Strawberry Punch

4 packages Raspberry flavor drink mix*
Frozen strawberries
2 – 12oz. cans frozen lemonade
1 quart lemon-lime soda

1. Mix drink mix according to directions.
2. In a blender, slightly puree frozen strawberries.
3. Add strawberries and lemonade to mix and stir thoroughly.
4. Add soda before serving.
5. Punch may be frozen ahead, and add soda before serving for a slush drink.

*At the time, Kool-Aid didn’t make Raspberry anymore, so I substituted with 5 packets of Flavor-Aid instead because it has a weaker taste.

Source: Lachelle Green

Summer Slush

A.k.a. “Green Slime.” This is fun to serve at Halloween in a big cauldron.

1 – 3oz. Lime Jello
1 cup sugar
1 quart boiling water
3 lemons, juiced
1 large (46oz.) can pineapple juice
2 – 2 Liter bottles Sprite or 7-Up

1. Dissolve Jello and sugar in water. Add lemon juice and pineapple juice.
2. Pour into a huge ziploc bag(s), plastic ice cream container, or large glass baking dish and freeze solid.
3. Remove from freezer and defrost 1 hour before serving (you want it just barely slushy, but not melted too much. It may require more time to defrost depending on how hard it is).
4. Put the slush in a punch bowl and pour cold bottles of Sprite or 7-Up over the top.

Optional: You can also add a little lime sherbet when serving.

Source: Velma Smithson

Orange Sherbet Punch

1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup orange sherbet
10oz. ginger ale soda
2-3 Tablespoons sugar
extra orange sherbet

1. In a blender or with mixer, blend all ingredients except the extra sherbet.
2. Put a small scoop of extra sherbet in glasses and pour in punch.

Source: Lachelle Green

Water Chestnut Hors D’oeurves

Another favorite recipe of mine because of a main ingredient – BACON! This is a family favorite that’s even been served at lots of family wedding receptions. And if at a family wedding reception where these are served, you’d better make darn sure you’re in the front of the line or you’ll never even get one. People usually walk away with a plate of 10-12 piled high!

1 pound bacon
2 – 8oz. cans WHOLE water chestnuts
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon soy sauce

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wrap each chestnut in 1/2 strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until bacon is done.
4. Remove to a chafing dish.
5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining ingredients over low heat to make sauce.
6. Pour over chestnuts in chafing dish and keep warm.

Source: Kathe Smithson

Mango Salsa

Fresh mango salsa is one of my things to munch on. I could probably eat it all day and still want more! In my experience, though, this doesn’t store too well for more than 2 days because the avocados get brown and all the juices make it too mushy. You can try halving the recipe for a smaller batch that will be devoured immediately. Perhaps my least favorite thing about making this recipe is having to cut the mangoes. It usually ends up in a big mess and I wonder why I started it all in the first place. But oh! I just discovered Williams-Sonoma sells a Mango Pitter (supposedly an exclusive item at WS), and it looks like the handiest thing every! Gonna have to get me one of them someday.

4 Mangoes, diced
2 avocados, diced
1 bunch of green onion, chop only the white tips and a little green
4 tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime juice
1 can crushed pineapple & juice
Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Combine and refrigerate before serving with tortilla chips.

Source: Litisha Hyde

Crab Dip

A simple dip for serving with crackers.

1 – 16oz. sour cream
1 – 8oz. cream cheese
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup grated cheese
juice of lemon
imitation crab

1. Mix together.
2. Chill before serving.

Source: Tiffany Campbell

Parmesan Chicken

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes. It’s always moist and tender.  Serve with rice, and make extra sauce to put on top of the rice.  I usually double the sauce recipe as it seems there is never enough to go around!

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (no Kraft)
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
3. In a baggie (or pie plate) mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
4. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then into crumbs.
5. Place on baking pan. Drizzle with remaining butter.
6. Bake covered (or uncovered for crispiness) for 40-45 minute.

SAUCE

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Mix together in a small saucepan and cook until cream cheese is melted and bubbly. Pour over chicken.

Bread Pudding with Orange Sauce

My husband and I went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant one night and ordered a desert, which we rarely do. It was a plate of the most delicious bread pudding I’d ever had in my life, and I was surprised to see they put in dried cranberries instead of raisins! I was on a quest after that to find a recipe that matched it. I looked at a hundred recipes online and in cookbooks, and I made 3 recipes that I thought would work. This one was the absolute winner! I also love things with orange, so naturally it was better than the others. There is no alcohol in this recipe, and I’m convinced that using French bread is the key to it being so light and fluffy.

6 cups French bread, cubed
3/4 cups raisins or dried cranberries (my preference)
3 eggs, beaten
1 – 14oz. can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place bread cubes and (c)raisins in 9″ baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Mix together eggs, condensed milk, water, butter, orange rind, vanilla, and cinnamon.
4. Pour over bread evenly; let sit and soak for 15 minutes.
5. Bake 40 minutes.
6. In saucepan, combine orange juice, sugar and cornstarch.
7. Over medium heat, cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
8. Serve with warm bread pudding and vanilla ice cream, garnished with whipped cream and mint leaf.

World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Double Recipe:

1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cup brown sugar
2 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoon vanilla
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
6 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk chocolate chips (eyeball it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, or 325 convection for multiple trays in one oven.
2. Cream sugars and butter (5 minutes on Bosch speed 2).
3. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well.
4. Combine dry ingredients together and gradually add to mixture.
5. Stir in chips by hand.
6. Roll into balls and place on non-stick cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Single Recipe:

3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk chocolate chips

Updated on September 1, 2023