Cookies While You Sleep

Submitted by Becky Matson in 2011
Originally submitted by Joanne Matson in 1986 cookbook


Ingredients:
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/4 t. cream of tartar
2/3 c. sugar (do NOT use Splenda or other sugar substitute)
1-1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. pecans, optional
1/4 t. almond extract
3/4 c. ground peppermint or chocolate chips


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare pans with non-stick spray. (I like to line with parchment paper instead.) Beat egg whites till frothy. A tip I learned on a cooking show was to use a chilled metal bowl. Also, keeping the bowl chilled, by placing it inside a larger, shallow dish of ice water, helps the process. Add salt and cream of tartar. AFTER whites have stiffened, gradually add sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Don't hurry this process. When peaked and shiny, stop beating. Fold in nuts and candy. Drop by spoonful on cookie sheets. Put in oven, then turn oven off. Leave till morning. Don't peek! Store in airtight container. 
TIPS: Make these on a dry day, as excess moisture is not good for the cookies. Use a single-layer pan (not an airbake, two layer pan). Do not use stoneware. I tried a stoneware pan this year; the bottoms of the cookies didn't dry very well.


These are my favorite cookies! We make these every Christmas. The peppermint and pink color make them perfect for the season. The lightness (and low calories) make them a guilt-free pleasure!

"Becky Crocker's" Fresh Cranberry-Apple Pie

original recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (p. 323)

adapted by Becky Matson 2011

Pastry for 9-inch two-crust pie *I used 2 Pillsbury refrigerated dough crusts

1-3/4 to 2 cups sugar

1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups sliced pared tart apples (2-3 medium) *I used 4 Golden Delicious

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries *I used approximately 2 cups of fresh cranberries (whatever was left in the bag after I made orange-cranberry bread)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine *I used sweet cream butter, and probably a bit more than 2 T

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Stir together sugar and flour. In pastry-lined pie pan, alternate layers of apples, cranberries and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with apples; dot with butter. *I combined my apples, cranberries, and sugar mixture in a bowl. I also added several good shakes of cinnamon and a few shakes of nutmeg. I mixed it all around with my hands to make sure everything was coated and then poured into the pie pan, followed by dotting with several (5-6) slim slices of butter. 

Cover with top crust which has slits cut in it; seal and flute. *I used a pizza cutter to cut the second pie crust into strips and made a lattice top over the pie. Cover edge with 2- to 3- inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown. *I discovered that my apples in the center hadn't quite baked after 40 minutes (poke test revealed they were still firm), so I baked it for 2-3 more 10 minute increments. Cool.

I had many rave results during coffee hour at church today and a few requests for me to share this recipe. I hope you enjoy it too!

Potsticker dinner

Potsticker Dinner

submitted in 2011 by Becky Matson

based on a meal prepared by her brother Michael Matson

2-3 potstickers/person

bell peppers, sliced

onion, sliced

canola oil or olive oil

favorite asian sauce, I used an orange & ginger sauce, my brother used a sauce by WildTree
steamed rice, proportionate to number of people being served

Directions:
Start rice cooking, according to directions on package. (Mike likes to add sauce to rice while cooking- I agree. It helps season the rice evenly.) Slice vegetables. In large skillet or wok, sautee vegetables and cook potstickers according to directions on package. (Mike also likes to add sauce to the potstickers while they are cooking.) Add cooked rice and serve hot.

Peanut Butter Waldorf Salad

This one is for the peanut butter celery and caramel apple lovers.

Combine in bowl:
3 Granny Smith or other tart,crisp apples, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1/4 cup Craisins
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup roughly chopped walnut halves

Dressing:
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons caramel sundae topping
1/4 tsp. salt
Milk to thin

Put dressing ingredients in blender and mix until creamy. Add milk to thin if needed.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients in bowl and stir until coated. Chill until time to eat.

Turkey-Cranberry Meatloaf

submitted by Becky Matson in 2011

Ingredients: 
2# of ground turkey
onion, diced
2 eggs, whipped with fork
1 c. bread crumbs
cranberry sauce, with berries (not the jellied kind), separated
garlic- to taste
sage- to taste
salt and pepper- to taste

I tweaked this recipe for meatloaf based on a turkey burger recipe. I didn't measure most of the ingredients, but just seasoned to taste.


Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients, reserving some of the cranberry sauce for topping.
2. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven in a greased pan.
3. Top with remaining cranberry sauce. Bake additional 15 - 20 minutes.


Serving suggestion: Let meatloaf stand while baking sweet potato fries.

Tastes like Thanksgiving!

