I usually don't have a lot of time, money (or talent) to make something fancy, but I want to be proud of whatever I show up with.
These are my favorites, my tried and true and popular. They're not hard, they're not expensive, and they don't require a lot of preparation. In fact, some are so simple that when people ask, I'm almost embarrassed to share how I made them!
Spinach Salad
(This one truly needs to be put together right before you're planning on eating it, or the spinach wilts. And only make as much as you need because it isn't a good leftover.)
2 bags baby spinach
1/3 cup poppy seed dressing
1/2 lemon
1 11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Drizzle dressing over spinach. Squeeze juice from lemon on top before serving. Toss, then top with oranges and almonds.
Debbie's Potato Casserole
(You could also put cubes of ham or bacon in this if you like.)
1 bag Ore-Ida frozen shredded potatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz container sour cream
2 cups shredded SHARP cheddar cheese
1 stick of butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Partially thaw potatoes. Mix together soup and sour cream. Add 1/2 of the cheese. Add potatoes. Melt butter and add to mixture. Pour casserole into ungreased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
Pot Roast
(I wasn't specific about the amount of vegetables because it depends on what your family likes. My son and I fight over the carrots, so I always use a lot of them. The onions aren't nearly as popular here...)
3-4 lb chuck beef roast clove of garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil 1 bay leaf
carrots thyme
celery (optional) rosemary
potatoes 1 can V-8 juice
onion 1 can beef stock
mushrooms (optional) salt and pepper
Put olive oil in pot, turn on medium-high. Season meat with salt and pepper. Sear meat approximately 4 minutes on each side. Remove meat from pot.
Cut up carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and mushrooms. Crush garlic clove. Put vegetables and herbs in pot. Add V-8 juice and can (2 cups) of beef stock. Place meat back on top. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours.
Rosemary Red Potatoes
6 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together melted butter and oil, then pour into 9x13 baking dish. place potatoes into the dish and stir until coated. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir the potatoes occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Peanut Butter Cookies
2 cups flour 1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and peanut butter (I prefer crunchy, but use what you like). Add sugar and continue to blend until well mixed. Add beaten eggs and vanilla, then rest of dry ingredients.
Drop onto cookie sheet, flatten with fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
(They're also good to roll the balls in white sugar before you flatten them.)
Green Beans With Cherry Tomatoes
1 1/2 lbs green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups cherry tomato halves
and bring to a boil. Set heat to low and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain off water and set aside.
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
Place beans and water in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Set heat to low and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain off water, set aside.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in sugar, garlic salt, pepper, and basil. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring gently just until soft. Pour the tomato mixture over the green beans and toss gently to blend.
Chinese Pork Chops
(This one I never served to company or took anywhere. But my 13 year old son will eat it, which makes it VERY successful! Of course, he insists on putting catsup on it, but, oh well...)
brown the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish.
In a bowl, mix the honey, water, sot sauce, onion, ginger and peppe
2 boneless pork chops 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/3 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon honey 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the pork chops about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking dish.
In a bowl, mix the honey, water, soy sauce, onion, ginger, and pepper. Pour over the pork chops in the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour.
Cranberry Jumbles
(I always make these at Christmastime, even though they aren't technically Christmas cookies. But they're a nice change from the typical holiday cookies, and everybody loves them.)
1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup shortenng
1/3 cup whole wheat flour 1 egg
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup slivered/sliced almonds
2 tablespoons cranberry or ornage juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking soda orange frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. in a large mixing bowl, stir together the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir egg and juice into flour mixture. Stir in cranberries and almonds.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. transfer cookies to wire racks (I just use newspaper!), and cool.
When cool, drizzle orange frosting over top of each cookie.
Orange Frosting: 1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1-2 tablespoons orange juice
Stir together frosting ingredients in small mixing bowl. Use just enough orange juice to make a frosting of drizzling consistency. (I put the frosting in a baggie and make a small hole in the corner to squeeze the frosting out of.)
Storing: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze undrizzled cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookies, then drizzle them with frosting.
Blackberry Brandy Slush
10 cups water 1 12 oz can frozen grape juice
3/4 cup sugar 1 12 oz can frozen lemonade
6-8 blackberry tea bags 1 12 oz can frozen orange juice
2 cups (1 pint) blackberry brandy Dr Pepper
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pan. Remove from heat. Add teabags and let steep for 20 minutes. Remove tea bags and let mixture nearly cool (it can take a while to cool!).
Add the remainng ingredients and stir well. pour into a 5 quart container and freeze. Allow several days to freeze completely. When ready to serve, fill glass 1/2 to 2/3 full of slush and then fill with Dr Pepper. (It sounds strange, but it's so good!)
