The recipe that I'm going to share today is not one I make very often.  It is very rich and fattening!  I like to make to take to potlucks or work, then I only eat a small slice. 


Almost Better than Anything Cake

1 Chocolate cake mix(I prefer German chocolate)

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 small container Cool Whip

4 Heath candy bars, chopped up

3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Mix cake mix according to directions on box.  Bake and let cool.  With fork, poke holes all over cake.  Pour 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk over top of cake.  Let settle in holes.  Sprinkle half of chopped Heath over sweetened condensed milk.  Pour 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping over Heath bars.  Spread Cool Whip over carmel.  Drizzle 1/4 cup caramel over Cool whip and Sprinkle remaining Heath over top of caramel.  Serve.  DO NOT THINK about the CALORIES!!

This is the BEST meatloaf.  I wish I had a picture of it, I don't have it on the menu this week.  It is from a doctor that I work with, his wife came up with it in her teenage years. 

MEAT LOAF

1 medium onion

1-2 cloves garlic

1 egg

1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3-4 slices of white bread, crumbled

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

dash of Italian seasoning

dash of worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degress.  Grease a loaf pan, chop onions and garlic very fine.  Beat eggs slightly.  Combine meat with all of the above ingredients, mix well.  Pack into laof pan.  Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake 1-1 1/4 hours.  I baked mine covered for the first hour. I also used 1 pound of hamburger and 1 pound of ground pork, because I needed to use up the pork.  It was delicious.

I want to try to post recipes on Tuesday that are some of my tried and true favorites.  This week it is ham and bean soup. 

This isn't going to be a traditionally written recipe, I'm going to write it out in the steps I did it.  I did not use a recipe and I had never made it before this winter. 

First I took a bag of dried northern beans and soaked them according to the package directions.  After they had soaked well, I drained and sorted them.  Then I added six cups of chicken stock to the pot.  In a skillet I melted a stick of butter and added a finely chopped onion and 6-8 cloves of minced garlic.  We love garlic at this house, so I use a lot.   I also chopped/diced 5 carrotts.  When the onion was translucent I then put this into the pot with the beans.  Added the carrots and a ham shank I had gotton at my local supermarket.  (We have a fabulous meat dept in our local supermarket.  They have one of those open cases where they actually weigh and package your meat for you.)  I think filled the pot with more water to bring it to about two inches from the top. 

I cooked this on low heat for 4-5 hours.  The ham fell off of the shank and was delicious.  I did make it once using canned beans, but I did not like how mushy they got compared to the dried.

~~Wishing you warm hearts and homes,

Linda

Because we are going to my parents for Thanksgiving, I only have to make a few things.  I thought I'd share the two dishes that I am taking.  I never had Sweet Potatoes at Thanksgiving until 2004.  Then I found this recipe in Martha Stewart's magazine Everyday Food. 

Buttered Pecan Sweet Potatoes

~~Sometimes I will add mini-marshmellows and bake until they are brown on top. 


Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:

MIX soup, milk, soy, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole.

BAKE at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot.

STIR . Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

TIP: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz.) frozen green beans, 2 pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.

For a change of pace, substitute 4 cups cooked broccoli flowerets for the green beans.

For a creative twist, stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese with soup. Omit soy sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup additional Cheddar cheese when adding the remaining onions.

For a festive touch, stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with soup.

For a heartier mushroom flavor, substitute Campbell's® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup for Cream of Mushroom Soup. Omit soy sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with green beans.

We are going to be gone a lot in the evenings over the next week. 

Our menu for the week reflects this. 

The two little girls are gone at Grandpa and Grandma's.  So I'm working on other things, not doing much cooking.  Plus it is hot, hot, hot!  


Monday:  Fair food---we are taking my sister-in-law to the Iowa State Fair tonight.

Tuesday:  Make yourself a sandwich night---I'll be leaving for a reading seminar taught by our supervising teacher.

Wednesday:  Either take-out pizza or grilled meat with a few easy sides. 

Examples of sides:  Chips and salsa, fruit salad and scootch-a-roos. 

We are having a family over for supper. 

Thursday:  Probably more fair food for most of us.  The four oldest are going to see Casting Crowns in concert.  Grace and the baby sitter will probably get an easy supper...I'm still thinking about what would please the babysitter's palate.

Friday:  We will be either spaghetti or tacos.  Usually we go out to eat on friday nights, but our budget and our belly's can't take anymore eating out! 

Visit Orgjunkie for more blogger's menus.

We are going to start camping towards the end of the week.  Our menu for this week is a little sketchy.  My husband told me on Thursday evening that we should try to spend no money until we go to the Iowa State Fair on Thursday.  Then he clarified by saying that he guessed I'd need to do some shopping for our camping.  I have two refrigerator freezers and a small deep freeze full of food.  Add to that a full pantry and I have no reason to not cook, great meals for my family.  But I lack inspiration and desire right now.  So I'm hoping that beginning to do Menu Plan Monday will get me out of this rut!  I would like to save our money for more great homeschooling stuff, not eating out!  

Here's the plan so far...might need a little tweeking.
Monday: 
BBQ Chicken

Grilled Potatoes

Sliced Tomatoes

Leftover: Chinese Cabbage Salad and Potato Salad
Tuesday:

Italian night:

Pasta with sausage and tomato sauce

Broccoli and cheese

Garlic Bread

Wednesday:

?????

We'll be setting up at the campground.

I'd like to get take out of some sort.

We'll see.

Thursday:

At Iowa State Fair

Friday:
Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

Chips/dip

Sliced tomatoes

??? either baked beans or a salad

Saturday:

Grilled chicken

foil grilled potatoes

Corn on the cob

Sunday:

Getting back from camping..

Cold meat sandwiches

My friend, ReviewsbyHeidi   , is having a contest for your most requested recipe.  Well this isn't my most requested, but it is my friend Jenni's.  I hope that counts Heidi.  This is a great salad to take to potlucks and picnics.  With no mayo, it won't spoil.  You can mix the dressing in at the last minute also and still have a great salad. 

Chinese Cabbage Salad

1 package Shredded Cabbage(I use packaged coleslaw mix)

2 packages Ramen Noodles-crunched up(chicken flavored)

1 bunch green onions-chopped

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

½ cup oil

2 packages seasoning from Ramen Noodles

Mix first four ingredients in large bowl.  For dressing, combine next four ingredients and set aside.  When ready to serve salad, add 1 cup sunflower seeds and 1 cup cashews.  Pour on dressing, stir and serve.

Mmmmm, I'm off to make a bowl of this now. 

~~~~taste and see that the Lord is good,

Linda