Grandma Hickman's Hot Fudge Sauce

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cube of butter
2 c. chocolate chips

Melt together.

Easy Fantasy Fudge

1 1/2 c. butter
6 c. sugar
2 cans (5 oz.) evaporated milk - 1 1/3 cups
2 packages (12 oz. each) chocolate chips
1 jar (13 oz.) marshmallow creme
2 c. chopped nuts
2 t. vanilla

Lightly grease 2 (13x9) or 3 (9x9) pans. Mix butter, sugar and milk in heavy 4 or 5 quart sauce pan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling on medium heat for 5 minutes or until temperature reaches 234 degrees (stirring constantly). Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into pans. Cook at room temperature. Cut into squares.

Orange Sherbet Jello

1 large package of vanilla pudding (not instant)
1 large package of orange jello
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
2 cans of mandarin oranges
1 large can of crushed pineapple

Add 2 cups of water to the pudding mixture in a pan and cook until the mixture is thick. Dissolve the orange jello into the pudding mixture and stir until it is completely blended. Let this mixture cool completely. Drain the oranges and pineapple well. Whip the cream (adding 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to sweeten). When the pudding mixture is cook, gently fold the pudding mixture, whipping cream, and fruit together until uniformly blended. Chill.

This recipe comes from Trent's Christmas food traditions.

Butterscotch Bubble-Loaf

24 frozen Rhodes rolls
1 pkg. 3 oz. regular butterscotch pudding (not instant)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter
1 c. nuts (optional)

Mix all the ingredients, but the rolls, in a sauce pan. Heat until sugar has dissolved. Place the frozen rolls into a greased bundt pan. Pour liquid mixture over the rolls. Cover pan with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam. Let rolls rise until double or even w/top of pan. Put tinfoil underneath your pan in the oven because it usually drips. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

This is our family's traditional Christmas morning breakfast (comes from Trent's family).

Jonah's Microwave Caramels

1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter (not margarine)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. karo syrup





Put all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 2 minutes and then stir. Repeat for 2 minutes then stir. Cook again for 1 1/2 minutes and stir. Cook for 1 minute and then pour into a well buttered 8x8 pan and let cool for 3 hours. Cut and wrap in waxed paper.

For a slightly softer caramel use these times: (2 min, 1.5 min, 1.5 min, 1 min)

For black licorice caramels add:
1/2 t. black food coloring
1/2 t. anise flavoring (before pouring into pan)

This recipe is for a high wattage microwave (i.e. 1100 watts).

This recipe is so easy! 8 minutes and you have perfect caramels. We made these for our neighbors this year and boys are already clamoring for another pan.

Monte Cristo Casserole (Pampered Chef)

1 cup milk
6 eggs
2 packages (12.5 ounces each) frozen French toast slices, thawed
8 ounces deli baked ham, diced
8 ounces deli roast turkey, diced
4 ounces Swiss cheese, grated (1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup strawberry ice cream topping
(frozen strawberries and jam also work)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat milk in small microwave-cooker on HIGH 3 minutes or until hot. Whisk eggs in a bowl; add hot milk to eggs, whisking until blended. Cut French toast into 3/4-inch cubes; place in large colander bowl. Pour egg mixture over French toast cubes; toss gently; set aside.
2. Dice ham and turkey. Grate cheese. Snip parsley. Combine ham, turkey, cheese and parsley in a bowl; mix. Layer half of the French toast cubes in bottom of a rectangular baker. Top with half of the meat and cheese mixture. Repeat.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Remove to cooling rack; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
4. Slice strawberries. Combine strawberries with strawberry topping in small colander bowl. Cut casserole into squares; serve. Top each serving with strawberry mixture.

We had a Christmas brunch last week. A neighbor brought this and I loved it. It reminds me of the Monte Cristo sandwiches that we had a Disneyland last May.

Sauerkraut Soup

4 c. chicken broth (2 cans)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 16 oz can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
8 ounces fresh (or bottled) mushroom, sliced
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 pound of polish sausage (or polska kielbasa)
2 T. vinegar
1 t. dried dill
1/2 t. pepper

Cook in a crockpot on low until veggies are tender (up to 10 hours).

(based on a recipe by Gene Orlowski)

This is a soup that Trent's mom makes all the time.

Mozarella Steak

2 lbs round steak (cut into small pieces and brown)
1 lg can of tomatoes
1/4 t. basil (or italian seasoning of sorts)
3/4 t. salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped

Cook for 5 hours (high) in crockpot. Just before serving add 1 1/2 c. shredded mozarella cheese (we serve the cheese separately). Serve over rice or noodles.

