Corned Beef Casserole

If you love Corned Beef and you love casserole, you'll love this! This recipe feeds a family of 4, with leftovers :-)

Ingredients: 

1 can Canned Corned Beef (I use Hormel)

1 can Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom soup

8-16 oz Velvetta Cheese

1 bag Wide or Extra Wide Egg Noodles

1 medium onion

Milk

Bread Crumbs

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook egg noodles. While egg noodles are boiling, cut corned beef and Velvetta into cubes. Chop onion. Put corned beef, Velvetta & onion in a large casserole dish. Drain & rinse noodles. Pour noodles into casserole dish. Mix in soup and one can full of milk. Mix well. Cover top with thin layer of bread crumbs. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes (length of time depends on your oven) 

NOTE: This makes a lot, but you can portion it out and freeze it for a later time. It is just as good re-heated. 

Aunt Shirlee's Collection ~ Nut Filled Buns (Beles) dated 1953

Ingredients:
1 c hot water
2 yeast cakes
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 c melted butter
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
5 cups sifted flour
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp Milk

Directions:
Take 2 tablespoons of hot water from 1 cup of hot water; let it cool to lukewarm and then add yeast.  Dissolve in a large bowl.  Add sugar to remaining cup of hot water; stir until sugar dissolves; add melted butter; let mixture cool.  Add beaten eggs; blend well; add sale and yeast mixtures; mix well; add flour.  Place in warm place and let dough rise to twice it's original size.  Place dough on floured board; cut into 5 parts and let rise again to twice its size.  Roll out each part on slightly floured board 1/4 inch thick; cut into 3 inch squares; fill and fold over.  Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise covered with cloth in warm place until double it's size.  Beat egg yolks; add milk.  After dough has risen, brush egg mixture lightly on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until light brown.  Makes 3 dozen buns.

Filling:

Ingredients:
1 1b. ground walnuts
Milk, enough to moisten nuts
1 cup sugar

Combine ingredients, bring to a boil and cool.

NOTE:  This recipe resembles the Balish recipe that my Grandma Prezioso passed on to my mom.  I did a web search to try to locate a photo or more info on this recipe but was unable to locate anything.

Aunt Shirlee's Collection ~ Sand Torte (Homok Torta) dated 1953

Ingredients:

12 Tbsp sugar
12 eggs
4 Tbsp grated chocolate
5 1/2 Tbsp farina
6 1/2 Tbsp sifted cake flour
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Beat egg whites and sugar until very stiff; add beaten egg yolks; fold in dry ingredients; add vanilla.  Bake in 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake in moderate oven until done, about 30 minutes. (NOTE: a moderate temperature oven is 350 degrees)

Aunt Shirlee's Recipe Collection ~ Grated Chocolate Cake (Nani torta) dated 1953

Cake Ingredients:

12 eggs
12 Tbsp sugar
10 Tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp. grated chocolate
1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Cream sugar and egg yolks.  Beat until lemon colored.  Add dry ingredients.  Add Vanilla.  Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter.  Pour into 3 9-inch cake pans that have been greased & floured.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Custard Frosting:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
2 whole eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 lbs. sweet butter
1/4 lb. spry or Crisco
4 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Combine sugar, flour, eggs and milk.  Cook until thickened.  Cool.  Add creamed butter and shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Aunt Shirlee's Collection ~ Celestial Crusts (Csoroge) ~ Dated: 1953

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp rum or brandy
Flour
Shortening for frying

Directions:
Mix egg yolks, salt, sugar, brandy and enough flour to make a stiff dough.  Knead on lightly floured board until smooth; about 10 minutes.  Roll into one or two sheets until quite thin; cut into stris about 2 1/2" by 3"; make about three gashed nearly to the ends; put one end through genter gash to make butterfly effect.  Fry in hot shortening until light brown; drain on absorbent paper and sut with powdered sugar.

