Nancy's Cheeseburger Soup

• Nancy's Cheeseburger Soup
• 1/2 lb. ground beef  (use 1 lb.)
• Clove of garlic, minced
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 3/4 c. shredded carrots
• 3/4 c. diced celery
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
• 4 TBSP. butter (divided)
• 3 cups chicken broth (stock is richer, tastes better)
• 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 1/4 c. all purpose flour
• 8 ounces American cheese, cubed
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 sour cream
• Parmesan cheese rind (see instructions below)
  In a 3-quart saucepan, brown beef/ drain and set aside. In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 min. or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining 3 TBSP. butter. Add flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add to soup. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, milk, salt and pepper and cook and stir until cheese melts. Blend in the sour cream before serving.
  This is the original recipe. I've changed a few things to suit our tastes. I use a pound of hamburger. I like the meat in there. I brown some bacon and set it aside first. Then I brown the meat in the bacon drippings. I add the crumbled bacon before serving. I add some minced fresh garlic to the sautéed veggies for a minute or two before adding the rest of the stuff. I use chicken stock rather than chicken broth. I find it to be richer. I use whole milk. Skim or low fat works but it takes some of the richness out of the soup. Once in awhile you just gotta have the fat. I also like to add a rind of parmesan cheese (the good, expensive stuff) and let it work its magic at the end. The entire rind won't dissolve, but it sure gives a flavor boost.
  My daughter-in-law likes to add white wine in place of some of the liquid but I've never cooked with wine so I've never tried it.
  Enjoy! Play with it a bit. Everyone I've ever given the recipe to seem to love it and it's become our "traditional" Christmas Eve supper. (Growing up my Mom would always have oyster stew. I loved the broth but couldn't choke down an oyster!)

Club Cracker Cookies

This is one of a few recipes out there.

Grease your cookies sheet really well. Line the cookie sheet with club crackers (54 single crackers).

Boil for 2 minutes:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar, less 2 tablespoons

Pour over the crackers and spread evenly.

Sprinkle on 1/2 package slicked almonds.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Take from pan while warm and place on foil immediately.

This is similar to this recipe, but different: http://ritasrecipesblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/toffee-squares-delicious-these-toffee.html

Breakfast Casserole

Another breakfast casserole recipe.

9 eggs
1 package frozen hash browns
1/2 cup milk
3 cups cooked meat, cubed (ham, bacon, or pork sausage)
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with Pam. Mix the thawed hash browns and 1 egg; spread evenly in the bottom of the pan and bake for 20 minutes. While the crust is cooking, scramble 8 eggs and the milk. Pour over the top of the crust. Top with meat. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 10 minutes more.

Carmelized Corn, Grandma V.

Carmelized Corn
1 cup sugar

¾ plus 2 tbsp light molasses

1/3 cup water
1 tsp vinegar
¼ tsp soda
7 (seven) cups popped corn
2 cups peanuts (or use 9 cups popcorn)
 
Combine and cook sugar, molasses, water and vinegar to 260 degrees. Remove from heat and add soda. Pour over popcorn and peanuts. Put on cookie sheet.
(Not in Grandma’s recipe, but needed to finish it) Gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet and bake at 225° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Sliced Cucumbers, Grandma V.

Sliced Cucumbers

Makes 1 gallon
1 large onion
¼ cup scant pickling salt
4 cups sugar
4 cups vinegar
1 ¼ tsp mustard seed
1 ¼ tsp turmeric
Mix all together. Put in the refrigerator. Stir each day for 5 or 6 days. Do not cook vinegar and sugar. Pour in cold.

Grandma V, Deluxe Sugar Cookies

This is a recipe from Grandma V's recipe box. I know this recipe is also in the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Deluxe Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

Granulated sugar for top
Mix thoroughly butter, egg, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and almond extract.
Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar. Cover and chill 2-3 hours.
Roll dough on lightly floured board, Cut into desired shapes, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly brown at 375 degrees. Makes 5 dozen 2 or 2 ½ inch cookies.

Grandma V's Ham Dinner

Ham Dinner

3 cups cooked ham cut in ½ inch cubes.
Melt ¼ cup butter. Stir in ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 ½ cups milk. Cook until thick. Combine ham and sauce and 6 cups sliced cooked potatoes, 3 green onions, sliced, 3 tablespoons chopped pimento. Pour in 2 ½ quart casserole and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Grandma V's Cream Puffs

In talking with other family members, none of us remembers Grandma baking cream puffs. She did collect recipes from others, so it is possible that she was visiting someone who served cream puffs, and Grandma asked for the recipe.

Cream Puffs

Melt one stick of butter in one cup of water. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add 1 cup flour all at once to boiling mixture. Remove from heat. Stir until well mixed and mixture leaves the sides of pan. Set aside to cool. Add three whole eggs, beating well after each. Drop by large spoonsful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees for 10 more minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees for final 15 minutes. When cool, split tops and fill with cooked vanilla custard or whipped cream. Makes 8 or 9 cream puffs.

Grandma V's Brown Sugar Refrigerator Cookies

Brown Sugar Refrigerator Cookies

½ cup butter or shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg, unbeaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tsp grated orange rind
1 ¾ cups sifted flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Beat together butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and orange rind. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Sift into first mixture and mix well. Chill the dough, then shape into rolls 1 ½ inch in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or foil. Store in refrigerator or freezer. To bake, unwrap and cut in 1/8 inch slices. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Makes 4 or 5 dozen crisp butterscotch cookies.

Famous Oatmeal Cookies, Grandma V.

This is a recipe that Grandma V used to make cookies. It actually came from an oatmeal box.
3/4 cup shortening (butter) softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2  cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups oatmeal (uncooked)


Beat shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together until creamy. Sift together flour, salt, and soda, add to creamed
mixture, blend well. Stir in oats. Drop by tsp onto greased cookie sheets. Baked in preheated oven 350 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. For variety, add chopped nutmeats, raisins, chocolate chips or coconut. Makes 5 dozen.