Man, it’s funny how you think you’ve put the past behind you!  Then something (just a small something) throws you right back into the past!  When I married my last husband, way back in 1970, I was looking for something and someone who could make old hurts and heartaches go away!  He seemed to be just what I had been searching for all my life. He had two children, I had one 4 years old. His wife had died from cancer. He needed me as much as I needed him.  My first marriage had ended  in divorce because I had married (unbeknown to me) a womanizer and a gambler!

But God gave me the most precious thing in my life, my son, whom, without, I couldn’t have made it six years! I didn’t want another try at marriage but one day a man came into the Restaurant who had recently lost his wife tragically to cancer!  My heart went out to him because he was the saddest man! I started to make conversation with him by just asking him how he was doing, how was his day, etc.  Then one day, months later, he brought his daughter, who was fifteen at the time, and his son, who was ten. We clicked immediately. His daughter was the sweetest girl in the world. His son held back because he was only 10 years old and was very close to his mother!

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 Cup oil
• 4 eggs – well beaten
• 2  tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup copped pecans
• 3 cups carrots-grated

Directions:

Mix  sugar and oil together.  Add eggs and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and stir into sugar mixture. Mix until smooth. Add pecans and carrots. Bake in 3 greased 9 inch layer cake pans at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes!  Cool and frost.

Frosting:

• 1 box powdered sugar
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 tsp. lemon extract

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1  7- oz. can  sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 2  Hard boiled eggs,chopped
• 3/4  cup mayonnaise
• 2 cups crushed potato chips

Directions:

Combine chicken, soup, onion, pimento, celery, almonds, water chestnuts, eggs and mayonnaise in bowl; Mix well.  Spoon into baking dish. Top with potato chips. Bake at 450 degrees until brown. yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Ground Beef
• 1 Tablespoon shortening
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 6 or 8 medium potatoes, sliced
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Brown ground beef in shortening in skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain.  Put onions in skillet with the same grease from hamburger!  Cook until soft, then drain. Mix with ground beef. Mix soup and a small amount of boiling water in bowl. Layer potatoes, ground beef  mixture and soup mixture 1/2 at a time. Sprinkle half of cheese over all, then layer other half  and sprinkle with rest of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  May add more water for desired consistency!

I developed this recipe for Peggy’s Restaurant one day and it caught on pretty quickly! My sister Sherry just loved it and begged me to make it again. I hope  you try it .  Enjoy!

• 1 Can Corned Beef
• 6 Hard boiled eggs
• 2 medium onions
• 1 cup chopped sweet pickles
• 1/2  pint mayonnaise

In processor, process the corned beef, eggs and onions. Add pickles and mayonnaise.

Absolutely delicious!  This is one of my favorite recipes!  My sister Loretta and I used to fix this spread often.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups medium shell macaroni, uncooked
• 1 pkg.(6 oz.) fresh baby spinach leaves
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups Finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  Cook macaroni as directed on pkg.,  adding spinach for the last minute. Cook bacon in large saucepan. Remove bacon; save drippings in pan.

2. Add flour to drippings; cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until thickened.

3. Stir in 1 cup Cheddar and Parmesan; cook and stir until melted. Add bacon and macaroni mixture; Mix well.

4. Spoon into a 1-1/2 qt. casserole, top with remaining cheddar.  Bake 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Orange Juice
• 1/4  cup sugar
• 1/3 cup powdered instant tea
• 1 (10 oz) pkg frozen strawberries, thawed
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups crushed ice
• Fresh lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

In a blender, combine orange juice, sugar, tea and strawberries;  blend until smooth. Pour mixture  into a 2 quart pitcher; add water and ice. Serve tea in tall drinking glasses and garnish with a fresh lemon wedge, if desired.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg.Cream Cheese (8oz)-softened
• 1/2 cup Butter -softened
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4  Cup confectioner’s sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
• 3/4  Cup  miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 Cup finely chopped pecans
• Graham crackers

Directions:

In mixing bowl mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars, beat just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place Cream Cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap,  shape into ball.  Refrigerate 1 hour. Just before serving roll cheese ball in pecans.  Serve with graham crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 2 sticks butter
• 2  3/4 cup sugar
• 6 Large Eggs
• 3  cups sifted plain flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4  cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4  cup undrained crushed pineapple

Directions:

Cream shortening and butter: add sugar.  add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sifted flour with baking powder, alternately with milk. Add vanilla. Stir in pineapple and blend well. Pour into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Place  in cold oven and set oven to 325 degrees. Cook 1- 1/2 hours or until the top springs back.  Let cool 5 minutes. Then run knife around pan and remove.

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1  1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup well drained crushed pineapple

Place pineapple in blender for a second or two.  Combine with other ingredients and pour over cake while it is still hot!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 Vidalias sliced in 1/4 inch rings
• 15 Saltine crackers (crushed)
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 to 3/4  cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Melt butter in pan over Med. heat and cook onions until clear.  Reserve 3 Tbsp. of crumbs for topping and place remaining crumbs in the bottom of greased 2 qt.casserole dish. Remove onions from pan with slotted spoon. Add soup and onions  in alternate layers until full.

Combine eggs and butter, pour over onions. Top with cheese and remaining crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serves 4 to 6