Yesterday, as I was going through some recipes, I came across this one I had clipped out of a magazine years ago. The recipes calls for mashed potatoes, and since I happened to have some in the fridge, I thought I'd try it. I put chocolate frosting on it, but I think it might be better if I had sprinkled powered sugar on it. I also think it would be good with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cold mashed potatoes1tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda1cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in potatoes and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; add alternately with milk, blending well after each addition. Stir in nuts. Pour into a greased 13"x9"x2" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 12-16 servings.
Potato Soup Mix
1 qt jar
1 3/4 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 1/2 cup powdered milk2 Tbsp. dried chicken bouillon
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1 tsp. dried parsley1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. seasoning saltI left out the dried thyme, turmeric and seasoning salt, and added dried minced garlic, dried celery, paprika and powdered cheese sauce mix. I didn't measure anything I added, but I think it was about 1/4 cup cheese sauce mix.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour into a quart jar. You'll have to back it down to get it to fit.
To make soup: place 1/2 cup mix in a cup or bowl and add 1 cup boiling water. Stir until smooth. The soup gets thicker as it sits.
This makes a good meal when combined with toasted cheese sandwiches.I found this recipe, and many more at http://www.mixesinajar.com/.
Scalloped Potato Mix
1 Quart jar
1 sandwich size zip lock bag
3 cups dehydrated potatoes
2 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. onion powder or 1 Tbsp. crushed, dried onions
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Put dehydrated potatoes in the jar. Combine everything else in a zip lock bag and place on top of potatoes.
To make the Scalloped Potatoes:
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 3/4 cups boiling water
Pour the potatoes into a medium sized, ungreased casserole and sprinkle the sauce mix on top. Dot with butter. Stir in water. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until tender. you can bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or 325 for 50-55 minutes.
If you want cheese scalloped potatoes, you can add powdered cheese sauce mix to the sauce mix, or grated cheese before putting the casserole in the oven. You can also sprinkle cheese on top before or after baking.
Skillet Meat And Potato Casserole
To the mix above, add 1 tsp beef bouillon.
Brown 1 pound ground beef, (thinly sliced round steak is good in it), in a skillet and drain excess fat. Stir in 2 3/4 cups boiling water, reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
After browning the meat, you can mix everything together in a casserole dish and bake at the above temperatures.
The potatoes cook faster if you let them sit in the boiling water for 30 minutes or so first. These casseroles can also be microwaved.
I found these recipes at http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/ and they found it in a book titled Gifts And Mixes.
Green Chicken Enchiladas
The quick and easy way
1 12 1/2 oz can chicken, drained, broken apart by a fork or whatever
1 28 oz can green enchilada sauce-I use Old El Paso
1 sm can diced green chili's
1 sm onion, chopped
1 lb Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded (I like them cheesy but you can use less)
24 corn tortillas
sour cream
10x13x2" baking dish, but you can use what you have
Pour about 1/3 to 1/ 2 of the green enchilada sauce in the bottom of your pan. Place corn tortillas along the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Spread the chicken on top of the corn tortillas. Spoon the green chili's on top of the chicken. Sprinkle the chopped onion on top and then about 1/2 the shredded cheese on top. Spread corn tortillas on top of this, covering it completely, pushing them down along the edges. Pour remaining green enchilada sauce evenly on top and top with cheese. Bake at 350 until bubbly and the cheese is melted through. Serve with sour cream, if desired.
To make it easier yet, you can mix everything together in a bowl and then spread on top of the corn tortillas.
Stir-N-Drop Cookies
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated lemon rind (I never put this in, because I never have any lemons)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups sifted flour (I never sift flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat oven to 400. Beat eggs with fork until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla and lemon rind. Blend in sugar until mixture thickens. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture. (Dough will be soft.) Drop by teaspoonful about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Stamp each cookie with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. (Lightly oil glass, the dip in sugar...continue dipping in sugar.)Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove immediately from cookie sheet.
Makes 3 dozen cookies, 3 inches in diameter.
I have a cookie scoop and I use it and don't stamp the cookies. I let them be puffy cookies.
Stir-N-Drop Butterscotch Cookies
2 eggs
2/3 cups oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup dark brown sugar, finely packed
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Cinnamon-sugar mixture for topping
Heat oven to 400. Beat eggs with fork until blended. Stir in oil and vanilla. Blend in sugar until mixture thickens. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Blend. Drop by teaspoonful about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Stamp each cookie flat with bottom of glass, dipped in cinnamon-sugar mix. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately.
Makes 3 dozen cookies, 3 inches in diameter.
Stir-N-Drop Spice Cookies
Omit vanilla from Butterscotch Cookies recipe, and sift with dry ingredients, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg. Add to the mixed dough 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts.
Carrot-Walnut Bread
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I leave this out because I am allergic to nutmeg)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded, peeled carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Confectioners' sugar
Sift together dry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt: set aside.
Combine sugar, oil and eggs in a bowl. Beat 2 minutes, using an electric mixer at medium speed. Add dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Pour into a greased 8x4x2-inch glass loaf dish. Place dish in microwave on a inverted saucer.
Microwave at medium setting (50% power) 15 minutes, rotating the dish 1/4 turn every 4 minutes. Cool in dish on rack.
Remove from dish and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Makes 1 loaf.
I have baked this in the oven at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until done. Since there are turn tables in microwaves these days, it saves you from standing around rotating the dish every 4 minutes.
Mint Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies
About 3-4 dozen
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup buttermilk or sour milk (I used buttermilk since I have powdered buttermilk)
Creamy Mint Frosting (recipe follows)
Cream butter or margarine, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt: add alternately with buttermilk or sour milk to creamed mixture.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 5 to 7 minutes. (Cookies will be soft.) Remove carefully from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. Prepare Creamy Mint Frosting. Frost cooled cookies.
*To sour milk: Use 1 tsp. vinegar plus milk to equal 1/3 cup.
Cream Mint Frosting
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. peppermint extract (I used more)
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. milk
5 drops green food coloring (I don't have any, so I left out)
Blend sugar and butter or margarine. Stir in peppermint extract, milk and food coloring; beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.
I thought if I spread the frosting in the cookie sheet side of the cookies and and put another on on top to make sandwich cookies would be good. I did this to some of them, but they kept sliding apart until the frosting hardened up some. They were good that way, but we liked them better as frosted single cookies. The frosting sets if you leave the cookies on the racks for a bit after you frost them before you put them in a cookie jar.
Potato Bud Cookies
1 cup margarine
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. coconut flavoring
1 1/2 cup instant potato buds (They come in a brown box and I think Betty Crocker makes them)
Combine all ingredients. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. (I don't grease the cookie sheet.) Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes
This recipe doesn't make very many.
Oatmeal Treasures
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (quick or old fashioned)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl: add sugars, margarine, egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. shape into rolls; wrap in waxed paper and chill thoroughly. Slice 1/4 " thick and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
I add cinnamon and raisins and usually leave out the nuts. I drop by teaspoonfuls instead of shaping into rolls. I also quadruple the recipe.
Easy Drop Biscuits
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup cold milk
4 tbsp. butter-room temperature
1 tbsp. sugar
Preheat oven to 475. (I find this temperature way to high, so I usually go for 375.)
Lightly grease baking sheet.
Mix dry ingredients. Add butter and milk and stir until just combined.
Immediately drop 1/4 cupfuls 2" apart. Bake 10-15 minutes.
For larger biscuits, drop by 1/2 cupfuls about 3" apart. Bake 20-25 minutes.
Biscuits are done when golden brown on top and lightly browned on bottom.
