Ham Chowder

A friend brought me this last fall when I was sick and I immediately demanded the recipe.  It was an immediate hit at Grandma Day when I finally made it this week.

Ham Chowder
from Emilie Sallee and her mother, Annette Tingey

2 c boiling water
2 c diced potatoes
1/2 c sliced carrots
1/2 c sliced celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
2 1/2 c shredded cheese
1 (17 oz) can cream style corn
2 c cubed ham

Combine water, vegetables, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes (or until veggies are done).  Do not drain!
In another saucepan, melt butter, add flour.  Add milk, stirring constantly with a wire whisk over medium heat until thickened.  Add cheese, stir until melted.  Add cheese sauce, corn, and ham to cooked veggies.  Heat until hot but not boiling.

Pumpkin Brownies

We first had these at a family gathering with RoRo's birth family.  They're now a fall family favorite, and they always remind me of the love I felt at that party.

Pumpkin Brownies
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz package white chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (walnut, macadamia or favorite) - optional

Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.  Combine flour, soda, and spices; add to creamed mixture.  Add 1 1/2 cups of chips, and add nuts.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in 9x13 greased pan, then cool completely.  (They tend to be gooey in the middle, so keep baking.)

Put remaining chips in a ziploc bag and microwave to melt on medium for about 30 seconds.  Knead until all lumps are melted.  Snip small hole in corner of baggie and drizzle over cut bars.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because October.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
15 oz. can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ginger
3/4 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, i guess)
11.5 oz bag chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.
Stir in remaining ingredients. (Dough will be sticky.)
bake at 400 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mmm, fall.

Baked Spaghetti

My mom found this recipe on a blog somewhere and made it, then gave it to me.  So thank you, recipe blogger, and I'm sorry I can't credit you here, but we love your recipe.

Baked Spaghetti

Mix these ingredients together and place in a 9x13 baking dish:

12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked

1 egg

1 cup parmesan cheese

2 T chopped basil

Mix these together and place on top of the pasta:

1 lb hamburger, cooked

1 (13 oz) container ricotta cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (save 1/2 c for the top)

1 jar pasta sauce

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over top of sauce.  Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Manicotti

Manicotti

1 box manicotti shells

1 jar pasta sauce 

8 oz mozzarella

1 lb cottage cheese

1 c parmesan

2 T italian seasoning

1 T dried parsley flakes

2 eggs

1/2 lb ground beef, cooked (optional)

Put a little bit of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan.  Combine cheeses, seasonings, eggs and beef in large bowl.  Stuff shells with cheese mixture and place in pan.  Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese mixture over top.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 60 minutes.  Add water as needed -- do not let shells dry out while baking.   

Goes well with a green salad and garlic toast.  

Ginger Casserole

Ginger Casserole

(aka Beef and Noodle Casserole) from Ginger Manning

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 onion, minced

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomatoes

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 8oz container of sour cream

1 pound egg noodles, cooked

8 oz grated cheddar cheese

Brown beef, season with salt and pepper and minced onion.  Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to create sauce.  In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream.

Layer into a 9x13 pan - 1/2 meat sauce, 1/2 noodles, 1/2 cream cheese mixture, repeat.  Top with shredded cheese.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melty and delicious.

Green Stuff

Green Stuff
from Linda Castillo

1 stick butter, melted                     1 c. Cool Whip
1 c. flour                                        2 (small) pkg. instant pistachio pudding
1/2 c. chopped pecans                   3 c. milk
1 c. powdered sugar                      2 c. Cool Whip
1 8oz package cream cheese

Mix butter, flour and pecans for crust, and press into greased 9x13 glass pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, and allow to cool.
Next mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 cup of Cool Whip together.  Spread this mixture over crust.
Mix pudding and milk togerher until smooth.  Pour over cream cheese layer, allow to set.
Spread the rest of the Cool Whip over the top and chill a couple of hours.


This was one of my dad's favorite desserts, and it's always a hit.  Goes over well at Easter and at Christmas, as well as anytime you need to take a dessert to an event.