Penuche

I don't know if this is the actual recipe that my Great Grandfather would make and send us each year, but it's one I am going to try, in his memory. 



1 c half & half
2 T butter
2 c packed brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 t vanilla
1 c chopped pecans

1. Butter an 8" square pan; set aside. Combine half and half, butter, brown sugar, and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until dissolvd and mixture boils.
2. Add candy thermometer (bulb not touching bottom)  cook until mixture reaches the soft ball stage 238 degrees. Pour into large heat-proof mixer bowl. Cool to lukewarm, about 110 degrees.
3. Add vanilla and beat with electric mixer until thick. Beat in pecans when candy loses it's gloss. Spread into prepared pan. Score with knife. Refrigerate until firm. Cut, store in fridge.
Yum 12/2002

Fiesta Egg Casserole

Aunt Sue Knight's recipe

10 eggs
2 c (8 oz) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2 c (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 c small curd cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 13x9 dish. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in cheese, and remaining ingredients & mix well. Pour into dish. Bake until edges are golden brown & center is set, 35-40 minutes. Serve with salsa.

Aunt Joanie's Fiesta Dip

8 oz fat free cream cheese
8 oz fat free sour cream
1 packet Fiesta Ranch dip
1 T Horseradish
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T cumin
1 T minced garlic
1 small can green chiles

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, horseradish, Worcestershire, and Ranch seasoning until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Chill in fridge for an hour.

Orange Fruit Dip

Aunt Ellen's
7 oz Marshmallow Cream
8 oz cream cheese
juice of one orange
small bit of orange zest

Mix & chill. Serve with fruit.

Cheese Bacon Dip recipe from Cousin Cyndi

8 oz cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
1 jar bacon bits (not imitation-Hormel is good)
2 c shredded cheddar
1 c finely chopped green onions

Mix together and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (or until it looks like everything is melted together).
Serve with crackers.

My grandmother's Watergate Salad

I am a little confused about the name of this salad, I have heard it called Ambrosia but when I called my aunt and asked her for this recipe, she said it is called Watergate Salad. All I know is that my grandmother was not a good cook. She could burn rolls I tell ya. But she was good at making this. It's what I looked forward to every Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I am so glad we got the recipe before she died last June.

1 pkg Jello brand pistachio pudding
1 can crushed pineapple
1 large container Cool Whip
1 bag miniature marshmallows

Mix the pudding with the pineapple including the juice. Add Cool Whip and marshmallows. Mix.

My Aunt Ellen's Famous Eggnog

My Aunt Ellen's Famous Eggnog
8 eggs, separated
1/2 c sugar
1 c whiskey
1 pint heavy cream

1. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, set aside.
2. Beat egg yolks, add sugar, beating well and continue to beat while adding whiskey.
3. Whip the heavy cream. Fold in whipped cream and beaten egg whites.

My Aunt Sue's Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

My Aunt Sue's Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
1 T butter
1 md onin, chopped
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles, drained
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 c cooked chicken breast, chopped
10-12 8" tortillas
8 oz Mont Jack (or pepper jack) cheese
2 c whipping cream
1 can cream mushroom soup
(I add 4 oz sliced mushrooms, drained)

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat; add onion & saute 5 minutes. Add mushrooms & green chiles; saute 1 minute. Stir in soup, cream cheese, & chicken; cook, stirring until cream cheese melts. Add pepper to taste.
2. Spoon 2-3 T chicken mixture down center of each tortila. Roll up & place seam down in 2 lightly greased 9x13 (smaller if you have smaller) baking dishes.
3 . Sprinkle with cheese & drizzle with whipping cream.
4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
Both my picky kids loved these.

Stuffing

My Mom's Stuffing
1 loaf bread, toasted and shredded (let the kids shred)
2 stalks celery, diced. I hate celery so I use a little bit.
1 onion, chopped
2 cans chicken broth
2 eggs
sage
poultry seasonings


1. Saute celery and onions in butter with sage until onions are caramelized. Turn off the burner.
2. Pour in broth and 2 eggs. Mix in bread. Add salt, pepper, and poultry seasonings.
3. Stuff the prepared bird. Put excess in dish and bake that at 325 for 45 minutes.

Divinity

My Mom's Divinity (so it's from BHG, every year my mom was asked to make this)
2 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1/2 c light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 t vanilla
1-2 drops food coloring, optional
1/2 c chopped nuts or candied fruit

1. In a 2-quart heavy saucepan combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking, without stirring, until the thermometer registers 260 degree F, hard-ball stage (10 to 15 minutes). (Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil.)
2. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites with a freestanding electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gradually pour hot mixture in a thin stream over egg whites, beating on high speed about 3 minutes; scrape sides of bowl occasionally. Add vanilla and, if desired, food coloring. Continue beating on high just until candy starts to lose its gloss (5 to 6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.
3. Drop a spoonful of candy mixture onto waxed paper. If it stays mounded, the mixture has been beaten sufficiently. If mixture flattens, beat 1/2 to 1 minute more; check again. If mixture is too stiff to spoon, beat in a few drops hot water until candy is a softer consistency. Immediately stir in candied fruit. Quickly drop remaining mixture onto waxed paper. Store tightly covered for up to 1 week. Makes about 40 pieces.

