Banana Cream Pie

3/4 cup White sugar
1/3 cup all -purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp butter
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 pie crust, baked
4 bananas, sliced

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
2. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately ad the egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
3. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 - 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Top with Whipping Cream and additional banana slices if desired

Cherie's Bread Stuffing

Original Recipe
3 Tbsp chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or Margarine
4 cups dry bread cubes (about 7 slices)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp ground sage
2 to 4 Tbsp water or chicken broth

Cook onion in butter. Combine with bread and seasonings. Toss with enough liquid to moisten. Makes 3 cups stuffing, or enough stuffing for a 4 to 5 pound turkey. Double recipe for 10 pound turkey.

Bulk for Big Groups 6x
2 loaves white bread torn apart
18 Tbsp Onion (Little over 1 cup)
1 1/2 cup Butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsp Poultry Seasoning
3 tsp Sage
12 - 24 Tbsp Broth

Grandma Newmans Ribbon Jello

2 small pkg or 1 large pkg Green Lime Jello
2 small pkg or 1 large pkg Red Raspberry Jello
1 small pkg Yellow Lemon Jello
8 oz Cream Cheese - room temp
1 (10oz) can Crushed Pineapple - Don't Drain
2 cups Mini Marshmallows

1st Layer- Green
Prepare Lime Jello according to pkg. Chill until this layer is completely set

2nd Layer - Yellow
Dissolve Lemon jello in 1 cup hot water, then add mini marshmallows. In a blender combine the cream cheese and pineapple, blend together, then add the marshmallow mixture, blend together. Pour over the "Set" Green layer. Chill until completely firm.

3rd Layer - Red
Dissolve Jello with 2 cups hot water and 1 1/2 Cold Water. Let this cool down so it's not hot and turning cold and starting to set, then pour it over the Lemon layer, Chill until firm

*Notes: This is easiest to prepare in two days. Day one in the morning do the lime layer, that night do the Lemon layer, the next morning prepare the Red layer.

Make sure each layer is completely set before adding the next layer or the layers will blend together.

Corn Casserole

A Thanksgiving Classic


1 can (16oz) Cream Style Corn
1 can (16 oz) Corn Kernels - drained
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 cup Sour Cream (light)
1 Egg
1/2 cup Butter - Melted

In large bowl mix all ingredients together. Blend well
Spoon into 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (Closer to 45 - 50 Minutes)

Extra notes. Cook until golden brown and no longer runny. Can turn this into a Mexican dish by adding peppers and seasonings.

Black Bean Couscous Salad

1 Cup uncooked couscous
1 1/4 Cups chicken broth
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
8 Green onions, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 Cans black beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring chicken broth to a boil, stir in couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whish together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans and toss to coat.
Fluff the couscous. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to tast and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tortilla Soup

4 corn tortillas, but into 1 inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

4-6 garlic cloves, minced

2 T dried cilantro

3 T. veg. oil

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use canned)

2 quarts chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) chopped tomatoes

1 (10 ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies

1 T. ground cumin

1 bay leaf (I usually leave this out)

½ t. pepper

4-8 corn tortillas, cut into ¼ inch strips

½ veg. oil

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack or Mozzarella cheese

Avocado slices (optional)

Sauté first 4 ingredients in 3 tablespoons hot oil in large pan for 5 minutes. Add chicken and next 6 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Fry tortilla strips in ½ c hot oil in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle fried strips and cheese over each serving. Top with avocado if desired.

Milk Chocolate/Caramel-covered Apples w/ Heath Bar

3 wooden dowels
3 large Granny Smith apples
37 Milk Maid caramels
1 T water
2 C milk chocolate chips
2 T Crisco Shortening
3 - 4 Heath bars or favorite candy bar

Wash apples to get the wax off. Dry and insert sticks into the center of the apples.
Unwrap caramels and place in glass bowl (microwavable) with water. Heat in microwave for about 3 minutes. Watch closely and take out and stir when it STARTS to bubble. If it bubbles too much the caramel will dry too hard. Don't let the cramel get too thin - stir it to the right consistency. Dip apples into caramel, allowing the extra caramel to drip off - use a spoon to work the extra cramel off the apple. Place dipped apples on large cookie sheet that is covered with wax paper and sprayed with cooking oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, overnight is even better. Next morning, if the caramel puddles around the apple, run some water over your fingers and push the caramel back up the apple before you dip it into the chocolate.

While waiting for the caramel to set up, prepare the candy bar topping by chopping the bars into small pieces.

Next, melt chocolate chips in a glass bowl- 50% power for 45 seconds at a time. Once the chips start to get soft, add Crisco and return to microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Remove and stir well to ensure no lumps. Do not let chocolate chips get too runny - doesn't stay on the apple. Dip the apples into the chocolate. Sprinkle on the candy bar topping and then pat onto chocolate. Return to fridge on wax paper (no spray) and let the chocolate set up for about 20 minutes.