Pecan Shorties

2 cups flour
1 T. cornstarch (heaping)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lb. butter (softened)

Mix dry ingredients well, cut in butter. Knead dough by hand and form into small (ping pong size) balls. Press thumb into center.

4 T. butter
8 oz pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 t. vanilla
Combine in a saucepan: butter ground nuts, sugar and milk. Cook until thick. Stir to prevent sticking. Add vanilla. Fill cookie balls with nut mixture. Bake 10 -15 minutes at 350 F.

Peanut Butter Chews

3/4 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar

Mix and boil one minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in:

2 T. butter or margarine
1 cup peanut butter
4 cups corn flakes

Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.

Cream Peas

1 bag of peas (frozen 1 lb)

6 T butter

6 T flour

2 cups milk (more or less as needed)

1/2 t. Poultry seasoning

1/4 t. Beau Monde Seasoning

Cook peas in water with 1 T sugar added for flavor. When tender, drain most of water. Set aside.

Put butter in bowl, then microwave it for a minute or so. Add flour and stir.

Place in microwave again for 1 minute. Stir well. Add to peas in pan. Stir until combined.

Put back onto heat and slowly add milk. Stir until heated and thickened. Add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Take off of heat.

Add poultry seasoning and Beau Monde seasoning.

Stuffing for Turkey

This is one of those family recipes that is my favorite. I love the way the sage permeates the bread and tastes with the turkey. For me, a real Thanksgiving comfort food. This recipe is good for a 12 - 18 lb. bird. Note: pre- thaw turkey for a few days before Thanksgiving if frozen.

1 loaf white bread (12 cups cut into cubes)

1 cup butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

1.5 cups diced celery

1 T. salt

1 t. pepper

1 T. dried sage

Poultry seasoning (to taste, I probably add 1 - 2 T)

1 can whole kernel corn (optional)

I usually do this part of the stuffing the night before:

Cut whole loaf into cubes. I like to toast the bread cubes on a cookie sheet at 350 for about 20 minutes or til lightly browned. This gives more depth to the flavor of the bread, however optional.

Melt butter in large skillet. Add onions, celery and cook til clear. Add seasonings, stir well. Mix in corn. Gradually add bread cubes and stir until mostly coated. After it cools, place in fridge until needed the next day.

Day of Thanksgiving:

Remove lizards and gizzards from inside of turkey and rinse bird well. Salt and pepper inside cavities of bird. Stuff the neck area first then the lower cavity. Place in large roaster, bird on its back. Cover the breast with a few slices of bacon. Bake as directed on package for a stuffed bird.

Bulgogi (Korean Beef)

I just love this with rice and potstickers. Very simple and yummy:

1 pound sliced rib eye

2 t. soy sauce (I prefer low sodium)

2 t. sesame oil

2 t. sugar

3 garlic cloves (minced)

1/2 t. black pepper

Slice the pre-sliced meat into strips. Mix together all ingredients except beef. Once it's mixed add the rib eye and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Stir fry the meat until completely cooked 5 - 7 minutes.

Vegetable Soup

1⁄2 cup packed basil leaves

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,

plus more for drizzling

2 tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 cloves garlic

1⁄2 medium onion, cut into chunks

8 oz. red new potatoes, cut into 1⁄2" cubes

3 stalks celery, minced

2 medium carrots, minced

2 plum tomatoes, cored and minced

Kosher salt, to taste

3 oz. spinach, trimmed and rinsed

(about 2 loosely packed cups)

1 1⁄2 cups canned cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1⁄2 small head frisée, leaves cut

into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan,

for serving

1. Place half the basil, 2 tbsp. oil, parsley, garlic, and onions in the bowl of a food processor and process until slightly chunky. Heat remaining oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat and add herb–garlic mixture. Cook, stirring often, until no liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add salt and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Stir in spinach, beans, peas, and frisée and cook until greens are wilted and just tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper and stir in remaining basil. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with Grana Padano, and drizzle with oil.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

1 lb hamburger

1 can kidney beans

1 med onion chopped

2-3 carrots chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1 large can tomatoes

2 small potatoes peeled and chopped

1/2 c water

1 cup cooked noodles shells

1 can chicken broth

Italian seasoning

thyme

poultry seasoning

1 bay leaf

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

basil

1/2 t paprika

pinch of love (written in child's handwriting on the recipe card)

Brown meat. Add to large pot. Add remaining ingredients except noodles. Cook for a couple of hours. Add noodles before serving. Salt and pepper to taste.

