Monday, July 1, 2013

Summer holiday coming up!

Summer is here and 4th of July is right around the corner.  Our family's tradition has turned into attending our town's parade and celebrating at home with good eats, corn photos, feet usually in a kiddie pool and drink in hand (see post on Friday!)

 I thought I would start by sharing what our "good eats" usually consists of: Grandma Judy burgers (my Mom's famous hamburgers on the grill), favorite potato salad, calico beans and some type of dessert (find all recipes at the end).  This year I decided to add another salad because for no other reason, I love having salad leftovers.  They always taste better the next day or two later!  As I perused my many, ahem, many cookbooks I wasn't finding anything different so what to do......attack the web!  My new favorite way to hunt for a recipe is to go to the search bar and type several different items together and see what pops up.  For example:  hamburger + macaroni + tomato sauce.  This combination of items would lead you to approximately 40,000,000 different ways to make hotdish. So let's try....macaroni +  broccoli + ranch dressing and one of the recipes that came up had the ingredient Suddenly Salad by Betty Crocker (which I had in my pantry for my semi-homemade cooking moments and by the way only cost me $.99 a box!)  Yep, this is the one I'm making for the 4th!

Now onto dessert and what to make...hmmm.  On the same site as my salad, was a red, white and blue cake. Wouldn't you know that I had a white cake mix in the pantry, red and blue food coloring and all I needed to purchase was frosting. Yes, I know that I can make my own BUT the canned frosting is so good and sooooo easy!  Two new recipes to add to the collection and I can't wait to make and eat them!

Recipes for our "good eats" this 4th of July holiday coming up.......

Grandma Judy Burgers: - makes approximately 6-8 hamburgers
Click HERE for a printable version

2 lbs. hamburger
1 roll of Ritz or Townhouse crackers
2 eggs
1 tsp of onion powder or 2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
2 tsp of seasoned salt (your favorite)
2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
Favorite sliced cheese
6-8 Hamburger buns - wheat or white
1 stick of butter

Crush crackers (put them in a ziploc bag and use my rolling pin - work's great!)
Mix together hamburger, crushed crackers, lightly beaten eggs and rest of ingredients until combined.
Make into patties. Pan fry or our favorite way - grill the patties. Spread both halves of buns with butter and place upside down on grill till butter is melted and lightly browned. When patties are at your desired temperature (we have medium rare, medium and medium well in our household)  place a slice of cheese on top and melt.  Delish!  Add any additional condiments your family enjoys!  My Mom prefers them just like this! Thanks Mom!

We have experimented with potato salad in many different ways because our family loves it but we keep going back to this one found in the Grue Lutheran Church cookbook dated 1985 and created by my Mom's cousin and childhood neighbor - Randi Torgerson Hockert - Thanks Randi - your salad truly is our favorite!
This is also the way my friend Sue Englund's Mom, Carolyn Alke prepares her salad and is requested to make for many events! Thanks Sue and Carolyn!

Favorite Potato Salad  - will make about 12 cups
Click HERE for a printable version

10-12 red potatoes
1/2 onion diced
1 1/2 tsp celery salt or 2 c diced celery  (we prefer the salt)
2/3 c. mustard
2/3 c. sugar
1 dozen hard boiled eggs
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1-1 1/2 quarts miracle whip salad dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes with the skins on until done. Cool and peel.  Cut up into cubes and place in large bowl.  Add the diced onion.  Whip the cream until thick.  Fold into cream, 1 quart miracle whip.  Add mustard, sugar, celery salt (if using) salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Pour over cubed potatoes and coat well.  Add diced hard boiled eggs and diced celery (if using).  Let sit in refrigerator over night.  You may need to add more miracle whip if the mixture seems a bit dry for your liking.  We like it very creamy and thick!  Yummy!!!

This next recipe is right out of the pages of my "Harvest Cookbook" - no not an actual in print cookbook  but my own made up version for our combining days.  I'll be sharing about those days in future posts - it will be worth a good laugh of tears! This recipe is an extremely great way to stretch out the beans to feed...well, a harvest crew and if you don't have one of those, you can make it in a smaller batch BUT once again tastes good the next day or two as well!

Calico Beans  - will make about 6-7 cups
Click HERE for a printable version

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 lb. of bacon, fried and chopped into bite size pieces
1 - 16 oz.can kidney beans
1 - 16 oz. can lima beans
1 - 22 oz. can pork and beans
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar
 1/2 c. catsup
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. salt

Brown hamburger and onion together, drain off fat.  Mix all other ingredients together, add hamburger and onion mixture.  Bake in dutch oven or casserole dish, covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

New recipes by Betty Crocker, find them HERE! and HERE!

Happy "good eating"!! - Julie







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