1-1/4 pounds chicken, 3/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 3 sweet peppers, 2 Tsp olive oil (divided), zucchini, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/2 cup deli ham, 4 cloves garlic, 2 cans chicken broth, 1 can Italian diced tomatoes, 3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 3 Tsp tomato paste, 1 package potato gnocchi, 1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese, 1 tsp basil Sprinkle the chicken with oregano, salt, pepper.   Saute covered in 1 Tsp olive oil.  Remove and set aside.  In the same pan, cook veggies.  Add ham, garlic, and cook 1 minute.  Add broth, tomatoes, beans, peas, tomato paste, and chicken.  Boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer NOT covered x 20 minutes (stir!).  Cook the gnocchi separate, then add.  Garnish with cheese and basil. ... View Post

My grandmother's name was "Josephine," but when my Uncle Lawrence was young, and unable to pronounce her nickname "Josie" he called her "Dody."  So my grandma was always known as "Grandma Dody."   This was her recipe, passed down to MY mom, and down to me.  I remember walking home from school and smelling them baking when I would get about 3 or 4 houses away from our house.  I loved the smell of "home" when I was young, and to this day, the aromas in my mom's house still make it feel just like "home." 1 cup shortening, 1 cup peanut butter, 2 cups brown sugar (packed), 2 eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp milk. Cream the shortening and peanut butter.  Add the brown sugar and mix!  Add eggs, and mix well.  Add the milk.  Now, add the sifted ingredients a little bit at a time and ... View Post

PIE CRUST:  2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 2/3 cup shortening, 1/3 cup water.   Roll out and cut with a small glass.  Roll out large enough to fill a muffin tin. FILLING:   1/3 cup melted butter, 1 cup sifted brown sugar, 2 T milk, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 beaten egg, 1 t vanilla. Mix together and put spoonfuls into each of the tart shells (in the muffin tins).   Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.   ... View Post

3 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons cocoa (1/3 cup), 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt. Combine above ingredients with a fork! Add:  3/4 cup salad oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups of water. Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes. DO NOT USE A MIXER!  This MUST be mixed by HAND!!     ... View Post

For this dip - Use a large clear glass bowl, because it is very colorful and pretty !  1)   One 10-1/2 ounce can of bean dip and one 10-1/2 ounce can of refried beans.  Mix and spread in a large cake pan. 2)  4-6 avocados, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.  Mash and spread on the bean layer. 3)  One package of taco seasoning mix, 2 tablespoons of mayonaise, 3 tablespoons of sour cream.  Mix and spread on last layer. 4)  1/2 pound grated jack cheese, 1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese, mix and spread on the last layer. 5)  Two 8-1/2 ounce cans of chopped black olives.  Spread on the last layer. 6)  3-4 small tomatos diced and spread on the last layer. 7)  4-5 chopped green onions. 8)  Another optional layer of cheese! ... View Post

Drain one 15-ounce can of fruit cocktail.  Discard the juice!   Dissolve one 3-ounce package of peach jello in 1 cup of boiling water.  Stir in 1 pint of vanilla ice cream until evenly distributed.  Stir in fruit cocktail.  Chill until firm.  Great with cool whip! ... View Post

Beat well 4 eggs with 1 cup of sugar.  Add 2 pounds of small curd cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Bake in a graham cracker crust (2) at 300 degrees for 1 hour.  (Preheat the oven). We would always put a little dab of cool whip with cinnamon sprinkled on it!  A holiday favorite! ... View Post

1 can of corn, 1 can black-eyed peas, 1 red bell pepper, 1 red/purple onion, 1/3 cup Italian dressing, 1 lime (squeezed for the juice), cilantro, salt & pepper, 2-3 tomatoes.   (Heidi adds an orange bell pepper and a sweet cuban pepper, as well as lemon juice and red pepper flakes). Add all but the lime juice and cilantro.  Mix well.  Add the last 2 ingredients just before serving for added "freshness!" ... View Post