Ham with Coke

Every year we try to come up with something to eat for Christmas Eve that will be delicious. Well this year we heard from a cute friend how to make a coke ham. It was a really complicated recipe but I think maybe you can manage if you just pay close attention.
1 5-6 pound Butt Ham
2 2 liter Cokes

Put the ham in a pan on the stove. Pour coke over the ham until it is covering. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for 8 hours. Pour more coke over it as it simmers out.

After 8 hours serve and Enjoy.

(See isn't that complicated)

Peanut Butter Fingers

My friend Nichole is the one who first introduced me to this recipe. We were at scrapbook night and it as her turn to host. She had made a pan of these yummy treats. When it was time to leave she still had a lot left over. She hurried and dished me up some to take home. She said "If you leave these at my house we will eat the whole pan." I was very happy to take them home. She had sent enough for us all to have one, and Jeron and I got two. Well, lets just say that the kids never knew what they had missed out on. Jeron and I polished off the plate. These things are so yummy that you just keep going back for more. They are trouble. I try to make these only when I know that the will get finished off. Otherwise, I know I will have a really bad stomach ache. Self Control?

3/4 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c peanut butter
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c oatmeal

Cream together butter, and sugars. Add eggs whip in until fluffy. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix in all dry ingredients. Spread in a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 min. After cooled spread with a thin layer of 1 cup whipped peanut butter. Frost with Chocolate frosting.

Put the cup of peanut butter in a bowl and using your electric hand mixer whip it until it is soft and creamy. I was really surprised but it really does get soft.

Frosting:
4 T cocoa
4 T softened butter
3-4 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 c powder sugar

When they are frosted cut into rectangles about 1 1/2"x4". Store in an air tight container. Enjoy!

Danish Meatballs

My good friend Misty shared this recipe with me. The first time that I made it I really wondered if anyone in my family would like it. Mainly because of the dry dill weed. Turns out I was wrong. Jeron and JJ think it taste like a much better version of Beef Stroganoff.

1 Lb. hamburger
1/2 Lb. lean ground pork
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 egg slightly beaten
1 T grated onion
1/4 C half and half or milk
1/2 C soft bread crumbs
1/8 tsp All Spice

Combine ingredents and form into balls. Arrange on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until browned.

1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp dry dill weed
1 c sour cream

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour. Stir in broth, salt, and dill weed. Cook and stir over med heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Drain meatballs. Pour over meatballs. Serve on cooked rice. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing feels better than a bowl of warm homemade chicken noodle soup when you are feeling sick. Before I got married I made chicken noodle soup one time. I was so upset with my mom for having me make dinner for that night that I thought "I'll show you..." I started adding ever condiment that I could think of to make it taste gross. Well my better judgment won out and I settled for just putting pickle juice in the soup. Let me tell you, this little act of rebellion served me well. There was something about the pickle juice that just gave the soup a slight but wonderful kick. So I am not sure my lesson was learned. Sometimes it pays to be rebellious.

8 C chicken broth
2 C diced cooked chicken
1 C milk
2 C sliced carrots
1 C sliced celery
2 C diced potatoes
1/2 C chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
3 T pickle juice:)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Thickening:
2T. Butter
1/4 C Flour
1/2 C Milk
While the soup is cooking melt butter on medium heat in a small sauce pan. Whisk in flour. Stir in milk. Stir until it is all dissolved into the milk.


In a large pot combine everything. Cook over medium heat until veggies are crisp and tender. This takes about 10-15 minutes. Add 6 oz noodles. Add the thickening. Cook until noodles are soft.

My friend Nichole taught me how to make noodles. Here is her recipe.
1 tsp. salt
2 C. flour
3 eggs
1 T oil
2-4 T cold water
Place flour and salt in a large bowl make a depression in the center. Add eggs and oil. Gradually stir in flour from edges by adding water one T at a time until it forms a ball. Divide into 4 parts. ON a floured surface roll one part at a time in a paper thin rectangle. Cut lengthwise into thirds and cut it crosswise into strips 3/4 inch apart. Set strips on towel until stiff and dry. Cook in boiling salted water (our soup) until tender. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls have always been one of my favorite treats. I have never liked store bought ones and it isn't very often that people make these for me. I realized that I needed to learn how to make these scrumptious delicious treats or I just might not get them. They are the perfect Christmas Eve treat for our family. The kids love them but no one loves them as much as my husband. In fact when ever I make rolls he holds his breath to find out if cinnamon rolls were also made. Knowing that he loves them so much I usually do make them for him.

