Cucumber Tomato Salad

I remember mom making this many many times when I was a little kid... Except she didn't add the vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt & pepper of course... But you get the point I think don't you? LOL! It's so easy and so versatile because you can make as much or as little as you want to serve as many or a few people as you want! :)



Diced cucumber

Diced tomato

Minced onion, optional

Mayonnaise

Vinegar to taste

Sugar to taste

Hot sauce to taste

Onion powder if you want some

Salt & pepper to taste

Place cucumbers & tomato in a bowl. Add the onion if you want it. Add as much mayo, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce & seasonings as your taste buds like. Chill until serving and ENJOY!!

Eight Layer Salad

I came up with this salad a hunnerd years ago when we were out west at Gene & Linda's for the 4th of July. They had some broccoli that needed to be used up and so I stuck it in and made the eighth layer that nobody hears about. ;) Every time I bring it to church people fight over it, and that even includes Reece! Hope you love it as much as we do! 

3 C. Miracle Whip
1/4 C. + 1/2 T. sugar
1-2 T. vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

1 head iceburg lettuce
2 C. shredded carrots
2 C. broccoli, chopped fine
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (12-16 oz.) pkg. frozen peas
1 bundle green onions, sliced
1 (12-16 oz.) pkg. bacon, diced, browned & drained OR 2 pkgs. real bacon bits
2  1/2 C. shredded cheese

Mix up the Miracle Whip, sugar, vinegar, salt & pepper; set aside. Wash the lettuce and then tear it into bite sized pieces. Layer on the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Layer on the carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, peas & green onions. Pour the dressing over top and if it wants to be stubborn, beat the pan on the table a few times and it'll start heading down through the layers. Sprinkle with the bacon, then the cheese. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

A Pie So Good That Reece Can't Eat It

In the actual world this pie is probably called Chocolate Cream Cheese Satin Pie but I like my name better. It has more of a ring to it don't you think?

Please pardon my nausea for these many many moons. I couldn't stand thinking about writing about food on here so I haven't posted anything at all. Hence the large pile of recipes and magazines next to my computer. *sigh*

Here's your recipe. And trust me. Cut it in the smallest pieces you can or you'll die of sugar overload. Unless you're like me and my kids, in which case you'd have to eat 3 small pieces in order to satisfy everyone, but there is no documentation on this theory. And as usual... No recipe escapes unscathed when I gaze upon it... so with no further ado... Please wipe up your drool. I'm done talking now.

I think.

Crust:
1  1/2 C. Oreo cookie crumbs
5 T. butter, melted

Filling:
11 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C. powdered sugar, divided
2 C. whipping cream
2 t. vanilla

Garnish:
2 T. grated semisweet chocolate -about 1 oz.

  Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine all the crust ingredients and press on to the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan. *The easiest way to crush your cookies is stick them in the food processor until they are all crummy.* Bake for 8 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
  Melt the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Or just use a double boiler. *Do Not let the object containing the chocolate to touch the water!!* Stir often until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
  Beat the cream cheese and 1/4 C. of the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate until blended.
  Beat the cream, remaining powdered sugar and the vanilla until firm but NOT stiff peaks form. Fold half the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until blended and spread into the crust. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the filling. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Cover and store in the fridge.

Mushroom Swiss Burgers

I love Mushroom Swiss burgers. I love the Angus ones at McDonald's, I love the ones from DQ and from Hardees and from that little truck stop in the town who's name I can't remember in Montana that Reece didn't even know was there until I was in the truck with him in February and I love them from the Stamart in Fargo. But now I am forever ruined I fear... I made them myself at home. And I made up my own recipe because I couldn't find anything I liked anywhere online. *sigh* That's okay. These things are GOOD!!! Rosie even liked them and she doesn't like hamburgers very much! :D I also added onion, 'cause I've always felt that the onions were the only thing lacking in the ones I eat in the restaurants.

Obviously you can adjust the amount of meat you use... I made a bunch so I could have some leftover for the next time the Mushroom Swiss urge strikes my left taste bud.

2 lbs. hamburger

Mushroom sauce:
5 T. butter
1/2 medium onion, sliced in 1/4" rings -I also sliced the rings in half
1 lb. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. brown gravy mix -and there is a healthy version out there! Azure Standard sells it!
2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 1  1/2 C. water
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salt -if you need it
Flour if your sauce isn't thick enough for you

Mayonnaise
Swiss Cheese
Hamburger buns

Melt the butter and saute the onions and mushrooms until the mushrooms are cooked. Sprinkle with the brown gravy mix and stir it all together so there are no clumps to be seen. Pour in the water and stir until smooth, add the Worcestershire sauce, pepper and salt if you need it. Cook until thick. If your sauce isn't the consistency you like, add flour mixed with a little water so you don't end up with clumps. Keep warm while you grill your burgers. I used my George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine. :D I didn't add and salt or pepper to the burgers when I cooked them and they tasted perfect. When the burgers are all cooked, lay them on a cookie sheet, top with a couple T. of mushroom sauce and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Spread both sides of your hamburger bun with mayo, top with the burger and eat with Great Gusto. (Whoever HE is!;)

Bean & Ham Soup



1 lb. white beans
Water
1/2 tsp. soda

1 ham bone
1 bay leaf
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Water

1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced -I use my garlic press
2 stalks celery, minced
1 qt. marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
2 C. chopped ham
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Mrs. Dash
Garlic powder

Soak the beans overnight in water. Drain, pour them into a kettle and add the soda. Bring to a boil and turn the burner down before they beans boil merrily and violently over the entire stove. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear. In a large kettle, crockpot or bean pot, put the ham bone, bay leaf, bouillon cubes, beans & enough water to cover the beans. Bake at 375 degrees for 2 hours. Remove the ham bone and let it cool slightly before removing the meat. When cool enough to touch without dancing a jig in the kitchen, remove the meat and add enough leftover ham to make about 2 cups. To the beans, add the onion, garlic, celery, whatever tomato business you're using, ham and seasonings to taste. Bake for another hour and serve. My kids loved it! :) P.S. I forgot to take a picture of my bowl of soup. It were perty. SIGH.

Leftover Easter Soup



I came up with this soup one day when I had a bunch of leftovers from a ham dinner. Nobody felt like eating ham & mashed potatoes & gravy anymore, so, when all else fails... make soup! :D It's quite easy. You need ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, sour cream, chicken broth, cream cheese, onion, black pepper, Mrs, Dash & sharp cheddar cheese.

1 can chicken broth
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2  1/2 - 3 C. chopped ham
1 small onion (1/3 C.?)
1/4 C. sour cream
1  1/4 C. ham gravy
3 C. mashed potatoes
Mrs. Dash
Black Pepper
Milk
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Pour the broth into a non stick pot. Add the cream cheese and onion. Cook on high until the cream cheese melts. Add the ham, sour cream & gravy. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes, Mrs. Dash and pepper. Add milk to thin to the desired consistency. Cook another 5 minutes or until the potatoes decide to quit being clumpy. Add the cheese and let melt, then serve happily to everyone you see.

Good Grief!

I am sorry people... But if you are looking for a PW look alike here, you ain't gonna find it. I don't have time to edit 99,000 pictures of food so they actually look edible instead of like unmentionable body parts and poop and stuff like that. So I shall no longer post as many pictures. I don't have the right lighting in my house, and I WILL not post pictures like some food blogs on here! If I wanted to forever gross you out on all things chocolate I'd post the link, but that'd be mean. So. My explanation is over. Good day! ;D