Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

1/2 cube (1/4 cup) butter
1 Tbl. dried onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can beef broth, divided
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
4 lbs. Russett Potatoes (weigh before peeling & slicing)

In large saucepan, melt butter. Add dried onion and saute a bit. Over medium head, add flour and whisk to make a roux. Add salt & pepper. Slowly add 1 cup of the beef broth, whisking to remove clumps. Slowly add 1 cup heavy cream, whisking. Turn heat down a bit, if needed. Add two kinds of cheese slowly, stirring with wooden spoon until melted. Slowly add rest of can of beef broth and additional 1/2 cup cream. Remove from heat when it is smooth and stirred.

Peel and thinly slice potatoes.

Grease casserole dish with non-stick spray. Lay down thin layer of potatoes. Pour over thin layer of cheese sauce. Add another thin layer of potatoes, following with another thin layer of cheese sauce. Continue adding thin layers of each one until ending with cheese sauce on top. Cover with tin foil and bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Then remove tin foil and bake for another 20-25 min. until nicely browned. Take out of oven and let sit for 1/2 hour before serving.

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

16 oz. frozen hash browns, cubed or shredded

Oil for browning
1 tsp. dried parsley
1-1/2 cups cooked breakfast meat: diced ham or 1 lb. sausage
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried mustard
1 cup cottage cheese
3/4 lb. grated cheese (about 3 cups), any variety

Brown hash browns in a bit of oil on stovetop.  Cook meat if it's not already cooked.  Prepare 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Spread cooked hashbrowns in bottom of pan. Sprinkle meat over hashbrowns. With mixer, combine eggs, cottage cheese, dried mustard and salt. Pour mixture over meat and hashbrowns.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 min uncovered.  Remove from oven when eggs are set.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.  May be served with salsa, sour cream, etc.

Oven-roasted Potatoes

Scrub desired amount of potatoes.  Can be peeled, if desired.
Slice potatoes into 1/2"-thick slices.
Oil roasting sheet or stone pan.  
Place sliced potatoes in a single layer on baking pan.  
Brush or rub additional oil over tops of slices.  Salt.
Bake in 425 degree oven for about 40 min. until golden brown.  (Check after 30 min.)
During last 10 min., can be sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Swedish Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork (not sausage)
1-1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. dried onion
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream

With hands, squish together meats.  Add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and onion.  In separate small bowl, whisk together egg and sour cream.  Add egg mixture to meat mixture and squish together.  Form into balls.

In large skillet (NOT non-stick), heat about 1/3 cup oil.  Add meat balls in batches.  As you add them to the oil, shake frying pan gently so they don't stick.  Continue to brown meatballs, moving frying pan as needed to brown on all sides without sticking.  Don't worry about cooking them all the way through, as they will continue to cook in the oven later.  Remove meatballs from pan when they're nicely browned and drain on paper towel.  

When all meatballs have been browned, pour remaining oil into a heat-proof dish, allowing browning to stay in pan.  Add 3 Tbl. of the oil back to the pan with the browned bits.  Add 1 Tbl. butter and 1/4 cup flour, whisking to make a roux.  Add 1 cup of beef broth and continue to whisk, allowing browned bits to stir into gravy.  Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk some more.  Gently place meatballs back into pan with gravy.  1 cup of fresh, sliced mushrooms can also be folded in, if desired.  Drizzle 1/2 cup additional beef broth over mixture--don't stir at this point.  Cover skillet with lid and put in 350-degree oven for 20-30 min. until meatballs are completely cooked.  Gently fold mixture again before serving over noodles or mashed potatoes.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherds Pie is a great way to use up those Sunday dinner left-overs of veggies, gravy, and mashed potatoes, but you can also make it from scratch!

For gravy:
1/4 cup (1/2 cube) real butter
1/4 cup flour
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. beef bullion
salt & pepper to taste

3-4 cups mashed potatoes
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups frozen peas & carrots mixture, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed and drained
1 can mushrooms, drained (or fresh) --optional
1 cup grated cheese to top, optional

Make the mashed potatoes, as desired.
In large frying pan, brown ground beef plenty. 

For gravy: (You need about 2 cups of gravy, if you are using left-overs!)  In medium saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and make a roux.  Whisk for about two minutes over medium heat.  Slowly add beef broth, whisking to make smooth.  Add bullion to taste.  When gravy is acceptable, stir it into ground beef.  Add peas & carrots, corn, and mushrooms.

Spread meat mixture in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Cover with mashed potatoes.

Bake in 350 degree oven until hot throughout, 20-30 min.  During last 10 min, add grated cheese to melt, if desired.

Homestyle Mashed Potatoes

Get large pot of water onto stove and begin boiling.
Meanwhile, peel and rinse desired amount of russet potatoes, maybe 1 per person.
Scrub, but do not peel 2-3 red potatoes.
Cut all potatoes into large chunks.
Add to boiling water and boil 20-23 minutes until fork tender.
Drain all water.
With potato masher, mash potatoes.
Add EVAPORATED MILK and continue mashing until almost fluffy enough.
Add SOUR CREAM to finish off the fluffy-factor.
Add  butter, or more evaporated milk or sour cream and salt to desired taste.

