Monday, September 21, 2009

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

A recipe from my early married days. Velveeta Shells & Cheese was a staple. I made every recipe from the boxes and this was the hands-down favorite.

1 box Velveeta Shells & Cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion
1 med. bell pepper
1 sm. can sliced black olives
1 can (8oz) pizza sauce
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Prepare the Velveeta as directed on box. Meanwhile, brown meat along with chopped onion and green pepper. Drain and stir in pizza sauce and olives. In a greased 8x8 dish, spoon Velveeta into the bottom, top with meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Thumbprint Cookies

Awesome! I think I found the recipe. I went back in the archives- and yes, it was a kid's magazine that held my special recipe... but they have since changed it in the archives to a no-bake recipe. Nooooo! So I think this is it. I remember using shortening. Yummy!

1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tea. vanilla
1 egg
1 c. flour
1/4 tea. salt
jam- raspberry is my favorite

Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla & egg in a bowl. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together.

Shape dough into 1 in. balls. Place on un-greased cookie sheet and press thumb deeply into the center of each cookie.

Bake at 350 about 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a rack about 30 minutes. Fill thumbprints with jelly.

Makes about 3 dozen (so give some to your neighbors!)

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Sugar Cookie Jamwiches

This recipe brings me back to the days of my famous jam cookies when I was a kid. I had found a recipe in a magazine, and they were amazing. Of course, I never wrote said recipe down! So it's lost! This is pretty close to it, though! Ah, the memories!

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. butter/margarine
1 c. sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter sticks with sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mix on low speed. Form dough into a ball & divide in half. Roll each dough half between wax paper about 1/4 in. thick. (Chill dough for easier rolling!) Cut out cookies with 2 1/2 in. round cookie cutter. Cut out center of half of the cookies with 1 in. round cutter. Arrange on un-greased cookie sheets.

Bake 9 minutes at 350- or until edges are slightly golden. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool. Just before serving, spread small amount of jam on each whole cookie then top with cut-out cookies. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar (optional).

Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen