Macaroni and Cheese

1 (8 oz) package elbow macaroni (sometimes I use Penne)
This measures out to be about 2 cups
2 cups milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 t. onion salt
2 (10 oz) blocks shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ½ cups, divided)
1 cup soft bread crumbs
¼ cup butter/margine, melted

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Set aside.

Place milk, flour, and onion salt in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously one minute.

Stir together flour mixture, 3 ½ cups cheese, and macaroni.

Pour macaroni mixture into lightly greased 13 x 9 inch dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining 1 cup cheese. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until brown.

8 servings

Hash Brown Casserole

What great comfort food this casserole can be! It’s great for a holiday meal with family or it’s rather good for breakfast too.

Recently I made this dish for my family’s Easter Dinner.

1 cup onion, chopped
¼ lb. (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (8 oz.) sour cream
1 (8 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can Cream of Chicken soup, undiluted
1 (2 lb.) bag frozen hash brown potatos, thawed
½-1 cup Corn Flakes

Stir together onion, sour cream, cheese, butter, Cream of Chicken soup, Add hash browns. Mix well.

Top with Corn Flakes. I usually melt another two T. butter and drizzle over the Corn Flakes.

Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly around the edges and topping is brown.

8-12 servings

Dump Cake

This recipe brings back fond memories of my mother and some of the interesting things she would cook for us back in the 1970s. This was a popular recipe in my mother’s circle of friends, and it’s one of the first things she allowed me to try by myself.

I’m one of those cooks that always has to leave a little raw cake batter aside to savor later. While you don’t mix up the cake mix in this recipe I was in love with the taste of the butter as it mixed with the cake mix. Mother’s Dump Cake always ended up with holes in it because I would look for the sections that had the highest content of butter and cake mix.

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Use an oblong cake pan (13 x 9 x 2)---Do not grease. Each of the ingredients should be distributed evenly one on top of the other.

DO NOT MIX.

Pour 1 can crushed pineapple with juice into the pan. You can also use a can of cherry pie filling as seen in the image.

Sprinkle with 1 box dry yellow cake mix.

Slice 1 ½ sticks margarine and arrange evenly on top of cake mix.

Push 1 cup pecan pieces into mix almost covering nuts.

Bake 45 minutes or till golden brown.

Dump Cake is best served warm and is great served with ice cream!

Ham and Tomato Pie

I took this recipe from Southern Living (April, 2007). It really is a great way to use leftover ham after Easter, or any other time you have ham. While it would be real easy to use deli ham to make this dish the magazine states that since the moisture content is very high in deli ham it won’t work out right.

This is always a hit around here. I serve with a salad as you can see in the picture.

Unfortunately the salad overpowers the quiche in this picture. You can see it a little better below.

1 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced cooked ham
½ cup sliced green onions (about 4 onions)
1 (9-inch) frozen unbaked pie shell (you don’t have to thaw it beforehand)
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Mozzerella cheese, divided
2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced
1 large egg
1/3 cup half-and-half
1 T. chopped fresh basil
1/8 t. pepper
Garnish with basil sprigs and tomato slices

Saute ham and green onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for five minutes or until ham is brown and any liquid evaporates.

Brush bottom of pie shell evenly with mustard; spring with ½ cup mozzerella cheese. Spoon ham mixture evenly over the cheese, and top with single layer of sliced tomatoes.

Beat egg and half-and-half with a fork until blended; pour over tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with basil, pepper, and remaining ½ cup cheese.

Bake on lowest oven rack at 425 degrees for 20-23 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve; garnish, if desired.