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Potato Casserole

Well, it has been a couple of weeks since I have posted.  I know that I said I was going to post a new recipe every Tuesday and somehow last week it didn't get done.  So I apologize!  Anyway, many of you have been requesting the recipe for the potato casserole.  That meant that I got to make it for my family tonight.  My husband and myself loved it and my kids kinda just stared at it.  They are still in the stage where combining things in a casserole do not look appealing to them.  If everything was seperate and not touching anything else, I know they would eat it! 

I tried to upload the picture that I took of the potato casserole, but my connection at home is slow so it wasn't working.  I am sure all that you really want is the recipe anyway -

Potato Casserole

2 lb. bag frozen hashbrowns
2 c grated cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
12 oz. ctn. sour cream
1/2 c. melted butter

Mix wet ingredients with slightly thawed spuds.  Place in baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered.  Top with crushed cornflakes or chips.

Broccoli Cole Slaw

So, my mom found this recipe this past Spring and we have been making it a gazillion times.  She likes to watch Paula Deen and found this recipe on her show.  My two kids like watching Paula Deen with her  and my son always likes to imitate her by saying -  Hey Y'all!

With this salad we have been serving a baked potato bar and a nice warm brownie - just the perfect size lunch!

Broccoli Cole Slaw
2 bags Ramen Noodle Soup in Oriental
3/4 stick Butter
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Chopped green onions, for garnish

Dressing Mix:
3/4 c canola oil
1/4 c brown or white sugar
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 ramen noodle seasoning packet

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat.  Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat).  Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.  Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Garnish with chopped green onions.

Jingle Jammin Bars

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way - I know it's not Christmas but today's recipe does have the word Jingle in it so it made me want to sing the song.  These bars are so good and can be varied by just adding different preserves or jam. 

                                                                 

Don't they look delicious!  Heres the recipe so you can whip some up for supper tonight!

Jingle Jammin' Bars
1 cup flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup ground walnuts
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup favorite preserves or jam

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2.  Mix all
ingredients except preserves until crumbly.  Press 2/3 of crumbly mixture in pan.  Spread with
preserves.  Sprinkle with remaining crumbly mixture; press lightly.

2.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool Completely, about 1 hour.  Cut and serve!            

Cooking Day!!!!

Many of you who have stayed at Sweetwater House have been asking for the recipes that we use during your stay.  We have decided to feature a new recipe every Tuesday.  Many of the recipes have been used in our family for years.  One thing is for sure, if the recipe is on here we absolutely love it!!  Let it be known that my mom (Karla) is the one that is doing the cooking.  I don't mind cooking but she is much better at it so she got nominated as the official Tuesday cook.  The best thing for us on Tuesday is that she has to make the recipe that we are featuring so that we can take a picture of it.  Therefore- we get to eat it!!! 

Today we are featuring my all time favorite cake - Oatmeal Spice Cake.  This cake would be completely gone within an hour when I was growing up.  I make this cake for my kids and they love it too!  Many of you who have stayed at Sweetwater House replied, "I have never had Oatmeal Cake!"  So since it has oatmeal in it, it has to be healthy - right?  The cake comes from a cookbook called Country Fair Cookbook.  It assures you that every recipe in it is a blue ribbon winner.  My dad actually won this cookbook back in 1975 at a Pioneer Seed meeting/dinner.  Good thing he was lucky that night because we have used the cookbook over and over and over again.

                                             

Here it is the oatmeal spice cake and -

                                             

Here is what your plate will look like 1 minute later - empty!

Oatmeal Spice Cake

1 c. quick-cooking oats                    1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter                                   1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 c. boiling water                      1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. flour                                  1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar                                        2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda                           1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

Combine oats, butter and boiling water in bowl.  Cool.  Combine together flour,
sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt.  Add eggs to oat mixture;
beat well.  Add dry ingredients and brown sugar to oat mixture; beat at medium speed
2 minutes.  Pour batter into greased 13x9x2 baking pan.  Bake in 350 degrees oven 30
to 35 minutes or until cake tests done. 

Topping - Serve with a spoonful of cool-whip on top. 
Note:  It even tastes good without the cool-whip!

                                             

Had to show what the recipe book looks like - take note of the nice splotches on the page!