Shepherd's Casserole (potato surprise)

Couldn't come up with a gorgeous photo but it sure tasted good!

Sheepherders Casserole or Hamburger Surprise as called by some family members

This recipe is for about 4 hungry people so you might want to stretch it a bit. I like basic recipe the best.

First you need mashed potatoes either from last night’s dinner or......

Boil cut up peeled white potatoes until tender, drain water and leave potatoes in pot.

• Add 1 stick margarine and enough evaporated milk to make a nice mashed potato consistency add salt to taste. I always use evaporated milk for mashed potatoes.
  

Brown 1 pound hamburger meat

• Optional add ½ of a cut up onion and continue browning until onion is cooked


• One could add finely chopped carrots and celery which is also optional
  

Add 1 can tomato soup to the browned meat

Let simmer for a few minutes

Pour Meat mixture into a 10 inch casserole dish

Put a can of drained green beans over the meat mixture

Top with mashed potato and top potatoes with grated cheese (longhorn or mild cheddar)

Bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted

For the basic recipe...

mashed potatoes (potatoes, margarine, evaporated milk, salt to taste)

1 pound hamburger meat

1 can tomato soup

1 can green beans

grated cheese

(onion, carrots and celery and even some corn in the meat mixture is totally optional)

Homemade White Bread

The aroma this bread gives off while baking will bring in all the kids from outside plus some extras! Yummy!

Bread
1 cup warm water
1 T sugar
3 T dry yeast
Dissolve yeast in water with sugar. Set aside to rise.

4 cups warm water
6 T shortening (a large scoopful is usually good)
5 T sugar
1 T salt
6 cups bread flour

Add ingredients to large mixer. Add yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients together and add more bread flour to make a medium stiff dough, approximately 6 cups more. Knead about 5 minutes in mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Put in large, covered bowl with lid (like the big red Tupperware bowl) that has been buttered or sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 5 minutes. Punch down and let rise another 5 minutes. Punch down and let rise another 5 minutes (yes, three sets of 5 minutes). Punch down and let rise 15 minutes. Punch down and let rise 30 minutes and then form into loaves.

Let rise in pans, covered with a towel, for 35 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Put melted butter on crust after baking.

This recipe makes 4-5 loaves. You can also put some in the refrigerator for a day or two and it then makes a great pizza crust!!

The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sooo yummy, they are chewy and gooey. The shortening gives them a different texture than butter and I love it. A lot of people like the traditional butter, and I do too, but these are my family's favorites. Sorry, I didn't get a pic this time.


Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 º

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

In large bowl, mix above ingredients at medium speed until creamy.

2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

Add vanilla and eggs and beat at low speed until mixed.

2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Gradually mix dry ingredients into creamy mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes until edges barely start to brown. (My oven is 6 min and 45 seconds. Yes, I actually do the seconds ;>) )

Cool on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing. They will look slightly undercooked when you take them out of the oven, but they continue cooking while they rest on the cookie sheet.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars!!

This is a recipe I got from the Parmalee's years ago and it is one of our favs. Esp when I am broke as I almost always have this stuff in the pantry. This is serious chocolate people! Yummy!

2 c sugar

1/4 cup real butter

3 T cocoa powder

1/2 c milk

Boil this on the stove for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 1/2 to 3 cups oatmeal

Pour into a 9x13 pan or drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. I tend to double it and put it in a cookie sheet. It usually disappears in a day!

Chicken Pot Pie

This is the Campbell's soup recipe (and picture) but I add cheese and it makes it taste so much better! An easy dinner with most everything out of the pantry. I usually double this in a casserole pan.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pkg. (9 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup cubed cooked chicken or 1 large can chicken

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose baking mix
Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F.
Stir soup, vegetables, cheese and chicken in 9" pie plate.
Stir milk, egg and baking mix in medium bowl. Pour over chicken mixture. Bake 30 min. or until crust is golden.

Chicken Sorrento

The actual recipe calls for a bag of frozen stir fry vegetable blend but I didn't have that on hand so I used frozen broccoli and some fresh carrots and celery instead. I thought it turned out really good!

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 5 oz each)
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄8 tsp pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 bottle (8 oz) creamy Italian dressing
1 bag (16 oz) frozen stir-fry vegetable blend

PREPARATION
1. Sprinkle chicken with the salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side, or until golden.

3. Pour dressing on chicken; turn to coat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

4. Add frozen vegetables, cover and cook 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Cooked Strawberry Jam

Cooked Strawberry Jam (by CERTO but Altered by Eva)

4 cups crushed strawberries

7 cups sugar

1 table spoon of Lemon Juice

1 Certo Pouch

Directions:

1. Prepare lids and jars by placing in boiling water unitl ready to use.

2. Prepare fruit, crush using a potato masher or if using a food processor, pulse to chop. Do not Puree. Jam should have bits of fruit. (I tend to puree, but that's my personal preference.)

3. Measure exact amount of prepared strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a 6 - 8 quart saucepot.

4. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

5. Stir in pectin quickly. Return to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

6. Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Turn jars upside down on a towel covered counter/table. After 15 minutes of after next batch is complete turn first jars back right side up. Jars will start sealing and you can hear the popping. If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.

7. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Store unopened jams and jellies in cool, dry, dark place up 60 1 year. Refrigerate opened jams and jellies up to 3 weeks.

Our Notes: 2 pounds of strawberries for 1 batch

7 cups of sugar for 1 batch....

8 batches we used 30 lbs of Sugar...16 lbs of Strawberries and 4 boxes of Certo

juice from 2 small lemons

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

Cheesy Broccoli Bake Casserole

2 pounds fresh broccoli, trimmed and cut up
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the casserole
1 Small Onion chopped
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 Cup of milk
1 pound grated cheese Cheddar or your favorite choice.(Half will go into the sauce the other half will go on top of casserole.)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8” x 8” casserole dish.

