Boiled Cabbage

• 1 med. head cabbage
• 4 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled -OR-
• 3 T. butter
• salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the cabbage into narrow wedges. Place in soup kettle with a generous amount of water. Cook, uncovered, until fork-tender. Drain. Season with bacon or butter. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot. 6 servings.

Country-Style Potatoes

• 1/4 c. minced onion
• 4 T. butter
• 6 c. red potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 T. fresh, minced parsley

In a large frying pan, brown the onion in the butter. Add prepared potatoes and salt and pepper, to taste. Turn heat down, and cook slowly, stirring often, until browned. Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley.

Evelyn's Macaroni and Cheese

• 2.5 c. elbow macaroni
• 1 lb. White New York extra-sharp cheddar
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Milk

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. Drain (do not rinse). Spray a baking dish with oil. Layer macaroni, salt, pepper and cheese; ending with cheese. Add milk until its halfway up the side of the dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Bacon & Egg Salad

• 1 bag salad mix
• 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 oz. pkg. real bacon bits

Mix together. Add dressing just before serving.

Dressing:

• 1/3 c. vinegar
• 1/2 c. oil
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 3 tsp. prepared mustard
• 1 tsp. each, salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. celery seed

Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.  This makes a lot of dressing, so you may want to half the ingredients (unless you like a lot of dressing!)

Ruby Cranberry Sauce

The amount of pectin in the cranberries varies from year-to-year, so sometimes this will turn out a little runny, or quite thick. Serve in little ramekin dishes on the side of the dinner plate. Make extra because it freezes very well.

• 3-1/4 c. sugar
• 2 c. hot water
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 (12 oz.) bags cranberries, washed & looked over
• 3 T. grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the sugar, water and cinnamon in a 9 X 13-inch glass dish. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes without stirring.

Remove from the oven and stir in the orange zest. Let the mixture stand until cooled, without stirring. If you think the sauce is too thick, add a bit of orange juice. Keep refrigerated.

Creamy Kidney Bean Salad

• 2 (16 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained
• 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled & chopped
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/3 c. chopped, fresh parsley
• 1/4 c. sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise, more to taste
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• salt & pepper, to taste
• dash celery seed, optional

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mixing well to fully combine. Cover and chill several hours before serving. Serves 6.

Corn Cakes

• 1-1/3 c. buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. yellow corn meal
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 T. corn oil, or melted bacon fat

In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk and baking soda. Let set for 5 minutes; it will foam up.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, salt and sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg slightly and stir in the oil or bacon fat. Add the buttermilk mixture and combine well. Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat until well blended. The batter will be very thin.

Preheat a frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly grease. Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls and fry for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes per side.

Serve hot with maple syrup, or molasses. Serves 6.

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

• 3 lb. red potatoes, scrubbed
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 4 T. butter
• 1/2 c. milk (more, if needed)
• salt & pepper, to taste

Cut the potatoes into chunks (leave peels on). Add the potatoes and garlic into a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, season with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

• 4-6 lg. baking potatoes
• Kosher salt
• butter

Scrub the potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. Rub the skins generously with butter and sprinkle with the Kosher salt. Wrap each in aluminum foil and place in slow cooker (do not add any water to the slow cooker). Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 8-10 hours. 

This makes the best baked potatoes!  I have 2 crock pots, so while meat cooks in one, the potatoes cook in another, and everything is ready at the same time.

Lemon Cream Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

• 2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
• 3 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 teas. chopped, fresh sage leaves
• 1 teas. grated lemon zest
• 1 T. lemon juice
• salt & pepper, to taste

Cook sprouts in boiling, salted water for about 5 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp then set aside to drain.  Cook the onion in the bacon fat until translucent.  Add Brussels sprouts and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add cream, sage and lemon zest, stirring to combine.  Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered until cream is reduced and thickens to a glaze, about 5 minutes, or so.  

Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Crumble bacon on top.  Serves 6 as a side dish.

Broccoli and White Beans

This thick mixture tastes great if you serve it with a good-quality bread (or garlic bread).  It makes a great sauce for pasta, or as a side dish with salmon.  A sprinkling of minced olives and/or aged Parmesan adds a great flavor dimension to the mixture, but it makes a good, simple meal without them.

• 2 medium heads of broccoli
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teas. dried, crushed red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 (16 oz.) cans white beans, drained
• 1/2 c. chopped black olives (optional)
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cut florets from broccoli stalks into bite-sized pieces.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook broccoli for about 7 minutes.

Put olive oil and garlic in a large skillet.  Heat over medium flame until garlic browns. Add red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and broccoli and stir to heat through.  Add beans and stir until combined.  Allow to warm in the skillet for about 10 minutes for flavors to meld.

Serve in shallow bowls topped with olives and cheese, if desired. Serves 6.

Pumpkin Casserole

Such a yummy side dish!  So incredibly easy to throw together!

• 2 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. half-n-half or evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 teas. baking powder
• 1/4 teas. salt
• 1/8 teas. baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teas. vanilla
• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 2 teas. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients, mix well.
Spoon into casserole dish.
Bake uncovered for 60 minutes. (May take up to 20 minutes longer, depending on the type of casserole dish you use).  Insert knife into center, if it comes away almost clean, you're done.