Homemade Marinara Sauce

• 5 large tomatoes, chopped 
• 4 cups tomato sauce 
• 6 to 8 oz. tomato paste
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 12 mushrooms, sliced 
• 2 carrots, sliced 
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce 
• ¼ cup red wine 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ Tbsp basil 
• ½ Tbsp oregano 
• ¼ tsp sage

1. Add all ingredients together, except dry herbs, and simmer for 2 hours. 
2. Add dry herbs and simmer for 2 hours. 
3. Put in sterile jars, wipe rim, seal with sterile lids and rings…process in boiling water bath for 40 minutes. Cool over night, label and store in a dark, cool place until ready to use.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Kiss Cookies

• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup peanut butter 
• 1 egg 
• chocolate stars
• extra sugar for rolling, optional

1. Mix together well and roll into balls, roll in extra sugar, optional. 
2. Press chocolate star on to each ball. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes.

Variation: 

May add 1 cup chocolate chips, roll into balls then bake instead of adding the chocolate on top.

Lemon Lime Pineapple Salad

Mix together until thoroughly blended:
3 oz pkg lemon jello
3 oz pkg lime jello
8 pkg cream cheese
2 cups boiling water

Set aside to cool. When cool add remaining ingredients and chill to set.

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple and juice
1 cup whipped cream
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Variation: just sprinkle a bit of chopped nuts on top

Preserved Apple Pie Filling

• 4 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 Cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp salt
• 10 cups water
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 6 pounds apples

1. Peel, core, and slice apples; add lemon juice, toss to coat. 
2. In a large pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add water and mix well. 
3. Over medium heat bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. 
4. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.
5. Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving a 3/4 inch headspace. 
6. Fill jars with hot syrup and gently remove air bubbles. 
7. Wipe rim and seal with hot sterile lid and ring; process in a Hot water bath canner for 20 minutes.
8. Remove jars; let cool overnight; label and keep in a dark cool place until ready to use.

Makes 6 quarts

Classic Gingerbread

• 1/2 cup oleo or butter
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Mix butter, buttermilk, molasses and eggs together until creamy. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. 
4. Pour into greased and floured 8x8 square pan and bake about 40 to 60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Peach Bread

• 3 eggs, beaten 
• 1 cup oil 
• 2 ½ cup sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon 
• 2 cups peaches, blended to mush 
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• ½ cup nuts, chopped

1. Mix eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and peaches blending each ingredient well before added the next. 
2. Add flour, salt, soda and baking powder and mix until bell blended. 
3. Add chopped nuts and pour into well greased and floured 2 loaf pans. 

Sprinkle topping:

½ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped nuts, optional

on top and bake at 325 degrees F. for 45 to 60 minutes.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together and set aside:
2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream together:
1 cup butter, soft
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed

Beat in:
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla


Add to flour mixture and mix well.

Stir in 2 cups white chocolate chips and
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts.

Drop onto cookie sheet by teaspoon and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 100 cookies.

Party Mix

• 2 cups Rice Cereal 
• 2 cups Wheat Cereal 
• 2 cups Corn Cereal
• 2 cups Oat Cereal, Cheerios 
• 1 cups Pretzels 
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• Almonds 
• 1 cup Gold Fish crackers, (or any cheese flavor crackers) 
• 1 lb. butter 
• 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 
• ¾ tsp garlic powder
• 1 ½ tsp seasoned salt 
• ½ tsp onion powder

1. In saucepan melt butter and add sauce; add spices. 
2. In large roasting pan combine cereals, pretzels, nuts and crackers, drizzle butter sauce over and coat well. Roast for 15 minutes at 250 degrees F. 
3. Spread over paper towel to cool. 
4. Makes 12 cups.

Moist Pineapple Nut Cake

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
• ¾ cup nuts, your choice, chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting, see recipe below.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Grease and dust with flour a 9x13 baking dish. 
3. Mix together sugars, flour, soda and salt; add eggs, vanilla, and pineapple with juice; blend well. 
4. Add nuts and dried cranberries, blend well. 
5. Bake 30 to 45 minutes or so, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 
6. Cool a bit, then frost.

Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ stick butter, ¼ cup
• 3 finger pinch salt
• ¾ cup nuts, your choice, chopped
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 to 2 Tbsp hot water or so

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter; cream in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. 
2. Mix in nuts and 1 Tbsp hot water at a time until you reach desired consistency. 
3. Spread over warm cake. 
4. Serve.

