Help name the New Cookbook

Psalm 119: 32  I run in the path of your commands, O Lord, for you have set my heart free.

I have finished editing my newest cookbook.  I will be selecting the cover, design, etc.  The only problem is that I don’t have a NAME for this new book.  It will contain 250 recipes that I have prepared for my family on Sunday dinners, church pot lucks and regular dinners.  The first book was “Family Favorites”, which is currently sold out.  This book has many of the recipes from Family Favorites, but many new recipes as well.  Let me know your creative titles.  If I choose your Title you will WIN a FREE cookbook when it is published.  Looking for some creative ideas.  Get Ready – Set – Go – Get Creative.

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New Cookbook Coming

So sorry I have neglected this blog.  I am truly amazed at the number of people who continue to find the blog through searching for recipes, etc.  Thank you for visiting.  I have been working on Cookbook #2 and I am within about 20 recipes of finishing.  The new cookbook will have 250 recipes.  Some are from the first book, but many are new ones that I have developed over the past few years.

At least half of the profits from the book will benefit our church building fund.  The first book is sold out.  I was amazed at the interest in the first book, so I am hoping that the response will be just as good for this second one.  These recipes are the ones that my children grew up with and additional ones that we use for Sunday dinners for the grandchildren, church potlucks, etc.  They are not anything fancy, but they are good nutritious recipes (except for the desserts of course) that we enjoy.

If you are interested give me a post and I will contact when it is available.  To allow for printing we are anticipating 2-3 months from now.

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2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2010. That’s about 29 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 15 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 259 posts. There were 5 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 2mb.

The busiest day of the year was February 22nd with 220 views. The most popular post that day was Spaghetti for 100.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were frugalhacks.com, en.wordpress.com, search.aol.com, jamiegates.wordpress.com, and cookeatshare.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for church dinner recipes, diaper cake, spaghetti for 100, spaghetti for 100 people, and how to make a diaper cake.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Spaghetti for 100 September 2008
2 comments

2

Diaper Cake April 2008
1 comment

3

Pork Chops and Potatoes June 2007

4

Taco Casserole for 40 – 50 people February 2009

5

Let me introduce myself April 2007
25 comments

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Pimento Cheese for a Crowd

Colossians 3:12  As God’s chosen people, holy and early loved, clothe youselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

This will make enough sandwiches for about 75 people depending on the amount of filling you put onto each bread slice.

1 – 5 lb. bag of finely shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups of diced pimentoes

1 c. pickle relish

1 c. water – or more to obtain desired consistency of the spread

2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing

Combine all ingredients.  You can add more mayonnaise or salad dressing if desired.

Spread on bread and keep chilled until served.

Serve with soups or salads for a complete meal.

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Thanksgiving Posting

James 1:17  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

As we prepare to have our annual Thanksgiving Celebration I thought I would share some recipes with you and yours.  This year we will be dining with our youngest son, his wife, three grandsons, her parents and brother.  Our other son and family will be traveling to his wife’s family in Indiana and our daughter and family are in Colorado. 

We prepared a Thanksgiving meal (Free Meal) for our church last Saturday with Turkey, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Green Beans and Cranberry Salad.  We served 160+.

Menu this year will be:  Turkey/Dressing,  Mashed Potatoes/Gravy,  Sweet Potatoes,  Cranberry salad, Corn,  Green Bean Casserole, Tossed Salad,  Relish Tray,  Broccoli Salad, Yeast Rolls,  Pumpkin Cake,  Pecan Pie,  Apple Pie,  Angel Food Lemon Curd cake and who knows what else we will come up with.

Cranberry Salad

Drain crushed pineapple – save the juice

2 pkgs. cherry jello – 2 cups hot water – mix until dissolved and add 1/2 cup cold water and 1 cup of pineapple juice (add more water if you don’t have quite enough juice)

Let set in the fridge until it begins to set.

Add

1 pkg. cranberries – chopped

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped nuts – optional

Pour into a mold and allow to chill overnight.  Unmold and serve.

Pumpkin Pie

1 3/4 cups pumpkin

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ginger

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 cup evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 8 inch pie shell

Mix all ingredients together and pour into the unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 450′ for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350′.  Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy these two recipes.

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Mediteranean Dip

Jermiah 15:16  When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name.

My daughter-in-law prepares this often for Birthday parties.  I plan on making this for a Women’s Circle meeting on Thursday.  The amounts vary depending on how many people you are serving.  Place the ingredients onto a large plate or platter in the order given.  Serve with Pita Chips.  You can make these yourself or buy premade chips. 

