2011 Feed Dave Thursdays Recipes

Kroger Logo - PMS 293

Feed Dave Thursdays on Q99 is presented by Kroger

Caramelized Onion and Apple Cream Cheese Spread

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
2 cups chopped, sweet onions (about 2 medium)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups medium cooking apples, cored, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
12 oz whipped cream cheese Favorite Crackers

In large non-stick skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add onions and cook covered, over medium-low heat for 13 to 15 minutes or until onions are tender. Stir occasionally. Uncover and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes more or until onions turn light brown. Stir occasionally. Stir in brown sugar and vinegar and cook for an additional 1 to 3 minutes until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet. Set aside. Meanwhile wipe skillet out with paper towels and in same large skillet melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in apples and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium-low heat about 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Remove from heat. Cool at least 30 minutes. In medium bowl stir together apple mixture and cream cheese. Stir in about 3/4 of the onion mixture. Spread on crackers. Top with the remaining onion mixture.

From Mary Lou in Lynchburg


Baked French Toast

1 Loaf Sourdough Bread
¼ Teaspoon cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon nutmeg
8 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick of melted butter (do not use margarine)
½ cup maple syrup

Cut bread into 10-12 slices and butter each slice. Mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs and milk. Pour over bread and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Next morning you should mix together brown sugar, chopped pecans, cinnamon, melted butter and maple syrup. Pour over bread and bake 350 for 30-40 minutes or until brown. Serve with melted butter and syrup.

From Nancy Limkin


Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups of cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of melted butter
2 eggs, beaten 1/3 cup of milk

Topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup plain, not self-rising, flour
2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Mix together all of the above ingredients and spread mixture in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the stove and spread the topping evenly. Then I top with each of the following: chopped pecans (light layer on top), flaked coconut (light layer on the top) and miniature marshmallows (layer on top). Note: It’s more time consuming but I line them all up and it makes a very pretty presentation. Some people add in all three then brown on low broil. I think it tastes even better when each are toasted, so I add them one at a time and put them on low broil until golden brown. You end up putting the casserole back in the oven three times briefly to brown, but the taste of the toasted pecans & coconut are worth the effort! I have had so many people who didn’t want to try this casserole because they are not fans of sweet potatoes. However, I have never had one person not like it and most end up requesting the recipe!

From AC Martin of Lynchburg


Eggnog Quick Brea

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup eggnog
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick margarine, melted
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp rum extract (or real rum)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Beat eggs in large bowl. Blend flour, baking powder and nutmeg in another bowl. Then add sugar, eggnog, rum extract (or real rum if you like), vanilla and melted margarine to the eggs and blend well. Add flour mixture, stir until just moist. Pour into loaf pan and bake 45-50 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!

From loyal listener Ann in Salem


Creamy Crab Soup

½ stick of butter
1-2 tsps Nature’s Seasoning
½ large chopped onion
Paprika “until it looks good”
1 tsp flour Quart of whole milk
1 can of chicken broth
Pint of half and half
Parsley “until it looks good”
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 lb crab meat
3-4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

Saute’ onion in butter. Add flour, just enough to soak up the butter. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for at least 2 hours. This soup gets better with age and is even better the next day, so it’s perfect to make ahead and heat up!

From Amanda Bartley


Sweet Potato Dip

1 –8oz pkg cream cheese
1 ½ Cups Confectioner sugar
1 –15oz can sweet potato (solid pack)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon 2 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with Ginger Snaps. ***Note: You can also use pumpkin (solid).

From Vana McClanahan


Turkey Brine

1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary

Dissolve salt and brown sugar in 2 gallons of cold water, add thyme, rosemary, orange and lemons. Let soak overnight. Pull out next morning, rinse off, roast and enjoy!


Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1 c chopped onions
1/2 c chopped celery
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1/2 c shredded cheddar
1 can white shoepeg corn, drained
1 can french cut green beans, drained
1 can condensed cram of celery soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 sleeve ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 stick melted butter

In large bowl, mix together 1st 8 ingredients. Spoon into a greased baking dish. Mix crackers and butter, sprinkle on top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

From Janine Packard


Sausage & Wild Rice

2 lbs. breakfast sausage
1 box Uncle Ben’s Wildrice (I use chicken flavor)
3/4 cup quick barley
1 6oz-8 oz. sliced mushrooms in jar (drained)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c chopped onion (I use 1/2 cup)
1 c chopped celery (I use 1/2 cup)

Brown and drain sausage, cook rice and barley as directed on package. In large bowl combine all the ingredients together and transfer into casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. May be served as a breakfast side dish.