Potato Salad

3-4 potatoes, raw--Peel, cut in small cubes, boil for about 10 min. until tender
4 eggs--cover with water and simmer for 20 min. until hard-boiled
1/2 cup cubed cheese--I use colby jack, cut in tiny cubes
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup (or less) Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste
Paprika for garnish

After boiling cubed potatoes, allow to cool completely (in fridge is fine).
After boiling eggs, put directly in cold water.  Peel, cool completely, dice.
When all ingredients are cold and prepared, gently fold together potatoes, eggs, and cheese.  Add Miracle Whip, mayonnaise and desired seasonings.  Serve and keep cold.

Chicken Alabam

1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of thyme
2-3 boneless skinless breast-halves, cut in large chunks (raw)
oil for frying

Combine flour, salt, paprika, pepper and thyme in plastic bag.  Add chicken pieces and shake to coat.  Save dredging flour (for sauce).  Fry chicken in oil in non-stick skillet...but only fry until they are nicely browned (don't worry about cooking the whole way through, as they'll cook some more in the oven and you don't want it to be dry & overcooked).  After frying, place in baking dish.

Sauce:
1/4 onion, sliced thinly (optional)
2 Tbl. butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup cream
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. pimiento (optional)
1 tsp. chicken bullion--or as needed to flavor

In separate pan, saute onion slices in butter.  Add excess flour from dredging chicken (above) to make a roux.  Add chicken broth.  Add cream, cooking til gravy-like.  Add lemon juice, bullion (if needed), and pimiento.  Adjust flavors or thickness as desired.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Cover with foil and bake until chicken is no longer pink (but don't overcook).  Great served with mashed potatoes.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef
sprinkle of dried onion
thinly sliced celery
3 Tbl. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 can mushrooms, not drained
Milk
3/4 cup sour cream

In large skillet (not non-stick), brown ground beef with onion and celery.  When browned (with bits stuck to bottom of pan), turn heat lower and sprinkle in flour and salt & pepper.  Use large spoon to coat meat with flour.  When flour has been absorbed, add 1/2 cup milk and stir 'til thickened.  Add undrained mushrooms, stirring again to thicken.  Add sour cream and stir.  Add more milk as needed to thin to desired consistency.  Serve over egg noodles, rice, or potatoes.

Mashed Potato Green Bean Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
sprinkle of dried onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 fine dry bread crumbs or crushed saltines
1 Tbl. dried parsley flakes
2-3 cups mashed potatoes or french fries
Salt & pepper to taste (don't use more salt if you used saltines above)
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 can green beans, drained

In skillet (not non-stick) brown ground beef with dried onion. Add beaten egg, bread crumbs, parsley, salt & pepper, and HALF of soup. Mix well and press into greased baking dish.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Then spread the other half of the soup over the potatoes.  Top this layer with the green beans.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 min.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Broccoli Casserole

3 cups hash-brown potato cubes
2 cups broccoli florettes
2-3 raw chicken breasts, cut in little cubes while still partially frozen
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups grated cheese

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl (it's fine if chicken or potatoes are still frozen).  Spray slow-cooker with non-stick spray.  Dump mixture in slow-cooker.  Cover and cook on high 2-1/2 - 3 hours.

Beef Stew

About 3 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast
5-6 small-med. potatoes (if red--don't peel; if russet--peel), diced
About 3 cups diced or sliced carrots
About 2 cups sliced celery
2-3 Tbl. fresh sliced onion (or 1 Tbl. dried)
1 can diced tomatoes
3 cans beef broth
About 3 Tbl. fat (for making roux)
About 1/3 cup flour (for making roux)

Cut roast in small bite-sized chunks.  Salt and pepper them.  Dredge individually in flour, so they don't stick together.  Brown in small batches in heavy pot (or dutch oven) in oil.  Don't worry about cooking them all the way through, as they'll finish cooking later.  Add more oil as necessary.  As you brown them, remove to drain on paper towels.  Brown onion and celery in remaining oil.  

In large crock pot, put meat, celery & onion, sliced carrots and diced potatoes.  To pan where you cooked meat, add one can beef broth--cook and scrape bottom of pan to remove browned bits.  Add this broth/bits mixture to crock pot.  Add another can of beef broth and 1 can of diced tomatoes (this should all barely cover meat and veggie mixture).  Turn slow cooker to high and cook for about 4 hours.  After all veggies and meat are tender, begin making a roux in a small saucepan with some fat (butter or other) and flour.  Add one can broth to roux and whisk til thickened.  Add some liquid from the crock pot to the roux for additional liquid.  Then pour this thickened mixture slowly into crock pot mixture, stirring carefully to combine.  

