Apple Pudding

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup flour
• 4 T. melted margarine
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 cups peeled apples diced fine

Beat eggs until light. Add sugar. Gradually beat in dry ingredients. Add butter, grated apples, raisins to mixture. Spread 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick in greased 8 x 12 pan. Bake 30 to 40 min. in 350* oven or until top is lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or butterscotch sauce.

Butterscotch Sauce:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 T. margarine
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 1 cup water

Cook until thick stirring constantly.

Salmon Quiche

Crust:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup almonds (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning
• 6 T. cooking oil

Press in pan and bake for 10 minutes at 400*. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 325*.

Filling:

• 1 15oz. can red salmon
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayo or salad dressing
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 T. grated onion
• 3 drops hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 tsp. dillweed
• 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning

Drain salmon, remove bones and save liquid. Add water to liquid to make 1/2 cup. Flake salmon and set aside.

Blend eggs, sour cream, mayo or salad dressing and salmon liquid. Stir in salmon, 1/2 cup cheese, onion, dill, pepper sauce and Patty's Prime Seasoning. Spoon into crust. Bake at 325* for 45 minutes or until center is firm.

Butterscotch Pie

• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 T. butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cup milk
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 9 inch baked pie shell

Combine sugar, flour, and salt in sauce pan. Stir milk in gradually and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir a little of the mixture into 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten. Then blend into hot mixture in pan. Boil 1 minute more stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Blend in butter and vanilla. Pour into baked pie shell. Whip egg whites until stiff. Cover pie with meringue and brown in 350* oven.

Cream Cheese Salad

• 1 pkg. lemon jello
• 2 cups hot water
• 20 marshmallows
• 2 small pkgs. cream cheese
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 1 small can crushed pineapple

Dissolve jello in hot water. Cut up marshmallows. Add marshmallows and cream cheese and stir until dissolved on medium heat. Cool until mixture begins to thicken. Add whipped cream and pineapple. Pour into 9 x 9 glass container and chill until set. Prepare 1 pkg. raspberry jello per instructions (1cup hot water, 1 cup cold). When cool, pour over first chilled mixture and refrigerate until set. When ready to serve cut into squares. Very pretty salad for the Easter dinner table.

Making an Easter Egg Tree

This is an easy and inexpensive way to decorate for your Easter dinner and the children will love it. First of all, go on an expedition to find a branch about 3 feet tall. Shouldn't be too hard with all the wind we've been having. You will also need a 2lb. coffee can or flower pot full of sand to put your branch in. If you have a can of white spray paint just lying around, paint the branch white. Otherwise, natural is fine. Now, the exciting part is blowing out the inside of the eggs. If you have young children, I would recommend using plastic eggs. Poke a small hole in one end and a larger hole in the other end. Then, BLOW the egg into a bowl or cup. Now, color and decorate the eggs. When dry, using some pastel ribbon either taped or glued to the egg, tie them on the branches as you would decorate a Christmas tree.

Another fun project is to make place cards for everyone coming to Easter dinner even if it's only your immediate family. Taking small styrofoam cups, write the names of all the dinner guests on a cup. Using colored pipe cleaners, make a handle for the Easter basket by poking a hole in either side of the styro cup and twisting the ends. Place some of the green or pastel colored grass in the cup. Lastly, add jelly beans or candy eggs in the grass. Looks very pretty on the table and the children and adults will love the candy favors.

Regarding the Peach Cobbler

I had posted earlier in the BLOG the recipe for Peach Cobbler. But, now you realize that any kind of pie filling can be used; cherry, blueberry, apple, or strawberry. Try it and let me know what kind is your favorite.

7 Layer Salad

• 1 1/2 heads chopped lettuce
• 1/2 red onion sliced very thin
• 1 10oz. package frozen peas broken apart
• 1 pint real mayo approx. 3/4 jar
• 1/2 lb. colby cheese shredded
• bunch of scallions diced tops and all
• handful of bacon bits

Using a 9 x 13 pan (glass is best for a colorful presentation) layer all ingredients starting with the lettuce, then the red onions, the peas, spread the mayo over the peas and so on. Refrigerate over night. 7 - 24 hours.

Aunt Joy's Cabbage Salad

• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 green pepper diced
• 1/2 red pepper diced

Combine 1 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup salad oil and 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning. Pour over vegetable mixture and chill for an hour before serving.

