Grated Potato Casserole

I had some extra potatoes, so I looked through Mom's recipe box for something to use them up. I found this casserole. It makes an excellent side dish. Adding some chunks of ham could make it a great main dish. With such common ingredients, this casserole has a classic flavor and is great for using up items that you might have around the kitchen.

When I made this recipe, rather than throw all the ingredients in a blender, I just finely chopped all the vegetables and mixed everything by hand. I did not have green pepper, but used the red and yellow pepper that I had around the house.

Grated Potato Casserole 

• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 medium potatoes, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced

Place milk, eggs, butter, and salt in blender. Start blender; add cheese and vegetables gradually. Blend until all the vegetables are cut fine. Turn into buttered casserole dish. Bake at 350 for one hour. Enjoy! 

Noodle-Almond Casserole

This recipe is a delicious side dish, and you could turn it into a main dish by adding chicken or tuna. I especially like the cottage cheese and almonds in this dish. The recipe is quick to make and uses easy and available ingredients, and this casserole can be assembled in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

When I made this recipe, I used elbow noodles. Any noodle would work, and I think egg noodles would be especially delicious. Also, instead of browning the bread crumbs before putting them on the casserole, I switched on the broiler for the last few minutes which gave the bread crumbs a nice crunch. Next time I make this dish, I might use more oregano.

Noodle-Almond Casserole 

• 8 ounces medium noodles
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter

Combine cream of mushroom soup, almonds, cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, and oregano. Cook noodles until tender; drain. Add sauce; turn into casserole dish. Brown bread crumbs in butter. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Asparagus Venetian

In the Spring, asparagus becomes readily available and is a reminder that warmer weather is coming. I found this asparagus recipe in Mom's recipe box, but I cannot figure out the origin of the recipe or why it is called Venetian. Whatever the origin of the recipe, this recipe makes a delicious side dish.

When I made this recipe, I used fresh asparagus and oven roasted it. The recipe notes that if using frozen asparagus, you should cook and drain it first. But fresh asparagus works best. When I made this recipe, I kept the asparagus spears intact, but it would be easier to serve if the asparagus is chopped up further.

Asparagus Venetian 

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• 1/3 cup onion butter (1 envelope onion soup mix blended with 1 stick melted butter)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Clean and arrange asparagus on baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, removing the asparagus before it is done. Arrange the asparagus in a baking dish. Drizzle with onion butter; then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, place under a broiler for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

Here is a recipe that is easy to pull together with common ingredients that you likely have in your pantry. I especially like the lemon that is used to flavor the top of the muffins and might use more lemon next time I make these muffins. If you do not have a lemon on hand, grated orange rind would work fine. The nice thing about making your own muffins, you can adjust the flavors to fit your preferences. Here, the recipe calls for one cup of blueberries, but I used a little more than a cup because I especially like blueberries. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, which do not need to be thawed, but can just be mixed into the batter frozen.

Blueberry Muffins 

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 Tbsp. sugar 
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg; add milk and melted butter to egg. Add in dry ingredients, stirring until flour is just moistened. Add blueberries. Spoon into greased muffin pan. Mix two tablespoons and grated lemon rind together. Sprinkle lemon sugar onto each muffin. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Brownies Deluxe

Mom is a fan of brownies, so her recipe box has a number of brownie recipes. This recipe included the option of adding peanut butter chips, so I had to give it a try. With the addition of the peanut butter chips, these brownies are reminiscent of Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies. But these brownies are slightly more cake-like than the cookies, so it creates a different taste.

When I made these cookies, I did not have chocolate syrup on hand, so I made my own. To make chocolate syrup, add one-third cup water, one-third cup cocoa powder, and one-third cup sugar to a saucepan. Heat until boiling, then continue to boil while stirring continuously for about three minutes. Stir in a dash of salt and dash of vanilla. Remove from heat and allow to cool. This syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Brownies Deluxe 

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup chocolate syrup
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour, cocoa, and soda, alternating with syrup to the creamed mix; stir in peanut butter chips. Pour into greased 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Chocolate Babka

This recipe does not come from Mom's recipe box, but who can resist Chocolate Babka. It is so delicious. Making babka requires a good amount of time and effort but it is worth it. Like many, I was first introduced to Chocolate Babka by Seinfeld. Babka is a sweet yeast bread made by rolling out and twisting the dough to create many thin layers of filling and dough. Since learning about babka, I have tried many babkas from various bakeries. 

As Elaine asserts on Seinfeld, Chocolate Babka is the best babka, but cinnamon babka is pretty good too. Curiously, one secret to this particular Chocolate Babka recipe is that there is some cinnamon mixed in with the chocolate. I have enjoyed many babkas, but I really love to have it while it is still warm from the oven. 

Chocolate Babka 

• 1/2 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
• 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup + pinch sugar
• 1 whole egg + 1 yolk (save egg white for egg wash)
• 2 cups flour + more for work surface
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 10 Tbsps. butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• Streusel topping (1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 2 Tbsp. butter)

Pour warm milk into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar over milk; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1 egg yolk. Add egg mixture to yeast mixture. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add egg mixture and mix until flour is incorporated. Add 6 tablespoons softened butter and mix until flour and butter are completely incorporated and a soft dough is formed. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to double in bulk (about one hour).

Place chocolate, 1/3 cup sugar, and cinnamon in bowl and stir to combine. Cut in 4 tablespoons until well combined. Punch down dough and transfer to floured surface. Let rest for five minutes. Roll out dough into a 16-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush edges with egg wash. Crumble most of the chocolate filling evenly over dough, leave 1/4 inch border. Roll dough up tightly like a jelly roll. Pinch ends together to seal. Twist 5 or 6 times. Brush top of roll with egg wash. Crumble remaining chocolate on the left half. Fold right half of the roll over the left half. Fold ends under and pinch to seal. Twist roll two turns and fit into greased loaf pan. Brush top of loaf with egg wash. Crumble streusel topping over top. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake until deep golden brown, about 5-15 minutes. Allow to cool in pan. Enjoy!

Cheese Cake

There are many recipes for cheese cake. I can't say that I have a favorite because I like them all. This recipe makes a deliciously creamy cheese cake. I like eating cheese cake on its own, but cheese cake is often served with some fruit or fruit preserves which nicely complement the creamy cake.

Some cheese cakes bake at a low heat in the oven for a long time. This recipe relies on higher temperature, so it spends less time in the oven. The hardest part in making this cheese cake is waiting for it to cool before it can be eaten because it smells so good coming out of the oven.

Cheese Cake 

• 1 1/4 cup graham crackers (crushed)
• 1/4 stick butter (melted)
• 1/4 cup sugar

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press into the bottom and sides of the pie pan. 

• 2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Whip softened cream cheese in a mixer. Add sugar and eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and pour into graham cracker shell. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.

• 1/2 pint sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cake. Bate at 475 for 10 minutes. Cool. Enjoy!