• 20-30 OZ frozen chopped spinach
• 8 OZ Philly cream cheese (softened)
• 5 TBS melted butter
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• 28 OZ canned artichoke hearts or bottoms (drained)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Italian bread crumbs
• ¼ C Parmesan (optional)
• 1-2 cans water chestnuts (optional)

Oven: 350° F

1. Boil the spinach in salted water until tender (~5 minutes). Drain & squeeze the excess liquid out.
2. Mix Philly cheese, butter, lemon juice and salt & pepper mix (½ TSP to start) with the drained spinach.
3. Layer artichokes in a baking dish, spooning the spinach mixture over them in alternating layers.
4. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

3 LB moderately lean ground beef (97% lean makes tough meatballs)
1½ C bread crumbs (plain or seasoned)
1½ TSP salt
¼ TSP pepper
1 egg (optional)
Milk

Temperature: 350

Mix the meat, bread crumbs and seasonings. If using the egg, beat it slightly with ¼ C milk or use only milk without the egg. Mix the egg into the meat/crumb combination using your hands to knead the ingredients, adding milk as needed to soften. Knead until the mixture is uniform and holds together. Roll into 1″ balls. Bake on a shallow-edged pan until browned (~20 minutes). Add to the prepared sauce (tomato or brown gravy) and allow to cook for 1 hour longer.

Note: If the meatballs are the only meat in sauce add beef bouillon (cubed, liquid or powdered) for more flavor. Never use raw meatballs, bake or fry them first.

1 C butter or margarine (or half & half)
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 TSP vanilla
4 OZ german sweet chocolate (1 bar)
2½ C cake four
1 C buttermilk
½ TSP baking soda
1 TSP salt

Temperature: 325

Partially melt chocolate over boiling water or in the microwave while stirring to complete melting. Allow to cool. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mix in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk. Pour into greased & floured or parchment lined bottom tube or bunt pan. Bake for 75 minutes and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out to a rack. Frost with a german chocolate glaze. Can be decorated with pecan halves or you can sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

1 C butter
1½ C sugar
2 TBS milk
5 eggs
2 C cake flour (or all-purpose)
½ TSP cinnamon
1 TSP vanilla
1 TSP salt
1 C toasted pecans (chopped)
2 TSP lemon juice
1 TSP lemon peel

Temperature: 325

Cream butter and sugar in mixer on high speed for 15 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time and beat well. Add milk. Mix the dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mix on low speed just till blended. Fold in pecans, lemon juice and lemon peel. Pour into greased & floured or parchment lined bottom 9″ or 10″ tube, bunt or loaf pans. Bake 80 minutes or until the center is done. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn out on rack. Eat warm or cooled.

2 C flour
3 TSP baking powder
½ TSP salt
½ TSP nutmeg
½ C chopped raisins
1 egg
2 C all-bran
½ C honey
¼ C sugar
1¼ C milk
¼ C melted butter or margarine

Temperature: 400-425

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, bran and raisins. Beat the egg slightly then add honey, sugar, milk and butter. Combine wet and dry mixtures, stirring only to dampen and till flour disappears. Fill 16-18 medium muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes.

Cake:
1 C butter
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1½ C cake flour
1½ TSP baking powder
1 TSP salt
¼ C cocoa powder
2 TSP vanilla
3 C miniature marshmallows
1-2 C pecans (chopped)

Icing:
1 LB box confectioners xxx powdered sugar
¼ C cocoa
½ C heavy cream
¼ C melted butter
Dash salt

Temperature: 350

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs 1 at a time. Mix all dry ingredients then add to the creamed mix on low speed. Add the vanilla. Fold in the pecans, then pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2″ pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cover the hot cake with marshmallows. Cool for 10 minutes. Beat icing till smooth then pour over cake.

Cookie:
1 C butter
2 TBS solid Crisco
1 C sugar
3 eggs
½ TSP salt
½ TSP vanilla
Sesame seeds (toasted)
5 C flour
2½ TSP baking powder
¼ TSP cloves (ground)
1 TSP cinnamon

Syrup:
2 C sugar
1 C water

Temperature: 350

Cream the Crisco, butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat well. Add salt and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients, then add to the creamed mixture. Roll the dough into elongated balls, about 2″ long. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and slightly flatten each with the palm of your hand. Bake till golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Mix the syrup ingredients and boil until it forms a thread in lukewarm water. Pour cooled syrup over the cookies then sprinkle or roll them in the toasted sesame seeds.

3 egg yolks
1 C sugar
1 TSP vanilla
1½ C milk
1 TBS cornstarch
¼ C water
1½ OZ good bourbon whiskey

Temperature:

Beat yolks slightly. Add sugar, vanilla, milk, cornstarch and water. Cook on low heat till mixture simmers and becomes thickened, smooth and able to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and add whiskey. Excellent served with Bread Pudding, Pound Cake and Sponge Cake.

1 large onion (chopped)
8-12 cloves garlic (minced)
2 12 OZ can tomato paste
¼ C parsley
4 TBS sugar
1½ TSP salt (to start)
¼ TSP pepper
2 bay leaves
1/8 TSP oregano or italian seasoning
4 cubes beef boullion
2-3 LB beef or pork (cubes, ground, whole pieces, chops, etc.)
2-3 TBS olive oil

Temperature:

Sear meat in a 6 QT pot and set aside. If using ground beef, brown it with the vegatable saute. Saute the onions. Add garlic and a small amount water to soften. Add the tomato paste and sugar. Stir fry till sauce darkens slightly. Add the seasonings. Return the meat to the pot. Add about 2 QT water, just until the sauce is slightly thinner than the desired finished consistency. Cook on lowest stove setting for 1-2 hours until meat is fork-tender, stirring often. Add water as needed. Taste to correct salt. Use a dash of Kitchen Bouquet to darken if desired.

3 C flour
1 TSP baking soda
1 TSP salt
1 TBS cinnamon
2 C sugar
4 eggs (slightly beaten)
1¼ C vegatable oil
2 C strawberries fresh or frozen (mashed)
1½ C pecans or walnuts (chopped)

Temperature: 350

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the liquid ingredients together. Make an indented “well” in the center of the dry mixture then add the liquid mix to it. Stir just enough to moisten. Pour into greased bread pans. This makes enough cake batter for six 6x3x2″ pans or two 9x5x3″ pans. Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the pans. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn out on cake racks to cool. Can be made in smaller sized disposable aluminum pans and frozen right in them. Great for food gifts. Tastes great hot!

This same recipe is suitable for apple bread. Substitute finely chopped apples and soak bulk pieces in lemon juice and water while waiting to place in the chopper, drain well and add the juice of ½ lemon to the apples while chopping. Add ¼ TSP baking soda and ¼ TSP nutmeg to a single recipe.