Raw Apple Cake

• 2 large apples peeled and sliced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• speck of cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place apples in the bottom of greased 9 x 9 pan. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over apples. Bake 20 minutes at 350*. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Potato Casserole

• 2 lb. Package of southern hash brown potatoes
• carton of half and half
• 1 1/3 stick of margarine melted
• 1 onion (diced)
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning

Mix ingredients and pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 325* until light brown.

Krispies

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 2 cups rice krispies
• 1 cup coconut
• 2 cups flour
• 1 t. soda

Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of dough and form in balls on greased sheet pan. Bake at 325* for 8 minutes or until light brown.

St. Patrick's Day

We have already agreed on the menu with the Corned Beef and Cabbage. But, what about something for an Irish toast. Green beer? Or maybe an Irish Kiss.

For this delightful beverage you will need:

• A 12oz. glass
• Ice
• Orange Juice
• Blue Curacao

Pour a shot of Blue Curacao in the glass filled with ice. Add orange juice and you will have an Emerald Green Irish Kiss. Very tastey.

There is also the Shamrock Cocktail for those wanting something not quite as sweet.

• 2 oz. Irish Whiskey
• 1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
• 1 tsp. Creme De Menthe (green)

Pour over crushed ice, stir, and strain into martini glass. Garnish with an olive.

Prime Rib

A 30z. seasoning packet of Patty's Prime Seasoning is designed to coat a 15 to 18lb. loin. Whatever size loin or roast you choose to cook, the procedure is the same. The only difference is the amount of seasoning needed.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
Rest time: 30 minutes (for the loin, not the cook)

Wash thawed loin thoroughly under cold tap water. Put on sheet pan or roasting pan. Coat the entire loin; top, bottom and ends.

Place in pan fat side up. DO NOT COVER. Bake in oven at 325*. After 2 1/2 hours using your meat thermometer, check the temperature of the center of the loin. It needs to temp. 110* to 115* for Medium Rare, 130* to 135* for Medium, and 145* for Medium Well. Anything beyond that and you are on your own. When you pull it out of the oven, as it rests, it will continue to cook.

While the Prime Rib is baking you will have time to prepare the Au Jus. One quart of water and 2 heaping T. of beef base in sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Add sliced onions and simmer on medium low until time to serve. Don't forget to saute mushrooms and make some horseradish and sourcream sauce to top off the Prime Rib.

Calico Beans

• 1/4 lb. bacon
• 1 diced onion
• 1 lb. hamburger
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 T. vinegar
• 1 T. prepared mustard
• 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning
• 1 can lima beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 large can pork and beans

Brown bacon, hamburger and onion in pan and drain. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake in 9 x 13 greased pan at 300* for 1 1/2 hours.

7Up Salad

• 2 pkgs. lemon jello
• 2 cups hot water
• 2 cups 7Up

Dissolve jello in hot water. Add 7Up and let cool.

• 1 cup minature marshmellows
• 2 cups crushed pineapple (drained and set aside for dressing)
• 2 bananas sliced

Add to jello mixture and pour into 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate. When jello mixture is firm the dressing may be spread on top.

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 T. flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T. butter

Cook in double boiler mixing together above ingredients and cook until thick. When cool, fold in 8oz. container of whipped topping and spread on jello mixture. Slice and serve.

Jelly Roll

• Grease and flour 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 jelly roll pan or line with greased paper or foil.
• Beat: 3 large eggs, 1 c. sugar, 1 tsp. Baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt
• Add 5 T. water, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup flour
• Beat just until smooth.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake just until cake tests done.
• Bake at 375* for 12 to 15 minutes. Overbaking makes it difficult to remove from the pan or to remove the paper.
• Loosen edges to immediately turn upside down on a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar.
• If you have used paper quickly remove it.
• Spread cake at once with soft jelly, jam, cream cheese and fruit, or your favorite pie filling.
• Roll up beginning at short end.
• Wrap in the towel until cool. Approx. 1/2 hr.

Slice and serve warm. Makes a very attractive plate presentation. Any leftovers will need to be covered and refrigerated.