From Debbie Daniel of Gladys


Dad’s Swiss Steak

Cubed steak either round steak or sirloin tip one pound for Dave
One onion (diced large)
Quart of canned tomatoes
Seasoned flour (Big Spring)
Worchestershire sauce

Dredge cut cubes steak (3 to 4 inches square) in seasoned flour fry in oil in a large skillet until it has a good crust and medium well done. Place steak aside in a bowl or plate. Sauté onion in skillet until soft, add tomatoes, and Worchestershire sauce (two to three tablespoons) cook until the mixture bubbles, add steak back in and let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Add two to three tablespoons of the seasoned flour on top and mix it in. Keep stirring all the while as it thickens. Best served with mashed Potatoes and Brown and Serve Rolls.

From Ray Sloan


Haystacks

1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chow mein noodles
1 cup peanut butter
Captian Crunch
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 lb. 8 oz white or chocolate almond bark candy

Melt almond bark candy in double boiler or microwave. Toss all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Pour melted candy overall and mix well to coat all pieces. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper and let set up.

From Vickie Charlton


West Virginia Cake

4 Cups coarsely chopped apples
2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups flour
2 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 Cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:
1 block cream cheese
4 tbls softened butter
3 C powdered sugar
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 or 2 Tbls water

To make frosting take the softened butter and add sugar. Beat in lemon juice and add enough water to spread. To make the cake combine apples and sugar and let stand. Beat eggs slightly. Beat in oil & vanilla. In separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon & salt and stir in walnuts and apple mixture. Pour in greased and floured pan 13 x 9 pan (or bundt pan). Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let cool and apply frosting.

From Judy Randazzo in Hillsville


Jalapeno Popper Dip

1 8 oz cream cheese
½ cup light mayonnais
2-3 jalapeno peppers (seeded) unless you like it spicy!
4 oz velveeta cheese (cubed)
12 ritz crackers (crushed)
1 Tbsp butter (melted)
1 spring (green) onion

Beat cream cheese and mayo together until well blended. Mix in jalapeno peppers and velveeta and mix together, put mixture in a 9″ pie plate. Mix ritz crackers and butter and crumble on top. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with spring onion. Serve with ritz crackers or tortilla chips.

From Martha in Roanoke


Potatoes Au Gratin w/ Ham

2 cups cooked, cubed ham
3 lb potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
5 tbsp flour
12 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
salt & pepper to taste

In greased baking dish layer 1/3 of potatoes, half ham and onions, then another 1/3 potatoes, the rest of ham and onions, finish with last potato layer. In sauce pan hear milk (careful not to boil) and in another pan, melt butter and stir in flour, cook 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add milk to the butter/flour mixture, cook a few minutes til thickened. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and mustard, salt & pepper.Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hr 20 minutes (I stirred it halfway through).

from Brittany Morris of Roanoke


Lasagna Roll-Ups

1 onion, chopped and sauteed
1 green pepper, chopped and sauteed
1 clove garlic, chopped and sauteed
2 tsps. red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste
Lasagna noodles

Combine all these ingredients in saucepan and saute lightly. Drain and set aside. Boil lasagna noodles until semi-soft. Let noodles cool enough to handle and fill with previous ingredients. Add 1 cup mozzerella cheese. Stuff each lasagna noodle with above ingredients and roll. Place in a baking dish and use your favorite pasta/meat sauce to cover. Top with shredded cheese, cover with foil and bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until noodles are soft. Serve with salad or veggies of your choice. ***Note from Dick Daniels: I added a container of ricotta cheese to the filling mixture and to my fav sauce I added browned sweet italian sausage.

From Cynthia Helms


Mexican Pizza

1 lb ground beef ( I use ground turkey)
1 pkg taco seasoning
8 oz taco sauce
1 ¼ C flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ C milk
2 T oil
16 oz refried beans (I use fat-free)
4 oz chopped green chilies
½ C chopped onions
1 C chopped tomatoes
8 oz shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 425. In skillet, brown beef, drain fat. Add taco seasoning and sauce, simmer 10 min. combine flour, baking powder, salt , milk and oil in bowl. Stir until mixture forms into ball. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 10 times. Place dough on lightly greased pizza pan. Pat and stretch dough turning up edges. ( I roll out dough with a rolling pin). Bake 5 min. Spread refried beans on crust. Top with meat, green chilies, onions, tomatoes and cheese. Bake 20 min.

From Anne in Lynchburg


Blue Cheese Stuffed Bacon Sliders

16 slices (1 pound) apple-smoked bacon
About 1 tablespoon sugar
3 pounds coarsely ground sirloin, chilled
1 tablespoon finely chopped
fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces (about 1/2 cup) crumbled blue cheese, at room temperature
Sea salt
Olive oil
24 soft, mini burger buns

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, and then drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon in a large bowl, combine the meat, thyme, crumbled bacon, and 11/2 teaspoons pepper. Knead together lightly. Form the mixture into 48 evenly sized balls (about 1 ounce each). Use the pointed end of an egg to make a small depression in half the patties. Fill them with a little mound of cheese, dividing it evenly among them. Top with the remaining patties, and then pinch them together around the cheese. Make sure the stuffing is completely enclosed. Pat and mold the burgers to fit the buns. The burgers can be shaped and refrigerated, covered, for several hours or overnight. When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot or build a medium-hot fire in a barbecue. Generously season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers in the skillet, in batches, turning once or twice, about 3 minutes for medium-rare. Do not press down on the patties. Be gentle when you turn the burgers so they do not break open. With a large spoon, baste the sliders several times with the fat in the pan. To grill the burgers, oil the grate, arrange the patties on it, and cover. Cook as above. While the burgers cook, toast the buns in a toaster oven or under the broiler, about 5 inches from the heat, until lightly toasted. Or toast them on the outer perimeter of the grill rack. When the burgers are done, remove them to a warm platter, keep warm, and let rest for several minutes.

From Heather in Salem


Creole Pork BBQ

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Garlic salt
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced green bell peppers
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup Heinz Kick’r ketchup
1 cup Pace picante sauce
½ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons A1 Bold and Spicy Steak Sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Jack Daniels whiskey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons Creole season to taste (Slap Yo Momma, Zatarin’s, etc)

Season pork roast liberally with salt, pepper and garlic salt. In a medium mixing bowl, blend onions, bell peppers, brown sugar, ketchup, lemon juice, steak sauce, minced garlic, whiskey, Worcestershire, pepper and Creole seasoning. Pour half of sauce mixture into a 5 qt. slow cooker. Add pork roast and remaining sauce mixture. Cover and cook on high 7 hrs. If desire, a thicker sauce can be achieved by removing roast from sauce and pouring it into a saucepan, boil until it reaches desired consistency. Allow to cool and shred meat.
Mix the pork with:
½ cup barbecue sauce reserved from cooked pork roast
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 cup sliced green onions

Spoon mixture 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded Mexican 4-flavor cheese and add choice of toppings, roll burrito style. Toppings: Sour cream, sliced green onions and chopped Cilantro.

From DJ Orness of Radford


Chocolate Earthquake Cake

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (3.5 oz) package flaked coconu
1 german chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter 8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioner’s sugar

Make cake mix per box instructions. Grease 9×13 baking dish and cover bottom of the pan with the nuts, then the coconut. Pour cake batter over nuts/coconut. Melt butter, add cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar, mix still smooth. Spoon over unbaked cake mixture and bake at 350 for 40-42 minutes. Cake should appear sticky when done. The icing sinks into the batter while baking.


Baked Ziti with Sausage

1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
1 lb italian sausage 1 (15 ounce)
ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 large onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 & 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 (8 ounce) pack shredded italian cheese blend
1 tsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and boil ziti in salted water about 8 minutes. Ziti should still be firm to the bite. Then drain in colander and set in sink. Brown the sausage and drain it. Stir together ricotta, egg, onion, garlic and oregano in large bowl then stir in the pasta and sausage with salt, pepper and 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce. In the baking dish, cover the bottom with 1/3 jar of sauce. layer 1/2 pasta mixture, another 1/3 sauce, 1/2 the cheese, remaining pasta, 1/3 sauce and rest of cheese. Sprinkle with basil and cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.


