Best Party Potatoes 060810

Best Party Potatoes

1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 lbs. Ore-Ida frozen cubed hash browns
Mix first 5 items together with salt and pepper, combine with frozen potatoes, put in greased 9x13 pan. Top with 2 cups of corn flakes and 1/3 cup melted butter together.

Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Basil and Lemon Chicken 060810

Basil and Lemon Chicken

1 (3 1/2 lb.) chicken, quartered
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. light clover honey
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
Clean chicken well. Remove back bone, then flatten breast bone. Place chicken quarters in glass dish.

To make marinade, combine lemon juice, honey, oil, and garlic in blender. Process for 30 seconds. Remove to a bowl, stir in chopped basil and pepper and pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, turning chicken a few times to coat.

To cook, remove chicken from marinade. Place legs and thighs 3-4 inches over medium-hot coals and grill for 10 minutes, turning once. Add breasts to grill and cook 30 minutes, turning and basting every 10 minutes. When crisp, remove and serve with fresh basil on side.

Baked Sweet Potatoes 060810

Baked Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup Splenda
1 quart orange juice
2 tablespoons cinammon
2 tablespoons nutmeg
1/4 tablespoon vanilla
1 stick sweet butter
Boil sweet potatoes, drain and cool. Peel off jackets and slice lengthwise.

Place in 2 layers in a oven safe casserole or all purpose aluminum pan. Sprinkle 1/2 Splenda on each layer. Place orange juice and butter in a 2 quart sauce pan.

Heat at medium and add cinnamon and nutmeg and vanilla. Stir until it reaches a soft boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for five minutes. Pour over sweet potatoes.

Cover pan and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake for extra five minutes to brown top.

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms 060610

Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

1 lb. medium mushrooms (about 50)
1 tbsp. butter
4 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, minced
2 tbsp. minced green pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. monosodium glutamate
Dash of pepper
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. buttered bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry mushrooms. Remove stems; chop and reserve for stuffing.

Melt butter in large frying pan. Saute bacon, onion, green pepper, chopped mushroom stems and seasonings. Remove from heat when cooked through but not browned. Combine cheese with bacon mixture. Press firmly into mushroom caps, mounding slightly. Press crumbs into filling.

Place in a 13 x 9 buttered pan. Add 1/4 cup hot water to baking dish. Bake mushrooms uncovered 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with a parsley sprig. Insert toothpicks before serving.

Artichoke Dip 060610

Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Heinz chili sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
This is a sauce for dipping artichoke leaves in, but also works well for some other vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks.

Combine mayonnaise and Heinz chili sauce, adjusting quantities until a pretty pink color is attained, approximately a 50-50 ratio. Add seasonings to taste. Use sauce to dip the meaty ends of the artichoke leaves before eating.

Amish Banana Nut Bread 060610

Amish Friendship Banana Nut Bread

2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup vegetable oil, butter, or Crisco
1 rounded cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown or white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons myer's rum or banana liqueur
1/2 cup Amish Friendship Starter
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine all ingredients. Turn out into a well greased and floured bread loaf pan, flattening the center slightly.

When a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean (about 50 minutes later) remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and run a butter knife along side of pan to free cake. Remove from pan and spread butter on the top of cake, if desired.