Old-Fashioned Fruitcake

A true family favorite here! This is "Aunt Stella's Fruit Cake," and it's delicious (and labor intensive). As with many old-fashioned recipes, you'll have to use some intuition and general cooking know how. I can find many of these ingredients in my local grocery's bulk section, so I "eyeball" some of the amounts. Photos of some of the steps follow the main recipe. It's also part of The Recipe Box Project.

Old-Fashioned Fruitcake

• 1 pound butter
• 1 pound sugar
• 1 dozen eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 pounds flour
• 1 t. nutmeg
• 1 t. cloves
• 1-2 t. cinnamon (we use 2)
• 1 t. allspice
• ~12-oz. raisins
• 1 pound candied cherries (we like a mix of green and red)*
• 1 1/2 pounds mixed candied fruit (pineapple, citron, lemon, and orange peel)*
• 1 "package" currants, optional (~6 ounces?)
• 1 "package" dried figs (~6 ounces?) or small jar fig preserves
• ~6-7 ounces dates, preferably chopped
• 1 pound nuts (we like pecans), preferably chopped
• cheesecloth
• bourbon

*you will need 2 1/2 pounds, total, of candied fruit. The more you can find already chopped, the better. Mixed fruit containers are fine, but you will want at least one small container of whole cherries if you want to use some to decorate the top.

Directions:

1. Prepare pans: line with parchment paper and spray thoroughly. We use aluminum loaf pans in various sizes. Preheat oven to 200-250 degrees (aim for the middle if you don't know your oven well).
2. Sift flour and spices together. Set aside.
3. Chop all fruit and nuts that aren't already chopped. You can combine them all in the same (large) bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar together.
5. Beat eggs and gradually add to butter/sugar mixture, beating thoroughly as you go.
6. Gradually add in flour/spices mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition.
7. Add in preserves, if using.
8. Pour batter over fruit/nut mixture. Stir well with a giant, wooden spoon, or go ahead and use your hands! (This is what we do.)
9. Scoop batter into prepared pans.
10. Bake for around 3 hours in a "very low oven." Check after 2 1/2. You're looking for a clean toothpick, but also that the top looks done. 
11. Remove cakes from pans and let cool. When completely cooled, pour some bourbon over (you can poke a few holes in the top of the cakes with a toothpick for even more bourbon flavor).
12. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth. Place each cheesecloth-covered cake in a tin with a lid and let "cure" for a few weeks. It will taste best after a few weeks of this "curing" stage.
13. Fruitcakes may be frozen before the bourbon/cheesecloth stage. 

~Makes 3 standard loaf-pans.

Directions with some photos:

• Prepare pans: line with parchment paper and spray thoroughly. We use aluminum loaf pans in various sizes. Preheat oven to 200-250 degrees (aim for the middle if you don't know your oven well).
• Sift flour and spices together. Set aside.
• Chop all fruit and nuts that aren't already chopped. You can combine them all in the same (large) bowl. Set aside.

• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Beat eggs and gradually add to butter/sugar mixture, beating thoroughly as you go.
• Gradually add in flour/spices mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Add in preserves, if using.
• Pour batter over fruit/nut mixture. Stir well with a giant, wooden spoon, or go ahead and use your hands! (This is what we do.)

• Scoop batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for around 3 hours in a "very low oven." Check after 2 1/2. You're looking for a clean toothpick, but also that the top looks done. 

• Remove cakes from pans and let cool. When completely cooled, pour some bourbon over (you can poke a few holes in the top of the cakes with a toothpick for even more bourbon flavor).

• Wrap cakes in cheesecloth. Place each cheesecloth-covered cake in a tin with a lid and let "cure" for a few weeks. It will taste best after a few weeks of this "curing" stage.
• Fruitcakes may be frozen before the bourbon/cheesecloth stage. 

~Makes 3 standard loaf-pans. If you did it right, your kitchen will look something like this ;-) :

And, just for fun, a little peek into the recipe box archives:

Simple Slaw

Need a quick, lightly dressed slaw for a side dish? This one is simple, but delicious. The dressing isn't overpowering, the cabbage stays crisp for at least a day after it's made, and there are no complicated ingredients. 

There's a mystery behind this recipe from my grandmother's recipe box, though. It was placed in the "vegetables" category instead of the "salads" category, but the really interesting thing is this: no one seems to know who wrote the original recipe (the women of my family don't recognize the handwriting--and we're all old enough to have seen and used actual handwriting enough to know whose is whose. My grandmother's usual slaw recipe was a creamy style.)

