Best Fruitcake Ever

If you like fruitcake, it will be your best investment of the year!

1 lb butter
2 cups granulated sugar
8 eggs, well beaten
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (or sour milk)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup dark molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla

2 lbs walnuts or pecans
1 lb chopped prunes
1 lb golden raisins
1 lb raisins seedless
1 cup red current jelly
1 16 oz can of Cherries Jubilee
1 12 oz can Apricot Solo Pastry filling
1 12 oz can Almond Solo Pastry filling
1 12 oz can Date Solo Pastry filling

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

7 cups plain flour

In order presented, mix the top 8 ingredients with a mixer, add one ingredient at a time.

In a very large container, mix in the next 9 ingredients.

Then add soda dissolved in water and gently mix in flour, only enough to blend.

Pour in 5-6 loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours, or until done. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then remove and cool completely.

I don't like alcohol on my fruitcake but many people do therefore....

Optional: Place each loaf upside down on woven towel (not terrycloth). Pour about 1/2 cup brandy (or rum) over each loaf, until thoroughly soaked. Wrap the towel around the cake, then add more brandy until the cloth is saturated.

(Wrap completely in aluminum foil to prevent making a sticky mess in the cupboard. Store in dark, cool place at least 8 weeks, adding more brandy every week.) I did not try this part.

This is a Judy adaption of a 1820 recipe.

Chicken & Dressing

Start with chicken legs and quarters that are on sale for $.39, or so, at the grocery. I put all 10 pounds in the crock pot and let it cook all night, seasonings are oregano, dry diced garlic & rosemary.

1/2 cornbread & 1/2 seasoned croutons, onions & celery cooked in real butter with seasons (dry diced garlic, seasoning salt, pepper, sage) when the cornbread has cooled crumble but leave chunky, add croutons, add onions & celery, add enough chicken broth from which the fat has been separated to soak but not be swimming, add eggs (normal batch of dressing for a family of 5 would be 3) gently fold in the chicken meat (the amount depends upon what you like), pop in a preheated oven 400 degrees and cook until brown on top, about an hour. We eat it with cranberry sauce or pepper jelly!I use 3 legs and thighs so this meal probably only costs $2.

Royal Bread Pudding

Enough mix for two - surprise a friend!!! 1 Quart Half N' Half Cream
3 Eggs, beaten
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Golden Raisins

1/2 Stick Real Butter

1 16 oz Can Fried Apples (The brand named "Lucky" is good)
1 Loaf Stale French Bread, torn into small pieces in a very large mixing bowl

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the first 4 ingredients, pour over bread.

Let soak until all bread is limp.

Add Fried Apples by pouring on top, then take a knife and just run through them several times to make smaller pieces, maxi easy to cut.

Melt the Butter via microwave in medium size casserole dishes.

Pour mixture into casserole dishes on top of butter and pop into the oven until very firm.

It's needless to say, let cool, because you won't.

Pork Salad

I had cooked a fresh pork picnic in the crock pot over night. I fixed a pot pie, we ate sandwiches and still had pork a plenty left over. I like tuna and chicken salad so I thought why not... I ground up the meat in the food processor, put in a good bit of pickle relish, and for a dressing used put 1/2 Miracle Whip to 1/2 Kraft's Zesty Italian Dressing. Honestly it was better than any tuna or chicken salad I have ever eaten. So next time you have pork roast left over, make a Pork Salad!! (I can't help this "Pork Salad Annie") You can tell I'm ready for a little down time!!!

Food: Braswell's Vidalia Onion Picante Salsa, 9.5oz You have to have some for this summer's crop of peas and beans or make some navy bean soup and splash some in a bowl. It's a little hot, but Oh So Good. (www.braswells.com) I haven't tasted everything they make but I've sampled most of their relishes, salsas and sauces. The one product I didn't like was their Red Pepper Jelly...but Bob liked it. I just need to send them my recipe!!

Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons chili or catsup
garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper season to taste a little goes a long way

So easy and you will prefer it over what you can buy in the store.

Buttermilk Pie

1 - 8 inch pastry shell

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (just reduce the salt a little if you use self-rising)
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-Place beaten eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually beat in sugar.
-Stir in melted butter, salt, flour, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Pour mixture into pastry shell.
-Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Pie is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Puppy Gal's Coconut Fruit Salad

Next time you have to "take a dish", try this. Everyone will be impressed and it is so easy! Nuts and coconut sprinkled on top would really set it off.

