EASY PAN CHERRY CAKE

1 can cherry pie filling
1 box white cake mix
1 stick butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour the pie filling into an 8-inch square baking pan or dish; pour the cake mix over the pie filling.  Cut the butter into thin slices and place over the cake mix. 

Bake cake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

clipart photo

CRUNCHY POPCORN-NUT MIX

As a child growing up in Southern Indiana during the late 40s and the 50s, our most common snack food was popcorn.  Popcorn plain, popcorn with butter, popcorn balls, and popcorn mixtures, I think we ate it every way we could think of.  Here is a great popcorn-nut mix perfect for everything from watching TV to tailgating.

Approximately 16 cups unsalted popped popcorn
3 cups pecan halves (great toasted but plain is okay, too)
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Lightly grease a large roasting pan; combine popcorn, and both nuts in the pan.

Butter the sides of a large heavy-duty Dutch oven or stockpot. Combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup, water, and salt in the buttered pan.  Cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.  Using a pastry brush dipped in hot water, brush sugar crystals on sides of pan back down into the mixture.  Attach a candy thermometer being careful it does not touch the bottom of the pan.

Increase the heat under the pan to medium and bring mixture to a boil.  Cook, without stirring, to a soft-crack stage (170 to 190 degrees).  To test mixture, place about a half-teaspoon of the mixture into ice water.  It should form hard threads but will soften when removed from the water.  Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour the mixture over the popcorn mixture stirring to coat well.  Spread out on greased aluminum foil.  Using two greased forks, break mixture into small pieces.  Allow to cool completely.

Popcorn-nut mix may be stored, once it has cooled completely, in an airtight container.

Yield: About 2 dozen cups mixture.

OLD NEWSPAPER CLIPPING FOR CHERRY DELIGHT

This recipe clipping is one my late mother clipped from the local newspaper many years ago.  I thought it interesting that the author was so entralled with this "new" dessert.  Today various versions of this recipe are common place.

Note: Click icon on recipe to enlarge for reading.

CHICKEN AND LENTIL SOUP

1 tbsp salad oil (my update: use canola)
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, skinned
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed
1 can (14-oz) chicken broth
3 cups water
2 large tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 carrots, pared and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven.  Add the chicken and onion; saute 5 minutes, until browned.  Add the lentils, broth, and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove the chicken and shred; add back into the soup.

Yield: 6 servings.

CHECK OUT THIS POST

Today I posted this recipe from my old-fashion recipe collection onto my Lady Bugs Sweet Treats blog.  You can get the recipe there for Old-Fashion Gingerbread with Sunshine Fluff.

RAISIN BRAN CRANBERRY ORANGE MUFFINS

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup raisin bran cereal
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly grease 12 muffin cups; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, both sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cereal and milk together; let stand 3 minutes.  Stir mixture well then stir in the egg, oil, and orange rind.  Add the flour mixture and mix together just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4s full.

Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Yield: 12 muffins

 

Note: I got the basics of this recipe years ago from Kraft Foods.

MAIN COURSE BUFFET SALAD

This recipe is from a booklet put out years ago by a local dairy.

1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 tbsp unflavored gelatine
1/4 cup cider or salad vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups cooked ham, minced
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
3 pimiento peppers, chopped
1 medium dill pickle, chopped
1 pint cream, whipped

Combine gelatine and vinegar, let set 5 minutes.  Heat cider and stir in softened gelatine, stirring until getatine dissolves.  Cool until mixture is consistency of unbeaten egg white.  Add salt and balance of ingredients, including whipped cream.  Turn into large fancy, or individual molds.  Chill until firm. Serve with 1000 Island or French dressing. 10 portions.

Old Fashion Individual Salad Molds

BUTTER CUTOUT COOKIES AND ICING FOR DECORATING

COOKIES:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 sticks butter or margarine (1 each works great)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

In mixer bowl, beat the powdered sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Blend in the egg and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a bowl; add to the sugar/butter mixture, mixing well.

Divide the dough into thirds and flatten each third to a 1-inch thickness.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll a third of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness.  Using a knife or cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes with 2-inch cookie cutters.  Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake cookies 7 to 8 minutes or until the bottoms are light brown and the tops are pale.  Cool completely on wire racks before decorating with the icing below.

Yield: Approximately 72 cookies.

ICING:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons milk
few drops of food coloring, your choice of color

In a mixing bowl, mix the powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of the milk until well blended and smooth.  Add additional drops of milk, if needed to make of piping consistency.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups of icing

file photo

 

MACARONI SHELL & CHICKEN SALAD

4 cups uncooked medium-size shell macaroni
3 cups cooked chicken, julienned
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced radishes
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Prepare shell macaroni according to the package directions; drain. 

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, chicken, celery, radishes, bell pepper, and onion.

In a small bowl combine the salad dressing, sour cream, tarragon, seasoned salt, and pepper to blend well.  Stir dressing into the salad mixture tossing to coat well.  Cover and chill before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

CRANBERRY SALAD WITH MAYONNAISE CREAM

This is a recipe that was served many years ago at a sorority meeting in my hometown when I was a kid.  It was so popular the recipe was printed in the newspaper so the lady who made it (Mrs. West)could share it with everyone.

1 cup raw cranberries, ground
1 cup sugar
1 pkg lemon gelatin
1 cup hot water
1 cup crushed pineapple, drain and save syrup
1 cup pineapple syrup
1/2 cup English walnut pieces
1 cup chopped celery

Combine ground cranberries and sugar.  Dissolve gelatin in hot water; add the syrup.  Chill until partially set.  Add the cranberry mixture, pineapple, walnuts, and celery.  Pour into an oiled 9-inch square pan or dish.  Chill until firm.  Cut in squares.  Serve on crisp lettuce leaves or curly endive.  Pass the mayonnaise cream - recipe below.

Mayonnaise Cream
With rotary or electric beater, whip 1 cup marshmallow creme,1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon orange juice until blended.  Stir in 1/4 cup mayonnaise.  Chill before serving.

file photo for reference