Cinnamon Peach Crisp

4 cups fresh sliced peaches
½ cup OJ
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp butter, melted
Cinnamon Sugar (1 ½ tsp sugar 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon)

Combine peaches with OJ, brown sugar and cinnamon. Transfer to greased 8×8 pan. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Add egg and butter, mix til crumbly. Sprinkle over peaches. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over crumb mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm…..with ice cream!!


Taco Chicken Wings

1/2 cup Flour
1 package Taco Seasoning
Mix 3 pounds Chicken Wings
6 tablespoons Butter
1 cup crushed Corn Chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In medium mixing bowl, combine flour and taco seasoning. Toss wings in seasoning mixture to coat. In shallow bowl, place crushed corn chips. Toss wings in corn chips to coat. Melt butter in large non-stick baking dish or casserole dish. Spread wings evenly in dish. Bake 45 minutes.

Thanks Heather in Lynchburg


Ginny Barker’s Famous Pasta Salad

16 oz. Ditalini pasta
1 (15 oz) can French cut green beans, drained and cut in half
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and soaked in vinegar
1 box frozen peas
1 ½ cups carrots, sliced
1 cup celery
1 medium green, red or yellow pepper
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup evaporated milk, or more to make salad creamier the next day
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Drain kidney beans, rinse, and soak in vinegar for at least 1 hour. Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Microwave the peas and carrots separately with a little water until tender. Mix all salad ingredients together. Mix dressing ingredients separately, then pour over salad. Reserve left over evaporated milk to add to salad the next day to make it creamier. Feeds 50 people.


Squash, Chicken, Rice Casserole

2 large cooked chicken breasts
8 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 1/2 lbs)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine zucchini, onion, and broth in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash with a potato masher. While zucchini mixture cooks, shred chicken with a fork. Combine zucchini mixture through sour cream, 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and eggs in a bowl; stir gently. Stir in chicken. Spoon mixture into a 9×13 baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Preheat broiler. Broil 1 minute or until lightly browned.


Crockpot Hot Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

1 pkg. two layer chocolate cake mix
3 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding
mix 4 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/3 cups water
3/4 cup oil
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz peanut butter chips

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the chips and beat well to combine. Stir in chips. Spray 4 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in batter, cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Scoop out of crockpot to serve. 8-10 servings. Note: Make sure the crockpot is filled no more than halfway with batter or it could bake over the top like it did on Dave!!

From Katherine in Salem


Mexican White Sauce

1 cup Miracle Whip
¼ cup milk
½ to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1-2 tsp salt
Dab of sour cream

Mix well and chill over night.


Porky Pie

1 lb. roll of sausage (I use Jimmy Dean mild)
1- 8 oz. pack slice ham, chopped
1- 8 oz. pack of Swiss cheese, shredded
1- 8 oz. pack of Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9” x 13” Pyrex dish with Pam Spray. Brown sausage in a skillet until done separating into small pieces (drain). Unroll 1 can crescent rolls and pinch together to make a rectangle. Place in the bottom of baking dish. Place layer of chopped ham over rolls. Next, layer Swiss cheese over ham. Next, spread cooked sausage over Swiss cheese. Next, layer Cheddar cheese over sausage. Top with remaining can of crescent rolls pinched together. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or more until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve warm. Enjoy!

Miriam Beard of Lynchburg


Brisket in Ale

1 3-4 pound fresh beef brisket
2 medium onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 bay leaf
1 12-ounce can beer
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons granular sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
10 6″ hoagie rolls

Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut brisket to fit into a 3 1/2-6 quart slow cooker. In the cooker place onions, bay leaf, and brisket. In a medium bowl combine beer, chili sauce, sugar, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic; pour over meat in cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10-12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat and onions to a platter; keep warm. Discard bay leaf.
For gravy: Skim fat from cooking liquid. Measure 2 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid; discard remaining cooking liquid. In a medium saucepan stir together the cornstarch and cold water then stir in the 2 1/2 cups cooking liquid. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more, serve as sandwiches and top the meat with gravy. Makes 10 servings. I made it without modification. I made sandwiches using the beef, onions, and gravy. The gravy is good on potatoes too.

