MILLION CALORIE POTATOES

Bake 6 large potatoes

Half lengthwise and scoop out the potato meat. 

To the potato add:

1 c. sour cream

¼ c. butter

3 oz cream cheese

2 finely chopped green onions

1 t. salt 

1 t. pepper

½ t. Thyme

2 c. shredded cheese

Mash all this together with an electric mixer. 

Stuff mixture back into potato shells.

Sprinkle with additional cheese and lots of paprika

Bake at 350* for 15 minutes

For thousand calorie potatoes, use low fat versions of ingredients.

RANCH PRIMAVERA SALAD

Cook 1 pkg of colored rotella pasta until “Al Dente.”

Drain well. The last 5 minutes of cooking the pasta you can add any amount of fresh veggies

(I.E. carrots, broccoli or cauliflower or add the frozen vegetable medley as specified below)

Stir in 2 T. cooking oil into the drained pasta. Add ½ c. of your favorite Italian dressing 

Sprinkle 1 envelope of dry ranch dressing mix on pasta.

Add 16 oz of frozen vegetable medley.

Mix well and chill for several hours.

You can also add a cup of diced chicken, tuna, or ham for a main dish salad.

MEXICAN CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Have all ingredients at room temperature

2  8oz pkgs cream cheese (can use low fat)

1  10oz cracker barrel sharp cheese, finely grated

3 eggs

1 small can diced green chiles, drained

½ c. sour cream

You can use 1 cup crushed corn chips for a crust, or make this without a crust.

Mix cream cheese, cheese, sour cream, eggs, and chiles. 

Pour into spring form pan (or use 6 jumbo muffin tins)

Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes (for muffin tins, bake 15 minutes)

Top of cheesecake will crack and look set up around the edges when it is done. Let cool.

Top with sour cream and/or drained salsa and surround with chips or crackers to serve.

Have a knife ready to serve pieces.

LITTLE BARBECUED MEAT BALLS

2 lb very lean ground beef

1 small onion

Salt and pepper to taste

4 slices rye bread (soak in milk)

1 beaten egg

Mix together and form into small balls, about the size of large marbles.

Bake at 325* for about 20 minutes. 

Mix with sauce and heat on low or high in a crockpot for several hours.

Serve warm with toothpicks

SAUCE:

2 small bottles of ketchup (Heinz) use about 3 cups

1 bottle chili sauce (homemeade brand)

1 can beef broth

¼ c. worcestershire sauce

1 t. Chili powder

1 t. Mustard (dry)

1-2 T. dry minced onoin

¼ c. vinegar or lemon juice

1 c. brown sugar

1 t. Paprika

1 t. Seasoned pepper

HOT BEEF DIP

 *** This sounds weird but it is good

3 oz chipped beef (like you buy with the deli meats)

½ c. parmesan cheese

¼ c. finely chopped green onion (can omit)

½ c. sour cream

¼ c. mayonnaise

8 oz cream cheese

Blend soft cream cheese. 

Add rest of ingredients except chop the beef finely.

Stir well and put into some type of casserole dish. 

Bake about 20 minutes at 300*. Serve with crackers or baby carrots

SHRIMP COCKTAIL DRINK

2 large cans V-8 juice

1 c. ketchup

3 T. worchestershire sauce

1 small bottle sesafood cocktail sauce

½ t. salt

½ t. garlic salt

1 t. Seasoned or lemon pepper

3 T. sugar

2 cans small deveined shrimp (rinsed well and drained)

2 c. very finely diced celery

Juice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

Best made several hours ahead.

CHRISTMAS JAM

Use the Sure-Jel recipe for strawberry jam. (frozen jam)

The recipe calls for 2 c. crushed strawberries.

For this recipe, use 1 ½ c. crushed strawberries and ½ c. fresh cranberries, crushed.

Do not put the fruit into the blender, it gets too mushy.

I use a food processor and only chop for a few seconds. 

Follow the jam recipe in the pectin box and put into festive jars for gifts.