Sweet & Sour Hamburgers

1 lb hamburger
1 egg
1/2 c oatmeal
1 shredded carrot
1 T sugar
salt & pepper

** Mix together and form patties
** Grill or fry

1 can of tomato soup
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c water
2 T water

**Heat together in sauce pan

Pour over rice

Chicken & Broccoli

2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 can of chicken & broccoli campbell's soup
3 cups cut up broccoli
1 cup cut up mushrooms or 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
3 T mayo
1 t mustard
1 c milk

** Put all ingredients into frying pan and cook until broccoli is done. Eat over Rice

Japanese Chicken

8-10 chicken thighs or drumsticks (can take out bone and skin off).
mix flour, salt, and pepper in one dish.
Mix 2-3 eggs beaten in another dish.
Dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then into the flour.
Fry until lightly browned.
Put into baking dish.

Pour over chicken:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 ts salt

** Mix together and bring to a boil

Bake chicken 1 - 1 1/2 hrs @350. Turn over once during the baking time so sauce is on both sides.

Blue Plate Diner - Mac and Cheese

1 16 oz pkg of large elbow macaroni

Cook in boiling salted water until al dente

Meanwhile:
Saute the ingredients below in olive oil until onions are transparent.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove of minced garlic
2 tsp Italian Seasoning

Add to the sauteed mixture:
1 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms
Steams with lid on pan for about 10 minutes until soft.

Sauce:
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 minced garlic
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour

Saute onions and garlic in butter until soft. Add flour

When flour is coated with the mixture add:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cup cream

Bring to a boil (You can add more flour if you like your sauce thicker)

Remove from the heat and add:
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
Stir until it melts. Add cooked noodles to this mixture.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs and place under the broiler until the top crisps and browns.

SERVE

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 can pineapple chunks, in juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp mustard
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp instant beef bouillion powder
1 batch of meathballs w/ garlic salt
3 cups cooked rice

Method:
- drain pineapple, saving syrup
- combine pineapple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, water, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, and bouillon cube
- cook and stir until thick
- add meatballs
- cover, simmer until all ingredients are hot
- serve over hot rice
- makes 4 servings

Blueberry Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

** cut in 1/2 cup butter

Then add:
1/2 can frozen orange juice
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp grated oranges rind

Mix gently

Add 1 1/2 cups blueberry

Bake @ 350 for 20-25 minutes

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp orange juice
1/2 cup sugar

**Dip while warm

Sunday Buns

1/4 cup soft margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 heaping tbsp yeast
1 egg
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk

** Mix the water and milk together with the yeast before putting it with everything else

Add flour -- start with 3 cups and go to about 5

Bake @ 400 for 18 minutes

White Bread

1/2 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp salt
3 tbsp yeast
2 cups cold milk
4 cups hot water

**Enough flour to make dough (usually around 8 cups -- but varies)

Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes

The thing to remember when making this bread recipe is to know that the number of cups of liquid you have, that's how many loaves you will have. For example this recipe calls for 6 cups of liquid, so you know that you will come out with 6 loaves.

I had a love-hate relationship with this recipe for a lot of years. I loved eating it and it is my favorite kind of bread. But it was so hard for me to learn how to make. I felt like I could never get it right and I just messed it up all the time. I would always feel so bad that I just had to throw away and waste all those ingredients. The thing that bugged me the most is that my mom would never tell me how many cups of flour to use. She would just use flour until it was the right consistency. This just made me so mad. However, since my years of moving away from home and being on my own, I have finally mastered this recipe.. and the truth is, I have no idea how many cups of flour I use..

Taco Soup

1 pound of hamburger -- browned
1 2oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can of pork n beans
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce
1 pkg of taco seasoning
1 cup water

** Simmer 20-25 minutes

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and grated cheese

Taco soup reminds me of my family. Whenever there was going to be lots of us and my mom didn't have time to make a "nice" meal, she could always whip out taco soup. It's a huge family favorite and can easily feed 60 people. We have done it many times. Taco soup brings back many memories of camping with my family. We camp a lot and therefore have a lot of taco soup!