Aunt Shirlee's Collection ~ Sponge Cake with Pudding Custard Frosting (Piskota Torta) ~ Dated: 1953

My Great-Aunt, Shirlee (Fees) Clark was a tremendous woman.  She never had children of her own, but she sure loved all of her nieces and nephews and her great-nieces and great-nephews.  So much that when she fell ill and knew she would not be with us much longer she made sure that her recipes fell into good hands.  Originally, they were to be divided up and each of the 4 Horvath Families (my dad & uncles) were to get some of her cookbooks and recipes.  Last year, when I moved to Tennessee, I found the box that contained all of her cookbooks & recipe cards.  They ended up in Tennessee with me, not because I am trying to be selfish with them, but because I was going to make copies of all of them so that everyone could have a piece of Aunt Shirlee.  Well, that's why I started this page, because there is so much that I couldn't possibly copy EVERYTHING for EVERYONE...there's too many of us.  So the easier way was to start this blog and share her recipes - not only with my family, but with the worlds.

So, here we go.....

Sponge Cake (Piskota Torta)

Ingredients:

6 eggs, seperated

1 cup sugar

1 cup cake flour

7 Tbsp cold water

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of Salt

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions: 

Mix egg yolks and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer for about 10 minutes.  Gradually add water and vanilla; mix well.  Sift flour and paking powder 3 or 4 times.  Beat egg whites to which salt has been added.  Mix with egg yolk mixture alternating with flour.  Pour into 2 9-inch pans greasing only the bottoms. 

If you desire, 1/2 square grated chocolate may be added to half of bater before it is poured into pan.  

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Spread with pudding custard. 

Pudding Custard Frosting

Ingredients: 

1 egge

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1/4 lb butter

Pinch Salt

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix flour, sugar and salt.  Add egg and little milk at one time to form smooth mixtue; add all milk.  Cook until thick; keep stirrring constantly because it will be very thick.  Remove from fire (burner); beat until very smooth; allow it to get very cold.  Mix in mixing bowl with butter and powdered sugar until very fluffy; beat at highest point on mixer.  Spread on sponge cake.  

ENJOY!

Beef Stroganoff Casserole ~ from Family Circle - September 2012

One of Jeff's and my favorite dinners is Beef Stroganoff.  It is a special treat for us when I make it.  So here's a little twist on the classic Beef Stroganoff. 

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 21 minutes

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb sirloin or beef tips, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, diced

1 pkg (10 oz)  cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed & sliced (optional - I am allergic to mushrooms so we do not include them in our stroganoff)

3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (you could probably try it with a rice flour if you are gluten free)

1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth

2 Tbsp Dry Sherry (optional) - we don't include alcohol in our cooking either

1 bag (12 oz) egg noodles

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup french-fried onions

Directions: 

Heat oven to 350.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling.  Coat a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season steak with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Add steak into skillet in single layer.  Cook 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.  Remove to a plate. 

Reduce heat to medium and add onion.  Cook 3 minutes.  Stir in mushroom and saute 5 minutes.  Add remaining 1/4 tsp of salt & pepper.  Sprinkle with flour.  Cook 1 minute.  Whisk in broth.  Bring to a simmer and add sherry, if using.  Simmer 3 minutes.  

Cook noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Drain.  Remove sauce from heat and slowly stir in meat and sour cream.  Add noodles and spoon into prepared dish.  Cover with foil, bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Uncover and top with fried onions. 

Smoky Chicken & Potatoes - from Family Circle - September 2012

Makes: 4 servings             

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake: 450 for 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Boneless, Skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces (I don't like thigh meat so I subsitute with chicken breast)

1 1/2 lbs baking potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 sweet onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 green pepper, cored, seeded & cut into 1/2 inch strips

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges, plus more for serving (optional)

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Directions: 

Heat oven to 450. Coat 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

Add chicken, potatoes, onion, green pepper and garlic. Toss with olive oil and season with paprika, salt and pepper. 

Squeeze lemon wedge over top and scatter wedges over casserole. 

Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until chicken reaches 160. Stir once after 20 minutes. 

Scatter parsley over top. Serve with additional lemon if desired. 

