Spinach and Cherry Salad

Salad

• 1 ½ cups baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup dried cherries
• ¼ chopped red onions
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 slices bacon crumbled
• Crackers (optional)

Dressing

1. ¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrated, melted
2. ¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3. ¼ teaspoon salt
4. 1/8 teaspoon pepper
5. 1 teaspoon minched garlic
6. 
   
7. Layer the spinach, red onion, and died cherries.
8. Stir or shake the dressing ingredients.
9. Add the dressing to the salad.
10. Top with cheese and bacon.
11. Serve with crackers if desired.
12. Enjoy.

Hungarian Goulash (Kettle Gulyas)

This is Pam Wilcox Kultsar's recipe from an authentic source, her husband.  I have known Pam since school days.  I thank her for allowing me to share this wonderful recipe with you. Even Pam didn't do all the things such as the beef heart, but I have included directions in the recipe as she received it.  I have made my own revisions and notes in italics.

Hungarian Goulash (Kettle Gulyas)

8 servings best made outdoors over an open fire! (I made it in a ceramic covered iron Dutch oven on an induction cooktop.)

• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lard (I used butter instead.)
• 2 1/2 lbs. beef chuck or round cut in 3/4 inch cubes
• (If you are brave, 1/2 pound beef heart cut to 3/4 inch cubes) Pam never used this (I didn't use any beef heart either.)
• 1 garlic clove
• pinch caraway seeds (I used 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds.)
• salt (I used 1 teaspoon when browning the meat, and added 1 1/4 teaspoons salt to the liquid.)
• 2 tablespoons paprika (sweet) (Be sure to use Hungarian Sweet Paprika because there are several kinds of paprika.)  
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• 2 green peppers
• 1 pound potatoes
• Little dumplings (spaetzle) optional (I did use the spaetzle.)
• 16 oz. sour cream

1. Melt lard (butter) in heavy 6-8 quart Dutch oven.  Sauté onions in lard (butter). Heat should be low so the onions don't brown.
2. When onions are glossy, add beef cubes, stir 10 minutes, sautéing the meat with the onions.
3. Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with the caraway seeds and a little salt; use the flat side of a heavy knife.
4. Take kettle from heat. stir in paprika and the garlic.  Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add 2 1/2 quarts of warm water (cold water toughens the meat). The paprika should be browned slightly be careful not to burn.
5. Replace covered kettle over low heat and cook for about 1 hour.
6. While cooking, peel the tomato and cut into 1 inch pieces. Core green peppers and slice into rings. (I cut into 3/4 inch pieces per Pam's advice.)  Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch dice.
7. After meat has been braised for about 1 hour, add the tomato, green peppers and enough water to give a soup consistency. add a little salt (this is where I added 1 1/4 teaspoon). Simmer slowly for another 30 min.
8. Add potatoes and cook the gulyas till potatoes are done. Adjust salt.  Add hot cherry pepper pods if you want a spicy hot gulyas (I did not add hot cherry pepper pods.)
9. Cook the spaetzle in the gulyas if you want, but optional (I added the spaetzle at the same time I added the potatoes.)
10. You can stir in sour cream, very tasty this way, but not traditional.  (I put a dollop on the top of one bowl, but later added the rest of a 16 oz. container of sour cream to the remainder of the gulyas per Pam's advice).

Corn Casserole

• 2 cans yellow corn, drained
• 2 cans cream style corn
• 16 oz. sour cream or non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 2  sticks butter, melted
• 8 oz. shredded taco cheese or similar type cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
3. Mix corn and muffin mix together.
4. Add  sour cream or Greek yogurt and stir in well.
5. Add the melted butter and stir well.
6. Place in baking dish and bake for 55 minutes.
7. Distribute cheese across top of casserole and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
8. Serve and enjoy.

Olive Bread

You will need a dutch oven, a large mixing bowl, and a clean kitchen towel in order to make this recipe.

For a fresh loaf for 6:00 p.m. Dinner, start at 8 p.m the previous day, proof 14-18 hours (18 preferred) , bake at 2:00, cool from 2:00 the day of serving.

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon yeast
• 1 ½ cups cool water
• 1 jar kalamata olives, drained, pitted and chopped
• white corn meal and flower for dusting

1. Pat the olives dry.
2. Mix the flour, yeast, and salt together.
3. Add the water, stir with a spoon or with hands.
4. Add the olives and work in some more.
5. Cover and let proof for 14-18 hours (18 preferred)
6. Sprinkle a clean towel liberally with a mixture of flour and corn meal.
7. Scoop your mixture out onto the towel. Turn a few times to cover.
8. Shape into a ball.
9. Cover with the towel and let proof for 2 hours more.
10. Begin heating the uncovered dutch oven at 500 degrees after 1 ½ hours after starting the second proof.
11. After 30 minutes, add the loaf to the Dutch oven and bake with the lid on for 30 minutes.
12. Take the lid off and bake it for another 20 minutes, so the crust is brown.
13. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for an hour. Then you can slice it.
14. Use to make a sandwich, or just alone or with butter.
15. Enjoy.