Flank Steak Marinade

Beef Marinade

1/4 c olive oil

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c Worcestershire

1/4 c red wine (raspberry is my favorite)

1 T lemon juice

1 T Dijon Mustard

1 t garlic

1 t italian seasoning

1/2 t pepper

Mix together and marinate meat over night.

Payday Bar Cookies

Payday Bar Cookies

Yellow cake mix

1 egg

3/4 c margarine (not butter)

3 c mini marshmallows

2/3 c white karo syrup

2 t vanilla

1 pkg Reeses Peanut Butter Chips

1/4 c margarine

2 c salted peanuts

Melt 3/4 c margarine and mix with yellow cake mix and egg. Press into 17 x 11 cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Add marshmallows then bake for an additional 5 - 7 minutes. Let cool. Melt remaining ingredients (except peanuts) in microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Spread over cooled crust and marshmallows. Add peanuts. Let cool and serve.

Chewy Oatmeal & Butterscotch Cookies

1 c butter

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c white sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 t baking soda

1 t salt

3 c quick cooking oatmeal

1 c butterscotch chips

In large bowl, cream butter and sugars til smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, add vanilla.

Combine flour, soda and salt, stir into cream mixture, until just blended. Mix in oats and chips.

Bake for 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c butter

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c crisco (butter flavor)

3/4 c brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 c flour

1 t soda

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla

1 c oatmeal

Mix butter, sugars together. Add egg. Mix flour, salt and soda together. Add to sugar mixture. Mix well, add vanilla and oatmeal.

Bake at 350 f for 8 - 10 minutes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c butter (softened)

1/2 c butter flavored Crisco

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 c flour

1 t soda

1/2 t salt

6 oz chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 f. Mix first 5 ingredients well. Then add egg. Combine flour, soda and salt in small bowl then add to other mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Place on cookie sheets and bake for 8 - 10 minutes.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

(Mrs. Dickey)

2 1/2 c crushed pretzels

1 1/3 sticks butter

3 T sugar

8 oz cream cheese

3/4 c sugar

med. cool whip

large strawberry jello

2 c boiling water

2 10 oz pkg frozen strawberries (thawed)

Combine first 3 ingredients and press into 9 x 13 pan. Bake 10 - 12 min at 350 f. Cool.

Mix sugar w/ cream cheese and beat - gradually add cool whip. Spread on top of cooled pretzels and chill.

Combine Jello w/boiling water & strawberries. Set until almost firm then spread on top of cream cheese layer. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Grandma Earlene's Chicken Casserole

Chicken Casserole

1 box elbow macaroni

2 c milk

1 can crm of celery soup

1 can crm of chicken soup

2 c chicken - diced (deli chicken is best)

1/2 lb shredded cheese (maybe more)

Potato chips

Cook macaroni and drain. Place in layers in a buttered baking dish in this order:

chicken, soup, cheese. Top with crushed potato chips. Add milk. Leave overnight in fridge.

Remove 1 hour before baking. Bake 1 hour at 350 f.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Chocolate Chip Scones

3 c flour

1/3 c sugar

2 1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

3/4 c cold butter

1 c buttermilk

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Icing:

2 c powdered sugar

2-3 t water

Combine.

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder salt and baking soda. Cut in Butter. Stir in buttermilk just intil combined. Turn onto a floured surface, divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a ball and pat into a 6 inch circle. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bat at 400 f for 15 -20 minutes. Drizzle with icing.

Meatballs and Noodles

Meatballs and Noodles

Here is a recipe that I have made for years, one of my youngest daughter's favorites. Today she asked for the recipe, so here it is:

1 lb. ground Turkey

1 t nutmeg

1 egg

1-2 cups bread crumbs

Mix ingredients together and make meatballs. Fry in 1 T. oil.

When the meatballs are browned add consume and 1 cup of water.

Cook 20 min. to 1 hour covered. Add more water if it evaporates.

Mix 2 T. flour with 1/2 c milk. Add to pan to create gravy.

Heat through. Serve over egg noodles.