Scalloped Potatoes

My favorite scalloped potatoes recipe since the 70's.

2 lbs. potatoes (about 6 medium)
1/4 cup diced onions
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup margarine
2 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup cubed pre-cooked ham

Heat oven to 350'F.

Wash potatoes, peel, and remove eyes.  Slice thinly until the potatoes measure 4 cups.

In a greased  2-quart casserole, arrange potatoes in 4 layers, sprinkling each of the first 3 layers with 1 Tbsp. onion, 1 Tbsp. flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, dash of pepper, and dotting each layer with 1 Tbsp. butter.  Sprinkle top with remaining onion, salt, pepper and dot with remaining butter.

Heat milk just to scalding; pour over potatoes.  Cover; bake 30 minutes.  Uncover; bake 60-70 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

4-6 Servings.

Bev's Shrimp Salad

As I was looking in my recipe book, there was a slip of paper with a recipe written by Bev Jensen.  Since Bev is now in Heaven, finding this hand written recipe brought such a smile to my face.  I can't remember a family gathering, where Bev didn't make her delicious shrimp salad.  Today I am sharing the recipe with you....enjoy.  PS...many of the ingredient amounts were not given, so use your discretion.  The shrimp salad was mixed in a big, yellow Tupperware bowl.

1 package macaroni rings
2 cans shrimp
1 large can of peas
diced celery
chopped green olives
chopped sweet pickles
diced onion
cubed Velveeta Cheese
Miracle Whip and milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. sugar

Good Day for Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup

2-3 lb. whole chicken
2 stalks sliced celery
3 peeled and sliced carrots
1 whole diced yellow onion
salt
pepper
3-4 chicken base or bouillon cubes
2 large peeled and diced potatoes
extra-wide egg noodles

Wash chicken and place whole chicken in a stock pot.  Cover with cold water.  Add celery, carrots, and onion.  Season with salt, pepper, and chicken base or bouillon cubes.  (If using bouillon cubes be careful not to over season with salt.)  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken from the broth.  Place the stock pot with broth and vegetables into an ice water bath to speed up the cooling process.  Refrigerate the broth until fat forms on the surface.  In the meantime, remove the skin from the chicken.  Next, remove the chicken meat from the bone and cut into bite size pieces.  Refrigerate.

Gently remove the fat from the broth, add the potatoes, and re-heat.  Once the potatoes are tender, add the chicken meat pieces.  Taste and add additional seasoning if needed.  At this point, the soup can be frozen to be eaten later.

Prepare the extra-wide egg noodles as directed on the package.  When ready to eat, place the chicken soup into a bowl and add the noodles.    

Shrimpies

Shrimpies has been a favorite appetizer of mine, because I make the topping a day ahead of time and refrigerate it in a covered bowl.  Just before serving, spread the topping on the French bread. 

1 can chopped shrimp
1 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 loaf  sliced French bread

Mix together the first five ingredients.  Spread on top of the bread slices and place on a cookie sheet.  If this recipe is used as an appetizer, cut each slice of bread in half before placing in the oven.  Bake in a 475' oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve warm.

Barb's Salsa

Since I started teaching in the 80's, I have prepared salsa using this recipe.  Barb, who worked in the office at OHS, gave me the recipe.  Remember to use food service gloves when preparing the Jalapeno pepper!

5 cups finely cut tomatoes
1 finely cut green pepper
2 (mild) ~ 4 (hot) Jalapeno peppers (including seeds)
2 stalks finely cut celery
1 finely cut onion
1 ~ 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp. canning salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. sugar

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer.  Stir frequently until thick, about 1 ~ 2 hours.

Tortilla Roll-Ups - Appetizer

My foods students had fun making this recipe for the Super Bowl Party...there wasn't one roll-up left over!

1 - 8 oz. package fat-free cream cheese
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 - 4 oz. drained and chopped green chilies
4 chopped scallions (green onions)
1 - 4 1/4 oz. drained and chopped ripe olives
1 smashed and chopped garlic clove
5 large at room temperature flour tortillas

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  Spread over tortillas.  Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Unwrap and cut into approximately one inch slices.  Serve with salsa if desired. 

Barb's Salsa Recipe

Mom's Beef Stew

Since the 70's I have been cooking this stew recipe for my family.  It is one of Greg's favorite dishes.  Since the Packers are in the NFC Play-Offs, I thought it would be a great day for hearty mid-western stew!

1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbsp. light olive oil
3 cups hot water
2 pared  large potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
3 peeled carrots, sliced into 1/2" slices
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1-2 beef bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Place flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon size plastic bag.  Shake.  Add stew meat and shake again until the meat is coated.
2.  Melt shortening in a dutch oven.  Remove the coated meat from the bag and place into the dutch oven.  Brown meat thoroughly.
3.  Add hot water to deglaze food from the bottom of the pan. Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours.
4.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

To thicken stew:
1.  In a batter bowl add 1/2 cup cold water and 1-2 Tbsp. of flour.  Whisk until blended.  Slowly add to the stew until desired consistency is reached, while stirring constantly until mixture boils.  Boil and stir one minute.  Serve.

6 servings.

Slushy Drinks

Remember the Slushy Drink craze in the 70's and 80's?  Recently, while staying at the Ann Bean Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Stillwater, Minnesota, we were talking to a couple from Iowa who had never heard of this drink.  Maybe the craze was only in Wisconsin?  I learned that some people enjoy Slushy Drinks to cool down on hot summer days and others enjoy this beverage as a family tradition during the Christmas holidays.  What ever the season...Slushy Drinks are a pleasure. Here are some of my favorite recipes.


Slushy Drink
From the Cooking in Minnesota Cookbook, which is a collection of recipes from the Twin City Home Economists in Homemaking.  "This light, refreshing drink is nice for ladies' luncheons."

7 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 ~ 12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 ~ 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup gin or vodka
1 Tbsp. instant tea
Maraschino cherries
Lemon-lime carbonated beverage

• In a large saucepan, heat water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Freeze in a plastic ice cream bucket.  
• To serve, fill tall glasses 2/3 full of frozen mixture. Add enough chilled lemon-lime carbonated beverage to fill glass.  
• Serve with maraschino cherries, if desired.  
• 12 -14 servings. 

Brandy Slush
In 1977 the Extension Homemakers in St. Croix County published a cookbook.  So many of my recipes came from this cookbook, that the cover is missing and it has seen better days!  Published in the homemakers cookbook is Karen Enerson's recipe for a "good summer drink" and it is the basis of my recipe.

1 cup sugar
2 bags green tea
1 ~ 6 oz. can thawed frozen limeade juice concentrate
1 ~ 6 oz. can thawed frozen lemonade juice concentrate
1 cup brandy
4 1/2 cups water
7-Up or lemon sour

• Using a 5 quart plastic container with a lid (an ice cream pail works great) dissolve 1 cup sugar in 3 1/2 cups boiling water.  Set aside.  
• In a bowl, steep 2 tea bags in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, then add the limeade and lemonade juice concentrates.  
• Add the tea mixture to the sugar-water mixture. 
• Next, add the brandy.  Mix well and freeze.  
• To serve, fill glass 3/4 full of broken up slush, then add 7-Up or lemon sour.  Stir.  
• Yield: 15 drinks.

Buttercream Recipe

Wilton Buttercream Recipe

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (I prefer Crisco.)
1/2 cup room temperature margarine
4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring

1.  Cream shortening and margarine in a mixer.
2.  Add confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until all ingredients are mixed well.  Blend a minute or two more until creamy in texture. To thin icing, add 1/4 teaspoon of milk at a time until desired consistency.
3.  Icing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Re-whip before using.