The Potluck Club—Takes the Cake (40 page)

⅓cup grated Parmesan cheese

½teaspoon salt

¼teaspoon pepper

1 egg, well beaten

1½ pounds ground chuck

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 jar (15½ ounces) thick spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½teaspoon leaf oregano, crumbled

½teaspoon garlic salt

1 cup cottage cheese

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook spaghetti in boiling water following label directions; drain. Place in 9-by-13 baking dish. Stir in next five ingredients until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Sauté chuck, onion, and green pepper in oil in large skillet until meat is brown; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, sugar, oregano, and garlic salt. Spread cottage cheese over spaghetti layer and top with meat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for half hour. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and just begins to brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves 6.

Lizzie’s Cook’s Notes
This recipe has been a favorite in my daughter-in-law’s kitchen from the early days of her marriage to my son. When she wants to prepare a hearty meal in a short period of time, this is her recipe of choice.

English Wassail

1 gallon apple cider (not juice)

8 cinnamon sticks

5 cloves (or to taste)

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 lemons, sliced

1 orange, sliced

Mix together, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for an hour before serving.

Evangeline’s Cook’s Notes
Nothing says Christmas like the scent of wassail simmering on the stovetop. Try it and I promise you won’t be sorry.

Clam Chowder

2 slices bacon

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup potatoes, cubed

1 teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

1 cup water

2 10½-ounce cans of clams (minced)

2 cups half and half or evaporated milk

2 tablespoons butter

Chop and sauté bacon. In large saucepan, add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add potatoes, salt, pepper, and water. Cook 15 minutes.

Add clams, clam juice, milk, and butter to larger soup pot. Add ingredients from saucepan. Mix well, don’t boil.

Serves 4–5.

Lisa Leann’s Cook’s Notes
I like to make a double recipe. This is perfect for cold evenings when your family is gathered around.

Old-Fashioned Southern Fruitcake

4 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

7 cups pecan halves (do not cut up)

¾ pound chopped canned cherries

¾ pound chopped pineapple

1 pound golden raisins

1 cup butter

2¼ cups sugar

6 unbeaten eggs

3 teaspoons brandy flavoring

Sift together into a mixing bowl the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add pecans, cherries, pineapple, and raisins. Mix until all fruit and nuts are coated with dry ingredients. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, then the brandy flavoring. Mix this into the fruit mixture.

Spray a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick spray or put wax paper on the bottom. Pour mixture into pan. Bake in oven 275 degrees for 3 hours.

Cool cake completely before removing from pan. Wrap tightly in foil and store.

Goldie’s Cook’s Notes
This was my grandmother’s recipe. Written on notepad paper in her handwriting, it has been passed down from my mother to me and, one day, to my daughter.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

¼ cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¾ cup chopped pecans

20-ounce can of pineapple slices, drained, reserving

          5 tablespoons juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350. On low heat, melt butter in 9-inch cast-iron skillet. While the skillet is still warm, add the brown sugar and pecans; stir well to thoroughly combine. (Turn off heat. You don’t want to “cook” the mixture.) Next, arrange 8 pineapple slices in a single layer over the brown sugar mixture in your skillet.

Set aside flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

In mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks at medium speed until they are thick and bright yellow. Continue to beat while gradually adding the flour mixture (that you set aside) and reserved pineapple juice to the sugar-yolk mixture.

In separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the cake batter. Spoon the batter over the pineapple slices as evenly as possible. Bake skillet at 350 for 40–45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes then flip skillet onto a serving plate. Top each pineapple ring with a maraschino cherry.

Vonnie’s Cook’s Notes
Move over pumpkin dessert, David has a new favorite. And I have to admit, it’s one of mine too. I guess great taste runs in my family.

Larry’s Fudge Bars

½ cup butter

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

1¼ cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups chocolate pieces

2 eggs

¼cup sugar

6 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups finely cut nuts

Beat ½ cup butter with 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Sift flour, sugar, and baking powder. Stir into butter mixture. Press into greased 9-by-13-by-2 pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces immediately; return to oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven, spread chocolate over top.

Next, beat 2 eggs until thick; beat in ¾ cup sugar. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and vanilla. Add nuts; spread mixture over top of chocolate.

Bake at 350 degrees for an additional 30–35 minutes. Cut in 1 ½-inch squares.

Yield: 4 dozen squares.

Donna’s Cook’s Notes
Okay, I admit it, despite the fact Larry is not my favorite person, I took one of his fudge bars to try later that night. And yes, it was good, and yes, I did finally ask him for the recipe—though I made sure he understood my interest was nothing personal.

Tiramisu

1 pound (16 ounces) mascarpone cheese

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons coffee liqueur
*

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

24 ladyfingers, split

1½ cups cold espresso or strong coffee

1 can Solo or 1 jar Baker almond filling

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

Combine cheese, sugar, and coffee liqueur, mixing well. Fold in whipped cream. Set aside. Line bottom of a deep 3-quart, straightsided glass serving dish with a layer of ladyfingers, cutting some to fit as necessary. Drizzle with. of the cold espresso. Spread with. of the almond filling, then. of the cheese mixture and. of the grated chocolate. Repeat layering two more times. Refrigerate thoroughly and serve
semifreddo
(cold but not frozen).

