Mom's Egg Salad

6 – 8 boiled eggs, shelled & chopped

½ cup Miracle Whip

Squirt of mustard

1 tsp vinegar

¼ cup green olives, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Helpful Tips:

• Use eggs that are at least a week old.
• Set eggs out for half an hour so they're not cold. 
• Place in a pan of cool water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 - 12 minutes. 
• Place pan in sink and run cold water over the eggs. As they begin to cool, tap each egg to crack shells and place back in cold water until completely cooled. Shells should come right off. 

Similar to Mom's Deviled Eggs

Beef Vegetable Soup

Richard serving soup

Left over roast beef, cut into bite-size pieces

1 can beef broth

2 cups tomato juice

2 cups water

2 Tbsp onion soup bullion

Carrots

Onion

Cabbage

1 can whole corn

1 can green beans

1 can whole tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas

salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT canned vegetables in a large stock pot. Simmer for an hour then add canned vegetables. Continue simmering 1 or more hours.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

 from Lora Bojorova (Christie's former student and adopted daughter)

2 – 8 ounces of cream cheese

¾ cup red hot buffalo wing sauce

1 cup ranch dressing

2 large cans chicken breast

8 ounce cheddar cheese

Mix everything in skillet until well blended and heated. Keep in crockpot. Use tortillas for dipping.           

Original Chex Party Mix

1 stick margarine or butter

1 TBSP Seasoned Salt

3 TBSP Worcestershire

3 cups of each- Corn, rice, & wheat Chex cereal

2 cups mixed nuts

1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup garlic bagels or sesame treats

Place all cereal, nuts and pretzels, garlic bagels in large bowl. Melt margarine in microwave or saucepan. Remove from heat, add seasoned salt and Worcestershire. Drizzle over cereal mixture, turning with rubber spatula until cereal is well coated.

Place in 2 9 x 13 cake pans or large blue roaster.  Bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 
Cool completely before storing in airtight container or baggie.

Happy New Year!

Sorry, the roast fell apart...it was sooooo tender!!!

 I wish you could have smelled the wonderful aroma throughout our house today. The tradition of preparing and eating Pork & Sauerkraut on New Year's Day has been in our family for many years. Pork & Sauerkraut come from the German tradition, as pigs are considered good luck symbols and cabbage leaves are symbolic of money, thus having pork and Sauerkraut are the best way to pave the way for the New Year. I was taught a special recipe by my late mother in-law, Aggie Dye. Richard and I have tweaked the recipe and I believe the secret is to use a crock pot and let it slow cook all day. Another secret is using brown sugar and a can of tomatoes. 

1 - 2 lbs pork roast

1 pkg smoked sausage, cut into 3 inch links
1 pkg Hungarian and/or hot sausage, optional
2 lb pkg sauerkraut
1 onion, cut in wedges
mild yellow banana pepper, optional
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
3 TBSP brown sugar

Place pork roast in bottom of crock pot. Sprinkle with pepper.  Place the following items in this order: onion, banana pepper, 1/2 kraut, links of sausage, remaining kraut, brown sugar, stewed tomatoes. Do not stir. cook on high for 5 - 7 hours, until pork is fork tender.

LEFT OVER PORK
We shred pork, stir in lots of BBQ sauce for sandwiches. The flavor of the marinaded pork roast is awesome!

Carrot Cake

2 cups sugar

1 1/3  cooking oil

3 large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped pineapple

2 cups grated carrots
1 Tbsp flour

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins

Grease/flour 2 - 8-inch round pans.

In large bowl, cream sugar and oil. Beat in eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in pineapple & carrots. Toss raisins and nuts in a ziploc baggie with 1 Tbsp flour until well coated. Fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake at 350° for 55 – 60 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 - 8 ounce pack cream cheese, softened
5 Tbsp butter, softened 
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together and spread on cooled Carrot Cake. Layer the 2 cakes with icing in between. Then ice the top and the sides last. Optional:top with 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.

Oatmeal Breakfast

¼ cup quick oats

½ cup water

Cook in microwave at power 8 for 1 and ½ minutes.

Add and stir:

cinnamon

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit

2 Tbsp walnuts, almond, or pecans