Tortilla Soup

Sacred Heart 50 Years of Recipes Remembered

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained

1 jar salsa

1 can tomato sauce

1 can corn (undrained)

1 can black beans (undrained)

1 can kidney beans (undrained)

1 env. Ranch seasoning dressing mix

1 env. Dry taco seasoning

1 c. Minute rice

Throw it all in crock pot on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Add 1 cup Minute rice 1 hour before done. Add a little water if you like it thinner. Serve over crushed tortilla chips and top with Cheddar Cheese and dollop of sour cream.

This is delicious. My lunch mates were asking what I was eating and how good it looked and smelled. I just realized that we drained all the cans before putting in the crock pot – that explains why it looks more like a stew than soup. Sergey and I both like it very much and it will become a staple in our cooking repertoire.

Presentation – 10. Taste – 10.

Beef and Potato Bake

From the Messiah Lutheran Church, 1986 copyright

4 c. hash brown potatoes, thawed

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. ground beef

1 pkg. brown gravy mix

1 c. water

1/8 tsp. garlic salt

1 pkg. frozen vegetables

1 c. shredded cheese

1 can French fried onions

In a shallow 1 1/2 - quart baking dish combine potatoes, oil and pepper. Firmly press mixture across bottom and sides of dish to form a shell. Bake uncovered, for 15 minutes.

In a skillet brown beef, drain. Stir in gravy mix, water and garlic salt; bring to boil. Add mixed vegetables, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 can oinions. Place in potato shell. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions and bake 5 minutes longer.

I doubled the recipe for my family. I wish I would not have, except Shieva really liked it. But you never know how something is going to go over. I would have had it for left overs, but I started my diet the next day. Doug and I like it, but the boys were not that keen on. They are such picky eaters. I think because it had peas in it. Kyle liked it also. Very easy to make.

Mandarin Orange Salad

1/2 c almonds
1 c celery, chopped
3T sugar
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 head fresh spinach

Dressing:
1/2 t salt
1 T parsleydash of pepper
2 T sugardash of Tabasco
2 T white vinegar
1/4 c olive oil

Spray a piece of wax paper with Pam. In saucepan cook almonds and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and almonds are coated. Spread on prepared paper and let cool. (I used parchment paper.)

Mix all dressing ingredients and chill. Mix celery, onions and lettuces. Add almonds and oranges. Pass dressing. (I poured on each salad myself.)

There were 4 testers at my home. As Kristina suggested comment cards were passed out. Here are the comments:

Kristina: Presentation - 10 Taste 8.5 Love the mandarin oranges in it. Great flavor

Jessica: Rating: 6.5 I don't like nuts but it was good I never imagined oranges would taste that good on a salad

Chuck: Presentation - 10 Taste - 9-10 very good

Patte: Presentation - 10 Taste - very good. I will definitely make this again.

Pineapple Cake

From: Sycamore Presbyterian Church Cookbook

2 c sugar

1 (No 2) can crushed pineapple and juice

2 c flour

1/2 c nuts (I used pecans)

2 eggs

1/2 c coconut

2 t baking soda

Icing:
1/2 c margarine

1 c powdered sugar

6 oz cream cheese (I used 8 oz. What would I do with 2 oz?)
1 T vanilla (This seemed like a lot. I used less)

Mix sugar, flour, eggs, soda and pineapple and juice together. Do not use mixer. Fold in nuts and coconut. Bake in greased 13 x 9 inch pan at 350' for 35 minutes.

Icing: mix margarine, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix well with beater and spread on hot cake. (Next time I will leave cake cool.)

Kristina: Presentation: 9 Taste: 9.5 Excellent taste, nice & moist, like the nuts in it. Serve with milk or coffee

Jessica: Taste: 9 Icing was good! Cake tasted like carrot cake. Good cake I'm not a fan of nuts but still good. I don't like pineapple cake. I'm glad it tasted like carrot cake. Very moist.

Chuck: Presentation: 10 Taste: 10+ Excellent

Patte: Presentation: 8 Taste: 9 I am going to make this cake again. Very good. Does taste a lot like carrot cake, but less ingredients.

I am sure Jessica meant the pineapple cake I make with angel food cake mix when she said she did not like pineapple cake.

