Coconut Cake

white cake mix
15 oz can cream of coconut
13.5 oz can coconut milk
14 oz coconut
8 oz cool whip

Bake white cake mix in 9X13 pan per directions on back, except substitute coconut milk for water and stir in at the end 1/2 bag of coconut. You will find coconut milk and cream of coconut in Mexican food section or mixed drink section of the grocery store.Make sure you dump these into a bowl and stir well as they separate when sitting on the shelf.

After removing from oven, use a fork to put holes in warm cake, then pour over cream of coconut. Let cool well, even refrigerating, before spreading over cool whip and coconut mixed together. Enjoy!

Gourmet Cheese Potatoes

12 medium potatoes
4 cups shredded cheddar
1 stick butter
3 cups sour cream
1/2-2/3 cup chopped onion
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tsp butter, paprika

Cook potatoes in skins until just fork tender;
do not overcook. Peel and shred in food processor.
Melt cheese and stick butter; remove from heat and add sour cream, onion, seasonings.
Fold potatoes into pan and spread all into greased casserole. Dot with butter and paprika.
Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Waffles

Mix:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves

Beat 4 egg whites until fluffy. Set aside.

Mix:

4 egg yolks
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin (maybe a bit more)
3/4 stick (6 Tbsp butter, melted)

Pour wet ingredients into dry, stir, then add egg whites.
Bake on hot waffle iron.

Peanut-Raisin Granola Bars

2 1/2 cups rolled or quick oats
1 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10 X 15 inch jelly roll pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Mix oats, peanuts, raisins, seeds, cinnamon, milk and butter in a bowl. Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake about 45 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly, then lift off pan using the foil and invert onto a cutting board (or back onto the pan). Peel off the foil and break into bars. Store in a covered container.

Midwestern Chowder

Cook 4-5 chicken breasts with onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves two hours. Drain, keeping broth. Pull chicken off bones, around 4 cups. To broth, which should be around 4 cups, add:

8 cups diced potatoes
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. salt

Cook until tender. Make a white sauce in double boiler: 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup flour, 2 cups milk. I usually double for a thicker broth.

Stir white sauce into potatoes, to which chicken has been added. Add:

1-2 cup grated carrots
3 cans creamed corn
2-3 cups grated sharp cheese

Sprinkle with parsley, serve and enjoy!

Baked Beans

1 very large can Great Northern Beans
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
Mix above and place in 2 9 X 13 pans, or one large equivalent pan
Cut into 1/2 inch slices 1/2-1 lb. bacon(I use 1 lb)
Place on top and sprinkle with pepper.
Bake 2 hours at 350 degrees without stirring.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Mix:
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Beat until fluffy. Chill.

Butterbaked Carrots

6-7 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 cup celery
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup liquid (carrot juice and milk to equal 1 1/2 cups)
3 Tbsp. flour

Topping-1/2 cup dry bread crumbs mixed with 3 Tbsp. melted butter

Cook carrots in water until just tender-do not overcook. Drain and save liquid. Remove carrots to a casserole dish. Melt butter in saucepan, saute onion and celery until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper, mixing well. Add carrot liquid and milk gradually, stirring constantly until smooth and thick. Pour sauce over carrots; sprinkle buttered bread crumbs on top. Bake 30-45 minutes until crumbs are brown. Serves 6. I always double recipe.

Mike's Very Own Granola

10 C old-fashioned oats
2 C quick oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C wheat germ
1/2 C sesame seeds
Mix well. Add-
1/2 C walnuts and/or sunflower seeds
1 C (scant) brown sugar
Mix well. Add-
1/2 C nuts and/or seeds
1 C (scant) brown sugar
Mix well. Add-
1/2 C nuts/seeds
1 C (scant) brown sugar
Mix well. In a glass bowl, microwave 1 1/2 cup water until warm.
Add 1 1/2 cup veg oil , 2 Tbsp vanilla, 3 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp salt,
2 Tbsp ginger (opt).Add to dry ingredients, mix with fork, then
knead with hands. Place into four cake pans very evenly.
Bake @ 250 degrees for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Funnel Cakes

3 eggs
2 cups milk
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Beat eggs, milk and sugar. Stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Add cornmeal and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating batter until smooth.It should be thin enough to run through a funnel(add milk if necessary). Fill funnel, let batter run through into hot oil (I use canola). I use an electric frypan set at 375 degrees. Hold finger over bottom of funnel to control amount of batter released; pour into desired shapes. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with 10X sugar. Eat warm. Makes about 30.

