Rice and Ham Casserole

I'd have to say that this is, bar none, Ben's utmost favorite meal. When I tell him we're having it for dinner, it's he that does the little shimmy. :) I'm giving this recipe to you doubled, so you'll need two casserole dishes to fit this amount of food.

Rice and Ham Casserole

2 cubes of margarine - melt in very large skillet. Add:
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups rice, uncooked
6 cups water
2 cans cream of celery soup

Simmer 15 mins. Add 16 oz. diced, pre-cooked ham, and 4 Tbsp. soy sauce. Put into two greased casserole dishes and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pistachio Salad

This is such a fun thing to make this time of year. I like to use chopped pistachios instead of pecans, but in a pinch, pecans are great.

Pistachio Salad

Mix together:
1 pkg. instant pistachio pudding
20 oz. crushed pineapple (undrained)

Add:
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or pistachios)
1/2 cup to 1 cup coconut
2 cups mini marshmallows

Mashed Potatoes

Dude, mashed potatoes have a bad rep. People are always like, "Mashed potatoes are so hard to make, so I use those mixes with potato flakes!" Which, by the way, are equally good. But for reals, if you have potatoes to use up, like I did the other day, and it would go perfect with your crock pot turkey, which they did, this is really, really, really not hard. Try it out. You won't regret it. Especially if you go with the optional add-ins.

Traditional Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 10 cups)
1 1/2 cups hot milk
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Optional Add-Ins:
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley or dill

Directions:
1. Place potatoes in large pot and add enough water to cover them. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander.
2. Return cooked potatoes to pot and stir over medium heat, about 1 minute, until excess water has evaporated.
3. With potato masher, mash in hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Beat with wooden spoon until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in the optional add-ins, if desired.

Beef Stroganoff

My mom has had this recipe for bazillions of years. It's so very good.

Beef Stroganoff

Mix in large skillet and brown:
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 T. minced onions
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Add:
1 small can of mushrooms (or a similar amount of fresh, sliced mushrooms)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small sour cream.

Let simmer 15 minutes. Then add 2 T flour. Sprinkle it over the stroganoff and work it in. Serve over noodles - I prefer wide egg noodles with this sauce.

Hot Hoagie

My husband LOVES these so much. As do I. As do I. I got this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Yummmmm.

Hot Hoagie

2 loaves french bread, cut lengthwise
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced
1 tsp. garlic salt
2/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 4 T. dried)
4 cups shredded cheese
1 small can chopped olives

Preheat oven to 350. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread it on top of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Slice before serving.

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

These are just as easy as using a mix, I swear! And sooo much better. Ya know, because of the sour cream. Sour cream makes everything better. :) I got this recipe from allrecipes.com.

Cranberry Pecan Muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
TOPPING:
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Lentil and Pasta Soup

I made this tonight and it was soooooo good. And nope, that's not my picture. Because it actually looks nice. :) It looks similar to how mine turned out. I got this recipe from my Relief Society president a couple of years ago.

Lentil and Pasta Soup

1 pkg. bacon, cooked, bacon grease reserved
6 clobes garlic, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
6 tomatoes, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 cups brown lentils
16 cups water
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup small shell pasta
finely chopped parsley for garnish

Cook the bacon either in a skillet or in the microwave until done; reserve the grease and set the bacon aside for awhile.

Cook the garlic, onion, tomatoes, and celery in the bacon fat until soft. Stir in the lentils, the water, and the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then back the temperature to medium heat. Cook for 30 minutes.

Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes more. Break the bacon into small pieces and put in the soup. Garnish with chopped parsley.