Variation: 

may use shredded coconut in place of, or in addition to nuts.

Cherry Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Graham cracker crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup sugar 

1. Mix well and press into pie plate.

Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, soft 
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice 
• 1 tsp. vanilla 
• 21 oz. cherry pie filling, chilled

1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually beat in milk until smooth. 
2. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. 
3. Pour into crust. 
4. Chill 3 hours. 
5. Top with cherry pie filling and chill and serve.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

• 1 1/2 cups flour 
• 1 cup superfine sugar 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/3 cup best-quality cocoa 
• 1 1/2 sticks soft unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature 
• Frosting, see below

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butter two 8 inch layer cake tins. 
3. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and soda; set aside. 
4. Cream together butter, eggs, vanilla, sour cream and cocoa; 
5. Whisk into flour mixture until well blended. 
6. Divide batter into prepared cake tins. 
7. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
8. Remove from oven; let cool 10 minutes on wire rack. 
9. Turn cakes out of tins. 
10. Make frosting.

Frosting:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces 
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup 
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp or so, boiling water

1. Melt chocolate and butter slowly over low heat. 
2. Remove from heat; cool a bit. 
3. While chocolate and butter is cooling, sift confectioners' sugar to remove lumps into another bowl; set aside. 
4. Add corn syrup to cooled chocolate mixture; add sour cream and vanilla; whisk in sifted confectioners' sugar. 
5. Add boiling water or more confectioners' sugar correct consistency, liquid enough to coat easily but thick enough not to drip off. 
6. Frost Cake…Place one cake, flat side up on platter. 
7. Spoon 1/3 of the frosting evenly over top of cake. 
8. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich together; place toothpicks into top cake to secure to bottom cake (we always liked to find a toothpick while eating our cake.) 
9. Spoon 1/3 of the frosting onto top of cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way or a smooth finish. 
10. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting; let sit a few minutes until set. 
11. Serve.

Carrot Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour, measure then sift
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

• 12 oz powdered sugar, 3 1/3 cups sifted 
• 6 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and oil. 
3. Add eggs and beat well. 
4. Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt into egg mixture; mix well; fold in carrots and nuts. 
5. Place batter in greased 9x13 pan; bake 1 hour and 10 minutes in a 350 oven. 

FROSTING: 

Beat together powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, butter and milk; spread on cooled carrot cake.

How to make Jelly

How to Make Jelly.....juice.....use 3/4 cups sugar for every 1 cup juice and 1/3 cup dry pectin for every 3 cups juice.....Heat juice to gentle boil....mix sugar and pectin together, add to juice, bring to full boil for 2 minutes or until jell point is reached. In the Meantime Sterilize jars, rings and lids. When Jell point is reached remove from heat, fill sterile jars, wipe rim, seal with sterile lids and rings. Let cool until morning then label and keep in a dark cool place until ready to use.

Blueberry Buckle

Cream together:

1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup shortening or butter
½ cup milk
1 eggs

Mix together:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture. Fold in:
3 cups blueberries

Pour into greased 9x9 baking dish.

Combine Topping and sprinkle over cake:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup butter, soft

Bake in Preheated oven at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream

• 6 eggs beaten until fluffy 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 quart cream

1. Put eggs, sugar and vanilla into ice cream maker. 
2. If you want fruit add it now. 
3. Fill container with milk to 2 ½ inches from top. 
4. Around container use 1 part rock salt and 8 parts crushed ice. 
5. Process in ice cream maker.
6. When done….serve with your favorite toppings, if desired.

Best Baked Ham

• 15 lbs whole bone-in ham 
• 1 lb brown sugar 
• 1 Tbsp dry mustard and ½ cup pickle juice or 1/2 cup yellow mustard 
• foil 

1. Blend together brown sugar, dry mustard and pickle juice into a smooth thick paste. 
2. Remove ham wrapper and trim off excess fat. 
3. Line baking pan with foil. 
4. Spray foil with Pam or vegetable spray to prevent sticking. 
5. Place ham on foil and spread brown sugar mustard paste on top; Fold and seal foil. 
6. Leave Sealed until Ham is cooked and ready to carve. 
7. Bake at 350° for 4 hours. Let set for about 1 hour then carve.

