Prize-Winning Meatloaf

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
1 cup tomato juice, tomato sauce, tomato soup concentrate, or bottled spaghetti sauce
3/4 cup Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion I usually add 1 small whole onion)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Press into 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.

Bake 1 hour to medium (160°F) doneness until not pink in center and juices show no pink color. Let stand 5 minutes; drain off any juices before slicing.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time Time: 55 min

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins


Preparation
Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time Time: 08 min
Variations
Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. 24 BARS.
VARIATIONS: Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon. Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit. HIGH ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups and bake as directed.

Yield
4 DOZEN

KNORR SPINACH DIP

A MOST delicious dip from Knorr!
At least 2 hours ahead:
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry.
1 16-oz sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix, dry
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, drained & chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Combine all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours.
Serve with vegetables, crackers, or sour dough bread chunks.
This is a great recipe to serve in a bread bowl.
Makes 4 cups dip.

CHILI CHEESE SQUARES

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chilies
6 - 7 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper to taste

In an 8" X 8" baking dish, layer half of the cheeses, then the diced green chilies, then the other half of the cheese. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over all. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Mexican Restaurant Rice

Just that simple tasty rice you get with dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Perfect for a home dinner with tacos and beans.

1 cup long grain rice

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 TBS tomato bouillon (such as Knorr brand)

2 TBS vegetable or olive oil

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add rice, and cook and stir until rice is a nice golden brown and smells toasty. Do not burn!

Add the water and then the tomato bouillon.

Stir to combine.

Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and allow to cook about 20 minutes.

You may add a small amount of peas, diced carrots or onion, if desired, during the cooking time.

Vanilla Bread Pudding

Aunt Fae's recipe - soooo good! Hope I can make it anywhere near as well as she does!

4 cups soft bread cubes

1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 TBS vanilla

2 cups milk

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup slivered almonds (optional)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Place bread crumbs in lightly greased 8" X 8" baking pan. Mix together eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar and milk. Pour over bread cubes and top with slivered almonds, if desired. Bake in 350 degree oven 50 - 60 mins. or until a knife comes out clean. Serve with nutmeg sauce.

Nutmeg Sauce:

1 cup sugar

2 TBS butter or margarine

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbs. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups water

Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and place in saucepan. Add other ingredients and cook until thick and smooth.

It is yummy!!

**Note: since I don't really like the flavor of nutmeg, I'm going to try making the sauce with cinnamon instead.

Hot Chocolate

My mom always made hot chocolate from scratch... SO delicious! I use my cocoa cup for measuring the milk, and a regular teaspoon (not a measuring spoon) for the cocoa and sugar.

For each cup of hot chocolate:

1 cup milk

2 heaping teaspoons of Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder

2 - 3 teaspoons sugar or the equivalent of sugar substitute (I know it's a lot, but hey, this is an indulgence!)

a tiny pinch of salt

I just place all the ingredients in my Cocomotion machine, and it does the rest.

If you don't have a machine:

Mix the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt together.

Add to warmed milk and stir with whisk to combine and continue heating.

Serve piping hot... with marshmallows if desired!

NOTE: When making 3 or more servings, I add a little (a little!) vanilla extract -- this gives it an extra rich and yummy kick. But be careful with the vanilla because it can take over the flavor of the cocoa. I find that when making just one or two cups, it's almost impossible to get the vanilla right, so I just leave it out.