Abby Shares a Few of Her Favorite Recipes

Abby, in recent days, has been sharing with me just how she puts together her special dishes she cooks up in her little kitchen. I've decided to put the pen to paper, so to speak, and begin a collection of her recipes.

Tacos

Cheese
Potatoes
Food


Mac 'N Cheese

1. Turn the hot on.
2. Make it & stir it around.


Cookies

Put oatmeal in it. And chocolate chips. And frosting. Put the frosting on, then you eat the cookies.

Lovely Jigglers

This fun and festive treat is a delicious way to layer on the love this Valentine's Day.



3 pkg. (3 oz. each) Cherry Jello
3 packets (.25 oz. each) unflavored gelatin, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. plain or vanilla yogurt
1 1/4 cups white grape juice

1. For Red Layers: bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add cherry Jello & 1 packet unflavored gelatin; stir until dissolved. Remove from stove.

2. For Pink Layers: transfer 2/3 cup red gelatin mixture to a bowl and whisk in yogurt.

3. For Clear Layers: Pour grape juice into a bowl. Sprinkle on two packets unflavored gelatin & let stand 5 minutes. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until gelatin has dissolved.

4.Assemble:

• Pour 2/3 cup red mixture into 8" square baking pan. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
• Top with half of pink mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Add half of white mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Top with 2/3 cup red mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Pour on remaining white mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Add remaining pink mixture, refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Finish with the last 2/3 cup red mixture; refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours or overnight.

5. Dip bottom of the pan briefly in hot water to loosen. Invert onto a cutting board and use a metal heart-shaped cookie cutter deep enough to cut through entire mold, or cut into 1 1/2" cubes. Makes 25 cubes; the number of hearts will depend on the size of the cookie cutter.

Cornbread & Chili Hotdish

This is a baked alternative to chili. But in the interest of full disclosure, this is not Geoff's favorite dish, primarily because of the cornbread. Since the girls and I are big fans of cornbread, you can usually count on the three of us joining the clean plate club when this meal is served.

1 lb. ground beef
15 1/2 oz. kidney beans, drained
14 1/2 oz. Rotel tomatoes
11 oz. corn with red & green bell peppers, drained
8 oz. chunky salsa
1 3/4 oz. pkg. chili seasoning
8 1/2 oz. box corn muffin mix to serve 6
1/2 cup Monetary Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup fresh cilantro, minced (optional)

Heat oven to 400°. Brown ground beef in skillet, drain grease. Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, salsa & chili seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Prepare corn muffin batter to package directions and set aside.

Spoon hot chili into the center of a 2-quart casserole. Spoon cornbread batter around edge of chili. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese is melted and cornbread is deeply golden.

Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Good served with chips & salsa.

Frosting for Sugar Cookies

This recipe is more of a guide.... The measurements are not exact because it was handed down from my grandma, and that's how she cooks.

-Put powdered sugar in a bowl large enough for mixing. Start with a cup, you can always add more.
-Add a small amount of vanilla extract--about 1/2 tsp.
-Add a small amount of milk--about 1 tsp. If you need more to stiffen the frosting, heat the milk first.
-Add butter or margarine, softened--approximately 1/2 stick. Add more butter to cut sweetness if necessary.

Cream with a hand mixer.

Once frosting is to your liking, divide into bowls if desired and add food coloring. Stir well. Do not let stand, frosting hardens fast.

Sugar Cookies

In my opinion this is the best sugar cookie recipe for cutouts.... They're a hit at any holiday!

Cream Together:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 medium eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Add:
4 1/2 cups flour, sifted or 4 cups unsifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda

Mix together and chill. Roll to 1/8" & cut. Bake at 350° until they raise. Don't let them get brown (except around the edges).

Cranberry Salad

This delicious cranberry salad can be served as an alternative to the plain cranberry dish, a salad, or as a dessert. Either way it a beautiful holiday dish that leaves cranberry lovers wondering what makes it so good!

1 can cranberry sauce with whole berries
1 pkg. raspberry Jello
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
3/4 cup pecans*, chopped
1 medium apple, diced--do not peel
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained

Dissolve raspberry Jello in one cup boiling water. Refrigerate until it's the consistancy of corn syrup. Mix together with the fruit, celery & nuts, and let gel over night.

Topping:
1--4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

*You can use any nut you choose, or omit if there is a food allergy.

Chicken Pot Pie

Again, another great recipe from my gal pal, Ericha.

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast--halves, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

In a saucepan, combine: chicken, carrots, peas & celery. Add water to cover & boil for 15 minutes. (You will need to reduce the heat once it starts to cook--watch so it does not boil over!) Remove from heat, drain & set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft & translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper & celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth & milk. Once heated, dissolve bouillon cubes. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat & set aside.

Place chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough if necessary. Make several small slits in top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes @ 425°, or until pastry is golden brown & filling bubbles. Allow to settle for 10 minutes before serving.