Auntie’s Simple Baked Spaghetti-Jen Medeiros

8oz. uncooked spaghetti noodles

1 lge. onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled & quartered

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 14oz. can tomatoes, undrained

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 ½ c. water, divided

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 ½ tsp. salt

¾ c. grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In large frying pan, cook onion, garlic & ground beef over medium heat until beef is browned. Drain fat. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 cup water, Italian seasoning & salt. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. While meat mixture is simmering, break spaghetti strands into 3 parts. Place in oven-proof casserole dish. Add ½ cup water and mix. Add cheese and meat mixture to spaghetti and mix. Cover casserole with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serves 4-6

Caesar Pasta Salad-Jen Medeiros

Salad:

1 lge. bag rotini pasta, cooked

1 head romaine lettuce, washed and cut into bite sized pieces

2 sml. cans sliced black olives, drained

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 bag shredded parmesan cheese

Pepper, to taste

Dressing:

1 bottle Kraft Caesar Vinaigrette dressing

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl and chill. When ready to serve, toss with salad dressing to desired taste.  Serves 8-10

Optional: Add shredded chicken or cubed ham for a more filling salad.

Sunrise Yogurt Surprise-Jen Medeiros

1 sml. container Yoplait yogurt (any flavor you like)

1 ripe banana, sliced

3-4 T. Quaker granola cereal (or your favorite granola mix)

1-2 T. raisins, dried

cranberries or dried blueberries (your choice)

1-2 ripe strawberries, sliced

½ T. honey

½ T. almonds, sliced

Pour yogurt in small bowl with seal tight lid. Place sliced bananas evenly on top of yogurt. Pour granola over bananas and spread out evenly. Drizzle honey over granola. Add remaining fruit on top of granola and honey (strawberries, raisins, cranberries and/or blueberries). Top with almonds & seal tight. Chill in refrigerator a few hours or overnight. Start your day off knowing you did your body good!  Serves 1

Got Gak?-Jen Medeiros

Glue Mixture:

1 c Elmer’s glue

1 c water

Combine and mix well. Set aside.

Colored Mixture:

1 T. Borax

½ c. water 15-20 drops food coloring of kid’s choice

Combine and mix well. Mix into glue mixture. Let your children have some fun!

Puppy Chow-Jen Medeiros

            1 c. peanut butter

            6 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

            ½ c. butter

            1 lge. box Crispix cereal

            1 lb box powdered sugar

 Combine first 3 ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute on high. Stir. Repeat until smooth. Place cereal in large bowl with lid. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, close lid and shake well. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 2 hours. Break mixture into small pieces. Add powdered sugar and toss until well-coated like puppy chow. Eat and enjoy!  Serves 10-12

Island Style Party Mix-Jen Medeiros

½ c. margarine

½ c. light Karo Syrup

½ c. vegetable oil

3 T. shoyu

6 T. sugar

2 lge. boxes

Crispix cereal

1 bottle Furikake (any style)

Preheat oven to 250. Heat margarine. Syrup, oil, shoyu and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Pour cereal into a large roasting pan. Pour the well-stirred syrup mixture over the cereal; mix well until cereal is evenly coated. Sprinkle with the furikake, mix well again. Bake for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Remove mix from oven and let it cool off. Store in an airtight container. Makes 9 cups

High Energy Fruit Mix-Jen Medeiros

2 c. banana chips

1 c. dried apricots, cut in quarters

1 c. raisins

½ c. nuts (slivered almonds, cashews, walnuts or peanuts)

½ c. coconut flakes

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon. Store in an airtight container or place mixture in snack size zip lock bags for lunches.  Makes 2 quarts

Auntie’s Sinful Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake-Jen Medeiros

1 c. Best Foods mayonnaise

1 c. water

3 eggs

1 box “Chocolate Fudge” cake mix

1 pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven according to directions on cake box. Coat cake pan with Pam (use size of pan recommended on cake box.) Combine mayonnaise, water, eggs and cake mix in a bowl and mix well. Pour cake mixture evenly into coated cake pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over cake. Bake according to directions on cake box. Note: This is a very moist cake. Use a plastic knife to cut cake. It cuts much cleaner. Chocolate lovers will devour this one! Serves 20-24

Haupia Squares-Jen Medeiros

Crust:

¾ c. butter or margarine, softened

4 T. sugar

½ c. flour

½ c. nuts, chopped

Pinch of salt

Haupia Layer:

7 T. cornstarch

½ c. water

2 cans frozen coconut milk, thawed

¾ c. sugar

1 c. water

1 8oz. container Cool Whip

Grated coconut

Chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Combine crust ingredients and press into a 9” X 13” baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes and cool. Dissolve cornstarch in a ½ c. water. Pour into saucepan and add coconut milk, sugar and 1 c. of water. Cook until thickened. (Use a wooden spoon for stirring as metal spoons discolor the coconut) Cool. Pour into crust and chill until firm. Spread with Cool Whip and sprinkle coconut and nuts on top. Optional: Want to make it a “Chocolate Haupia” pie? Spread a layer of chocolate pudding on the crust before the Haupia layer……YUMMY!  Serves 8-10

Andes Mint Brownies-Jen Medeiros

            1 2oz. bar baking chocolate

            ½ c. butter

            2 eggs

            1 c. sugar

            1 t. vanilla

            ½ c. flour

            Pinch salt

            ½ c. pecans, chopped

            ½ c. Andes mints, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8” square pan. Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler or microwave. Beat eggs until lemon colored in large bowl. Add sugar gradually to eggs and beat until smooth and light. Stir in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Sift flour and salt in separate bowl and add to batter. Fold in pecans and Andes mints. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes – avoid over baking. Cool and cut into 2” squares. Serves 16

Yummy Aloha Bread Pudding-Jen Medeiros

            1 lb. loaf sweet bread, torn into pieces

            ½ c. raisins, split into ¼ c.

            ½ c. shredded coconut, split into ¼ c.

            4 t. cinnamon, split into 2 t.

            3 c. milk

            1 c. sugar

            4 eggs

            2 t. vanilla

            2 sticks butter

 Preheat oven to 350. Place ½ of sweet bread pieces in a 9” X 13” roasting pan. Sprinkle ¼ c. raisins, ¼ c. coconut and 2 t. cinnamon onto bread pieces. Continue layering with the remaining sweetbread, raisins, coconut and cinnamon. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Pour evenly over sweetbread. Dot with butter. Place in oven for 1 hour exactly – less will result in “wet” bread pudding, more will result in “dry” bread pudding.  Serves 12-15

Hawaiian Shortbread-Jen Medeiros

            1 lb. butter, softened

            1 c. sugar

            4 c. flour

            2 t. vanilla

            1 c. unsweetened coconut (finely grated or shredded)

 In large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar. Add flour, vanilla and coconut. Mix well and chill overnight. Preheat oven to 325. Spread into 9” X 13” baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.  Makes 2-3 doz

Jen’s Corn Chowder-Jen Medeiros

Soup:              6-8 potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes

                        1 can sweet corn, drained well

                        2 cans creamed corn

                        1 whole sweet onion, chopped

                        ½ pkg. bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

                        2% or whole milk (for desired consistency)

                        Salt and pepper, to taste

Thickening mix:      2 T. cornstarch

                                       3-4 T. water

In small bowl combine cornstarch & water & mix with fork until smooth (it will not appear thick). Set aside.

Boil potatoes in a pot until soft enough to mash some with a fork. Drain water and set aside. Sauté bacon and onions in a separate pot just until bacon is cooked but still soft (not crispy).  Add ½ cooked potatoes and all 3 cans of corn to the bacon & onion mixture. Add desired amount of salt and pepper. Pour in your desired amount of milk (depending on how soupy you want your chowder; keep in mind you will later add in cornstarch to thicken.) Cook over medium heat stirring with a wooden spoon frequently. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to low and simmer. Add in remaining potatoes by smashing them against the inside of the pot & mix them in with the rest of the ingredients. Once your chowder is well heated and simmers for about 10 minutes, slowly add in your thickening mixture stirring frequently. If you desire thicker consistency, repeat the thickening mixture and add in more stirring frequently again. Serve with fresh French bread or in a bread bowl from your local bakery.  Serves 8-10

Linguine with Brie and Tomatoes-Jen Medeiros

4 ripe lge. tomatoes cut into ½ inch cubes

1 lb. brie cheese, rind removed and torn into irregular pieces

1 c. fresh basil leaves, cleaned ant cut into strips

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

1 c. plus 1 T. best quality olive oil

2 ½ t. salt

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ lbs. linguine

Freshly grated imported parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine tomatoes, brie, basil, garlic 1 cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt & ½ teaspoon pepper in a large serving bowl. Prepare at least 2 hours before serving and set aside, covered, at room temperature. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining salt. Add linguine and boil until tender but still firm, 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta and immediately toss with the tomato mixture. Serve at once. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired. Note: This is a very rich pasta but is delicious.  Serves 4-6