Pasta Stoup (a little thicker than soup)

Stoup is thicker than soup. Here is my recipe:

1 lb. ground sausage, browned

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon refrigerated minced garlic

3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

6 cups water

1-28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 small can of tomato paste

2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning

10 ounces macaroni type pasta, any shape

Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large Dutch oven, add the sage to the ground sausage, stirring to break into small pieces.

Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add the minced garlic, chicken bouillon powder and 6 cups of water. Stir.

Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir well.

Add the Italian seasoning. Stir.

With medium heat, bring to a soft boil.

Add the pasta and cook 15 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

Dilled Cucumber Salad

• 1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed

1. Soak red onion slices in ice water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the slices.
3. Combine all the ingredients together.
4. Stir and refrigerate at least an hour.
5. Serve and enjoy.  

Hawaiian Pasta Salad

• 8 ounces any boiled pasta such as rotini, macaroni, or bowties
• 1 15 ounce can of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained, but reserve the juice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces, cooked ham, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped

Dressing:

• ½ cup lite mayonnaise
• ¼ cup lite sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice (from the reserve)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  
  

1. Boil and drain pasta.
2. Add red bell pepper, pineapple, ham, and green onions.
3. Mix.

1. In a separate bowl, stir the lite mayonnaise and lite sour cream together.
2. Stir in the pineapple juice.
3. Add the honey, cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper.
4. Mix well.
5. Pour over the pasta mixture and combine well.
6. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Strawberried Sugar Cookie

Warning: This dessert is extremely sweet. I made it to avoid using cream cheese, so that a lactose intolerant person could enjoy dessert.

• 1 quart strawberries
• 1 tub vanilla buttercream frosting
• 1 stick butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup flour

1. Cut flour and sugar into solid butter, similarly as in preparing pie crust.
2. Line a pizza pan with parchment.
3. Press the crumbly mixture into the parchment lined pizza pan to make a cookie.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool.
6. Spread the large cookie with prepared vanilla buttercream frosting.
7. Wash, stem, and slice strawberries and place the slices on the iced cookie.
8. Cover with plastic, and refrigerate until serving.
9. Cut into wedges.
10. Serve and enjoy.

Coney Dog Sauce

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 medium onion
• 2 ribs celery
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash lite soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons yellow prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 eight ounce can tomato sauce

1. Brown and constantly stir the ground beef in a skillet in about ½ cup of water. This will help steam it and break it into fine pieces.
2. Cool the browned beef 15 minutes and place in a food processor. Pulse about 4 times to further break it apart. You want really small pieces but you don't want to turn it into a paste.
3. Return the meat to skillet.
4. Put the onion and celery in the food processor and pulse until the are in fine pieces.
5. Add onion and celery to skilled and sweat them for about 5 minutes. Stir often.
6. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
7. Add the vinegar and dry spices. Add about ½ cup water to help the spices distribute well and also it will continue to steam the mixture.
8. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lite soy sauce, and yellow prepared mustard.
9. Add the brown sugar. Stir until dissolved.
10. Cook on very low heat for a half hour, stirring often.
11. Add the tomato sauce, continue stirring often, and simmer for 15 minutes more.
12. Serve on hotdogs in buns.
13. Enjoy.

Ham Balls

• ½ pound ground ham
• ½ pound ground sausage
• ½ cup gingersnaps, ground fine in a blender
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Combine ground gingersnaps, salt, pepper, mustard powder, pineapple juice, milk and beaten egg in a blender and blend about 30 seconds.
2. Add the ground ham and mix.
3. Use a large scoop to make 6 large meatballs.
4. Place on a parchment lined 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, basting every ten minutes with the glaze below.  

      Glaze:

• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder

     Mix all the ingredients and baste the meatballs every ten minutes.

     You may also do the final basting with barbecue sauce if you prefer.

Orange and Grape Salad

• 4 Cuties, peeled and separated into wedges
• ½ cup grapes, washed and stemmed
• 1 small container Yoplait Greek Tropical Fruit Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Serve and enjoy.  