Creamed Chicken and Broccoli with Herbed Cheese Popovers

From: Sycamore Presbyterian Church Cookbook

1/4 c butter

3/4 c milk10 oz frozen chopped broccoli

1 c sour cream drained well

1 c chopped cooked chicken

1 T finely chopped onion

1 hard cooked egg, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

grated Cheddar cheese

2 T all purpose flour

Herbed Cheese Popovers

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion and garlic and saute until broccoli is crisp-tender (3-4 min.). Blend in flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute.
Reduce heat to low. Add sour cream, chicken and egg; heat through but do not boil. Spoon into warm popovers. Sprinkle with cheese.
This recipe works well using low calorie margarine, 1/2% or 1% milk and low calorie sour cream for those who wish to reduce calorie intake.

Herbed Cheese Popovers

2 eggs, beaten to blend

1/2 t salt (optional)

1 c milk

1/2 t crumbled dry thyme

1 c all purpose flour

1/4 t crumbled dry sage

1/2 c grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 t crumbled dry basil

Position rack in lower third of oven. Generously grease 12 cup muffin tin or 12 (5oz) custard cups. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until blended; batter may be lumpy. Fill cups 2/3 full. Place in cold oven. Turn oven on to 450'. Bake 30 minutes without opening oven door. Remove from oven, turn oven off. Puncture 4 sides of each popover down into pan at right angle. Return to oven, close door and dry 10 minutes. Unmold and pull apart to open.

Kristina: Presentation: in popover 8.5 Taste: 8

Jessica: Taste: 7.5 It tastes a lot better than it looks. It looks like broccoli vomit!

Chuck: Presentation: 7.5 Taste: 6.0

Patte: Presentation: 1 Taste: 7.5

*Notes:

Would not make this again. This was my second try at making popovers. Several years ago I made them and they did not turn out well. This time they burned. I don't think they should be this dark and they should be higher. I made biscuits to serve with the chicken dish instead. I was in a hurry so I used Walmart biscuit mix. Another mistake. I will always use Bisquick from now on. The chicken dish tasted a lot better than it looked. I cooked the broccoli too long so it had a definite green tinge to it. I also chopped the chicken too fine. This recipe is very time consuming.

Ho Ho Cake

Cookbook: Sacred Heart 50 Year's of Recipes Remembered page 198

Very Easy and SOOOOO tasty. It does not taste EXACTLY like a Ho Ho, but it's really close!

1 package devil's food cake mix (and ingredients to make it)
3/4 c. sugar
1 stick (1/2 c.) margarine, softened
2/3 c. vegetable shortening
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free)
2 t. vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 (16 oz.) container ready to spread chocolate frosting

Prepare cake batter according to directions. Turn into a greased an floured jelly roll pan (10 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 1 inches) and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (I baked mine for 10 minutes because my pan was slightly larger. It turned out perfectly.)

Cream filling: Combine sugar, softened margarine, vegetable shortening, condensed milk, vanilla and salt. Beat 10 minutes until fluffy and light. Spread onto cooled cake. Frost with ready to spread frosting that has been softened in microwave (25-30 seconds). Pour part of frosting on cream filling and spread, repeating until entire cake is frosted. You may have to re-melt frosting as it sets up quickly. Best when refrigerated.

*Notes
It is very sweet. Cut small pieces.
I did not have enough chocolate frosting to reach the edges. I think that was because my pan was larger.

Crockpot Beef and Noodles

Page 109 of the Sacred Heart 50 Years of Recipes Remembered cookbook.

This was soooo easy. It took me about 2 minutes to put the ingredients in the crockpot and 15 to boil water and cook noodles. Pie? No, this was easier!

1 lb. sirloin tips (we used stew meat)

1 can mushroom stems (we skipped this)

1/4 c. diced onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Desired amount of salt and pepper

3 T. sour cream

1 (12 oz.) bag of egg noodles

1/2 c. milk, if needed

Place first 5 ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Add sour cream to mix, and stir to combine.

Prepare noodles as package suggests; drain water, leaving noodles in large pan. Pour crockpot mixture over noodles and toss to coat. If needed, add milk to moisten and heat over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with peas and bread.

*Notes

I put the noodles in the crockpot and mixed them with the beef mixture. It seemed easier.

I did not need the milk.

I did not serve with peas.

Darren had some red rice left over. So he added that to the noodles and meat mixture. He liked it!