Kama’aina Coconout Shrimp Curry-Jen Medeiros

            1 med. onion, chopped

            ¼ c. butter or margarine

            5 T. flour

            1 ½ T. curry powder

            1 ½ t. brown sugar

            2 cloves garlic, minced

            1 small piece fresh ginger, minced

            1 c. chicken broth

            2 c. coconut milk

            1 ½ t. salt

            2 c. cooked shrimp

 Sauté onion in butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, curry powder, sugar, garlic and ginger. Cover and simmer for 1 hour on very low heat. Blend in broth and coconut milk, stirring until smooth. Cover and simmer for another hour. Caution! The sauce should not boil. Add salt and shrimp. Heat thoroughly and serve alone or with jasmine rice. Serves 4-6

Sweet and Sour Meatballs-Jen Medeiros

Meatballs:   1 slice bread, torn into small pieces

                        2 T. milk

                        1 lb. lean ground beef

                        ½ c. green onion, chopped

                        1 egg

                        1 T. shoyu

                        2/3 t. salt

                        ½ t. dry mustard

                        1 clove garlic, crushed

                        2 T. salad oil

 Sauce:           ½ c. distilled white vinegar

                        ½ c. sugar

                        2 T. cornstarch

                        2 t. shoyu

                        1 8oz.can pineapple chunks with juice

 In a medium bowl, add bread pieces and milk. Toss. Stir in next 7 ingredients. Form into 1 ½” balls. Brown in hot oil over medium high heat 5-7 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat about 3 minutes or until done. Drain and set aside. In large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, cornstarch and shoyu. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pineapple and add meatballs. Heat thoroughly. Serve over white or brown rice.  Serves 4-5

Optional: If you want to cut time, you could also use premade frozen meatballs such as from Costco & just add the sauce mixture to complete the recipe. Great for potlucks!

Chicken Wild Rice-Jen Medeiros

1 10 ½ oz. can cream of celery soup

1 10 ½ oz. can cream of mushroom soup

2 ½ cans water

1 c. long grain rice

1 pkg. long grain and wild rice (such as: Uncle Ben’s)

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into pieces

½ lb. butter or margarine melted

½ c. almond slivers

Preheat oven to 325. Mix both soups together and add water. Place two types of rice mixture in 9” X 13” buttered baking pan. Pour soup/water mixture over rice. Dip cut-up chicken into melted butter. Place on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle seasonings from Uncle Ben’s pkg. evenly over entire pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with almond slivers and bake for 30 minutes more. Serves 8

Baked Chicken Dijon-Jen Medeiros

            3 T. fresh parsley, minced

            5 T. parmesan cheese, freshly grated

            1 ½ c. panko flakes

            1 clove garlic, crushed

            ½ c. butter or margarine

            6 T. Dijon mustard

            4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

 Garnish:         Freshly grated parmesan cheese

 Combine parsley, parmesan cheese and panko flakes; set aside. Sauté garlic in butter until lightly browned. Stir in mustard. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Whip vigorously until mixture thickens. Dip chicken in mustard marinade until well coated. Then dip into parmesan mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Place breaded chicken into a lightly greased baking dish. Repeat for each chicken breast. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to set crumbs. Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until chicken is lightly browned. Top with grated parmesan cheese.  Serves 4

Broccoli Cream Linguine-Jen Medeiros

           ½ lb. fresh broccoli, cut into florets

            ½ lb. linguine

            2 c. half & half cream

            ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

            ½ clove garlic, minced

            ¼ c. butter

            1 c. parmesan cheese, grated

 Boil broccoli 5-7 minutes until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Using broccoli water, boil linguine until done. Drain. Combine broccoli, linguine and cream.

Sauté mushrooms and garlic in butter for 4-5 minutes. Add mushroom mixture to broccoli and pasta mixture. Toss in cheese and serve.  Serves 8

Four Cheese Quiche with Red Pepper-Jen Medeiros

9” or 10” pie crust, prebaked for 5 minutes at 375

            4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

            3 oz. Swiss cheese, grated

            4 oz. brie cheese, broken in small bits

            1 ½ c. heavy cream

            3 eggs

            1/8 t. nutmeg

            Salt and pepper to taste

            ¼ c. cream cheese

            1 lge. red bell pepper

            2 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375. Mix swiss and brie cheeses together and set aside. In blender or food processor, blend well cream, eggs, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cream cheese. Slice bell peppers into rounds, removing seeds and membrane and sauté in butter until soft. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle Swiss and brie mixture on crust. Top with sautéed pepper rings. Pour custard over peppers. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes longer or until inserted knife comes out clean.  Serves 6-8

Jen’s Oriental Chicken Salad-Jen Medeiros

Salad:             2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

                        1 block firm tofu, cubed

                        1 bag bean sprouts

                        2-3 green onions, chopped

                        1 block kamaboko, sliced (fishcake)

                        ¾ c. shredded chicken

                        1 pkg. wun tun strips

                        Fresh ground pepper, to taste

 

Dressing:       1 pkt. oriental/sesame salad dressing mix (follow directions on pkt.)