Funeral Potatoes

1 cup hash browns

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups grated cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed cornflakes

1/2 cup melted butter

Sal & Pepper

** Bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours in a 9x13 pan

Shepard's Pie

Bottom Layer:

- hamburger (leftover roast), onions, celery, salt, pepper --> brown in frying pan

- add leftover gravy or 1 can of mushroom soup & 1/4 can of milk

2nd Layer:

- 1-1 1/2 cups of warmed up vegetables

3rd Layer:

- instant or leftover mashed potatoes

4th Layer:

- grated cheddar cheese

** Bake in oven @ 350 until warmed through and cheese melts

Glorified Hamburgers

* Fry hamburgers first

Sauce:

- 1 cup ketchup

- 3 tbsp vinegar

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 medium onion -- chopped fine

- 1/2 cup water

** Pour the sauce over the burgers and take at 350 for 1/2 hour

When I think of glorified hamburgers, my mouth just starts to water. MMM! Oh I love them. These remind me of summer and all our barbecues that we had at the lake. My family loves to just wake up and go to the lake and be there all day long! And the best thing is that we sometimes get glorified hamburgers. They just simmer in the sauce and all you need is a bun!

Enough said.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp lard

2/3 cups milk

Method:

- blend flour and baking powder

- cut in lard

- add milk and blend slightly

* May be rolled out and cut -- or -- dropped from a spoon depending on the amount of milk added

* Bake @425 for 15 minutes

Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup softened margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

** CREAM TOGETHER

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

** Chill in fridge

** Bake @400 for 6 minutes

Icing:

- 1/4 cup softened margarine

- 2 tbsp milk

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

- 1/2 cup icing sugar

**Whip good

Oreo Cookies

1 pkg of dark chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

Mix well and roll into small balls. Place on cookie sheet (cookies will spread) and bake @ 350 for 9-10 minutes (no longer)

Filling:

- 3 oz cream cheese

- 2 cup icing sugar

- 2 tbsp soft butter

- mix well with mixer and spread on 1 cookie and cover with another

Oreo Ice Cream

2 liters of mint chocolate chip ice cream ** softened

1 large pkg cool whip ** thawed

1/2 pkg 400 gm oreo cookies

Crumble whole cookies in large bowl. Add ice cream and cool whip. Stir together and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Garnish w/mint patties if desired.

Freeze overnight

Fruit Pizza

Dough:

- 1/2 cup margarine

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

- 1/8 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 beaten egg

- 3 tbsp milk

- 1 1/2 cups flour

** Mix together and bake 12-15 minutes @ 375, cool

Mix together 1 -8oz pkg cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar and spread over cooled dough. Arrange fruit (strawberries, peaches, kiwis, bananas, grapes, etc.)

Glaze:

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup water

- 1/2 cup orange juice

- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

** Cook till bubbly then drizzle over fruit

Skor Cake

Bake 1 German chocolate cake in a large cookie sheet

Mix 1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding and 1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding w/ 3 cups of milk

Spread over cooled cake

1 1/2 cups of cream and spread over pudding

Break 3 skor chocolate bars into small pieces and sprinkle over whip cream

Rice Pudding

use an 8 cup baking dish

1 cup of rice

3/4 cup of sugar

shake in as much cinnamon as you want.

add 5 cups of milk

stir it up so the sugar is dissolved.

Bake at 350 for about 2 hours.

sometimes I stir it abit while it is cooking so it does not get a scum on top.

When the rice is cooked - taste it - take out of the oven

add as many raisins as you want and let cool.

I add milk to help cool it quicker - sometimes about 2 or 3 cups depending how thick it is.

Rice pudding is a huge family favorite and one of my favorite things to come home and eat after school. When I was growing up, I loved seeing rice pudding on the stove when I got home. It makes for the best snack ever! I now make rice pudding all the time and it has turned into a good breakfast food for Jord and I.

