Buttermilk Cider Chicken

I see it's not on their posted menu but the Colonial Inn in Concord, MA is known for dishes like this delicious recipe that was featured in one of the cooking magazines a while back. . If you are in the Boston area, plan to visit this charming inn, a National Historic Landmark. Maybe they'll be serving this chicken when you visit.

Place 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves in a glass dish in 1 c buttermilk. Turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Melt 1 tb butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 red delicious apple and one Granny Smith apple, both cored and cut in 8 wedges. Saute til golden, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. To the same skillet, add 1 c. apple cider and boil til reduced to 1/2 c, about 8 minutes. Add 1 c. chicken broth and 1 c. heavy cream. Boil til sauce is reduced in half, about 15 minutes.

Darin chicken. Mix flour with salt and pepper. Coat chicken with the flour and cook in heavy skillet in hot oil until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates and keep in oven or tent with foil to keep warm. Add apples to the same skillet and reheat over medium heat. Divide the apples among the plates, Add the sauce to the pan and reheat. Stir in 2 TB chives, adjust seasoning to taste, Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with chopped pecans if you like.

http://www.concordscolonialinn.com/

Louisiana Beef Stew

  I don't know a  soul in Louisiana so I don't know if it is or ever was a   regional favorite but we've enjoyed this nontraditional stew  since  the 80's when it was a contest  winner in Better Homes and Gardens.  Unusual ingredients make  a  dark and tender  stew with  just a hint of sweetness from the molasses and raisins, carrots, lots of caramelized onions, a little ginger.  There are no potatoes in this beef stew.....pretty radical, huh?

Combine 3 TB flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp celery salt, 1/4 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp powdered ginger. Sprinkle it on 3 lbs chuck cut in 2" cubes, and toss. Brown in hot fat  such as 2 TB bacon fat,  or shortening in a large heavy kettle or Dutch oven.  Do it in batches so the cubes don't touch while browning- if they do, they wont brown, they'll just steam. Then throw it all in the pot and add 16 oz of canned tomatoes with juice, 3 medium onions, sliced, 1/3 c. red-wine vinegar, 1/2 c molasses, and 1/2 c water. Bring to a boil and simmer about 2 hours. Then add 6-8 small carrots, cut on a slant, and 1/2 c. raisins. Simmer 30 minutes longer or til the carrots are tender.

Thirty years ago I used all the salt shown, but  now  I replace almost all of it by adding the flavor elements of those salts with some celery seed &  garlic powder and a no-salt seasoning like Trader Joe's 21 Season Salute,  and   no-sodium-added tomatoes.

If you choose to use a crockpot,  eliminate the water from the recipe and cook on  high for an hour and then low for 5 hours or more.  Ordinarily I don't thicken it just before serving, but crockpots can generate a lot of moisture so you may decide you want to.

Good  with rice,  corn muffins, and a green salad. Serves 8-10

Crab & Cracker Salad

This was my favorite  quick salad recipe for years... Combine 6 c. bite- size crisp hunks of lettuce ( roamine preferred, but even iceberg is OK in a  pinch) with 2 tomatoes, chunked. Toss lightly. Break 6 oz frozen thawed crab ( in an emergency use a 6 oz can, drained ) into chunks,   add to greens and tomatoes along with 6 radishes, sliced, 1 c. broken Ritz-type crackers, salt, pepper, and 1/3 c. creamy Italian salad dressing - Seven Seas brand is especially wonderful.   Toss and serve immediately to 4.

I think this recipe came from a Kroger brand box of 'Zips' crackers - every bit as good as Ritz and of course, cheaper!

Texas Fudge

Drain, seed, stem and chop one 13 oz jar of pickled jalapeno peppers. Combine with 16 oz shredded cheese- your choice of cheddar or monterey jack. Place in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Beat 6 eggs well and then pour over the cheese and peppers. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated 350 oven. Cool slightly before cutting into squares. Best warm but good cool too.

Yellow Summer Squash Casserole

Most squash casserole recipes call for stuffing mix - delicious - but this is too, with no refined carbs. Great way to use just-picked squash from the garden and also a welcome taste of summer on a cold winter day.

Saute 1 cubed summer squash, 1 green pepper cut in strips, and 2 medium onions, chopped for about 5 minutes. Then add 3 medium tomatoes, chopped, 3 sliced crisp bacon, broken, 8 oz shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Put in a shallow lightly sprayed baking dish.