Super Easy 4th of July Trifle

Super Easy 4th of July Trifle
Submitted by Andrea N. in 2011

Ingredients:

One red velvet cake (made from cake mix according to box's instructions)

3 packages of Jello instant cookies and cream pudding (made according to box's instructions)

One container of strawberries, sliced

One large tub of whipped topping (ex. Cool Whip)

One small container of blueberries


Directions:
Once cooled, crumble up the red velvet cake. Layer the crumbled up cake with the pudding, cool whip, and strawberries to make red and white stripes. Top with blueberries. My layers went like this (from bottom to top): cake, pudding, cool whip, strawberries, cake, pudding, cool whip, blueberries.

Obviously you can use whatever kind of pudding you want. I chose cookies and cream because I thought it would like whiter than vanilla (which looked a little yellow). It also added a little extra chocolatey-ness that was nice with the red velvet cake. I only had room for one layer of strawberries but depending on the dish you use, you may get more.

The recipe makes A LOT - perfect for a 4th of July party!

Cocadas

Cocadas  

Coconut Balls

by Cindy Lindquist in the World Mission Prayer League magazine vol. 43, no. 1 2011

submitted by Becky Matson in 2011

Cocadas are a favorite Ecuadorian sweet, sold at bus stops and by roadside vendors throughout the counry. Vendors will carry a tray of cocadas lined in a row - brown and round and looking like so many meat balls. 

Ingredients:

1 coconut, shredded

3 cups sugar

3 cups milk

3 egg yolks

Directions: 

Mix shredded coconut with milk and sugar. Beat egg yolks, and add to mixture. Heat mixture, stirring constantly, until very thick. Remove from heat and let cool a little.

With buttered hands, remove cocada mixture by spoonfuls and form into small balls, about the size of a meat ball. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 225 until golden brown. Makes a few.

When I saw these in the magazine I just had to take the recipe! I haven't made these yet, but I am eager to try! I love coconut, but not everyone in the house does so I'm waiting for the right audience.

Strawberry Trifle

Strawberry Trifle

submitted by Becky Matson in 2011


Ingredients:
1- 10" angel food cake (store-bought, from a mix, or from scratch- it's up to you)
2- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened (I used 1 pkg neufchatel and 1 pkg light cream cheese. No one noticed that it was light because it was soooo delicious!)
1 c. white sugar
1- 8 oz. Cool Whip
1 qt. fresh strawberries, sliced (I used almost 2 qts which made the proportions different, but it can be thicker or thinner to your liking.)
1- 18 oz. jar of strawberry glaze (I used Marie's brand)

Directions:
1. Crumble cake into a 9 X 13 pan, or 1/2 of cake into a trifle bowl.
2. Blend cream cheeses, Cool Whip, and sugar until light and fluffy. Mash down cake and pour cream cheese mixture over, 1/2 if making trifle.
3. Combine strawberries and glaze until evenly coated. Spread mixture over cream cheese mixture; 1/2 if making trifle.
*If making a trifle, repeat from #1.
4. If desired, garnish with Cool Whip and sliced or whole strawberries.


Chill until serving.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan

Submitted by Michael Matson

2 bunches fresh broccoli

3 cups chicken, cooked

1.5 cups milk

4 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp flour

1 cup mayo

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 slices bread, buttered & cubed

Steam broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Arrange in a greased 13x9 casserole dish. Place chicken on top of the broccoli. Make sauce from milk, butter, and flour. Cook until thick, stirring often. Add mayo and lemon juice to the sauce. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle cheese and bread cubes on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Blueberry Buckle (Muffins)

Blueberry Buckle (Muffins)
Original Recipe Submitted by Miriam Pretzer in 1986
Muffin Adaptation by Andrea N.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (added to keep muffins moist)


Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup soft margarine


Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 8x8 or 9x9 pan. (I put paper liners in muffin pans). Blend all ingredients except blueberries. Beat vigorously 1/2 minute. Stir in berries last. Pour batter into pan or muffin tins. (I filled 18 muffin tins with a not-quite-full ice cream scoop of batter each). 


Blend together topping ingredients with fork (I started with a fork but switched to 2 knives, which I found easier). Sprinkle over batter. Bake 45-50 minutes. (For the muffins I baked them 24 minutes.) 


I used frozen blueberries so my baking time was longer than it will be if you're using fresh blueberries.

Baked Beans

Baked Beans
Submitted by Miriam Pretzer in 1986
comments by Becky Matson (granddaughter)

1 c. navy beans
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. light molasses
1 t. dry mustard
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 lb. bacon, cut in chunks

Soak beans overnight or use fast method. Simmer till tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserve liquid. I used canned white beans, also called great northern beans, so I skipped these three steps. I drained and rinsed the beans. In baking dish add beans and remaining ingredients. Add 2 c. of bean liquid. I used water. Mix well. Cover. Bake 300 degrees for 5-7 hours. Add more liquid if needed. Serves 8.

