Turtle Candies, from Clio

Turtle Candies, from Clio

4 tablespoons margarine
8 tablespoons milk
4-12 oz bags caramels
8 ounces pecans, chopped
1 1/2 block paraffin
6 tablespoons margarine
6 cups chocolate chips

Melt 4 T margarine. Add caramels--stir until smooth--stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoon onto buttered cookie sheet or buttered wax paper (use 2 buttered spoons to drop mixture) Melt paraffin, 6 T butter and chips. Drizzle over candies.

Crispix Party Mix, from Clio

Crispix Party Mix, from Clio

17.5 oz. box of Crispix cereal (Clio says: If I can’t find the big box I use 1-1//2 boxes of the 12 oz. size)
16 oz pretzels (I used the looped ones and at Christmas time I use the Christmas tree ones)
12-16 oz. of peanuts

Put the above 3 ingredients in a BIG pan and slightly mix it up -- I put everything in the roaster that I use for our Thanksgiving turkey and I use a large rubber spatula to mix it.

In a small saucepan bring to a boil:
1 cup butter
2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light Karo syrup

Boil for 1-1/2 minutes.
Immediately pour this over the dry ingredients stirring slowly to coat.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to thoroughly coat mix.
Remove and stir with large rubber spatula every 5 minutes until cool.

Store in airtight container…I use 2-5 quart ice cream buckets.

Clio’s Caramels

Clio’s Caramels

Clio always makes these at holiday time and wraps them so perfectly in green, red and white.

1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk (15 oz)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Tip from Gael: I measure out and line up all the ingredients first--even the vanilla (which I put in a shot glass) I also line up small bowls of cold water on the stove.

Melt butter in heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add brown sugar and salt. Stir in corn syrup, mixing well. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

Now the recipe says to cook and stir over medium heat until candy reaches firm ball stage (245 degrees on candy thermometer), after 12-15 minutes. But for me, this made it too hard. I suggest heating and stirring it for 12-15 minutes, then putting candy thermometer in pan. Keep stirring, but only let it get to the stage below firm ball (soft ball). Keep testing by dripping some candy into the water bowls, leaving it for 30 seconds and then testing to see if it's caramel-like firm or too soft. When it's the firmness you want, quickly take it off the heat, stir in vanilla and pour into buttered pan. (I use a 9 x 13 pan that I've sprayed thoroughly with Pam.)

Let it cool 2-5 hours, then slice it into long rows with a pizza cutter, then hack it into smaller pieces with a chef's knife and wrap with waxed colored wrappers you can buy at Maid of Scandinavia.

TO DOUBLE: Dump an entire pound of butter, a 2-pound bag of brown sugar, a 16 ounce bottle of corn syrup and 2 cans sweetened condensed milk . Other then measuring the salt (1/2 t) and vanilla (Clio wouldn't double that) there's no measuring. Makes 5 pounds -- that's an awful lot of caramels!

Zucchini Cake, from Clio

Zucchini Cake, from Clio

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk

Blend first 6 ingredients

Then sift together: 2 1/2 c flour
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 t baking powder
1 t soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt

Mix well with above, add 2 c grated zucchini. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan.

TOPPING: 1/4 c chopped nuts
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c chocolate chips

Sprinkle topping on cake before baking. Bake 325 for 45 minutes.

Trifle, from Clio

Trifle, from Clio

Anne said to make sure to include this recipe in the book!

1 Sara Lee Pound Cake (2 pound pkg)
2 pkg vanilla instant pudding made as directed
1 pkg strawberries. If frozen, drain and squeeze juice with baster into pound cake.
Other fruit, nuts (optional)
Cool Whip

Slice cake and put on sides of deep glass bowl. (Keep some to add in the middle if possible.) Alternate layers of strawberries, bananas, (blueberries, peaches--any fruit), nuts, with pudding, and whatever pound cake you have left. Frost it with Cool Whip.

Drumstick Torte, from Clio

Drumstick Torte, from Clio

Like the ice-cream Drumsticks!

2 cups vanilla wafers -- crushed
1 cup peanuts -- chopped
1/2 cup butter -- melted
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups Cool Whip
2 boxes instant choc pudding
3 cups milk

Mix cookies, peanuts and butter. Pat into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool. Mix sugar, cream cheese and peanut butter until creamy. Add Cool Whip, spread on crust. Mix pudding and milk until stiffens, spread over second layer. Spread Cool Whip over entire cake about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate 3 hrs or freeze. Frost with 11 oz peanuts, 12 oz Cool Whip.