• 2 - 16 oz cans drained fruit cocktail
• 1 - 16 oz pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 - 16 oz can Comstock coconut pie custard
• 6 oz cream of coconut - used to make Pina Coladas

Puppy Gal's Punch Bowl Cake

We make this in a glass punch bowl so everyone can see the layers! Beautiful!

• a layer of sliced Twinkies, sliced open lengthwise
• pudding - 2 cans of coconut cream pie mix with cream of coconut added
• a layer of bananas which have been dipped in lemon juice or a layer of drained fruit cocktail
• a layer of equal parts of sour cream and whipped topping (stirred together)
• a layer of cherry pie filling (add sugar if needed)
• a layer of flaked coconut

Just keep on layering until you run out of whatever or substitute what ever you like for the layers above.


Chocolate is nice

• Layer of sliced chocolate cup cakes
• layer of chocolate pudding
• layer of cherry pie mix
• a layer of sour cream/whipped topping mixed equal
• repeat
• repeat

Make a Lasagna!!!

Go by the recipe on the lasagna pasta box but make your sauce kind of on the watery side but tasty. Just layer in the noodles WITHOUT cooking them, they will cook and expand in the oven absorbing the extra water. If you really want it quick: buy canned pasta sauce add about a cup of water for a big can.


Nachos -Buy one of those little packets of seasoning for Burritos filling - fix as directed
-Fix Rotel Dip as directed on the can of Rotel Tomatoes and Chile Peppers
-Tortilla Chips - bite size

Layer the plate with the chips overlapping where necessary so you can't see the plate bottom
Layer of Burrito filling
Layer of Rotel Dip
Top with Jalapeno Pepper Slices, if you desire.

Best Cake Ever!!!

Three-Day Coconut Cake

1 package Butter Cake Mix
1 3/4 cups sugar
16 oz sour cream
12 oz flaked coconut
9 ox frozen whipped topping, defrosted
Prepare cake mix according to package directions, making two 8 or 9 inch layers. When layers are completely cool, split in half. While cake is cooling, combine sugar sour cream and coconut, blending well, chill

Before putting together the cake, reserve 1 cup of the sour cream mixture. Spread the remainder between layers of cake, making a layer cake four stacks high. Combine reserved sour cream mixture with whipped topping, blending until smooth. Spread on top and sides of cake.
Seal cake in an airtight container and refrigerate for three days before serving. This will keep many days longer, if it has a chance.

Crispy Bread

After every holiday the bread outlet stores have packaged dinner rolls on sale for 3/$1. I buy a couple of packages. The texture is great for making this Crispy bread. Slice each roll, top to bottom, so that you have 4 pieces lay them out flat on a cookie sheet or similar pan. Spray with Pam or whatever spray oil you like, if you can find Olive Oil it is best. Sprinkle with seasoning salt or Cajun spice...take it easy. (I most always get mine too salty) Put in an preheated oven at 275 degrees and cook until dry and crispy. These will keep for weeks and are great with dip, soup, salad etc.

If you really want to get fancy mix 1:1 olive oil and really butter, brush each piece and sprinkle with a combination of seasoning salt, thyme, basil, garlic salt. Mix quantities until it looks kinda dirty, but not real dirty. How is that for telling you how much. These are great with just about anything. We get small jars of Italian condiments like Olive Paste, marinated grilled vegetables, etc.

Recipe Cobbler/Chicken Pot Pie

Crust
1 cup of self-rising flour, mixed well with
3/4 cup of sugar, then mix in
1 cup of milk, do not put in blender, use wire whisk
1 cup real butter, melted in glass casserole dish large size not super large

pour flour mixture into glass dish DO NOT STIR
pour in your favorite canned pie filling or fruit (i.e. blueberries)
bake at 400 for about 40 minutes, or until top crust is brown
This crust works well for tuna, chicken or beef pot pies also, just leave out the sugar

Quick filling

large can of chicken, or small can of tuna
large can mixed vegetables
couple of cans of what ever your family likes best.
I usually use whole potatoes cut in hunks and tiny butter beans or tiny tender English peas

Pour juice from all cans in pot, bring to boil and stir in about
1 cup of water to which 5 tablespoons of flour has been added, whisked well, no lumps
This will thicken the filling. Add seasonings. We like lots of salt and pepper, minced garlic