December 2008

Sandra St. Clair’s Home Cooking

Cheese Tidbits

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese

2 c. plain flour

2 c. Rice Crispies

1/4 t. red pepper

1/2 t. salt

  Combine all ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls and place on cookie sheet.

Press down with fork in crisscross fashion. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

No Bake Party Mix

8 c. Crispix cereal

1 c. pretzel sticks

1 c. mixed nuts

3 T. vegetable oil

1 oz. pkg. dry Italian dressing mix

1/2 t. dill weed

1/4 c. canned Parmesan cheese

  Mix cereal, pretzels and nuts in a 2-gallon bag.  Add the oil and shake well, add the dressing mix, dill weed and cheese and shake to coat all.

Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes

4 T. vegetable oil

4 T. brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

  Microwave the potatoes a few minutes to you can safely cut them. Peel and slice into steak fries.  In a large bowl coat the potatoes with the oil, sugar and salt/pepper. Arrange on a cookie sheet covered with foil, bake for 15 minutes each side at 450 degrees.

Spinach Saute

10 oz. baby spinach

1/2 c. raisins

2 T. butter

1/2 c. apple juice

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. nuts (pine nuts, walnuts or pecans)

  In a bowl microwave the raisins with the apple juice til tender. In a large saucepan melt the butter.  Add the spinach, salt, raisins with juice, add the nuts and saute briefly.  Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 c. mashed sweet potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c. milk

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. margarine

Topping:

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. flour

1 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. butter

  Mix the potatoes, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and margarine      together. Place in a buttered baking dish. For the topping mix the sugar, flour, and pecans together, pour over the potatoes. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 30      minutes.

Morton Allen’s Favorite Chess Pie

3/4 stick butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. milk

1/4 t. salt

1 T. corn starch

1 T. white vinegar

1 t. vanilla extract

  Cream butter and sugar, add eggs. Mix well and add the other ingredients. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

This pie was the absolute    favorite of Morton Allen, a much-loved Huntsvillian whom Sandra cared for.

Turkey Tetrazini

1 8-oz. pkg. spaghetti, cooked and drained

3 c. turkey, cooked & chopped

8 oz. can mushrooms, drained

1/2 lrg. onion, diced

1 c. celery, diced

2 cans mushroom soup

2 T. butter

1 c. grated mozarella cheese

  Saute vegetables in butter a few minutes, combine with the turkey, mushrooms, soups, spaghetti. Top with the cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30      minutes.

Santa’s Whiskers

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

2 T. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. flour

3/4 c. finely chopped red and green candied cherries

1/2 c. chopped pecans

3/4 c. flaked coconut

  Cream butter and sugar. Stir in milk and vanilla, stir in flour, nuts and cherries. Form 2 rolls, 2x8”. Chill for several hours, then slice 1/4” thick. Roll each slice in coconut and bake at 375 degrees and edges are golden.

November 2008

Simple Comfort Foods

Spicy Smokies

2 lb. smoked sausage 

1 bottle barbeque sauce

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

   Boil the sausage til hot, punch hole in skin. When still warm, cut the sausage into one-inch pieces. Place in frying pan with 2 tablespoon oil. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add green pepper and onion and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove to glass bowl, pour warmed barbeque sauce over the pieces.

Serve with toothpicks, you won’t have any left!

Guacamole Dip

2 ripe avocados

1/4 t. onion powder

1/2 t. salt

1 tomato, finely chopped

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 t. garlic powder

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro

2 T. chopped green chili

  Cut each avocado in half, lengthwise. Remove pit, then scoop out pulp into a bowl. Mash with fork and stir in remaining ingredients. Use as a good dip with Nacho chips.

Savory Hash Browns

1 bag (32 oz.) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 16-oz. container sour cream

2 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. chopped onions

1/4 c. butter, melted

  Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl & stir til blended. Transfer to a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake for one hour and top is brown.

Turkey & Brown Rice Salad

3 c. cooked brown rice, cooled

2 c. diced turkey or chicken

1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts

1 c. baby frozen peas, thawed

3/4 c. diced red bell pepper

1 c. prepared ranch dressing

  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir.  Chill well before serving.

Pistachio Salad

1 carton Cool Whip, large

1 lrg. pkg. pistachio pudding mix

1 lrg. can crushed pineapple with juice

2 c. miniature marshmallows

1 c. chopped pecans

  Mix the pudding and pineapple together and pour into a bowl, add the marshmallows. Add the Cool Whip and pecans. Pour into a dish or mold and refrigerate for serveral hours before serving.

Oriental Slaw

3/4 c. mayonnaise

2 T. soy sauce

1 t. sugar

1 t. salt

  Mix this and grate up a small head of cabbage. Add the mayo mixture to the cabbage and stir well.  Add:

2 green onions, chopped, greens and all

1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced

1 can bamboo shoots, drained

2 T. chopped pimiento

  Mix this into the cabbage and refrigerate overnight.

Jelly Meringue

1 c. firm jelly

1 egg white

Pinch salt

  Into a bowl place all ingredients and with a good egg whip begin to beat as you would for cream. Continue til it holds its shape, use as a dessert topping.

Sweet Nut Chew Cakes

1 box brown sugar

1 stick butter

1 t. vanilla or almond extract

3 eggs

2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped

  Melt sugar and butter together. Add eggs, flavoring and flour. Mix well and add nuts. Batter will be stiff. Pour into a greased oblong 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes. cut into squares when ready to serve - excellent with coffee!

Soy & Pineapple Chicken

3 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 c. canned pineapple chunks, unsweetened and drained

1 c. pineapple juice, not sweetened

1 c. chopped green onion

4 T. soy sauce

1 t. garlic powder

1 1/2 t. ground ginger

  Wash and place chicken in a greased casserole dish, add the pineapple chunks. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chicken. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Great served with rice or pasta.