5 Recipes From My Mother’s Kitchen

My Mom is an absolutely AMAZING cook! I’d like to think my love of cooking came from watching her work magic in the kitchen. Like my Grandmother before her, it seemed that Mom didn’t measure anything or directly follow any recipe. She could take any recipe, change amounts, or remove/change ingredients entirely and come up with a mouth watering dish. I never knew how she could do that. It’s only now, after I’ve cooked for more than 25 years, that I can begin to understand how to transform a recipe into my own creation.

Today, I’ve picked out 5 of my Mom’s recipes to share with all of you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

1. Nachos Casserole
2. Corn Hot Dish
3. Corn & Shrimp Chowder
4. Sweet and Savory Meatballs
5. Frozen Strawberry Salad

Nachos Casserole

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
• salt
• 2- 1 pound cans refried beans
• 1- 4 ounce can green chiles (rinsed, seeded, deveined, chopped)
• 6 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese
• 6 ounces Cheddar Cheese
• 2 cups mild taco sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 3/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
• 2 cups guacamole
• 1 cup sour cream

1. In a large skillet, brown beef/sausage and onion.
2. Drain fat.
3. Season with salt and tabasco sauce and set aside to cool
4. Spread beans in a 4 quart casserole dish
5. Spread meat on top, then chilies.
6. Sprinkle both cheeses on top.
7. Drizzle with taco sauce.
8. Up til this point, recipe may be covered and refrigerated ahead of time, up to 24 hours. Return to room temp prior to cooking
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes
10. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with scallions, and olives. Mound the guacamole in center and top with sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

Corn Hot Dish

• 1 – 16 ounce can cream style corn
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp onion salt
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

1. Heat all ingredients on stovetop.
2. Place in casserole dish.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, covered
4. Sprinkle 1/2 cup buttered cracker crumbs over baked casserole
5. Bake 20 more minutes, uncovered

Corn & Shrimp Chowder

• 12 ounces bacon
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 3 T finely copped green pepper
• 1 cup finely copped carrots
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 – 13 ounce can whole kernel corn
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled & deveined
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups diced potatoes
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 – 17 ounce can cream style corn

1. In Dutch oven, cook bacon, crumble and set aside. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings.
2. In bacon drippings, saute onion, garlic, celery, green pepper and carrots til tender. Blend in flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
3. Add broth and bay leaf, stirring occasionally til thickened.
4. Add potatoes, salt, pepper and paprika. Cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
5. Add corn and heat thoroughly.
6. Stir in half & half and shrimp. Heat thoroughly, but NOT boil.
7. Remove bay leaf and taste. Re-season if necessary.
8. Sprinkle each serving with crumbled bacon and parsley.

Sweet and Savory Meatballs

NOTE: This is a favorite in my home. My kids absolutely LOVE this one. Since I no longer use processed condensed soup, stay tuned for a healthy “remake” in a future article!

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 can golden mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup drained chopped canned tomatoes
• 2 T. vinegar
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 2 t. soy sauce
• cooked rice

1. Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg and garlic. Shape into small meatballs. Brown meatballs in 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Mix sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour over meatballs in a pan.
3. Cook in pan 20-30 minutes.
4. Server over hot cooked rice.

Frozen Strawberry Salad

• 1 – 8 ounce cream cheese – softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 – 10 ounce package strawberries, thawed
• 2 bananas
• 1 – 9 ounce cool whip (feel free to use an equal amount of homemade whip cream)

1. Blend cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Pour into 9×13 inch pan and freeze
4. Slightly thaw before serving.
5. Can be kept in freezer up to 1 month.