Homemade Ice Cream

2 c. heavy cream

1 cans (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the heavy cream, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until thick, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Hot Corn Dip

2  cans (11oz)  mexicorn, drained
2  cans (4.5oz) chopped green chilies, drained
2  c. grated monterey jack cheese
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 c. mayonnaise (not miracle whip)
corn chips, for dipping (frito scroop or tostitos scoops)

Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease a 9 × 13 × 2-inch casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix the corn, chile's, cheeses, and mayonnaise until fully combined.  Spread the mixture in the prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Serve the dip warm from the oven with corn chips.

* Can also be prepared in a crockpot on low until all cheeses are melted, stirring occasionally.

Charleston Cheese Dip

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1  8oz package cream cheese, softened
1  c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2  c. grated Monterey jack cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
Dash of cayenne pepper
8  Ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish.Top mixture with cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.  Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon. Serve immediately with corn chips, bagel chips or crackers.

 

Chocolate Chip Cheese Dip

 ½ c. butter
 ¼ c. brown sugar, slightly packed
 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
 8 oz cream cheese , room temperature
 ½ c. powedered sugar
1 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients.  Serve with Teddy Grahams.

Hamburger Steaks with Brown Gravy

Hamburger Steaks:

1lb ground beef

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

 

Brown Gravy:

2 tbs pan drippings

2 tbs flour

1 ¾ c. beef stock (or 1 beef bullion cube in 1 ¾ cups water as a substitute)

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Crumble ground beef in a medium bowl and add salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder; mix by hand until seasoning is evenly distributed taking care not to over-work the meat. Shape ground beef into four thin hamburger steaks (about ½ inch thick).  Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is good and hot, cook steaks on each side for 4-5 minutes or until nicely seared. Remove steaks to a plate and set aside (do not worry if they are cooked through, they will finish cooking in the gravy). 

 

Reduce frying pan temperature to medium. Pour off pan drippings into a cup or bowl then measure two tablespoons of the drippings and add back to the pan (the hamburgers should yield almost exactly two tablespoons but if you’re short, add melted bacon grease or butter). Add flour to pan and whisk to incorporate. Continue cooking and whisking for about 3-4 minutes or until roux is medium brown. Add beef stock and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken a little (gravy will be thin). Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Add hamburger steaks to gravy, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until meat juices run clear and gravy has reduced and thickened.

Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes.

 

 

Ritz Cheesy Chicken and Gravy

Chicken
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley

Gravy1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.  Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.  Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.  Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, diced 

1 large carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15oz can red kidney beans, undrained

1 15o. can Great Northern Beans, undrained

1 Tbs white vinegar 

1 ½ tsp salt 

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

½ tsp pepper

 ½ tsp thyme

½ lb. Ditali pasta

 

Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.  At 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and add to the pot of soup.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with garlic breadsticks.