Cranberry Salad

This salad is a great alternative to cranberry sauce at the holidays. Even people who claim they don't like cranberries enjoy it.

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup apples
1 cup sugar
1 box sugar free rasperry Jell-O
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

Grind cranberries and apple in food processor. Prepare Jell-O using 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water. Stir in fruit and nuts. Refrigerate until firm.

Baked Ziti

This recipe is courtesy of Mr. Food. It's basically unchanged but, being the carnivores we are, I decided it needed some meat. Leave the meat out for a vegetarian friendly meal.

1/2 lb. ziti
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1 jar (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb. lean ground beef

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir in ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Brown ground beef in skillet, drain and stir into spaghetti sauce. Spread 1/2 of spaghetti sauce mixture in a 13x9x2 baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon in ziti and cheese mixture. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella. Bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and hot through.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is my favorite cake of all time. I got the recipe from my mother, who has been making it for probably the last 65 years. We both make if for just about every special occasion. No holiday or family get together would be complete without it.

4 rounded tbl. cocoa
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt


Frosting:
4 rounded tbl. cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted
6 tbl. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Melt cocoa, butter, shortening and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in remaining cake ingredients. Beat with mixer until smooth. Bake in greased 13x9x2 pan at 400ºF for 20-30 minutes. Cool. Melt cocoa, butter and milk in saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir in remaining frosting ingredients. Beat until creamy. Pour and spread over cake.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Another great recipe courtesy of my sister-in-law. These bar cookies are so good they should be illegal.

CRUST:
2 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup margarine

FILLING:
1 (12 1/2 oz.) jar caramel topping
3 tbl. flour
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine crust ingredients in a large bowl with a mixer. Press half of crust mixture into a 13x9x2 baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine caramel topping and 3 tbl. flour. Remove partially baked crust from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Drizzle on caramel topping. Crumble reserved crust mixture over all. Bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes. Cool and cut into bars before serving.

Turkey Sour Cream Enchiladas

I came up with this recipe a few years ago when I was desperate for something different to do with an excess of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Now it's a staple and I sometimes use chicken when I don't have turkey.

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz. diced green chilies
8 oz. sour cream
2 cups shredded, cooked turkey
corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Blend soups, chilies and sour cream to make a sauce. Put half of sauce mixture into a bowl and stir in turkey. Place 1/4 cup (more or less) onto one end of a warmed corn tortilla and roll. Place seam side down in 13x9x2 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Continue until pan is full. Pour reserved sauce over enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350ºF. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned and sauce is hot and bubbly.

Green Chili Stew

I'd love to be able to take credit for this recipe. It was a favorite in the cafeteria at the Texas Instruments plant in Midland, Texas. When that plant closed, the recipe followed the the transferred employees to the facility here. I still sometimes go out to the plant and have lunch with hubby on days they serve this, but my homemade is better.

2 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 medium onions, chopped
4 medium potatoes, diced
1 tbl. salt
1 tbl. garlic powder
1 tbl. basil
1 tbl. cumin
2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 7 oz. cans diced green chilies
1/4 lb. jalapenos, deveined, seeded and chopped
4 cans pinto beans
2 cups water

Drain juice from beans and save. Brown meat, onion and spices in a large dutch oven. Add other ingredients (except beans) and simmer uncovered for 1 hour 10 minutes. Add pinto beans and simmer for additional 20 minutes. Serve with tortillas. Makes 15 servings.

Note: Recipe may be halved. For a less spicy dish, use fewer jalapenos.

Poppy Seed Bread

I got this recipe from my mother who as been making it as long as I can remember. It's one of my favorite quick breads; not too sweet and just the right amount of crunch. I make mini loaves every year at Christmas for teacher gifts.

3 cups flour
1 1/8 cups oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tbl. poppyseed
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavor
1 1/2 tsp. almond flavor

GLAZE:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp. butter flavor
1/2 tsp. almond flavor

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans or bundt pan. Bake at 350ºF for one hour or until crack in top is dry. Brush glaze over warm (not hot) loaves.