Lulu's Sausage Meatball Soup

                                                                 

Lulu's Sausage Meatball Soup

6 cups chicken broth

7-8 potatoes, cubed
4 thinly sliced carrots
2 small onions, sliced into rings
3 Tbls butter
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound sausage
1 cup milk

In soup pot, bring chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, onions, butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a boil. Roll sausage into small (1") balls and drop into boiling pot; cook for 30 minutes. Turn heat down to a simmer and add milk. Simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve with garlic bread, if so desired. Makes 4-6 servings.

Lulu's Ham Sandwich Casserole

                                                                      
Lulu's Ham Sandwich Casserole

2 cups cooked rice
4 large potatoes
2 cups diced ham
1 cup Cheddar cheese
1 cup Swiss cheese
6 slices bread, cubed
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Boil potatoes till soft, then cut into cubes. Combine potatoes, rice, ham, and cheeses. Place in a 9" x 13" pan. When potatoes are done preheat oven to 400 degrees while cubing potatoes.
Blend milk and eggs. Place bread cubes evenly over casserole. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees until crust hardens, about 45-60 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Lulu's Stuffed Shells

                                 
                                                                    
Lulu is my cousin and takes this dish to most family gatherings. This has become her signature dish as she made it up from ingredients that she and her family love.

Lulu's Stuffed Shells

1 box jumbo shells (24-26 shells)
1 (24 ounce) large container cottage cheese
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 pound sausage
4 Tbls parsley
1 pkg (6 ounce) broccoli cuts, frozen
1 can (16 ounce) chicken broth
Garlic, salt, and pepper, to taste

Prepare shells according to package directions; cool.
Cook (fry) sausage and parsley till done.
Cook broccoli till tender.
Ina large bowl add broccoli, sausage, 2 cups cheese, and remaining ingredients except for shells and broth. Stuff shells and place in bottoms of two pie pans. Pour half of broth in each pan. Divide remaining cheese between pans and sprinkle over tops. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Irene's Superb Meatloaf

                                                                     
Irene's Superb Meatloaf

1 1/4 pounds ground chuck
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, cut up into cubes (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped thin
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Tbls. parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash paprika
3 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients, except bacon, in a bowl and combine well. Form into a loaf or oval and place into a pan. Lay strips of bacon on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Bacon should crisp up.
Remove to paper towels to drain before placing on serving platter to serve. About 4 servings.

Irene's Amish Custard Pie

                                                                       
An old-fashioned pie that is good on cold winter nights. These are the kind of pies farm women made the working men who came to help in the fields. An easy pie that the entire family can enjoy.

Irene's Amish Custard Pie

1- 9" unbaked pie shell

1/3 cup sugar
2 tsps flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Make a one crust pie dough and line a pie pan with the dough, crimping edges and trimming excess; set aside.
In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and eggs, mix till smooth. In a saucepan, heat milk to boiling point. Add 1 cup milk to the egg mixture mixing well, then add the remainder to the milk in pan and stir well so the eggs do not cook, Pour batter into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle nutmeg over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until pie sets up and is cooked through.

Irene's Seven Layer Bars

                                                                         
Who can resist these easy bar cookies that are so rich and decadent?

Irene's Seven Layer Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a 9" x 13" pan in oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over butter. Sprinkle evenly in layers the chips, coconut, and walnuts. Pour condensed milk evenly over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan, then cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container.

Tips: Use only real butter.
        Pecans can be substituted for the walnuts.
        The graham crackers are easily made into crumbs in
        your blender or food processor.

Irene's German Chocolate Cream Pie

                                                                           
Yum! A lovely frozen dessert that you can keep on hand and in the freezer for up to two months so you will have something special for when company comes by, or you just want something special. Pull out of freezer and let set for about half an hour before slicing and serving.
Irene's German Chocolate Cream Pie

4 ounce pkg. German Sweet Chocolate, grated
1/3 cup milk
2 Tbls. sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups whipped topping, thawed (like Cool Whip)
1- 8" graham cracker pie crust (homemade or bought)

In small sauce pan over low heat, combine 2 Tbls. milk with the chocolate, stirring to melt.
Beat sugar into cream cheese; add remaining milk and chocolate mixture, beat till smooth. Fold in whipped topping, blending till smooth. Spoon batter into prepared crust and swirl around to fill evenly. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Makes about 8 servings.