Egg Drop Soup

This is the easy soup I like to whip up as a side to Chinese meals.

4 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp chopped chives
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 eggs
Vegetables, like corn, peas, or small pieces of carrots (optional)

Dissolve cornstarch in 3/4 c broth. Pour remainder in saucepan with spices (and vegetables). Bring to boil. Slowly pour in cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Stir the hot soup into circles and slowly pour in eggs, creating egg ribbons, if possible.

Roasted Vegetables

I love to roast Brussels sprouts this way, but most vegetables are awesome this way.

Preheat oven to 400 or 450 degrees

Vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary
Olive oil
garlic, garlic salt, or garlic powder

Toss vegetables in olive oil or sprinkle olive oil on vegetables to coat. Add garlic. Roast in a hot oven for 25 minutes. If the vegetables are frozen, roast for another 15ish minutes.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

This is the recipe for chicken broccoli casserole that we always ate as children, teens, adults, and basically all the time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 whole chicken
2 pkgs frozen broccoli crowns
1 c mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 c real margarine, melted
1/2 c shredded cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs

Boil chicken and broccoli. In a 8 x 8 baking dish, layer shredded cooked chicken and broccoli. Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry, and margarine to make the sauce and pour over broccoli and chicken. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with rice cooked in the chicken and/or broccoli broth.

V8 Stew

The "V8 Stew" that we had as children came originally from the Betty Crocker cookbook with some adjustments. It's in there as Old-Fashioned Beef Stew. This is the recipe as adjusted by Cardine.

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups of carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups V8 juice
1 Tbsp or 1 cube beef boullion
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook beef in oil in a pan for 4 to 6 minutes, until browned on all sides. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover. Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.

Whole Wheat Pancakes/Waffles

This is the recipe for the pancakes and waffles that Mom and Dad always made growing up.

1 cup wheat flour, sifted with:
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt

1 cup milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp oil (can use less for pancakes)

Mix all ingredients together in a blender or in a glass measuring cup. If the batter is a little thin, you may want to add a little more flour. If it's not thin enough, add a little more milk.

Fry in greased pan or on greased griddle at medium heat. When bubbles begin to burst, flip pancakes over until thoroughly cooked. Serve and enjoy!

For waffles, follow the cooking time that the waffle iron suggests.

Sour Cream Enchiladas

This is the sour cream enchilada recipe our mom used to make when we were children.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3 dozen tortillas
2 cans (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
1 pint sour cream
8 oz green chilis - put in blender
1 can water
Grated cheese
Diced onion
Cooked ground beef (optional)
Diced olives (optional)

Put soup, chilis, water, and sour cream in saucepan and bring to boiling point, but do not boil. Turn off heat. Dip tortillas in sauce and fill with grated cheese, onion, and whatever else you want to add, such as ground beef or diced olives. Roll into enchiladas and place in 9 x 13 inch baking dishes. Pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted or bubbly.

Strawberry Ice Cream

This is the classic family recipe for strawberry ice cream from our grandma and adjusted by our dad. The recipe is for a 1 gallon electric ice cream freezer.

2 - 3 oranges, juiced
Strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 lemon, juiced
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Milk

Blend the orange juice and strawberries in a blender. Add salt, cream, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour contents into ice cream freezer. Add milk to fill the freezer. Churn ice cream until thick and until the freezer becomes impossible to turn. Serve and enjoy!