Marilyn's Breadsticks

I have loved these breadsticks for years. I got this recipe from my sister Marilyn who is famous for them in our family. I make these breadsticks and serve with chili every Halloween. If you don't make the dough too stiff they will remind you of the Magleby rolls if you dip them in butter then parsesan cheese.


2 1/2 cups warm water
2 T Yeast
1 T Sugar

Dissolve yeast in water, let sit and then add the following:

2 T Butter
1 T Salt
3 Cups Flour

Beat until smooth and add enough flour (3-4 cups) flour to make stiff dough. Knead in machine 2-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl then turn to grease the top. Cover and let rise 45 min to 1 hour. Punch down and divide in half-then divide into 20 pieces for small bread sticks or 10-12 pieces for large bread sticks.

Combine 1 beaten egg with 1 T milk. Brush on breadstick then sprinkle with sesame seeds or dip in butter and roll in parmesan cheese with garlic herb seasoning. Then let rise and bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Buttermilk Brownie Cake

(Satan's Cake)

John calls this Satan's cake because it constantly tempts us to eat more and whenever I make it we devour it in a day, thus making us feel 5 pounds heavier. If you want a simple, MOIST and delicous dessert, give this a try. The kids LOVE it! Thank you Grandma Sparks for the recipe!

Mix 2 cups sugar,
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp soda
½ tsp salt

Boil together on stove: 2 sticks margarine 1 cup water 4 Tbs cocoa

Pour in dry ingredients and add ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla
Add mixture from stove. Mix well. Pour into large cookie sheet well greased and floured. Bake @350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Frosting: Boil in pan on stove: 1 stick margarine, 2 Tbs cocoa, 6 Tbs buttermilk
Add: 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Cake can be frosted when warm or cooled. This is one of our family favorites. Nuts optional.

Saucy Meatballs

This recipe is from my Southern Living cookbook. What I thought was going to be a super lame dinner turned out very yummy! Now, I used my own pre-made frozen meatballs and it made it even easier, so if you want you can just skip the whole meatball-making thing altogether (who wants to shape cold raw beef into balls anyway?) and follow the recipe for the creamy sauce. Delicious comfort food.

1 lb groud beef

1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

2 T vegetable oil, plus a little leftover bacon grease (doesn't everyone save theirs? :)

3 T flour

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 8 oz carton sour cream

Hot cooked rice or noodles

Combine first 8 ingredients, mixing well; shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Brown in hot oil in a large skillet. Drain; reserve drippings in skillet. Add flour and 1/2 tsp pepper to drippings; mix well. Gradually add broth, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cool. Add sour cream and meatballs; cook over meduim heat, stirring constantly, until heated. Serve over rice. Yeild: 4 servings.

Pumpkin upside down cake

1 large can pumpkin

1 can evaporated milk, 13 0z.

4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c sugar

1 box yellow cake mix

2 cubes butter

1 c. nuts, optional

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, spice, eggs, and sugar together and put in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top of pumpkin.  Melt butter and pour over cake mix. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

This YUMMY recipe came from MaryAnn. This is the first time I have made it and I will be making it often! Its the Perfect fall recipe. I split my batter into two pie pans, so I could cut it into wedges, and it fit perfectly. I have to say it is more of a pie than a cake. YUM.

John D. in all his fabulous glory!

Spinach Salad

Salad:

1 bag baby spinach 

1 pound bacon crumbles

1/2 crasins

1/2 red onion sliced

1/2 sugared almonds

1 granny smith sliced

4-5 green onions sliced

1/3 c. parmesan cheese

Dressing:

I c. Olive Oil

1/2 c. red raspberry vinegar

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. dried mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbls. poppy-seeds

Blend in blender then pour over salad. 

I got this recipe from my friend Marlo. Anything that comes from her house is YUM! So I knew it would be a winner! I made a few minor changes : I used a spring mix lettuce (I couldn't find baby spinach). I sugared walnuts in the Microwave instead of sugared almonds. (I burt my almonds on the stove, and only had walnuts left. I wasn't sad though they were yummy!) Anyway it turned out pretty good! Give it a try, you won't be sad.

German Pancakes

You may all have this recipe but if you don't, it is one you must have. These pancakes are quick and easy and the kids love them.

6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat with Electric Beater

Melt 1/2 cube butter in cake pan in oven then pour batter over butter and cook at 4125 for approximately 15-20 minutes. Great with syrup

For change you can put cut up apples in batter or any other variation.

Stuffed Green Peppers: a faithful standby

This is one of the first things I learned how to make, and I have gone back and made this recipe a hundred times at least. Mom loves it too, in fact when peppers are on sale she'll buy a whole bunch and also pull out some frozen hamburger mix from the freezer and beg me to make them. She has to agree that mine are tons better than the yucky ones she made us eat growing up (sorry, Mom). And to answer the question in your head, no it's not really the kids' favorite. They will all eat the filling though, but they leave the peppers and what tomatoes they can pick out. I don't care though, Matt and I love them and hopefully someday the kids will, or else maybe my daughters will find a recipe that is better than this one, although I can't imagine it.

Better Homes and Gardens' Stuffed Green Peppers

4 large green peppers

1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

2/3 cup chopped onion

1 can chopped tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup basmati rice

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried basil or dried oregano

1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or mozzerella or whatever you have

In a skillet cook meat and onion till meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in tomatoes, uncooked rice, W. sauce, basil, water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or till rice is tender---you may have to add water.

While this is simmering prepare the peppers. Halve peppers lengthwise, removing stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes. Sprinkle insides with salt. Invert on paper towels to drain well.

Stir 1/2 cup of the cheese into the meat mixture. Fill peppers with meat miture. Place in 9X13 pan and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or til heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes.

Makes about 8 servings.