Even stranger is the recipe on the back of this little slip of paper: it's for fried catfish, but the directions are downright intimidating. Since I live in the Northwest, I'm not likely to wrangle any fresh catfish anytime soon, so that means I'm a'gonna pass on this here gem. See the card pictured below if you're curious--would YOU try this recipe? ;-)

Simple Slaw

2 bags slaw mix

1 bell pepper, chopped (any color; original calls for green)

1 onion, chopped

Dressing

1/2 c. neutral oil (canola, vegetable, etc.)

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

Combine dressing ingredients in jar with a lid; shake to combine. Mix slaw ingredients together. Make a "well" or hole in the middle and pour the dressing in. When ready to serve, toss together. Add salt and pepper at the table as needed.

Makes about 8-10 cups slaw

Recipe from the Recipe Box pictured below. Handwriting/origin is a mystery!

Fresh Spinach Salad

A fairly standard fresh spinach salad recipe, this came from my grandmother's recipe box! I used green onions instead of red, and they worked fine. The dressing makes quite a bit (2 cups!), so be prepared for leftovers!

Fresh Spinach Salad

~from my grandmother's recipe box

1 pound fresh spinach

1 small red onion, sliced

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped

1 small onion, minced

1 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. vinegar

1/3 c. sugar (or less)

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 t. celery seed

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Directions:

1. Wash and tear spinach. 
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a lidded jar: minced onion, oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Shake and chill. 
3. Arrange spinach, eggs, bacon, and eggs on plates and drizzle with dressing.

Recipe card in my grandmother's handwriting

Fresh Fruit Salad

This simple, delicious fruit salad can be made ahead of time and uses fruit that is readily available year round. Fruit amounts are flexible; I added a few more grapes. Note: this is very similar to Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad, but it uses more natural ingredients and isn't quite as sweet.

Fresh Fruit Salad
~from my grandmother's recipe box

2 small bananas, sliced
2 small apples, diced
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 c. seedless red grapes
1/2 c. seedless green grapes
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
3 T. orange juice
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine all fruit ingredients in medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup water, orange juice, and lemon juice until blended. Bring sugar mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, over medium heat. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Pour mixture over fruit, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours.

~Makes 6-8 servings

Recipe card from my grandmother's recipe box--in her handwriting

The Recipe Box Project

It's been TEN years since I started this little food blog.

When I started full tummies, I envisioned it an "interactive cookbook" rather than a fancy food blog loaded with images and lots of text. I still envision it that way. And so, it's time to begin a new project: testing out the recipes in my grandmother's recipe box!

I inherited her recipe boxes when she left this world for heaven. After weeding out the obvious rejects and the duplicates (um, how many tomato aspic recipes are really necessary?), I'm left with an interesting collection of family favorites. Sweets and side dishes dominate. Ordinary, old-fashioned fruits and vegetables are plentiful; there is nary a single recipe for kale.

I'll post a photo of the recipe card along with a new typed recipe as I try each recipe. I'll also post a picture, but I am NOT a "photographer." Initials with the recipes will help family members know the source of the recipe. I do not plan to explain them more fully.

Mixed Berry Crunch

This is my mother-in-law's recipe, and it is YUMMY! The original recipe calls for all blueberries, but she's made it with blueberries and peaches and--my personal favorite--blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Use what you have on hand. The topping is not a granola-type crunchy topping, but it's not really a pie crust either. It's delicious! Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.  (Recipe can be doubled and baked in a 13x9-inch pan.)

Mixed Berry Crunch

• 3 c. blueberries or mixed berries/peaches
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 6 T. melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix fruit and lemon juice and pour into 9-inch pie plate.
3. Combine flour, sugar, and egg. Pour/drizzle on top of fruit.
4. Drizzle melted butter on top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.

~Serves 6-8

*image from Around the Plate

Mom's Mac-n-Cheese

Straightforward and delicious! You may have all these ingredients on hand already. Leftover ham or smoked turkey is good mixed in. We like it straight from the stove. Note that if you're serving this straight from the stove, you can also add in a few more noodles to stretch it some.

Mom's Mac-n-Cheese

• 2 T. butter
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. dry mustard powder
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 2 c. shredded cheese, divided
• 1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs, optional
• 8 oz. noodles, cooked al dente (cut pasta is best)

1. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about a minute.
2. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add remaining seasonings. Cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a low boil. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. This whole step will take about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in cheese a handful at a time over low heat, stirring to melt. If serving from the stovetop, use the full amount of cheese. If baking, use 2 cups.
4. If baking, pour into an 8x8-inch pan. Top with bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly and top is browned.