See Dinner Rolls and follow that recipe until you rise the rolls once. Once you have risen the dough one time, pull the dough apart into 2 equal parts. Roll one half out into a large rectangle about 14X10.
Top the dough in this order;

1/4 C melted butter
using only enough of the following ingredients to cover with a thin layer:
Cinnamon
sugar and cinnamon mix
brown sugar
Note: If you use to much the bottom will be really sticky, and chewy.

Roll up the dough from the 14" side in. This will help them be fatter. Once you have rolled it up get a long piece of dental floss and use it to cut the dough. Slide it under the dough and pull it around and it will cut the dough. It is so slick and easy. When you use a knife it can pull and stick. Cut the cinnamon rolls about with a 1"-1 1/2" thick. Place them on a greased cookie sheet. I do 3 across and 4 down on the cookie sheet. Rise for about 45min to 1 1/2 hour until they have almost doubled in size. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Glaze.

Frost them with the frosting recipe.

I like mine to be dripping in frosting. Others might just like a thin layer. I like frost them when the cinnamon roll is still hot. This way it oozes through the layers. Enjoy!

Favorite Green Salad

My Aunt Nancy calls this her favorite green salad. I am pretty sure that is the perfect name for this. This salad has become a Thanksgiving staple. Really though, this is the salad you should take to every event that you want to impress the mouths of the guests. It is a salad that even the men like. It has bacon in it so of course they like it:)The ingredients in this salad all complement each other so well. That is probably why it is a "favorite" salad. Basically you can't go wrong with this one.

3/4 lb sliced mushrooms
2-3 bunches of spinach
3/4 lb grated Swiss cheese
1 c. drained and rinsed cottage cheese
1 small head iceberg lettuce
1/2 lb crisped and crumbled bacon

Combine and toss with the following dressing just before serving:

1 1/2 t. poppy seeds
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 purple onion, thinly sliced
3/4 c. vinegar
1 1/2 c oil
3/4 t. dry mustard

Make ahead of time. Stir before putting on salad. This makes a lot of dressing, more than you need for a single batch of salad. Enjoy!

Potatoe Casserole aka Funeral Potatoes

These potatoes remind me of two things Easter and Funeral's. These are two very different occasions one celebrating eternal life, and one focusing on a life that has moved on. Okay so these two things have everything to do with each other. Anyway, now that I got that explained:}there is a recipe coming.

There is something about these potatoes that just makes my palate water. Mmmmmmmm! We don't have these very often, which is obviously a very good thing because they are ohhh so fattening. There is a reason they call this stuff comfort food. These potatoes remind me of being with family. Laughing, crying, and loving each other.


5 large potatoes (or, 7-8 cups frozen hash browns)
3 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 chicken bullion cube
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c sour cream
1 1/2 c milk
1/4 c green onions
1 1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 c cornflakes crumbs (or dry bread crumbs)
1/4 c butter, melted
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
Boil unprepared potatoes until tender. Drain and peel. Shred coarsely. (or add frozen potatoes) Place in 2- or 3- quart casserole. Crush bullion cube and add to butter, Pour melted butter mixture over potatoes. Mix together soup, sour cream, milk, onions, and cheese. Pour evenly over potatoes. Do not mix. Stir cornflakes and butter, add Parmesan. Cover the top with buttered crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Makes 8-10 servings. Enjoy!

Dinner Rolls

When I was growing up one of my favorite things was having Thanksgiving dinner. The best part to me was the yummy, light as air, melt in your mouth rolls. On both sides of my family my aunts could make the best rolls. (My mom can as well she just didn't on Thanksgiving)I remember being little and walking into one of the homes and smelling that wonderful aroma.

I have spent about the last seven years trying to get my rolls to look like I remembered on Thanksgiving. At first it was a joke. Rolls are hard to get the hang of but now that I have paid my dues, and practiced, and gotten a lot of advice, finally they look and taste divine.


