My friend who spends a lot of time throughout her week with the elderly, the widows, the sick, and the lonely, often shares little snippets of the cutest stories with me. Her enjoyment of the time she spends with people is such a gift to her, and I'm the lucky recipient of some of the wisdom she passes along from her friends to me! Some of it gleaned from spending time with those who are bitter at the end of their lives, but often from those who are cheerful at heart, even when their life seems to be coming close to the end. A while back, she shared a story with me that I have told and retold, and retold again. The reason I've retold it is because I so hope to have the attitude of the 94-year-old woman who belongs to the story! They were sharing lunch together at the ... View Post
Enchilada Meatballs
Ingredients: 2 cups crumbled cornbread 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce (divided) 1/2 t salt 1-1/2 pounds ground sirloin 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounce) 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend Directions: In large bowl, combine the cornbread, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, and salt. Crumble beef over the mixture and shape into 1-inch balls. Place meatballs on greased rack in shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Then, drain. In sauce pan, heat tomato sauce and remaining enchilada sauce. Drain meatballs and place in a serving dish. Top with sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with toothpicks! ... View Post
Beema’s Bisquick Coffee Cake
Ingredients: 4 cups Bisquick 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup melted margarine 1/2 cup milk 1 t vanilla 1 t almond 3 eggs 1 can apple filling or sauce Directions: Mix Bisquick and sugar. Partially mix eggs, milk, margarine, and flavoring, and then mix together. Spread 1/2 the mixture in 13x9 pan and add fruit (15 ounce apple sauce). Sprinkle with cinnamon. top with spoonfuls of remaining mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Glaze top Directions: Mix one cup powdered sugar with 1-2 t milk. Mix till smooth, then drizzle over the top while still warm. ... View Post
Golly Jean Applesauce Cake
Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 1 cup mazzola oil 3 eggs 1 t soda 1 t salt 2 t vanilla 3 cups flour 3 cups diced apples (Newton or Pippin) Directions: Mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Then add soda, salt, and vanilla. To that, add the flour and apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. *Aunt Jean was married to Al, my Dad's brother. He was also known as "Junior" because Grandpa MacDonald's name was also Allan. Jean and Al lived in Anaheim, and I would visit them often for holidays when I was stationed in California (more than once). Aunt Jean is a gifted baker who I am still trying to get to give up her lemon meringue pie recipe! The name Golly came from Uncle Al, because he always said, "Golly, golly," and we always teased him about that. ... View Post
Aunt Joanie’s Butter Tarts
Ingredients for Pie Crust: 2 cups flour 1/4 t salt 2/3 cup shortening 1/3 cup water Roll out and cut with a small glass, just big enough to fit a muffin tin. Ingredients for filling: 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup sifted brown sugar 2 T milk 1/2 cup raisins (or 1 cup if you really like raisins) 1 beaten egg 1 t vanilla Directions: Mix together and put spoonfuls into the tart shells. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes, or at 350 for 10-15 minutes. *I always remember Aunt Joanie making these for cousin Lynn MacInnis' husband Robbie. I also remember that Aunt Irene always had them when we visited her apartment in Toronto! ... View Post
Joan McBride’s Buttercream Frosting
Stir over medium heat 2-1/2 T flour with 1/2 cup milk until smooth and thick. Cool. Cream together 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add to the cooled paste mix, and beat until it's fluffy. Add 1/2 t vanilla and beat again. Double recipe if this is for a large sheet cake. *Joan McBride lived across the street from us in Michigan, and she was a dear friend to my mother! ... View Post
Nanny’s “Go Blue” Chicken
Ingredients: 1 small bottle catalina dressing 1 10-ounce apricot preserves 1 envelope dry onion mix Directions: Mix all together. Place 8 pieces of chicken in a baking dish. Pour mix on chicken. Cover with foil. Bake about an hour at 350 degrees. ... View Post
Empty Nester Chicken Dinner Packets
Ingredients: 1/2 pound chicken breasts 2 red potatoes - sliced thin 3/4 cup cheddar cheese 1/2 small red pepper 1/2 green pepper 2 T BBQ sauce 1 green onion 1/4 t salt 1/8 t pepper Directions: Divide chicken strips between 2 pieces of foil. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and spoon over the chicken breasts. Fold the foil, and seal it tightly. Place on a baking dish and bake 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. *I have found this a really, really easy meal as a single empty nester! (Have a glass of wine ;) ... View Post