Jenny's Bar-B-Que Sauce

 

I got this recipe from one of my best friends - Sandy Blackwell - at Xerox. It was her father's recipe and it's worth the extra time it takes to make.

 

2 C Ketchup

2 C Water

1 tbsp Mustard

2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

½ C Sugar

½ C Liquid Hickory Smoke

½ tsp Salt

 

Simmer until desired thickness - and keep a splatter screen over the pot as it gets thick. This stuff can be like lava, and with all that sugar, it's not fun to clean up off the stove.

 

Jenny's Wilted Lettuce Salad

 

Uncle Clarence, Daddy's brother, came to visit fairly often when I was a kid. He brought this recipe with him and asked Mom to make it for us one night with dinner. I don't remember what she cooked, but I remember this delicious salad.

 

3 C Lettuce (I use leaf lettuce.)

1 bunch Green Onions, chopped

4 strips Bacon, fried and crumbled

1 tsp Vinegar

1 tsp Salt

¼ C Bacon Grease

 

Shred lettuce. Chop onions and combine. Fry bacon, crumble and sprinkle over lettuce and onions. Mix salt and vinegar together and pour over salad. Bacon grease should be still very hot (not smoking hot, just hot)... pour it over the salad and toss quickly. Serve immediately.

 

Jenny's Chicken Broccoli Casserole

 

This one came from a caterer in Florida who just happened to be the aunt of my best friend in high school. It's quick - you can used a good quality canned chicken if you like; it's easy; and it's SO good, people will think you're a gourmet chef when you serve it to them.

 

Poach 6-8 large chicken breasts (or use an equivalent of that good canned white meat chicken) (be sure to season with salt, pepper, garlic, celery, onion... you know the drill...)

 

While that's cooking, cook enough broccoli, spears or cut, to cover a 9"X13" baking dish, one layer deep... fresh or frozen, but fresh is best.

 

For the sauce, you'll need:

 

1 can Campbell's condensed Cream of Chicken soup

8oz Sour Cream

¾ can milk

½ stick of butter

1 small can of mushroom slices

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine sauce ingredients and heat through - do not allow to boil. Just get it good and hot.

 

Spray your 9"X13" baking dish with non-stick spray. Tear your chicken into pieces or cut it - whatever you like best. Put the chicken in the bottom of the pan, covering it. Next, pour the sauce over all the chicken. Next, layer the broccoli on top. Dot with more butter. Put it into a 350 degree oven and bake until hot and bubbling. This is wonderful with a salad and served over either rice or noodles.

 

 

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"I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little

kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli."

 

~George Bush, U.S. president, 1990

 

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Mable's Cucumber Salad

 

This is quick. It's easy. It's delicious... but mama mia! It's TART.

 

1 Cucumber, peeled and sliced approximately 1/8" thick

1 medium Onion, cut in bite-size pieces

2-3 Garlic cloves, sliced thin

Vinegar

Vegetable Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Assemble this ahead of time and let it set in the ice box - will keep for weeks. In fact... it may *never* rot. Use enough vinegar to cover the vegetables, then float about a ¼" vegetable oil on top of that. Makes an excellent side salad with cherry tomatoes added fresh.

 

Jenny's Hot Beef Dip

 

8 Oz. Cream Cheese

8 Oz. Sour Cream

3 Oz. Dried Beef, finely chopped

2 tbsp diced Green Pepper

2 tbsp chopped Onion

½ tsp Garlic Powder, or equivalent fresh chopped garlic

¼ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

 

Combine all ingredients in a 1 quart baking dish. Bake 375 degrees, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with raw vegetables or crackers.  Especially good with Triskets!

Makes about 2 cups.

 

Donna's Baked Beans

 

½ medium onion, chopped, sautéed in ½ cup bacon grease

3 303 cans pork and beans

½ C brown sugar

1 C ketchup

 

Mix and place in 9"X13" baking dish and bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes. (Jenny adds liquid smoke and a dab of mustard (ala Mable) and cooked, chopped bacon to the mix, but Donna doesn't like it 'cause it gets soggy. Mable added a shot of Worcestershire sauce, too...)