Sweet Potato Ashutyamouth

Sweet Potato Ashutyamouth

2 big cans of candied yams, mashed

1 drained jar of spiced peaches, crushed

4 Tbsp melted  butter

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Mix and pour into greased 9x13 casserole; heat this filling in oven while you whip meringue.

1 small can well-drained crushed pineapple

1 jar marshmallow fluff

Stir together

3 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Beat until foamy, continue beating while drizzling in pineapple fluff until stiff peaks form..

Mound onto sweet potatoes, covering and peaking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min or until toasty. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

(from scratch, but it's pretty easy)

Pie Crust, pressed into 4 little pie plates, and circles cut out for the tops.

Thaw in water and then drain:

1 c frozen peas

Slice:

2 stalks of celery - 2/3 c

Dice:

3 medium potatoes - 2 c potatoes 

1/2 c matchstick carrots (cook reg. carrots with potatoes) 

1/2 onion - 3/4 c onion 

2 chicken breasts

In 4-qt saucepot, combine:

2 c water 

2 tsp chicken better than bullion

Throw in the chicken and potatoes, boil on medium while making gravy

In large skillet, make white roux with:

2 Tbsp butter, melted 

2 1/2 Tbsp flour

When flour is cooked, thin cream sauce gradually with

2 c milk

And season while thickening with:

1 tsp salt 

3/4 tsp black pepper 

1 Tbsp golden sherry 

Fresh herbs at the end 

Or 1/2 tsp each thyme, sage, rosemary

When sauce is *quite* thick almost paste, pour into cooked chicken/potato pot, add celery, carrots, onion, and peas. Pour gravy in pie shells carefully not overfilling. Crimp top pastry circles to bottom with fork or fluting.  Bake at 350 for 50 min. and cool for 10 before serving.

E'ryday Mac and Cheese

E’ryday Mac and Cheese

Prepare veggies:

Steam a cut-up head of broccoli. or warm frozen peas, and/or dice sun-dried tomatoes.

Brown meat:

1/2 lb cubed ham or bits of bacon (half-inch)

Boil pasta:

1 lb box elbows, rotini, or mezze penne (just shy of time on box so it can finish cooking in oven)

Cheese Sauce:

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. cheese
(optional: 1/2 tsp. worcestershire or 1 Tbsp. sherry, breadcrumbs for topping)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium heat (preferably non-stick, if you have a coated whisk).

Sprinkle in 2 Tbsp. flour, incorporating quickly to into a paste with whisk or fork. Keep stirring paste until golden brown. Turn heat down a bit.

Then, a splash at a time, whisk in 2 cups of milk. Avoid lumps by thinning the paste gradually.

Cook down the milk no higher than medium to avoid graininess in your sauce. When sauce has thickened to heavily coat the spoon, stir in seasoning, and remove from heat. Add cheese, saving some for the topping if desired.

When cheese has melted, pour sauce over pasta and vegetable(s), sprinkle on topping if you like, and bake in a greased casserole for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and gooey, or until irresistible.

Make ahead: Refrigerate in casserole, but skip the baking step until just before serving.

Leftovers: Add 1 tsp. water before reheating in oven in covered dish.

Perfect Cornbread

Perfect Cornbread

Oven on to 425 degrees farenheit

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1 T. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. sugar

Whisk these together in large bowl.

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Whisk these together in 4-cup liquid measure

(Use to melt butter in microwave, then measure in order, eggs last).

1 Tbsp. bacon drippings

Melt this in iron skillet in oven.

Pour wet mixture into dry, stirring gently until just mixed.

Pour batter carefully but quickly into hot grease in skillet;

Return to oven for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown

and the center, knifed, comes out with no wet batter.

Cool for a few minutes before cutting.

American Goulash

American Goulash

1 lb box elbow pasta~boiled 4min. only
1 lb ground chuck (beef)
1/2 diced onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can cream-of-mushroom soup
1 package cheddar-jack cheese

Heat oven to 350. Boil pasta only to very chewy in salted water, while also browning ground beef over med high heat in large (non-iron) skillet. Add onion, then garlic and spices. In another minute, add drained tomatoes, drained beans and undiluted cream of mushroom soup and mix. Divide out a handful of cheese topping, then off the heat, fold cheese into sauce. Add well-drained pasta to gravy, and pour into greased 9x13 casserole dish, topping with handful of cheese, bake 20 minutes, and presto...a mouthful of memories!