The Cooking Family

Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie

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Cheesy Shepherd’s Pie
Prep Time
18 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shepherd’s pie
Servings: 8
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 8 oz. Velveeta cheese
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 1 pouch instant potatoes (Idahoan or Betty Crocker), made as directed
  • 1 Tbsp. Montreal steak seasoning
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • 8 oz. mushrooms (optional)
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  2. In large, nonstick skillet, cook your ground beef, onions and bell pepper over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. Heat until beef is no longer pink and then drain.

  3. If you want mushrooms add them now. Also add your Montreal seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the Velveeta cheese and beef broth. Cook 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.

  5. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart baking dish.

  6. Cook your potatoes as instructed on the pouch. Spoon potatoes on top of your beef mixture.

  7. Bake 25-30 minutes, until bubbly around the edges.

  8. Remove from oven and over the top with Cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 2-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 

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Cheery Cherry Cheese Pie

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Cheery Cherry Cheese Pie
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 5 minute prep, cheese pie, cheesecake, cherry pie
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 14 oz. Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/3 cup Real Lemon Reconstituted lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 graham cracker ready to use pie crust
  • 1 can cherry pie filling, chilled
Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, beat cream chesse until light and fluffy.

  2. Add condensed milk and blend thoroughly.

  3. Stir in real lemon juice and vanilla.

  4. Pour into pie crust.

  5. Chill for 3 hours or until set.

  6. Top with desired amount of pie filling and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Chicken Paprika

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Chicken Paprika
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 minute prep, chicken paprika
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 4 lbs. chicken pieces
  • 4 Tbsp. shortening
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (I prefer Campbell's)
  • 1 jar Heinz chicken gravy
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. paprika
Instructions

  1. In two skillets, brown chicken with 2 Tbsp. shortening for each pan.

  2. Pour off the fat.

  3. Mix all of your remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour half into each of the skillets.

  4. Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally.

  5. Remove chicken and thicken the gravy.

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Easy Pumpkin Muffins

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Easy Pumpkin Muffins

These two ingredient pumpkin muffins are easy, delicious and inexpensive – the trifecta. This recipe is perfect for celebrating Fall.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 2 ingredients, 5 minute prep, pumpkin muffin
Author: Linda
Ingredients
  • 1 spice cake mix, can substitute a yellow cake mix if you don't have the spice (we prefer Duncan Hines)
  • 15 oz. pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie mix)
  • pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • raisins (optional)
Instructions

  1. Mix your cake mix (do not add any ingredients on the box, just use the mix itself) with the pumpkin puree using a mixer. Mix until well combined.

  2. Next add nuts or raisins if you want and mix well.

  3. The batter will be very stiff. Spoon into muffin cups or a sprayed muffin tin. Fill until 2/3rds full.

  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

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Barbecued Chuck Roast

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Barbecued Chuck Roast

Looking for a new way to prepare your chuck roast? Then this recipe is for you! This recipe includes a bonus recipe for California marinade.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: barbecue chuck roast, barbecue roast, chuck roast recipe
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 3-4 lb. chuck roast (2 1/2 – 3 inches thick)
  • 2 Tbsp. ketchup
California Marinade
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
  • 1 tsp. rosemary leaves, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 4 cups wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sherry or apple juice
Instructions

  1. Make your California Marinade – Cook and stir garlic in the oil. Add rosemary, mustard and soy sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar and sherry (or apple juice).

  2. Place meat in shallow glass dish.

  3. Pour marinade over meat. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the meat 2-3 times.

  4. Remove from the refrigerator. Remove meat from marinade.

  5. Stir ketchup into the marinade.

  6. Heat the marinade until warm. Brush onto meat.

  7. Place meat into baking pan and cook at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, turning the meat 1-2 times. Baste the meat with the pan juice when turning.

