Peanut Butter Blossoms

This is a recipe that I have been using since I started really getting into baking.  It comes from the cookbook Christ The Redeemer LWML Cookbook.  It was a church in Wells, MN where I grew up.  The cookbook is dated 1985.  Now my daughters use this same recipe when they bake.  Why change a good thing??

1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
additional sugar for rolling cookies into

Cream together peanut butter, butter, and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Shape into balls and roll in sugar.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 for 8 minutes.  Remove pan from oven.  Press chocolate kiss into cookie.  Return to oven and bake 2 to 5 minutes longer. 

Fry Sauce

There are many names for Fry Sauce. But since we really don't have a favorite we just leave it as fry sauce.   We have tried numerous recipes and believe this one really is the best.  I mean mayonnaise and ketchup - how bad can it be?

1 cup mayonnaise - Hellman's
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. Freddy's seasoning
2-3 tsp. pickle juice

Stir together and put into refrigerator.  Great for fries or even on hamburgers.

Maid-Rites

If you live in Iowa than you more than likely one time or another had a Maid-Rite.  I grew up in Minnesota and we called them Sloppy Joe's.  I am guessing the difference between a Maid Rite and a Sloppy Joe is a Sloppy Joe you usually have some kind of sauce on them??? So I didn't get to experience a Maid Rite till I moved to Iowa.  I would probably have to say I now enjoy a Maid-Rite more than I do a Sloppy Joe.  There is nothing better than a nice hot Maid Rite on a fresh bun with some pickles and mustard MMMMM.  This recipe makes a pretty big batch with 3 pounds of hamburger, so you should have leftovers which are just as good as the first day.


3 lbs Ground Beef
2 Tbsp Dried Onion or regular onion
1 Beef Bouillon Cube

1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce


Add the first nine ingredients to the crock pot.  Stir together to combine ingredients and break up the ground beef.

Cook on High for 4 hours. Stir occasionally to combine ingredients as they cook and to keep the beef from clumping together.  The smell that emerges from the crock pot each time you stir it is to die for!

Corn Dogs

This recipe I believe came from maybe the Des Moines Register back in probably the late 80's or the early 90's.  I made these for the kids when they were little but than quit making them.  So now 25 years later we pulled the recipe out and made them again.  I think they were better than I ever remember them.


1 cup flour
2/3 cup corn meal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp honey
1 beaten egg
3/4 - 1 cup milk
hotdogs

Heat oil to 350-375 degrees.  Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, sugar, and salt together.  In separate bowl mix egg, milk and honey.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  May have to add more milk.  Want just a little thicker than pancake mix.  Pour into tall glass.   Put a skewer into hotdogs. Roll hotdogs in cornstarch.  This makes it so the batter sticks to the hotdogs.  Once hotdog is coated put into hot oil.  Fry until golden brown.

Deviled Eggs

This recipe came from a co-worker that has now retired.  EVERYONE at worked loved her deviled eggs.  She could easily bring a couple dozen for potluck and they would disappear before the potluck even started.  One day her co-workers told her the next day that it was national deviled egg day (even though it wasn't) just so she would bring in a few dozen.  These are really simple and so good.  Best if they sit for a few hours and all the ingredients mesh together.

• 12 - large eggs
• 1/4 - cup Hellman's mayonnaise (not miracle whip)
• 1 T sugar
• salt &  pepper to taste
• paprika for garnish

 

Place the eggs into a medium size pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. 

 

Remove from heat and cover the pan, let stand for 12 minutes. 

 

Pour off the hot water and refill the pot with cold water and ice cubes.

 

Let them sit in the cold water for 5 minutes. 

 

Peel the eggs, cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Halve the eggs lengthwise. 

 

Remove the yolks and transfer them to a small bowl.

Mash the yolks with a fork, then stir in the Hellman's and sugar.

 

Season with salt and pepper. Scoop up the filling and add to a small zip lock bag. 

 

Using scissors cut off a small part of the end. 

 

Squeeze the filling mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle the tops with paprika.

Let chill for a few hours before serving.

 

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

So what do you do with all that left over ham?  Add it to scalloped potatoes.  When I used to work at Cook's Table in Wells we had a cook named Darlene.  Darlene was a very special woman that died way to early.  But I do remember when she made scalloped potatoes it was made with cream of chicken soup. I know that it sounds weird but it is oh so good. 

5 russet potatoes
1/4 cup onion chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups ham
salt and pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375.
Heat cream of chicken soup, milk, butter, and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese together until melted. Whisk until smooth.  Add onions and stir all together.
Peel and slice potatoes 1/4 inch thickness.  (slice evenly so they bake evenly).
Add a small amount of cheese sauce to bottom of pan.
Layer potatoes ham and cheese sauce.  I did three layers and pushed all the potatoes down so they were covered with cheese sauce. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Cover with foil for about an hour and remove foil.  Continue to cook for approximately another 15-30 more minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Pizza In The Round

Way back in the day I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant.  This recipe used to be one of my favorites to make cause it is so simple to put together.  Also most of the items you usually have on hand.  This is very similar to my recipe of Taco Ring.  They are both winners.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 medium green pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (7 1/2 oz) can pizza sauce, divided
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 packages crescent rolls
• 2 TBSP fresh parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut top off green pepper, remove stem, discard membrane & seeds.
3. Reserve bottom of pepper (to serve pizza sauce in later).
4. Chop the top of the pepper to make 1/4 of a cup.
5. Chop onion.
6. Cook ground beef, green pepper, onion and garlic in skillet over med-high heat until meat is no longer pink.
7. Remove from heat& drain.
8. Shred mozzarella cheese, combine meat mixture & cheese, 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce, Italian seasoning & salt.
9. To assemble the ring: Unroll crescent dough, separate into 16 triangles.
10. Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking/pizza pan, with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center & the points of the dough towards the outside. There should be approximately a 5 inch diameter in the center of the pan.
11. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.
12. Bring points of triangles up over meat filling and tuck under the wide ends of the dough at the center of the ring.
13. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Grate fresh parmesan cheese over top with cheese grater.
15. Heat remaining pizza sauce and fill green pepper bottom, place in center of the ring.
16. To serve, cut into wedges & serve with the pizza sauce.