CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?

1 gallon dill pickles ( in glass jar preferably but not necessary)

5 cups sugar

1 cups cider vinegar

3 T. pickling spices

Drain off juice from pickles.  Cut pickles into 1" pieces.  Fill jar with sugar, vinegar, spices.  Set jar on counter.  Flip jar every 24 hours.  It takes 4 days to complete.

It is absolutely amazing how these pickles change into sweet pickles!

Have fun with this  one.

Gogi

Do you have errands to run and have to be gone for a few hours?  How about getting dessert started before you leave? 

1 chocolate cake mix

1 box instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1 pint of sour cream

3/4 cup oil

1 cup water

6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix and pour into  crockpot on low.  Cook for 6-8 hrs.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.  DELICIOUS!!!

Now if you really want to make it easy on yourself, tear or chop up some lettuce and add leftovers from the frig.  This could be ham, chicken, tuna, carrots, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, grated cheese, chopped bacon, mushrooms, you name it.  That could be your main course with your choice of dressing.  Now you have dessert and your main course ready to serve. Just pop it into the frig until you get home.

Be stress free and enjoy!

Gogi

Here is a tip on instant tea.  Some people like the instant lemon, sugared tea.  When I buy the Lipton mix I also buy the Lipton plain instant tea.  I combine the two and it is not quite as strong with sugar or lemon.  None of us should have a lot of sugar or lemon especailly those of us with acid reflex.  Those are the fringe benefits you get after age 50.  

I also do this with the raspberry flavored tea.  In fact we not only use the raspberry tea for "tea time", I use the mix from the can in my punches that I fix for parties or get-to-gethers. 

Just a thought

Gogi 

Here is suggestion that might help you out if you are in a bind at the last minute.

I make spaghetti sauce and put it in the freezer in quart containers.  That way if I have company I can pull out one or more depending on how much sauce I need.  I purchase a 5 lb. sack of meatballs from the store and keep them in the freezer and also make sure I have plenty of spaghetti noodles and canned mushroom soup on hand. 

Once I do this my options are numerous.  I can now have:

spaghetti and meatball dinner

pick up some fresh sub buns and have meat  ball sandwiches

meatballs and mushroom gravy as a main dish for dinner

slice meatballs and have meatball and mushroom soup ( or leave whole)

I am not stating quantities because that depends on the size of your family or number of guests.

Think ahead

Gogi

Here is a quick bread for breakfast or a brunch.

3 cups baking mix

1/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 T. grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice (fresh or frozen)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Orange glaze:

Makes one loaf 9×5x3- preheat oven 350 degrees

Mix baking mix, sugar, eggs, orange peel and orange juice and beat 1/2 minute on slow speed.  Beat another 2 1/2 minutes on medium.  Stir in nuts and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

Orange glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter or margarine melted, 1 T. grated orange peel, 1 T. orange juice.  Mix thoroughly…  If needed add more juice.

Try this some morning with a great cup of your favorite coffee!

Gogi

This is a cheese ball you can make ahead without much fuss.

2 pkgs. cream cheese

2 cups sharp shredded  cheddar cheese

l T. chopped green onion

l T. chopped green and red bell pepper

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. lemon juice

Finely chopped pecans (amount as desired)

Soften and mix cheeses.  Add remaining ingredients except nuts.  Chill.  Add nuts and form into ball. Save some of the nuts to roll the cheese ball in.

You could make this into a centerpiece for a a snack table. 

Enjoy,

Gogi

 WOW!  Here is an easy snack!  I was just talking to my friend Barb in Georgia and she gave me this recipe.  Just follow the simple directions.

box of Ritz crackers

jar of peanut butter

chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in double boiler VERY CAREFULLY.  While melting chocolate spread peanut butter between Ritz crackers making little sandwiches/cookies. 

Dip each little sandwich/cookie  into melted chocolate.  Remove and let cool on waxed paper.

This is sure to be a hit with both the young and old!!!!  Thanks Barb  for this quick and easy recipe.

You all enjoy,

Gogi

2 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. lemon peel

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 – 16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce

In pan combine coornstarch, lemon peel , salt;  stir in orange juice and lemon juice until smooth. 

Cook over high heat until thickened and smooth.

Stir in cranberry sauce and heat thoroughly.  Makes 3 cups.  Serve hot or cold.

This is a great sauce for baked ham  or pork.

Enjoy,

Gogi

Here is an excellent recipe to fix for 4-24 hours ahead.  After you finished preparing the dish, cover and put in the refrigerator.

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter melted

3 tsp. cinnamon (equals 1 T.)

1 cup chopped apples

1/2 cup cranraisins ( or raisins or dried cranberries)

1 loaf of French bread sliced

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 T. vanilla

Combine brown sugar, butter and 1 tsp. cinnamon .  Put in 13 x 9 baking dish .   Add apples and cranberries,raisins, or cranraisins.  Stir to coat.  Spread evenly over bottom and arrange bread on top. 

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining 2 tsp. of cinnamon until well blended.  Pour over bread soaking completely.  Cover and refreigerate.*

Cover and bake at 375 degrees  for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 5 minute more.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. 

*Don’t put a glass baking dish directly from the refriegerator into the hot preheated oven.   It is best to let it set on the cabinet for a while so the temperature of the dish rises and the shock of putting it into the oven will not crack the baking dish.

Serve with syrup, whipped cream or whatever else suits your fancy! While you are baking the french toast, you can be preparing the rest of the menu.  This is a great brunch recipe.  You can add fresh fruit, bacon, coffee,  juice,  and you have a complete brunch in a jiffy.  Simple but scrumptuous.

Invite some friends over!!

Gogi

I just finished making the crust for a cookie pizza.  I took a package of sugar cookie mix from the cupboard, mixed as directed and spread it on an ungreased round pizza pan and baked according to directions.  It is cooling now and later I will put the topping on it. 

1 8 ounce package of cream cheese softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Mix together first 3 ingredients and spread on cooled crust.  Sprnkle peanuts over top.  Take chocolate ice cream or carmel topping and drizzle across the top.  Makes a great snack or dessert for family or company.  Refrigerate leftovers.

If you are going to eat this right away, slice some granny apples, dip in lemon juice and scatter across the top of pizza before adding the topping.  I prefer not to unless I know it is going to be used right away because the apples might not look so great after a while even if you dipped them. 

Enjoy,

Gogi