Popcorn Balls

• 5 qt. popped corn
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup lt. corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Keep popcorn hot in slow oven (300*). Combine sugar, water, salt, syrup, and vinegar. Cook to hardball stage. Add vanilla. pour over popcorn and mix well. Press in balls. Makes 15 to 20 balls. May add a drop of food coloring to syrup mix for a special occasion such as green for St. Patrick's Day, Pink for Easter, or orange for Halloween.

Temperature Chart for Candy and Frosting

• 230 degrees - 234 degrees Thread
• 234 degrees - 240 degrees Soft Ball
• 244 degrees - 248 degrees Firm Ball
• 250 degrees - 266 degrees Hard Ball
• 270 degrees - 290 degrees Soft Crack
• 300 degrees - 310 degrees Hard Crack

St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Corned Beef and Cabbage (whether you are Irish or not, it is a gourmet meal)

• 3 to 4 lb. corned beef brisket
• 1lb. bag of baby carrots
• 1 head of cabbage
• 2 large onions
• 4 medium sized potatoes
• 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning

Put brisket in crock pot fat side down. Spread seasoning packet over brisket then add water to 2/3 full. Cook brisket overnight on low. In the morning, take brisket out cleaning off the seasoning packet and trim the fat. Place covered brisket in refrigerator. Clean and quarter the head of cabbage. Place in crock pot in broth. Add carrots, chunked up potatoes and onions, and Patty's Prime Seasoning. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Cut brisket in chunks and add to the broth and vegetables. Continue to simmer until ready to serve.

Serve with dark pumpernickel or marble rye bread.

Guacamole Dip

• 4 soft avacados
• sour cream
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 4 green onions
• 1 /2 yellow onion
• Patty's Prime Seasoning

Peel avacados by cutting off the tip and slicing through the skin in quarters allowing you to peel the skin away easily from the meat of the avacado. Take out the seed. Using a blender or food processor, mix the avacados and 1 heaping T. of sour cream. Dice tomato, green onions (even the tops) and yellow onion. Then, fold in to avacado mixture. Lastly, add 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning. (More if desired) Cover with saran and chill. Serve with homemade tortilla chips or doritos. Appetizer for 4 people, or it may be served on shredded lettuce as a salad. Best to consume all to avoid discoloration. But, it is so yummy that shouldn't be a problem.

Layered Taco Dip

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can refried beans
• 1 8oz. softened cream cheese
• 1 16oz. sour cream
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 tomato diced
• 4 diced green onions
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• jalapeno slices (optional)
• sliced black olives (optional)

Brown ground beef and drain well. Add can of refried beans and spread on 11 inch pizza pan or serving platter. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning and spread over the bean and beef mixture. Then, layer the shredded lettuce, tomatoes, diced green onions and shredded cheese. Top with jalapeno slices and sliced black olives if desired. Serve with Doritos or Tortilla rounds.

Fruit Pizza

This is a very fun activity for the kids.

First of all you need:
1 13 x 17 sheet pan (or similar size)
2 packages of sugar cookie dough from the dairy case
1 8 oz. container whipped cream cheese
1 8 oz. container whipped topping
1 cup powdered sugar
Fruit to make designs on the top of the pizza. Suggestions: can of sliced pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, can of mandarin oranges, or kiwi.

Spread the sugar cookie dough on the ungreased sheet pan. Bake at 350* until light brown. This is the crust for your pizza. Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar. Then, add whipped topping. Refrigerate until cookie has cooled. Drain the canned fruits. (Saving the juices for a later date to make a smoothie or add to jello). Slice the strawberries and peel and slice the kiwi. Rinse blueberries. Put all of the fruit items in separate bowls so the kids can have easy access to the fruit when making their designs.

The crust has cooled so spread on the cream cheese mixture, leaving a little edge of the cookie showing just like on a pizza. Then, be creative and make designs on the cream cheese layer with the fruit portions. When finished, cover with saran and keep in refrigerator until ready to slice and serve.

Very pretty and lots of fun.

Trailside Oatmeal Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 2 1/2 cups total of peanut butter flavored pieces, chocolate chips and shredded coconut

Using mixer, combine butter, sugar and peanut butter. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in remaining dry ingredients. Stir in chips and coconut. Drop on ungreased sheet pan. Bake at 375* for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 60 cookies.

Banana Cake and Boiled Frosting

• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3/4 cup sour milk
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup nuts
• pinch of salt

Combine ingredients and pour into greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350* for 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

While the cake is cooling, you can focus your attention on the frosting recipe.