Ham, Veggie and Rice Soup

I often use this soup to use leftovers from Easter dinner.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup ham, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon crystals (or 8 cubes)
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup royal blend rice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons flour, mixed with enough water to make a slurry
• 2 cups shredded cheddar

1. In a Dutch oven, saute chopped red onion in the olive oil.
2. Add the chopped ham and cook for a minute, stirring often.
3. Add chopped celery and chopped carrots.
4. Add the chicken bouillon crystals and water.
5. Add both kinds of rice and black pepper
6. Stir often and cook on medium heat for 1 hour.
7. Add the milk, the slurry, and heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until it melts and thickens the liquid.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Egg Salad Sandwich for One

• 1 boiled egg
• 1 sweet pickle
• 1 3-inch piece of celery
• 1 Tablespoon lite mayonnaise
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 slices Fit and Active Whole Wheat Bread
• 4 leaves baby spinach

1. Chop egg, pickle, and celery.
2. Add salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. Add mayonnaise.
4. Mix.
5. Spread on the bottom whole wheat bread.
6. Distribute the baby spinach.
7. Top with the other slice of bread.
8. Cut and enjoy.  

Tomato Soup Pasta with Meatballs

It's better than you might think!  

Meatball ingredients:

• 2 slices bread with the crusts removed
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon refrigerated minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb. ground chuck

(Note: I have tripled the amounts in the listed recipe for the meatball recipe and frozen two groups of twenty meatballs for future use after baking them. That is as much as my blender can handle to hold the non-meat ingredients. Saves time and mess in the future.)

Sauce ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cans of tomato soup
• 2 soup cans water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon sage
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Your favorite pasta

1. Tear bread into cubes and place in blender
2. Add milk, egg, and chopped onion.
3. Blend 30 seconds.
4. Place in mixing bowl.
5. Add Parmesan, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and dried parsley.
6. Stir.
7. Add ground beef and mix but don't overly do so.
8. Scoop mixture into meatballs with a medium scoop. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
9. Bake meatballs in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until brown but not crusty.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce:

1. Saute the onion in a large skillet in the olive oil.
2. Add the two cans of soup and water.
3. Add the lemon juice, salt, parsley, basil, sage, thyme, and cayenne pepper.
4. Cook under medium-low heat, stirring frequently to keep it from burning.
5. When meatballs are brown, remove them from the oven, and add to the sauce.
6. Continue cooking about ½ hour.

Pasta:

1. Boil 13 ounces of pasta in salted water.
2. Drain pasta.
3. Plate.
4. Add sauce.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Jello Strawberry Pie

Crust:

• 1 stick butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup flour

1. Cut butter into pats and cut into the rest of the ingredients while still cold.
2. Put mixture in the a pie plate and press to cover sides and bottom as evenly as possible (not rolled).
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown.
4. Allow to cool completely.

Filling:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 3 ounce package of strawberry Jello
• 1 ½ quarts of fresh ripe strawberries, washed, stemmed and cut into quarters

1. Bring sugar, cornstarch, salt and water to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Continue cooking and stirring constantly for 3 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add Jello and continue stirring and cooking for another minute.
4. Remove from heat and stir for 2 more minutes.
5. Let cool 15 minutes but don't put in the refrigerator.
6. Add the strawberries and stir.
7. Pour the mixture into a the baked pie shell.
8. Turn the strawberries so the outer sides are showing.
9. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours.
10. Serve, topped with whip cream (optional) and enjoy.

Breakfast Casserole

• 12 slices of bacon, fried, drained and crumbled
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 6 slices bread
• 8 eggs
• 1-12 ounce can of condensed milk
• 4 ounces 2% milk
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Trim crusts off the bread, then cube the bread and spread them over the bottom of the baking dish.
4. Take half the crumbled bacon and half the shredded cheese and sprinkle them evenly over the bread.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for approximately a minute.
6. Whisk in the condensed milk, and 2% milk.
7. Add the chopped onion.
8. Add the prepared mustard, salt and pepper. And whisk about 30 seconds.
9. Pour mixture over the bread, bacon, and cheese over the bottom evenly.
10. Top with the remaining bacon and cheese, spread evenly over the mixture.
11. Bake for 40 minutes.
12. Turn oven off.
13. Let it sit in oven with the door open for 10 minutes.
14. Cut into squares and serve.

