Best Corporate Gift Baskets

The idea of giving gifts has been in our culture since times immemorial. We love the experience of receiving and giving gifts for just about every special occasion that's happening in our lives. By means of giving gifts we show our gratitude, express how deeply sorry we are, and show how much we care or appreciate a person. Today giving gifts is not only done during the holidays or for special occasions, but also can be done on a regular day just as a special treat.

Corporate gift baskets, similar to other gifts, help corporations build strong, long-lasting relationships with their business associates, who may include customers, clients, and employees. This is very important whether you own a small business or you have a huge enterprise. It is essential to show your appreciation to your business associates, employees and colleagues. It's also a good idea to ask them if they are satisfied with their work, the benefits they get from your company and if they have any constructive criticisms or suggestions.

If you don't know what items you can put together in your gift corporate baskets then this might help you a lot. There are many kinds of gift baskets including gourmet gift baskets, fruit baskets, Christmas gift baskets, vineyard product packs, floral (fresh and dry) gift baskets and edible gift baskets. If your employees are celebrating a special event on their life you can choose from these and pick the best one that suits their personality and preference. Taking the time and care to pick out items especially for someone makes them feel special and appreciated. This kind gesture can go a long way in helping make important connections, getting referrals, helping deals go through and keeping good employees happy.

For team building or an anniversary party in your company this could be a good idea for a giveaways or raffle. You can make any business event more exciting by adding a basket giveaway to the agenda. People love to play games with winner and find friendly competition a lot of fun.

If this is the first time that you want to give corporate gift baskets but don't know where to go then you can simply start looking on the Internet (there you can always find items to customize your gift). There are a lot of companies that offer shipping for gift corporate baskets. Since you are a busy person you can just call them, or go online, and order then let them deliver the gifts to your office. So, this coming party at your company or after a business deal is completed, treat your employees or associates to some corporate gift baskets.

Tom Budko is a fan of http://nanasbananabread.com/ simple, but yet delicious, Nana's Moist Banana Bread, this corporate gift basket will blow away even the most discriminating palate with our first class ingredients and capricious flavor.

http://EzineArticles.com/6489736

Quick, Easy and Economical Recipes For Your Table: Island Burgers and Penne Pasta Casserole

If you are a busy cook who wants to feed your family good meals on a tight food budget, the recipes in this article will be perfect for you. Each is a tasty recipe your family will love yet you can have it on the table quickly. The Island Burgers with their ingredients of honey, spices, soy sauce, and pineapple will transport your taste buds to an exotic island. The Penne Pasta Casserole will treat those taste buds to a bit of Italia!

ISLAND BURGERS
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 lbs lean ground beef
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 can (23-oz) sliced pineapple, drained
8 hamburger buns or sandwich rolls, split, buttered, and toasted
Lettuce leaves, optional

In a large bowl combine the honey, paprika, curry powder, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Add the ground beef to the mixture and mix together well. Shape into 8 equal patties.

Grill hamburgers over medium-hot heat 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush with the soy sauce and grill another 5 or 6 minutes until juices run clear or burgers are done to suit you. Baste and turn a couple of times during this cooking. Shortly before burgers are done, grill the pineapple slices until browned, turning once to brown each side.

To serve, place burgers and pineapple slices on the toasted buns or rolls and add a lettuce leaf if desired.

PENNE PASTA CASSEROLE
1 lb lean ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 can (14 1/2-oz) diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup water
3 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Prepare the uncooked pasta according to the package directions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While pasta is cooking, brown the meat and onion in a large skillet until the meat is no longer pink; drain off any excess fat. Return meat and onion to skillet and stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add some garlic powder, if desired. Cook just until heated through.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the cooked and drained pasta with the meat mixture. Stir in 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Pour the mixture into the sprayed baking dish. Spread the remaining cup of cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.

Bake uncovered for 20 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's quick and easy recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com/
For her crockpot/slow cooker recipes visit her at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6507279

See How Easily You Can Prepare a Homemade Caesar Dressing

The famous Caesar salad and dressing is believed by most historians to have been born in a kitchen with depleted supplies-Caesar Cardini's restaurant kitchen to be exact. A restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico, Cardini was running short on ingredients one particular Fourth of July weekend in 1924. It was then that he gathered what was left of the basic ingredients, tossed them together in front of patrons at the tableside, and fathered the legendary Caesar salad. It gained popularity reaching even the Hollywood crowd, and from then on the Caesar salad and dressing has never left the world cuisine.