Lemonade Pie

Lemonade Pie by Stephen's Granny Icy

1 can Eagle Brand Milk
6 oz frozen concentrate lemonade
2 Cool Whip
graham cracker crust

Mix and chill in the freezer.

In my opinion: Perfect for a hot summer day in Texas!

Father's Grand Champion Cow Patty Pie

Picture found on Cookie Madness blog (one of my favs)

Father's Grand Champion Cow Patty Pie by my MIL This really is good stuff y'all, despite the flavorful name! Crust:

1 stick butter, melted

1 c flour

1 c pecans, chopped finely

Filling: 8 oz cream cheese

1 c Cool Whip

1 c powdered sugar

1 3 oz. pkg vanilla pudding

3 c milk

1 3 oz pkg chocolate pudding (We use pistachio, my husband doesn't like chocolate-I know he's strange)

Final layer:

Cool Whip

coconut chocolate sprinkles

1. Mix crust ingredients and pat in 8.5 x11 and slightly up sides. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Cool 5-10 minutes.

2. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over crust. Chill 5-10 minutes.

3. Mix both puddings and milk on high until firming up and add to pie mixture. Chill 5-10 minutes.

4. Top with Cool Whip, coconut, and chocolate sprinkles. Chill 2-3 hours. In my opinion: This is super yummy and great to take to luncheons or pot lucks.

Jalapenos wrapped in bacon

Jalapenos wrapped in bacon Uncle Chris

12 fresh jalapeno peppers
cream cheese
6 slices bacon

1. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise, clean out seeds (wear gloves)
2. Fill with cream cheese
3. Wrap with 1/2 bacon sliceBake at 375 until bacon is cooked.

Oyster Crackers

Oyster Crackers Aunt Ellen's recipe

2 12 oz packages oyster crackers

2 c oil

1 t dill weed

1/2 t garlic powder

1 pkg dry Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing

1. Preheat oven to 250.

2. Combine all ingredients except crackers. Mix well.

3. Add crackers. Mix to coat.

4. Spread evenly on baking sheet.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and cool.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken

4-5 small-med breasts, pre-cooked and in bite-sized pieces (3 large) (3-4 cups)
small container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 roll Ritz crackers, crushed
1 stick butter, melted
2 T poppy seeds

1. Mix chicken with sour cream, soup, and poppy seeds. Spread into casserole dish.
2. Mix butter with crackers and spread on top.
3. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350.

In my opinion: OH MY GOODNESS! This is so delicious, I think we could eat this once a week. It is easy (Especially if you have the chicken pre-cooked and in the freezer like I do). There are few dishes, definitely great for busy families!

You could easily freeze this meal before step 2. So....when making your grocery list, buy double OR TRIPLE the ingredients and get out 2-3 casserole dishes 8x8. When you've combined the soup, sour cream, chicken, and seeds, pour half into the freezable container for later and bake the other half. Two meals in one day and half the dishes!

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti Aunt Ellen's recipe

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
12 oz pkg spaghetti, cooked
1 c chicken broth
1 can cream of celery
1 can Rotel
1/3 block Velveeta
breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients except breadcrumbs, sprinkle with breadcrumbs. You could also separate into 2 dishes and freeze one. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Aunt Joanie's New Year's Stew

Aunt Joanie's New Year's Stew

1 box frozen corn
3 cans black-eyed peas
1-2 lbs Eckrich sausage, sliced
1 can crushed tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
3/4 onion
cumin to taste
garlic powder to taste

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker or a 6 qt pot. Simmer until cooked throughout.

In my opinion: Well of course I like it or I wouldn't have asked my aunt for the recipe. This is delicious just as it is, no need to add sour cream or cheese unless you just want to. This will become our annual New Year's Day lunch.

My Aunt Joanie's Taco Stew

I am not sure if my love for cooking and baking came from my mom or her little sister Joanie. Either way, recipe collecting has become an obsession and this one has quickly become one of my favorites.

My Aunt Joanie's Taco Stew

1 lb cooked ground beef
1 cube beef bouillon
1 pk taco seasoning
1 pk Ranch dressing mix
1-2 cans ranch/pinto/chili beans
1 can carrots
1 can corn
1 can sliced new/white potatoes
cumin and garlic powder to taste
1-2 cans filled with water

Heat until ready to eat. Serve over chips. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, and green onions.