White Chocolate Frosting

The color scheme was black, white and red at the bridal shower I made these for. We had the idea to do 2-layer red velvet cupcakes with white frosting and a kiss on top...because well, it's a kiss. Now that I think about it, we should've gotten the dark chocolate kisses. So I just needed to decide which frosting to make...buttercream? no, too uninteresting. Cream cheese? nah, too cliche. Then it hit me. White chocolate! My go-to no-fail so good chocolate sour cream frosting recipe would be perfect except I would substitute white chocolate for the semisweet. Let me tell you...It. Was. Brilliant. I will definitely make this one again and again!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white chocolate pieces 
• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1 cup sour cream (not reduced fat or fat free) 
• 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract*

In a saucepan melt white chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, salt and almond (or vanilla), beating till smooth and of spreading consistency.   

* I used almond extract in this frosting only because I didn't have any colorless vanilla and I wanted the frosting to stay the purest white otherwise I would've put in a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  I wanted just a hint of almond flavor so I only put in 1/8 teaspoon and it was amazing. If you want the almond flavor a little stronger you can add more.

Parmesan Corn Chowder

It's that time of year...when I want to make soup every night. It's so comforting. I love to cook it. It is as relaxing to me to cook it as it is to eat it. The ease of one big pot of soup, some bread and a simple salad and the meal is complete. That always makes me happy on a busy weeknight. I started making this one 15 years ago when Q and I were first married and it's been a regular favorite every year since. I remember when we were living in Ukraine, in '03 and '04, Eden was 4 years old and she loved this soup and she even started calling herself "soup girl". I can't make this soup now without remembering that and smiling. Then again, she's 12 now, and when I realize how fast the time has gone I can't help but cry. So, tonight I was smiling and crying and making this favorite soup. If you try it, maybe it will become a favorite of yours too.


adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Best Loved Community Recipes

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups cubed peeled potato
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced carrot
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 can Green Giant cream-style corn
• 1 can Green Giant (not reduced sodium) whole kernel corn drained

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, stir together 2 cups water, the potato, carrot, celery, onion and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour. Add the milk and cream all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.

3. Add the cheese, stirring unto vegetable mixture. Stir in the til it is melted. Carefully add the cheese mixture corn. Heat the soup through, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.

B's Velvet Sweet Potatoes

The name was lovingly given by my friend Sue. I've won metaphorical awards at Marty family gatherings, and dinners with friends for these sweet potatoes. They are ever-present at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner on my side of the family made by my cousin's wife who is an amazing cook and baker. She started making them years ago with this wonderful praline topping. But over the years, I began to miss the marshmallow top I remembered enjoying so much as a young girl when my grandma used to make them. So my cousin started making a small casserole dish of marshmallow topped sweet potatoes just for me. It didn't take long though, and other family members joined in my nostalgia and helped themselves to my toasted marshmallow dream-come-true... and now Jean just makes two big casseroles...one of each kind.

...so, praline or marshmallow topped; you decide...or be like us and choose both...but topping or not, your mouth will think it died and went to sweet potato heaven when you taste this velvety goodness.

adapted from Jean's recipe

Ingredients and Directions:

• 6 cups baked* mashed sweet potatoes

clean the sweet potatoes and make an X in the top with a knife. place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until they are done. the baking time depends entirely on the size of your potatoes so check them frequently once they start to feel soft when squeezed. if you have varying sizes you can remove them from the oven as they finish baking. they will ooze and become almost carmelized. *Baking them versus boiling is the key to the amazingness of the finished product so give yourself plenty of time to make them or *BONUS* you can even make them the night before once they have cooled slightly you can easily remove the skins with a knife. To mash them a potato ricer works the best to get them extra smooth but if you don't have a ricer just use an electric mixer to mash them.

• 4 eggs beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

mix the remaining ingredients into the mashed potatoes and put into a pretty casserole dish 9x13 or any one with the appropriate capacity. you can make them ahead up to this point and refrigerate them. 
note: you may have to adjust the baking time slightly if they are cold when you put them in the oven.

praline topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

mix together and cover the top of the sweet potatoes and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

for the nostalgic marshmallow topping:

cover the top with large marshmallows for the last 15 minutes of baking time and cook until golden watching them closely.

