Homemaking

"She is like the merchant's ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household..." Proverbs 31:15

A Little Taste of Everything
This material appears courtesy of The Pastor's Wife

Summertime Picnic Menu

Veggie Tray with Dip
Use any variety of veggies that you or your guests would like to have. Examples: Carrots, celery, green, red or yellow pepper strips, cucumber slices with skins on (washed), radishes, cherry or grape tomatoes, broccoli flowerettes, and cauliflower flowerettes.

For a favorite dip I either use 1 - 16 ounce container of sour cream mixed with Hidden Valley Ranch Mix..or 1 - 16 ounce container of sour cream mixed with Knorr Vegetable Soup Dip.

Mix each well and chill ahead for use.

My own Chicken Divan
Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli
6 large potatoes, peeled & sliced
2 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic Salt
Ground black pepper

Using a very large baking pan, layer all the sliced potatoes on the bottom. Garlic salt and pepper the potatoes lightly. Layer the broccoli on the potatoes, then layer the chicken on top. Mix all the mushroom soup and 3/4 c. milk together and pour over top to cover evenly. Then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour uncovered and lightly cover with foil, turn down to 325 and bake for an additional 30 -40 minutes....It should be bubbling all around the edges....and the potatoes should be tender.....Great meal to prepare ahead for church and put the oven timer on..and your delicious meal is waiting for the hungry crew!!! I know it is at MY house.....Hope you like it!!

Tuna/Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
1 pound cooked, cooled pasta---any kind
1 can water-packed tuna or chicken, drained
2 eggs, hard boiled and cut-up
1 large onion, 1 green pepper, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot, 4 radishes, 1 cucumber, 1 large tomato, 1/4 head of lettuce (finely shredded)....(all vegetables chopped)
4 - 6 oz. bottled Italian dressing
Mayonnaise
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Pour Italian dressing over cooked pasta, toss and set aside. After 15 minutes, add black pepper, garlic salt and yellow mustard and toss again to mix flavors. Put in refrigerator, covered, and allow 30 minutes to marinate.

At that time, add the chopped eggs, vegetables, and tuna or chicken. Start with at least 1 cup of mayonnaise and toss well. Mixture should be a creamy consistency. Add more mayo and salt to taste, a little at a time.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

A yummy addition to any summer picnic.

Georgia's Potato Salad
Ingredients:
5# potatoes, boiled, skinned, and cubed
3 eggs, boiled and cut up
32 oz. jar Mayonnaise
Italian dressing
Yellow mustard
Green onions (bunch), chopped
Carrots (baby), about 5 cut up
1/2 stalk celery (including leaves), chopped
Garlic salt
Ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes and after they are cool (or easy enough to handle by hand), peel the skins and cube and place into a large bowl. Add the cut up hard boiled eggs at this time. Sprinkle approximately 4 oz. of Italian dressing and a large squirt of yellow mustard on the potatoes. Shake and mix and let sit for at least a half hour (enough time to cut up veggies). In the meanwhile, chop all the vegetables (not too fine) and mix very carefully with a heavy duty spoon (preferably wooden). Start with about two cups of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, and 1 heaping teaspoon of black pepper. Again mix very carefully, but thoroughly. You want to be sure to mix all the flavors, but not to mash up or break up the potatoes.

At this time, taste the mixture and see if the flavors have mixed and if there is enough salt and mayonnaise. If not, add more a little at a time until the flavor and consistency match.

Cover and set in the refrigerator to chill at least two hours. The longer it sits, the better it tastes. Again this will make everyone come back for seconds. I guarantee it!!!

Georgia's Baked Beans
Ingredients:
4 - 16 oz. can pork and beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, cooked medium well, cut into pieces (save some bacon grease)
1/4 pound ground chuck, cooked and drained
Ketchup
Brown mustard
Brown sugar

In a medium frying pan, saute the chopped onion and green pepper in the bacon grease until limp.

In a large bowl, mix the pork and beans, onions, green pepper, chopped up bacon, cooked ground chuck, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 Tablespoons brown mustard, and about 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Mix well til completely blended. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about one hour uncovered. Turn oven down to 300 degrees, cover and bake for another hour at least. Shut off oven and allow to sit an additional hour covered to get the full flavor of all the ingredients...

Mallow Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
2 cans (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
1 jar(4 oz.) maraschino cherries
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup broken walnuts
1 - 12 oz. Cool whip

Toss orange segments, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows and walnuts.....Fold cool whip into the fruit and cover and refrigerate at least one hour...Dreamy and creamy...(Serves 10)

Microwave Iced Tea
Using an empty gallon milk/water container, place 6 tea bags (without tags) in the bottom and fill about 1/4 full of water. Place in microwave and heat on high for 5 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes to steep and add enough water to about 7/8 of the way to the top.

If Mom likes the tea unsweetened, then just refrigerate it. If she likes it sweetened, add 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, place lid on and shake until the sugar is dissolved.

Then chill in refrigerator till you need it. (A nice touch would be lemon cut on the side or fresh mint, if it's available)

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