Steam the broccoli until tender, about 10 minutes.

In the meantime you can make the sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened, about 10 minutes; drain. Add the cream of mushroom soup, milk and ½ pound of cheese and season with pepper and garlic salt. Turn down to low heat until the cheese melts.

When the broccoli is tender, place it into the casserole dish.

After sauce is ready, pour it over and gently work it into the broccoli. Then spread the remaining ½ pound of cheese on top.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling.

___________

For a twist or to make it a main dish. Simply add some meat. You can add shredded beef or chicken. Oh whatever you heart so desires!! I typically double the recipe when I make it but I am feeding 8 people!!

I saw Paula Dean make this one night and it looked so good. I didn't make it exactly how she did but tailored it to what I had in the pantry!!

Banana Bread

Banana Bread
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 Medium Banana's)
1/4 cup butter margarine
2 eggs
¼ cup chopped nuts(optional)
*

Preheat Oven 350 degrees
*

In a large bowl combine the flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In your mixing bowl, Add mashed banana; butter. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed; add eggs one at a time; after well blended; add dry ingredients, when well blended beat on high for a minute. Stir in nuts.
*

Pour batter into a greased 8x4x2 loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. After cooled wrap and store it. OR Just Eat and Enjoy!!
*

I Doubled the recipe and put it in a bunt pan. It took 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.

The original Recipe came from my brother Eric, I realized I mistakenly changed it a little but it still tasted excellent!!

Scones

SCONES!! Eva's Way

Scones OR Pizza Dough

2 ½ cups of warm water
2 Tbs of yeast or two packages
3 Tbs of sugar
1 Tbs of salt
½ cups of instant powdered milk
1/3 cup oil
3 ½ of flour

In a Large Mixing bowl, dissolve yeast with Water. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Then add up to 3 ½ cups more flour

Let rise in a greased bowl and cover, till ready to use. Pinch off sections, roll it out on a floured surface and cut. We like to use a Pizza cutter to cut. Fry in deep hot oil 425 degrees.

Traditionally we eat these on Halloween Night...As long as I can remember we would always have Scones & Chili.

We serve the scones two ways...First we serve them more like Indian fry bread...I like to make Shredded Beef, Salsa, Sour Cream & Cheese...some like lettuce and other stuff...Some people put the chili on the scones and I think we have done refried beans as well.

And then as desert we have them with Honey and Powdered Sugar...SOO yummy!!! Tonight, I didn't have a roast so I didn't get a picture of it but I did get one with honey and powdered sugar. So if you are interested in our Family's recipe for Scones...here it is. Sweet or Savory, I guarantee you will like them.

Just a thought. I was watching the food network the other night and they were talking about yeast. I tend to have issues getting my dough to rise. Someone asked this cook, "what do you mean by warm water"....The lady went on to say, "if the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast...if it is too cold, it won't wake the yeast up". So she said a little bit warmer then your body temperature is about right. I think I tend to kill it by having the water too hot!! I am sure you all know this already but I just thought I would share. After all the people who were asking the question were cooks in training...although you have to wonder still, if some of it is scripted.

Yummy Wheat Bread

Making Wheat Bread-Recipe from Eva Hooper

My Moms Wheat Grinder

Grinding the Wheat!!

Recipe
Wheat Bread by Eva Hooper (My MOM)

2 Cups Dry Instant Milk

6 Cups Warm Water

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Salt

7 Cups Fresh Whole Wheat Flour

7 Cups White Flour

3 Packages or 3 Tablespoons of dry yeast

In a small bowl, add Yeast to 2/3 Cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar. Do not add yet, set aside till after the first step of kneading dough. IF the bubbles rise too far, stir it down. If bubbles don't rise at all, then you know your yeast is bad.

In a large electric mixer(6 QT is Ideal), with the flat beater paddle, mix dry milk, water, oil, honey, and salt.

Gradually add 7 cups Whole Wheat Flour.

Let this mix/knead for at least 7 minutes. Scrape bowl so all dough is mixed thoroughly.

Now add your raised yeast mixture into the mixing bowl and mix well.

Before going on, Change to Bread hook attachment.

Add about 4 cups of white flour.

Then add the 3 remaining cups (7 total) of white flour one at a time until dough is smooth.

(Tip: pre-measure your 7 cups so you won't lose count.)

While bread is mixing, grease 4 (8.5 X4.5) size bread pans...I use margarine

Put about 3-4 Tablespoons of oil on the counter. (If you use flour for this step, you will make your crust dry, you need to use oil for this recipe.)

Empty dough onto the oiled counter. Even out dough and then divide the dough into 4 even sections and put each section into one of the 4 pans.

Let rise until the center is about 1 inch above the pan.

While dough is rising, Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

When bread has risen, bake the loaves for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes take the bread out of the oven, turn pans over onto cooling rack. Turn bread back right side up and take a stick of margarine or butter and gently butter tops for a softer bread crust. Bread is ready to eat when you are, warm or cool.

Good with Butter & honey or jams. Also good for sandwiches when cold.

(Mom feel free to correct anything!!)

Lemon Jello Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
1 small package lemon jello

Icing: 2 cups or 1 pound powdered sugar (Approximately)
Juice and grated rind (rind optional) of 2 lemons

Combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil and jello and beat at high speed for 4 minutes until light and mixed thoroughly. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan that has been greased and floured.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
When cake is removed from oven mix icing.
Poke holes into cake with a large meat fork. Pour icing over the warm cake. (It will be soupy).
The icing will soak into the cake and also form a thin icing layer when cool.
Cool and eat with or without ice cream.