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Cheesy Bacon Smothered Pork Chops with Potatoes

Smothered Pork Chop
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Cheesy Bacon Smothered Pork Chops with Potatoes
Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
 

Pork is something I get tired of pretty quickly, so I'm always trying to come up with new ways to cook pork. This recipe was super easy and tasted delicious. It's defintely one we will be adding to our rotation. We hope you like it too!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 10 minute prep, bacon pork chops, cheesy pork chops, pork chop recipe, smothered pork chops
Servings: 4 people
Author: Tracy
Ingredients
  • 4 boneless pork chops
  • 4 potatoes
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 cans cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt (can substitute 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper)
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions

  1. Wash and peel your potatoes. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.

  2. Cook your bacon in a skillet until completely cooked. Blot grease and set aside. (Once cooled, I place bacon in ziplock bag in the refrigerator.)

  3. Coat your pork chops with seasoned salt and sear in the bacon grease. If there is not enough grease, you can add a little olive oil.

  4. Place pork chops into baking dish.

  5. Surround pork chops with potatoes.

  6. Completely cover pork chops and potatoes with cream of chicken soup.

  7. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

  8. Mix your cheeses and cover the top of the pork chops and potatoes.

  9. Crumble your bacon and add to the top.

  10. Return to oven and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and pork chop is cooked through.

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Party Fruit Punch

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Party Fruit Punch

Many of our family functions served this delicious fruit punch. It makes 75 4 oz. servings of punch. Great for if you are entertaining a large crowd.

Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crowd punch, large gathering punch, party fruit punch, party punch, wedding punch
Servings: 75 people
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 4 12 oz. bottles ginger ale
  • 2 12 oz. bottles carbonated water
  • 3 qts. pineapple juice
  • 1 1/2 cups lemon juice
  • 3 cups orange juice
  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, quartered
  • 1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves (optional)
Instructions

  1. Combine juices, sugar and mint. Chill. DO NOT chill the juices before adding the sugar.

  2. Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients.

  3. Pour over ice in a large punch bowl and serve.

  4. Can use frozen strawberries if you don't add the ice to the punch bowl.

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Grandmother’s Frozen Banana Salad

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Grandmother’s Frozen Banana Salad
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana salad, frozen banana salad, salad recipe
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 1 lg. package cream cheese
  • 3 bananas, very ripe
  • 2 Tbsp. Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
  • 1 can whipped cream
  • 1 can fruit cocktail, drained
Instructions

  1. Mash cream cheese and bananas with a fork, mixing together.

  2. Mix in salad dressing.

  3. Add fruit cocktail.

  4. Fold in whipped cream.

  5. Freeze and then serve after frozen.

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Prime Rib

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Prime Rib

This is one of our family's favorite recipes. We frequently cook it for special family occasions. We hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 5 minute prep, prime rib
Servings: 4 people
Author: Randy
Ingredients
  • 4 lbs. standing rib (1 lb. per person)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 1 garlic clove
Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

  2. Rub the meat with garlic.

  3. Mix the salt and pepper and then rub on the meat.

  4. Place the meat fat-side up in the oven pan.

  5. Insert meat thermometer through the outside fat into the thickest part of the meat.

  6. Do not baste, cover or add water.

  7. For rare – cook 28-33 minutes per pounds to an internal temperature of 140 degrees

  8. For medium – cook 34-38 minutes per pound to an internal temperature of 160 degrees

  9. For well done – cook 40-44 minutes per pound to an internal temperature of 170 degrees

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Pecan Pie Surprise Bars

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Pecan Pie Surprise Bars
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
47 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 5 minute prep, dessert bars, pecan bars, pecan pie bars
Author: Juanita
Ingredients
  • 1 pkg. dry yellow cake mix (reserve 2/3 cup cake mix)
  • 1/2 cup margarine, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
Filling
  • 2/3 cup reserved cake mix
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 1/2 cups dark corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 eggs
Instructions

  1. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking pan.

  2. Reserve 2/3 cup dry cake mix for the filling.

  3. In a large mixing bowl combine remaining dry cake mix, margarine, and 1 egg. Mix until crumbly.

  4. Press into greased pan.

  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until light golden brown.

  6. Meanwhile, prepare your filling.

  7. In a large mixing bowl combine all of your filling ingredients and beat it on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.

  8. Pour the filling over the partially baked crust and sprinkle the pecans over the top.

  9. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes until filling is set.

  10. Cool and then cut into bars.

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