Sugared Cranberries

I "heart" cranberries! so I love cranberries anyway but these are highly addictive. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Don't they just scream Christmas? How pretty would these look in a bowl right next to the nuts? or on the dessert table? or I don't know, just put a bowl of them in every room of my house because I want to eat them all the time. I think the antioxidants in the cranberries justifies all the sugar. Are you with me on this?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3/4 superfine sugar

Directions:

1. combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves.
2. bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.)
3. stir in cranberries
4. pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
5. drain cranberries in a colander
6. place superfine sugar* in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries in small batches of 20 -30 at a time, rolling to coat with sugar.
7. carefully place sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

*to make your own superfine sugar, process a cup of granulated sugar in the food processor for 30 seconds to one minute

I used them as a garnish on these cupcakes I made for a bridal shower. The wedding colors are black white and red so we wanted to incorporate the same theme into the shower.

Snappy Gingersnaps

I love gingersnaps! It's like fall disguised as a cookie. This is a great recipe that's morphed into the perfect gingersnap over my years of baking these. I always make these cookies when I make my pumpkin cheesecake dip.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger (or 2- 3 tablespoons fresh grated*)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch cayenne pepper (optional) I like to add this to give them a little extra 'snap'
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350
2. cream butter and sugars
3. add egg and vanilla and beat well
4. stir in molasses and mix well *if using fresh ginger add it here
5. sift together flour and spices twice
6. add to molasses mixture and beat until dough forms
7. chill dough about 30 minutes
8. roll into small uniform balls (I use my kitchen scale to measure 15 grams per cookie)
9. roll in white sugar and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
10. flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass
11. bake in the preheated oven for exactly 9 minutes (longer if you like your ginger snaps more crispy)
12. remove to wire racks to cool completely

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

I got the idea for this recipe from Southern Living. This is so much fun to serve at a party in the fall and it's always a huge hit.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup  powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• dash allspice
• dash nutmeg
• dash ground cloves
• chopped pecans and brown sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. beat cream cheese till creamy 
2. gradually add sugars, beating well.

3. stir in pumpkin, and spices.
4. cover and chill.
5. garnish with a little brown sugar and chopped pecans just before serving

I love to serve this with my homemade gingersnaps and gingerbread cookies cut out in fun pumpkin and leaf shapes and little hearts. I also have a turkey shaped cookie cutter that's really cute. Apple and pear slices are a nice complement and they look pretty on the plate. This dip is good with a salty companion too like pretzel crisps.

Salmon Salad

This is a Marty family recipe. Quenton and I used to have this salad all the time before we had kids. It's perfect for a light dinner or lunch.

Ingredients and Directions:

• 2 hearts of romaine lettuce chopped
• 3-4 hard boiled eggs chopped
• 1/2 - 1lb. bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
• 1 large tomato diced (or grape tomatoes cut in half)
• 1 avacado diced
• 1 7.1 oz. package salmon (Chicken of the Sea pink salmon skinless boneless in the pouch)

Dressing:

• juice of 1-2 lemons
• 1/4 c. oil
• salt and pepper to taste

wisk together, toss with salad and serve immediately

Serve with a warm loaf of hearty multi-grain bread and butter. This is also the perfect complement to any vegetarian soup. 

this recipe serves 2-4

Scalloped Corn

This is definitely a family favorite recipe on my side of the family. This corn always reminds me of my grandpa, my mom's dad, because he loved it so much. He passed away in 2004 when we were living in Ukraine...I miss him.

Ingredients:

• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 can whole kernel corn drained (Green Giant is the best)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 well beaten egg
• 1 cup soda cracker crumbs
• 1/2 medium onion minced (1/4 cup)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• dash pepper
• 1/2 cup townhouse or club cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. heat corn and milk in a saucepan over medium to medium high heat.
2. gradually stir in egg.
3. add next 4 ingredients. Mix well.
4. put into greased 8 inch round baking dish.
5. coat top with townhouse or club cracker crumbs.
6. bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until center is set.

