Recipals

Recipes shared with me by friends

The only thing better than a good recipe is a good recipe that comes with good memories. All these recipes were shared with me by friends and family. I may have made my own adjustments to suit my own tastes, but the flavor of the friendship is always intact.

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January 2008

Pat is my bestest Pal. She's been with me through thick and thin for thirty years, give or take. Thanks, Pat!

Pat's Hot Chicken Salad

• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 4 cups diced celery
• 1 cup toasted almonds
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp grated onion
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 1 cup water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups crushed potato chips

Combine all ingredients except chips in a 3 quart flat baking dish. Sprinkle with chips. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. Serves 8-10

NOTE: I usually cut the recipe in half, hold back the potato chips, and bake this in the toaster oven, putting the chips on after I put the casserole on the table. The dish is too close to the heating element in a toaster oven, and the chips scorch. It can also be heated in the microwave and served in a glass bowl or a bread bowl.

February 2008

This wasn't actually given to me by Mr. Minton, but by Barbara, a friend of his. I love hand-alongs: recipes that pass along a chain of friendship the way they pass down the chain of generations.

Minton's Veggie Casserole

• 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
• 1/2 to 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 cans mixed vegetables, drained
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts (or raw celery, if you don't like wc)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (NOT SALAD DRESSING OR MIRACLE WHIP!!!)
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I like more, and I use sharp cheddar)
• whole Ritz crackers

Grease casserole dish. Mix butter and crushed crackers and press into bottom of dish and partly up sides.

Mix veggies, water chestnuts, mayo, and worchestershire sauce; add other seasonings to taste, such as salt, pepper, minced onion). Layer mixture, cheese, and whole Ritz crackers.

Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until top is brown and bubbly.

Even better left over!

March 2008

This was given to me by Kelsea P. Smith, a fellow attendee at Ball State University's Midwest Writers Workshop way back when it was held on campus. Kelsea, if you read this, contact me so I can thank you for a salad my family has enjoyed for many years. Kelsea said she got this from a celebrity cookbook, and it was attributed to "Mrs. John Denver".

Kelsea's Mandarine Orange Salad

Prepare topping first (takes time to cool)

• 2 packages (or 2/3 cup) sliced almonds
• 6 Tbs sugar

At low heat, becoming gradually warmer, place nuts and sugar in non-stick skillet. Stir gently with plastic or rubber spatula until all sugar has crystallized on nuts, and they become light golden color. Place these on aluminum foil, wrap, and place in refrigerator. They will crumble apart easily to be layered on top of salad. [Note from MA: Hide them well--your husband will snack them all up, if you aren't careful.]

Salad

• 1/2 head lettuce (torn or cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 4 long green onions cut into ringlets
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley, flowerettes
• 1 large can and 1 small can Mandarin oranges, WELL drained

Dressing [Note from MA: I cut the proportions of the dressing WAY down]
warm slightly so sugar will dissolve--add just before serving, toss salad, then sprinkle almonds on top

• 1/4 cup oil (MA: I use sesame oil)
• 1 Tbs vinegar (MA: I use rice vinegar)
• 2 Tbs sugar (MA: I use Turbinado or raw sugar)
• salt, pepper, oregano to taste

April 2008

My late and beloved grandfather, George Kelley Leister, took over shopping and cooking when my grandmother, Ruby Goodman Leister, had a heart attack. We had years of good times together at the grocery and swapping recipes. This is one he gave me. It's everything I love--simple, quick, looks and tastes fancier than it is, and it reminds me of someone dear.

Ham with Raisin Sauce

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Simmer raisins in boiling water until tender. Add sugar and cornstarch, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter or margarine and lemon juice. Serve over warm ham.

May 2008

I only met Sue a few times--she's a friend of a friend. I love these meatballs, though, and they always make me think of the dear friend Sue is a friend of. I especially love the title Sue gave the dish.

Meatballs--Cheap Meal

• 1 lb hamburger [ground turkey or crumbled veggieburger might work, too--MA]
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs Prime Choice steak sauce
• 2 Tbs oil
• 1/3 cup Prime Choice
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 2 Tbs butter

Combine meat, bread, egg, 2 Tbs Prime Choice; mix; shape in balls-1 inch; brown in oil in skillet; drain.

Sauce: Melt last 3 ingredients in saucepan then pour over meatballs; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

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