Fresh Strawberry Butter

My Master Gardner neighbor is always sharing recipes. Love that lady for her love of dirt and food. This was one of the recipes she shared with me. Super yummy and easy!



Ingredients:
1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 Cup butter, softened & unsalted
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 Cup fresh strawberries (or other fruit like raspberries or blueberries)

Directions:
(1) In a food processor blend the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
(2) Add powdered sugar and almond extract. Blend until smooth.
(3) Place strawberries into food processor and pulse into cream cheese mixture.

Helpful Hints:
(1) Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.

Tuna Pasta Salad

Somewhere in my childhood memories is this tuna pasta salad. I don't remember who would make it or where we would have it but summer family BBQ's always seemed to have it. So last night we had a work BBQ for da' Hubby. I thought "I'll just look it up on-line". Easier said then done. I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for so I did alittle cut and paste and came up with my own version of it. In the end it came out just as I remembered it had been.

Ingredients:

2 cups Barilla Elbow Macoroni Noodles

1 1/2 cups frozen sweet peas

1/2 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

2 - 5 oz cans of Tuna, drained

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

(1) Cook macaroni noodles according to directions on box.

(2) Place frozen peas in colander. When pasta is al'dente drain over the peas.

(3) Meanwhile in a large serving bowl combine the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, tuna and salt and pepper. Mix well.

(4) Add macaroni noodles and peas. Stir together.

(5) Chill for at least one hour. Once ready to serve mix in sharp cheddar cheese.

Granny's Baked Beans

I did it. I lied. I told you I would never (ever, ever - I mean it) post a recipe about beans. Seriously. I think pork & beans were a staple once a week at our house when I was a child. I plain don't buy baked beans. I usually refuse to eat them. But yesterday was Da Hubby's birthday and he requested baked beans. Ugh. Since I love him dearly I went to work and found in my stack a recipe from Granny. And since it was Granny's recipe it was worth making - but I didn't eat them.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) can of Pork & Beans

2 slices of crisp bacon, cut into pieces

2 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. Vidalia Onion - diced well

2 Tbs. Ketchup

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Directions:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(2) Combine all ingredients in a 1 quart casserole dish.

(3) Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serves 4.

Snicker Apple Salad

This recipe is from my mom. It is one of my husband's favorites (I wonder why). Since it was his birthday yesterday it only seemed fitting to include it in his birthday meal.

Ingredients:

4-5 Apples, diced

1 (3.5 oz) box of Jello Instant White Chocolate Pudding Mix

1/2 cup milk

1 (16 oz) container of Cool Whip, thawed

1 cup Snicker candy bars, diced

Directions:

(1) In a bowl mix white chocolate pudding mix with milk.

(2) Fold cool whip into the pudding mixture.

(3) Add Apples and snicker bars. Chill before serving to allow the pudding to firm up.

Helpful Hints:

(1) Depending on the season I use different apples. My favorite are Honey Crisp so when those are ready I use those. Otherwise I usually use Gala. Play with color - perhaps some Granny Smith and Gala. Could be an interesting color combo and a play with the taste buds.

(2) If the pudding mixture seems to thick for you - add more milk. Really you can't ruin this simple apple salad.

Granny's Macaroni & Cheese

My great-grandma, Granny made THE best homemade macaroni and cheese. When my sisters and I were little we would eat so much that we would have to lie down just to be able to breathe.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1 8oz container sour cream

2 cups cottage cheese

1 egg, slightly beaten

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup crushed croutons

Paprika

Directions:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(2) Cook macaroni until al'dente. Drain. Set aside.

(3) In a large bowl combine sour cream, cottage cheese, egg, salt & pepper and cheddar cheese.

(4) Stir in pasta. Incorporate well.

(5) Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. casserole dish.

(6) Sprinkle crushed croutons on top as well as paprika.

(7) Bake at 350 degrees for 24 minutes.

Helpful Hints:

(1) I always use the Rothbury Farms - Seasoned croutons. They have the best flavor and are nice and crunchy so they make the best topping. Just a handful in a Ziploc bag, seal and beat with a rolling pin until they resemble fine crumbs.

(2) It helps to bake and serve this fine dish in Granny's dishes, it just tastes better.