Taco Soup

1lb ground beef 1 can sweet corn
1 14 oz can black beans
1 14 oz can white or red beans
2 14 oz cans mexican stewed tomatoes
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 chopped onion
1 package dry taco seasoning

Saute onions and brown beef together.  Add all other ingredients and simmer.  Serve hot! Eat with tortilla chips and cheese--obviously!

Rebecca Wendel

Green Bean Casserole

3 lbs Fresh green beans chopped and blanched in salted water to desired tenderness Salt and pepper
Can of french onions
2 T. fresh chopped chives (I have never put these in but it might be good)
2 T. of fresh chopped thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
4 T. grated parmesan
5 T. olive oil
2 pounds mixed mushrooms (button, crimini, white, shiitake)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 375. Saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat. Salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms release their liquid, about 10 minutes.

Pour in the heavy cream, thyme, chives and cook for 5 minutes. Add the drained green beans and stir.  Put mixture in a prepared baking dish, top with french onions and sprinkle on parmesan cheese. Bake until everything is bubbly!  About 20-25 minutes.

Rebecca Wendel

Cheesecake

Cookie Crust

Makes two 10-inch shells
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add yolks, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour and salt; beat until mixture just comes together.

Divide mixture in half. Use immediately, or chill until ready to use. Wrap each half in plastic, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Cream Cheesecake

Makes one 10-inch cake

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1/2 recipe Cream Cheesecake Cookie Crust
3 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out cookie-crust dough to slightly more than 1/8 inch thick. Place the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan on top, and use a paring knife to cut out a round about 1/4 inch larger than the pan. Place dough on top of springform base; freeze 15 minutes.

Remove dough from freezer; place on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Butter sides of springform pan, and insert cooled bottom; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, combine sugar and flour. With mixer on low, gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese; continue beating until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and scraping bowl as necessary. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place on a Silpat-lined baking sheet, and bake until top is golden, about 1 hour and 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Turn off oven, and prop open door; let cool completely. Remove from oven; leave in pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight.

**To prevent cracking add 1-2 T flour and bake in a water bath--be sure to wrap springform pan in foil first to keep the water out!

From Martha Stewart

Grandma Wallace’s Thick, Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

18 Cookies:
1 ¼ Cup Flour
½ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Butter or Margarine, softened
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ tsp Vanilla
1 Egg
1 cup Chocolate chips


68 Cookies:
3 ¾ cup Flour
1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
¾ tsp Salt
1 ½ cup butter or Margarine, softened
2 ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Eggs
1 bag chocolate chips



Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla on medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg, mix well. Add flour mixture, beat slowly to incorporate, then beat to blend well. Add up to ½ cup extra flour if dough is too gooey. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop 2 TBLS portions onto a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6-7 minutes. If there are 2 pans in one over, switch at halftime. Cool on pan for about 5 minutes. Cookies are done if brown around edges and a 1-inch circle is still pale.

***you can also add white chocolate chips, M&M’s, etc.

Sidney Wallace

Great, Great Grandma Wallace’s Chicken Casserole

1-2 Boxes stuffing—herb and butter or chicken flavor
1 pound cooked chicken, cubed

Press stuffing in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Put cooked chicken on top of stuffing.

Chicken Custard
**Prepare in large heavy pan
1 cup butter, melted
Mix 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour into a smooth paste in a small bowl add to butter.
To melted butter add 4 cups chicken broth and 2 tsp salt. Cook until thick. Crack 4 eggs in separate bowl and beat well. Pour ½ cup of hot mixture into eggs to temper the eggs. Pour the eggs into pan. If lumpy, put in blender. Cook 3-4 minutes until thick and bubbly. Pour custard over chicken. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Kolache

1 tablespoon sugar
2 Packages yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
½ cup warm water (105 – 115 degrees)
2 cups milk
½ cup (plus 2 tablespoons) butter
2 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
6¼ cups flour, shifted
1 ½ sticks of melted butter

Sprinkle sugar over the yeast and dissolve in lukewarm water.
Heat milk in saucepan and then add ½ cup (plus 2 tablespoons) butter in milk.
Let cool and then add salt, egg yolks, and sugar.
Mix the milk mixture and the yeast mixture.
Add flour gradually and work by hand, or mixer, until glossy.
Cover and place in warm place and let rise until double in bulk (45 – 60 minutes).
Beat dough down and pinch into egg sized portions.
Flatten the dough balls out and wrap around your favorite filling. Pinch the edges together and put crease on the bottom.
Let rise about 15 minutes.
Bake at about 350 for 15 minutes.
Butter the Kolaches with the melted butter as soon as they come out of the oven.

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/texasczech/kolaches/Kolache%20recipe.htm
The above web page has some recipes for fillings.

Butterfingers

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
Melted Milk Chocolate

Cook syrup, sugar, and water to 310 F. Remove from heat.
Stir in warmed peanut butter (warm slightly in microwave)
until well blended. Pour into a greased (buttered) 8" X 8" pan.
Score mixture into desired size bars.
When COMPLETELY cool, dip in melted milk chocolate
(use a double boiler to SLOWLY melt) and set on wax paper
until chocolate has hardened.

Dark Chocolate Mouse

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½ oz pieces
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup sugar

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the unsweetened chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with plastic wrap and allow to heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl, using a rubber spatula to remove all of the chocolate from the double boiler.

Place the heavy cream and sugar in a well chilled bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Using a hand-held whisk, vigorously whisk 1 ½ cups of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate, scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, and continue to whisk until the cream and chocolate are completely incorporated. Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and fold until smooth.

Transfer to a plastic container and chill 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Rosemary Ravsten

Pizza Popcorn

4 TBLS (1/2 stick) butter
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp basil
8 cups popped popcorn
½ tsp onion salt
2 TBLS parmesan cheese

OR

½ tsp garlic salt
½ stick butter or margarine
¼ tsp basil
¼ tsp oregano
2 TBLS parmesan cheese
8 cups popped popcorn

Melt butter in small saucepan; stir in garlic, oregano and basil. 1-2 minutes. Pour over popped popcorn in a large bowl; sprinkle with onion salt and parmesan cheese. Toss until lightly coated.

Rosemary Ravsten

The Best Hot Chocolate Ever

10 oz best quality bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 quarts milk
1 tsp vanilla

Combine chocolate and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until chocolate is melted and milk is very hot and frothy, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla; pour into blender, filling halfway. Blend holding lid in place (the hot liquid will expand) until frothy. Serve immediately. Blend remaining mixture and serve.

Rosemary Ravsten