Flaky Ham and Cheese Rolls

Ingredients:

1 Pie crust dough
4 Ounces shredded cheddar cheese
5-6 Pieces of thinly sliced ham

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out pie crust. Cover crust with shredded cheese to within one inch of edge. Cover cheese with ham slices.

Loosely roll up pie crust and place on a greased (I used Pam spray) baking sheet, seam side down. Make several cuts in top of dough.

Bake for 16-20 minutes until nicely browned on the outside.

Slice and serve!

Would be good with many different meat and cheese combinations. Also may be good as a "Stromboli" dipped in marinara.


* Adapted from http://m.pillsbury.com/recipes/flaky-deli-slices/5016240f-84bf-426b-9a6c-922bfc9765bd

Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 4 cups frozen peas, carrots, cut green beans, and corn
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 4 cups cubed cooked turkey meat - light and dark meat mixed

Pie Crusts:

• 4 C Flour
• 2 C Crisco
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 10-14 Tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.

Place the peas, carrots, green beans, corn, and celery into a saucepan; cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat until the celery is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the vegetables in a colander set in the sink, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup of flour, salt, black pepper, celery seed, onion powder, and Italian seasoning; slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove from heat; stir the cooked vegetables and turkey meat into the filling until well combined.

Cut Crisco into flour and salt and add water until at desired consistency. Roll out pie crust dough into four pieces.

Fit 2 pie crusts into the bottom of 2 9-inch pie dishes. Spoon half the filling into each pie crust, then top each pie with another crust. Pinch and roll the top and bottom crusts together at the edge of each pie to seal, and cut several small slits into the top of the pies with a sharp knife to release steam.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the crusts are browning too quickly, cover the pies with aluminum foil after about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 

* Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/dads-leftover-turkey-pot-pie/detail.aspx and my grandma's crust recipe.

Chunky Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

1 ½ C Uncooked macaroni, cooked & drained

½ lb Cooked ham cut into ½” cubes

1 Cucumber, peeled & cut in small pieces

1 C Frozen peas, thawed & drained

¼ C Grated carrot

¼ C Finely chopped red onion (optional)

1 ¼ C Mayonnaise

¼ tsp Salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled (several hours or overnight).

* From my mom's recipe box

Waikiki Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef

2/3 C Corn Flake Crumbs

1/3 C Minced Onion

1 Egg

1 1/2 t Salt

1/4 t Ground Ginger

1/4 C Milk

1 T Oil or Lard

2 T Cornstarch

1/2 C Brown Sugar, packed

1 can (13 1/2 ounces) Pineapple Tidbits or Chunks, drained (reserve syrup)

1/3 C Apple Cider Vinegar

1 T Soy Sauce

1/3 C Chopped Bell Pepper

Directions:

Mix thoroughly beef, crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into balls. Melt shortening in large skillet; brown and cook meatballs. Remove meatballs; keep warm. Pour fat from skillet.

Mix cornstarch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple syrup, vinegar and soy sauce until smooth. Pour into skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green peppers; heat through.

Serve on white rice.

Yield: 4-5 Servings

 * Adapted from my mom's recipe box

Colorado Cache Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

4 whole cooked and diced chicken breasts
1/2 c water chestnuts, sliced
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c seedless grapes
1/4 c finely chopped celery
1 tsp finely minced candied ginger
3/4 c mayonnaise
2 T wine vineger
1 T soy sauce
2 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp curry powder

Optional:

6 slices pineapple
lettuce leaves

Directions:

Mix chicken and water chestnuts, pecans, grapes, celery and ginger. Blend mayonnaise, vinegar, soy sauce, onion and curry powder. Toss dressing with the chicken mixture. Chill overnight to allow flavors to mingle. To serve, spoon onto pineapple slices arranged on lettuce leaves (or serve on croissants).

* From Colorado Cache cookbook, Denver's Junior League

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 large eggs
• flour ( for dredging)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white onions, chopped
• 1 large shallots, minced fine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced fine
• 1/2 cup sweet vermouth or 1/2 cup sherry wine or 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup prepared bouillon, with
• 2 teaspoons flour, blended together
• 1 lemons, juice of
• 2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
• 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and lightly crushed
• 1 lb sauteed fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, sliced thinly

Directions:

1. Thoroughly wash and pat dry chicken.
2. Pound chicken flat - 1/2 inch (Cook's Tip: Place the chicken between two wax paper sheets and use gentle strokes when pounding - The meat can tear easily. Pounding the chicken is a very important step if you wish your chicken to be tender.).
3. Beat the egg in a bowl large enough to hold chicken.
4. In a shallow pie plate, combine flour, Parmesan, paprika, salt and pepper.
5. Dip chicken in egg, then in flour mixture until well coated.
6. Heat a wide skillet and melt the butter, then add the olive oil. When hot, add the chicken (Do not crowd skillet.). Quickly brown the chicken on both sides, adding more butter and oil as needed (Fry until appearance is golden and chicken is cooked.). Remove chicken to serving platter, keep warm.
7. In the drippings, sauté' the onion, shallot, and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the vermouth/sherry/wine and the bouillon; deglaze the skillet - stirring to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
8. Return the chicken to the skillet. Pour the lemon juice, grated lemon peel, capers and mushrooms over the chicken; gently turn chicken to coat with sauce. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
9. For serving: Remove chicken to warm serving platter and top with sauce, parsley and lemon slices.

* From http://www.food.com/315187

Incredible Dirt Cake

Ingredients:

20 Ounces chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)

8 Ounces softened cream cheese

¼ Cup butter or margarine (softened)

1 Small package chocolate or vanilla instant pudding

3 Cups cold milk

16 Ounces whipped topped (like Cool Whip)

1 Package gummy worms

8-Inch new flower pot (optional)

1 Flower, real or plastic (optional)

1 New gardening trowel (optional)

Directions:

In a food processor process the cookies until they resemble dirt; set aside.

Mix cream cheese and butter together in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium size bowl, combine pudding with milk, let set a few minutes. Add the mixture of cream cheese and butter to pudding. Fold in whipped topping.

In a new clean flower pot (or large bowl), starting with “dirt” alternate layers of “dirt” and “mud”, adding a couple of gummy worms in the dirt layer. End with the dirt on top. Add a few more gummy worms. Chill 3 or 4 hours. When ready to serve, insert flower and serve with a new gardening trowel.

*From my mom's recipe box