2T. Dry Yeast (2 Packets)
2 Cups warm water (110-115degrees)
1/3 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup butter
2/3 Cup nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 t. salt
5-6 Cups flour
1 egg

In a large bowl or an electric mixer combine yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, shortening, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour, and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add 2 more cups flour, one at a time and beat until smooth.

Add about 1 more cup flour, 1/2 cup at a time until it is well mixed in. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny. Gather dough into a ball. Scrape bowl clean and grease surface lightly. Let rise away from drafts in a warm (not hot) place until about triple in bulk. (In a cool oven with a pan of hot water on a rack under it is a good place.)

Use last of the flour on the board for rolling and shaping the dough. Let dough rest on board for 10 minutes so it will be easier to manage if you roll it. I roll the dough out into a circle and cut 8 pieces like a pizza. Roll the dough from the big end to the little end. Put on a buttered baking sheet. Melt butter and butter the top of the rolls. Let the rolls rise to double in size and then bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes or until browned on top. It makes about 3 dozen rolls. Enjoy!

If you need to refrigerate the dough you can after you rise them once. When you take it out of the refrigerator just let it sit for 15 minutes. Then roll out and rise.

Sugared Surface

When I make things like sugar cookie I like to flour the surface before I roll out the dough. My Nana would also sugar the surface. I just do a mixture of half sugar, half flour. I think it makes the cookies taste just a little sweeter and not so floury from the surface flour:)

Also when I am making Banana bread or Zucchini bread I will sugar the pan. Grease the surfaces and then shake sugar in the pan. It helps the bread slip out easier and makes the sides and bottom more moist. Also it taste just a little sweeter:)

Banana Breads

1/2 C margarine
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 C mashed banana
1/4 C milk
1 t. lemon juice
2 C flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 C chopped nuts (optional)

Cream margarine and sugar add eggs and beat. Add bananas, milk and lemon juice. Sift dry ingredients and add nuts. Bake in a well greased and sugared 8x4x3 pan Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy

Alfredo Sauce

I am a huge fan of Alfredo sauce. I could eat it on anything. I am also very picky. There is hardly an Alfredo that I actually enjoy. The only place that I really like is Olive Garden. Yes, if you are wondering I have eaten Alfredo at higher end restaurants. Olive Garden just happens to have the best taste to me. I have made many a sauce and finally found one that I LOVE!

3T butter
1/2 pkg. cream cheese
3/4 C Evaporated milk or half & half. (Milk works also)
1 chicken bullion cube
1/3 c Parmesan cheese
garlic salt to taste
pinch of Parsley

Melt butter, cream cheese and milk on low heat. Stir together. Then add bullion. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic to taste. You can add more milk if it is too thick. Pour over pasta of your choice. Parsley sprinkled over the top once you pour on the noodles.

This will cover about 4 cups of noodles. You can use it over Fettuccine, ravioli, or any other noodle you enjoy. The kids love this one. Enjoy!

California Casserole

If you know me you know that I love Mexican food. I could eat it for every meal. The spicier the better. This meal was introduced by my good friend Misty. I told her that I don't have a lot of casserole dishes, so knowing how I love Mexican she knew she had the one for me. My favorite thing about this is it helps me to not waste. You use crushed tortilla chips. Now all those chips at the bottom of the bag now have a useful place.

1 lb. hamburger
1 sm. onion
2 cloves garlic
16 oz. tomato sauce
1 can olives (optional)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 t. cumin

1 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
1 sm. can green chilies

10 oz. tortilla chips
1 lb. Colby jack cheese
Brown hamburger, onion, and garlic. Drain. Add tomato sauce, olives, salt, and cumin.

In a bowl, combine sour cream, cottage cheese, and green chilies.

Crunch chips and grate cheese

In a greased 9x13 baking dish, layer 1/2 of the chips, meat sauce, sour cream mixture, and cheese. Repeat in same order. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 min. Enjoy!

