D'Ann's Delectable Rice Casserole

1 c. rice
1/2 stick oleo
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (optional)
1 small can mushrooms & liquid
3/4 c. water
1 can beef consommé

Brown rice in skillet with oleo, onion and pepper. Put in casserole dish and add remaining ingredients. Stir and place covered in 350-degree oven for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, stir and return to oven. Serves 6.

Amy's Scrumptious Strawberry Nut Bread

3c. sifted flour
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
1 T. cinnamon
2 c. frozen sliced strawberries (thawed & undrained)
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. chopped nuts
2 c. sugar

Sift first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make well in center of sifted ingredients. Combine remaining ingredients and stirring just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Line bottom and sides of 6 greased 6 x 3 x 2 in foil pans or 2 greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans. Pour batter in pans and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes for foil pans; 1 hour for large loaf pans. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Aunt Margaret's Chocolate Pie (an aunt of J. Ray Weir)

1 prepared pie shell
1 1/4 c. sugar
4 T. cocoa
1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. milk (or 1-12 oz can of evaporated milk)
3 eggs, separated
4 T. flour
1 1/2 t. vanilla
Pinch of salt

Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, salt together in bowl. Place beaten egg yolks in medium-sized boiler on medium heat. Gradually add sugar mixture and milk (mixing with a whisk). Cook slowly until mixture is very thick—sticks to spoon. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Cook about 10 minutes. Pour into cooked pie shell.

Meringue: Beat egg whites with mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add 3 T. sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat until stiff. Spread over chocolate filling to edge of piecrust. Bake in 325 degrees oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Laura's Delicious Southwestern Chicken

4 Chicken breasts, boned & skinned
4 oz. Texas Goat Cheese
4 slices Turkey Ham
Vinegar & Oil Dressing

Pound out each chicken breast until about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Spread goat cheese and lay 1 piece of ham on each piece. Fold in half and hold closed with toothpicks. Baste outside with dressing. Grill 6 to 7 minutes on each side.

Patsy's Baked Corn Casserole

1-17oz can yellow cream-style corn
1-17oz can whole kernel corn (drained)
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped bell pepper
2 T. sugar
1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted
2/3 C. milk
1 C. cracker crumbs
1 C. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 small jar chopped pimento

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté pepper and onion first. Mix all ingredients together, and pour in pyrex dish. Bake 1 hour. Serves 10.

Angela's Great Granola Cookies

1 C. olive or safflour oil
1 C. honey
2 eggs
1 C. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. flour
2 1/2 C. granola
1 C. raisin

Mix oil and honey. Add eggs, pecans, and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Stir in granola and raisins. Drop about 3 spoonfuls per cookie on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 18 minutes.

Martha's Strawberry Jello®

1 small pkg. strawberry Jello®
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. frozen strawberries (small, with juice)
1 banana (pureed)
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 pint sour cream

Dissolve Jello® in water & add other ingredients except sour cream. Pour half of this mixture into 8" square pan. Put in refrigerator until set. When set, spread Jello® with 1/2 pint sour cream. Then top with rest of Jello® mixture & put back in refrigerator.

Patsy's Banana Nut Bread

3 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups mashed bananas
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine all four dry ingredients together in large bowl. Combine eggs, oil & buttermilk in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Fold bananas and pecans gently into mixed batter. Grease 2 loaf pans with Baker’s Choice® spray. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 325 degrees (or until center is firm).

Angela's 7-Layered Pea Salad

Put in layered order in 9" x 13" pan or salad bowl:
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup purple onion
1 pkg. frozen peas, thawed & drained

May add chopped tomato & any other desired veggies. Mix 1 pint mayo (or Miracle Whip® is what Mom uses) with 2 tbsp. sugar (or fructose is what I use) and spread on top. Sprinkle with 6 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese. Top with 13-15 strips of turkey bacon, cooked & crumbled.