If you'd like, sprinkle the top with a little more cheese or some fine bread crumbs mixed with butter. Bake in a preheated 400 oven for 20 minutes

Oh My! Hash Brown & Ham Pie

This cheesy, crusty pie recipe is courtesy of The Pampered Chef...served at the first PP party I ever went to, at my friend Diana's. YUM! PP recommends making it in their 'deep dish baker' but I make it in a deep dish pottery pie pan or better yet, in an iron skillet. Enjoy it for supper as well as breakfast. http://www.pamperedchef.com/

Preheat oven to 350 and combine 4 slightly beaten eggs, 1 c. diced ham, 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, 1/2 c. milk, 2 TB chopped onion, and 1 cup chopped veggies...I like broccoli, but you could use asparagus, mixed veg, green pepper, or whatever leftovers you have on hand. Set aside for now.

Use one large pouch refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes mixed with 2 more cups cheddar to form a crust in the dish. Then pour the egg mixture into the potato crust and bake 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and the center is set. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 servings.

Mickey Rooney's Fruits & Greens Salad

Cube or make balls of 1 cantaloupe and 1/2 honeydew melon. Add 1 bunch seedless grapes, halved, 6 oz cubed Gruyere or Swiss cheese. Chill, covered. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce ( even iceberg is fine), dress with French or oil & vinegar salad dressing, and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Serves 4 an an entree or 6-8 as a side salad.

If you have to ask who Mickey Rooney is, just make the salad and don't worry about it. I just wanted to give credit where credit is due!

Almost Wendy's Frosty & Iced Coffee Mocha

Frosty: Blend 1 c. milk, 3/4 c Nestle's Quik powder, 3 c. slightly softened vanilla ice cream

Mocha: Make brewed or instant chocolate coffee, chill. Add a little cold cream or spoonful of vanilla ice cream if desired. Serve over crushed ice.

The Detroit Press Club's Famous Cheeseburger

This sandwich was served with a stack of skinny fench-fried onions or fries. And don't even think about a bun - it must be light rye bread. This is a two-fisted sandwich.

For each sandwich, use 1/2 lb ground round, grilled or broiled to your preferred doneness. Butter one side of 2 slices rye , and place buttered side down, on a hot grill, griddle pan or skillet. While it cooks, place a slice of American cheese on the unbuttered side of just one of the slices. Top the cheese with about 1 TB chopped green olives and about the smae amount of sliced, grilled onions. By now the cheese should be melting. Place the meat patty on it and top with second slice of bread. Serve with a cold beverage - beer, a cold Coke.....and enjoy the melty goodness!

I can't recall the name of the bar near Tiger Stadium where this was served, in any case both are past history now. Tiger Stadium was still standing the last time I whizzed through Detroit on I-75 a year or so ago. The Press Club has not fared even that well.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/article_brief/eandp/1/1148377

Bacon-y Cheesy Asparagus

While you nuke or steam about 15 spears fresh asparagus, or cook a 10 oz box of frozen spears, combine these ingredients in a small saucepan: 1 can cream of celery soup, 2 TB Parmesan cheese; one 4 0z little glass jar of Kraft bacon-cheese spread. Stir til smooth over low heat. Add 1 tsp dry onion, 1 tsp parsley. When heated through, spoon over the hot cooked asparagus. Credit for this recipe goes to Gloria Pitzer, who began the "famous secret recipes" trend long ago.

Kansas City Sweet Slaw

Kansas slaw tends to be sweet, Southern-style. This recipe was in a Midwestern Living Magazine's feature on Kansas CIty BBQ and favorite side dishes.

In a large bowl toss together 1 large head cabbage, shredded, with 2 shredded carrots ( or use a large bag of prepared slaw cabbage) and add 1 medium green pepper and 1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped. In another bowl, stir together 1-1/2 c Miracle Whip, 3 TB sugar, and 1 TB vinegar. Toss with the cabbage and store in the fridge. Makes 8 cups.

Hot Swiss Potatoes

Cook 7 cups peeled, cubed potatoes in a small amount of boiling salted water, covered, for 18-20 minutes, until just tender. Darin. Spray or grease a 9x13 pan. Mix potatoes in a large bowl with 16 oz cubed or shredded Swiss cheese, 2/3 c real mayonnaise ( like Hellmann's), 1 tsp garlic salt, and a 10 oz jar stuffed green olives, drained. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40 minutes.

from QVC's Best Of the Best Cookbook www.qvc.com

5 Minute Apple Cranberry Tart

5 minutes is probably stretching it,  if you hop to it  and the oven is already hot, you might be able to get this   baking even sooner.   This cranberry-apple version is really delicious,  so I tried using peach pie filling and fresh blueberries.....uh, not so good.    Still, you may want to experiment with other combination and see if they work.  Blueberry filling and fresh strawberries? Cherry pie fillling and  fresh blackberries?  I'll let you check those out,  I'm sticking to this version.