                        OR

                        Your favorite bottled oriental salad dressing

 

            Combine all salad ingredients (except for wun tun strips). Chill. Toss with dressing and wun tun strips and serve immediately. For a meal serve with fresh french bread.  Serves 6-8

Auntie’s Very Ono Salad Dressing-Jen Medeiros

           1 c. salad oil

            ¾ c. sugar

            1/3 c. white vinegar

            ½ t. salt

            ½ t. pepper

            ½ t. prepared mustard

            ½ t. Worcestershire sauce

            Few slices round onion

            2 cloves garlic

            2 bay leaves

 Combine all ingredients in blender on high speed for 5 minutes. Makes about 2 cups.

Top Ramen Cabbage Salad-Jen Medeiros

Dressing:

½ c. oil

¼ c. wine vinegar

¼ c. sugar

1 t. pepper

1 pkg. Top Ramen seasoning packet (any flavor)

Salad:

1 pkg. Top Ramen noodles, uncooked, broken into pieces

1 med. head cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 c. almond slivers, toasted

Combine dressing ingredients. Mix well. Toss with cabbage, ramen and almonds. Serve immediately.  Serves 6-8 Optional: Add cooked chicken pieces for a salad meal

Spinach Salad-Jen Medeiros

Salad:

1 lb. fresh spinach

1 9oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

¼ lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 sm. Red onion, thinly sliced

Dressing:

1/3 c. vegetable oil

¼ c. sugar

¼ c. chili sauce

2 T. red wine vinegar

½ t. Worcestershire sauce

1 sm. onion, finely chopped

½ t. dry mustard

½ t. salt

¼ t. cayenne pepper

Garnish:

2 hard boiled eggs, grated

¾ c. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Just before serving pour dressing over salad, toss and sprinkle with egg and bacon.  Serves 6-8

Orange Avocado Salad-Jen Medeiros

Salad:             2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

                        1 c. celery, chopped

                        2 green onions and stems, chopped

                        ¼ c. toasted slivered almonds

                        1-2 oranges, peeled and cubed

 Dressing:    ½ t. salt

                        Dash ground pepper

                        ¼ t/ Tabasco sauce

                        2 T. sugar

                        2 T. balsamic vinegar

                        ¼ c. salad oil

 Combine salad ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss.  Serves 6-8

Layered Tuna Tofu Salad-Jen Medeiros

Salad:            1 block firm tofu, drained and cubed

                        1 can tuna, drained

                        1 med. “Kula” or sweet onion, sliced

                        2-3 tomatoes, cubed

 Dressing:    1/3 c. mild shoyu

                        1/3 c. sugar

                        1/3 c. rice vinegar

                        Pepper to taste

 Garnish:      3 T. parsley, chopped

                        1 green onion, chopped

 Layer salad ingredients in a glass bowl. Do not toss. Mix dressing ingredients in a bottle. Shake well. Pour over salad before serving. Garnish with parsley and green onion.  Serves 6-8

Green Goddess Dressing-Jen Medeiros

1 c. mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

3 anchovy fillets, minced

¼ c. chives or green onions, finely minced

¼ c. parsley minced

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. tarragon vinegar

½ t. salt

½ t. ground pepper

½ c. sour cream

Combine all ingredients and blend well.  Makes 2 cups.

Easy Guacamole-Jen Medeiros

2 large ripe avocados, mashed

1 container of your favorite salsa

Combine both ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill. Serve with “lime” flavored tortilla chips for an extra zing.  Makes about 2 cups.

Jen’s Kamaboko Spread-Jen Medeiros

1 block kumaboko (fishcake)

1 block cream cheese, softened

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill. Serve with Ritz crackers.  Makes about 2 cups.

Jen’s Kimchee Spread-Jen Medeiros

1 jar kimchee (pickled cabbage) (mild or hot)

1 block cream cheese, softened

 Combine both ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill. Serve with Ritz crackers.