Serves 16.

*
For those who don’t like the idea of a coffee liqueur, try the following substitutes: espresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract, or coffee syrup.

Lizzie’s Cook’s Notes
Tiramisu is considered a classic Italian dessert. Since its “invention” it has become my all-time favorite dessert. Every time I eat out, I look to see if tiramisu is listed on the dessert menu, trying it at various dining places.

Hot Cocoa for Adults

2 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons sugar

pinch of salt

½ cup boiling water

2 cups scalded milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla

Mix cocoa, sugar, and salt together in top of a double boiler, then blend to a smooth paste with the
cup boiling water. Place over direct heat, bring to a boil, and cook rapidly for one minute, stirring constantly to form a syrup. Add milk and heat to scalding over boiling water. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Whip for a minute with an egg beater and serve steaming hot.

Yield: 3 servings.

Goldie’s Cook’s Notes
Wonderful, wonderful drink to sip on a cold winter’s night. This has long been one of our favorites. I don’t know why it’s called “Hot Cocoa for Adults,” but that’s the way it reads in the cookbook my mother gave me when I married Jack.

Easy Biscuits

2 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup shortening

1 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together then make a well (or hole) in the center. Place shortening and milk into the well. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth. Pat dough on generously floured board. Turn over. Pat dough again, then cut with round biscuit cutter. Place cutouts on baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.

Yield: 6–8 servings.

Donna’s Cook’s Notes
I know, making biscuits actually involves cooking. But this easy recipe is a good compromise on my “avoid turning on the oven” creed. Plus, as I only eat two biscuits at a time, I can save the rest for the freezer, to microwave for yet another day.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 small head of cabbage

1 pound ground beef

2 teaspoons chopped onion

1 egg, beaten

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

Trim off soiled leaves of cabbage and remove core. Cover with boiling water and let stand five minutes or until cabbage leaves are limp. Separate leaves carefully, reserving five of the largest leaves for the rolls. Combine meat thoroughly with onion, egg, milk, and salt. Place
¹
/
₅
of the meat mixture on each leaf and fold up envelope fashion. Fasten with toothpick. Lay, flap down, in Dutch oven or saucepan. Add ½ cup water and cover rolls with rest of cabbage leaves. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Serve with tomato sauce recipe.

Yield: 5 servings.

T
OMATO
S
AUCE

1 14½ ounce can tomatoes

1 teaspoon grated onion

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons flour

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine first four ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Melt butter, blend in flour, and add tomato mixture and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until sauce boils and thickens.

Evangeline’s Cook’s Notes
Could this get any easier? I think not! And when you serve it, your family will think you slaved all day. A huge thank you to my friend Lizzie!

Chicken and Chutney Finger Sandwiches

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice)

¾ cup sliced celery

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

3 tablespoons prepared chutney (I use store bought)

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ cup crushed Chinese noodles (or ½ cup almond slivers)

1–2 small loaves Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread

Trim crust from bread slices. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pineapple, and celery. In a separate bowl, use a wire whisk to blend 3 tablespoons of your reserved juice with the remaining ingredients (except almonds or Chinese noodles). Stir into chicken mixture.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Stir in crushed Chinese noodles or almonds, then spread on bread. Top with bread slice to create sandwich. Slice each sandwich into 3 or 4 finger slices. Serve immediately or freeze on baking tray. Place in baggies. Defrost and use as needed. If you plan to freeze, omit Chinese noodles, else they will get soggy.

Yield: This makes over 5 cups of sandwich filling and can serve 6 as a salad (on bed of lettuce) or will make several dozen finger sandwiches, depending on how thickly you spread the filling.

Lisa Leann’s Cook’s Notes
I’ve scaled down this recipe for you. But note that with so many nut allergies out there, I never use nuts in my catered cooking. I’ve found crushed Chinese noodles can work as a great replacement.

Cabbage and Apple Salad

2 cups shredded cabbage ( ¼ head)

2 cups apples, chopped

2 cans mandarin oranges

1 cup seedless green grapes

D
RESSING

½ cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup Miracle Whip

¼ teaspoon salt

Beat whipping cream until stiff. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Evangeline’s Cook’s Notes
It doesn’t sound appealing when you think of cabbage and apples together, necessarily, but you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised by the deliciousness of this recipe!

Baked Ham

1 12-pound ham

1 cup (packed) brown sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

½ cup spiced fruit juice

whole cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then put ham in oven. Insert meat thermometer into ham’s center. When the meat thermometer registers 130 degrees, remove the ham from the oven. Next remove the rind and score the fat. Spread a mixture of brown sugar, dry mustard, and fruit juice over the ham. Insert cloves into scored ham fat. Return ham to oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until ham is glazed.