From Susan Fowler of Forest


Railroad Pie

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can tomato soup
½ cup chopped green onion
1-2 tbsp chili powder
Dash black pepper
1 can light red kidney beans, undrained
2 tsp salt, divided
¾ cup cornmeal
1 tbsp flour
¼ tsp baking soda
1 egg beaten
½ cup buttermilk

Brown beef and onion, drain. Add next 5 ingredients and 1 tsp salt. Mix well and simmer about 15 minutes. Combine remaining tsp of salt with cornmeal and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour meat mixture in a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with cornmeal mixture. Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

From Rebecca Marshal of Willis


Double Treat Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup softened margarine or shortening
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 (6 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

Cream margarine and peanut butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; beat well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Stir in chocolate morsels. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yields about 4 ½ dozen.


Strawberry Pie

1 9-inch graham cracker crust
6 cups of strawberries
1 cup of sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 pk (3 oz) cream cheese softened

Mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup. Mix sugar, corn starch and water in 2 qt. saucepan. Stir in mashed strawberries gradually and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cool. Beat cream cheese with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread onto bottom of pie shell. Remove green tops and cut strawberries evenly. Fill pie shell with whole strawberries, tops down. Pour cooled berry mixture over top and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

From Josey Bozzo


GG’s Beans and Sausage

1 lb of Keibalska
6 tbls of butter
3 Minced garlic
3 sweet onions
2 16 oz cans of Pork and Beans
2 16oz cans of Kidney Beans (I use one dark and one light)
2 cans of green limas
1 tsp Pepper
1-2 tsp Salt
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup vinegar

Cut up and fry Keibalska, then add 3 minced garlic sauteed and 3 chopped sweet onions in the butter melted. After these are put together in a large bowl, mix in the pork and beans, kidney beans and limas. Then in a small bowl mix vinegar, pepper, salt and brown sugar together. Pour mixture into the beans and sausage mixture. Bake at 350 for up to an hour.

From Kathy Sturgill Duncan of Christiansburg


Hash Brown Potato Soup

1 bag frozen O’Brien Hash browns (or you can just use the plain ones)
6 cups chicken broth
2 packages McCormick’s Country gravy mix

Bring about 3 cups of the broth to a boil and slowly mix in the gravy mix to dilute it. Then add to a pot with the rest of the broth and hash browns. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to simmer for 45 minutes. Garnish each serving with shredded cheese and bacon bits. Also mighty tasty with corn bread muffins!!!


Caramel Apple Cheesecake

1 can apple pie filling
1 large graham cracker crust pie shell
2- 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup caramel topping
1 pkg chopped pecans
1 1/2 chopped granny smith apples after peeled

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees. Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, add eggs and beat well. Cook granny smith apple in little butter and cinnamon until soft. Pour in pie shell. Pour cream cheese mixture over apples. Bake 35 minutes or until center of pie is set. Cool to room temperate. Mix pie filling and caramel topping in a small sauce pan and heat 1 minute or until spreadable. Spoon over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until ready to serve. It is sooooooo yummy!

From Cindy Crowder


Enchilada Casserole

2-lb. hamburger
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup water
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
2 cans enchilada sauce
20 small corn tortillas
1 pint of sour cream
1 lb. shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)

Brown hamburger and onions. Add Taco mix and water, then simmer while preparing sauce mix. In bottom of 9″ x 13″ greased baking dish, pour 1 can sauce mix. Now arrange half of the tortillas over the sauce. Spoon all of the meat mixture over tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, then spread sour cream on top. Arrange the rest of the tortillas, pour other can of sauce, sprinkle with cheese then bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil.

From Susan Knight


Feta Cheese Penne Pasta

8 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 box Barilla penne pasta
2 pkg Feta Cheese

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and spices. Saute about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 cans stewed tomatoes. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Boil and prepare pasta according to directions on box. Drain pasta; put in large bowl. Stir in 1 package Feta cheese. Add tomato sauce mixture to pasta. Top with 1 package Feta cheese.

From Daphaine Lynch


Zucchini Salsa

1 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh sweet corn
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup Jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
¼ cup sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed or finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (or Cilantro)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix together the zucchini and salt and let sit for about an hour. Drain and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with corn chips ( I use tostitos scoops) or as a side dish for grilled chicken or fish.

