I forgot an ingredient...

I forgot to put the chicken into the recipe below. I'm also going to try it with ground beef and see how that turns out. Working on a Mexican Lasagna recipe right now. Hopefully that will appear here soon.

Mystery Taco casserole

Ok. So I don't exactly know what to call this recipe....it's got lots of stuff in it that sound strange but the whole family really liked it...even Jake and he is picky.

Ingredients:
1/2 -3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 small onion chopped. (Saute' these until onions are clear in a little water and then drain.)

In bowl: 1 small can cream of mushroom soup (can use low fat)
green pepper/onion mixture
1 cup salsa (your choice on "heat")
2 cups shredded chicken (or 1 can chunk chicken)
1 can whole kernal corn drained
1 can black beans rinsed and drained

After mixed add 1 package of taco shells broken up (the recipe called for small corn tortillas, but our store did not have any). I used the 12 portion hard taco shells and it worked fine, crumbled up into smaller pieces.

When wet mixture is done, put one layer of it in a greased casserole and sprinkle with 1/2 of an 8 oz bag of your favorite cheese. I used colby/jack but I'm sure it would be great with any cheese (pepper jack, cheddar, etc)
Repeat layers. Bake or microwave until cheese is bubbly. I think the oven temp is supposed to be 350, but I used the microwave for 12
minutes and it was great.

Serve warm.

Roman on the Radio

As you could tell from reading our other blog....
donaldsonfamily.blogspot.com
Will and I lost one of our greatest friends yesterday. It is truly a heavy blow to both of us. For the last two days I have been trying to wrap my head around it all. It's hard. My mind keeps straying to all the good times though and with John it usually involved food. He loved to eat. We spent many an hour talking about food and how to cook things. If we weren't talking about food we were talking while we ate food. We knew the art of lingering.... we could make a meal last a long time. By the time we were finished, we would almost be ready to start all over again. John was a great conversationalist, a great eater, a great man and one of the world's great "friends". In his honor here is one of the simple recipes that he would cook for us all as we sat around blabbing while he grilled. I'll miss you John...

Grilled chicken Roman's way.

(We usually used chicken breasts, but it works with any chicken parts).

Take raw chicken and wash it under cold water, then place it in a heavy ziplock bag. Pour in Zesty Italian Dressing (we used Kraft most of the time). Let the chicken marinate for at least 4 hours (up to 12 is the most I've tried).
Pull it out and grill it like you would any other chicken on the grill and enjoy. It's full of flavor and moist each and every time.

Please try it and then sit around and enjoy it while talking to friends and really, really take your time and enjoy each other. That's what John would have wanted you to do.

and Roman on the Radio I hope to see you on the "flip side".
dea

Mimi's cheesecake recipe

My grandmother left behind a wonderful recipe that is one of my favorites. I thought I would share it with you.

2 packs graham crackers crushed
1 stick melted margarine
*mix this together and line bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 pan OR crumble some into the bottom of individual parfait glasses.

1 small package lemon jello
1 cup boiling water
3 TBS lemon juice
1-8 oz. package cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 can evaporated milk

Instructions:
1. First of all take the beaters from your electric mixer, the evaporated milk and a metal bowl (to whip the milk in) and put them all in the frig to chill.
2. Dissolve the jello in the boiling water; add the lemon juice and then chill until cooled (do not let it start to gel)
3. Cream the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together.
4. Add the cooled jello mixture and beat it until it's smooth and creamy.
5. In the metal bowl whip the evaporated milk until it's light and airy, like loose whip cream. Do not overbeat or it will just fall flat again, but keep it light.
6. Fold milk into the other mixture. Mix well.
7. Pour into the crumb crust (if using parfait glasses layer twice with the crumb mixture). Put into frig to chill for at least an hour or until set well.
8. Top with your choice of cherry, blueberry, strawberry (I've even used cranberry icecream topping).

***For a lower sugar content, you can use sugar free jello.

Enjoy.
dea

A camping we will go...

I was cornered by the kids yesterday (the house was full again for the weekend). They all wanted to know what we were going to do since we would not be able to make it to Greenlake this year for the family camping (God willing we will be in Florida for Will's folks 50th). I told them that we would try to make it over to Greenlake another time, or possibly camp at Devil's lake before the Oakes Family Gathering this year. They were all fine with that too. They don't mind sleeping in tents as long as there is a "man tent" and the "girl tent". They are just too funny.

So as it stands right now, I will either be going to Green lake at a different time than the rest of the family, or I will be going to Devil's lake and possibly others from the family can come there. The kids just want to be together to explore. I look for the family time. It will be different.

I've been working on my cook book entitled Food, Family and Friends. I hope to finish that one pretty quick and get it up and running before Cranfest. The other books are still in the works. I have added a couple of chapters to 3 of them. I hope to at least get one done this year, to have at least one story finished and not rolling around in my head. It would be easier to accomplish if I could get back out on the route. That's where I write it in my head, then come home and type it out. Strange process, but it seems to be working. I know it's weird to write so many of them at once, but the ideas come to me and I have to get them down at least in part on paper.

If anyone has any recipes......send them to me. I'll be glad to put them in the family or friends category.

Have a great day.
dea

Who turned off the sun?

The weather guy said it was supposed to be sunny today, but I'm sure that I never saw it.

Here's a recipe that people love when I take it to potlucks.

