Mac Salad

 original recipe found here

1 lb. macaroni
2 cups celery
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups mayo
6 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
4 TBSP sweet OR dill relish
2 tsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp salt

1) In a large pot, cook the elbow macaroni in salted water according to the instructions on the package. Do not overcook. Drain well and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.

2) To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, relish, mustard, salt and pepper a small bowl. Mix well.

3) In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni, the dressing, celery, carrots, red pepper, and onion. Mix well. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.

4) Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 1 hour before serving.

Cauliflower Gratin

 original recipe found here

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

-Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

-Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

-Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Carrots

 1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

3/4 tsp kosher salt

4-5 cups carrots, peeled, and sliced

1) Preheat oven to 400°F

2) Put carrots in gallon ziplock bag, then add oil, garlic, cheese, breadcrumbs, and salt into bag. Close bag, then shake vigorously until carrots are coated.

3) Spread carrots on sprayed cookie sheet, then bake for 15 mins. Stir, then cook for 10-15 minutes more, until carrots are soft and crisp around the edges. 

Potato Salad

 original recipe found here

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold, Russet, or red potatoes
• 2 TBSP pickle juice
• 1 1/4 cups mayo
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, diced

1. In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Dice cooked potatoes.
2. Whisk together pickle juice, mayo, salt, garlic powder and mustard. Add potatoes and diced hard boiled eggs and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

 Original recipe found here

Sweet Potatoes

• 3 1/2 - 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping

• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a large pot with sweet potato pieces and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until fork tender. Drain potatoes and place back into pot. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or blend with an electric mixer, until mostly smooth. Add remaining ingredients (except topping ingredients). Mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8”x10” casserole dish (8x8 or 9x9 works too).
3. Spoon sweet potatoes into casserole dish and smooth out. Sprinkle top of sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
4. Melt butter in a medium microwave safe bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix with a fork. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until streusel is crisp and marshmallows are golden brown.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Baked Beans

*recipe adapted from Add A Pinch*

• 3 cans Great Northern White beans
• 1 lb bacon, cut in small pieces
• 1 TBSP garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup Sweet baby Ray's BBQ sauce
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

Dice 1lb of bacon and 1 medium onion. Brown the bacon and onions with a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic in a skillet. 

Drain and rinse 3 cans of great northern beans.

Combine beans and bacon/onion/garlic in the slow cooker, and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well in slow cooker, then sprinkle brown sugar over top. Cook on low in slow cooker for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. 

Sausage Cornbread Stuffing--Our Best Bites

9×13″ pan of cornbread (can be made a couple days ahead of time to dry out, but not necessary)
16-19 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. melted salted butter
Sage (2 teaspoons rubbed sage or 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage)
Rosemary (1/2 teaspoon dry or  1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves)
Thyme (1/2 teaspoon dry or 1 teaspoon thyme leaves stripped from the woody stems)
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more if necessary)
Tabasco sauce to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Crumble the pan of cornbread into a  very large bowl. Set aside.

Crumble the Italian sausage into a hot skillet and brown it over medium heat. Transfer the crumbled sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

If there are 2 tablespoons of rendered sausage drippings in the pan, add the chopped celery, apples, and onions. If not, add enough olive oil to have around 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan and add the chopped ingredients when the oil is hot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Remove from heat and add to the crumbled cornbread. Add the sausage and chopped herbs and toss until combined. Add the chicken broth and melted butter and toss to combine well. Season with salt and Tabasco to taste.

Press the cornbread mixture into a 9×13″ pan and bake for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven or until the top is golden brown. Serves about 12.

Pretzel Salad

PART 1

1 cup salted pretzels, any kind

1/2 cup sugar

1 stick butter

-Melt butter; break pretzels into smaller pieces. Add broken pretzels into butter bowl and add sugar. Stir until pretzels are coated.

-Spread coated pretzels onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper (for easy clean up).

-Bake at 350 for 7 minutes.

-Let them cool, break apart, and then set aside until RIGHT before you serve the salad.

PART 2

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 can crushed pineapple

12 oz tub of Cool Whip

-Mix cream cheese and sugar together until well blended. Add pineapple and mix well. Fold in Cool whip.

-Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Mix in pretzels just before serving so they don't get soft.

MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

Perfect Rolls

1 batch "Perfect Bread"

1/2 cup butter, melted

1) After the dough has risen for 1 hour, punch it down and let it rest in the bowl for about 5 minutes.

2) Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

3) Form the dough into a long "snake" like shape. Squeeze pieces of dough off and roll each piece into a ball (I usually make mine the size of a baseball). Place on cookie sheet, about an inch apart.

4) Brush melted butter over the top and sides of each roll.

5) Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes, or until the tops of the rolls start to brown.

6) As soon as you remove the rolls from the oven, brush each one with the remaining melted butter. Move onto a cooling rack.

7) Serve warm!!

Frog Eye Salad

1 cup sugar

2 TBSP flour

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cups pineapple juice, drained from cans

2 eggs, beaten

1 TBSP lemon juice

16 oz. acini di pepe

20 oz. crushed pineapple

2 cans pineapple chunks

3 cans (11 oz.) mandarin oranges

16 oz. cool whip

1) In a medium sized pot, combine sugar, flour, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

2) Strain pineapple juice from from fruit. Measure and add to pot, gradually. Then add eggs.

3) Cook until mixture is thick (medium heat), stirring frequently.

4) Add lemon juice, stir, and cool.

5) Cook acini di pepe with remaining 2 tsp. salt. Drain, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Drain again.

6)Combine egg mixture and acini di pepe. Refrigerate overnight. The pasta will absorb the egg mixture.

7) In a LARGE bowl, add drained fruit and cool whip to the pasta mixture. Mix well!

8) Garnish with a few of the mandarin oranges. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mom's Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound stuffing mushrooms

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup romano cheese

garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

olive oil

1) Clean mushrooms, and carefully remove the stems. Place stems in food processor bowl. Pat mushrooms dry.

2) Add the bread crumbs, romano cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the stems. Food process until everything is finely combined.

3) Arrange mushrooms in baking dish. Fill each mushroom with stem mixture, pushing it in so it's "packed" in.

4) Drizzle olive oil over each stuffed mushroom.

5) Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes (baking time depends on size of mushrooms). You want the mushrooms to be dark in color and really soft.

Mom's Spanish Rice

**To make this a meal, add about one pound of cooked ground beef to rice after the rice is finished cooking.**

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups rice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 cup tomato sauce

4 cups water

1) Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent.

2) Add rice and stir for 2 minutes.

3) Add salt, cumin, and sauce and stir well.

4) Add 4 cups of water, stir, and cover with lid. Turn heat down to medium.

5) Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the water is mostly gone. Turn off heat, and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Stir again.

Grandma Edie's Cole Slaw

1 bag prepared cole slaw mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup mayo

1) Mix sugar, vinegar, and mayo until blended. Pour over cole slaw mix in a bowl and mix well.

2) Let it sit, covered, in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir before serving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4-6 cups mashed sweet potatoes (boil in water until soft, then mash)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut (optional)

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flour

1) Mix the first 6 ingredients well.
2) Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
3) Mix together topping ingredients. Sprinkle over top of the sweet potato mixture.
4) Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

Potato Hash

My family had this dish with most holiday dinners.

2 lb. bag frozen hash browns (cubes or shredded)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Topping:

10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup crushed corn flakes

1) Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the topping ingredients. Mix well.

2) Spread potato mixture in a greased 9x13 inch pan.

3) Spread cheddar cheese over top of the potato mixture. Melt butter, and combine with the corn flakes while chopping corn flakes into smaller pieces.

4) Sprinkle on top of the cheese.

5) Bake at 375 for 45 minutes- 1 hour.

JELLO Dessert

1 small box JELLO, any flavor (strawberry is our favorite)

1 small box Vanilla Cook&Serve pudding

1 small box Cook&Serve Tapioca pudding

8 oz. cool whip

-Bring 3 cups water to a boil

-Add pkg of JELLO and stir until it is dissolved.

-Add pkgs of vanilla and Tapioca pudding. Stir until it comes to a boil.

-Pour into a large bowl, and refrigerate until completely cool.

-After it had cooled completely, fold in 8 oz. tub of cool whip.

-Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Mindy's Cornbread Extraordinaire

1 cup fine cornmeal

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp vanilla Instant pudding mix

4 eggs, well beaten

¾ cup oil

2 cups milk

1/2-3/4 cup of corn

-Mix together dry ingredients, and then mix in eggs, oil, and milk. Mix just until combined. Mix in corn.

-Put in a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes.