CHEDDAR CARROT CASSEROLE



1-1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, divided

3 cups cooked carrots, sliced

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

Bread crumbs, buttered



Preheat oven to 350F. Cover bottom of a 1-1/2-quart casserole dish with 3/4 cup Cheese. Peel and slice carrots. Cook until just tender. Layer over cheese in saucepan. Melt butter, slowly add flour until thickened. Add milk. Stir until bubbly and thick. Add chopped onion pour over carrots, layer with remaining cheese. Top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.

SERVES 12.

CREAMY FRENCH ONION MASHED POTATOES 

A MAKE AHEAD DREAM



8 to 9 cups diced peeled potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces refrigerated French onion dip

Paprika



In a large saucepan, cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender;

drain. Mash the potatoes with butter, milk, salt and pepper until smooth.

Add cream cheese and onion dip; mix well. Spread in a greased 2 1/2-quart

baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or

overnight.



Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered,

at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until heated through.

Cowboy Mashed Potatoes



1 lb. red potatoes, diced

1 lb. Yukon Gold (yellow) potatoes, diced

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced or to taste, optional

12 oz. baby carrots

4 cloves garlic

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen white corn (shoe peg corn), thawed

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste



1. Place red potatoes, yellow potatoes, jalapeno pepper, carrots and garlic

cloves in a large pot.

Cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes,

or until potatoes are

tender. Drain water from pot.



2. Stir corn and butter into the potatoes. Mash the mixture with a potato

masher until butter is melted

and potatoes have reached desired consistency. Mix in cheese, salt, and

pepper. Serve hot.



Makes 10 servings.

Creamy Ranch Potato Casserole



4 lb. russet potatoes, cut into 1/4" cubes

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

6 TB butter, cubed

1 pkg. (8 oz = 2 cups) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend

1 bottle (8 oz.) Ranch salad dressing



Preheat oven to 400º F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish.



Place the potatoes in the baking dish. Season with chili powder, salt, and

pepper.



Evenly distribute the butter over the potatoes.



Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until

potatoes

are tender.



Remove from oven, and mix in the cheese and Ranch dressing.



Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.



Serves: 12.

Sweet Potatoes with Mini Marshmallows



~~~Potatoes~<WBR>~~

2-1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup half-and-half cream

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Cooking spray



~~~Topping~~<WBR>~

1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 TB chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted



Preheat oven to 375º F.



To make the Potatoes:

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce

heat, and

simmer 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain; cool slightly. Place potatoes

in a large bowl.

Add half-and-half, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and vanilla. Beat with a

mixer at medium

speed until smooth. Add eggs; beat well (mixture will be thin).



Place in a 9" x 13" baking dish, coated with cooking spray.



To make the Topping:

Sprinkle miniature marshmallows over top of casserole. Lightly spoon flour

into a dry measuring

cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt

in a medium bowl.



Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles

coarse meal. Stir in pecans,

and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows.



Bake at 375º F., for 30 minutes or until golden brown.



Makes: 16 servings.

Gramma's Baked Beans



2 lb. dried navy beans

4 quarts water

2 large onions, chopped

1/2 lb. bacon OR salt pork, cut into 1/2" pieces

1-1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 TB prepared yellow mustard

1 TB salt



Sort Beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup

kettle; add water

to cover by 2 inches.



Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let

stand for 1 to 4 hours or

until beans are softened.



Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Return beans to Dutch oven; add 4

quarts water. Bring

to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are

almost tender. Drain

and reserve liquid. Combine beans with the remaining ingredients.



Transfer to two ungreased 2-1/2 quart baking dishes or bean pots.



Add 1-1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid to each casserole; stir to combine.



Cover and bake in a preheated 300° F., oven for 3 hours or until beans are

tender and reach

desired consistency, stirring every 30 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid

during baking as

needed. 



Yield:  16 to 18 servings.



Note: If several batches are needed, cook and serve in an electric roaster

for convenience.

Made From Scratch Baked Beans - (For A Crowd)

10 pounds dry navy beans, boil for 1 hour in lots of water with 2 tbsps. salt

After the beans are boiled put in electric roaster and add the next ingredients:

5-6 pounds bacon, cut up and fried
4 cups brown sugar
12 oz. bottle dark molasses
2 large onions, chopped
4 cups ketchup

Bake in electric roaster 12 hours. May have to keep adding water, scrape bottom every hour to
keep from sticking.

Serves 100-150.

Cowboy Mashed Potatoes



1 lb. red potatoes

1 lb. Yukon Gold (yellow) potatoes

1 fresh jalapeño pepper, sliced

12 oz. baby carrots

4 cloves garlic

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen shoepeg corn (white), thawed

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste



Place red potatoes, yellow potatoes, jalapeño pepper,

   carrots and garlic cloves in a large pot. Cover with water,

   and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes,

   or until potatoes are tender. Drain water from pot.



Stir in corn and butter. Mash the mixture with a potato

   masher until butter is melted and potatoes have reached

   desired consistency. Mix in cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.

 

Makes: 10 servings.

Garlic-and-Herb Cheese Grits



Ingredients



4 cups water

4 cups milk

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 cups uncooked regular grits

2 (6.5-ounce) containers garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over

medium-high heat; gradually whisk in grits.



Return to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, over low heat,

stirring often, 20 minutes or until thickened. Stir in spreadable

cheese, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.



Stir about one-fourth of grits mixture gradually into beaten eggs; add

remaining grits mixture, stirring constantly. Pour into a lightly

greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.



Bake at 350º for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley.



Note: Casserole may be prepared and chilled up to 24 hours before

baking. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley. For testing

purposes only, we used Alouette Garlic and Herbs Gourmet Spreadable

Cheese.

Yield



Makes 10 to 12 servings

Southern Living, DECEMBER 2003

Creamy Parmesan Potatoes

A delicious and creamy side dish. Perfect for Sunday dinner.



Serves: 12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes



Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

1 (4.9 oz.) package Hungry Jack Sour Cream & Chives Potatoes

2 cups very warm water

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

6 large eggs or 1 1/2 cups refrigerated or frozen fat-free egg

product, thawed

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish



HEAT oven to 425F. Spray bottom of 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking

dish with no-stick spray. Place potato slices in prepared dish.



COMBINE remaining ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese, in medium

bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add to potatoes. Mix well. (Potatoes should

be completely covered with cream mixture.)



SPRINKLE with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.



BAKE 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and

top is golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares.



Source: FamilyTime

Marinated Eggplant

2 large eggplants
2 tablespoons coarse salt
3/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Peel eggplants. Cut into 3/4 inch dice. Place in a colander and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place a plate with a weight on top such as two 1 pound cans and let drain for 1 hour. Pat eggplant dry with paper towels. Preheat broiler. Brush a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place half the eggplant on baking dish sheet and toss to coat with oil. Broil 3 inches from heat for 2 minutes. Turn eggplant and broil 2 to 3 minutes more, until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove eggplant to a large platter. Repeat with more olive oil and remaining eggplant. Add garlic, mint, basil, parsley and pepper to eggplant. Toss to mix. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and toss again. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, tossing several times. Serve at room temperature. Serves 10 to 12.