Author Archive
Smokey Link Casserole
This recipe is from an extensive cookbook titled Favorite Recipes, compiled by the active and retired employees of Michigan Bell in 1981. I made this on 28 Sep 2021, mine did not thicken too much but the flavor is excellent. I used cream of celery soup. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Casserole (2 quart)
Ingredients
- 1 can potatoes, sliced, drained, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 1 can creamed corn, (15 oz / 425 g)
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 500 grams little smokies, cut links into 3 pieces, (1 lb)
- salt and black pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 2 quart casserole.
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir together.
- Pour mixture into the casserole.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until casserole is thickened and lightly browned on top. (When I make this again I will try 60 minutes to see if the casserole will thicken more.)
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Celery Soup, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variant: 1. Use condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup in place of the celery soup.
Updated on 28 September 2021.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage Stuffing
This recipe is from an extensive cookbook titled Favorite Recipes, compiled by the active and retired employees of Michigan Bell in 1981. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 500 grams bulk pork sausage, Shortcut
- 1 cup soft breadcrumbs, or ¾ cup dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons onion, finely diced
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds.
- Add water to your steamer and bring to a low boil. Add the squash, cut side down, to the steamer tray, and steam for 15 minutes or until tender, drain squash well. Work in batches to get all the halves steamed. (15 minutes for small to medium squash, 20 minutes for large.)
- Place squash halves cut side up in a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- While the squash is steaming, cook the sausage in a pan, breaking up the sausage with a spatula. Cook until no more pink is visible and it is cooked through. Drain off excess fat. (I went overboard and cooked up 2 lb of sausage thought I was using 2 large squash but turned out to be 1 large and 1 small, the excess was saved for another use.)
- Preheat your oven to 200° C (400° F).
- Add the onion and breadcrumbs, and stir together. Add a little milk or water if the sausage seems too dry.
- Spoon sausage mixture into the squash, pressing down lightly.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and squash is heated through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving if growing the squash yourself, as I have not seen acorn squash in any market. I am going to try and grow them in my garden.
Shortcut: Bulk Pork/Italian Sausage.
Variant: 1. Use Italian sausage in place of pork sausage.
Updated on 27 September 2021.
Tuna & Pickle Salad
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup sweet pickle, coarsely chopped
- 1 can tuna, drained, (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For Serving - pick and choose what you want
- salad greens
- whole tomatoes
- pimento strips
- hard boiled eggs, sliced or wedges
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the hot cooked rice, mayo, black pepper, and pickle. Mix together. Let cool to room temp.
- Mix in drained tuna and lemon juice, place in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- Serve over salad greens or in tomatoes, garnish with pimento strips or hard boiled egg slices or wedges. Enjoy.
Pineapple Pecan Salad
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
- ¼ cup creamy French dressing, Shortcut
- 1 can pineapple tidbits, drained, (20 oz / 1 lb 4 oz / 566 g)
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
- salad greens, as desired
- maraschino cherries, red or green, for garnish, as desired
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the hot cooked rice, French dressing, and pineapple. Mix together. Cool to room temp then place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), spread out the chopped pecans. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Let pecans cool.
- When ready to serve, stir in the pecans.
- Serve on salad greens and top with a maraschino cherry for garnish, enjoy.
Notes
Shortcut: Creamy French Dressing.
Broccoli Potato Topper
Only 3 ingredients. I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Microwave
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- 4 hot baked potatoes, split
- 1 cup cooked broccoli florets, drained
Instructions
- Stir soup in the can until smooth. Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate, fluff potatoes with a fork and top with broccoli.
- Spoon soup over the potatoes.
- Microwave on High setting for 4 minutes or until hot.
- Serve as a side dish and enjoy.
Notes
Shortcut: Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup.
Easy Cheese Fries
Only 2 ingredients. I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen French fries, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
- 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
Instructions
- Bake the French fries according to package instructions.
- Push all the fries towards the center of the baking sheet. Stir soup in the can, then spoon over the fries.
- Bake for 3 minutes more or until the soup is hot.
- Serve as a side dish, and enjoy
Notes
Shortcut: Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup.
Magic Cookie Bars
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. I made these on 26 Sep 2021, and they are good! And easy to make!
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, (1 stick / ½ block)
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, (14 oz / 396 g)
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, (just a 12 oz bag is good)
- 1⅓ cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup nuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) or 160° (325° F) when using a glass baking pan. Get out a 9x13 inch baking pan, add the butter to the pan and melt in the pan while the oven is preheating.
- Spread melted butter in pan, sprinkle crumbs over the butter.
- Evenly pour the condensed milk over the crumbs.
- In a bowl, toss together the coconut, chips, and nuts.
- Sprinkle the coconut mixture over the condensed milk. Firmly press down with a fork.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Feel free to chill in the fridge until set firm.
- Cut into bars or squares, serve and enjoy. Can store covered at room temperature.
Sour Cream Corn Bread
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (8x8 inch)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons bsaking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons pimento, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200° C (400° F), get out a 8x8 inch baking pan and grease with butter or cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, add the first 5 ingredients, whisk together.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix until just moistened.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Shortcut: Sour Cream.
Oat-rageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out 1-2 baking sheets, line with parchment paper for easy cleanup or just leave ungreased.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and sugars using an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- In another mixing bowl, add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix together well.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 or until they are lightly browned. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy.
Ginger Bars
I got this recipe from my Mom, Joann, and she clipped it from a magazine 10-20 years ago, and it does sound good. On my to make and taste list.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup molasses
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, for garnish, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 9x13 baking pan and grease with butter or cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, add the shortening and sugar, cream together with an electric mixture until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs until well mixed. Beat in the water and molasses.
- In another mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture, stir together well.
- Spread in the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack, about 1-2 hours.
- Cut into bars or squares, dust each with powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve and enjoy.
