Porcupine Meatballs

1/2 C uncooked long grain rice
1/2 C water
1/3 C chopped onion
 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery salt 1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 lb lean ground beef
2 T cooking oil
1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
1 C water
2 T brown sugar
2 tsp worcestershire sauce

    In a bowl combine the first seven ingredients. Ad beef and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in the oil and drain. Combine tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and worcestershire  sauce; pour over meatballs. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for one hour.

Copy Cat Tomatillo Dressing

1 1/2 C sour cream
3/4 C Mayonnaise
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 2 limes
1 package ranch dressing
4 T salsa
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp tobasco

Blend together in blender until smooth.
* I have halved this recipe many times.

Crock pot chicken for tacos

1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 C medium salsa
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Put chicken in bottom of crock pot. Pour sugar and salsa mixture over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours until chicken shreds easily. Serve in soft tortillas with all the fixings for a taco. Really good with the Copy Cat Tomatillo Dressing.

California Chicken Marinade

1 C soy sauce
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C melted butter
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 C water

Combine ingredients, and add 2 to 4 boneless chicken breasts, marinade and grill.

*I got this from Maria.

Broccoli Salad

1 large bunch broccoli cut up (4 1/2 Cups)
1  C raisins or craisins
1-2 C sunflower seeds or cashews
1/4 C diced purple onion
6-8 strips bacon cooked and broken up

Sauce:
6 T sugar
1 C mayonnaise
1 T vinegar

Combined first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Pour sauce over, and chill before serving.

Fast Fiesta Tacos

1 lb lean ground beef
1 can 14.5oz Diced tomatoes with chilies and peppers
3/4 C salsa
1 can 15.25 oz Fiesta Corn

Brown meat in skillet, drain. Add tomatoes and salsa; cook over medium heat 7 to 9 minutes. Add corn, cook 2 more minutes.

Spoon into hard taco shells. Serve with sour cream, cheese etc.

Snickerdoodles

1 C shortening
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 C flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Sift flour, soda and salt. Mix into shortening mixture. Shape into balls and roll in 2 T sugar, and 2 tsp cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Lemon Bars

2 C flour
1 C butter
1/2 C powdered sugar

Mix as for pie crust. Pat into greased and floured 9x13 inch pan.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile beat:
4 eggs
1/3 C lemon juice
2 C sugar

Then add:
1/4 C flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Pour over crust and bake 20-25 minutes. Do not overbake as lemon mixture will be too dry. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Cool and cut into bars.

Moist Chocolate Cake

Maryl Whittaker's recipe in the Kimberly 1st ward cookbook:

3 C flour
2 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa or more
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 C salad oil
1 C sour milk (add 1 T vinegar to milk and let stand 5 minutes)
2 eggs

     Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and soda together and add oil, milk and eggs. Beat well. Add 1 Cup boiling water and beat 1 minute at medium speed. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake

Cream together:
1 C oil
4 eggs (1 at a time)
2 C pumpkin
3 C sugar

Add:
3 1/2 C flour
1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp soda dissolved in 2/3 C quite warm water

Beat thoroughly and add 1 1/2 C chocolate chips and 1/2 C butterscotch chips. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees in 9x 13 greased pan, and an 8x8 greased pan. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Mrs. Fields Cookies

Cream together:
1 C butter
 1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together:
2 C flour (plus 1/2 C for high altitude)
2 1/2 C oatmeal ( can blend in blender until it turns to powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Mix together all ingredients:

Add:  12 oz chocolate chips (or whatever looks right)
          1 1/2 C nuts

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet. Make golf-ball sized cookies, place 2 " apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Potato Rolls

1 T yeast
1/4 C water
1/2 C hot mashed potatoes
1/4 C shortening
1/4 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 C scalded milk
1 egg
4 -41/2 C flour


Soften yeast in warm water, combine potatoes, shortening, sugar, salt and hot milk ( melt shortening in milk while milk is heating). Add yeast and egg. Stir in 2 C flour, mix, then add the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms. Place in greased bowl, cover.  Let raise 1 hour. Punch down and rest for 10 minutes. Make rolls, let raise for 1 hour.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Banana Nut Bread

Cream together:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar

Add and beat well:
2 eggs

Add:
2 large crushed bananas

Sift together and add:
2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Add:
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 C chopped nuts

Baked in greased and floured (2 small) loaf pans at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Laundry Soap Powder

1 C Borax
1 C Washing Soda
1 bar fels naptha soap, grated

Use 1 T for small loads and 2 T for large loads.