Cherry Torte, from Clio

Cherry Torte, from Clio

Crust
1-cup cake flour
5 Tablespoon powered sugar
1/2 cup softened butter

Mix and spread in bottom of 7 x 10 glass pan (a square glass pan works, also). Bake 15 minutes at 350. Cool.

Filling
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4-teaspoon salt
1/4-cup flour
3/4-teaspoon baking soda
3/4-cup nuts
1-teaspoon vanilla
mix the above 7 ingredients by hand or with mixer
add
1 can sour cherries ~ drained

Mix by hand, pour over crust, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool. Top with whipped cream.

Wild-Rice Salad, from Clio and Erin

Wild-Rice Salad, from Clio and Erin

This was served at Erin’s wedding in 1990. Best when made the day before serving.

2 boxes Uncle Ben's long-grain wild rice
chicken, diced
water chestnuts, chopped
celery
onion
Lawry seasoning
salad dressing

Mix everything together. No specific proportions given!

Texas Caviar, from Clio

Texas Caviar, from Clio

Veggie Mixture:
1 can pinto beans
1 can black eye peas
1 can shoepeg corn-
1 large jar pimento
1-2 tbsp jalapeno peppers chopped (I use canned)
1 cup chopped bell pepper (red/orange) I use green/yellow too
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion-(I prefer sweet onion-Vidalia)
(cilantro if you have it on hand)

Dressing--boil until dissolved:
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Bring the dressing ingredients to a boil. Then combine dressing and veggie mixture and cool in refrigerator for 6 hours. Prior to serving I strain off the dressing so the mixture is not as runny. Serve with Scoop Fritos or Tostitos.

Creamy Orange-Cumin Dressing, from Clio

Creamy Orange-Cumin Dressing, from Clio

1T mayo
1 T plain yogurt
2 t frozen orange juice concentrate
3T olive oil
1T red wine vinegar
1 small minced garlic clove
1/4 t ground cumin

Put mayo in small bowl or jar and beat it with a fork or whip. Add yogurt and orange juice; briskly stir in the rest of the ingredients. (I usually put a cover on it and shake it up).

Cold Chicken Salad, from Clio

Cold Chicken Salad, from Clio

1 cup chicken -- cooked, diced
1 cup celery -- chopped
1 cup ripe olives -- drained, chopped
1 cup carrots -- grated
onion -- to taste
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 cup cashews (pieces or halves)
8 ounces chow mein noodles

Mix everything except cashews and noodles. Add those right before serving.

Au Gratin Potatoes, from Clio

Au Gratin Potatoes, from Clio

48 ounces shredded hash browns – frozen (Clio uses four 12-ounce packages of frozen hash browns.)
1 pint half and half
2/3 pound Velveeta
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese – shredded
1 stick margarine

Preheat oven to 350. Place hash browns in glass 9 x 13 baking dish (Clio has also used a 9 x 13 cake pan or even a roasting pan). Heat the half and half, Velveeta, cheddar and margarine. Pour over potatoes. Let stand 45 minutes (Although Clio says she doesn't always do this). Bake at 350 uncovered for an hour.

Asparagus with Toasted Hazelnuts, from Clio

Asparagus with Toasted Hazelnuts, from Clio

18 spears asparagus
6-8 T hazelnuts
1/2 c heavy cream
salt
breadcrumbs

Lightly toast hazelnuts and rub in a towel to remove some of the brown skins. Coarsely chop.
Blanch the asparagus. Put in casserole…they can be slightly on top of each other.

Heat 1/2 cream in small heavy saucepan and cook a couple minutes, to reduce a bit. Add 8-10 oz of Brie (with rind removed) and stir until cheese is melted and to sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add salt.

Pour over asparagus. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Put under 400 degree broiled and broil until bubbly. Add the nuts.

Hearty Turkey and Rice Soup, from Clio

Hearty Turkey and Rice Soup, from Clio

4 cubes chicken bouillon
1 cup celery -- chopped
1 pound Velveeta -- cubed
3 cups cooked turkey -- chopped, cubed
1 cup carrots
broccoli
3/4 cup barley
minute rice

Dissolve bouillon in 4 c boiling water, add celery and carrots. Cover, simmer 20-25 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir until cheese is melted. Add broccoli last.

Sloppy Joes, from Clio

Sloppy Joes, from Clio

You’ll never buy Manwich again!

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 cup celery – chopped
1/2 cup onion – chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons
Worcestershire sauce

Fry meat, celery and onions until brown. Then add remainder of ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. Buns can be browned under the broiler.

