Potluck Potato Casserole (a.k.a. Funeral Potatoes)

This recipe from Cooking Light is not as goopy as some recipes and that's why I like it.

1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (30-ounce) package frozen hash browns, thawed (such as Ore-Ida)
1 (10.75-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup (such as Campbell's Healthy Request)
Cooking spray
1 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; spread evenly into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cornflakes over potato mixture.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Orecchiette with Pancetta and Peas

This was a great pic by Meg--thanks, Sis! It's an easy 30min recipe from Rachael Ray. I hate cooking bacon so we cooked the bacon in the George Foreman after a recommendation to do so and it worked great (i.e. less splatter and mess and the bacon comes out nice and crispy).

Salt and pepper

1 lb orecchiette pasta

3 T olive oil

1/3 lb pancetta or bacon chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1/2 c dry white wine or chicken stock

2 c frozen peas

3 T finely chopped fresh thyme (we used dry rubbed)

Grated peel of 1 lemon

Handful of grated pecorino-romano cheese

2 c ricotta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat EVOO over med-high heat. Add pancetta or bacon and cook until browned, about 5 mins. Add the onion and cook until softened, 6-7 mins. Add the garlic and cook until softened 2-3 mins. Stir in the wine, then add the peas and heat through for 2 mins; season with lemon peel and pepper.

Add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking water and the drained pasta; toss to combine. Add the pecorino-romano and toss. Serve in bowls and top with the ricotta, for stirring in as you eat.

Lime Squares with Pistachio-Graham Cracker Crust

Another great recipe from Martha Stewart. I used cashews instead of pistachios because they are so much cheaper and it worked fine. I also put some lime zest in the filling because my limes weren't super juicy and I thought it needed more flavor. It was a super easy recipe and tasted great!

Crust:

4 T melted butter, plus more for pan

2/3 c shelled pistachios

1 c graham cracker crumbs

1/4 c sugar

1 T grated lime zest

Filling:

2 large egg yolks

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush pan with melted butter. Line bottom with 8-inch parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.

In a food processor, finely grind nuts with graham cracker crumbs (or just throw the crackers in whole and make crumbs in one step), sugar and lime zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 mins. Cool crust 30 mins.

Whisk together egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add lime juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into crust and spread to edges.

Bake until set, 15 mins. Cool in pan on rack. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Lift out of pan with parchment paper and cut with serrated knife.

Butter Dips

This dish was a favorite for breakfast in my house. It's basically a biscuit dough that you cut into strips instead of rounds and bake in--you guessed it--butter (yum)! They come out nice and crispy. I like to dip them in my fried egg yolk till it's gone and then eat the rest with jam. In Matthew's family they had the same recipe but ate them like bread sticks to go with dinner, so you can choose what you like. Bottom line is they are good.

1/3 c butter or margarine

2 1/4 c sifted flour

1 T sugar

4 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 c milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut up butter into pieces and put in 9x13; put pan in oven to melt butter.

Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Add milk. Stir slowly with a fork until dough just clings together. Turn dough out onto a well floured board. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll out into a rectangle just a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Cut in half lengthwise, then into strips.

The butter should be melted by now so remove pan from oven. Dip each strip in butter, coating all sides and line up in pan. Bake 18 mins or until browned.

Potato Soup

6 potatoes diced small

2 carrots thinly sliced

I Stick celery thinly sliced

5 cups water

¼ cup butter

1 onion sliced

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 Tbsp Parsley

1 Tbsp salt

Put in pressure cooker. Pressure 1-3 minutes and release pressure. Remove lid and cool somewhat.

Add 1 large can of evaporated milk and 4 Tbsp of Flour to thicken. Do not boil.

Serves 10 – 12.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp soda

1/8 tsp salt

¼ cup cocoa

¾ cup oil

2 eggs

2 cups boiling water

2 tsp vanilla

Cream sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternating with water. Mix thoroughly. Spray pan with pam.

Pour in big 11x13 cookie sheet pan. Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes or if cupcakes 370 degrees for 12 minutes

Frosting –

1 stick margarine (1/2 cup) softened (little less better)

3 cups powdered sugar

4 – 5 Tbsp of cream or evaporated milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine, add to sugar, cocoa and cream. Add vanilla &beat well. Add nuts. Spread on cake while warm.