JULY

RECIPES

Jell-O Popsicles
   

1 package Kool-Aid ~ any flavor
1 small box Jell-O ~ any flavor  (combining flavors is fun!)
½ cup sugar   /   2 cups hot water   /   2 cups cold water
  

1) Dissolve Kool-Aid, Jell-O and sugar well in hot water.

2) Add cold water and mix thoroughly.

3) Pour into popsicle molds.

4) Freeze for 2½ to 3 hours until set.

Tube Pasta

Sweet 'n' Sour Chicken Salad

(Note from Barb:  This is my very favorite pasta salad of all time!

I originally got it from my sister-in-law, Denise Prescott, who got and adapted it

from Kim, a fellow office worker; a few further adaptations by Barb Shelton)

16 oz. tube noodles - Boil according to directions until tender; rinse in colander in cold water.

2–3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced or chopped, cooked according to:

OPTION A:  (this is the original method): Sauté chicken in 1 tbsp. oil, simmer in ½ cup teriyaki sauce for 10 min.

OPTION B: (Barb's adaptation): Boil chicken in pan of water (covered) for 1 hour. Cool. (If in a hurry, run cold water over it for a few minutes.) Cut into pieces. (It still gets flavored from the sauce you'll be adding to the noodles. I personally don't care for the strong flavor of Option A.)

1 can black olives, sliced

3 stalks of celery, chopped 

½ cup cilantro (about ½ bunch)  

1 bunch green onions, chopped (I don't use) 

Slivered almonds to taste (I do use)

1 red or green pepper, sliced into small strips (I don't use)

Place all the above in large mixing bowl. Mix the following ingredients together to make the sauce 

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup oil    /   ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 

½ cup sugar   /   1½ tsp. salt 

1½ crushed garlic (I use one large clove, crushed)

1½ tsp. dry mustard powder

1½ tsp. Accent

...and then pour this over all the salad ingredients and gently stir, being careful to not break the noodles.  It's handiest to store in largest plastic Tupperware bowl with the lid on tight so it can be turned upside-down several times (every few hours) to marinade thoroughly. Refrigerate and marinade overnight or several hours.

Javanese Dinner

Rice (large pan of it)

Chinese noodles - 1 or 2 large bags

Chicken - cut into bite-size pieces

Chicken gravy - 2 or 3 cans

(make according to directions: put in 2 serving dishes;

it goes on in two different places.  See below.)

Grated cheese - a nice bowl-full of it

(maybe about 2 or 3 cups)

Celery - several stalks, chopped

Crushed pineapple - 2 cans, drained a little

Coconut - 1 or 2 small bags

Tomatoes - 6, chopped

Onions - green, chopped

[More Chicken Gravy goes here in the line-up]

Sliced olives - 2 reg. cans, sliced

Sliced almonds - 1 or 2 bags

Maraschino cherries - 1 jar

(I originally got this recipe from my friend, Lana Young.)

Decorator Icing

Frosts one 9 x 13 or 2-layer round cake.  (Recipe from Barbara Falk)

2 c. white shortening   /   1/4 c. powdered buttermilk

1 tsp. salt   /   2 tsp. (white) vanilla   /   2 tsp. butter flavoring

2 1/2 boxes powdered sugar   /   1/2 c. water

Cream shortening.  Mix in powdered buttermilk, salt vanilla, butter flavoring.  Then on low speed slowly mix in powdered sugar and water, a little of each at a time.

Have ready:

~ Cardboard covered with foil

~ Parchments 

~ Rubber spatula

~ Metal spatula

~ Scissors

~ Dry hand towel

~ Wet cloth

~ Table knives and spoons

~ Small bowls

~ Food coloring (the paste kind works best as it does not thin it down)

~ Turntable

~ These decorator tips:

       #17 or 18  (18 is bigger)

       #13 or 14

       #30-34  (for drop flowers)

       #102, 103, 104  (for roses, garlands)

       #352  (leaf)

       #80  (flower)

Lemon Meringue Pie

One pie crust.

If in a hurry, just use a prepared graham cracker crust. If you have time, make a baked pie crust shell, or the prepared kind.  (I use the one in the Betty Crocker cookbook.)

Lemon Pudding

Prepare pudding according to directions on Jell-O Pudding package. (I do it only in the microwave, now that I’ve learned how to do it that way!  It’s SO much easier!  I used to burn it every time, but never do anymore!)

Meringue:

2 Egg whites

4 T. Sugar

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until the sugar is well blended and meringue forms peaks. Pile lightly on pie top. Bake in hot oven at 425° for 5 min. or until golden brown.

Cherry Cheese Pie

This is SO easy and fast,

and is yet another delicious recipe

that I originally got from my sister-in-law, Denise!

I no longer have the actual recipe, so this is just how

I wrote it down from memory, and it's in my ~ Barb's ~ words.

By the way, if you ever invite Sharnessa to a potluck or

ask her to bring a dessert to dinner, this is most

likely what she will bring! 

1 cube of margarine or butter

1 cup of white flour

8 oz. package of cream cheese

1 medium tub of whipped topping

(I do not use "lite," but you can if you want)

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 large can of cherry pie filling

(This is prepared pie filling;

not just cherries in water or syrup.

If preferred, use raspberry or

blueberry pie filling.)

CRUST:   In medium saucepan, melt the cube of margarine or butter over low heat.  Then mix in  1 cup of flour.  Spread thin around pan so it will cool while you find a 9-inch pie plate and preheat the oven to 350°.  Press into bottom and sides of pie plate.  (No need to form a nice edge.)  Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.  Cool.

CREAMY-CHEESEY FILLING:   In large mixer bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in the powdered sugar (slowly at first so your kitchen doesn't look snow-covered; then turn to high for a minute or two), until smooth.  Then on low mix in the whipped topping, scraping sides often.  Pour into cooled crust.  Chill until set.  (at least an hour)

TOPPING:  Either pour the can of pie filling over the whole pie, or spoon it on to individual slices on plate.