Tender Oven-baked Pork Ribs and Baked Beans

Tender Oven-baked Pork Ribs
by Bev Edmon

1 rack of pork ribs
1/2 cup dry rub- your favorite mixture of seasonings
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce

(You can do 2 racks of ribs at the same time if your roasting pan is large enough.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil. Coat rack of ribs with dry rub on both sides. Place rack meat side up in roasting pan. Add 1 cup water. Seal pan with Saran Wrap then with aluminum foil. Crimp edges to keep all the moisture inside. Bake for 2 hours. Carefully uncover. Steam has built up inside the pan. Pour off liquid that has accumulated. Brush ribs on top with BBQ sauce. Place back in oven for 1/2 hour. (At this point, you could also put rack on grill to brown.) Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Slice rack in 2 rib sections. Serve with extra sauce.

Baked Beans
by Joanne Matson

2 cans Bush's "Original" baked beans
1/2 large onion, diced
2 strips of thick bacon
Ketchup, about 1/2 c.  
Mustard, about 1-1/2 t.
Brown Sugar, about 1 T.
Vinegar, about 1 t

Dice bacon and cook in frying pan. Remove from pan and add to beans. Saute onion in bacon fat for a few minutes; add to baked beans. Add remaining ingredients, to taste, and cook in Crockpot on high for about 3 hours (while I was at church).

Serving suggestion: Add a light spinach salad and enjoy with family!

Dessed Up Pork Chops

DRESSED UP PORK CHOPS
by Bev Edmon

Serving size: 1 pork chop
425 calories, 37 protein, 30 carbs, 17 fat,

8 pork chops, with or without bone
4 cups dry seasoned Pepperidge Stuffing Mix
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup Craisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter

Prepare stuffing: Melt butter in a large skillet, saute celery and onion until soft. Add dry stuffing mix, Craisins, and pecans. Mix well. Add chicken broth gradually, until stuffing is moistened and sticks together easily. (You may need to add less broth or more depending on how dry the stuffing mix is.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pork chops on a roasting pan or baking sheet. Take approx 1/2 cup of stuffing and mound it on top of the pork chops, covering completely. Use all the stuffing mix. Bake in oven for 30 - 45 minutes, depending on thickness of pork chops (3/4 inch is best). Slice a chop open to check. You don't want them to be pink inside but you don't want them dry either.

Note: You can add 1/2 cup browned Italian sausage to the stuffing for a little extra kick

Sausage Cheese Balls

Sausage Cheese Balls
Submited by Michelle
(A recipe straight from Mom)

Ingredeints:
1 lb cheese (about 4 cups shredded)
1lb bulk sausage cooked, crumbled, and cooled (I will rinse it if it is fatty)
3 c biscut mix (like Bisquick)
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Mix Cheese, sausage and Bisquick. Add in water and mix.
Form into 1 inch balls. Place on greased baking sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from sheets.

These can be frozen and reheated in the oven or microwave

Fresh Salsa

Fresh Salsa

Submitted by Andrea N. in 2011

2 Large Sweet Onions

15 Roma Tomatoes

2 Large Jalapenos

Juice of 1 Lime

4 Cloves of Garlic (diced, minced, or pressed)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro [optional]

Extra pickled jalapenos + juice [optional]

Dice all the ingredients. I'm lazy and I like a food processor for this. If you use a food processor dice the ingredients in small amounts and dump them into a bowl. Make sure to remove the seeds from the jalapenos and wash your hands thoroughly. Once everything is all diced up, mix it, taste it, add more stuff if you want. Usually tastes better after being refrigerated for a few hours.

This recipe makes a LOT so invite a bunch of friends over or make less. Eat with chips or spoon.

Crockpot Chili

Crockpot Chili

submitted by Beverly Pretzer Edmon in 2011

1 lb. ground beef (or 99% fat-free ground turkey)

1 cup chopped onion

30 oz canned pinto, kidney or black beans (I use a combination)

30 oz tomato sauce

30 oz diced canned tomatoes

¼ cup chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Brown ground beef or turkey in non-stick skillet. Drain grease.

Put cooked meat in crockpot. Add other ingredients. Stir until mixed. Set crockpot on low and leave for 8-10 hours. Adjust seasonings during last hour of cooking, adding more spice if you like.