From Kathy Hickman

Oatmeal Pudding Cookies

1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. butter (softened)
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 to 3 1/2 c. quick oatmeal
1 c. raisins (optional)
1 t. baking soda
1/4 c. sugar
1 package instant jello pudding (vanilla or chocolate)

Mix flour and baking soda. Combine sugar, butter and pudding. Mix until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture, then stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes.

Also from Trent's mom.

Chex Mix

3/4 stick of butter
1 1/4 t. all season salt
4 1/2 t. worcestershire sauce
2 2/3 c. each of Corn, Rice and Wheat Chex
1 c. + mixed nuts
1 c. + pretzels

Melt the butter and mix in theseasoned salt and Warcestershire sauce. Mix all the dry ingredients together and then coat with the melted butter mix. Spread out on baking sheet and cook at 250 for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

This and fudge are our annual Christmas "snacks."

Orange Julius

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 c. of water
1 tray of ice cubes
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. powdered milk
1/2 t. vanilla

Brisket

Trim fat from brisket (but leave about 1/2 inch on top). Sprinkle fat side of brisket liberally with garlic salt. Wrap securely in tin foil (so that juices will not leak out). Place into cake pan (fat side up). Cook at 275 for 5 hours.

Taco Soup

1 lb. hamburger browned and drained
1 onion, chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes and juice
1 can kidney beans and juice
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can corn and juice

Brown beef and onions together. Put all items together in a soup pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 c. canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
3 egg whites
1/3 c. sugar
19 inch graham-cracker or regular crust

In saucepan, combine brown sugar, gelatin, salt and spices. Combine egg yolks and milk. Stir into brown sugar mixture. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in pumpkin. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when spooned (test every now and then - don't let it get too stiff). Beat egg whites until s oft peaks form. Gradually add white sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Fold pumpkin mixture thoroughly into egg whites. Turn into crust. Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream.

This is the traditional pumpkin pie recipe at the Hickman's house.

Eileens Candied Yams

Boil Yams until soft throughout. Then cool until you can peel them. Slice them about 1 inch thick and place them in 9x13 pan. Then this is what she says about the recipe.

"About the yams. I do a little water with some, butter, brown sugar and melt them together. I boil the yams and add to the brown sugar, butter and water mixture and add marshmallows on top. Then back and turn them over after awhile. I bake them until they liquid is thick. I don't have amounts of what I put in. I put about half inch water and half cube of butter and a couple handfuls of brown sugar. Write and I'll try to help some more if I can."

I had to add this because I look up the email every Thanksgiving. Jared really like marshmellows so that's a must for the Yams. I actually bake the yams with the rolls and then turn the broiler on for a minute to brown the marshmellows (if you add them too early they just melt)

Fettuccini with chicken breasts

1 lb fettuccini
4 single chicken breasts cut into thin strips (I use less than this)
3 Tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
6 scallions, finely chopped (I use green onions - I don't know which you have)
1/3 cup heavy cream (I usually double the liquid parts of this to make it more saucy)
1 Tablespoon flour
1/3 cup grated gruyere or swiss cheese (I actually just use mozzerella and I use a lot more than it calls for)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. While the pasta is cooking, saute the chicken breasts in hot butter for three minutes until firm and white.
2. Stir in the garlic and scallions and fry over moderate heat for three minutes. Discard the garlic. Stir in the flour. Add the cream and lemon juice an d stir until hot.
3. Add the cheeses and season with salt and pepper. It says to toss the pasta and the sauce, but we just serve it over the pasta like spaghetti.

Prosciutto-and-mushroom sauce

2 oz (60g) dried procini mushrooms (we just use regular mushrooms and skip the hydrating process)
1/4 lb (115g) prosciutto
1/4 lb (115g) boiled ham (I really just do 1/2 lb of diced ham instead of prosciutto and boiled ham)
1 red onion, peeled an dminced
1 tablespoon utter,
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (14-oz / 400g) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup (125ml) whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
cooked pasta for 4
parmesean cheese

1. Cover dried mushrooms with boiling water and let stand 15-20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid for another dish. (like I said above we use fresh and skip this step)
2.Finely chopped togheter prosciutto, ham and mushrooms.
3. Saute onion in butter and oil 2-3 minutes. Do not brown
4 Add meat mixture and chopped tomatoes and stir well.
5 Bring to a boil and cook, paritally cobered, 10-15 minutes to thicken sauce.
6 Stir in cream, heat and season with salt and pepper. Spoon over pasta and serve with greated parmesan cheese

Penne With Black Kale, Sausage, and Roasted Peppers (or sun dried tomatoes)

