Tater Tot Casserole

This recipe was passed to me from a great friend.  It is very kid friendly and most "big kids" enjoy it too!  Especially when served with ketchup.

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or more!)
1 pack frozen tatter tots


Grease 13x9 inch pan.  Place beef, soup, and cheese in pan.  Top with tatter tots.  Bake covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer, adding extra cheese here if desired.
 

Peach Muffins

• 3 cups self rising flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches
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• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 16 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line them with cupcake liners.  In a large bowl, mix the flour and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.  Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.  Enjoy!

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"Olive Garden" Salad Dressing

Here is a delicious dressing to serve over your favorite greens!  Because this is very similar to the famous "Olive Garden" recipe, it is delicious with Italian foods and also excellent as a garlic bread dip.  Quick and easy, this dressing is best when prepared ahead of time and left to marinate in the fridge for a few hours before serving.  

                                                                                                        
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoon corn syrup                                               
• 1/4 cup Parmesan/Romano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. This salad dressing is good for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Serve over mixed greens with red onion slices, a can of rinsed and drained black olives, croutons, tomato, Parmesan cheese, and a banana pepper.

Blueberry Crunch

                                   

• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, in juice
• 3 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour pineapple into the dish and spread over bottom.  Sprinkle blueberries over pineapple and then the sugar over the blueberries.  Cover blueberries with the box of yellow cake mix (and pecans, if you so choose).  Drizzle with melted butter and bake for 35-40 minutes. 

Blueberry Pie

Here is a wonderful pie recipe you can use with any type of berry.  Our berry of choice... blueberry!!! 

2 pie shells  (I use the refrigerated pie shells.)
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 c. berries
1 1/2 T. butter

Carefully press one of the pie shells into the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9 inch glass pie dish.  In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients first, then stir in berries.  Slice butter and put on top of ingredients after it is poured into the pie shell.  Carefully lay the second pie shell over the berry mixture and wrap the edges under the bottom crust edge.  Press edges together to seal; flute.  Cut slits in top crust.  Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.  After 15 minutes of baking, remove pie and cover the edge of crust with strips of foil to prevent burning.  Return to oven and continue baking. 

Baked Spaghetti

This recipe is one I have thrown together for our youth and children summer camps.  Instead of slaving over hot noodles in the middle of the afternoon, I prefer to prepare this dish in the cool of the morning, pop it in the fridge, and pull it out to bake at dinnertime.  Here is a cheesy twist to your favorite spaghetti... a summer hit! 

2 pounds lean ground beef  (Or deer meat!)

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (I use garlic mushroom)

1 pound angel hair pasta 

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  In large skillet, cook hamburger until brown. (I always season my meat with pepper, garlic salt, and seasoned salt while browning.)
2.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Mix in pasta and cook according to package directions or until al dente; drain.
3.  Mix together pasta, sauce, meat, and about 3/4 c. of the mozzarella cheese.  Pour into 9x13 pan.
4.  Cover with foil and pop in the fridge until ready to bake.  (Be sure to set it out for about 30-45 minutes before baking to take the chill off.) 
5.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Using a new sheet of foil, cover and bake for 30-40 minutes. 
6.  Uncover, top with remaining cheese, sprinkle a little parsley (for color), and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.  (You could even turn your oven to broil at this point to make the cheese have a brown, crispy look.)

Midnight Delight

Here is a trifle I put together last weekend using pieces of different recipes.  It turned out delicious, but I advise you to only dip small portions.  After pondering a name, "Midnight Delight" seemed suitable.  CAUTION:  This is VERY rich.  Can't say I didn't warn you! 

Brownies:
1 family size (13x9) package of brownie mix  (check the back of the box for additional ingredients)
1 c. miniature size chocolate chips

Mix brownies according to package directions.  Add 1c. chocolate chips and stir.  Bake according to package directions and cool completely.
Hint:  I substitute coffee for the water on the brownie mix.  Coffee always brings out the best in chocolate!

Cream Cheese Fluff:
1 box powdered sugar
1 8oz. package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 10oz. container cool whip (do not use recuced fat or light)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy.  Then add cool whip and vanilla and beat until combined.  Set aside.

Fudge Sauce:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients, except the vanilla, in a heavy sauce pan and boil fast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, add the vanilla, and beat until creamy.  Set aside to cool.


Using a trifle dish (or clear glass dish), layer ingredients in this order:  brownies (crumble using hands), cream cheese fluff, fudge sauce; being careful to end with the fudge sauce.  The last layer of fudge sauce should be simply drizzled over the top.  And you can use 1/4 cup of miniature chocolate chips to sprinkle over the top as a garnish as well.