Mom's Potato Salad

3 pounds potatoes (about 9 medium) boiled, peeled and diced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Paprika to garnish

Combine potatoes, onion, dill pickles, eggs and celery in large bowl. In small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to create dressing. Coat potato mixture with dressing, chill and serve. Garnish with paprika.

You may also choose to add sliced olives, green onion, green pepper or carrots.

Hamburger Cookies with French Fries

1/2 cup shredded Coconut

green food coloring box Vanilla Wafers

1 bag York Peppermint Patties

1 can shoestring potatoes

In small bowl, mix coconut with a few drops of green food coloring until it resembles the color of lettuce.  Unwrap the Peppermint Patties.  On a microwave plate, place a layer of vanilla wafers flat side up.  Place a peppermint patty on each wafer and top with a some coconut, leaving the center of the patty empty.  Top with another vanilla wafer, flat side down. 

Microwave for about 15 seconds.  Lightly press down the "top bun" to adhere your hamburger. Let cool and serve with French Fries (shoestring potatoes).

This fun recipe I got when the girls were very little.  I would make them every now and then for the girls and always once during the month of December (my cookie making month.)  I would make a different kind of cookie every day so the girls would be surprised when they came home from school - and we had lots to make cookie trays with for holiday giving.  Thanks for the request Melody.

Jello Cake

1	box white cake mix
	Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1	box (4-serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin
1	cup boiling water
1/2	cup cold water
1	container (8 oz) Cool Whip,  thawed (3 cups)
	Fresh raspberries, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
2.	Make and cool cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan.
3.	Pierce cooled cake all over with fork. In small bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until smooth; stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Refrigerate 2 hours. Frost with whipped topping; garnish with raspberries. Store covered in refrigerator. This was a special summertime treat in Arizona since it's nice an cool. I love making it with a variety of flavors; i.e., lemon cake with lime jello, yellow cake with cherry jello, etc.  This is a great make ahead dessert.

Tamale Pie

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 large can (28 ounces) tomatoes, cut up
• 1 can (16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 small can (4 ounces) sliced ripe olives
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• dash black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• .
• Crust:
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 cup grated Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, for topping 

Brown ground beef with onions; drain well. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn, olives, garlic, sugar, salt, chili powder and black pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until thickened. Add cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Set filling aside. 

In a saucepan, combine cornmeal, salt, egg, water and chili powder. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Stir in butter. Spread half of the mixture into a baking dish, about 12- x 8-inches. Spoon filling over bottom crust; spoon remaining cornmeal mixture over filling. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over the crust about 5 minutes before casserole is done.

This was the meal that I always made on my night to cook at our house.  It was always my favorite to eat as well.  Thanks for the reminder Brooke.  This one's for you.

Orange Julius

2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup milk
ice

Blend OJ, vanilla, eggs, sugar in blender until blended. Add milk, blend. Add ice to make into a smoothie texture. Serve.

Optional Additions: 1 banana; 1/2 cup strawberries; or 1/2 cup pineapple. Blend with OJ then add other ingredients.

Melody this one is for you.

This was a special treat that my mom would make for us when I was a teenager. She got the recipe right after Orange Julius went into business. Now they use mixes and powders for their products. This is a more natural way to make it without additives.

Ceasar Salad

Salad Dressing:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix together; store in refrigerator.

Salad:
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 can anchovy fillets, rinsed in can and drained.
1 large head romaine lettuce, rinsed and dried
3/4 cup croutons

Mix parmesan cheese and beaten egg together in large salad bowl. Add anchovies, stir. Break romaine into bowl and mix together. Drizzle dressing and croutons over lettuce and mix. Serve immediately.

This was another one of my mom's specialty recipes.

BBQ Chicken Marinade

1 1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons dry mustard
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 whole chicken or 2-3 lbs. of chicken pieces (breast/thighs)


Mix all ingredients together. Cut whole chicken in to pieces. Place chicken in flat container and cover with marinade. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. BBQ. Discard all unused marinade.

This was a summertime standard. BBQ chicken was always made with this marinade. I remember as a teenager, my mom taught me how to cut up a whole chicken. It was amazing how she was able to get enough pieces out of that one chicken for our entire family. Each person had their favorite piece of the chicken. My father's was always the breast, mine was the back. I don't know about the others.

Popovers

4 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 450. Grease 12 custard cups (5 ounces) or 16 medium muffin cups. With hand beater, beat eggs slightly; add milk, flour and salt and beat just until smooth. Do not overbeat.

Fill custard cups 1/2 full, muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until deep golden brown. Immediately remove from pan and serve hot.

This was what I would call one of mom's specialty recipes. We all loved having the popovers and somehow she always pulled them right out of the oven and onto the table. Served with butter - these were one of the great memories of my mother's cooking.

Frozen Cranberry Salad

1 can whole cranberry sauce
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream, whipped or 1 8 oz container Cool Whip
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Mix cranberry sauce and lemon juice. Place in 8 inch square pan and partially freeze. Whip cream and add vanilla and pecans. Spread over cranberries and freeze solid. Serves 8 to 10.

When I was growing up this was a standard on our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I didn't realize how easy this recipe was to make.

Curry

4 lbs. beef, cubed
1 large can mushrooms
10 sticks celery, chopped fine
8 large onions, chopped fine
3 Tablespoons A-1 sause
6 Tablespoons ketchup
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup tomato juice

Fry onions in butter. Add curry powder. Add remaining ingredients. Fry 2-3 hours covered. Salt to taste and add water to make saucier.

Serve over cooked rice.

OK Stephanie, this one's for you. Sorry it took me so long to get this recipe to you.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 cans (15 ozs each) tomato sauce
2 cans (12 ozs each) tomato paste
1 can (4 ozs) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 cans (4 ozs each) mushrooms, stems & pieces, drained
3 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 bay leaf, crumpled
1 lb package of spaghetti noodles

Cook and stir ground beef, onion and green pepper until meat is brown and onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring sauce occasionally.

Cook spaghetti as directed on package. Serve meat sauce over hot spaghetti and top with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

The difference in this recipe from most is the sugar. It really does add life to this sauce. Thanks for the request Diana.

Snowball Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

Heat oven to 400. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla. Work in flour, salt and nuts until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until set, but not brown. Do not overcook. While warm, roll in confectioners' sugar. Cool. Roll in confectioners' sugar again.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

As a teenager, I will never forget making dozens and dozens of these "Snowballs" to give to neighbors and friends. They were a favorite of my dad and my mom or one of us girls would make him a tin full of Snowballs all his own each year. Thanks for the request Melody.