Dump Cake

1 can cherry pie filling
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter

• Coat a 9" x 13" casserole dish with vegetable spray.
• Dump pie filling and pineapple and stir together to mix.
• Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the fruit and smooth out with a fork
• Cut up butter and dot the top of the cake mix with chunks (or melt it and pour evenly over the top of the cake mix if you are in a dashing hurry).
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.
• Cool only till it won't burn a blister on your tongue and serve it up!

This is a recipe I grew to love when I was a farm woman with chores that kept me out at the barn till it was later than most people even think about stirring something up for supper (the evening meal for those of you who are hoity-toity).  I could come in from the barn and stir up a pot of chili or something equally as quick, easy, and filling simple, tasty, and nourishing, dump the ingredients for this cake into a pan and we had a gourmet meal in a jif!

Five Minute Mug Chocolate Cake

4 Tablespoons cake flour (I have used plain flour but it is not quite as tasty)
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons chocolate chips (optional - but why wouldn't you add them?)
a small splash of vanilla
1 large coffee mug

• Spray the inside of a microwave safe mug with vegetable spray.
• Add dry ingredients to the mug and mix well.  (I often will also mix this in a small mixing bowl and then pour into the mug when I don't mind washing two dishes.)
• Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
• Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
• Add the chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again.
• Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.  The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
• Allow to cool a little.
• Tip out onto a plate if desired.  (I prefer to just eat mine out of the mug!)

This could serve two if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.  It is rich and I do sometimes share.

Meat Marinade

1/2 cup Johnny's Sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon McCormick's Smokehouse Maple seasoning
1 tablespoon mustard

• Mix all ingredients together in a gallon zipper bag.
• Add meat - good for pork, beef, or chicken!
• Marinate for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.

The picture shown features chicken breasts which had been injected with this marinade, rubbed with McCormick's Maple seasoning, and basted with some reserved marinade.  Recently we cooked a pork loin that we had rubbed with McCormick's Smokehouse Maple seasoning and marinated with this concoction.  This is also good when used to inject into a meat or to reserve some for basting while grilling.

Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce

Make your favorite gingerbread cake recipe.  I like the Betty Crocker Mix!

Lemon Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch
Dash of salt and nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Mix sugar, corn starch, salt, and nutmeg in a small saucepan.
• Gradually add boiling water.
• Cook over medium heat till thick and clear.
• Add butter and lemon juice.

My mother's friend, Louise Lynch shared this recipe and it is like a nectar.  I just love the tart and sweetness of it!

Chicken and Broccoli Cobbler

photo from Oxmoor House

(who publishes Southern Living Cookbooks where I got this yummy recipe)

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 cup cubed sourdough bread
1/2 cup preshredded Parmesan cheese
3 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken (leftover smoked turkey from Big Tom works well, too!)
1/2 cup drained, chopped, roasted, red, bell pepper
1 (10 oz.) container Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons dry sherry (optional)

most of the ingredients are pictured here

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
• Drizzle butter over bread cubes in a large bowl; sprinkle with cheese and toss well.
• Combine broccoli, bell pepper, Alfredo sauce, and sour cream.
• Layer cooked, chopped chicken in a two-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
• Spoon broccoli mixture over top of chicken; top with bread cubes.

• Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and top is toasted.  (If making individual cobblers as shown in the first photo, bake 20-25 minutes.)

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
4Tablespoons cocoa
½ stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons peanut butter
3 cups minute oats

• With a wooden spoon, mix together sugar and cocoa in a 2-quart saucepan trying to work out lumps in cocoa.

• Add milk.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture comes to a boil.
• Boil one minute, continually stirring.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, butter, and peanut butter.
• Stir till mixture is smooth.
• Add oats, one-half to one cup at a time.

• Drop onto wax paper and allow to set up.

Makes three dozen medium sized cookies.  Store in a cool dry place - if there are any left!

These are probably my very favorite cookies! 

Ham and Shrimp Bites

One package frozen, cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
One pound ham (thin, sandwich-sliced style
4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons Bar-B-Que Sauce
2 Tablespoons melted butter

• Thaw shrimp according to package directions.
• Using a pizza cutter, slice ham into strips.
• Toss shrimp in mustard.

• Roll ham around shrimp, spear with a toothpick, and place on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable spray.

• Mix any remaining mustard with Bar-B-Que Sauce and melted butter.
• Brush sauce onto ham surface.
• Bake 5-10 minutes till heated through.