Makes 9 cups of chili

1 cup beef chili 267 calories, I cup turkey chili 195 calories

Brown Sugar Brownies

Submitted by Viola Turgeon in 1986
comments by Becky Matson

Ingredients:
1/2 c. margarine, melted (I used organic butter and melted it in the microwave in a glass bowl)
2 c. light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten (after melting butter and pouring into mixing bowl, I reused the bowl to whip up the eggs with a fork)
1-1/2 c. flour (I used a mix of white flour and white whole wheat flour, about 50/50 mix)
2 t. baking powder (make sure you use baking POWDER, not SODA or you will have a yucky mess)
1 t. salt
chopped nuts (Mom and I usually omit the nuts because when growing up my brother Michael was not a fan of nuts)
1 bag butterscotch chips

Directions:
Beat margarine and sugar together; blend in beaten eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and beat into the first mixture. (We don't have a sifter so we mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl using a fork. Mix in butterscotch chips by hand.) Spread in greased 13 X 9 X 2 pan; (I thought the dough looked too thin in a 13 X 9 pan, so I used a 9 X 9 glass pan.) sprinkle with nuts over the top and bake at 350 degrees about 30 min.; cut in squares or strips while warm. DO NOT OVERBAKE

My mother also calls these Butterscotch Brownies. Whatever name they go by they are delicious!

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

Submitted by Mike (Roland Pretzer's Grandson)

14.5 ounce can black beans

8 ounces cream cheese (cut into 8-12 cubes)

1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

4 ounces diced green chilies

14.5 ounce can green enchilada sauce

1.5 lbs chicken

6 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400

Cut chicken into small cubes, place in large skillet, cook until done.

Add cream cheese, diced green chilies, and 1/2 can of enchilada sauce to chicken, stir while heating until creamy. Stir in black beans.

Spray non-stick cooking oil into bottom of 9x11 baking dish. Using a large spoon scoop mixture into tortilla, sprinkle mozzarella into tortilla, roll, and place in dish. Repeat for all tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Place in oven on middle rack and bake 15-20 minutes. It is done when tops of tortillas appear golden brown and slightly crispy.

Diet Coke Sloppy Joes

Diet Coke Sloppy Joes
Submitted in 2010 by Mandy S.
Comments by Andrea N.


16 oz lean ground beef
1 cup Diet Coke
10 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (we used garlic salt)


Brown beef in skillet and drain. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. (Ours thickened up pretty quickly. It was quick, easy, and really tasty.)

Scotcheroos

Scotcheroos
Submitted in 1986 by Aunt Joanne
comments by Michelle

1 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 c Rice Krispies
1 c chocolate chips
1 c butterscotch chips
1 T butter

Heat sugar and corn syrup untill it starts to bubble. When it starts to bubble add peanut butter. When melted add Rice Krispies. Spred in 13x9 buttered pan (I used cooking spray). Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips and spread over top (I added a tablespoon of butter to help keep the chocolate soft once melted. you can melt the chocolate in the microwave over medium heat for a minute or two). Allow to cool and cut into squares (this is best done before it has set completely and chocolate has hardened).

Homemade Pretzels

Homemade Pretzels

Submitted in 1986 by Aunt Irene

comments by Michelle






3 pkg dry yeast (I used the fast-acting/rapid-rise yeast)
1 t sugar
1 C lukewarm water (120 degrees)
Dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water. If your yeast when mixed with sugar and water bubbles, it is active and ready to go.
4 cups scalded milk (heated to 185 degrees)
½ c Spry (vegetable shortening)
1 bottle (12 oz) beer
1 T salt
5lbs Nightingale flour (this is a pastry flour found in Frankenmuth, or you can use 20 cups all purpose flour, take out 10 T, and add in 5 T Corn starch… sift it all together)
2-3 cups all purpose flour
Course Salt for sprinkling on top
Lye or baking soda water

Melt Spry in milk while warming. Add beer to hot milk, add flour and salt. When mixture is lukewarm, add yeast mixture. Knead last of flour in with hands. Turn on board and knead slightly. Once the dough is mixed, it can be immediately made into pretzels. Use a golf ball size (or slightly larger) ball of dough, roll it into a 12-14” strip, twist the ends around each other and secure to center of pretzel.

Drop shaped pretzels into lye (baking soda) water. (put 8 cups of water, and 3 T Baking Soda, if using lye, use 4 T to 2qt of water, and be careful!). Keep the water just under boiling. Pretzels will glaze and rise slightly when dipped. They will rise to the surface when ready. Remove on slotted spoon and place on well-greased pan.

Salt tops with coarse salt before baking.

Bake in oven 475-500 degrees until browned. (about 10-12 minutes, I use a stone, if you use metal pans, lower the cooking time)

Makes about 5 dozen medium sized pretzels.