Peanut Butter Freeze

1 cup PB
8 ounces cream cheese
1 ½ cups 10x sugar
1 cup milk
Cream and then fold in 8 ounces of cool whip.

Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons sugar
½ stick oleo/butter, melted

Press crust into the bottom of 9x13 pan. Pour mixture over it. Top with crushed peanuts or graham cracker crumbs. Freeze until ready to serve.

Lemon Delight

1 cup flour
1 stick oleo
Knead like pie dough and then add ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts). Press into 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350°.

1 cup 10x sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
Cream until fluffy. Add 8 ounces Cool Whip. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Add 3 cups milk to 2 small packages of instant lemon pudding. Mix until thick and spread over mixture.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts!

Strawberry Punchbowl Dessert

1 yellow cake mix
1 6 ounce (large) vanilla pudding, not instant
large can crushed pineapple, drained (20 ounce)
2 - 10 ounce frozen strawberries
4-6 bananas
19 ounce whipped topping

Bake cake in 2 - 8" round pans. Cool. Make pudding. Cool. Cut one layer of cake into chunks, put in bowl. Layer half the pudding, half the pineapple, half the berries, 2-3 bananas, and half the Cool Whip. Repeat. Refrigerate overnight.

Mamo C's Rice Pudding

1 cup rice - cooked (3 cups cooked rice)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 quart milk
1 can evaporated milk

In mixer, mix sugar, eggs, vanilla, and canned milk. Add rice, mix again. Add 1 quart milk.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350° for 1 hour or less.

Flank Steak Marinade

1 ½ cups salad oil
¾ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Wochestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper (fresh)
½ cups wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons diced parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder or crushed clove garlic
1/3 cup lemon juice

Marinade for 24 or 48 hours.

Sandi D's Chocolate Eclair Dessert

1 cup flour

1 stick oleo

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup water

4 eggs

Bring water and butter to boil. Add flour and salt, beating until it forms a ball. Cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Spread into ungreased jelly roll pan (15" by 10"). Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Pierce bubbles with fork. Cool.

2 packages of instant French vanilla pudding

2 ½ cups cold milk

8 ounces cream cheese, soft

12 ounces cool whip

3 ounces chocolate chips

2 tablespoons oleo

1 cup 10x sugar

3 tablespoons milk

Mix pudding with milk and add cream cheese. Either add cool whip or spread it over the top. Melt chocolate chips and oleo over low heat, add 10x and milk until thin glaze forms. Drizzle over. Refrigerate.

Smoothies

6-8 ice cubes

1 banana (better if frozen)

1 cup fresh fruit -- we use frozen blueberries and peaches most often, but other fresh and frozen fruits work as well

½ cup vanilla yogurt

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Mix in a blender until it's smooth and the ice cubes are crushed.

Chocolate Cake in Milk (Eggless Cake)

3 cups flour

1 ½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups water

2/3 cup oil

2 teaspoons vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

This is the recipe for the actual cake. After preparing this, you can either serve it drenched in milk (like the Kralls) or, if you do not prefer that way, here is a recipe for icing:

4 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

Bring to boil, stir until thick, watch! COOL.

1 cup sugar

½ cup crisco

½ cup oleo

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix, add to above, beating well.

Chicken and Waffles

Waffle batter:
3 ½ cups flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Sift dry ingredients.

4 eggs
3 ½ cups milk
1 cup oil
Combine wet ingredients, then stir into the dry ingredients.

Chicken Gravy:
2 quarts broth, boil. Combine 1 cup flour and 2 cups water. Add, cook until bubbly. Add 3 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Chocolate Mint Dessert

Cake Layer:

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup soft margarine

4 eggs

1 ½ cups chocolate syrup

Beat, place in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°. Cool.

Icing Layer:

2 cups 10x powdered sugar

½ cup margarine

1 tablespoon water

¾ teaspoon peppermint extract

optional: 4-5 drops of green food coloring

Mix, spread over cake. Refrigerate.

Chocolate Topping:

6 tablespoons oleo

1 cup chocolate chips

Heat, spread over cake. Refrigerate.