Per serving: 

454 cal

16 g fat

37 g protein

43 g carb

5 g fiber

721 mg sodium

166 mg cholesterol

Vegetable Fried Rice ~ from Family Circle - September 2012

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp oil
2 ribs of celery, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Ketchup
2 Scallions, chopped

In a skillet, cook beaten eggs in 1 Tbsp of oil; slice cooked egg and put aside.  Add 1 Tbsp of oil in skillet with celery, onion, green pepper & carrot.  Cook for 6 minutes.  Stir in rice, vegetable broth, soy sauce and ketchup. Heat then stir in egg.  Top with chopped scallions.

Serves 4

Black Beans & Rice ~ from Family Circle Magazine - September 2012

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
1 packet Goya Sazon seasoning
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can black beans

Directions:

Cook rice with Goya Sazon seasoning.  In a skillet, saute the onion & pepper in the olive oil for 3 minutes.  Add the black beans and simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in rice and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Checking In.....

Hello Homemade Hunky Fans!!!!  I just wanted to stop by and check in with you all.  Life has been a little strange for me lately and I haven't been able to get through my family's recipes as fast as I would have liked.  I promise you that I will be adding new recipes soon.  In the meantime, I want to encourage all of you to try the recipes I have already posted both here on the blog and also by visiting my Facebook Recipe Collection and my Pinterest Board.

All of the recipes on my Pinterest Board and Facebook page are recipes that I have gathered from other sources and are not my own, but they are still awesome and one day I will have the chance to try each and every one of them.

I am a "foodie".  I love food - it's just as simple as that, but I also enjoy giving people ideas and inspiration to use in the kitchen.

Please also share with me your final product.  Especially if you have tried one of my family recipes - snap a photo and email it to me at cecenjeff@gmail.com  with the recipe in the subject line. Tell me how you and your family or friends liked it and if you think that are any changes I should make.  I really want to hear from all of you.

I want to make this recipe blog one that EVERYONE enjoys and one that people are willing to follow and share with their friends and family.  I can only do that with YOUR help - your comments & suggestions are always welcome and very much appreciated.

Tracy's Stuffed Meatloaf

1 lb 96% lean ground beef
1 lb Ground Turkey
Italian Bread Crumbs
1lg onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 or 2 eggs
Garlic powder
Paprika
Black Pepper
Cilantro or dried parsley flakes
Mozzarella cheese (string cheese sticks are the easiest
Buffalo Sauce

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a bread loaf pan with cooking spray. In a bowl mix together beef, turkey, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, chopped cilantro (or parsley flakes) about 1/4 to 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, about 1 cup bread crumbs (I eyeball it. I don't want the loaf to be too dry), egg, and seasonings (I eyeball the seasoning according to who is eating and what they like)

Divide the meat mixture in half. Form half of the mixture in the loaf pan. Cover meet with mozzarella cheese sticks. Then form the remaining meat on top. Spread a thin layer of buffalo sauce on top of the loaf and bake in oven for approx 30-45 minutes until loaf is completely brown and temp is at about 180-190 degrees. Serve with mashed taters

Jeff's Chicken Wings (Roman's IV Wings Copycat)

Ingredients:

Chicken Wing Pieces (we made 5 lbs)

Buttermilk

1 pkg. Saltines, crushes (that's one individual wrapped package from a box of 4)

4 cups flour

1 Tbls + 1 tsp each: paprika,  onion salt, garlic salt, and Cajun seasoning

Fresh ground black pepper

Vegetable Oil

Directions: 

Place thawed chicken wing pieces in a gallon size ziplock bag. Pour a generous amount of buttermilk over the chicken so that it is completely covered. Place bag in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. 

In a bowl, place flour and spices. Mix together. 

Ground some fresh black pepper into mixture (about 1/2 tsp) 

Mix in crushed saltines

Heat oil to 400 degrees. While oil is heating take wings out of bag and coat with the flour mixture.

Dry in small batches for 10 minutes. 

To serve: 

Toss wings in a bowl of your favorite wing sauce or dry rub. We like to toss them in dry Cajun seasoning or garlic powder and then dip them in Buffalo or Sriracha Hot Sauce. 