Preheat the oven to 400. Unwrap a  roll of refrigerated pie crust pastry and place it in a 9" pie pan.  Combine a 21 oz can of apple pie filling with a cup of fresh cranberries, 1/4 c. chopped walnuts, & 1 tsp cinnamon.    Spoon onto crust..  Fold the edges toward the middle, pleating as necessary so it lies flat.  Sprinkle  the crust and filling with 2 TB sugar. Bake at  400 for 15 minutes, then reduce temp to 350 for  40-45 minutes, until bubbly and  the crust is golden.  Cool and  remove from the baking dish, it  looks pretty on a serving plate.    Makes 4-6 servings.

Ritzy Poppyseed Chicken

Mix in a 9x13 baking dish: 8 cooked, chopped boneless chicken breasts, 1-1/2 c. sour cream, 2 TB poppyseed, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, and 1/2 c chicken broth. Spread 1 1/2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, crushed, over the top Melt I stick margarine and drizzle over cracker crumbs. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 50 minutes or until browned on top.

Key Largo Country-Style Fish

Put 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers in a zipper bag and crush with a rolling pin. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan and put half the crumbs on the bottom. Place 2 lbs white fish, such as tilapia, haddock, cod, etc...    on top  and season with salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and  chopped fresh parsley. Top with remaining crumbs and pour 2 cups  half and half over everything. (Land O Lakes fat free half and half works just fine)  After the cream has settled, pour 1 stick butter, melted, over all.   Let sit for one hour or refrigerate as long as 24 hours.   Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Recipe from the QVC Best of the Best Cookbook -  a really terrific recipe collection I use  often.

Sauerbraten Burgers

My husband spent much of several years in Germany, starting up a factory for his  company, and especially likes German food.   During Octoberfest - or any time of the year -  I  appreciate this really quick quasi-German  meal, mostly microwaved. The cookies are the key to the  authentic flavor. 

Mix 1 lb ground beef with 2 TB tomato sauce from an 8 oz can, 1/4 c. finely chopped onion, 1/4 c dark raisins, 3 crushed gingersnap cookies  and salt to taste. Shape into four patties about an inch thick. Place in a square glass dish, cover loosely with wax paper or plastic wrap and nuke on high 4-8 minutes, until firm to the touch and no longer pink. Pour off  the fat.

In a medium bowl mix 1/2 tsp salt, 1/3 c water, 2 TB brown sugar, 2 TB white vinegar, remaining tomato sauce, and 3 more crushed gingersnaps. Pour over the burgers, cover  and cook on high for 4-6 minutes, stirring once, until very hot. Let stand covered for 5 minutes.

Serve without buns, along with refrigerated mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower   and homemade or  jarred  sweet & sour red cabbage,  (which isn't  sour at all).  Even kids like the sweet red cabbage   made with apples.....you might  feel it necessary to create a new name for it!     Finish the German style meal with purchased apple strudel,  cream puffs, or apple turnovers from Arby's.   Genießen !

The Ultimate Indulgence: Chicken Divan

Everyone has their own favorite Chicken Divan recipe - or at least everyone who was alive in the 50's and 60's when it was was a very popular casserole. This shortcut version has only 5 ingredients and came from Karen Danosky in the 80's. It features one unique ingredient - apparently magical - muenster cheese. So needless to say, do not ruin this by substituting any other cheese.

Put 4 chicken breasts, cooked and torn into large pieces into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with about 20 oz. frozen, thawed and drained broccoli spears or large pieces ( or one fresh head, cooked). Mix 1 can cream of chicken soup with 3/4 c Hellmann's mayonnaise ( low fat/ lite/low cal versions will not work) and spoon over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 8 oz shredded or thinly sliced muenster cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, til bubbly and the cheese melts and begins to have golden- brown spots here and there.. then dig in and resist the temptation to roll around in something so luxuriously rich and wonderful.

