Cool Mint Dessert - Cleone W.

I decided to do this as a pie instead of a cake because I thought it would look really pretty.  I was right.  This is a dessert I will add to my regular routine.  The flavor was wonderful if you like the chocolate and mint flavors together.  It was not too difficult to make.  I used a graham cracker crust instead of vanilla wafer because that is what I had.  I don't think it was at all distracting from the flavor.  I also used cocoa instead of the unsweetened bakers chocolate.  I did NOT add the extra butter you do when you substitute.  I also used miniature marshmallows.  I figured about 1 1/4 C. of marshmallows was a good amount.  When it says to let it sit overnight it really does make a difference.  It softens the crushed mint and spreads the flavor through the whipped cream and marshmallows so it is a soft and pleasing flavor.  A real hit if you like peppermint!

Cool Mint Dessert - Cleone W.

1/2   C. Butter                                              10  lg. Marshmallows (1 1/4  C. miniature)
1  C Confectioners Sugar                              1  C. Chopped Nuts
3  Eggs, separated                                        1  C. Crushed Vanilla Wafers
2  oz. Unsweetened Chocolate                      1  C. Whipping Cream
1/4  lb. Peppermint Candy, crushed

Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks and beat.  Add melted chocolate gradually, beating constantly.  Add 1/2 C. nuts.  Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.  Pour into 9" x 9" cake pan lined with 1/2 C. cookie crumbs and chill.  (Or: use a 9" graham cracker or vanilla wafer pie shell.  Omit crumbs for top).  Whip cream and combine with candy, marshmallows and nuts.  Pour over chilled chocolate layer and top with cookie crumbs.  Chill overnight.

Cashew Tuna/Chicken Casserole by Mauring G.

***Disclaimer***  No one in my family would touch this if I used tuna, so I used canned chicken.  ***

This is warm chicken salad, which I love and my children hate.  I give it a 4 and they give it a 1.  It is super easy to make.  You just dump everything in the baking dish and slide it in the oven.  I was afraid that the Chinese noodles would be soggy, but it wasn't too bad.  When my children leave the house, I think I will make this all the time.

Cashew Tuna Casserole by Maurine G.

1 can chunk tuna or chicken
1/2 lb salted cashews
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c minced onion
1 can chow mein noodles, divided
1/8 tsp pepper
1 c diced celery

Combine everything, but half of the noodels, in a greased casserole dish.  Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.  Top with remaining noodles

Salmon Loaf - Judy M.

This salmon loaf has a very mild and pleasing flavor.  I think the answer to liking this recipe is if you like salmon or trout.  We do.  We just got back from steelhead fishing in the Rockies.  Steelhead is a trout that travels up the river in the mountain streams from the ocean each year, and back.  "That is a lot of work."  I am glad I don't have to swim that far every year.  Wait, I would be THIN.  We were skunked and we felt sad.  We had one up to the boat but it became an LDR (long distance release) trout.  Oh well onward and upward.  I would definitely make this again but I am going to only give it a 3.5 because this is a dish that you have to like fish to enjoy.

Salmon Loaf - Judy M.

1  lb. Canned Salmon (or fresh)                               1/2  tsp. Pepper
2  Eggs, separated                                                   1/2  C. Hot Milk
1/4  tsp.  Paprika                                                     1  tsp.  Salt
2  Tbs.  Lemon Juice                                                1/2 C  Cracker Crumbs

Preheat oven to 350o F.  Set aside egg whites.  Mince salmon fine.  Add all ingredients except egg whites. Beat whites to soft peaks, then fold in last.  Pour in greased loaf pan.  Bake 60 min.

Deacon Burgers - Raymond C.

 

 This recipe has unique instructions.  It says to mix it up and cook it at Bubbly Rocks.  I tried several weekends to make it to Bubbly Rocks to cook it and when I finally did I forgot my outdoor stove to cook them.  Soooo.  I went to Bubbly Rocks, took some pictures, then went to Dads to make and cook the burgers.  I enjoyed the trip and so did Dad.  He kept shaking his head like I was crazy.  He didn't understand the importance of trying to follow

the instructions as written in the book.  It made for a fun ride.  Whenever you drive Dad out there he starts talking about his time in politics or about growing up in the valley or just fun things about the area.  I know that Dad enjoyed the adventure and loved the ride.  These burgers are really good except they needed salt in the meat mixture not just on top.  With the meat and potatoes the salt did not blend well enough.  It is a yummy and nutritious  meat.  I chose to grill some onions to put on the top because I love onions.  As you can see with a bright vegetable it made a very appetizing meal. 

Deacon Burgers - Raymond C.

1  lb. Hamburger                                        2  Beaten Eggs

1/2  C. Diced Raw Potatoes (1/4" sq.)        1/2  C. Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste                              Flour or Cornstarch to bind mixture

Mix it all together and add enough flour (or cornstarch for GF) to make it stick together.  Make into patties.  Fry in grease over a campfire at Bubbling Rocks.

Porcupines - Romaine F. & Birdean M.

So I had a picture, but there were technical difficulties.  Let's just say they look like porcupine meeatballs.  :)

This recipe was really yummy.  Ever since we had to focus on eating GF I have been looking for a good porcupine recipe that doesn't use Campbell's Tomato soup.  This one is pretty close, however, next time I will add some Worchestershire Sauce.  The only other issue I had was that I don't normally keep tomato juice on hand, but I will be now.  For us it was a solid 3, with the potential of being a 3-1/2.  

I fought the tomato juice in cans because that as all the store had.  One thing I found was that I ended up needing about 5 cans of juice, instead of the 3 (equal to 2 cups) the recipe called for.

Porcupines

1/2 C Rice

1 lb ground beef

2 small onions, minced

2 T minced green pepper

1 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/8 t thyme

2 T shortening

2-3 1/2 C tomatoes juice

1 t Worchestershire Sauce

Mix all but the juice together and form into meat balls.  Cook in hot shortening.  Pour juice over meatballs and simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours or until rice is tender.  Turn meatballs occasionally.

Banana Cookies by Maurine G

These were good enough.  If you have extra bananas and want to bake something quick and easy, these will work.  Start to finish, it took less than an hour, including baking time.  I didn't ice them, as the directions say, though, because then my son wouldn't be able to eat them.

The cookies have the consistency of an applesauce cookie (as I expected) and a very strong banana flavor.  I don't enjoy strong banana flavors, so I don't really like the cookies.  But all three of my kids love them.  Ben even learned to say banana cookie so he could ask for seconds.

Banana Cookies by Maurine G
3/4 C shortening
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 t banana flavoring (I left this out since I don't have any, and they still had a very strong banana flavor)
1/4 t salt (I just realized the directions have a big T for tablespoon, but I put in 1/4 teaspoon, and it worked well)
2 mashed bananas
2 1/2 C sifted flour
2 t soda

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg, flavor, salt and bananas.  Add flour and soda.  Drop by tsp on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees until light brown (9 minutes).  Frost with brown sugar frosting.

Coconut Stripes by Carma M.

Egg whites beaten just right

My mom has made these for years and I love them.  The instructions can be a little misleading though.  They say you can dump all the crust ingredients together and stir, but they don't mix very well that way.  They also say to beat the egg whites until stiff, but it really should be until foamy.  I beat them until stiff and they were crumbly and strange.  Foamy makes the cookies crispy and yummy.

Over beaten egg whites

Coconut Stripes by Carma M

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

Cream wet ingredients together, add dry ingredients and beat well.  Pat in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

2 egg whites

1 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c chopped nuts

1 c coconut

Beat eggs until foamy.  Add other ingredients and beat well. Pour over crust and spread until even.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.