There has been multiple variations of the recipe for the Caesar dressing, but the main ingredients remain the same, more or less: olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and black pepper. If you've been to the salad dressings lane of grocery stores, you'll surely notice a lot of brands of bottled Caesar dressing, ready to be purchased and poured over your romaine lettuce and croutons. But why not avoid the MSG and other additives by being a home chef and making your own homemade Caesar dressing?

To put together your own homemade Caesar dressing, get a hold of the key ingredients: eggs, olive oil, black pepper, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, along with today's commonly added flavor enhancers for the Caesar dressing, such as anchovy fillets or paste, garlic, Dijon mustard and salt. Some even mix in red wine vinegar. If you use anchovy fillets and garlic, mash them with salt in a bowl, then beat the mixture with egg yolks, pepper and mustard until creamy. Stir in lemon juice. To make sure your dressing is emulsified well, add the olive oil into the bowl very slowly, drop by drop, whisking constantly. As the mixture begins to thicken, you can gradually pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue to beat the dressing until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.

Plain yogurt also makes an excellent base for homemade Caesar dressing. Simply add plain yogurt and red wine vinegar to the recipe above for a tasty, creamy and healthy version of this classic dressing. Caesar dressing is typically used on salads topped with croutons, parmesan cheese, shrimp and chicken but it can also be applied as a glaze to chicken or fish when grilling. The pepper and anchovies create a sensational flavor for your white meats that is sure to please even the pickiest of pallets. This is an excellent idea for any leftover dressing that you have.

The Caesar salad and dressing has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Learning to make your own homemade Caesar dressing can be an invaluable kitchen skill, because today its popularity wouldn't make anyone think it was once just a combination of left-over ingredients in a busy restaurant kitchen one Fourth of July weekend.

Click here Now to learn how to make a zesty Caesar Dressing and download your FREE gift; Basic Knife Skills and Vegetable Cuts video series!

http://EzineArticles.com/6479468

Try These Yummy Recipes for Some Delicious Sweets for Your Family and Friends

Who doesn't love sweets? I believe I was born with a sweet tooth somewhere in my gums and I know there are many of you out there who are just like me! This column is for you. If you want to soothe your sweet tooth, try these recipes for Delicious Chocolate Cinnamon Dip, Canadian Popcorn Nut Crunch, or Drop Doughnut Puffs.

DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE-CINNAMON DIP
8-oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 can (14-oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp light-colored corn syrup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Milk, if needed to reach dipping consistency
Favorite plain cookies for dipping

In a medium saucepan melt chopped chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and the corn syrup until combined well. Stir in the vanilla extract and the cinnamon. Serve sauce warm, stirring in the additional milk if needed. Serve with the cookies. Or serve over ice cream for a sundae, if desired.

Yield: 2 cups

CANADIAN POPCORN NUT CRUNCH
2 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted
1 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 cup cashews, toasted
1 cup Brazil nuts, toasted
1 cup almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Lightly spray a 5-quart Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Add the popcorn and all the nuts; bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.

While nuts and popcorn bake, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 290 degrees (reaches the soft-crack stage). Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla and cinnamon.

Pour the syrup mixture over the nuts/popcorn mixture very slowly while stirring constantly until all the mixture is well coated. Immediately spread onto baking sheets that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cool and break into pieces.

When completely cooled, store in airtight containers.

Yield: Approximately 4 quarts.

DROP DOUGHNUT PUFFS
1 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Oil for deep-frying
powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and coffee granules; blend well. Add the egg, milk, and the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil; mix together thoroughly. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer until hot or at the temperature your appliance suggests. Drop the batter into the hot oil one teaspoonful at a time. Fry until puffy and browned. Drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com/.

For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/.

http://EzineArticles.com/6499363

Enjoy Old Fashion Salads With These Delicious Recipes From the Past

The recipes in this article will bring you back to Grandma's table. Cranberry Fluff, as the name implies is a fluffy salad with whipped topping (cream). Obviously, the Olive Spinach is a green salad. The Patio Salad is a combination macaroni/green salad. Or perhaps you have your own ideal salad combination but would like a homemade salad dressing. Try this Homemade Celery Seed Dressing. Each of these recipes are from my 1950s Hoosier childhood.

CRANBERRY FLUFF
1 lb fresh cranberries
3 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 container (12-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Grind cranberries. Add the sugar to the cranberries; stir together well. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 24 hours. Before serving, fold in the nuts and whipped topping.