• 1 stick margarine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of milk

Boil two minutes. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Wisk all ingredients and put on the cake while the frosting is still warm. Deeelishhhhhhh.

Grandma Fagan's Nut Bread

Do we really appreciate how easy it is to cook with the appliances today? Turn the knob or punch the numbers on a digital screen and your temperature controlled oven will be ready when the preheat alarm goes off. I have such wonderful memories of going to Grandma Fagan's house. She is getting ready to bake in her cast iron cook stove, with a bushel basket of corn cobs laying in wait to once again bring the fire up for the temperature to be just right to bake her famous nut bread. Not only was that amazing but the fact that she baked the bread in a tin can about the size of a family soup can. Came out to perfection every time. Wish I could say that.

Regardless of whether or not you cook with a cast iron stove or have your favorite tin can to bake in, I know you will enjoy this delicious recipe.

• 1 cup raisins (ground)
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup hot water

Pour water over first 3 ingredients and let cool.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients and bake in preheated oven at 350* for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Valentine's Day Preparation

I know, I know, you are going to say, why would I want to cook on Valentine's Day? Right? Well, first of all economics. You can have a tasteful dinner at home for a lot less money. Secondly, and this is probably my biggest complaint is making reservations, waiting, standing in line, more waiting and being around numerous people with which I have absolutely no ties. One of my favorite meals to make for Valentine's Day, kind of staying with the "red" theme, is Windsor Loins. I usually try to watch for the smoked pork chops to go on sale and keep some in the freezer for such an occasion. If you are fortunate enough to have a meat market that will cut the size that you need that is very helpful. I like to get a 10oz. smoked chop because it is thicker and will not dry out. Figure 1 per person plus maybe 2 extras because they are sooooo tastey. These may be grilled or simply heated in the oven on a sheet pan with a 1/2 inch of water in the bottom to keep them moist. Cover with foil. Bake at 350* for approx 30 min. If you are grilling, they just need to be heated because they are already smoked. So, plan your time accordingly.

For the sauce you will need:
1 can cherry pie filling (portion for 4 people)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 heaping T. margarine
2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat all ingredients on low until ready to serve over the loins. You can put the loins on a platter and portion the cherry sauce on them or put the sauce in a gravy boat and let everyone serve their own cherry sauce. Makes a very nice plate presentation.

For the side dishes I would keep it simple: baked potato or baked sweet potato, fresh steamed broccoli or french style green beans. Let me know how it goes.

Cherry Cake

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 4 egg whites
• 18 maraschino cherries, cut fine and well drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream margarine and sugar. Add cherry juice to milk and alternate with flour to which baking powder and salt has been added. Blend in extracts. Add cherries and nuts. Beat egg whites stiff and add last. Bake in preheated oven at 350* for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Bake in 9 x 13 cake pan or 2 8" round pans. Very pretty with white, pink, or red icing for Valentine's Day or any day for that matter.

Our Family of Entrepreneurs

We have quite a talented group of children and their spouses. Our son, Jeff, is an artist; from painting murals to refinishing cabinetry, to house painting and finishing trim. Check out his website at http://www.jeffbiggerstaff.com/ . So, if you live in the Minneapolis area and need home restoration advice give Jeff a call. Our son, Shaun, is a realtor for Benchmark Realty in Denver, Colorado. If you are relocating because of work or are simply chosing to move to an amazingly beautiful part of the country with activities abounding, go to http://www.douglascohomes.com/ for Shaun's website. Our son-in-law, Aaron Groves, has a travel business in Ankeny, Iowa. This time of year in the midwest everyone needs some fun and sun. Aaron can make that happen. Just contact him at http://www.travelnewhorizons.com/ . Our daughter-in-law, Ayla, has been stationed with our son, Tom, and family in Bamburg, Germany for several years. She had a well-established Personal Trainer business there. They have recently moved to Battle Lake, Minnesota where Ayla plans to continue her business as a Personal Trainer. Check out her website at http://www.abodyfitforyou.com/ .

Kitchen Tips 101

I will be adding to this section frequently. If you have any tips for our viewers that would make life in the kitchen more fun, not to mention easier, please feel free to let us know.

