Pass the Potatoes, Please

Ham and Broccoli Loaves

1 recipe White Bread Dough (see recipe below)
1 (10-oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
1 1/2 cup diced cooked ham
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

• Prepare white Bread Dough. Roll out each dough half to a 14x9" rectangle.
• In bowl, mix together broccoli, ham, hard-cooked eggs, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
• Spoon broccoli mixture in a 3" wide strip down center of each rectangle to 1/2" of short sides.
• Make 2 1/2" long cuts at 1" intervals on long sides of each rectangle. Twist each strip twice; fold strips crisscross fashion over filling on each rectangle.
• Place loaves 3" apart on greased large baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bake in 375 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Makes 2 loaves, 3 to 4 servings each.

White Bread Dough

2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 TBSP. granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
4 to 4 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup milk
2 TBSP butter
1 large egg

• In large bowl, stir together yeast, sugar, salt and 1 1/2 cup flour.
• Heat milk and butter to 120 degree to 130 degrees. Add to yeast mixture. With mixer at medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Add egg; blend well.
• Stir in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 minutes.
• Cover dough with inverted bowl; let rest 30 minutes.
• Punch down dough; divide dough in half. Use as directed in the preceding recipe.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed (You can substitute the rice in 1 box of Uncle Ben's wild rice. Use the seasoning packet later in the recipe)
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (4 ounces) mushrooms with liquid
2 TBSP butter
6 boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 package onion soup mix (OR use the seasoning packet from the box of Uncle Ben's wild rice, along with some sliced onion)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed (OR use frozen broccoli flowerettes)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Spread rice in a 7-in x 11-in baking pan. Add the chicken broth and mushrooms with liquid; dot with 2 TBSP of butter. Place chicken breasts in the center of the baking dish; sprinkle with the onion soup mix (Or use seasoning packet and sliced onions). Spoon undiluted mushroom soup over all. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Arrange asparagus or frozen broccoli around the outer edges of the baking dish; brush with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more or until asparagus is tender or broccoli is cooked.

Old Fashioned Granola

6 cups Instant Oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 jar of dry roasted sunflower seed nuts
slivered almonds
3 TBSP bran
1/4 cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup honey

Heat oatmeal in a large roasting pan in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Stir often to avoid scorching. Add rest of dry ingredients. Mix vegetable oil, vanilla and honey and pour over dry ingredients. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Golden Cheese and Broccoli Chowder

2 cups water
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 pound fresh broccoli, washed and chopped

Cheese Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups milk

Tabasco sauce, as desired (I use a couple of dashes)
1 pound processed cheese spread, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups ham, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

In a large saucepan, combine water, celery, carrots and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes or until tender/crisp. Add broccoli; cook until broccoli is tender/crisp, about 4-5 minutes. (To keep broccoli bright green, leave the cover slightly ajar.) Do not drain vegetables.

To make sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan; blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Stir in milk; cook and stir until mixture thickens. Add several drops of Tabasco sauce if desired. Stir in the cheese and cook until melted, stirring constantly; add the ham cubes. Combine cheese mixture with undrained vegetables; stir to blend.

Pandora's tip: Do not cook this soup at a high temperature as it has the tendency to scorch.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 beaten egg
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup long grain rice
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 Tablespoon snipped parsley (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried Parsley)
1 Pound ground beef
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

In a bowl combine egg and 1/4 cup of the soup. Sitr in uncooked rice, onion, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add beef and mix well. (Hands work best) Shape meat mixture into 20 small balls, place in a 10-inch skillet. Mix remaining soup with Worcestershire and 1/2 cup water, pour over meatballs. Bring to a boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes; stir often.

**Pandora's variation** I make mashed potatoes along with this dish. When serving, we would place the meatballs on top of the mashed potatoes on our plate. Other variations could be using cooked egg noodles or white rice instead of the mashed potatoes.

Almond Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup wine (I use Riunite Lambrusco or White Zinfandel)
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar

Cut chicken breasts into one-inch squares. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Let soak at least six hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat up 2 Tablespoons of oil. Saute chicken until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan. In the same pan, add a variety of fresh vegetable which have been cup up into bite sized pieces. You can use broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, snow peas, fresh mushrooms, onion, or green peppers. Saute vegetables until tender, adding more oil if necessary. Do not over cook. When vegetable are done, add chicken to pan along with 1/2 cup water. Cover pan and simmer for two minutes. Add slivered almonds and serve over white or brown rice. (I use brown rice because it gives it a nice nutty taste) 

Lemon/Coconut Squares

Cookie Dough:

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup butter or regular margarine

Filling:

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cup flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
2 TBLSP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 TBLSP melted butter or regular margarine
Juice of one lemon or 1 TBLSP of lemon juice

• Mix together ingredients for cookie dough; pat down well in buttered 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake in very slow oven (275 degrees) for 10 minutes.
• To make filling, combine eggs, sugar, coconut, nuts, flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Spread on top of baked mixture. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 20 minutes.
• While still warm, spread with frosting made by combining confectioners sugar, melted butter and lemon juice. Cool slightly; cut in 2 inch squares. Complete cooling on racks. Makes about 24.

Cranberry Jello Salad

2 small boxes of Raspberry jello
1 cup liquid (juice from 1 large can of crushed pineapple plus enough water to make one cup)
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup finely chopped celery

Bring the one cup of liquid to a boil. Add boiling liquid to jello and stir until completely dissolved. Add other ingredients, stir, and pour into a 13x9 in. pan. Let set in the refrigerator until firm.

Topping:
1 large package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar
1 small jar marscheno cherries, drained and minced (wash to keep whipping cream from turning pink)
1/2 can crushed pineapple

Mix together with a blender and spread on top of firm jello mixture. Top with 1/2 cup crushed walnuts.

**Pandora's comment** While this recipe calls for the cherries, I have never used them. I usually don't have them on hand and don't think to get them. I always use one cup of powdered sugar to sweeten the whipping cream. Use less powdered sugar if you want a topping with more of a cream cheese taste.

Acini DePepe Salad

Dressing:
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
2 TBSP flour
dash of salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups pineapple juice, drained from 1 large can of crushed pineapple and 1 large can of pineapple tidbits

Mix ingredients together and cook slowly for 8-12 minutes or until thick. Cool.

Boil one box of Acini DePepe macaroni in salted water for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. When the macaroni is cooled, mix with the above dressing.

Add to above mixture:
Drained crushed pineapple and drained pineapple tidbits from the dressing above
2 small cans of mandarin oranges, undrained
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 12-oz package of Cool Whip

Mix all ingredients completely and let set overnight in the refrigerator.

**Pandora's comment** This recipe makes a very large bowlful. I have never tried cutting the recipe in half but one could try. It will usually last three days in the refrigerator but it never takes that long to eat it all.

Pie Crust

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix butter, shortening, and flour. Cut into small pieces with a pastry cutter. Add boiling water, salt, and baking powder and mix well. Separate into two balls. Place each balls in between two sheets of wax paper and roll.

**Pandora's comment** This makes the flakiest pie crust but is very difficult to work with. Rolling between two sheets of wax paper helps but it is still very sticky. But clean up is a breeze...just throw the wax paper away! I have only used this for a pie crust so I don't know how it would work on other pastry recipes.