OLIVE SPINACH SALAD
4 cups torn fresh spinach
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
1 avocado, peeled and thin sliced
1 egg yolk, raw
1 clove garlic, halved
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine the spinach, tomatoes, boiled egg, olives and avocado; toss lightly. Chill.
Combine the remaining ingredients; beat thoroughly. Add to the spinach mixture and toss lightly but thoroughly.

Note: This salad contains a raw egg yolk. Handle with care.

PERFECT PATIO SALAD
Have had this recipe for years but have no idea why it is called a patio salad. Possibly because it was served outside once patios became popular. This is an old recipe my late mother had for years and I've had for years since.

2 cups (8-oz) elbow macaroni, uncooked
3/4 cup clear French dressing
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes

Prepare macaroni according to the directions on the package. Blend the French dressing with sour cream in a large bowl. Add the drained macaroni, broccoli, onion, and pepper to taste; mix and chill.

Line a salad bowl with the lettuce leaves and heap the macaroni salad in the center. Garnish with tomatoes and lemon wedges, if desired.

HOMEMADE CELERY SEED DRESSING
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, grated
2/3 cup vinegar
1 pint vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp celery seed

In a medium mixing bowl combine the sugar, mustard, salt, onion, and half of the vinegar and beat. Gradually add the oil, celery seed, and the rest of the vinegar. Store in a sealed quart jar.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/
For more of her recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6461867

Hosting a Themed Party: Food, Fun and More

Themed parties are wonderfully festive ways to celebrate any and every occasion, and they are on the rise. People are spending more time and money to make sure that they can replicate every detail of their chosen theme as accurately as possible. But while you spend every waking moment doing the planning, buying, decorating, and inviting, who is worrying about the cooking? Hopefully you aren't.

These days caterers have become far more adept at trying to fill the gap between huge catered events and smaller parties. These smaller, more durable catering outfits are ready to cater anything to an 800 person wedding to an 8 person dinner party, and they can do it for much less money than you think.

The reality is, catering can fit into whatever theme that has been devised seamlessly. If you take the time to communicate with your catering professional about what your plans are, as well as your expectations, you can let them take the reins of cooking and serving without having to do all the logistical grunt work yourself.

Make sure you've communicated your theme thoroughly to the caterer and that they understand the atmosphere and nuance you're trying to convey. If you have a vision for what recipes and cooking styles you want to see utilized, then be sure to let the caterer know exactly what you're thinking. Most caterers pride themselves on being able to adapt their technique and cuisine to fit the style and budgets of their clientele.

But caterers aren't mind-readers. A big mistake to make in this scenario is to glibly communicate your wants to the caterer and hope they can guess from the theme what kinds of foods and preparations you were thinking of. Letting your caterer know what your expectations of a menu are is the best protection you have against being delivered an experience that's not what you wanted.

As with all themed events, always remember that the devil is in the details. The food and drinks might seem easy compared to the décor and other items you'll place to give the feeling of having been transported to another place and time. If you like, you can consult with your caterer and find out what kinds of similar work they've done, and if they've any helpful tips on accentuating your theme.

Themed parties bring the festivity and exotic feeling of different eras and places, and you can bring these lovely parties to your friends without having to bend over backwards (unless that's the theme, course).

Interested in hosting a themed party? Every party needs food and getting it catered is a simple and cost effective option. Dukes Catering of Joliet IL has a menu to fit any catering event. Our extensive catering menu can meet any taste and budget.

http://EzineArticles.com/6493118

Chicken Fajitas With Peaches - The Perfect Summer Recipe

There was a knock on my door the other night. As I looked through my peephole, I saw my neighbor, Jessica, holding a bowling ball size plastic bag of peaches and plums. She and her husband grew up here in West Los Angeles and both sets of parents have fruit trees in their back yard. "We have so much," she told me. "Would you like some?"

Loving summer fruit, I said, "Sure, I'll take a few!"

"Uh...you don't understand. Ben and I have a whole BIG bag of fruit in the house. This is for you, if you'd like them."

You mean this wasn't the BIG bag? I certainly wasn't going to turn her down, so I happily took the fruit. Now, what the heck was I going to DO with all of it? Basically, it's just me and Bobby, my other half. Oh, and my cat, Moe, who, if offered the choice of eating fruit or being snuffled by a German Shepard would seriously have to think about it. Actually, so would Bobby.