Crazy Mixed Up Beef Brisket

Combine 1 envelope Lipton dry onion soup mix, 1/4 c/ water, 1 c. ketchup, 2 TB yellow mustard, and 2 TB grape or black raspberry jam or preserves. Blend well and place half on the bottom of a small roasting pan. Place a 4-5 lb beef brisket in the pan and top t with the rest of the mixture. Cover and bake 3 1/2 hours at 325. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator. Slice into very thin crosswise slices before serving.

Found this one in a 'recipe request' section of the Detroit News... the only drawback of course is that you need to plan ahead. Smells wonderful while it bakes!

Not Your Mama's Tuna Noodle Casserole

--unless her name was Mrs Reames, perhaps.  Yes, this  luscious dish is a  20-year old recipe from a  Reames  Frozen Noodle package.   The frozen noodles are thick and almost chewy conpared to ordinary noodles...so don't even think of substituting dry ordinary noodles.   This recipe may be the only acceptable reason in the world to use the dreaded canned cheese soup. Despite  thinking it is horrific,  I admit it  is key to this rich cheesy dish, and the touch of broccoli is just right.  I promise  you will never make that bland, anemic old cream-of-mushroom soup  tuna casserole again.

1 pk REAMES Home Style Frozen Noodles,  12  oz. ( I havent seen a 12 pz pkg in years; just 24oz)
1 can Cheddar cheese soup (11 oz)
1 cn Evaporated milk (5 oz)  -  important: this is the SMALL can!
1 TB  Instant minced onion
1 can  chunk or albacore Tuna, drained (12 1/2 oz)
1 can Mushroom pieces, drained -8 oz.
1  10 oz. pk Chopped broccoli, thawed, no need to cook
1 c Shredded mild cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350F.   Cook noodles in boiling water 20 minutes. Blend soup and milk into a smooth sauce. Add onions and mushrooms. Drain noodles. Mix  noodles,  tuna and broccoli in a 2-quart casserole.  Bake 20 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and bake 15 more minutes. "Makes 6 1-cup servings"  ( One cup servings? That's crazy! Let's say this  recipe makes 2 or 3  generous servings at most.  Just go ahead and double the recipe, you'll gobble it up.)

Tomato Pie

Lots of regional variations can be found but they all use the basics--- tomatoes, cheese, and mayonnaise ---  and produce a summery taste treat that can get by for a  few hours unrefrigerated, and is just as good at room temperature as it is warm from the oven. It's a welcome  side dish , brunch addition, or appetizer served in smaller slices.   Leftovers at our house reappear at breakfast.  I've seen several types of cheese used; basil added, and other variations but my preferred recipe is simple and always includes bacon, because  what isn't improved by bacon?

Bake a 9"  pie crust as directed, and cool it.  Cut about 3  nice ripe medium tomatoes into 1/4" slices, drain on a paper towel for 30 minutes and put them in the crust.  Sprinkle with 10 slices of crisp bacon, crumbled.  In a bowl, combine 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese with 3/4 c.  real mayonnaise.  Low fat or low calorie  mayo can't be used.   Spoon over the center of the pie, leaving about an inch exposed around the edges.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30-40 minutes.   The  pie  crust and topping should be golden brown.  Check at about 20  minutes and cover edges with foil   if they are browning too much.  Let cool a bit if planning to indulge right  away.  If the topping seems a bit runny, it may be due to using   very juicy tomatoes or various brands of mayonnaise -so  reduce the amount a bit.   Or switch to good ole Hellmann's.  And even on the occasions when it  doesn't cut perfectly, it tastes awesome.

Hoosier Sugar Pie

Most of the USA has never heard of Sugar Pie, but here in the Midwest, it's a tradition. It is economical to make and absolutely wonderful. Some say it originated with the Amish. In any case it was often made by people in farm communities. There's even a commercial version made by Wick's, that's sold frozen in supermarkets. I'm not sure how widely Wick's is marketed. For all I know the rest of the world has now discovered their Sugar Pie. I Googled Wicks website and see that you can buy a case of six Sugar Pies online for less than $20. Holy Cow! That's cheaper than buying at the grocery store. Whether you bake it or buy it, try one. Even the Kewpee has sugar pie and a coconut sugar pie.

I like it best served cold. It is very smooth and neither custard-y or cream-pie-ish. It's solid and delicious... sometimes it's called Transparent Pie. There are  dozens of  similar reciepes---Here's one version to try:

Mix 1-1/2 c cream or evaporated milk with 1/3 c flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 c regular white sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon. Pour into an 8" unbaked pie shell. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes, then 350 for about 30 minutes.