SHORTCUT: if you have a blender...put milk, 1/2 onion, egg, salt and pepper into blender and blend it up. add to the corn in a saucepan and heat. stir in the soda cracker crumbs put into the baking dish top with crumbs and bake

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste (I like a lot)
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter divided

Directions:

1. peel and clean 5 lbs potatoes. cut into small even-sized pieces. add to large pot of boiling water. return to boiling, reduce heat and cover. cook potatoes until fork-tender (about 15 - 20 minutes).
2. mash the cooked potatoes with an electric mixer.
3. add the cream cheese and mix well.
4. add the 1/2 cup (or a little less)butter and sour cream ***and mix well.
5. add salt, onion salt and fresh ground pepper mix well.
6. put into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
7. dot the top of potatoes with 1/4 cup butter.
8. cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

***Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes option:  to make these wonderful mashed potatoes even more wonderful, sometimes I add roasted garlic.  Separate the cloves of one to two whole bulbs of garlic but don't peel them. toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes or until very tender. cool slightly then squeeze the pulp from the garlic cloves into the pot of mashed potatoes and mix in with the butter and sour cream. continue with the directions above.

Baked Oatmeal

I wasted too much of my life not making this and not eating this. I hadn't even heard of it until we moved to Pennsylvania in 2004. Q had it at a breakfast meeting and came home and raved about it to me. It sounded amazing...so how do you make it? We noticed it was often on the menu at restaurants so we figured it must be a Pennsylvania thing. So I got the recipe from my friend Dawn. I love to make this for our overnight guests or take a pan of it unbaked along with a dinner for a family in need [so they can put it in the oven for breakfast the next morning]. We also sold this at our coffee shop in Krakow, Poland and it was a huge hit. This is another one of those recipes that you can be  creative with and try different variations.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups [quick 1 minute] oats
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. combine first four ingredients in a medium mixing bowl

3. in a seperate bowl whisk together brown sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla

4. add to dry ingredients and mix well

5. Stir in the melted butter last.

6. Pour into a shallow 9x9 baking dish

7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes

Serve with milk or cream and fresh fruit or berries. It's also fun to experiment with different nuts and I've tried it with about 3/4 cup cranberries cut in half (stir in with the melted butter) adds a wonderful tartness.

Swedish Pancakes

These are a childhood favorite of Q's and now we make them for our kids. They LOVE these... even better than the American pancakes. They are similar to crepes. I love to experiment with different fruits and toppings but we for sure always serve them with lemon and powdered sugar. I like to mix it together in a little bowl and drizzle it over the pancakes. Sometimes I make a strawberry puree to serve with them or a cherry syrup. The best part is that you can just be creative with whatever you have on hand. YUM.

Ingredients and Directions:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk

beat well with an electric mixer

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

combine and beat into above until smooth

• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/4 cups milk

stir into above. batter should be thin and smooth.

heat large skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil over medium to medium high heat. pour about 1/3 cup batter into the hot skillet and swirl it around so it spreads out to cover the bottom of the pan. cook for 1-2 minutes and flip. cook for an additional 30 seconds or so. They should be very thin.

Serve with berries and sweetened fresh lemon juice. Dust with powdered sugar.

Tart-Sweet Apple Crisp

When the air gets crisp, so does dessert. This has always been my favorite apple crisp recipe. It's my mom's...maybe that's why? It's the one I grew up on. The best part for me though...other than the fact that it doesn't involve oats, not that I have anything against oats, I just don't like them on my crisps and cobblers...is that the topping is sweet and the filling is just tart and cinnamon-y. There is no sugar in the filling so it's just the perfect complement to the topping...and the most perfect experience for your tastebuds.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter slightly softened
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2  cups sugar
• 5 lbs (before peeling and coring) baking apples. I like to use a couple different varieties to enhance the flavor and texture.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350°     
2. generously butter bottom and sides of 9x13 pan.
3. In a medium bowl, cut together flour, butter, and sugar using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Set aside.
4. core peel and slice apples 
5. put the apples evenly into the buttered pan
6. sprinkle with salt and cinnamon toss with hands to coat evenly
7. pour the water over the apples in the pan
8. spread butter-flour-sugar mixture evenly over the apples.
9. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden and apples are fully cooked and bubbling.

