Better Green Bean Casserole

I titled this "Better" because it is so much better than the cream of mushroom/french fried onion version. Our sister-in-law Shannon made this for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white sugar
1/4 c. onion, diced
1 c. sour cream
3 (14.5 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained (Shannon used fresh)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. crumbled buttery round crackers
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Squapple Crisp

Isn't squapple a fun word? Seriously, say it out loud. When Lizzie brought this to a family gathering, we couldn't stop saying it.

4 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 pound (about 3) Baldwin apples, peeled and sliced
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup flax flakes, crushed

Roast squash until tender. Mash with 1 Tbsp. butter, 1/4 c. maple syrup, and spices. Melt remaining butter, mix with flax and remaining syrup. Layer squash and apples in baking pan, top with flax mixture. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

Serve as a side dish or top with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Cottage Cheese Pie

This is another one of those recipes that I don't really love, but Jon does, so here it is! His dad makes this every holiday season.

I really wish I was a pie maker. Jon's mom makes the most amazing pie crust and I did try to have her mentor me on how to make it, but I can't seem to get it - I think it takes too much patience!

2 c. cottage cheese

1 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 Tbsp. melted butter

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. grated orange peel

3 eggs

uncooked pie shell

Mix first 6 ingredients and blend well. Add juice, orange rind and beaten eggs - beat all for 2 minutes. Pour into uncooked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 300 and bake for 30 minutes.

Christmas Punch

This is not just for Christmas, but Jon's mom makes it every Christmas, so I guess I've come to think of it as Christmas punch.

3/4 of a big bottle of Hawaiian Punch

1/2 can grapefruit juice

1 can pineapple juice

Most of a 2 liter bottle of ginger ale

rainbow sherbet

Cherry Winks

A couple of years ago, we stopped in for a visit with my Aunt Dianne and Uncle Jerry around Christmas time. My Aunt served us these cookies and I loved them! I was surprised to hear that my Grandma Lowery had beeen making them for years, because I didn't remember ever having them before. But we never really saw my grandparents around Christmas time, I guess that's why...(we did see them A LOT growing up, just not at Christmas because they were "snow birds")

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. chopped pecans

1 c. chopped dates

1/3 c. chopped maraschino cherries

1 Tbsp. maraschino cherry juice

2 1/2 c. crushed cornflakes

Sift together first 4 ingredients and set aside. Mix the shortening and sugar and then add in the eggs, milk and vanilla. Add in the sifted dry ingredients, then mix in the pecans, dates, cherries and cherry juice. Shape into balls about the size of a Tbsp., roll each ball in crushed cornflakes and place on a greased baking sheet. Top with a piece of a maraschino cherry. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

100 Recipes & A Hearty Recommendation

100 recipes are posted! Not bad considering I just started this blog on 10/24 {don't be too impressed, I had been typing the recipes up for almost 2 years}. As you read through my stories of how we came across our recipes, you will notice the name Bethany pop up quite a bit. I just went through and counted that 16 of my 100 recipes come from her. She is a great cook, and she and her husband Quenton love cooking and entertaining for friends as well.

So, I am super excited to recommend her recipe blog to you! I am so glad she is doing this because there are so many more of her recipes that I want to try. First up for me - Fireside Garlic with Rosemary!

Also, notice a new label to the right: "Company worthy" - this is my way of saying that these are the things we make when we are having company over!

Tri-Tip Steak & Sauteed Sweet Potatoes

This has become one of our favorite meals. A bit of background is needed - I often tease Jon that he has a part-time job of getting us good food. He makes weekly runs to a farm to get us our milk, a farmer's market to get eggs, yogurt, applesauce and some produce, a butcher to get our meat and another dairy place to get our butter!

Our butcher, Butcher Bill, recommended we try a tri-tip steak and gave us some instructions on how to cook it. This is such a great summer meal when served with sweet potatoes that have been baked {400 degrees for 45 minutes}, sliced w/ skins left on and then sauteed in olive oil and sea salt until they are a little golden crispy. This salad rounds out the meal nicely.

Tri-tip steak marinade:

3/4 c. Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. montreal seasoning

Marinate the steak for at least several hours. Grill on medium heat (300-350) for 45 minutes, rotating often and basting with the marinade. Discard the rest of the marinade. After the steak is done, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.