Don & Nancy's Spaghetti Pie

Thirty  years ago we were invited to Don and Nancy's for dinner and when Don said "we're just having spaghetti" I had no idea I was going to be so crazy about a  spaghetti pie  I'd never heard of.  Since then I have seen  variations on it but this remains my favorite. A few years ago Stouffers had a   'favorite casserole' contest to find  new  frozen entrée recipes.  And you guessed it - there soon appeared a frozen ( but square shaped )  spaghetti pie in  Stouffer's red boxes in  supermarket freezers. As good as Stouffer's usually is, it didn't compare to the real thing. Here's the original version:

Brown 1 lb bulk Italian sausage, and drain. Cook 8 oz spaghetti. Mix the sausage with a 16 oz jar Ragu spaghetti sauce . In another bowl mix 2 beaten eggs with 2 TB butter or margarine, 1/3 c grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, 1 TB parsley, and the cooked spaghetti. Put into a deep 10" pie pan to form the crust. Spread with 1 cup ricotta cheese mixed with 1/2c.chopped chive tops, then  spread  it over  the spaghetti meat sauce. Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes. Then top with 1 cup shredded mozzarella and put back into the oven until the cheese melts. Slice in wedges to serve with a great salad and buttery garlic bread.   Oh my! 

Dried Beef-Cream Cheese Oven Omelet

Reminiscent of the popular 1970's appetizer, dried beef rolled up with chive cream cheese inside,  this is a rich and delicious way to start the day.

Beat together 6 or 8 eggs.  Using a jar of dried beef slices , make rolls by smearing them with softened cream cheese mixed with  a TB or two of chives. Roll up and cut each into thirds. Stir  the beef  rolls into the eggs, add  1/2 tsp pepper, and  pour into a sprayed or  buttered 1 1/2 qt casserole dish or muffin cups.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30 minutes- about 20 for muffin pan.  Sprinkle top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese the last 10 minutes.

Any leftovers will freeze nicely once completely cooled.  Just microwave for a minute or two to thaw and  heat through.

Captains Shrimp Delight

When I asked a  fried-chicken chain restaurant owner  for a
 favorite recipe for a cookbook I was compiling, this  one is what he  hand-wrote.    Shrimp?   I was expecting a chicken recipe.   Using  unusual  ingredients--- bottled salad dressings, baking powder, bacon and chili powder-----it was intriguing enough that I  felt compelled to do a little quality  test that very day.    Not only is it good, but   it's an easy   last-minute dish....as long as I keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer, I can put it together in a jif.  I  usually make a half-recipe.

Have your rice  cooked  before you start, this only takes a few minutes to prepare.   Fry 4 bacon strips til crisp, remove and crumble.   Saute  2 lb. large peeled  raw shrimp in the bacon fat for about 4 minutes, until they begin to turn pink.  If making a full recipe,  you will  have to do this in  2 or 3 batches before putting them all together in the pan. Don't try to crowd them all in at one time.   Then mix together 1 cup French salad dressing and 3/4 c Thousand Island dressing together with 1 tsp chili powder.   Add to the shrimp  and stir in 1 tsp baking powder (powder, not soda!). Stir over low heat until  the  sauce  thickens - less than 5 minutes ought to do it.   Stir in the bacon, and a little color with  a pinch of chopped parsley.   Serve with or over rice, if you like. I use yellow rice, Mahatma and Vigo brands are both delicious.

Original Joe's Spinach -Sausage Frittata

Original Joe's has been serving Italian specialties in San Francisco since 1937 and among the lunch specials are such favorites as ox tails and osso bucco with Italian rice...not the aver age blue plate special. I had a friend who'd lived there and gave us this recipe good for breakfast, brunch, lunch or supper. Frittatas are always cooked til almost done - not scrambled... then finished under the broiler, and this isn't, but hey- they call it a frittata so I will go along with that. He said the fritatta ingredients varied, but always had eggs, spinach, and potatoes.

Brown 1 lb Italian sausage with 1 medium onion, and 2 diced potatoes until crispy. Add 1 box frozen cooked and well drained spinach, then add 3 beaten eggs. Cook and stir til done. Serve with salad and/or buttery crunchy toast.

Joe's was closed in late fall 2007 , due to a fire but scheduled to reopen after extensive repairs ... www.sfeater.com/archives/2007/10/12/fire_water_d..

Lamb Chop and Orange Rice Casserole

Lois Rubens gets credit for this easy lamb recipe.