This would mean I'd have to eat it or cook it. It just so happened that I had taken out a few chicken breasts to make some fajitas that night. I looked at the ripe peaches. I looked at the fajita ingredients. I looked at the peaches. Why not? I had to change some ingredients to make everything fit, but this is what I came up with. I think the recipe is the perfect combination of refreshing fruit and spicy Mexican flavors. Have fun with it. Try cilantro to the onion mix instead of using the thyme on the chicken, if you'd like. Get creative! I won't mind. Really.

Chicken Fajitas with Peaches

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Top of Form

Servings: 4

Nutritional Breakdown per serving:

Calories: 275 Sodium: 86gr

Total Fat: 8gr Total Carbs: 31gr

Sat. Fat: 1gr Fiber: 4gr

Cholesterol: 41gr Sugar: 21gr

Protein: 20gr

Recipe Ingredients

4 halves chicken breast

1 tsp (2g) chili powder

1 tsp, (2g) ground cumin

1 tsp, ground (2g) white pepper

1 tsp, (2g) dried thyme

2 tbsp (14g) Olive Oil

3 cloves (9g) minced fresh garlic

2 large peaches, about 2 cups (154g) sliced thin

3 large sweet onions (331g) sliced thin

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and all (14g) chopped (more or less according to heat preference)

1/2 cup (240g) low sodium chicken broth

3 tbsp (16g) balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime yields (44g)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Pre-heat the broiler. Mix the cumin, white pepper, chili powder and thyme together and coat the 4 chicken breasts. Broil chicken breasts, turning after about 5 minutes. Take out and set aside. In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic. After 1 minute, add the peaches. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onions and jalapeno and stir. Cook about 5 minutes. Add balsamic and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook down until onions are soft and translucent and peaches have become very soft. Add lime juice and stir. Serve with rice or beet flavored tortillas.

Written by Rona Lewis, Fitness and Lifestyle Coach, Healthy Gourmet Chef and Motivational Speaker. You can find lots more tips and recipes on her website. http://www.ronalewis.com/ Her funny, healthy cookbook series, "Does This Cookbook Make Me Look Fat?" is available there, as well!

http://EzineArticles.com/6471394

Grandma's Chicken Recipes: Casserole, Pie, or Grilled Options

I know, I know. Yes, for someone who hates chicken, I sure do share a lot of chicken recipes! But chicken is a favorite among my children and grandchildren and you know grandma's aim is to please those grandchildren! Today I am sharing some of their favorites; Picnic Potato Chip Chicken, Chicken Pie, and Butter Grilled Chicken Breasts.

PICNIC POTATO CHIP CHICKEN
1 large frying chicken, cut-up
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 large package potato chips

Melt butter in a shallow dish. Crush the potato chips into fine crumbs. Dip each piece of chicken into the melted butter then roll in the potato chip crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for one hour and twenty minutes. Bake uncovered.

Note: Since most of my grandchildren only like the white meat, I have updated this recipe over the years and now I use the skinless boneless chicken breasts and cut the baking time back considerably. This recipe keeps the chicken moist and bake only until the chicken juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

CHICKEN PIE
This recipe is one my mother got from a can of Hunt's Tomato Sauce when I was a child in the 1950s. It quickly became a family favorite (for everyone except me!). Canned biscuits were really coming in to popularity at that time also.

1 1-lb can chicken in gravy OR 1 10-oz can chicken a la king
1 8-oz can Hunt's Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoon instant minced onion
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
1 8-oz can peas, drained
1 3-oz can mushrooms, drained
1 5-oz can boned chicken, diced
1 pkg. refrigerated biscuits

Mix together all ingredients except biscuits. Heat and pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole. cut biscuits in half and arrange on top of chicken mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. 4 to 5 servings.

Note: At the bottom of the recipe is the following notation: "Hunt's Tomato Sauce is so easy to use! Just cook it into stews, soups, spaghetti, rice, meat loaf, eggs, fish, vegetables, gravies. Perfect for leftovers."

BUTTER GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 chicken breasts (about 3 lb), halved

Melt butter in saucepan. Add green onions, salt, and pepper; cook gently for about 3 minutes. Remove onions from heat and add the lemon juice. Place chicken in a bowl and cover with the sauce. Let stand, stirring occasionally while charcoal is heating up. When the coals are white-hot, brush the grill with fat and arrange 6-inches from the coals. Place chicken breast halves on grill, skin side up, and brush with the remaining sauce. Grill about 30 to 50 minutes, turning every 10 minutes until chicken is thoroughly done; after each turn, brush with remaining sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/ For her recipes slow cooker/crock pot recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6508828

How to Store Fruit Cake

You can store home made fruit cake for years although the type you buy is not usually stored for that long, because, after all it has a sell-by date, and has additives and preservatives in it. You can, however, prolong the life of a fruit cake from a store, by simply freezing it after wrapping it in tin foil very securely.