• Accident in the microwave? Need a fast and easy way to clean it up? Using a cup or bowl, fill half full of water and microwave on high for 2 min. or until boiling. Leave microwave closed for 5 minutes. Then, remove container of water. All the particles inside have been steamed off for easy removal. Now, wipe the inside of your microwave clean.
• Having trouble removing refried beans or cranberry sauce from the can? Simply open the top with your can opener. Then, remove the lid and turn the can over in the pan or bowl you will be using. Use the can opener to make a small hole on the bottom of the can. The contents will slide out easily.
• When using oranges in desserts or salads removing the white membrane can sometimes be a problem. Just soak the oranges in boiling water for five minutes before you peel them.
• Dipping bananas or apples in lemon juice right after they are peeled keeps them from turning dark and the tangy lemon taste adds to the flavor.
• Try putting a layer of miniature marshmallows in the bottom of a pumpkin pie and then add the filling. The marshmallows will come to the top and make a tastey addition to your pie.

Quick and Easy Peach Cobbler

Items Needed:
9 x 13 cake pan
2 cans peach pie filling
1 box white or yellow cake mix
stick or soft margarine

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray cake pan with shortening. Place 2 cans of pie filling in bottom of cake pan. Pour box of cake mix over pie filling. Do Not Smooth Out because you want it to have a crumbled look. Then, put a pat or dollup of margarine approximately every 2 inches on top of the dry cake mix. Bake until top of cake mix if lightly brown. (approx. 45 min.) Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.

Vegetable Salad - Very Colorful and Easy

ITEMS NEEDED:
Red and green peppers
Yellow and green zuchinni
Green onions (tops included)
Cucumbers
Tomatoes (if using cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half)
Carrots
Red Onions

Wash thoroughly and cut into bite-sized pieces, measuring approximately 6 cups. Set aside.
In mixing bowl combine 1/2c. of ranch dressing, 1/2c. of mayo, 2 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasonings. You can also add a tsp. of dill weed if you like. Add dressing to vegetables, mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve. It is totally cooks choice as to which vegetables are used in this delightful salad. This will make a salad for 4 - 6 people.

THE Red Barn Special

When we bought our restaurant in Goehner, Nebraska, we also got rights to one of the best sandwiches you will ever eat. The Red Barn Special. So aptly named by one of the restaurant's previous owners, specifically, Vic Bartlett.
Ingredients:

Ground beef or ground chuck whatever is your preference
Shaved ham 3 ozs. for each burger
Lettuce leaves
Mayo
Slice of swiss cheese for each sandwich
Hamburger buns (For whatever size burger you are planning to grill or fry; 4oz., 5oz., or
8oz.
Patty's Prime Seasoning to sprinkle on each burger while grilling or frying

Grill or fry the burgers. When they are cooked to your preference heat the shaved ham on the griddle or skillet and place a 3 oz. portion on each burger. Place a slice of swiss cheese on top of the ham and next the top bun. On the bottom bun spread mayo and add a lettuce leaf. When the cheese has melted place the masterpiece on top of the bottom bun with the mayo and lettuce. Now savor the moment and enjoy your first Red Barn Special and many more to come.

One Pot Dinner

This is another cold weather favorite. But, take my word for it, you'll want to make this no matter what the temperature outside.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. bacon cut in small strips
1 onion diced
2 cans (15oz.) bush's pork and beans
1 can (15oz.) kidney beans
1 can (15oz.) butter lima beans (drained)
1 can (15oz.) garbonza beans (drained)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T. liquid smoke
3 T. white vinegar
1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning

Brown ground beef, bacon strips and onion. Drain off the grease. Put all ingredients in crock pot. Stir well combining all ingredients. Cover and cook on low at least 4 hours and up to nine.

Seasoning Pattern

By now, you are probably seeing a pattern for a couple of the recipes as far as using PPS (Patty's Prime Seasoning). You can check out our website www.pattysprimeseasonings.com and see a little bit of the history behind it. We had a restaurant, The Red Barn, in Goehner, Nebraska for 14 years. Originally my idea was to have a seasoning to use on our prime rib to make it extra special. It took about a year with a little of this and that and the other thing to come up with what is now PPS. But, we don't just use it on prime rib. It's great on all meats; pork, steak, burgers, chicken and fish. We grill a lot and not just meat. Try it on grilled vegetables either skewered such as with onions, peppers, and tomatoes or portabella mushrooms and eggplant. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle on seasoning and grill. If you are not in to grilling try the seasoning on steamed vegis. It really does make a difference. There will be more forthcoming about recipes with the seasoning and also about our demos of the product. Pictures, hopefully.