Clam Chowder

When the weather outside is yucky, cold, and nasty there is nothing better than a yummy bowl of soup. Jeron has really not wanted me to make soup for about the first 10 years of our marriage. Well last year we were sitting in our nook and and the wind was blowing, the snow was falling. I was getting cold just looking at the weather. I looked down at my salad that I had made for dinner. That was it, I had had it. I looked Jeron square in the eyes and said "Hon, from now on we are eating soup every Wednesday night in the winter whether you like it our not". He just looked at me like I was crazy and said"Okay?"

Yes it lasted about 3 weeks and then I forgot that Wednesday was soup night. I did learn though that soup was on. At first I learned that Jeron actually liked more soups then he even knew he liked. Clam Chowder is one of them. This post is for Jeron. He thinks it is the best Clam Chowder he has ever had.

Clam Chowder and Breadstick

1 Cup Onion finely diced
1 Cup Celery finely diced
2 Cups Peeled Potatoes finely diced
2 Cans (6 1/2 ounce) minced or chopped clams
3/4 Cup butter
3/4 Cup Flour
1 quart half and half or milk
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Drain juice from clams and pour the juice over the vegetables in a small sauce pan. Add enough water to barely cover and simmer, covered over medium heat until barely tender. Meanwhile, melt butter and add flour and blend. Cook stirring constantly. Add cream and cook and stir with wire whisk until smooth and thick. (Very important). Add undrained vegetables and clams and heat through. Season to taste. Makes 8 servings. Enjoy!

Breadsticks

1 1/2 C warm water
1 T. yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
Combine and let sit -10 minutes until foamy film forms on top. Beat in 2 C flour. Then ad 1-1 1/2 C more flour until it is kneadable. Knead for 3 min. Roll out to a rectangle- cut up the middle with a pizza cutter. Then cut at a diagonal into 1" strips. Melt 1/4lb butter on large cookie sheet. Roll strips in water and twist. Lay out on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 125-20 min.

When you get them out of the oven run melted butter across the top with a pastry brush. Then sprinkle Garlic and Parmessan or Cinnamon and Sugar and enjoy.

Witches Brew aka Rootbeer

One of my favorite traditions that I do with my little family is making Witches Brew on Halloween. The kids go nuts for it. They think it is an absolutely fabulous creation. When they are little they think it is pure magic. When they grow a bit they think it is awesome to watch. Heck it really tastes good as well.


Ingredients

* 6 1/2 cups white sugar
* 3 1/2 gallons cold water
* 1 (2 ounce) bottle root beer extract
* 4-5 pounds dry ice

Directions

1. In a large container, mix together the sugar and water, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Make sure you do this or it won't taste good. Stir in the root beer extract. Carefully place the dry ice into the container,
2. Let the mixture brew for about a half an hour before serving. Leftover root beer can be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

Brown Banana's

When you have bananas that are going brown use them in banana bread. There is always someone you can take a nice warm banana bread to. Also if you don't have time to make banana bread you can throw those banana's in the freezer and use them when you do have time.

Frosting

It took me a while to get the frosting just the way that I like it. A cookie is not a cookie with the yummy frosting that goes on them. I do not like to buy frosting with the exception of my delicious rainbow chip frosting. I have added and taken things out over the years to where now I feel it is just perfect.

1/2 c soft butter
1 t. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
4 T. whipping cream or whole milk
pinch of salt

Stir the ingredients with a fork until most of the powdered sugar is mixed in. Then use an electric hand mixer until it is smooth and forms peeks. If it is to runny add a little powdered sugar. If it is to stiff add a little more whipping cream.

To change this up a bit

add:

1/2 tsp. lemon extract
or
1/2 tsp. almond extract
or
3-4 T cocoa powder

You can use this frosting on sugar cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls and so much more.

Yeast

This yeast is the best advice I have gotten with all of my bread making mishaps. I would use the kind you could get at the grocery store until one of my friends suggested buying the yeast at a bakery. Who knew? I took her up on her advice. It has been a life saver in the rising department. It really works wonders. The best part is that you don't have to raise the yeast twice. You still can if you won't to. But if you are in a hurry you don't have to.

Vanilla

The most important thing you can do to a really fabulous treat that calls for vanilla is make sure you have a really good vanilla. When the vanilla is just so so then your treat will be also. I like mine imported from Mexico. I got some a year ago that I am almost out of. I now use it very sparingly. I think I will cry the day it runs out.