A Christmas Recipe

Take a bit of cheerfulness,

A pinch of laughter, too,

Next take a cup of thoughtfulness

And stir them through and through.

Add to this tranquility,

A verse of "Silent Night,"

That ever quiet we may be

When God sends His holy light.

Gently fold in some tenderness,

A handclasp or smile will do.

Perhaps it couild be a fond caress,

Or a rose with a drop of dew.

Set aside a moment while you go

For spices, herbs, a scent of pine....
For music and fun, a candle's glow,

Now mix and stir and fold again,

Then add some mistletoe,

A bit of faith, and love and then

Into the oven your cake must go.

Where warmth and affection will combine

To make this cake come true.

Garnish with happiness, truth so fine,

Enough for you, and you!

Cut a piece, but save some too

For every day of the year.

Serve with a prayer for peace on earth,

And a heavenly kingdom near.

Potato Casserole

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 medium green onion, chopped (white and green parts)
5 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

*Place 6 cups water in large saucepan.  Add potatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.   Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes.
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
*Drain potatoes and place in large bowl.  Add butter, sour cream, egg and salt.   Mash potato mixture with a potato masher until well blended.  If mixture is dry, add 3 to 4 additional tablepsoons of sour cream.   Stir in chopped green onion and bacon crumbles.
*Spoon into prepared pan and bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Serves 8.

Cheese-Garlic Biscuits

2 Cups Original Bisquick Mix
2/3 cup Milk
1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (2 ounces)
2 Tablespoons Butter or Margarine
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms.  Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased     cookie sheet.
3.  Bake 8 to  10 minutes or until golden brown.   Stir together butter and garlic powder, brush over warm biscuits.

Amy Cake

3 Cups Sugar

2 Sticks Land O' Lakes Margarine

1/2 Cup Crisco

4 Eggs

1 Cup Sweet Milk

3 Cups Cake Flour

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Cream sugar, margarine and crisco. Add eggs one at a time. Add milk & cake flour alternately. Add vanilla. Pour in bundt pan and bake at 325 degrees preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. 

Recipe from: Susie Mae Alford

She said this was Amy's favorite cake so she named it Amy Cake.

Quick and Easy Dessert

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 can condensed milk
1 carton Cool Whip
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup coconut
2 large bananas
1/2 cup nuts

Mix condensed milk and Cool Whip together.  Add other ingredients and mix well.  Chill several hours or overnight.   Will serve 14.   This is an easy and pretty dessert to fix for those special guests.

Creamy Divinity

1 (7.25 ounce) package white frosting mix

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

4 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

Line a 10x15 inch cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper.   Set aside. 
Beat frosting mix, corn syrup, vanilla and boiling water in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.  Mixture will be very thick, and it is helpful to use a stand mixer.

Transfer to a large bowl and gradually beat in sugar; stir in nuts.  Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto lined pan.   Let stand about 4 hours or until firm.  Turn candies over and dry at least 12 hours.

Chow Mein Clusters

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup chow mein noodles

1/2 cup salted peanuts

In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips;  stir until smooth.  Stir in chow mein noodles and peanuts until well coated.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups pumpkin (canned)

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1/w cup choopped nuts

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Mix all ingredients together, beating until smooth.   Fill a greased and floured bread pan with mixture.   Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

*Rozane Richardson Fulton

Strawberry Bars

1 18.25 ounces strawberry cake mix (with or without pudding)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
3 eggs, divided
1 8 ounces package cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.   In large bowl, combine cake mix, butter and I egg.   Blend well.  Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.  In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 2 eggs and sugar until mixture is smooth and well blended.  Pour mixture over cake mix batter and bakek for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned on top.   Cool and cut into bars.

*The Neshoba Democrat - Susan Jackson

Chicken and Gravy Dish

Brown chicken breasts in a little olive oil and butter just until they are partly done.  Take them out and add 2 cans of any variety of chicken soup and a 16 oz. container of sour cream.  Stir on low until it's mixed together well and add the chicken back into the gravy.  Spoon the gravy on top of the chicken and continue to cook on low to medium until the chicken is done, turning several times so it can absorbe the gravy's flavors.  Serve with rice and vegetable of your choice.  The gravy is great over the rice as well as the chicken.

Tommy Toe Pie (formerly known as Tomato Pie)

3-5 tomatoes
1 deep dish pie shell
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup white Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

The day before, slice 3-5 tomatoes and drain on paper towels.  Refrigerate.  Bake deep-dish pie shell according to package directions.  Cool.  Mix sharp Cheddar cheese, white Cheddar cheese and mayo.  Set mixture aside.  Spread the bottom of the pie shell with Dijon mustard.  Place one layer of tomatoes, and the sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Layer 1/2 of the cheese and mayo mixture.  Sprinkle with chopped green onions.  Repeat layers.  End with 1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.   Control yourself.   It's good!  

*Rebecca Laney-Meers, Jackson - From Mississippi Magazine

Potato Soup

5 medium white potatoes, chopped
5 cups milk
Onion flakes
1-2 tablelspoons butter or margarine
1 tablelspoon real bacon bits
2 cans cream of chicken soup or 1 cream of chicken and 1 cream of potato
salt and pepper

Cook over low heat until potatoes are tender.   Add one pound Velvetta in chunks.  Simmer until cheese is melted.  Add bacon bits and scallions on top of soup when you serve.
This recipe came from Mrs. Wilder.   It is almost as good as the potato soup at O'Charley's.   She likes to serve it with oyster crackers.