From Evelyn Brooks


Wild Blue Taco Salad

1 large lettuce head (shredded to desire size)
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 medium tomato (chopped)
1 large bottle of Thousand Island dressing (low fat can be used)
1 medium bag Nacho Cheese Doritos (crushed)
1 medium cheddar cheese (grated)
1 large can of Dark Red Kidney beans
1 lb ground beef or turkey browned and drained (the less fat the better)
1 packet of taco seasoning

Brown the ground beef or ground turkey then drain thoroughly. Add taco seasoning per directions, I like Old Elpaso. Let cool in the refrigerator. Drain kidney beans, wash and let dry. Shred the lettuce to desired size. Smaller sizes work better. Chop onion and tomato. Crush 2-4 handfuls of chips, depending on your taste. Finely grate the cheese. With all ingredients prepared mix in large bowl adding in the Thousand Island dressing. Low Fat dressing can be used. Chill for one hour then enjoy.

From Gordon Ritchie of Radford


Crunchy Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked chicken breast (chopped)
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped pimento stuffed green olives
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
1 large can chow mein noodles
Salt & pepper to taste
Mayonaise to moisten

Mix first six (6) ingredients in large bowl. Just before serving, add chow mein noodles and enough mayonaise to moisten. Transfer to lettuce lined bowl or tray, garnish with seedless grapes. Enjoy!

From Pam King of Christiansburg


Fiesta Sandwich Ring

2 packages (11 oz each) refrigerated French bread dough
1 lime
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 small can diced black olives
4 slices Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blend
8 oz sliced deli ham, turkey, or roast beef

Preheat oven to 350°. Place dough, seam side down, on large round stone. Join ends of dough together to form one large ring. Using serrated knife, make eight diagonal cuts, ½ inch deep, on top of dough. Bake 26-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove bread from oven to cooling rack and cool completely. (You can also use a rectangular stone and lay the two loaves side by side and bake). Zest lime to measure ½ teaspoon zest. Juice lime to measure 2 teaspoons juice. Finely chop cilantro. Slice off stem from jalapeno pepper, slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds from jalapeno and finely chop. Combine lime zest, juice, jalapeno pepper, mayonnaise and garlic, mix well. Thinly slice lettuce and tomatoes. Slice olives and cut cheese in half. To assemble sandwich, cut bread in half horizontally using serrated knife. Place bottom half of bread on large serving platter. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on cut sides of bread. Arrange meat and cheese evenly over bottom half of bread. top with lettuce, tomatoes and olives. Place top half of bread over bottom half. Cut into wedges. Yield: 8 servings. **Note: onion and green pepper slices can be added if desired.

From Diane Taylor


Charleston Coconut Pie

4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/3 cups sugar
1/2 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 8-ounce can flake coconut

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together and pour into a greased 10″ pie plate. Bake 45 minutes. Though the filling seems unsettled, do not cook pie any longer. Refrigerate it, and it will settle without spoiling its creamy consistency. Top with favorite fruit if desired.

From Kathryn Fields


Beef and Irish Stout Stew

2 lb lean stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
olive oil
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
cayenne
2 large onions, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups carrots chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 spring fresh thyme
2 tbsp tomato paste, diluted with a small amount of water
1 pint irish stout beer

Toss beef cubes in 1 tbsp oil then in a separate bowl, combine flour with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Dredge beef in flour mixture and heat more oil in deep skillet. Add beef and brown on all sides, add veggies, tomato paste and thyme then cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in beer and add salt & pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2-3 hours.


Irish Potato Soup

3 strips bacon, cooked chopped
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
4 green onions, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 3/4 cups Chicken Broth
1/8 Tsp. ground black pepper
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick (about 1 lb.)
1 1/2 cups milk

Heat butter in saucepan and add onions and celery then cook until tender. Add broth, black pepper and potatoes. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 15 min. or until potatoes are tender. Place half the broth mixture and half the milk in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to saucepan. Add bacon and heat through. Serves 5 people.


Asparagus and Chicken Casserole

3 to 4 chicken breasts
1 15 oz can of asparagus, undrained (tips and pieces or whole. If whole, you will need to cut into pieces)
1 10.5 oz can of cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1/3 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat sour cream)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup lemon juice shredded
sharp cheddar cheese cracker crumbs (I have used Ritz and wheat saltines–both are good)
salt to taste
coarse ground pepper to taste
basil to taste
oregano to taste
parsley to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions, but use half chicken broth (1 1/2 cups) and half water. Season the rice with pinches of oregano, basil, parsley and salt. Cut chicken into small pieces and add to a saute/frying pan. Then add 1/3 cup lemon juice and enough water to almost cover the chicken and add some coarse ground black pepper (to taste) and cook over medium heat. Let it simmer uncovered until about half the liquid has evaporated, then cover and continue to cook until chicken is done. There should still be some liquid left in the pan so in a large bowl, mix the can of asparagus(water and all), the can of soup, the sour cream (add more for taste or extra creaminess), and 1/3-3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (depends on how cheesy you like your casseroles). I always use about 1/3 cup. When the chicken and rice are done, add those to the bowl, adding also about 1/4 cup of the liquid mixture used to cook the chicken. You may also add another teaspoon of lemon juice to the mixture for added tang. Stir well and add to a greased 9×13 casserole dish and top with shredded sharp cheddar and crushed cracker crumbs. Drizzle a little melted butter on top of the cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for approximately 25-35 minutes. The mixture will bubble at the the sides and the cheese will be fully melted and gooey. ENJOY!!!

