Macaroni and Tomatoes

MACARONI AND TOMATOES
1 lb large elbow macaroni
1 pound lean bacon, sliced thin
2 - 1 lb cans diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, minced fine
2 - 12 oz cans of V-8 vegetable juice
2 tsp fine ground black pepper
salt to taste
5 cups water
Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces. Put all the bacon in a deep soup pot and cook on medium heat until brown and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and saute minced onions in the remaining bacon grease until clear and tender. Put the bacon back into the pan, and add the water and canned tomatoes, including their juice. Add the V-8 and pepper, and bring it to a low boil. When boiling, add macaroni, and turn the heat down to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes until macaroni is tender. Season with salt to taste, and remove from heat. Allow to sit, covered for 5 minutes more.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and 3/4 cup peanut butter with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full). Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In medium bowl, stir together frosting and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Frost cupcakes with frosting mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts; press lightly into frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Red Velvet Cake Mix
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tub 16oz Cream Cheese Frosting
Sprinkles or additional garnishes
Preheat oven to 350°F for metal or glass pans, 325°F for dark or coated pans. Grease sides and bottom of each pan with shortening. Flour lightly. (Use baking cups for cupcakes). Blend dry mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter in pans and bake immediately. Bake following in a 13 x 9-inch pan for 35-38 minutes, or bake cupcakes for 19-22 minutes. Add 3-5 minutes to bake time for dark or coated pans. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. Garnish, and enjoy!

Dawn's Homemade Vegetable Beef (Deer) Soup

Dawn's Homemade Vegetable Beef (Deer) Soup
2lbs stew meat (beef roast cut into small pieces or deer roast cut into small pieces)
2lbs frozen mixed vegetables
8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 (46oz) can Vegetable Juice
1 (28oz) can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Rotel
salt & pepper to taste
In a large stock pot (at least, 8 quarts), place all ingredients. Add enough water to almost fill stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Allow soup to simmer for 1 1/2hrs-2hrs. Serve with crackers or a pone of cornbread!!!

Schnitzel

Schnitzel
2 pounds tenderized boneless pork chops
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup oil for frying
Lemon, cut into wedges
Dredge tenderized, boneless pork chops in flour. In a shallow dish, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Coat the pork chops with egg mixture, then with bread crumbs. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry pork chops until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over meat and serve.

Sock It To Me Cake

Sock It To Me Cake
1 (19.25-oz.) box butter-recipe cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3/4 oil
4 large eggs
?Sock It? (optional):
3 T. brown sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan and set aside. Combine cake mix and sugar. Add oil and sour cream. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Top with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts. Add remaining batter. (Or leave out the spices and nuts, and add batter all at once.) Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Hummingbird Cake

Hummingbird Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 med. or 3 small very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Combine cake mix, pineapple with juice, mashed bananas, water, oil, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a large bowl. Blend 1 minute with an electric mixer on low speed. Scrape down the bowl and beat batter 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will appear thick and fruit will be blended. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smoothing it with a spatula. Bake until golden brown and cake springs back when lightly pressed with fingers, about 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Invert cake onto racks and allow to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Store cake in refrigerator up to one week.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 box (3 3/4 cups) confectioners? sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Combine cream cheese and butter; beat about 30 seconds with an electric mixer on low speed. Add confectioners? sugar a bit at a time and beat on low speed until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add vanilla extract. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat about 1 minute until fluffy. Stir in nuts. Use immediately.

Hot Tomato Grits

Hot Tomato Grits
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 can green chili peppers
Cook chopped bacon in large, heavy sauce pan until crisp. Gradually add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in grits, tomatoes and chili peppers. Return to a boil, stirring often for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cheese and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Mississippi Chicken Casserole

Mississippi Chicken Casserole
1 1/2-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 (8 ounce) package wide egg noodles
2 (10 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (can substitute cream of mushroom, I just prefer chicken)
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about one sleeve)
8 ounces sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and saute chicken and onion until chicken is done. Prepare egg noodles according to package directions.
In 9X13 casserole dish, combine chicken, onions, soup, and noodles. Mix well. Combine crackers, butter, and sour cream well and spread over chicken. The mixture will be very thick. Bake for thirty minutes or until top is brown.

Arkansas Green Beans

Arkansas Green Beans
5 (15-ounce) cans green beans, drained
7 slices bacon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
7 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the drained green beans in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Cook bacon in a microwave on microwave-safe plate for 2 minutes until slightly cooked. Lay the bacon on top of the green beans. Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, soy sauce, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Pour the butter mixture over the green beans and bacon. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Pizza Pasta Casserole

Pizza Pasta Casserole
1 pound ground beef
1 8-ounce package spiral pasta, cooked and drained
1 28-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
Sliced pepperoni
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink;
drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce & pasta. Transfer to 13x9x2 inch
baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Arrange pepperoni over the top.
Bake casserole, uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until
heated through.

Cajun Lasagna

Cajun Lasagna
10 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1 bag (12 oz) frozen cooked deveined peeled miniature/tiny shrimp (tails off), thawed, rinsed and drained
1/2 lb smoked spicy sausage (andouille or kielbasa), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package. Spread 1 cup of the tomatoes in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Top with 5 noodles, overlapping slightly as needed. Layer with half each of the remaining tomatoes, the shrimp, sausage, Alfredo sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Cover dish with foil. Bake about 30 minutes or until center is hot and bubbly. Uncover; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with parsley.

Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo

Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo
3/4 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 can (14 oz) roasted garlic-seasoned chicken broth (I used the whole can and only could find regular broth so added 1 tsp jar garlic in oil to it)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (I also added a bit of EVOO)
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb) (I used 4)
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 jar (7 oz) roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (I used the whole jar and put the other half in the rice mixture at the bottom of the dish)
1 cup Alfredo pasta sauce (I used the whole 15 oz jar of Classico Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce)
In 2-quart saucepan, heat wild rice, broth and water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until rice kernels are open and almost tender; drain if necessary. Stir in thyme. Spread rice in ungreased 9x9-inch glass baking dish. (I used an 11 x 7 baking dish) Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in butter 8 to10 minutes, turning once, until brown. Place on cooked rice. Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and Alfredo sauce; pour over chicken. Bake uncovered 45 to 55 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. If you can’t find chicken broth with garlic, make your own by finely chopping 2 cloves of garlic and stirring it into regular chicken broth. Two cups refrigerated Alfredo sauce can be used instead of the jarred sauce.
For the best flavor and texture, make sure the wild rice has cooked long enough to “pop” open to show its white insides. You may need to add more water during cooking.

Beanie Weenie Casserole

Beanie Weenie Casserole
1 large can baked beans
1 package hotdogs
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 medium onion
Pour beans in a baking pan or iron skillet. Slice hotdogs into 1/4-inch pieces and add to beans. Dice onions and add to beans. Add mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar. Stir until everything is mixed and cook about 30 minutes.

Crock-Pot Potato Dill Soup

Crock-Pot Potato Dill Soup
7 cups cubed peeled potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons dried dill weed
12 ounces evaporated milk
In a large crockpot, combine first ten ingredients. Cover and cook on high until the vegetables are tender (Depending on your crockpot this time can vary from 3 to 7 hours.). Add milk. Stir to blend and heat. Use a hand mixer to blend some of the "chunks" to thicken soup. Fix to preference: to thicken further, use potato flakes & to thin soup, add regular milk.