1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb hot italian sausage, cut into chunks
1 lb penne pasta
1 lb black kale, leaves torn into 2 inch pices, stems discarded (I tried to make this for mom and she accidently got red-leaf lettuce instead of kale - it's not quite the same)
1 (12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained, cut into strips - I can never find this so I use sun dried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat; add sausage. Cook until browned and halfway cooked through, about 7 minutes. At this point, add pasta to boiling water, stir a few times, and cook according to package directions
3. Add Kale to sausage; cover skillet and cook 2 minutes, tossing once or twice, or until kale is wilted. Stir in peppers (or tomatoes)and garlic; cook 7 minutes longer, or until sausage is cooked.
4. drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return pasta to pot; add sausage mixture and reserved cooking water, and toss. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Sweet Pulled Pork

Sprinkle garlic salt over pork roast placed in crock pot.
Cook all day on low (or fewer hours on high) or until pork is easy to pull-apart.
Remove from crock pot. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strip (pull-apart) the pork and put back into juices in the crock pot.

Add:
1 c. salsa
1 c. brown sugar
(if you have a larger pork roast, you may want to double or triple these two items)
Cook until warm through.

Serve on burritos, taco salad, or rolls.

Steam-Canned Peaches

First a disclaimer: Experts do NOT recommend canning using a steam canner. Utah State Extension advises to only bottle high acid foods using a steam canner.  (More information HERE.)

Buy freestone peaches. Clingstone pits are difficult to get out of the peach.

1) Clean the bottles with soap and water (or sanitize in the dishwasher).
2) Bring a pot of water to boil. Mom said, "You can also put ½ c. to 2/3 c. of water inside the clean bottle and microwave them to heat the water. I put 4 in at a time and by putting them in for 2 minutes, the water was hot enough then for me to add the sugar and dissolve it. This is probably faster than the boiling water UNLESS you are preparing lots of bottles."
3) Pour about 2/3 c. of hot water into the bottom of the glass jars.
4) Add 1/4 c. of sugar into jar (swirl to dissolve sugar). You can use additional amounts of sugar according to your preference. Mom said "old days used 1 c. Then I went to ½ and then to 1/3 and then to ¼ - your preference, but it does need sugar."
5) Boil several peaches for 1 to 2 minutes (depending upon hardness). Mom said, "This is called scalding the peach. I did mine for 1 ½ minutes. I think it depends more on the size. You shouldn’t do those that are not ripe yet. . . The peach needs to be completely covered with water when in the scalding bath."
6) Peel and cut peaches. Mom said, "After scalding the peach, cut in half, pull of the skin. A melon “baller” will help get the pit out. (I tried this after I stuck the sharp end of a pit under my fingernail. It worked really well)."
7) Shake jar occasionally to help peaches settle into the jar. Mom said, "when jar appears full, juggle or shake the bottle to settle the peaches and then finish filling the bottle."
8) After jar is full of peaches (fill to jar neck), add water to fill (also up to neck).
9) Wipe rim with clean towel. Mom said, "You do this to get off any sugar or peach remnants so the flats will seal. This is not to wipe dry but to clean off."
10) Place flats on top and secure with lid. Mom said, "Screw tightly. Tightly is the key. They will loosen a little while cooking, but if they are not tight, some of the juices will boil out."
11) Fill steamer base with water (so boiling water does not touch jar bottoms). You'll need to refill the base each time even if water is already hot/full. This allows the jars to heat up more slowly, thus reducing breakage.
12) Place jars into steamer, put on the lid and turn the temperature to high.
13) Reduce temperature to medium or medium-high once steam is consistently blowing from the vent (after about 8 minutes). Set timer for 20 minutes.
14) When timer goes off, remove lid. Lift the jars out with a wet washcloth (on top) and hold bottoms with a hot pad (or two). Twist to tighten lids.
15) Set jars onto counter (on a towel) and leave them alone until they are cool and the flats have all popped. Mom said, "If you press down in the middle of the lid, they will not make a popping sound. They have all popped down and will not put up again until the jar is open. When you set the jars on the towel, set them close together. It helps them to maintain their heat while they are sealing."
16) If the lid doesn't pop, put those jars into the fridge and use immediately.

Mom added: "Place the hole in the lid that lets the steam out above or within a inch of the hole in the plate bottom. Watching the clock is absolutely essential. As soon as it starts to send steam out of the holes – 8 to 10 minutes, turn down to medium or slightly above and set clock for 20 min. After about 3 minutes of turning down, check to see that steam is still coming out. Adjust temperature as necessary. It does not have to be a powerful burst of steam, just a steady steam release. Don’t over cook! When steam is too powerful it can crack the bottles.

Notes from Wendy:  Typical processing as recommended by Utah State is 40 minutes instead of 20 for quarts.  One extra-large heaping bowl full of peaches does about 6 quarts.