Caramel Popcorn

1 Cube butter
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C Karo syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Melt butter. Add other ingredients until if foams up, then remove from heat. Pour over popcorn.

Hello Dolly Cookies

* I have made these cookies for a couple of family occasions.

Melt 1 stick of butter in 9x9 pan. Add one cup of  crushed graham crackers to the butter. Press into the pan to make a crust. Spread the following ingredients in layers over the crust.

1 C coconut
6 oz package of chocolate chips
1 C slivered almonds
Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until top is golden brown.

German Pancakes

6 eggs
1 Cup flour
1/3 C sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C milk

Melt 6 Tb of butter in 9x13 pan.  while heating it in the oven to 375 degrees.  Blend above ingredients, and put in the pan when butter is melted.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Golden Skillet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds Yukon gold or red potatoes (peeled if using Yukon gold potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Microwave uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until the potatoes soften but still hold their shape. It is really important to stir every couple of minutes or the potatoes might not cook evenly and you'll end up with some pieces that are super tender and others that are hard. Drain any excess liquid from the potatoes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until very hot. Don't add the potatoes until the oil is sizzling. Add the potatoes (cut side down if using red potatoes with the skins on) in a single layer and cook them without stirring for 5-6 minutes until they are golden brown on the first side.
3. Gently stir the potatoes, rearranging them again into a single layer and flipping so the unbrowned side is down. Cook until the potatoes are golden brown on the second side, another 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, minced garlic and rosemary. Clear the center of the pan and add the mixture, cooking and mashing the garlic into the pan for about 30 seconds. Take care not to let the garlic burn. Stir the potatoes with the garlic/rosemary mixture. Serve.

Maria's notes:  Used red potatoes and we loved them.  I also used thyme in place of the rosemary because that's what I had on hand.

Tender Grilled Pork Chops

FROM MEL'S KITCHEN CAFE

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon steak seasoning (such as Montreal Steak Seasoning or make your own*)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix olive oil, soy sauce and steak seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops and set the bag in a baking dish in a way that the pork chops get a healthy dose of the marinade (it may be advantageous to flip the bag over halfway through the marinating time). Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours (no more than 8).
2. Heat the grill to medium and grill the chops 6-8 minutes per side (depending on how thick they are) until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chops from the grill and tent them with foil and allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice the chops in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices across the grain and serve.

*Here is a pretty good copycat recipe I found and seriously adjusted for Montreal Steak Seasoning:
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher/coarse salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon dill
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Maria's notes:  I made these for our Memorial Day get-together at Jason and Kierstin's.  My family loves them.

Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Coconut Cream Pie:
• 1 can coconut milk (can be found in the Asian foods section)
• Half-and-half or heavy cream (enough to add to the coconut milk to make 3 cups)
• 3 egg yolks
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 recipe graham cracker crust (below) or traditional pie crust
• Fresh Whipped Cream, lightly sweetened
Graham Cracker Crust:
• 12 whole rectangular graham crackers
• 1 stick butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 3 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. For the pie: In a medium saucepan, combine half and half, coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Mixture will become very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut extract and the vanilla extract (at this point you can also stir in 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut, although, I prefer to use it all to garnish the top of the pie). Pour the custard into the baked and cooled pie shell and chill 2-4 hours or until firm. Top with whipped cream and the toasted coconut.
2. For the crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Finely crush graham crackers in a food processor or in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Pour crumbs into a bowl and add sugar, stirring to combine. Drizzle butter over the top and mix with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.Press the crumbs evenly in the bottom and up the sides of a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Bake for 13-15 minutes until the crust is just barely beginning to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.

NOTES

*To toast coconut, spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake at 325 degrees, tossing often, until lightly toasted, about 12-15 minutes.

Maria's notes:  I made this for Father's Day 2013.  I didn't have much time so I used a ready-made graham cracker crust which made it quick and easy.  I really love this pie.