Apple Salad

8 oz cream cheese
1 jar marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp vanilla
5-6 granny smith apples, cut in bite size chunks

Let the cream cheese soften for a while, then whip it until creamy. Add the marshmallow creme and vanilla. Add the apples and stir until they are all covered. Keep refrigerated until served.

KFC Cole Slaw

1 Tbsp minced onion
1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice

1 bag shredded green cabbage and carrots

Combine dressing ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth.
Add the cabbage and carrots and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Zuppa Toscana (just like Olive Garden's)

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 large Russet Potatoes, slice in half lenghwise, then in 1/4 inch slices (leave the skins on)
1 large Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Bacon, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Kale or Swiss Chard, torn into bite-size pieces
2 cans Chicken Broth
1 quart Water
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1. Cook and crumble sausage in large saucepan.
2. Drain sausages on paper towels (You may want to rinse the sausage off, otherwise it leaves a orange film in the soup.)
3. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot, and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.
4. Add sausage and bacon.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Turn to low heat.
8. Add kale and cream.
9. Heat through and serve with bread or rolls.

Speedy Beef Stroganoff

Brown and season 1 lb ground beef

Add:
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup milk

Heat through and serve over egg noodles.

Sour Cream Drops

*like Farm House Cookies, only better

Cream together:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar

Beat in:
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Add dry ingredients:
2 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Bake on greased cookie sheet at 425 for 7-8 minutes or until cookies start to brown on edges. Remove to wire rack to cool.

The recipe also comes with a frosting recipe, but I've never made it because the cookies are good enough on their own. But if you want to try it, here it is:

In a small saucepan combine:
4 Tbsp butter (let it melt)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
6-8 tsp hot water (enough to achieve a spreading consistency)

Spread on cooled cookies.

Pumpkin Bread

Using your mixer combine:
1 can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup oil
3 cups sugar
3 eggs

Then add:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Optional:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 loaf pans or 1 bundt pan. Add batter and bake 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Meredith's Favorite Rolls

2 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 pkg instant yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water (120-130 degrees)
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Using mixer, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add water and butter; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Machine knead or hand knead 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough to 3/8 inch thickness; cut with 2 1/2 biscuit cutter or glass.

Place in greased 9x13 baking pan with sides touching. Cover and let rise until doubled (30-60 minutes). Bake 375 for 11-14 minutes. Makes about 1 dozen.

Ilona's Pear Salad

1 pkg lime jello (6 oz)
1 cup pear juice
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
1 cup hot water
1 quart pears, drained
8 oz cool whip

Mix jello with hot water. Add pear juice. Blend pears and cream cheese in blender. Add to jello. Add cool whip. Chill and serve.

Granola

2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or whatever kind of nuts you prefer)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp flax seed
1/4 cup unprocessed bran or wheat germ
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Combine all dry ingredients. Then combine all wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake in lightly greased 9x13 pan for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want to ruin it by adding raisins, craisins or some other dried fruit, this would be the time to add it. Spread mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet to cool. Crumble up cooled granola and store in refrigerator in airtight container. Makes about 6 cups. Delicious over strawberry yogurt.

Stays-Soft Caramel Corn

Pop 4 bags microwave popcorn

1 stick of butter in large saucepan, melt completely then add
1 can sweetened condensed milk and
1 cup corn syrup, then
2 cups brown sugar

Stir well and heat through, but don't boil much at all, just enough to dissolve the sugar.
Pour over the popcorn and enjoy. Keep leftover popcorn in an airtight container.

Broccoli Salad

4-5 cups fresh broccoli flowerettes
1/2 cup red onion, diced
½ lb bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup shredded mozarella
½ cup craisins

Dressing:
½ cup mayo
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar

Mix all together and refrigerate one hour before serving.

Wheat Bread

(Makes 2 Loaves)

2 ½ cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup oil
¾ Tbsp. salt
Enough wheat flour to make dough the consistency of cake batter (about 2 ½ - 3 cups).
Mix together well.

Add 1 ¼ Tbsp instant yeast
And enough wheat/white flour until the dough clings together and cleans the side of the bowl.
Machine knead 6-8 minutes.

Divide dough in half and place in greased bread pans.
Let rise about 30-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, but reduce to 325 when you put the bread in.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.
Remove from pans immediately.
Eat warm with butter, jam, brown sugar, or nutella spread on a big slice.

Super Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup butter flavored shortening (This is the key to making soft cookies. The softness of shortening but the taste of butter)
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
3 T. milk
1 T. vanilla
1 egg
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Beat until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Roll into 1 ½ inch ball and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Chocolate Eclair Bars

1 ½ sticks butter
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups flour
6 eggs, slightly beaten

In pan, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add flour. Stir until it forms a ball. Add beaten eggs a little at a time. Stir until smooth. Spray large cookie sheet. Spread dough on sheet and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Topping
8 oz cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 pkg vanilla instant pudding
3 cups milk
8 oz cool whip
Mrs Richardson’s hot fudge topping

Mix cream cheese with 3 tablespoons milk Beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat pudding and 3 cups milk. Mix the cream cheese in and fold in the cool whip. Spread over the crust and drizzle hot fudge topping across the top.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup margarine, butter or shortening or a combination (I use half butter, half shortening)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs


Cream together then add

1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oats

Spread in 12x17 cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. For thicker bars, spread in 9x13 and bake for 30 minutes.

Frosting (sorry, its not a very exact recipe but I just dump stuff in when I make frosting. You may want to increase the butter to 3/4 cup if covering a cookie sheet.)

1/2 stick margarine or butter softened
3 T to 1/4 cup cocoa (depending on how chocolatey you like frosting)
Powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Milk

Cream the butter and cocoa. Add powdered sugar until it looks and tastes right. Add milk and vanilla. Spread on warm bars. Or melt the butter, add the rest of the ingredients and spread on cooled bars.