Serves 4-6

Old-Fashioned Squash Casserole

This is the squash casserole I grew up eating (and loving). For some reason, it's hard to find a recipe like this in contemporary cookbooks. And yet, if you're from the South, it's one of those dishes that says "home." Mmmm.... When I got some lovely yellow summer squash and some fresh onions from the Colvins this week, I could hardly wait to make this!

Unlike most of my recipes, I'm featuring some more step-by-step pictures--partly because I've had such a hard time finding this recipe and am guessing there are a number of folks who've never made it. And I'd be remiss not to point out that adding a little chopped bacon never hurts! [See below for a short-and-sweet version]

Old-Fashioned Squash Casserole
~from The Chattanooga Cookbook (unfortunately, it's out-of-print)

• 6-8 young summer squash
• 1 medium onion
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 stick butter (1/4 c.)
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c. milk
• 12 Saltines
• salt and pepper to taste

Parboil 6-8 squash in salted water 'til tender (5-10 minutes; test with fork for tenderness).

Meanwhile, finely chop 1 onion. Saute in small amount of butter and/or bacon grease (I *always* use bacon grease--about 1/2 T. or so?).

Drain squash well

and mash it.

To the hot squash, add onions, 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese, 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 cup milk and 2 eggs mixed together, and 6 crumbled Saltines. Add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon sugar. Taste for salt/pepper.

Put in buttered casserole and top with more cracker crumbs (~6 more crackers).  Bake for an hour at 300 degrees.

~Serves 6-8

Short-and-Sweet Text-Only:
Parboil 6-8 summer squash in small amount of water until fork tender.  Meanwhile, finely chop 1 onion. Saute in small amount of butter and/or bacon grease (I *always* use bacon grease--about 1/2 T. or so?). Drain squash well and mash it. To the hot squash, add onions, 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese, 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 cup milk and 2 eggs mixed together, and 6 crumbled Saltines. Add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon sugar. Taste for salt/pepper. Put in buttered casserole and top with more cracker crumbs (~6 more crackers).  Bake for an hour at 300 degrees.

Salad Pizza

What's not to like? Salad... good. Pizza...good. Cheese...good. My kids unanimously decided that this is THE best way to eat salad (go figure). One of my children--my little salad-lovin' guy--decided this might be his favorite pizza. Note that this does not have tomato sauce--it's like white pizza with salad toppings. The toppings wilt slightly but are not cooked. The first time we had this, we topped their half with Ranch dressing and ours with vinaigrette. The picture above shows our recent batch of Romaine from the Colvins (plus the green garlic we got!); it's sort of a mock Caesar salad.

Salad Pizza
~based on this recipe

• 1 10-16-oz. pizza crust of your choosing (homemade or storebought)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. dried basil
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan
• Salad toppings (5 c. thinly sliced lettuces plus a few others: thinly sliced peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, etc.; something like the Easiest Salad Ever)
• Salad dressing of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 425-450 degrees.
2. Roll out pizza crust, if needed. Press garlic and sprinkle over top of crust. [If you're using green garlic, it's easier to just mince it.] Sprinkle dried herbs over.
3. Bake pizza crust until golden brown (~10-15 minutes).
4. While crust is baking, toss salad ingredients with dressing.
5. As soon as you pull the crust out, sprinkle mozzarella and half the Parmesan on top. Top with salad and sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top. 
6. Eat!

~Serves 4-6

Coca-Cola Cake Recipe

This treat was waiting for us at my mother-in-law's house when we arrived for Memorial Day weekend. Mmmm  (It's a similar process as my Texas Sheet Cake, but a bit lighter in flavor and texture).

Coca-Cola Cake
~from my mother-in-law

Cake

• 2 c. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. small marshmallows
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 3 T. cocoa
• 1 c. Coca-cola
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• Frosting--see below

1.  Sift flour and sugar together. Add marshmallows.
2. In a saucepan, mix butter, oil, cocoa, and Coca-cola. Bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients. Blend well.
3. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter along with eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well.
4. Pour into a well-greased 9x13-inch pan and bake 35 to 45. Remove from oven and frost immediately.

~Serves 24

Frosting

• 1/2 c. butter
• 3 T. cocoa
• 6 T. Coca-cola
• 1 box (16-oz) powdered sugar
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1 c. chopped pecans

1.  Heat butter, coca, and Coca-cola in a saucepan until butter melts. Whisk in sugar, vanilla, and pecans. Pour over warm cake. You can poke holes in the top of the cake if you'd like.