First Layer — Hummus (make your own or your favorite flavor)

Second Layer — Feta Cheese – crumbled

Third Layer — Spinach – chopped fine or torn into small pieces

Fourth Layer — Cucumber – chopped, use English cucumbers or remove seeds from other cucumbers

Fifth Layer — Red Pepper – chopped fine

Sixth Layer — Tomatoes – chopped fine

Seventh Layer — Black Olives – sliced

This is a great fresh flavor to accompany a Pizza Party for the adults.

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Salsa Pasta Salad for 15-20

I Timothy 4:4  Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Our Choir has a retreat tomorrow and I agreed to make a Pasta Salad.  I make Pasta Salad many different ways, but came up with this tonight.  We still have a lot of very nice tomatoes.

4 cups chopped tomatoes

1 large green pepper - chopped

1/2 large sweet onion – chopped ( you can substitute green onions)

1/2 large English cucumber (can substitute regular cucumbers that are seeded)

2 small cayenne pepper with seeds – chopped fine

1 bunch cilantro chopped – 1/4 cup after chopping

Combine all in large bowl.

3 cups cooked pasta (shell or elbow pasta)

Add to the tomato mixture

2 T. olive oil

1 t. lime juice

1 t. crushed garlic

Combine the above and add to the salad.  Marinate overnight. 

You can add chicken, tuna, salmon, feta or other protein for a main dish.

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Heirloom Tomatoe Salad

Hebrews 13:15  Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

For the first time we have raised Heirloom Tomatoes.  They definately have a different flavor and are so colorful.  This was a salad several nights ago.  Regular lettuce, cucumbers, pepper, onions, etc., but the tomatoes defiantely lend a varied flavor.

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Fresh Summer Vegetables

Proverbs 16:24  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. 

I love this time of year.  The tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers are beginning to ripen.  We have had squash and zucchini for a few weeks and they are still producing.  We did not plant beans this year (getting too old to bend over to pick) or corn (not enough space).  I will be buying them from local markets.

I think I could eat Bacon and Tomato Sandwiches every day.  They are SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!

Several very easy recipes that you may enjoy:

Cucumbers with Sour Cream

Slice your cucumbers into chunks or slices.  You can peel and take out the seeds if you wish.  Place your cucumbers in a bowl and top with sour cream.  Use enough sour cream to cover all the cucumbers.  Allow to set in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  This a great and if you use No Fat Sour Cream the calories are minimal.  I also found a sour cream that has chives and it is wonderful with the cucumbers.

Fresh Pickles

Slice your cucumbers.  You can peel if you desire.  Layer cucumbers and onions in a plastic container.  You can also salt and pepper each layer.  After you have the container filled add vinegar (1-2T for about a quart container) and then fill with water.  You can add a small amount of sugar to counteract the vinegar, garlic, hot pepper flakes and/or dill to your taste.  Allow these to marinate at least 24 hours.  These are great with just about any meal.  You can continue to add cucumbers to the mixture.

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad

This is one of my favorites.  Slice your tomatoes (peel if desired) and slice the fresh mozzarella.  Arrange the tomato slices on a plate and lightly salt.  Place a mozzarella slice on the top of each tomato.  Drizzle with a light Balsamic vinegar dressing.  Enjoy as a light lunch with soup and crusty bread.  Delicious.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

4-5 medium ripe tomatoes (peel)

1/2 sweet onion – diced very fine

1 green pepper – chopped very fine

1 hot pepper – cayenne, jalapeno, etc.  More if you like hotter

2 T. chopped Fresh Cilantro

1 T. lime juice

1 T. Olive Oil

Salt, pepper, garlic powder and hot salt to taste

Mix together and refrigerate for several hours for the flavor to marry.

Guacamole

1 ripe Avocado (score the avocado in the shell and then scoop out)

1-2 ripe tomatoes - peeled and chopped

1/4 onion – chopped fine

1 T. lime juice

salt, pepper, hot salt (sauce) and garlic to taste

Mix together and make sure the Avocado is in small chunks. 

Marinated Vegetable Salad 

Mix a variety of garden vegetables:

Cucumbers, squash, zucchini, onion, green pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and celery.  Chop into 1/4 inch size.  Top with “Hendrick’s” Dressing, Italian Dressing or your favorite Balsamic dressing.  Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.  This is a great side dish for bar-b-que or any summer meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Overnight Cole Slaw for 40

Ephesians  4:7  To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

5 lbs. shredded cabbage mix with some red cabbage and carrots

4 cups apple cider vinegar

4 cups sugar

1 T. celery salt

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Boil the vinegar, sugar, celery salt, salt and pepper until sugar is melted.  Pour over the cabbage mixture.  Toss together and let marinate overnight in the refrigerator. 

Optional Additions:   Green pepper, celery, onions. 

This is a great alternative to the mayonnaise style cole slaw.

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