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Corn Dogs

1 1-pound package hot dogs

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons melted shortening or cooking oil

Milk if necessary

Cooking oil

Ketchup and mustard

  1. Pat hot dogs dry with paper towels. If desired insert a wooden skewer into the end of each dog; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together egg, milk, and the 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture; mix well. The batter will be thick, but if it seems too thick ad a little additional milk (about 2 Tablespoons)
  4. In a large skillet, heat approximately 3/4 inch cooking oil to 375 degrees. Dip hot dogs into batter coating all surfaces. Let any extra batter drip off.
  5. Fry turning after 5 seconds to prevent batter from sliding off. Fry for 3 minutes more. Turn again after 1 1/2 minutes. Serve with ketchup and mustard.
  6. Tip: The batter needs to be fairly thick to stay on the dog. After mixing transfer the batter to a shallow disk, such as a pie plate for easier dipping. Set the dish of batter in a bowl of ice to keep thick.
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Lasagna Roll-Ups

Makes 6-8 Servings

12 Lasagna noodles

Spaghetti sauce

1 Tablespoon parsley

2 15 oz containers ricotta or cottage cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8oz)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs, well beaten

  1. In large saucepan, cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender; drain. Rinse with cool water and drain again. Set aside.
  2. Make your desired spaghetti sauce.
  3. In a large mixing bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, eggs, and parsley.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. To assemble: spread approximately 1/3 cup of cheese mixture evenly over each of the lasagna noodles.
  6. Starting from the short side, roll up each of the lasagna noodles.
  7. Pour sauce into 9×13 baking dish. Place rolled-up noodles seam side down in the baking dish. Top with sauce.
  8. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 more minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Turkey Tetrazzini

1 can cream of mushroom soup (we do cream of chicken)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken

1 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti noodles (3 oz dry)

  1. In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, onion, and sour cream. Stir in turkey. Add spaghetti; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart baking dish or casserole.
  2. Bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2-3 chicken breasts

Italian seasoning

Ham

Swiss Cheese

1 1/2 can cream of Chicken soup

3/4 Cup sour cream

Stove Top Stuffing

Place Chicken breasts in bottom of 9X13 pan.

Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.

Layer Ham and Swiss cheese on top

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Pour over cheese.

Top with a box of stuffing.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until chicken is done.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 large boneless chicken breasts

4 thin slices ham

4 1/4 inch slices Swiss cheese (We have found we actually really like Monterey Jack cheese instead, it still has a strong flavor and melts better.)

1 cup Seasoned Flour (see bottom of recipe) (we have found you only need 1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 cup bread crumbs, usually we need more

Vegetable oil

Flatten chicken breasts or slice thinly length wise and use 2 chicken breasts to make 4. Roll ham and cheese together, then roll in chicken breasts. Use toothpicks to keep rolled up.

Beat eggs and milk together. Dip chicken rolls in flour, egg mixture, then bread crumbs.

Fry in hot oil until brown.

Bake 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until chicken is done.

Easier way: Flatten or slice chicken then dip in flour, egg, then bread crumbs. Fry. Place in baking pan and put ham and cheese on top. Bake until done.

SEASONED FLOUR

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

Yield: enough to dredge 3-4 pounds of chicken

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Sweet Cream Pancakes

3 eggs, separated

1 Cup milk

1 Cup half and half

1/4 Cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 Cups flour

1 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

  1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together
  2. In another bowl mix eggs yolks, milk, half and half, and vanilla thoroughly
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until it just comes together.
  4. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into batter
  5. Make pancakes in frypan on stove.
  6. Eat
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Candy Cane Popcorn

12 oz. white chocolate, melted

1/4 cup un-popped popcorn (measure un-popped and then pop it) ( We found we like the airpopped popcorn because it tastes great and is easier and faster clean up, but the pan popped in oil works great. The original recipe says microwave popcorn so really any popcorn works.)

1/2 cup crushed candy canes

2-3 drops peppermint oil (we used more like 4 or more because when you put it on the popcorn it mellows the flavor out)

Red and or Green chocolate (DON’T use peppermint oil in this popcorn. It won’t drip off a spoon nice to drizzle over popcorn)

  1. Pop popcorn and remove all un-popped kernels. Place in large bowl with ample room to mix.
  2. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. White chocolate seems to melt better in double boiler. (or a pan or glass baking dish over a pan of water on the stove)
  3. Add crushed candy canes and peppermint oil to melted white chocolate and stir quickly. Pour over popcorn and mix till all coated.
  4. Spread out on cookie sheet.
  5. Melt colored chocolate and drizzle over coated popcorn. It tastes really good if you add a little peppermint oil to the colored chocolate also.
  6. When cooled place bowl or bags
  7. We just added the crushed candy cane to the top of popcorn when on the cookie sheet instead of mixing in the chocolate.
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Butter Mints

Butter marble slab before freezing.

Makes 1 1/2 pounds (That’s a lot you can make half) (on my slab which is 12×16 you need to do a half recipe. The full is too much candy for the slab)

3 Cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 Drops coloring

1/4 Pound butter (cut into pieces)

1 Cup warm water

17 Drops peppermint oil (15 drops = 1/4 teaspoon)

Butter marble slab and place in freezer.

Stir sugar, salt, butter and water for 2 minutes in large pan.

Put on medium high. Stir until butter melts. Put in thermometer.

Cook without stirring to 254 degrees. (250 in Colorado and Utah). If not below freezing out, cook to 256 (252 in Colorado and Utah). Must be below 40 degrees outside.

Pour on buttered, chilled marble slab (butter slab before freezing). Add flavoring and coloring. Works best with 2 people to keep it on the slab. Mix with spatula. We tried a rubber scraper and it needs something stiffer to get under the candy. So try pancake turner. Use hands as soon as possible.

Go outside and pull till it losses gloss and becomes satin. Don’t twist when pulling. It is still pliable when it is ready. If you go too long you won’t be able to cut it.

Go inside and pull into strips and cut quickly. More hands is helpful. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Store in air tight metal can with wax paper between layers. (We have done plastic and it works too)

They get soft after sitting overnight.

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Coleslaw

1/2 Cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1   1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Coleslaw salad mix

Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper and salt together until smooth and creamy.

Add to coleslaw mix.  Let sit to incorporate the flavors.

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Turtle Cake

1 Box German Chocolate cake mix, mixed according to directions on box, but not yet baked.

48 Kraft Caramels (1   14-oz bag)

1/2 Cup evaporated milk

2 Cups pecans, chopped

3/4 cup (1   1/2 sticks) butter (not margarine)

2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped cream, for topping

Grease and flour 9X13 baking pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Bake 15 minutes.

While the cake in baking, melt the caramels, milk, and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Pour the mixture over partially baked cake.  Sprinkle half the pecans and half the chocolate chips over the caramel mixture.  Pour the rest of the batter over that.  Sprinkle the rest of nuts and chocolate chips on top.  Bake 20 more minutes.  It won’t look quite done when it’s finished, but it will firm up when it sets.  (It tastes better the second day!) Serve topped with whipped cream.

Serves 12-16