*From the Neshoba Democrat - Jill Shumaker (I think)

Potato Soup

5 potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 small can pet milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 Velvetta cheese
1 stick butter

Cover potatoes and onions with water.   Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook until potatoes are tender.   Add remaining ingredients and let simmer until cheese is melted, stirring often.   Good served with crispy, fried bacon, crumbled and cornbread.

*The Neshoba Democrat - Angie Stokes

Pecan Crisps

1 cup margarine
2-1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt,
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream margarine and sugar.   Beat in eggs and set aside.   Sift together flour, salt, & soda.  Blend flour into creamed ingredients.   Stir in nuts and vanilla.   Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet.   Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes.   Makes 10 dozen.

*From:  Mississippi Magazine

Broccoli Salad

Several stalks of broccoli

1/2 onion, chopped

1 large apple, chopped

1 cup raisins

1 cup pecans, chopped

Bunch of grapes, as desired

Dressing:

1 cup Mayo

1/2 cup sugar

Several splashes Red Wine Vinegar

Stir well and add to the above.

Green Bean Casserole

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce

dash pepper

2 small cans Green Beans

1 can French's French Fried Onions

Mix all the above saving 2/3 can of the Fried Onions.   Put in 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.   Sprinkle remaining onions and bake 5 more minutes.  Serves 6.

HomeMade Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup mayo

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup pickle relish

1tbsp. chopped onion

1 hard cooked egg, chopped

Mix all ingredients together well.   Cover and chill.  Makes 2 cups.

To make Russian Dressing add some chili sauce to the Island Dressing

*Note:  I leave the egg out.   I might keep mine in the frig for a couple of months (sometimes we eat a lot of salad and then might not eat it for several weeks!) so I'm just not sure how safe the egg is over a period of time.   Then I pour it in an empty bottle that I have saved!

Trash

2 cups Corn Chex

2 cups Rice Chex

2 cups Cheerios

2 cups Pretzels

2 cups Crunchy Cheese Puffs

2 cups Peanuts

2 cups Pecans

1/2 cup Oil

1/2 cup Oleo

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

1 Tablespoon Tobasco

Mix last five ingredients together and pour over the dry ingredients.   Bake at 225 degrees for two hours.   Stir occasionally.   Add or delete any party mix items to your taste.  I put a can of mixed nuts for the peanuts and pecans.

Yvette Williams - My Sister-in-law

Home Made Bisquits

I have never actually tried to make homemade bisquits.   Guess I'm getting old - I just don't like the taste of the frozen bisquits anymore.   And not real fond of the "whop" bisquits or pop bisquits.    So when I get this recipe down a little bit better, I'll post it.    These tasted pretty good - but I rolled them out to thin!

Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti for Two

2 can Sweet Sue Chicken, drained (of course you can boil chicken if you want to go to all that trouble)

1 can mild Rotel

1 small onion, chopped

1 package medium size Velvetta, sliced in small chunks

Salt and Pepper

1 can Chicken Broth

7 oz. pkg. Spaghetti

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Boil and drain spaghetti.   Brown onion with Rotel in skillet and add chicken.  Then add all other ingredients.   If not too dry, you may not need the chicken broth but it's good to have on hand in case.  Stir all ingredients thoroughly and let simmer for a while.   Good, quick and easy to fix.

*I don't remember where I got this recipe but I'm not sure why it says "for Two"..... this makes a large dish.   Good to take to pot luck or when feeding a big group.

Mom's Chicken Soup

Fruit Salad

4-5 Medium Size Bananas

Bunch of Grapes - either halved or quartered (depending on size)

1 Large Can Mandarin Oranges, drained and cut in half

1 Large Apple or 2 Medium Apples, chopped

2 Big Tablespoons Mayo

Sweet Potato Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Granny (Grace Guthrie - and Yvette) made this cake and we had some when we visited on Sunday afternoon.    She got the recipe from the Central Electric Power Association newletter one month.  I was telling Jenny Lynn Wilkerson that I had a recipe she needed to make - because she is always hunting something new and good to make - so we got the recipe and she made this cake for our Thanksgiving Fellowship Meal at church.

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup raisins
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 cups baked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Combine flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a wire whisk and set aside. Mix raisins and nuts with 2 tablelspoons oil and 1/4 cup of flour mixture; toss well and set aside. Combine sugar and remaining 1 cup oil with a wooden spoon. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add remaining flour mixture and stir just until combined. Thoroughly mix in mashed sweet potatoes and coconut. Gently mix in floured raisins and nuts. Pour batter into two 9-inch greased and floured pans and bake for 25 minutes. Cake will begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out and place them topside up on the wire rack to cool.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
Pinch of salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
3 Tbsp. evaporated milk
6 Tbsp. toasted and chopped walnuts
For garnish: 3 Tbsp. toasted and chopped walnuts

Combine sugar, cream cheese, salt, lemon juice and zest with mixer. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add milk to make the frosting easier to spread. Place first layer topside down with a dollop of icing to hold the layer in place on a cake plate. Spread about half of frosting on top and sides of first layer. Place second layer on top of iced first layer. Frost the sides and top. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with toasted walnuts. Yieldd: 16 servings.

Pineapple Casserole

This is a recipe that was in the Neshoba Democrat. by the lady vet at Dr. May's.   We really enjoyed this dish for a change!

Mrs. Turner's Pineapple Casserole

28-30 ounces canned pineapple chunks, drained

4 eggs, well beaten

1 cup sugar

1 stick oleo, softened

4 slices bread, remove crust and cube

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat oleo and sugar together.  Add beaten eggs.   Fold in pineapple, bread cubes, and vanilla.  Bake  in buttered casserole dish 50-60 minutes at 325 degrees.   Can be mixed and refrigerated overnight for better flavor then bake the next day.   Good side dish for pork.