Pumpkin Pie

425 Degrees - one 9 inch pan

2 eggs, slightly beatne

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1 2/3 cups evaporated milk or half-half cream

Method:

- In a large bowl combine all filling ingredients in order given

- Pour into pastry shell

- Bake at 425 for 20 minutes

- Reduce temp to 350 and continue baking for 50 minutes or until knie inserted inot center of pie filling comes out clean

- cool

- serve with whip cream!!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

** Mix Together

1/2 cup cocoa

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

** Mix Together

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

GumDrop Cookies

1 cup margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup coconut

1 cup gumdrops (fruitlets)

2 cups oats

2 eggs, well-beaten

** Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2/3 cup cocoa

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup white chocolate chips

** Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes -- let sit on pan a couple of minutes before putting on rack

Banana Cream Pie

1 cup sugar

4 1/2 tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp salt

2 2/3 cups milk

4 egg yolks

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 sliced bananas

whip cream

Method:

- Prepare and bake single pie shell

- Combine sugar, corn starch, and salt

- Gradually add milk

- Cook until thickened (ten minutes)

- Slowly add slightly beaten egg yolks

- Cook for 5 more minutes

- Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla

- Place sliced bananas over bottom of pie shell

- Pour filling over it, let it stand in fridge

- Cover with whip cream

Granola

8 cups rolled oats

½ cups whole wheat flour

2 TB cinnamon

¼ cup slivered almonds

1 cup raisins

1 cup coconut

1 bag chocolate chips

1 tsp almond flavoring

2 cups honey

2 TB maple flavoring

½ tsp salt

2 TB vanilla

Mix oats, flour, cinnamon, almonds, raisins, coconut, and choco chips together in large bowl. Separately mix honey, salt, and flavoring together. Pour over dry ingredients. Spread on large cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 7-10 minutes.

Puffed Wheat Squares

A Special Canadian Treat!

1/3 cup of margarine

1/2 cup of cane syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

8 cups of puffed wheat

METHOD:

- Melt butter in sauce pan

- Add cocoa, syrup, sugar, and vanilla

- When mixture beings to boil remove from heat

- Mix in puff wheat

- Put in well buttered 9 x 12 pan

- Press down and cut into squares

This is a great on the go treat -- at the lake, camping, hiking, or just for fun!!

These remind me of my Aunt Kris. It seemed like she always was making them and she could always make them the best! They were always soft and chewy. One day I will be able to make them as good as her.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup of margarine

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of peanut butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

METHOD:

- Blend margarine, sugar, peanut butter, and egg

- Add combined dry ingredients and blend well

- Form walnut size balls and make a criss-cross with a fork

Bake @ 375 for 10-12 minutes

** Cool on a cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before putting on cooling rack

Brownies

4 eggs

3/4 cup of Margarine

2 tsp vanilla

** Cream this mixture together

2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups of flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup of cocoa

** Blend this together and then add to the creamy mixture

** If you really want to add a kick, I love to add small marshmallows and chocolate chips!!

Bake @350 for 30 minutes

Just a little story about these brownies. When I was little, I desperately wanted to learn how to bake. But I didn't want to follow a recipe. I wanted to create something on my own. I went through a phase that lasted about a month where I made some pretty nasty things! Nothing turned out good and I was getting pretty discouraged. Well my mom gave me the idea of using a recipe as my base and then adding things to make it my own. I thought this was a great idea. So the whole adding marshmallows and chocolate chips to this brownie recipe was my own creation when I was little. Hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Chips Cookies

1 cup soft margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 bag of chocolate chips

Bake @ 375-400 for 8-10 minutes

Famous Quote by Shannon: I have never had a hard time getting rid of them!!

These cookies are famous at our house and everyone loves them! We have a day called Cookie Wednesday and my mom makes these coookies every Wednesday. All the cousins and kids in town know it and just randomly show up at our house on Wednesdays. The lunch boys especially loved them and mom was so good to bake them every tiem for the boys.

** These cookies are especially good if you freeze them and eat them right out of the freezer.