Chicken Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Let's follow-up on those tortillas filled with leftover chicken, rice and broccoli. Take out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator over night to thaw. You will need 2 cups of water, 1 Tablespoon of chicken base and 1 can of cream of chicken soup. Bring these ingredients to a boil. In a small bowl put 2 heaping Tablespoons of corn starch and add water (approx. 3/4cup) in order to stir the corn starch to make a runny paste. Stir the corn starch mixture slowly into the boiling liquid to form a gravy. Set aside and add 1 tsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning. Place tortillas in a greased 9 x 13 cake pan (4 should fit nicely) then pour gravy over tortillas and cover. Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes at 350*. Remove the foil and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tortillas and put back in the oven for another 30 minutes. Enjoy your yummy leftovers.

Managing Leftovers

Do you have trouble dealing with leftovers? Many people do. I keep a package of the large flour tortillas on hand for just that purpose. Say we plan to have a dinner of grilled chicken breast, rice (any kind), and steamed broccoli. We have leftovers. I dice the chicken, add the rice and cut up portions of broccoli in a bowl. Now it is time for the tortillas to save the day. Lay out a tortilla and scoop out a portion of the chicken, rice, vegetable mixture (approx. a cupful) and place in the center of the tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up to form a burrito. Repeat this process until your mixture of leftovers is used up. Place the burritos in a freezer ziploc bag and freeze until you are ready for a meal of chicken enchiladas. More to follow on a recipe for the sauce for your enchiladas.

Patty's Chili Recipe

Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
2 cans chili beans
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1 quart tomato juice
1 onion diced
1/2 green pepper diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Patty's Prime Seasoning

Brown hamburger and drain. Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low over night or all day.
Garnishes: Diced green chilies, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese or diced onions.

Planning A Monthly Celebration

January is a hard month to celebrate. Either you are knee deep in snow or you may just have enough cold weather to make everything go dormant. At any rate, be creative. Since the temperature is dipping down a bit this month plan your menu around soups and things that bring a warm feeling to you and your family. Chili soup immediately comes to my mind. Growing up we never had chili without cinnamon rolls. Some people may think that sounds like a strange combination, but just try it and then let me know what you think. Another consideration for the month of January is that it is play-off time for Pro-football and the bowl games for college football. Nothing better than making a big crock pot of soup that simmers all day and is available for snacking at any time along with a platter of cheese, crackers, hard salami and summer sausage.

Mom's Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. shortening
• 3 eggs
• 3 T. cocoa
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. buttermilk or sour milk (if you don't have any buttermilk just use milk and add about a tsp. of vinegar to make it curdle. Will need to let it sit for a couple of hours before using.)
• 2 c. flour

Mix ingredients and pour into a greased 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350* until center springs back or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Approx. 30 minutes. This is the moistest cake I have ever eaten. It is great plain or with a hot fudge sauce poured over top as you serve it, or with a cream cheese frosting after it has cooled, or just sprinkle some powdered sugar on top before it has cooled completely.

Reminiscing

We all, meaning my extended family, lived on farms back then in the 50's, 60's and 70's so we had our own meat, vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, cream, butter, lye soap and of course LARD. So, many of the recipes I have from the past call for lard however, I will be substituting shortening or margarine. One of the first cakes that I learned to do on my own, about age 8, was my mom's Chocolate Cake recipe. It is so easy and you simply add the ingredients as listed, no sifting, no separating, just do it. Who sifts anymore anyway? If you do, let me know.

Walk Down Memory Lane

At the suggestion of my step-son, Jeff, I am entering the world of BLOG. I have never been one to really follow a recipe, but would rather take off on my own and create something rather than just cook it. But, dragging out my old recipes from my mom, and both grandmothers, 0000000000000hhhhhhhh my the memories are flowing. (I may have to rethink this recipe thing.) They were all great cooks, but they definitely had their signature dishes which made not only the holidays special but just the day to day meals a treat. My plan is to share some of these recipes with you along with the memories I hold dear about what makes each one so special.