Pico De Gallo

1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, finely diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (or you can use a green bell pepper)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt
Ground black pepper

Combine. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Serve, or store covered in plastic wrap up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 quart.

Easy Bread-and-Butter Pickles

4 pounds cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarse salt
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. ground celery seed

Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Add salt and toss. Add enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Let stand, covered, for 2 hours.

Drain. Rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add cucumbers and onions and return to boil. Cook 1 minute. Transfer to jars or airtight containers and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 3 quarts.

Fresh Vegetable Salsa

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tbls. diced purple onion
1 tbls. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. garlic salt

Mix and chill. Serve with tortilla chips.

(This makes 1 3/4 cups. I usually double the recipe, and sometimes triple it. I also do not peel or seed. Who has time for that? I just dice everything.)

Hamburger Baked Beans

(This is a recipe that my mother used to make and take to picnics and summer gatherings.)

Brown 1 pound ground beef and 1 chopped onion. Drain.

Make a sauce of:

1 quart tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cook in a sauce pan over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Then combine the sauce and browned beef with:
1 large can Pork and Beans
2 tsp. mustard
Bake in a baking dish at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Kim's Spiced Zucchini Bread

This makes 2 loaves. *Tell your kids it's "Cake" and they will love it! (Don't mention the word "zucchini", that tends to freak them out.)

3 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

Combine dry ingredients and nuts. Set aside. Beat eggs; add sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans.

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Squash Casserole

(I love squash! My Aunt Becky gave me this recipe a few years ago. I usually like squash cooked in a little water with salt, pepper, and onion, but this recipe is really good when you want a little something different.)

8 small yellow squash, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1 stick butter
1 box Stove top stuffing mix (cornbread variety)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Simmer squash slightly, and drain. Melt butter, and saute onion and carrot for 5 minutes. Add stuffing mix to butter mixture and blend until moist. Remove from heat. (Do not use seasoning packet from stuffing box) Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover the bottom with half of the stuffing mixture. Layer all of the squash. Salt and pepper. In a bowl, blend soup and sour cream. Spread over squash. Sprinkle with cheese and then the other half of the stuffing mixture.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crescent Chicken Casserole

I got this recipe from my mom in 1994.


4 boneless chicken breast, boiled or baked, and chopped
1 can crescent rolls
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Sauce:
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup grated Velveeta Cheese
1 soup can of milk
1/2 cup sour cream
Heat until cheese melts.

Open can of crescent rolls and separate. Should be 8 rolls. Stuff the chopped chicken into each roll and roll up. Place in a 9 x 13 greased casserole dish. Sprinkle any left over chicken in between rolls. Pour sauce over top. Sprinkle 1 cup cheddar cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.