Home-made Hamburger Helper

contributed by Bobbi Gustason

1 1/2 lb hamburger

1 can tomato soup

1 can mushroom soup

1/8 cup Ketchup

brown and drain hamburger, and add tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup, and ketchup. Stir together and cook on medium heat until warmed all the way through.

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

contributed by Laura Thompson

this recipe is from the Nestle Tollhouse Website, and it’s spot on for making great chocolate chip cookies at altitude.

2  1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (I use unsalted butter–you might use less salt if your butter is salted)

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temp

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (recipe calls for one, but I like a little more)

2 large eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cups chopped nuts (optional)

2 tsp water (for adding in if the flour has made the mixture too stiff)

3 heaping tsp cinnamon (this is my personal fave thing to add-it’s totally optional)

 

combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if you use it) in small bowl, blend with fork until mixed together, set aside

beat butter, sugar and vanilla till creamy. add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture, and the 2 tsp of water if the mixture is too stiff to work with. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets

OR

spread onto a GREASED 10×15 or larger jelly roll pan for perfect pan cookies

 

bake 8-10 min for drop cookies

12-17 minutes for pan cookie

Cheeseburger Macaroni

contributed by Laura Thompson

I will post this recipe how it was printed, and then tell you the changes I made. 🙂

1 lb ground beef (turkey I bet would be fine too)

8 oz dry elbow macaroni (I used some Orzo pasta that had been in my cabinet for way too long…it worked great), cooked according to package directions and drained

8 oz Bird’s Eye frozen classic mixed veggies, cooked per package directions and drained (I completely omitted this)

1 10.75 oz can cheddar cheese soup

1 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I totally forgot about this and it didn’t make it into the dish, I will try it WITH the cheddar next time)

1/4 cup ketchup (I did 1/8 of a cup)

2 tablespoons prepared mustard (I did ONE tablespoon and the mustard was so overwhelming that I had to add a lot of Worcestershire sauce to even it out)

Salt and pepper to taste

I also added at least a half a cup of Worcestershire sauce, because our fam really likes it

In a large skillet over high heat, brown beef, drain fat

add cooked macaroni, veggies, soup, milk, cheese, ketchup, and mustard (and worcestershire if you use it). Stir and cook over medium heat until heated through, 5-10 minutes. Serve with “burger” garnishes, ie pickles, lettuce, tomato, etc. We ate it with potato chips and it was divine. 🙂

Roasted Garlic

contributed by Deb Curtis Reno

This is great to serve with an Italian dinner or steak dinner or ???  (Romance alert – make this w/caution…could put a damper on your love life if your sweetie isn’t a garlic fan. No need to worry about vampires if you make this.)  =)

1 head (yup, whole head, not just a clove) garlic
1 t. extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
Preheat oven to 425°.  (Toaster ovens are great for this.)
Remove outer, papery covering from garlic.  Slice off the top of the head so most of the cloves are exposed.  Place on a square of foil for easy clean-up.  Drizzle with oil.  Fold up foil to completely enclose the head of garlic.  Roast 45 minutes until soft & browned.
To serve, separate into individual cloves and allow guests to squeeze the soft garlic out of the cloves with their fingers onto sliced baguettes or crackers OR squeeze the garlic out of the cloves into a small dish & serve.
For leftovers, cover in olive oil.  Store tightly covered in fridge for up to 1 month. (It would NEVER last that long around here!)

Black-Eyed Pea Dip

contributed by Deb Reno

1 can black-eyed peas, drained
1/3 c. green pepper, chopped
1/4 c. diced onions (snipping up some green onions wd be good instead.)
1/4 c. diced jalapenos (adjust according to your liking)
1 T. diced pimentos (I’m more likely to toss in some chopped red peppers.)
1/4 t. minced garlic
3 oz. Italian dressing.

Fumi Salad (cabbage salad)

contributed by Marcia Bailey
SALAD:
1 head cabbage, shredded or 1 pkg. of shredded cabbage
8 green onions, sliced
…1/2 c. toasted sunflower seeds or sesame seeds
1/2 c. toasted almonds

DRESSING:

1 c. vegetable oil
2 to 3 tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt or less
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper Noodle seasoning packet
1 to 2 pkgs. Ramen noodles with Oriental flavoring, uncooked

SALAD: In large bowl, combine cabbage, onions, sunflower seeds and almonds. (Set noodles aside.)
DRESSING: In blender, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and seasoning packet from noodles. Refrigerate.

TO SERVE: Toss dressing with cabbage mixture. Refrigerate for 2 hours to blend flavors. Just before serving, crush uncooked Ramen noodles. Toss with salad.
You can also add cooked chicken to make it more of a meal

Finger Lickin’ Meat Marinade

contributed by Jenna Varrone

This is great for chicken, pork tenderloin and steak!  Marinate for 30 minutes or 24 hours, either way its a hit!

1 cup oil (olive is best)

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tbs of Miracle Whip or light Mayo

3 tbs Worchestershire sauce

2 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs salt (to taste)

1 tbs pepper

2 tbs Thyme

1 tbs garlic salt

Mix all together with whisk and marinate!

Enjoy!

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

contributed by Laurel Turner

1 cup all purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 cup white whole wheat flour (regular whole wheat flour would work)
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1-1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup apple sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini (not packed)
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.
Add chocolate chips and gently mix to combine.
In a medium bowl, mix egg, vanilla, melted butter, apple sauce and zucchini. Add to flour mixture and stir until blended. Pour batter into a large 9×5 inch loaf pan

Pink Lady Salad

contributed by Laurel Turner

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4C sugar

2 15oz cans crushed pineapple WELL drained

1 10 pkg frozen slice strawberries..slightyly thawed

2 bananas cut up

8oz container cool whip

cream together cream cheese and sugar

add fruits and cool whip, fold together

freeze in either a 9 by 13 pan OR in individual foil muffin cups for individual servings.

Deep Fried Banana Puffs

contributed by Marcia Curtis Bailey

1 3/4 c. flour
2/3 c. granulated sugar
… 1 t. baking powder
1 mashed overripe banana
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. water
3 c. vegetable oil

Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder thoroughly in mixing bowl. Stir in banana, vanilla and water for a smooth, sticky dough. Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer or tall saucepan to 350 F. Drop batter by large spoonfuls (about ¼ c.) into oil.  Cook in batches of 4 or 5 puffs for about 3 minutes, until they turn golden brown and float to the surface. Turn the puffs to cook other side. Remove and drain onto paper towels.