Chicken Paprika

3 boneless skinless breast-halves, cut in serving-size pieces
1 cup flour
2 Tbl. paprika

Mix flour and paprika in a plastic bag.  Dredge chicken breasts in mixture.  Fry in some shallow vegetable oil at medium-high heat until each side is lightly browned (don't cook chicken all the way, as it will bake more in the oven later).  Remove chicken from oil and place in a baking dish.  

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 onion (or as desired), sliced thinly

Toss mushrooms and onions in left-over flour mixture.  Saute mushrooms and onion in the same oil until thoroughly cooked and a little crispy.  Drain onions and mushrooms and put on top of chicken in baking dish. 

To make gravy, in medium-size saucepan melt:
 1/2 cube butter
1/4 cup remaining flour mixture 
Whisk together flour and butter to make a roux.  
Add: 
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp. chicken bullion granules or powder

Season, etc. to desired taste and thickness.  Pour over chicken.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min. or so until chicken is done.  Serve with rice pilaf or mashed potatoes.

Creamy Chicken Stroganoff

4-6 boneless chicken breast-halves (could be frozen or thawed)
1/4 cup water
1 packet Italian Dressing Mix
3/4 bar cream cheese (about 6 oz), softened
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms, drained

Spray crock pot with non-stick spray.  Put chicken in. Dissolve packet of dressing mix in water and pour it over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low 4 hours (if frozen, 6 hours).  Don't overcook, as chicken will be dry.  After chicken has cooked, lift it out of pot and shred a bit.  Strain liquid from crock pot into separate container.  In small saucepan, melt together cream cheese, soup, and mushrooms.  Add 1/4-1/2 cup strained liquid from pot (to desired sauciness).  Pour sauce over shredded chicken.  Return chicken to crock pot or put in small casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray and heat/bake 'til bubbly and ready to serve. Serve over rice, potatoes or noodles.

Cheesy Potatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I use colby jack)
20-25 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes, shredded or cubed

Stir together cream of chicken soup and sour cream.  Add frozen potatoes and stir.  Add shredded cheese and stir until goopy and combined.  Spread in greased dish.  Top with about 2/3 cup bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbl. melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until edges are bubbly and top is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 min. or so until a bit cool and it has set up.

Potato Pancakes

6 med-size potatoes, peeled and rinsed
5 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt

Shred potatoes and put in colander lined with thin kitchen dish towel.  Rinse with cold water.  Drain and squeeze out as much water as possible by twisting potatoes in towel.  In separate bowl, whisk eggs and salt.  Dump shredded potatoes into egg mixture and stir.  Sprinkle flour over top and stir until well-blended.  

Into large, non-stick fry pan, add oil to almost cover bottom of pan (thin layer).  Dump 1/2-cup servings into oil and flatten a bit.  Fry until dark golden on each side and drain on paper towel.  Serve hot with ketchup or applesauce.

Sesame Pork Ribs

3-5 lbs. boneless pork ribs--place in slow cooker and cover with sauce

Sauce:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbl. vinegar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt

Cook, covered on low heat for 5-6 hours.  Remove meat and shred into chunks a bit in serving dish.

Strain sauce into a small sauce pan and heat on med-high.  Mix 2 Tbl. corn starch with 3 Tbl. water and add to saucepan.  Cook over med. until thick and bubbly.  Pour desired amount of sauce over meat.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve over rice or with baked potatoes.

BBQ Shredded Beef or Pulled Pork

To Make the Meat: 
Beef: Buy boneless Chuck Center Roast
Pork: Buy boneless Boston Butt Pork Shoulder  (don't buy pork loin--too dry)

Put pork or beef roast in the crock-pot.  Do not add any liquid, sauce or water to it.  Cover and put on low for 10-12 hours.

After cooking, put roast to side.  Drain remaining liquid through a strainer so you have an empty crock pot.  (Broth can be used later for gravies, soups, etc.)  Clean out crock pot.

While meat is still warm, shred with forks.  After it is all shredded, pour desired amount of sauce over the top. (Recipe below.)  Stir until all meat is coated.  If you like it a bit more moist, you can add more sauce or pour a bit of the left-over broth (from the crock-pot) over it until it is desired “moistness”.  Put meat back in slow-cooker to keep warm until serving time.

You can serve the meat with anything: over rice or baked potatoes, or in sandwiches.  (I like the “Steak House Rolls” from Wal-mart or "Hard Rolls from Macey's.)

For Sauce:

1 cup bottled BBQ sauce--we like Sweet Baby Ray's
1   8-oz. can tomato sauce

½ cup brown sugar

½ tsp. chili powder

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. vinegar

To serve a large crowd: Figure about 1/3 lb. raw weight of meat per person if serving teen boys and men.  If serving kids and women too--plan on 1/4 lb. per person.
For sauce for a crowd: Figure one recipe of sauce for every 5 lbs. of meat.

To serve 70-80 people: 27 lbs. (raw weight) roasts (about 8 roasts)