Sheet Cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups flour, measure and then sift
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup Cocoa, heaping
• 1 cup sour cream or butter milk or 2 Tbsp vinegar mixed with ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Grease and flour 17 x 12 sheet pan.
3. In a large bowl sift together sugars, flour and salt, set aside. 
4. In a heavy pan, heat over medium-low heat butter, water and cocoa until butter is melted, stirring constantly; remove from heat; add immediately to flour mixture; blend well with wooden spoon. 
5. In a small bowl crack eggs, add in sour cream or buttermilk, vanilla and soda, mixing well. 
6. Blend well into cake mixture. 
7. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. 
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 
9. Prepare frosting when cake is almost done baking.

Butter Nut Frosting

• ½ cup butter or margarine
• 2 cups powdered sugar, heaping (measure then sift)
• 4 Tbsp. whole milk, cream or canned milk
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa, heaping
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds, optional

1. In heavy sauce pan melt butter with cocoa; add milk and cook for 1 minute longer, remover from heat; mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans, until frosting is smooth. 
2. Allow cake to cool only 5 minutes, then pour warm frosting over sheet cake and smooth to edges. 
3. Cool cake completely then cut into 48 pieces.

Skillet Scalloped Potatoes

• 2 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 
• ¼ tsp. salt 
• dash of pepper 
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 
• ½ cup cheese, grated

1. Brown potatoes in fry pan with small amount of oil. 
2. When tender sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
3. Add milk, bacon and cheese. 
4. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. 

For Variation: 

Leave the peels on the spuds. 

Fry in bacon fat or butter for added flavor. 

Add ¼ cup onion and a couple of Tablespoons of green peppers, chopped to the potatoes while frying. And add a dollop of sour cream in with the evaporated milk, mix well then add to the dish to simmer.

Add 1 to 2 cups of chopped ham....

Apple Pie

• Double crust (see recipe below)
• 5 or 6 apples, tart sweet…Rome, Jonathan, McIntosh
• ¼ cup sugar, if using brown sugar ½ cup
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 pat butter (1 Tbsp)

1. Line bottom of oven with foil for easy clean up. 
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
3. Roll out pastry dough and line pie plate, cut slits in sides and bottom of dough for light and flaky finish. 
4. Peel, core and slice apples, place half the sliced apples in pie. 
5. Dust apples with 1 Tbsp flour. 
6. Mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. 
7. Sprinkle half of the sweet mixture over flour in pie. 
8. Repeat with last half apples, flour and sugar mix. 
9. Top with pat of butter. 
10. Cover pie with top pastry and cut a few slits for ventilation. 
11. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar if desired. 
12. Cover lightly with foil, bake for 40 minutes…remove foil, bake for 15 more minutes or until lightly golden and pie bubbles up through the crust slightly. 
13. Let pie rest 30 minutes at least before serving. (if you are using sweet apples, add a Tbsp lemon juice to sliced apples before placing in pie crust).

Pie dough

Cut together:
5 ½ cups flour
1 lb butter or shortening
1 ½ tsp salt

In a 1 cup measuring cup add:
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 egg

1. Blend and fill to the top with water. 
2. Add to flour mixture. 
3. Makes 3 double crust pies. 
4. Separate into 6 equal balls. 
5. Pie Crust freezes well, for up to 6 months.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

• 2 potatoes, thinly sliced with skins on 
• 1 onion or 2 shallots, chopped 
• 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, ½ cup 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can cream of mushroom or celery soup
• Parmesan cheese, optional 

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender but firm, drain.
2. Cook bacon and chopped onions until tender, drain and crumble bacon. 
3. Simmer soup and ½ cup of cheese in saucepan until cheese melts. 
4. Add sliced potatoes, bacon and onions until heated through. 
5. Pour into baking dish, top with remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheese and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Punch Bowl Cake

• 1 yellow or white cake mix
• 2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding
• 2 cans cherry pie filling
• 2 large containers of cool whip, room temperature

1. Make and bake cake according to instructions on box in 9x13 pan; 
2. Cut cake into thirds and let cool. 
3. Make pudding according to instructions on box; set aside.
4. Break 1/3 cake into a Large Punch Bowl (any large glass bowl will do); layer 1/3 vanilla pudding then 1/3 cool whip and 1/3 cherry pie filling. 
5. Continue layers to use all ingredients. 
6. Keep in refrigerator till ready to serve. 
7. Serves many