Pineapple Salsa (Adapted from a recipe by The Pampered Chef)

Ingredients:

1 Large Red Onion

2-4 small or medium size Jalapeño Peppers

1 each: Green, Yellow & Red Bell Pepper (optional: add an orange bell pepper for more color)

1 bunch Green (Spanish) Onions

1 small bunch Cilantro

1-2 cans Pineapple Chunks (I use the kind that is in its own juice, drain the juice out of can) 

6 small-medium size Roma Tomatoes

Optional: Lime Juice

Directions:

Rip cilantro leaves off their stem and put in bowl. Chop up cilantro in bowl using salad scissors (basically the same thing as kitchen shears). 

Chop onions & peppers. (I use a manual food processor that you can purchase from the Pampered Chef. It is the easiest way and you have a little more control of how chopped up you get the vegetables than with an electric food processor) 

Dice tomatoes. (Think of pico de gallo from a Mexican restaurant...that's the size you want for all the veggies) 

Run the pineapple chunks through the food processor real quick. Just long enough to chop up the junks into smaller pieces, but don't process too much or you will end up with mush. (If you want even easier, just buy crushed pineapple in the can, drain the juice and dump the can in the bowl) 

Fold everything together until its nice and mixed up. 

Add a splash of lime juice to give it a tangy taste. (I always have my hubby taste before I add any lime juice...sometimes I put it in, sometimes I don't. And it will really be according to what your tastes are) Remember, you will have juices from the pineapple & tomato too. You don't want to put too much lime juice or your salsa will be soggy. 

Serve with tortilla chips of your choice. I personally like chips with a hint of lime. There is also a brand that is margarita flavored which are really good as well. Just be sure to stir up before serving cause the juice will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy! 

Tracy's Cheesy Potatoes

I have made this side dish for many different occasions.  It's become my "easy" go-to dish for potlucks, holiday dinners and even for our own family meals.

Ingredients:
1 bag Frozen Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes or Cubed Hash Brown Potatoes
16 oz Sour Cream
1 regular size can Cream of Celery (or cream of mushroom) soup
1 large white onion, chopped
2-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Approx. 3 cups crushed corn flakes
cooking spray
(optional) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray

You will need a baking dish such as a 5 qt casserole dish or the Pampered Chef Covered Roaster Stoneware.  

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray baking dish with cooking spray to help to keep potatoes from sticking to the dish. 

Mix the hash browns, sour cream and soup in the baking dish. Fold in chopped onions.  Add as much shredded cheese as you desire (my family likes them super cheesy so I mix in 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese then I spread the remaining cheese over the top.)  Spread the corn flakes over the top of the mixture.  I like to spray the corn flakes with the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray to help keep the corn flakes from burning.  You can also wait to put the corn flakes on top until the potatoes are 1/2 to 3/4 done. 

Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes (or however long it takes for potatoes to be soft and cheese completely melted through)  Length of time will depend on your oven.  

NOTE:  The corn flakes are easy to burn - if you are not going to use the spray, I suggest either baking the potatoes most of the way and then spreading the cornflakes for the last 10-20 minutes.  You can also cover the dish, however, it will take longer to bake and you will need to remove the lid for the last 10-20 minutes of baking time.  

Please feel free to share a link to this recipe.  I welcome photos of your outcome!  I will be happy to post them with the recipe.  Email your photo to cecenjeff@gmail.com with the name of the recipe in the subject line.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!  I have always enjoyed my family gatherings.  From the time I was a little girl.  Next to all of the family photos, my favorite part of my up-bringing was all the great food my mother, aunts and grandmothers would prepare.  I have always wanted to preserve all those tremendous recipes that have been passed on to me. 

Some of the recipes I will share here are copied from other sources, but were "staples" when we would get together for holidays, birthdays and other special gatherings.  Some of the recipes are family recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation; like my Grandmother's Hungarian Balish Recipe. I may even post some of my own special recipes!

My hope is that you all will enjoy a little piece of my "family tree" and my family traditions.