Baked Apple Roses Pastry

• 1 sheet frozen puffed pastry
• 2 honey crisp apples
• Juice of a lemon
• Water to cover the apples (amount depends on the size of the bowl)
• 3 tablespoons peach jam
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Non-stick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a silicone cupcake pan with non-stick cooking spray
3. Thaw the pastry sheet for 15 minutes and roll out until about a third larger in length.
4. Squeeze one lemon's juice into a bowl.
5. Add enough water to bowl to cover the apple slices. (You may have to add more as the apples are added.)
6. Cut each apple in half vertically.
7. Core the apple halves.
8. Place apples flat side down and slice thinly horizonally.
9. Add the apple slices to the lemon water.
10. Add more water if necessary to cover the slices.
11. Microwave the the apple slices in the water for 3 minutes.
12. Remove from the microwave and drain.
13. Add the one tablespoon water to the peach jam and stir until fairly smooth.
14. Slice the pastry sheet into six strips.
15. Take one of the strips, paint one side of it with the peach and water mixture, and place about 7 slices of the apples along the edge overlapping about half way along the length, and half way over each other apple slice.
16. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
17. On one end, start rolling the pastry, holding it so that the apple slices appear to be rose petals when completely rolled.
18. Place each rose in one of the cupcake compartments.
19. Repeat this assembly process five more times.
20. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes.
21. Serve and enjoy.

Piccolini Carbonara a.k.a. Mini Farfalle or Mini Bowtie Carbonara

8 ounces piccolini or mini farfalle (bowtie) pasta cooked (usually half the box)

1 lb. Italian ground sausage

½ ham, chopped finely

½ teaspoon sage

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon Tone's Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning

8 oz. Shredded Asiago cheese

Boil the pasta in a pan.

Brown and crumble the ground sausage until well browned.

Add ham and brown a little more.

Add the sage, pepper, and Spaghetti Spices and stir well.

Drain the pasta and add to the skillet of of meat mixture.

Stir.

Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring constantly. The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs.

Add the Asiago Cheese and stir well.

Serve and enjoy.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Please note, this is a great tasting cookie recipe. The frosting recipe is not included. Use your own favorite. But if you are needing a sugar cookie in which the shape of the cookies hold the sharp definition of the details, this will not work. But if you are just wanting great taste, this recipe is wonderful.  Thanks to my aunt, Maxine Hooper, for the basic recipe ingredients.  I have updated the instructions to include using parchment or a silicone baking sheet on top of your cookie sheet.

• 2 ½ sticks of butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3 cups of flour
• extra sugar for sprinkling

1. Cream sugar and butter together.
2. Add milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add baking soda, salt, and cream of tarter and stir well.
4. Add the flour a little at time, mix well by hand, but don't use a mixer. Overmixing could result in a tough cookie.
5. Form three balls of dough and return to the mixing bowl.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone baking sheet.
9. Roll out dough in small batches. (Keep the rest of the dough refrigerated until needed.)
10. Cut into rather small cookies. You can also use larger use larger cookie cutters, but you will need to increase baking time.
11. Use a food lifter (like Rachel Ray uses) to transfer cut cookies for baking.
12. Leave plenty of room between cookies as these spread a bit.
13. Sprinkle extra sugar on the cookies before baking.
14. Bake 375 degrees for 6 minutes for small cookies (longer for larger cookies). They should appear just beginning to brown slightly at the edges.
15. Remove from the oven.
16. Cool three minutes on the pan before removing.
17. Transfer to racks to continue cooling.
18. After cookies are cooled, frost and decorate as desired.

Macaroons

• 1—14 oz. bag shredded coconut
• 7 oz. Eagle sweetened condensed milk (½ of a can)
• Maraschino cherries (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the two ingredients until well combined.
4. Using a one tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the mixture and put on the cookie sheet about an inch apart. Make sure the cookie is well packed when placed on the sheet. These cookies do not spread much.
5. Press maraschino cherries into cookies if desired.
6. Bake 16 minutes. Check to see if tops are browned. If not pretty enough, turn the boiler on and watch until they are. Do not leave them. Things will happen quickly. It should not take more than a minute or two.
7. Remove and allow to cool 5 minutes. Then transfer to cooling racks.
8. Enjoy. 

Cashew Brittle

• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups light corn syrup
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups cashew nuts
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 teaspoons baking soda

1. Put parchment paper on two cookies sheets. It is easier to use ones that have the sides, I think, but flats ones should work, too, if you are careful.
2. With a wooden spoon in a saucepan, heat sugar, corn, syrup, water and salt over medium heat while constantly stirring until sugar has dissolved. Turn to high heat, and keep stirring until mixture reaches 290 degrees Fahrenheit (also known as the hard crack stage).
3. Add the cashews and butter and continue cooking to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda for 30 seconds. The mixture will be rather bubbly and airy.
4. Pour quickly into the parchment lined pans and spread evenly as quickly as possible. Let cool, harden, and then break apart.  Enjoy.