Potato Salad

Cans of sliced or cubed new potatoes
Boiled eggs, chopped
Sweet Gherkin pickles, chopped
Dill pickles, chopped
Bacon, chopped
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dill weed
Salt & Pepper

No measurements b/c I never measure on this recipe....just mix it all up and keep tasting! :) I've only started using canned potatoes because of the enormous amount they gave out at the RAC before we quit going...it does taste better when you boil small red potatoes in the skins with butter & salt and then chop it up. :)

Chill & chow down. :)

Dump Cake

1 large can crushed pineapple
1 box yellow cake mix
1 lb. can cherry pie filling
1 1/2 - 2 sticks butter or margarine (I only use 1 stick)
1 c. chopped pecans
coconut (optional)

Put pineapple in greased 13 x 9 pan. Cover with cherry pie filling. Sprinkle boxed cake mix over the pie filling. Add chopped nuts over the cake mix. Add coconut if desired. Melt margarine and pour evenly over the cake mix (you may need a little more margarine if 1 stick isn't enough to cover the whole pan). Do not mix together!

Bake at 325-350 degrees for about an hour.

Dirt Cake

16 oz. package of Oreos (you can use generic or lowfat)
1 c. margarine, melted (I only use 1/2 c.)
8-12 oz. package of cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
Two 8 oz. containers of Cool Whip (you can use generic or lowfat)
Two 3 oz. packages of chocolate pudding
1/2 t. vanilla

1st Layer:
Crush cookies. Reserve 1/2 c. for topping. Mix remaining crumbs with melted margarine. Press into a 9 x 13" pan and refrigerate about an hour.

2nd Layer:
Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and one 8 oz. container of Cool Whip. Spread over cookie crust. Refrigerate about an hour.

3rd Layer:
Mix pudding, milk, and vanilla according to directions on pudding package. Spread on top of 2nd layer. Refrigerate about an hour.

Spread with remaining Cool Whip and garnish with cookie crumbs. Keep refrigerated.

Fruit Pizza

1 roll frozen sugar cookie dough
8 oz package of cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
fresh or frozen fruits of choice (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, etc.)

Press cookie dough into bottom of 12" pizza pan or shape on a cookie sheet (about 12x15). Press up sides to form an edge. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool completely.

Blend together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cooled cookie dough. Arrange a combination of fruits in a pretty design. Glaze. Keep in refrigerator.

Note: If using bananas, place in lemon juice before putting on crust.

Glaze:
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. lemon juice
3/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 - 2 T corn starch

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and boil for 1 minute until thickened. Spoon over pizza.

Sour Cream Cookies

1/2 c. soft shortening
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. soda
2 3/4 c. flour

Powdered Frosting:
1 tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
less 1/4 c. water
add powdered sugar until a good mixture (thick)

*Cream shortening (w/ mixer not on stove) and sugar. Add eggs and cream well. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in dry ingredients.
*Chill several hours or overnight drop by spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350' watch carefully to avoid burning.

*Add powdered sugar frosting.

I know a few of you have asked for these along the way so here they are! I got this recipe from John's Grandma. If you haven't had them, they are like the white cookies at the store with decorated icing on them...except homemade and tons better!!

Cheesy Breakfast Casserole

12 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. sausage, cooked & drained
¼ cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add sour cream, Rotel tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cooked sausage and butter; mix well. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until eggs are set. Serves 6 to 8.
(I like to substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream - it just seems a tiny bit healthier)

Richard Swanigan- Pine Bluff, AR
from Smilemakers…In the Kitchen
Edited by Linda Adams, Morris Press Cookbooks, 2004.

Breakfast casserole

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ready In: 9 Hours 50 Minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
6 slices white bread, toasted and cut into cubes (I prefer garlic/cheddar croutons)
8 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
1. Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly brown; drain.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together mustard powder, salt, eggs and milk. Add the sausage, bread cubes, and cheese, and stir to coat evenly. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Cover, and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until set.

Grape Salad

2 lbs. green seedless grapes

2 lbs. red seedless grapes

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar (more or less to taste)

1 cup crushed pecans

Directions:Wash and stem grapes. Set aside. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugarand vanilla by hand until blended. Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in largeserving bowl. For topping: combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans. Sprinkleover top of grapes to cover completely. Chill overnight.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups oatmeal
6 oz chocolate chips
1/2 - 1 cup pecans, optional

Combine sugars and shortening. Add eggs. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add vanilla. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips.

Bake 350 degrees, 10-12 minutes. (My oven cooks them in 8 minutes) Makes about 4 or 5 dozen cookies.

Also, most of the time I make two batches, cook a dozen or so cookies and freeze the rest of the batter. Just roll the dough in wax paper (usually makes makes two or three rolls). Later you just pull out a roll, slice and bake!

p.s. I'm stoked about this blog =) Thanks, Bekah, for getting it set up!