(Mom and Wendy)

Red White and Blue Jell-o

1 small box red raspberry jell-o
1 small box berry blue jell-o (or a 2nd box of red rasp. if you can't find this)
3 cups boiling water (not all at once)
1 envelope knox gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. half & half
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 c. chopped pecans
1 can wild blueberries (wyman's works best - don't drain)

First Layer:
Dissolve 1 box of red rasp jell-o in 2 cups boiling water. Pour in 9x13 pan and place in fridge. Allow to set before next layer
Second Layer:
Dissolve plain gelatin in 1/2 c. Cold water. Heat 1/2 & 1/2 & sugar until it just about boils. Mix w plain gelatin mixture. Add vanilla and cream cheese. Blend this until smooth so there are no chunks of cream cheese. Then add the nuts. Pour over first layer and allow to set in the refridgerator.
Third Layer:
Dissolve other box of Jell-o in 1 c. boiling water; stir until dissolved. Add bluberries with juice. Allow to cool before pouring over second layer. When mixture is luke warm pour third layer on and allow to set.

Don't take this to a picnic or anywhere it will be set in the sun for a long time.

Recipe from Jaci Kern

Poppyseed Dressing

In blender, combine:
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
2 Tbsp. mustard (regular bottled)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 c. oil
1/4 red onion
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. water

Blend & refrigerate. Makes about a quart.

We served this at our Enrichment meeting on Wednesday. It was so good. We had so many requests for the recipe. This recipe is a lot like Amy's recipe below -- this just has mustard and onion (and a bit more bite).

Red Lobster Biscuits

Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine 1/4 c. melted butter and 1/4 t. garlic powder. Set aside.
2 c. bisquick - don't pack in tight or the mixture will be too dry
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheese
1 t. dry parsley
2/3 c. milk
Combine above ingredients & beat for 30 seconds (by hand). Drop by spoonfuls on an ungreased cookie sheet (not non-stick). Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush on garlic butter mixture.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Cut & Boil 4 lbs of Sweet Potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes until they are fork tender.

Sauce:
2/3 c. brown sugar
5 T. butter
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 pinch ginger

Cook sauce until smooth (Use 1 minute increments in the microwave or cook on stove top for 5 minutes or so).
Mash potatoes as usual.
Stir in sauce.

I threw some marshmallows on top and microwaved the whole bowl for about 30 seconds.

Best-Ever Chicken Nuggets/Oven-Fried Chicken

Chicken (we use 15+ tenders or 5 breasts)

Wet Bowl:
2 large eggs
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. dried thyme
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. cayenne (optional - I leave it out)

Crumb Bowl:
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1+ c. bread crumbs (or 5 ounces melba toast, crushed)
Drizzle oil over crumbs in shallow dish. Toss well to coat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and set a cookie rack on it.

Prepare bowls as explained above. Coat chicken with egg mixture, then coat with crumbs (press to help them adhere). Shake off excess crumbs and place on cookie rack. Bake for about 40 minutes until juices run clear and chicken is a nice nutty brown color.

These are our favorite chicken nuggets! The boys cheer when I make them. They're pretty easy to make if you use purchased bread crumbs.

Craisin Salad

red leaf lettuce
romaine lettuce
baby leaf spinach (or green leaf lettuce)
mandarin oranges
craisins

Sugared Almonds
Saute 1 - 1 1/2 TBLS butter and 1 - 11/2 TBLS sugar over medium heat, add about one cup of sliced or slivered almonds. Stir often. Once they start browning they will turn quickly, so watch tokeep them from burning. Once they are mostly browned, lay out on tin foil to cool and dry. You may need to break them up after they are cool.

Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 T. poppy seeds
1 c. vegetable oil

You can mix this together in a blender or I just put all the ingredients in a covered container and shake pretty hard before serving. This also makes quite a bit, so you may want to watch how much you put on the salad so it doesn't get soggy. It depends on how much lettuce you use.

(Amy)

Pimento and Salami Sauce

Cooked pasta to serve
¼ cup olive oil, warmed
1 (2 oz) jar pimento past or pimentos, minced
(red pepper sauce is the same thing I think)
3 oz. Salami, diced
20 large salted capers, soaked in water and drained

Toss Pasta in the oil and add pimento paste or minced pimentos and salami. Toss again and serve sprinkled with capers

This one is so easy and yummy (if you get a good salami)

Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs butter, melted
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 c chicken broth 1 (1oz)
Packet ranch dressing mix
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 dash paprika
1/8 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp dry parsley flakes

Wash and dry chicken breasts and place them evenly in crock pot. Sprinkle with paprika. Sprinkle ranch salad dressing mix over chicken. Drizzle chicken breasts with 1 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with minced garlic and saute slightly.
Add cream of chicken soup,cream cheese cubes, 1/2 c chicken broth, dried oregano and dried Parsley flakes. Stir on med til smooth.
Add mixture to crock pot, cover again and continue to cook on low for 1 1/2-2 hours.