Mom's Crockpot Country Chicken Soup

Here's a nice, easy, hearty soup recipe for a cold January night. Even better--it does its thing in your slow cooker while you putter around the house (ahem, taking down that Christmas tree, maybe?). This is a recipe from my mom.  (*the picture shows this soup with a few modifications based on what I had--just so you know. I used a cup of ditalini noodles instead of egg noodles. I also threw in some corn that was hanging out in the fridge as well as less chicken....)

Crockpot Country Chicken Soup

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/2 t. basil
• 1/4 t. thyme
• 3 T. parsley
• one 2.5-3 pound chicken, cut up (or equivalent chicken parts--can use all white meat if preferred)
• 4 c. water
• 1 c. egg noodles (uncooked)

1. Place all ingredients except noodles in crockpot in order listed. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours. 
2. One hour before serving, remove chicken and chop (let cool slightly first).  Return meat to pot and add noodles. Cook on high for remaining hour.

Serves 4 amply

Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad

Aunt Elsie is my cousin's other grandmother ("other" meaning not the one we have in common, our moms' mother, but her other grandmother--in this case, her father's mother; confused yet?). Aunt Elsie has always been a part of my family's lives, too, and now she and my grandmother are at the same retirement home and still terrific friends. This was her contribution to the holiday meals we shared with her growing up--one of the things I loved most as a kid. Keep this easy salad in mind next time you have a crew of young folks coming to a dinner party.

Aunt Elsie's Fruit Salad

• 1 medium can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
• 2 cans chunky fruit salad, drained and juice reserved
• 1 can mandarin oranges, drained and juice reserved
• 1 can sliced pears, drained and juice reserved
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• grapes
• mini marshmallows
• 2 bananas, sliced

1. Add 1 cup of pineapple juice to pudding and mix well; if you don't have 1 cup of pineapple juice from the pineapple chunks, add remaining "fruit" juice until you have 1 cup. I started with mandarin orange juice after the pineapple and had plenty. Let pudding mixture thicken while you combine remaining ingredients (don't add marshmallows or bananas until just before serving).
2. Stir in pudding mixture and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve!

~Serves 8 or so

Chicken Continental

An old recipe of my mom's. (Not hers originally, but from back in the day, maybe my grandmother....) It's basically a chicken casserole with vegetables and white sauce.

Chicken Continental

• 6 chicken breasts
• 1 pound mushrooms
• 4 T. butter
• 2 T. minced onion
• 4 T. flour
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 packages frozen asparagus or broccoli

1. Boil chicken breasts in small amount of water until tender. Saute mushrooms in butter, add onion. 
2. Mix flour in heavy cream. Add sour cream and salt. Blend well. Add to mushrooms. Heat slowly.
3. Line baking dish with partially cooked asparagus or broccoli. Top with chicken and cover with sauce.
4. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes.

~Serves 6

Grandmother's French Herbed Chicken

A recipe from my grandmother. Enjoy. It's on my list of "recipes-to-make" for sure! (I'm posting it untried because she's a GREAT cook and doesn't need my verification ☺). In fact, I think this will go on my "make-for-company" list!

(Note: these older recipes assume a lot more background cooking knowledge than contemporary cookbooks do. See below the recipe for some helpful tips from a reader--thanks, Amy!)

Grandmother's French Herbed Chicken

• 1 cut-up chicken (about 3 pounds)
• 1 T. butter
• 1 (8-oz) can small whole onions, drained (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 c. coarsely chopped carrot
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 T. snipped parsley
• 1/4 t. dried thyme, crushed
• 1 (2-oz) can sliced mushrooms
• 1 c. sauterne
• 2-3 branches celery, cut up
• 1 medium bay leaf

In skillet, brown chicken in hot fat. Season with salt and pepper and place in a 2 quart casserole. Drain excess fat in skillet; add remaining ingredients except celery and bay leaf. Heat, scraping up browned pieces. Pour over chicken. Tuck in celery and bay leaf. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Remove bay leaf and celery, if desired, before serving.

~Serves 4-6

Notes:

1. Cut your chicken up into roughly four pieces (2 breast halves, 2 leg/thigh pieces); use the rest for stock making or discard.
2. Use the butter called for as the "hot fat" in which you brown the chicken, brown the skin-side.
   She also said the carrots were so good that next time she'll use more! 
   
    

Mimi's Roast

"Mimi" was my dad's stepmother; my sister and I grew up calling her "Mimi" and thought of her as our grandmother (my dad's mom died before we were born).

Anyway, she fixed great Sunday dinners; pot roast was her specialty! I remember her pot roast well. Mmm...

Mimi's Roast

• 3-4 pound pot roast
• 1 package onion soup mix dissolved in 1 cup white wine.
• a few garlic pods
• 1/2 c. extra dry gin

Prick roast in a few places and insert garlic pods. Pour onion soup mixture over roast. Pour gin over it. Roast at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Turn oven down to 200 degrees and continue to roast for 2-3 more hours.

