May Recipes

Tuna Macaroni Salad

2 cups uncooked macaroni,

(cook according to instructions on bag/box)

3 eggs, hardboiled and chopped

grated onion (or powder), to taste

3 T. mayonnaise or salad dressing (or more)

1 T. sweet pickle relish / salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp. vinegar (I use balsamic.)

2 cans tuna

Cook macaroni according to instructions on bag/box. Mix all ingredients together. Tastes best after the flavors have "set" (or "blended") in the fridge for an hour or two, or even a day.

Manicotti

1/2 lb. Ground beef / 1 clove garlic, crushed

1 c. creamed style cottage cheese (8 oz.)

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese / 1/2 t. sale

1/2 cup mayonnaise / 8 manicotti, cooked & drained

1 (16-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce / 1/2 t. dried oregano

Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Brown ground beef and garlic in large skillet; drain fat. Blend next 4 ingredients in bowl; stir in ground beef. Fill each manicotti with about 1/4 cup cheese-meat filling. Place manicotti in a single layer in a 10 x 6 x 1-3/4-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with any remaining filling. Cover completely with sauce. Sprinkle with oregano and Parmesan cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake in 325° oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes longer. Serves 4.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

6 chicken breasts, boiled & cubed

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 small can mild chilies / 1 small onion, diced fine

8 oz. Jack cheese / 8 oz. cheddar cheese

1 dozen corn tortillas (or 10 flour)

Tear up 6 tortillas, place in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. (Spray with Pam first.) Mix soups, chilies, and onion together. Smear half soup mixture over tortillas. Top with half chicken and cheese mixed. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered 350° for 30-40 min. (From my friend, Julie Ouellette)

German Chocolate Cake

CAKE:

1 German Chocolate Cake mix, baked according

to instructions on box. Use 2 round cake pans, any size

(I use 9-inch springform pans. And for lighter, moister cake,

I bake at 325° for a little longer.)

ICING:

Around outside edge:

I just use creamy milk chocolate prepared frosting (in a can), but you can use your favorite home-made chocolate frosting, or the one here on my February Recipes page; fifth recipe down. (I use that only on my "Betty Crocker" days, which come about as often as February 29th.

Top and inside:

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup evaporated milk

(NOT sweetened condensed milk!)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup sugar / 3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

Cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes

after bringing to a slow boil. Mix in:

1 cup chopped pecans

1-1/3 cups flaked coconut

Cool in fridge and then frost cake:

1) Frost bottom layer with coconut-pecan frosting

2) Carefully place second cake layer on top of first and frost top layer with remaining coconut-pecan frosting

3) With a spoon, press in frosting between the two layers to form a smooth edge flush between the two layers.

4) Frost sides of cake with creamy chocolate frosting, sealing at upper edges all around the edge of the top layer.

5) If you have enough chocolate frosting, put a fistful into a frosting bag with a star tip and make a nice edging all around the edge of the top and the base.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Fluff

(I got this recipe from my

sister-in-law, Denise!)

1 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese

(Put into med. bowl and mush into chunks with fork.)

1 can of NOT-drained crushed pineapple

(Mix this in with the cream cheese.)

1 large pkg. of instant vanilla pudding

(Mix in to the above.)

1 8, 12, or 16 oz. bin of Cool Whip

(depending on how "whipped creamy" you like it!
Fold this in to "all the above.")

To make a basic jello-salad-in-a-serving-bowl: Just pour this mixture into a serving bowl and refrigerate. (It actually sets up immediately, but it's nice to chill it a bit.) (I reeeeally like mandarin oranges, so you could add those (drained) in there, along with the pineapple.)

To make it parfait-style: Spoon the mixture into a parfait dish/glass half-way up, then do a layer of several mandarin orange pieces, and then spoon more of the mixture. I topped this with more Cool Whip (in my Pampered Chef, Easy Accent Decorator ), but it really wasn't necessary; just looked nice. For this it took 3 small cans, drained first.