Amy's Spaghetti Pie

1-6 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 well-beaten eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1-8 oz. can tomatoes, cut up (diced)
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. sugar
6 oz. spaghetti
8 oz. cottage cheese

Cook spaghetti. Drain. Stir butter into hot spaghetti. Stir in Parmesan cheese & eggs. Form spaghetti mixture into a crust in a buttered 10" pie plate. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust. In skillet cook ground beef, onion, green peppers until vegetables are tender & meat is browned. Drain off excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, oregano & garlic salt, heat through. Pour meat mixture into spaghetti crust. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top, and bake 5 minutes longer until cheese melts.

Angela's Sunday Rolls (Easy & Very Delicious)

2 tbsp. dry yeast (3 packets), dissolve in 1 cup lukewarm water (let sit at least 5 min.)
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup oil (I use olive oil)
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
6 cups whole wheat flour

Mix hot water, honey, oil & salt until honey dissolves. Add eggs; stir well. Add yeast and stir. Add flour; mix well. Cover with saran wrap, and let chill for a couple of hours in refrigerator. After dough is chilled, push down, shape if necessary and let rise 30 minutes to an hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease muffin tins. Bake 10-12 minutes.

D'Ann's Italian Cream Cake

2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
5 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 cup coconut
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda, mixed w/ buttermilk
5 egg whites, beaten

Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Add egg yolks, flour and buttermilk with baking soda alternating each. Add coconut. Fold in egg whites. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in 3 round layer pans that are greased & floured.

Icing: 1 stick butter
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1-1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients, and ice the cake when cool.

Kristin's Garden Pasta Salad

4 medium tomatoes
2 cucumbers, sliced & quartered
1 green pepper, chopped
2 bundles of green onion, chopped (top & bottom)
1/2 cup snipped parsley
1 large bottle Zesty Italian® dressing
16 oz. thin spaghetti
1 can pitted black olives (optional)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Mixed chopped vegetables together. Pour dressing over and refrigerate overnight. Cook pasta & drain…refrigerate overnight or run cold water over it. When ready to serve, mix all together then add feta cheese, olives, salt, pepper and seasoning salt. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Keeps a week!

Amy's Fudgy Cookie Bars

1-3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup cold margarine
1-14 oz. can condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1-12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Press on bottom of 13" x 9" pan with sides. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup chocolate chips with condensed milk and vanilla. Pour over crust. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and chopped nuts over top. Press down slightly. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before cutting bars.

Laura's Italian Sausage Pasta

8 oz. rigatoni pasta
1 egg
Parmesan cheese
your favorite tomato sauce
1/2 cup pesto
Italian sausage

Mix together 1/2 cup pesto, 8 oz. cooked rigatoni and 1 egg. Layer in 9" x 13" non-stick pan. Top with Parmesan cheese. Brown Italian sausage in pan. Slice after cooked. Layer on pasta. Top with favorite tomato sauce and another layer of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Gretchen's Smother-Fried Garlic Potatoes

6-8 medium russet potatoes
1/2 lb. margarine
2 minced, peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup cold water

Peel potatoes, cut lengthwise into thick wedges and set aside. Melt margarine in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes and garlic. Stir until potatoes are well coated with margarine and garlic. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Pour water over potatoes, cover skillet with tight-fitting lid and smother-fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork, but not falling apart, 45-60 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Martha's Barbecue Brisket

24 hours ahead: 5 lb. brisket of beef
1 cup strong coffee

Place brisket in heavy foil pouch or covered roasting pan. Pour coffee over meat and seal or cover with lid. Bake at 200 degrees for approximately 24 hours. Remove from oven, pour off ALL liquid. Remove all fat and slice. Meat is very tender, will fall apart. Put meat back into pan and pour sauce over. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Sauce: Combine all ingredients. (This can be made a day or two ahead of serving & kept refrigerated or freezes beautifully.)

1 small bottle ketchup 3 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. mustard
Dash of Tabasco® sauce
2 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 (10 oz.) bottle Coke®

Good for crowds — 15 lbs. of brisket (triple recipe — serves 30-40 people)
*This is probably my most requested recipe (after folks have tasted it).