The best sorts of fruit cake to store are the ones you make yourself that are laced with liquor, brandy, dark rum, whiskey, wine and port make good choices. When you make a fruit cake it takes at least a month to mature, or mellow, so you shouldn't freeze one until it has been allowed to mellow for a few months.

When you make a fruit cake, you should make it three or four months before you want to eat it as this gives it time to reach its full flavour potential. If you just want to keep it for a few months, store it in an airtight tin such as an old biscuit tin, and once a month, or every six weeks. Add more liquor to the cake, by piercing it in a few places and pouring the liquor over the top of the cake and leaving it. The liquid will slowly seep into the cake and the flavour will be superb when you are ready to eat it.

If it is a top tier or a lower tier of your wedding cake that you want to store, you will need to leave any pillars or dowels in it, as the cake should not be exposed to the air. You can wrap it in several layers of greaseproof paper and then tightly wrap this with aluminum foil and store it in a tin in a cold dark place. You can also get cardboard cake boxes, and after wrapping the cake you can store it in one of these very successfully.

In your grandparents' day, they still had pantries, which were ideal places for storing fruit cakes, and my parents actually stored their wedding cake in a cardboard box on top of their wardrobe. Seven years after their wedding it was used as the cake to celebrate my brother's birth. It had icing and marzipan on it and that was still fine, I remember.

Another way to store a fruit cake for years is to wrap it in cheesecloth or tea towels which have been soaked in the same alcohol as was used in the cake, then tightly wrap it all in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and soak the cloth in alcohol again every few months and rewrap this.

You can also store fruit cake that has no alcohol in it, and can wrap it in greaseproof paper and keep it in a tin or cardboard cake box for a number of years. This won't last as long as one with alcohol in it though, as the alcohol helps the preservation process.

The best type of fruit cake to store is the one you have made yourself.

http://www.herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.com/
If you enjoyed this article why not visit this site and find different recipes, and information about the food we eat and how plants are used for medicines.

http://EzineArticles.com/6500630

Old Fashion Casserole Recipes for Your Family's Table and They Are Economical, Too

Sometimes I find that the best recipes are the old ones. So I have pulled a collection of casserole recipes from my old-fashion recipe collection. These old time recipes are tasty, easy, and economical. And in today's economic climate, most of our families are looking for economical ways to put meals on the table. Why not add these dishes to your family's table: Gourmet Potatoes with Sausage, Hamburger-Zucchini Casserole, or Cornbread Pie.

GOURMET POTATOES WITH SAUSAGE
6 medium potatoes
1/4 cup butter + 2 tbsp
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion, including tops
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb smoked sausage

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

Place the potatoes, unpeeled, in a large saucepan; cover with water and cook until fork tender. Drain water and allow potatoes to cool. Peel the potatoes and shred coarsely. Over low heat, in another saucepan, combine the cheese and the 1/4 cup butter and stir until almost melted. Remove from the heat and blend in the sour cream, onion, salt and pepper. Fold in the potatoes. Turn the mixture into the casserole dish. Dot the potato mixture with the 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with the paprika.

Slice the sausage into about 1/2-inch pieces and fry to remove the grease and drain on paper towels. Place over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Leave casserole uncovered.

HAMBURGER ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE
1 lb hamburger
1 medium onion
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 small zucchini, chopped
salt and pepper (as desired)
garlic or chili powder (optional)
1/2 stick butter
4 to 5 slices day old bread, crumbled

Brown hamburger and onion; drain. Add tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, and garlic or chili powder if using; mix together well. Stir in the zucchini. Cook on low for about a half hour or until the liquid is absorbed.

Pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Mix the bread crumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Brown under the broiler for about 6 minutes or until golden brown but be careful not to burn.

CORNBREAD PIE
Combine in a skillet:
1 lb hamburger
1 large onion, chopped
Brown well and add:
1 can tomato soup (10 1/2-oz)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 can (12-oz) whole kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped green pepper

Mix well and let simmer 15 minutes. Turn into greased casserole or baking dish. Top with cornbread. Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

CORNBREAD TOPPING:
Stir together:
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

ADD:
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbs. bacon drippings

Pour onto the beef mixture. Do not worry if this topping sinks during baking. It will rise again and look crispy.

For more of Linda's old-fashion recipe collection visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com/
For more of her recipes and diabetic information visit http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6483308