Angie's Dessert Pizza

I don't know anyone who does not like fruit pizza. This dessert can look stunning, or it can look rustic, it all depends on the fruits used and how much time you put into decorating it. Angie likes to use fresh strawberries, bananas, and kiwi, alternating the slices so that you get all the fruit in each piece when cut.

Angie's Dessert Pizza

1- 18 ounce pkg, Refrigerated sugar cookie dough*
1 pkg (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
Fruits of your choice
Fresh lemon juice, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press cookie dough evenly into a 12" pizza pan that has been greased. If you do not have a pizza pan, then form into a 12" wheel on a greased baking stone. Use a rolling pin, if need be (place plastic wrap over top of dough in order to keep it from sticking to rolling pin) to form your round. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes, but do not overbake. Carefully loosen cookie dough from the pan using a knife. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and sugar; beat well and set aside. Cut up all fruits that need to be sliced, dipping those fruits that brown easily in the lemon juice before decorating the pie.
Spread the cooled cookie dough evenly with the cream cheese mixture, then top artfully with the fruits. Cover and chill before serving.
*You can make your own cookie dough.

                                                                    

Alice and Angie's Watergate Cake

                                                                    

If this isn't 1970's I don't know what is! For whatever reason, a dozen or so recipes using pistachio pudding mix came out and all were dubbed with"Watergate"in the name. Now we all know about the Watergate Scandal that happened in 1974, but why pistachio pudding mix was used is what puzzles me, but it is easy to date these recipes to the 1974/75 years.
I remember Alice making this cake to take to church functions, to have for us kids to eat, and for special times. It is a moist and refreshing cake. If you like Watergate Salad, you will like this cake.
Angie now makes this cake for special occasions and so it has become one of her personal recipes .

Alice and Angie's Watergate Cake

1 Box (18 3/4 ounces) white cake mix
1 pkg (3 3/4 ounces) instant pistachio pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup oil*
1 cup Club soda or 7Up
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Frosting, follows

In large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and 7Up; beat on medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down sides occasionally. Stir in walnuts.Use either a 10" tube pan or 2-9" round cake pans, well greased and floured. Pour batter in pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tests done. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pan(s) to cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Store all leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
*use light olive oil

Watergate Frosting

2 pkgs. Dream Whip
1 1/2 cups milk
1 pkg (3 3/4 ounce) instant pistachio pudding mix

With electric mixer beat the Dream Whip and milk until peaks form. Add in the pudding mix and beat till fluffy. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Angie's Italian Cream Cake

 

This is a rich cake that will make people come back for more. A lovely cake to serve for birthdays, holidays, or to take for pot luck.

Angie's Italian Cream Cake

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup shortening*
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tsps. real vanilla extract
Frosting, follows

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs yolks, beat well. Beat egg whites until they are stiff and hold peaks; set aside. Combine the buttermilk and baking soda, then add alternately to the creamed mixture with the flour, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla. Stir in coconut and pecans. Fold in egg whites. Pour into well-greased 10" tube pan or bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until tests done. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool. When completely cool, frost. You may garnish with whole nutmeats, if desired. Keep chilled until time to serve.
You can make these in 9" rounds; adjust the baking time.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 ound of powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat the cheese, then add in sugar and vanilla, beat till creamy. For a richer and creamier icing add 1 stick softened butter and beat with the cheese before adding sugar and vanilla.




                                                                                   

Angie's Awesome Nacho Cheese Dip

                                                                               

If you are headed for a potluck, having friends over to play cards, or tailgating, this dip will make you a favorite of the party. It is easy and totes well.

Angie's Awesome Nacho Cheese Dip

32 ounce pkg. of Velveeta
1 can Rotel mild diced tomatoes with chiles
1/3 pound of Eckrich sausage

Cut cheese into chunks and melt in crock pot. Meanwhile, cut sausage into small pieces fry in skillet until cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Once cheese is melted, add sausage pieces and tomatoes to pot; stir well to blend. Keep crock pot on warm setting. Serve with corn tortilla chips. Serves 8.
This recipe can be doubled for large parties. The doubled recipe will fill a 6 quart crock pot 3/4 full.

Angie's Chicken Swiss Bake

                                                                           
My sister Angie has lived away from home most of her adult life. When I say 'away from home' I mean far-off places such as Japan, Hawaii, and Georgia. She is currently residing near Augusta and seems to like it. She's come home to visit over the years, but she is always ready to head back to her own neck of the woods. Growing up, Angie was not one to experiment in the kitchen, but once married, she became a good cook who enjoyed feeding her family.
Angie stayed home the majority of the past 20 years in order to raise her children. She is now working for Lens Crafters and enjoys her job. Her daughter, Gabby, often does the cooking for the household, and I am sure she has learned all she knows from Angie.
This dish is easily made and good enough for company. To round it out add some mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade biscuits for a rib-sticking meal.


Angie's Chicken Swiss Bake

4 chicken breasts (boiled or baked and cut into bite-sized pieces)
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup*
1 soup can milk
16 ounces sour cream*
Small bag Pepperridge Farm Stuffng Mix*
Butter

Lightly grease a 13"x9" pan. Layer items in order in pan; dot with butter, cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, then uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

*You could make a medium white sauce using chicken broth for the soup.
*Make sure you buy real sour cream without additives.
*You could make your own stuffing mix from day old bread and spices.

Kym's Baker's Clay

                                                                         
If you read the beginning of this date's blogs you read that Kym made salt dough ornaments for Tim and Carrie when they were very young. Kym loves to do crafts, and salt dough crafts is one she's enjoyed making over the years. This is a craft you can do with your children. These make cute gifts for Christmas.

Kym's Baker's Clay

2 cups flour
1/2 cup table salt
3/4 cup water

Place flour and salt in a large bowl and blend well together. Add 1/2 cup water and continue to mix for a few minutes then slowly add the remaining water. While turning the dough into a ball, work in any dry flour or salt left at bottom of bowl. Knead dough for five minutes.
Roll dough out to about 1/4" thickness, and cut with cookie cutters of your choice. To attach extra pieces such as eyes, legs, arms, etc, use 1 drop of water. With a toothpick, make a hole at the top big enough for a string or ribbon to go through when finished.
Place ornaments on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake dough at 250 degrees until hard, about 15 minutes. When cool, pain with acrylic paints; let dry. Finish with one coat of varnish to help keep product for years.

Kym's Potato Casserole

                                                                               

                                                                                      
Everyone seems to make this dish and so it is not truly just Kym's, but since she is the one who originally sent me this recipe, I am including this as part of her recipes. I do believe every church cook book across our fine nation has this exact same recipe in its covers, or one very similar. Great recipes get passed around and become popular with everyone. And everyone adds their own tweak to this recipe in one form or another. I rarely add the corn flakes, much to my Bob's chagrin, and some people add all soup and no sour cream. However you like this dish, here is Kym's recipe:

Kym's Potato Casserole

2 pound bag of frozen hashbrowns, thawed
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt*
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup, undiluted*
16 ounces of sour cream*
10-16 ounces of Cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes*
1/4 cup melted butter

Pour 1 stick melted butter over thawed potatoes in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper; blend. Add onion, soup, sour cream, and cheese. Stir well. Pour into a 13"x9" pan. Combine corn flake crumbs with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes until hot and bubbly.

*Use sea salt, if possible.
*You can make your own 'soup' by making a basic medium sauce using chicken broth.
*Make sure your sour cream is pure without any additives such as guar gum.
*Try to buy organic, if at all possible in order to avoid using GMO corn.