Variations:

Yellow cake, vanilla pudding, Apple pie filling, caramel topping, whipped cream

Gingerbread, vanilla pudding, pudding, gingersnaps, whipped cream

Chocolate cake, vanilla pudding, strawberries, whipped cream

Chocolate cake, vanilla pudding, mandarin oranges, whipped cream

Vanilla wafers, vanilla pudding, banana slices dipped in lemon juice, whipped cream

Homemade Teriyaki Marinade

• ½ cup soy sauce 
• ¼ cup brown sugar 
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 
• ¼ tsp ginger 
• 1/8 tsp garlic

1. Mix ingredients. 
2. Allow chicken, beef, or fish to sit in marinade overnight. 
3. Refrigerate until ready to grill.

Butter Cake

• 3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Butter Sauce, see below

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Grease and flour 9x13 baking or bundt pan. 
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. 
4. Cream together butter, sugar; mix in eggs and vanilla. 
5. Blend in butter milk alternately with flour mixture into creamed mixture. 
6. Pour in prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.
7. When cake is still very hot poke small holes in top (optional) and drizzle butter sauce over cake or just pour warm sauce over warm cake at serving time, may dust with powder sugar, if desired.

Butter Sauce

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In medium sauce pan on medium heat mix sugar, water and butter, bring to low boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, add vanilla.

Variation: 

use 1 cup milk plus 3 tsp vinegar in place of buttermilk...

Old Fashion Peach Cobbler

• 10 cups peaches, sliced
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg 
• ¼ cup flour 
• 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract 
• ½ cup butter, melted 
• Pastry for double crust pie 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
3. Mix together peaches, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour in a large heavy pot; set aside until sugar is dissolved and syrup forms. 
4. Over medium heat, bring the peaches mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat and stir in butter and extract. 
6. Set aside and keep warm. 
7. Put half of the peaches into prepared baking dish.
8. Roll out half the pasty and cut to 9x13 and place over peaches in baking dish. 
9. Bake until pastry is lightly browned. 
10. Remove from oven and spoon remaining peach mixture over the baked pastry. 
11. Roll out the remaining pasty and cut into strips about an inch wide. 
12. Arrange strips in a loose lattice weave over the peach mixture. 
13. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. 
14. Bake until lightly browned and peaches bubble up through the lattice.

Variation: You may also lay your top crust over to cover completely and cut ventilation across the top instead of cutting in strips for lattice.

Pioneer Sugar Pie

• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup flour 
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 cup evaporated milk (or cream) 
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 8 inch unbaked pie shell

1. Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt. 
2. Add milk/cream and vanilla. 
3. Mixture will be thin. 
4. Pour into unbaked pie shell. 
5. Dot with small pieces of butter. 
6. Bake 375 degrees F. for 45 to 50 minutes on middle shelf. 
7. Cool completely. 
8. The filling will thicken as the pie cools.

Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Mix Together: 
1 cup butter 
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir in:
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press with fork. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Makes 5 dozen

Wacky Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the following into an ungreased 9x13 cake pan that you will bake cake in.

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa

Add:

¾ cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 cups cold water

Mix with fork. Do Not Beat!!! Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost (see below) or dust with powdered sugar and serve. Garnish with chocolate chips, optional.

Frosting

½ cup butter
2 finger pinch of salt
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk or so
For chocolate frosting add 3 Tbsps cocoa

Cream butter until soft. Add salt. Blend in 4 ½ cups confectioners sugar and cocoa if using. Blend in vanilla. Add remaining sugar alternately with about milk, beating until smooth. Makes 1 ¾ cups frosting. 

Butter Button Cookies

• 1 cup butter, soft 
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 1/2 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butter baking sheet. 
3. Mix butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until well blended; mix in cornstarch, vanilla and flour until soft dough forms. 
4. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. 
5. Roll each piece on floured surface into foot long rope. 
6. Cut each rope into 12 pieces and roll into balls. 
7. Bake on prepared baking sheet for 20 minutes, the tops will be pale and the bottoms will be golden. Cookies will not spread out. 
8. Sift the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar. 
9. Add 12 warm cookies and toss to coat. 
10. While still warm poke 4 holes in a buttonhole pattern with a toothpick in each cookie. 
11. Cool completely before serving.