From Laura Meyer


Chocolate Walnut Torte

1 cup milk choc chips
1 cup walnuts, scatter both in bottom of pie pan
1/4 stick of melted butter (I like real butter)
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
3/4 cup of dark corn syrup
3 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. You may make your own pie crust or buy a frozen deep dish pie shell. Do not pre bake. Mix all ingredients well (careful not to cook eggs). Pour over chocolate-walnut mix. Put pie shell on baking tray to prevent run over in oven and cook 45 minutes. Cool on table for 2 hours. Then enjoy! I always make one to give away and one to keep.

From Nancy McDowell


Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

1 Tube (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
½ cup alfredo sauce
¼ tsp garlic salt
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Swiss cheese
11/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
10 breaded chicken nuggets, thawed and cut into ½ in pieces
1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Unroll dough into a greased 15X10X1 in baking pan; flatten dough and build up edges slightly. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Spread Alfredo sauce; sprinkle with garlic salt and Swiss cheese. Top with ham, chicken nuggets and mozzarella. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

From Gwen Pope of Gretna


Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 chopped onion butter
1 cup cooked wild rice
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
fresh parsley
salt/pepper to taste
dash cayenne pepper
2 cornish game hens
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tsp white vinegar

Saute onion in butter, add pecans and brown. Stir in rice, apricots, parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne. Rinse and pat dry the hens, stuff with rice mixture and drizzle hens with olive oil. Bake 90 minutes at 350. Warm preserves and mix with vinegar then pour over cooked hens and bake an additional 15 minutes.


Slow Cooker Philly Cheese Steak

1 1/2 lbs beef round steak
1 medium green pepper, sliced thin
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 (14 oz) can vegetable broth (can use beef -I’ve even used chicken in a pinch)
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1 large loaf French bread, siced into sandwich lengths
6 slices provolone cheese

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Cut meat into strips, place in slow cooker. Add green pepper, onion, broth, and dressing mix. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours. Spoon meat mixture onto bread, top with a slice of cheese. Another option is to toast bread in a 375 oven for 5-10 minutes, add meat, cover with cheese, then bake an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese.


Beer Cheese Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
¼ cup Kraft Ranch Dressing
1 cup Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese
¼ cup beer
2 green onions, chopped

Beat cream cheese and dressing in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

From Pat Harrison


Sausage and Black-Eye Pea Soup

1/2 lb.mild sausage
1/2 lb. hot sausage
1 med. onion chopped
3 cans black eye peas
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
Salt & Pepper to taste

Brown sausage with onion and drain. Mix black eye peas, tomatoes, and water, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a couple of hours. Enjoy!

From Nancy Lamkin


Crockpot Chicken Nachos

1 bag tortilla chips
4 to 6 chicken breasts
1 cup salsa (hot or mild to taste)
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup guacamole

Line the bottom of a crock pot with a layer of tortilla chips. Arrange chicken pieces over the top of the chips. Pour the salsa over chicken and chips. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours and then add cheese. Cook until cheese is melted. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and top with sour cream and guacamole. Serve with fresh tortilla chips.


Sausage Cheddar Quiche

1 pd. sausage, cooked and crumbled
2 eggs
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green pepper
1 – 4-oz. can of mushrooms (stems & pieces) or use fresh mushrooms chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon salt
Dash garlic powder
Dash paprika, optional
2 pie shells

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together cooked and crumbled sausage, with rest of ingredients. Spoon into 2 regular size pie shells and bake about 1 hour or until center seems set. Lightly cover with foil near end of cooking time to prevent pie crust from burning.

Sylvia Newman of Madison Heights