Rub 4 thick shoulder lamb chops with salt and pepper, then sear briefly in a hot skillet. Place 1 c. raw rice ( not instant!) in the bottom of a shallow buttered baking dish. Top with chops and arrange one 11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained, over the chops. Use the orange liquid along with orange juice or beef broth to equal 3 cups, and pour gently over. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp dried mint. Bake at 350 for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Serve it with a romaine & cucumber salad and hot rolls.

Beach Boys Chocolate Lovers Mousse

A bit of a 'cheater' recipe, but    simple and delicious!     I served this to the Beach Boys and a couple hundred VIP guests as part of a concert 'backstage picnic' fundraiser in the mid 90's.      It is a good 5- minute 'emergency' dessert and no one's the wiser about how easy it is. I served it in individual dark-chocolate baskets made especially for that event, but an everyday chocolate or graham cracker crust works just fine.

Melt 1 giant Hershey bar with almonds -- stir til smooth. Let cool for just a few moments. Fold gently with 1 large container of Cool Whip until no streaks remain. Pile into wine or parfait glasses, or spread evenly in a crumb crust and chill as long as you can before eating (30 minutes is probably enough in a pinch)

A dab of whipped cream, fresh raspberries,  or a few almonds on top add to the presentation.

The Beach Boys were all pleasant, very complimentary, and nice to work with. Mike Love was not with them  for that concert.     Al Jardine took time out to drive by a childhood home   where he'd lived  with his grandmother  for a little while  as a child.    

Sweet 'n Salty Lemon Dessert

I love  recipes with a 'surprise' ingredient. This recipe  came from a local radio station owner when I put together a community cookbook some years ago. The salty cracker crumbs are a good contrast to the sweet meringue and sweet-tart lemon filling.

Preheat oven to 400. Crush 1/3 box Keebler Club Crackers and save a couple tablespoons for a garnish
Mix with 1 stick melter margarine or butter & spread in a 9 x 13 pan.
Beat 3 egg whites until glossy, add 1 c sugar, and beat til stiff. Spread over the crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes, and cool. Spread  prepared package of ( cook-type) lemon pudding or  1 can lemon pudding/pie filling  over the top, then top that with about 5 oz cool whip or whipped cream. Chill for several hours before cutting in squares to serve, and sprinkle with the salty crumbs and/or a tiny bit of lemon zest..

Paula Deen's Georgia Cracker Salad

When it's late and you remember that you need to take a dish to party or picnic the next day, never fear: you have enough on hand all you need to save the day - and not have to dash to the store at midnight, although you might need to boil an egg. This is really a crazy dish but it is good and will get lots of comments! I'm not sure why this photo looks like rice, in person it's easy to tell they are cackers.

In a medium bowl, coarsely break/crush 1 sleeve of saltine crackers with your hands. Don't try for teeny pieces- big is fine. Add 1 large tomato, 3 green onions, 1 hard boiled egg, all finely chopped, and salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 1-1/2 c real ( Hellmann's!) mayonnaise.

Serve immediately. ( If taking somewhere, mix everything but the crackers in the serving bowl. Top with a layer of foil or plastic wrap- lay your sleeve of crackers on top and transport that way. Crush up the crackers and mix when its time to serve.

http://www.pauladeen.com/

Breakfast Pizza

Tastes good even at room temperature, so it's good to take to work on the days you have 'breakfast carry-ins". Popular with kids and adults alike.

Preheat oven to 375 and lightly spray a 12" pizza pan. Unroll one tube of crescent rolls and press onto the pan, making a crust, piecing where needed. Combine topping ingredients: 6 beaten eggs, 1 tsp hot sauce, 1 1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained, 1/2 lb crumbled crisp bacon, and a few chopped green onions. Pour evenly over the crust and bake 15-20 minutes, til eggs are firm and crust is golden.

Customize as you like with what's on hand or your favorite pizza toppings- substitute or combine olives, sausage, ham, pepperoni, green pepper- as you like. Just keep the proportions of toppings to eggs about the same amount. Wrap in foil to transport and keep warm.

Reuben Chicken

Winner of the 1982 Chicken Cooking Contest- a $100,000 prize for Marcia Adams, of Ft. Wayne Indiana, who later became famous on PBS for her Cooking In Amish Country TV shows and  several  'Amish Country'  cookbooks. I had the opportunity to help her prep for a  cooking demo once; she was a  gracious  woman with a calm,  serene demeanor.  Her cookbooks are superb sources for very  simple, delicious dishes. 