Great Grandmother's Chocolate Frosting

Some recipes never go out of style! It's truly amazing how much you can delight a child with some great chocolate frosting: spread it on graham crackers or Nilla wafers, share a spoonful together...do you need an excuse?

Great Grandmother's Chocolate Frosting

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 stick butter (8 ounces), softened
• 1 box powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• pinch salt

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Thoroughly cream softened butter and gradually add powdered sugar. Add melted chocolate. Mix well. Add salt and add milk gradually (it may not take the entire 1/2 cup). Add vanilla and spread on cake or cupcakes.

~Frosts about 4 dozen cupcakes or one cake

Eggplant Casserole

Definitely not a Weight Watchers recipe here. A retro recipe of my mom's and grandmother's and one that takes me back instantly to my childhood dinners. It remains the only way I like to eat eggplant. No picture because it's not very pretty ☺. The eggplants were pretty--I should have taken a picture of them! You can also make this with yellow squash; we always made this with eggplant, though.

Eggplant Casserole

• 2 c. peeled, cubed eggplant
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 c. grated sharp Cheddar
• 1/2 stick butter (4 T.)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

1. Boil eggplant and onion together until tender (about 10 minutes or so).
2. Drain eggplant mixture well and mash.
3. Combine remaining ingredients except Ritz crackers with the eggplant/onion mixture. Stir in 1/2 the Ritz cracker crumbs.
4. Spoon/pour into a greased casserole (maybe a 1 1/2-2 quart? I used a round pottery dish and don't know the volume). Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until crumbs are browned.

 Serves 6

Green and Gold Salad with Citrus Ranch Dressing

This is a hearty salad my mom makes, and it's a nice change of pace from the usual. It's also pretty and a nutritional powerhouse. I'm posting it now because I need to return the recipe card to my mom, but it's really more of a fall salad or early spring.

Green and Gold Salad with Citrus Ranch Dressing

• 3 c. chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 1/2 c. diced mango
• 1 large navel orange, sectioned (and cut in halves/thirds if you prefer)
• 1/2 c. toasted pecans
• 1 (6-oz) package fresh spinach

Toss together. Toss with dressing to taste.

Citrus Ranch Dressing

• 3/4 c. Ranch dressing
• 2 t. grated orange rind
• 3 T. fresh orange juice

Mix together thoroughly.

~Serves 4-6

Aunt Helen's Microwave Squasherole

Mmmm... squash casserole. But who wants to turn your oven on when it's blazing hot outside? Or what if your oven is already full with some other delicacy? Or what if you don't have the one hour it might take for regular squash casserole once you've prepped it and let it do it's thing in the oven? Enter: the Squasherole... all done in the microwave! This is my husband's great aunt's recipe, and it's in the family cookbook. It's a bit different than regular squash casserole--the squashes are a bit more distinct, and the flavor is a touch more tangy/sweet. I like it with half zucchini and half yellow squash. My husband isn't a huge fan of the usual squash casserole, but he loves this version. Try it!

Microwave Squasherole

~From the Cross Clan Cookbook ☺

• 2 T. butter
• 1/4 c. buttery cracker crumbs
• 1/4 c. broken pecan pieces (don't omit--they are WONDERFUL in this)
• 2 T. water
• 1 pound summer squash, cut up (I like the peel on--it's prettier; I typically cut them into 3/4-inch pieces or thereabouts)
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise (can use low-fat)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1 1/2 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. instant/powdered onion

1. In a 1-quart casserole dish, microwave butter 1/2 minute or so until melted. Add cracker crumbs and pecans. Microwave 2 minutes on high. Stir and remove from casserole dish.
2. In same casserole dish, put water and squash. Cover and microwave 8-10 minutes on high; drain and put back in casserole dish.
3. Mix remaining ingredients. Add to drained squash. Microwave 4 minutes on low; stir. Add crumb topping. Microwave 2-4 minutes on low until center is set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

~Serves about 4; can be doubled

Aunt Ernestine's Country Sausage Muffins

These are a meal in a muffin! Aunt Ernestine is my great aunt on my mom's dad's side.

• 1/2 pound pork sausage
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. self-rising flour
• 1 (2-oz) jar pimiento
• 1 (8-oz) carton French onion dip
• 1/2 c. milk

1. Brown sausage, stirring to crumble, and drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings.
2. Combine all ingredients, including reserved drippings. Stir enough to moisten dry ingredients.
3. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until brown.