Cool slightly but serve warm on pretty plates with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Fresh Orange Cake with Walnut Buttercream Frosting

I'm not afraid to admit that I'm obsessed with cake. It is my weakness er...[one of] my weakness[es]. That said, this is my most favorite cake of all.  I found the recipe in my favorite cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Best Loved Community Recipes. The cookbook was a gift to me from Quenton when we were dating "just because" he knew I loved to cook. It is one of those well used and well loved cookbooks that is now completely falling apart and has food splattered on all of my favorite pages. 

Happy 35th Birthday to me!

I made my favorite cake for myself when we were living in Krakow, Poland in 2009.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 1 tablespoon or more of grated rind of 1 orange 
• 3/4 cup milk 
• 1/4 cup juice of the orange 
• 2 eggs

Ingredients: 

Filling and Frosting:

• 1 cup milk 
• 5 tablespoons sifted cake flour 
• 1/2 cup shortening 
• 1/2 cup butter softened 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts 
• 1/2 to 1 cup sifted powdered sugar 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans. Set aside.
2. To make the cake: Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and the grated orange rind.
3. Add the milk and the orange juice to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the eggs; beat for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the 350 oven about 25 minutes or until the cake tests done with a wooden toothpick.
5. Cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pans (may stick on bottom). Cool the layers on racks.
6. To make the filling and frosting: Blend the milk and cake flour in a saucepan. Cook over meduum-low heat to a very thick paste, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm about 40 minutes (tip: if I'm in a hurry I scrape it out onto a plate and spread it out a bit so it cools faster).
7. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter with the 1 cup granulated sugar and salt.
8. Add the lukewarm paste to the shortening mixture and beat with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
9. Stir in vanilla. *Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture. Fold the nuts into the remaining mixture. **Spread 1 1/2 cups of the mixture between the cake layers.
10. Add the powdered sugar to the remaining mixture and beat vigorously with a spoon to desired consistency. Frost top and sides of cake.

* Use the reserved 3/4 cup of frosting to seal in the crumbs. First, brush off as many crumbs as you can by hand. Then, spread the sides of the cake with a thin smooth coat of frosting. This layer will help seal in any stray crumbs. Finally, spread a thicker layer of frosting over the thin layer, swirling the frosting decoratively.

** If the filling and frosting is a little soft, add some sifted powdered sugar until it is just the right spreading consistency.

Dawnie's Cornbread (ahem...cake)

A much fluffier, tastier version of the dry, dense, crumbly stuff that comes to mind. Trust me, it's the best!

Ingredients:

• 3 c. bisquik
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 3 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 c. butter melted

mix dry ingredients. add milk eggs and butter and mix together. pour into 9x13 bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes

Beer Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour (sifted before measured)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt
• 12 oz. beer (Miller Highlife is my fave for this recipe)
• ¼ cup butter melted
• rosemary and garlic salt to taste 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Be sure to sift the flour before you measure the three cups.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl

4. Make a well in the center and pour the beer in. Mix, but DON’T OVER-MIX! 

5. Put dough into a greased loaf pan. 

6. Pour the melted butter over and sprinkle with the rosemary and garlic salt

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

8. *Remove from pan immediately.

9. Cool for 15 minutes minimum before slicing

The bread will be crunchy and crusty on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside!

*if you leave it in the pan to cool it will get all soggy and chewy!

B's Chili (Traditional)

This is my own chili recipe. After years and years of makin' chili and lovin' it and quite frankly, wingin' it... I was going to teach it at my cooking class in Poland.  I realized I didn't have anything really written down so I needed to gather my thoughts and decide once and for all "if I were going to make [and teach] the perfect pot of chili... what would I want in it? and what would the measurements be? What am I gonna tell these people?!!" ...and this is what I came up with...and they loved it! ...and now I don't have to 'wing it' anymore.


Ingredients and Directions:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 ½ cups chopped onion
• 6-8 cloves garlic

1. heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.

2. add garlic and onions. cook until tender.

3. add ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink 

• 2 large(28 oz each) cans diced/or crushed tomatoes (do not drain)
• 2-3 cans spicy chili beans in chili sauce
• 2 cans kidney beans drained
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 jalapenos seeded and chopped (or more to taste)
• 2 + cups tomato juice(like V8 or Campbell's)if you like your chili nice and spicy this is another ingredient you can use to heat it up by getting the hot and spicy tomato juice 

4. Reduce heat. Stir in tomatoes, chili beans, and kidney beans.
5. Season with salt, sugar, chili powder, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir and simmer.

