves are down in the gravy mixture alongside roast, not on top.

Cover with lid and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours (depending on the size of roast), stirring sauce after the first 3 or 4 hours.

Remove bay leaves; serve roast with the gravy (especially good with mashed potatoes).

*I used mushroom bouillon cubes that I got in Italy. Not available in the States.