Broccoli Casserole without cream of anything soup

SMALL Casserole Ingredients:

• 16oz fresh broccoli crowns (2 bunches ish)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, jarred minced (I used a scant 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
• OPTIONAL:  1/2 cup breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup crushed Ritz cracker, fine and dry

9x13 Casserole Ingredients:

• 32oz fresh broccoli crowns (3-4 large bunches)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, jarred minced (I used a scant teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, 1 cup breadcrumbs or 1 cup crushed Ritz cracker, fine and dry

• Directions:
• 1
  Chop and steam broccoli al dente.  Place broccoli in a lightly greased 1 quart casserole (or 9x13); set aside.
  
  
  Saute onion.  Add minced garlic to the onion the last few minutes of sautéing.  
  
  
  Put onion/garlic mixture on top of broccoli.
  
  
1. 2
   Melt half of the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add salt and pepper; stir well. Add cream cheese, stirring until smooth.
2. 3
   Pour cream cheese sauce over broccoli in casserole; stir gently to combine. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over low heat; remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs or ritz crackers. Sprinkle breadcrumb or ritz cracker mixture evenly over casserole. 
3. 4
   Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Burrito Filling - Delores Rice

Do your remember this burrito filling I used to make and just keep in the fridge? We'd just heat a flour tortilla on the stove and add this mixture for a lunch or a snack. I'll include instructions for actually making into a dinner.

1 - 1.5 pound ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup salsa

1 cup frozen corn

8 oz shredded cheese

1/2 - 1 can green chili peppers chopped

1 can black beans drained

Cook the ground beef with taco seasoning. May add an onion (I would). Mix in rest of ingredients and store in fridge OR

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered. May top with shredded cheese for the last 10 minutes.

Zucchini Casserole - GMA's Recipe

I know I've never made this, but I grew up with it and thought you should all have the recipe. I didn't like zucchini as a kid, but I still liked this casserole.

1 lb mild Italian sausage (bulk)

3/4 lb ground pork

1 large onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic

3-4 stalks celery, diced

1 green pepper, chopped

1-2 tomatoes, fresh

5 zucchini

Dash of Italian seasoning (or thyme, oregano, rosemary)

salt and pepper to taste

2 cans tomato sauce and 1/2 can water

Grated cheddar or cheddar/jack mixture

350 degree oven

Brown sausage and ground pork, and remove all grease

Add rest of ingredients except the cheese and simmer 5-10 minutes. Put half mixture in 4 qt casserole dish. Sprinkle a layer of cheese. Add rest of veggies mixture. Top with rest of cheese and parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes covered, then another 15 minutes uncovered.

Serves 6-8

Christmas Wassail

1 qt water (4 cups)

1.5 cups sugar

8 allspice berries

10 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 (6 ounce) can frozen OJ [alternate OJ]

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade

64 ounce bottle cranberry juice

Boil sugar and water 5 minutes. Put spices in spice/tea ball and place in syrup. Let stand 2-3 hours. Add remaining ingredients PLUS 3 OJ cans of water. Serve hot OR over ice. Store in fridge.

BBQ Sauce

I used to make this a lot and it is YUMMY.

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cups water

1.5 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

2 sticks butter

3/4 cup (or more) Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs salt

2 Tbs chili powder

2 Tbs paprika

pepper

garlic powder

Simmer together for at least 1/2 hour. Thicken with corn starch.

Frozen Chocolate Velvet Pie

Frozen pie crust

3/8 c white corn syrup

1 1/2 T water

1 1/2 T vanilla (yes, Tbs)

1 bag semi-sweet choco chips (use the best you can find....I like Guittard)

1 c chilled sweetened condensed milk (don't forget to put in fridge ahead of time)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Cook pie crust and set aside. (I found that the cheap thin crust works better for this pie than the better thicker crusts) Barely boil corn syrup and remove from heat. Add choco chips, water, and vanilla and stir till melted. Let cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add milk and cream. Blend on low until well mixed and then on med/high until soft peaks form. Pour into pie crust and stick in the freezer. Take it out a few minutes before you cut it.

There ya go!

Orange Julius

1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate (6 oz)

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

lots of ice

Blend it all together, adding ice cubes a few at a time until you reach the consistency you want

*variations- add 1 cup water, add 1/2 cup sugar, add half regular sugar and half powdered sugar

Gramma's Brownies

2 sticks of butter*
4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate OR 3/4c cocoa and 4TBS butter
2 cups Sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups flour
1 bag of chocolate chips

Melt the butter and baking chocolate together. When it's all melted, remove from heat and add the other ingredients in order that I wrote them. (I added the sugar last once and it was a very weird texture) Pour into a greased 9x13 and cook for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. They taste better slightly underdone.

Brie, did I forget anything?

*1 cup earth balance

Chocolate Oatmeal

Ok, I'll start

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups sugar
1/3-1/2 cup baking cocoa
3 cups old-fashioned oats
(no peanut butter--it's evil;))

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add milk, sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 1/2 minutes exactly (stir most of the time). Remove from heat and add the oatmeal. Spread out in a pan and put in the freezer to cool down for a few minutes. Enjoy!