Place 4 large boned chicken breasts in a sprayed or greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Top with 16 oz sauerkraut, 4 large slices Swiss cheese, and 1-1/4 cups Thousand Island salad dressing. Cover with foil and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours

It takes longer to count $10,000 than to write out that receipe!

MacDonel House Chicken Stuffing Casserole

A simple but delicious casserole served by the Historical Society in the 1800's - restored MacDonell House in Lima, Ohio. This recipe will serve 3-4 .

Preheat oven to 350. Cut up one whole ( 2 breasts) cooked chicken breast and mix with 1 c sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken soup. Melt 1 stick margarine and mix with one box Stove Top chicken stuffing mix. In a 9" square pan, put half the stuffing mix, and top with the chicken mixture. Then spread on the remaining stuffing. Pour 3/4 c chicken broth over the top and bake for 30 minutes.

Hollywood Pork Chops

Buried under that tasty mountain of baked-on kraut and sour cream is a tender, moist pork chop.   I'm not sure how their flavor makes it down into the chop, I just know it does.

  I've been making this since the 70's when a a long forgotten celebrity prepared this recipe on a daytime TV program.   I  jotted down the recipe on an index card  and named it   "Hollywood"  chops. It's maybe more appropriate to call it  Hungarian Chops though.

 It is one of those dishes that tastes  about a hundred times better than the recipe sounds, especially   a 3 - ingredient dish. It's fast and wonderful, especially if you are low-carbing.

Preheat oven to 400.  Brown chops in a little oil, on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Salt and pepper them and place on a  flat, low baking sheet or cookie sheet. Top each chop with a heap of well-drained sauerkraut - mix in some caraway seeds if you like them-  and then plop  on a lot of  room-temperature sour cream, at least 1/4 c. on each chop.   More is better in this instance.    Low fat sour cream works fine but I can't   vouch for what fat free will do.  Spread it,  to pretty much cover the sauerkraut and then sprinkle with lots of Hungarian paprika.     Bake 20 minutes at 400.  You'll wish  you'd made extras!

J. L Hudson's Maurice Salad

Hudson's stores were the primo department store in the Detroit area for many years, and sponsored the big televised Thanksgiving Parade downtown. This is the original flagship store on Woodward Avenue. Their in-store restaurants were famous for this slightly-different spin on chef salad, all the ingredients, including the lettuce were shredded, with a unique pickle-y dressing a bit like tartar sauce.. Of course, like many other regional chains, Hudsons has been swallowed up by the Bigger Guys.

The last time I enjoyed this wonderful salad was at the Oakland Mall store some years ago. Unfortunately, the Fort Wayne Indiana didn't have a 'lunchroom". I am not sure if they still are serving the Maurice Salad at the reincarnated stores, but you can save yourself a trip to Detroit by making this. Ingredients are given per one- serving portions.

For each salad, toss 2 oz  iceberg lettuce, 1 oz each - ham, chicken or turkey, and swiss cheese, all julienned.

 Maurice Dressing: 1/2 c. mayonnaise, 1-1/2 tsp white vinegar, 1 hard boiled egg, chopped, 1 TB onion, chopped, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire, 1/4 c oil, 1/4 c. sugar-free sweet pickle or sweet pickle relish. Process in blender or food processor til smooth. Add 1/2 c sour cream, 1 tsp chives, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 TB parsley, chopped. Pulse just another moment. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Use about 3 TB for each lunch salad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson

Rice a Roni Salad

When you're looking for something interesting to take to a party  and not see six more dishes  just like yours, this  tasty salad  may do the trick.  Naomi Judd' s  new ( 1990's!)  cookbook was where I  first saw   this  unusual recipe, although once I started making it I  started seeing it in other places too so maybe you discovered it long before I did.  You'll get lots of puzzled questions about what's in this delicious side dish. I've recently  seen Paula Deen prepare it -  she adds a couple handfuls of   cooked shrimp.

Cook and cool 1 box rice pilaf flavor  Rice a Roni mix as directed.  Drain a 12 oz jar of marinated-in-oil artichokes, saving the liquid. Chop the artichokes and about 4 oz drained green  pimiento-stuffed olives, 5  green onions with tops, and  add  1/2 green pepper, sliced thinly. Make the dressing by mixing 1/3 c. mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp curry powder with the reserved oil. Toss with the  cooled  rice mixture and chill at least 4 hours. Makes a  large bowl ,  serves 8-10.

