Soda Pop Ice Cream

Soda Pop Ice Cream: easy and affordable! You basically just choose your favorite soda (2 liters), add a 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (could be fat free), throw it in an ice cream maker, turn it on and 30 minutes later you have a creamy blend of deliciousness. The variations are endless, like Sunkist for a dreamsickle taste or Rootbeer float. This is seriously fool proof.

We have a Cousinart saltless ice cream maker that is a little smaller. We tried Sunkist (about 2 soda cans) and a regular sized can of sweetened condensed milk and it was great! I'm excited to try Rootbeer. 

Tamale Pie

adapted from Newdale's Heritage Book p. 188

Tamale Pie

Ingredients:
2 med onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 C celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. hamburger
1 T chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp oregano 
1/2 C olives, sliced
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 C corn
1/2-1 C salsa, optional
shredded cheese

Tamales crust:
1 1/2 C cornmeal
3 eggs
1 1/2 C milk

In a large skillet over moderate heat, cook hamburger, onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain off fat.

Add tomatoes, chili powder, salt, corn, olives, and oregano. Simmer 30 minutes. Spread evenly in a greased 2 quart baking dish.

Tamale Crust: Beat eggs. Add milk and cornmeal. Pour over top of meat mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Butterfinger Blondies

 

 Made this with Heath bars and chocolate chips, not as good. A little dry, but may be in part as I cooked them just a little too long.

from Recipe Girl

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 regular-sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, combine butter and brown sugar.
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
5. Stir in flour mixture and 1 cup of crushed butterfingers.
6. Spread in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining crushed Butterfinger bars over top of batter.
7. Bake 30- 35 minutes, or until the bars are a bit firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden's spicy sausage and potato soup)

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
1/2 lb. smoked bacon
1 qts. water
3 2/3 C chicken broth (or 2- 14.5 oz cans)
2 large Idaho russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed ( usually fudge and add a little more)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 C chopped kale or swiss chard
1 C heavy whipping cream or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic and onion in a pot and simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.

While the pot is simmering, prepare the meat: brown and crumble sausage, set aside. Brown and chop bacon set aside.

When the potatoes are tender  take 1-2 C of soup mixture and puree it. Then add it back to the pot. (This just makes it a little thicker, which I prefer). Add the sausage and bacon and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add kale and cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Granny's Oven Stew

from Granny W.

Great warm comfort meal with minimal prep. Just takes planning ahead.

5 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
5 carrots, peeled and cut in large sections
1 onion, cut in large sections
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can water
Stew meat or round steak cut into cubes

Mix together and bake covered at 300 for 4 hours.

Frank's Red Hot Sauce Chicken

from my cousin Ryan W.  (loved this sauce!)

Chicken:
1 C bread crumbs
1 C corn flakes, crushed
1 C flour
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste
Paprika to taste
2 to 3 chicken breasts
1 to 2 eggs
Oil

Mix dry ingredients into a bowl. Cut chicken breasts into 2 inch cubes.  Dip in egg then into dry ingredients. Then fry in oil or you can bake in oven for a healthier version. Coat in sauce or serve sauce as dipping sauce.

Sauce:
1/2 C white vinegar
1/2 C butter
6-8 oz Frank's Red Hot sauce

Warm sauce in saucepan. And coat or set out as a dip for chicken.

Serve with blue cheese or ranch.

Spicey Kale Lasagna

from A couple Cooks

I think this surprised Daniel as well how good this was. Could easily add meat like sausage or hamburger, but was great meatless. In the future I edited the recipe to include more tomatoes as I didn't think it didn't make enough sauce when I was making it. And we had fresh herbs on hand and I love them, so I threw them in as well. Definite do again. Especially as Daniel was happy about having it for lunch twice afterwards.

Spicy Kale Lasagna Serves about 8
What You Need 1 pound no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles (or noodles cooked according to the package instructions)
1 1/4 pounds kale (around 2 bunches, I used just 1 and it worked but 2 would probably be best) or substitute spinach
4 cups cottage cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese 
2 cups mozzarella cheese 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
3 (14 oz cans) crushed tomatoes (with herbs, if available)
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
Fresh oregano, basil, rosemary, and/or thyme (optional)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

What To Do
1  Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2  Prepare the kale: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Remove the stems from the kale. Boil the kale for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Using a towel, wring out as much water as possible from the kale. Chop it and season with salt and pepper.

3  Make the tomato sauce: Meanwhile, dice 3 cloves garlic. In a cold saucepan, combine garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to medium high heat, stirring as the mixture heats up. Saute for about 30 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes and fresh herbs if desired. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

4  Make the filling: Strain out all liquid from the 4 cups cottage cheese (squeeze it in a strainer, if necessary). Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.

5  Assemble the lasagna: Place a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish. Cover the sauce with a layer of noodles, then half of the cheese mixture, half of the kale, and half of the remaining sauce. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining cheese, and the remaining kale. Top with the remaining noodles, then the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan.

6  Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbly and browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving to absorb some of the liquid.