Popular Butternut Squash Bake

                                                                

This is a family favorite recipe and is a great addition to any meal, but especially a holiday one.

Just a few years ago, I won $100 for it in an American Profile 'side dish' contest! Besides being in my own cookbook, It can also be found in two of the American Profile cookbooks -

Hometown Recipes for the Holidays and Blue Ribbon Winners! WOOOHOOO!!

(If you're not familiar with the American Profile...it's a paper-magazine-type publication that comes tucked inside newspapers across the country...similar to USA Weekend, etc. Not every newspaper carries it, but many do - from coast to coast).

I've been told this tastes like 'dessert'. 

One of my blogging buddies, Loy of Grandma Loy's Kitchen  tried it and she and her husband had a cold piece later with Cool Whip on top! Check out her page at the link above.

Whenever I take it to church potlucks, one of my friends hollers to the crowd "Marsha's squash dish is here"!

How fun is that???

Not only is this dish magnificent, butternut squash is just plain good for you!! It's full of fiber, but did you know that winter squash, like our friend the butternut, are also good sources of vitamins A and C, several B vitamins, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids?

Squash rocks.  

I normally double the topping recipe and get raves about the crunchy topping! 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BAKE

1/3 c. butter or margarine, softened

2/3 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 - 5-oz. can evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. mashed, cooked butternut squash

TOPPING:

1/2 c. crispy rice cereal (if using chex, crush slightly)

3 Tb. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. chopped pecans

2 Tb. melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 11" X 7" baking pan.

 Cream the butter, and granulated sugar in a bowl using a mixer. Beat in the eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Stir in the squash. The mixture will be thin. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until almost set.

For the topping, combine the cereal, brown sugar, pecans and melted butter in a bowl; mix well. Remove the casserole from oven and sprinkle on the topping. Return to the oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until bubbly.

{I normally double the topping recipe for added crunch and flavor}

(And I've reduced the amount of sugar from original recipe)

​

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday

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                   Sunday Funday

                   Side Dish Saturday

                   Ingredient Spotlight

              Weekend Potluck
           Meal Plan Monday

Simple Celery Salad

I love celery.  Always have preferred it over carrots, which are sometimes just too hard for me to chew.

So when I was given this recipe many years ago I was excited to know my hubby really liked it too.

I recently had celery that needed to be eaten, and so....this is the recipe I went to.

Only I normally make it with lime jello, so I realized after using

lemon, I really do prefer the lime, but it's good either way.

I just used what I had on hand.

Can't go wrong.  Give it a try.  It's easy and delicious.

CELERY SALAD

1 3 ozs. pkg. lime or lemon jello

(I use sugar free of course)

3/4 c. boiling water

3/4 c. mayonnaise

2 c. finely diced celery

1 c. cottage cheese

1 c. chopped nuts

(we prefer pecans)

Dissolve jello in boiling water; chill for about 20 minutes or until it just begins to set up. Whisk in the mayonnaise until smooth, then add remaining ingredients. 

Pour into pan and let chill until set.

Yield: 4 servings

(Prior to Weight Watchers Points Plus made this equal to 2 points each serving)

Linked to Fit & Fabulous Friday
Gooseberry Patch Roundup
Weekend Potluck

Cottage Cheese Salad

This #2 recipe for the day calls for celery & cottage cheese also.

Do you like cottage cheese?

I really do, but I grew up on it. I remember my grandpa topping his cottage cheese with apple butter - I still love it that way.

I usually enjoy eating it along with fruit or veggies, like peaches, pears or tomatoes.

I'm not a big meat eater so it's good to know I'm getting some protein when I enjoy a helping of cottage cheese.

When I first heard about this recipe from my friend, Dottie's husband, Jim Ragland, I couldn't even imagine what this combination would taste like!

I really wasn't sure I'd like it at all....

But I was pleasantly surprised and have enjoyed it often since the first bite!

Start with the measured amount of garlic salt and add more until you're happy with it.  I always use more.

It's very tasty and once you have the eggs hard boiled, it's quick to make.

COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD

1 - 24 ozs. carton of cottage cheese

(large or small curd)

2 - 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

(I prefer more)

2 stalks celery, chopped

chopped onion, to taste

1/2 tsp. garlic salt (more to taste)

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix together; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. As long as your cottage cheese and eggs are fresh, this will keep for several days.

Linked to Weekend Potluck



"Melt in Your Mouth" Pecan Toffee Cookies

I found this wonderful recipe at Just a Pinch online

VERY easy....the recipe uses a cake mix and a few simple ingredients.

If you know me at all, you'll know I'm all about delicious and easy!

Hope you'll consider adding this to your list for holiday baking.

UPDATE:  Since companies have started reducing the amount of mix in their boxes, I have found it works to add 5-6 Tb. all purpose flour or add that much from another mix that you use just for 'additional' amounts for whatever you are making. 

 PECAN TOFFEE COOKIES

1/2 c butter, softened

1 (18 ozs) box yellow cake mix
(If you have a 15 ozs. size mix, add 5-6 Tb. flour)

2 lg eggs

1 Tbsp water

1 pkg heath toffee bits

1/2 c pecans, chopped fine

Preheat oven to 350. Mix butter, add cake mix, eggs & water. Mix well. Add toffee bits and pecans, mix by hand. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Try 'em...you'll like 'em!

Linked to Made it on Monday
             Full Plate Thursday
                     Sweets for a Saturday
                    The Farmer's Wife Cookie Swap

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

I plan to have a few 'extra' posts in the upcoming weeks.  I've had many cookie recipes in my drafts, and figure now is the very best time to share them.  Plus, I have apple dishes, side dishes and more, so please stay tuned.  There may even be a few days when I 'double up' on recipes.

This recipe is definitely a MOST FAVORITE!! 

If you haven't realized it yet...I am a definite Cookie Monster!

In my humble opinion, these cookies are the ultimate in cookies!

The original recipe was an actual prize winner, (a friend shared it with me after finding this recipe in a magazine) and my family has declared them a prize winner too!

 When I make them, I have to be sure there are going to be other folks expecting to get some too, otherwise I'll eat far too many.

They're like a buckeye candy, only in cookie form, with crunch.

Anytime I can use a mix to make it easier, I go for it.

This uses a brownie mix and it also has my favorite ingredient, cream cheese, mixed into the dough. 

And a 'peanut butter cup' filling!!!

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY GO WRONG???

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE COOKIES

(From The Better Baker)

1 - 19 ozs. box fudge brownie mix

4 ozs. cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1 c. powdered sugar

1 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 (16 ozs) tub ready-made chocolate fudge frosting

sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Beat brownie mix, cream cheese, butter and egg until well blended.  Drop dough by rounded Tablespoonsful 2" apart onto UNgreased baking sheets.  Smooth edges of each to form round cookies. (I love using my medium scoop to make rounded, evenly sized cookies).

Stir together powdered sugar and peanut butter with spoon until mixture forms a ball.  With hands, roll rounded teaspoonsful of peanut butter mixture into 24 balls.

Lightly press 1 ball into center of each cookies.  Bake 10 - 14 minutes or until edges are set.  Cool 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

When completely cooled, spread thin layer of frosting over peanut butter portion of each cookie. (I omit this step because they're plenty rich without the frosting).  If desired, garnish with sprinkles.

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Recipe of the Week
Weekend Potluck