Pork Chops and Rich Creamed Spinach

Perfect for your George Foreman grill, which cooks on both sides at once so really cuts down cooking time on everything. Rub boneless loin pork chops on both sides with , pepper, garlic salt & a little paprika for color. Grill to desired doneness probably 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops. While they are cooking, microwave 1 10-oz box of frozen spinach per 2 servings in the microwave in a glass or plastic dish. When done, drain well and put back in the dish with about 4 oz cream cheese , a sprinkle of salt ands a sprinkle of nutmeg and nuke about 2 minutes more- to soften the cream cheese well. Stir it up and when it's completely melted into the spinach, it's ready. I like to plop it right on top of the pork chops to serve.

Add salad or another veggie, and dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Diablo Steaks

This oldie was probably a Family Circle or Woman's Day recipe from long ago and is a colorful and tasty change when grilling or broiling steak. The golden mustard-y tops are colorfully swirled - you know right away it's a new treat.

The British love mustard with roast beef and steak, and with good reason. I'm not a major mustard lover- I like it, not love it...but do enjoy this quick spin on steak now and then.

For 4 steaks, use boneless chuck steaks, about 1-1/2" thick. Pierce both sides of steaks several times. Place in a shallow baking dish or a zipper bag and add 1 cup thin bottled French dressing - the oil type, not pink or creamy. I always used Kraft Miracle French, which, sadly is now ancient history. Try using Catalina thinned with 1/4 c oil and 1/8 c vinegar. Cover and marinate 8 hours or overnight.

To cook, slash edge of steak so they won't curl, if there's any fat on them at all. If broiling, place foil on the pan. Broil or grill 4" from flame about 6-9 min per side depending on how you like them done. While they're cooking, mix 2 TB prepared yellow mustard- plain old 'hot-dog' mustard - with 2 TB softened butter. After you turn the steaks, spread it on them and continue cooking. If you're broiling, the flame will cook the mustard a bit. If grilling, you'll want to flip it back over for a couple minutes to sear in the mustard, just before they're done. Unfortunately, that may spoil the pretty swirly effect, but it will still taste fine. This is one time I almost prefer broiling. ( does anyone broil anymore? I think grills have made a big change in how often we broil.

State Fair Meat Loaf

A prize winner from the 70's remains my all time favorite traditional  meat loaf.
We love meatloaf. Favorites include  spinach -marbled meatloaf and   Italian meat & cheese- pinwheeled meat loaf  too but sometimes  the old traditional  recipes just can't be beat.

Preheat the oven to 375. Saute 1 grated carrot, 1 small green pepper, chopped, and 1 onion, chopped, in 2 TB butter or margarine for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile make 2 slices toast and soak them in 1/2 c. milk until softened & soggy. Now combine it with the veggies, 2 lb ground beef, 1 egg, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Squish lightly but well and shape into a loaf and use the back of a spoon to make  a shallow trough down the length to help keep the topping where it should be.  Place in a baking dish like a 9x13 pan ( not a 'bread-loaf" pan). Spread on the topping and bake at 375 for 60 minutes.

Topping: Saute 1 small onion, chopped, in 1 TB butter, then add 1/2 c ketchup, 1/4 c. water, 1-1/2 TB Worcestershire, 1-1/2 TB sugar or Splenda, 1-1/2 TB cider vinegar, salt & pepper.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Cheesy Southwestern Corn Dip

http://www.sweetpotatoqueens.com/

This is a fast favorite that inevitably gets recipe requests. It only has a bit of a kick if you use really hot pepper-jack cheese. Otherwise it is just plain YUMMY. Credit goes to the Sweet Potato Queens Big-Ass Cookbook.

Mix together in a baking dish: 2 cans Mexicorn (has sweet red and green peppers in it); 2 small cans chopped green chilies; 1 can sliced black olives, drained, 1 cup REAL mayonnaise - like Hellmann's; and 8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese. Bake or microwave til bubbly all the way through, and serve with FRITOS Scoops. Any chip or cracker will do in a pinch but nothing beats the corn-chip Frito flavor with this. This recipe makes A LOT of dip - you'll need a 2 1/2 qt dish for it. If you can't find Mexicorn, toss in a small glass jar of chopped pimiento for color.

I've hauled it to work, to tailgates and all sorts of other parties, and learned the hard way  to NOT  start off by making it in a crock-pot.....too much condensation, it gets  very soupy. So when I need to keep it hot, I nuke it  gently til hot  just before leaving home and then immediately put it it a preheated crockpot on warm, and leave the lid off or cracked a bit so the steam escapes.

This is also the cheesiest, richest corn side dish imaginable!