Ramequin Forestiere, from Clio

Ramequin Forestiere, from Clio
(cheese and mushroom entrée)

Filling:
1c finely minced fresh mushrooms (i.e. -- 1 lb. portobellos)
1T butter & 1 t cooking oil
1T minced shallot
1T flour
4 T heavy cream
salt and pepper

Sauté mushrooms in hot butter and oil with shallots for 5 minutes stirring until mushroom pieces separate. Lower heat, sprinkle in flour and stir for a minute to cook flour. Remove from heat, pour in cream and stir over med. heat until cream has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Ramequin mixture:
Heavy bottomed 2 1/2 qt. saucepan
1/2 c flour
2 c cold milk
3 1/2T butter
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
speck of nutmeg
4 eggs
1 1/3 c. coarsely grated Swiss cheese
11/2-2 qt buttered dish
1T butter

Place flour in saucepan and gradually beat in milk with a wire whisk. Stir slowly and constantly over mod-hi heat; beat in butter, seasonings, and one by one the eggs. Then beat in 1cup of cheese.
Turn half the mixture into buttered dish, spread the mushrooms on top and cover with the rest of the mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 of cheese and distribute the T of butter over the cheese (set aside or refrigerate until ready to bake)
Preheat oven to 400 – bake in upper 1/3 of oven for about 25 minutes - longer if refrigerated. Done when puffed or double in height and browned. Serve immediately with chips, crackers or alone.

Mexican Lasagna, from Clio

Mexican Lasagna, from Clio

Recipe as given fits a large 13x9 pan. For an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, use 1 lb of meat and half of all other ingredients.

1-1/2 lbs ground turkey or beef
1 small onion – chopped
2 T chili powder (or use pkg. of taco seasoning mix)
1/2 T chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 large bottles of salsa (use something other than mild!)
1 large can of refried beans or black beans (I use black beans)
2 lbs shredded cheese (can be cheddar, cheddar/jack, taco blend or a mixture of several kinds)
1 pkg of large flour tortillas

Optional for serving: Sour cream, sliced or chopped black olives

Preparation: Cook meat, onion and garlic in skillet until meat is browned. Add chili powder (or taco seasoning) and 1 cup salsa and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add a little water if mixture gets dry.

Ladle enough salsa into pan to slightly coat the bottom. Place a single layer of flour tortillas to cover pan (cut tortillas in half and put straight edge along the sides of pan). Overlap to have complete coverage along sides and down the middle. Spread 1/2 of beans over the tortillas. Spoon 1/2 of the meat mixture evenly over the beans. Ladle and spread salsa over meat, just enough to cover. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese over salsa. Repeat layer; tortillas, beans, meat, salsa and cheese. Top with another layer of tortillas, cover with light coat of salsa.

Bake 325 for 30-40 minutes, add remaining cheese and bake 15 more minutes until top layer of cheese is melted and salsa is a little bubbly around edges. Serve with sour cream and chopped olives. Freezes well.

Hot Dagos, from Clio

Hot Dagos, from Clio

Call it whatever you want, but Italians in St. Paul have called it this for years!

3/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1 cup dry bread crumbs (or cracker crumbs)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs -- beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
spaghetti sauce

Mix everything together and make patties. (Mixture will be sticky.) Brown them on both sides. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer. Can put in crockpot and let simmer for 2-3 hours. Serve as sandwiches or over noodles.

Coconut-Braised Beef (Rendang), from Clio

Coconut-Braised Beef (Rendang), from Clio
Rendang is an Indonesian dish.

2 hot dried red chilies
3 cloves garlic peeled
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 T chili powder
juice and zest of 2 limes
2 T grapeseed or other neutral oil (not olive)
1 1/2 lb beef (chuck) cut into stew sized chunks
1 can coconut milk
salt

Put chilies, garlic, ginger, chili powder, lime juice and zest in food processor and process until everything is minced, or mince by hand and combine.

Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet that can later be covered. Add spice paste and cook until fragrant (about 2 min) Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and covered with sauce. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Lower heat, cover and simmer, stirring only occasionally until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hrs or probably more like 2.

Uncover and reduce by boiling sauce until thick and caramel colored, stirring frequently. Serve with white rice.

Chow Mein Hot Dish, from Clio

Chow Mein Hot Dish, from Clio

1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 onion – chopped, 1 cup celery -- chopped
3 cups water
1/2 cup rice (regular or instant)
1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup
chow mein noodles

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Add celery, water, rice and soups. Mix well. Put in 1 1/2 quart dish.Bake at 350 for 1 hour uncovered. Cover and continue baking for 15 more minutes. Add noodles on top in the last 15 minutes or serve by spooning it over the noodles.