Chocolate Trifle

1 devil's food cake mix made and baked according to instructions (I use the pudding in the mix kind)
4 small packages chocolate pudding mix
8 cups milk
1 large and one small cool whip.
2 cups brewed coffee

1. a large trifle dish or bowl crumble 1/2 half of the cake AFTER IT IS COOLED.
2. Pour 1 cup of the coffee over the cake mix and then press down with the back of a spoon to form a smooth layer.
3. Mix 2 packages of pudding mix with 4 cups milk and pour over the cake mix evenly. Allow to set a little
4. Stir the large cool whip with a spoon for easier spreading and spread a good bit over the pudding mix to form an even layer. How much depends on the size of your bowl. Half the fun of this dish is the presentation.
5. Spread the second half of the cake over the cool whip carefully.(Reserve a Tablespoon of cake crumbs)
6. Top with second cup of coffee and press down.
7. Top with another layer of pudding using remaining mix and milk.
8. Top with more cool whip (you may not need all of the little container depending on bowl size)
9. Sprinkle the cake crumbs over the top of the cake for effect.

Chill and enjoy.
dea

Abraham Lincoln?

I guess I'm confused. Maybe I'm not liberal enough to see it or maybe I don't have enough imagination (although I'm pretty overcompensated in that department).

What is with this new comparison from the pres. elect to Pres. Lincoln? I know that Lincoln fought for freedom from slavery, but the issues he faced were so much different than the ones today. I see no similarities....unless they are trying to increase public opinion by comparing him to one of the most loved pres's in history. I loved Lincoln. I studied Lincoln. He was a man full of wisdom....I have not seen any such wisdom from the new guy. Compassion.....still waits to be seen. Insight? On hold.. Leadership...waiting for fullfilment.. Fairness.. unknown...(my mind comes back to unborn babies on that one..)

I even saw one of the larger magazines say that he was "channeling Lincoln". Give me a blinking break. This man, who I pray for daily, because he will be our new leader HAS to earn people's respect on his own and not by standing on the memory of another man. This is the responsibility of each and every person. I am not known for the beliefs of my many times great grandfather. I would love to be a person like Corrie Ten Boom was, but I cannot just say...since I want to be loved like she was, I will compare myself to her and you should just think of my as the "new her".

This new administration will stand on it's own, fall on it's own, prosper on it's own or fail on it's own. There can be no comparison to any other...especially since he hasn't even taken the office yet. What a hoot. People are already deciding how he will lead and what his reputation will be and he doesn't even have the job yet. My opinion: Any one can read a recipe, but baking the cake can go wrong in so many ways. It all depends on too many factors. If a cake is like that, think how different it will be running a country. Now his "feast" after taking office is based on Lincoln's favorite foods....Give me a break! Let the man be his own man, he's not Lincoln, he never will be. Let's just hope that he can be the best man that "he" can be. Our country depends on it.

Quick and easy 5 ingredient Peach Cobbler

Ok , so I'm not sure where I got this recipe but I used it yesterday and it turned out great.

Peach cobbler

1 stick butter melted (I used unsalted)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup SELF RISING flour
1 cup milk
1 - 29 oz can sliced peaches reserve the syrup

In baking pan, pour melted butter. In a bowl mix the sugar, flour and milk until smooth. Pour over butter DO NOT STIR
Dish the peaches out of the syrup and spoon them onto the batter DO NOT MIX.
Pour the juice/syrup over the whole thing. DO NOT MIX

I sprinkled cinnamon over the whole thing, because I like cinnamon with my peaches, but the recipe did not call for it.

Bake at 350' about 45 minutes. You can tell when it's done.
It makes a thin cobbler as far as height. I'm going to try to double the recipe and see what happens. I'll let you know.

Cow crunch

Ok, so don't laugh at the name, but that's what we were calling it at work as a joke. It looks like melted dairy cows... or some such thing.. I cannot remember exactly what started the name.

Recipe:

Melt 2 pounds almond bark or white chocolate (the bark is better?)
crush one small package oreos into small pieces (not ground up)
Stir the oreos into the bark
pour onto waxed paper
let set/cool and dry
break into small pieces
store in air tight container

Addictive!!

corn casserole

This is a family favorite and I am under orders to take it to potlucks whenever I go to one.
******I usually double the recipe and bake it in a lightly greased cake pan (13 X 9) or in a larger casserole dish. You can also crumble bacon or cheese up in it, but my family really likes it plain.

Single recipe about 8 servings or more depending on serving size

8 oz. sour cream
1 stick melted margarine or butter
1 (15 oz.) can creamed corn
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernal corner (partially drained)
1 pkg. Jiffy corn muffin mix

Mix sour cream and butter together. Add corns. Add muffin mix and stir well. Bake 350' until set and lightly browned on top. Usually about 20-25 minutes for single batch and 45 minutes for double. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pan too.

Enjoy.
dea

BBQ muffins

Ok so here's your new recipe for fun food.

First make your favorite sloppy joe's. I usually make them pretty strongly flavored for this with lots of BBQ sauce, onions, green peppers etc, but everyone likes them a different way. Just remember you need to be able to taste the sauce in the muffins, so kind of over do the flavor.

Then in a muffin tin (lightly greased) press a ready made biscuit out of a tube of biscuits. Brand does not matter on this, it just cannot be the great big biscuits, so use the smaller tube ones.

Fill each indented center of uncooked biscuit with a Tablespoon of BBQ mix, pressing lightly.

Top with favorite cheese and bake.

People love these because they are not so sloppy, sloppy joe's.

***You can do the same thing with pizza ingredients for fun. It works!