6. Add chili peppers and tomato juice(more or less depending on how thick or thin you like your chili). Simmer for 1 ½ hours stirring often. Be sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve with:

• shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• chopped green onions
• beer bread or Dawnie's cornbread, and
• tortilla chips or Fritos scoops for dipping

Fireside Garlic with Rosemary

This is one of my most favorite Hor D'oeuvres. My father-in-law first made this for a special family dinner when we were all living in Ukraine and it instantly became a family favorite. Quenton and I love to make this for date-night-in and eat it while we watch a movie. I guess when you've been married as long as we have, garlic and romance CAN go together.

Ingredients:

• 6 large whole heads garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 slices
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ cups chicken broth, divided
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 8 oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• French baguette slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut ½ inch off top end (opposite root end) of each garlic head, exposing cloves. Remove any loose papery outer skin.
3. Place garlic, cut side up, in non-metal baking pan.
4. Top with butter and olive oil.
5. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and wine to pan.
6. Sprinkle chopped rosemary over garlic and place rosemary sprigs in broth mixture. (May be prepared 8 hours in advance, cover and chill.)
7. Bake uncovered, about 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with pan juices.
8. Add remaining chicken broth, if necessary. Garlic cloves should be very tender when pierced with fork. Sprinkle with Roquefort cheese, if desired, and continue baking until cheese is almost melted, about 10 minutes. Discard cooked rosemary sprigs and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs
9. Serve with bread for dipping into cooking juices and spreading with garlic and melted cheese.

just before it goes in the oven

Sloppy Joes

I got the basis for this recipe from my friend Sue. Who will never admit it, but she's an AMAZING cook.

When I realized I usually made this for parties and large groups, I just decided to two-and-a-half it on the recipe so it would be easier. This will make 25 -30 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large onions chopped fine (I like to use the food processer for this step)
• 6-8 cloves garlic minced
• 5 lbs ground beef or pork or a combination of the two 
• 1 44 oz. bottle of Heinz ketchup
• 1/4 cup mustard (I like to use spicy mustard)
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large pot, heat a little bit of vegetable oil over medium high , add the onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add the ground beef. Drain any liquid from the pan if there is any. Add remaining ingredients and cook for at least 1-2 hours before serving. You can transfer this to a crock pot for the party!

• Buns

Serve on round buns like sesame seed hamburger buns*

I love to serve this with my homemade coleslaw and kettle cooked salt and vinegar potato chips

*I originally used this recipe to teach to my cooking class for adults when we were living in Poland. I loved teaching them these all-American types of foods and I think they loved learning them even more. They would often ask me to teach a recipe for foods that they saw on "Friends" or a Hollywood movie and they were curious about it. I loved this little instruction on the buns (something so obvious to us Americans). It reminds me of all the friends we made doing that class in Krakow.

Autumn Salad

Ingredients for Salad:

• lettuce (a tender leafy mix)...or whatever's in the fridge
• glazed pecans
• dried cranberries
• finely chopped (or very thin rings) red onion to taste
• granny smith apples diced with skins on

Directions:

To glaze the pecans: Heat a skillet over med-hi heat and put about ¾ cup sugar in the pan. When the sugar liquefies add the pecans and stir quickly to coat them. As soon as they are coated work quickly and remove to wax paper on a plate. Be sure to soak the pan immediately or the sugar will harden and be so much more work to clean off. Allow them to cool completely and then break apart or chop and put into the bowl with the other salad ingredients. I like to assemble this salad on individual plates for special dinner parties to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Ingredients for Dressing:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 heaping teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• small yellow or red onion coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup oil

Directions: 

combine first 7 ingredients in blender, then slowly add oil. Pour over salad and toss immediately before serving. Or pass the dressing in a pretty bottle or small pitcher to serve to individual plates.

The Highest Form of Flattery

My bff had this brilliant idea...

two years ago my friend Dawnie and I were going to compile a cookbook of all of our recipes...long story short I didn't get around to my part...so she started a blog instead and now I'm starting a blog...great idea, Dawnie. Isn't there a saying about this?