Sunomono Japanese Cucumber Salad

3 Japanese or 4 Persian cucumbers
1/ t salt
3 T rice vinegar
1 T sugar
1/4 t soy sauce

Slice cucumbers thin as you can.  Stir in salt and let stand for 5 minutes.  Squeeze water out of cucumbers.
In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce together until sugar dissolves.
Add vinegar mixture to prepared cucumbers and mix well.

Japanese Cooking 101

Make Ahead Mash Potatoes

5 lbs baking potatoes

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

1 c sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Scrub, peel, and rinse the potatoes, and cut them into 2" pieces. Place them in a large stockpot and cover with water. Boil until fork tender, approximately 18-20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and add remaining ingredients. Mash and mix well. To thoroughly mix ingredients you may want to us a a hand stand mixer Taste and adjust amount of salt if necessary. Transfer mashed potatoes to a shallow baking dish and cover with foil. Potatoes can be kept warm in the oven at this point, refrigerated or frozen. Makes 10-12 servings.

Make ahead tip: These can be made several days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-45 minutes or until hot.

Crystal Maleski

Potato Casserole

1-2 lb bag of shredded potatoes (Ore-Ida) defrosted

1 pint sour cream

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 c butter (melted)

1/3 c green onions (chopped)

2 c cheddar cheese (grated)

1 t salt

1 t pepper

2 c corn flakes (crushed)

Mix all ingredients together except the potatoes and cornflakes. Then gently fold the potatoes into the mixture. Place in 9x13 pan. Top with crushed cornflakes mixed with 2 T melted butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Nana's Boston Baked Beans

1 lb small white beans
rounded 1/2 t dry mustard
rounded 1/2 t baking soda
3/4 c molasses
1/2 of the salt pork from market
1 small white onion

Wash beans carefully. Put them in a bean pot with other ingredients, adding water until 1/2" above beans. Bake overnight or all day at 300 degrees. It is best to check on water and stir them, and add a little if necessary.

Tina Russell

Black Beans

2 cans black beans
1 tomato
1/2 bay leaf
1 T onion flakes
1/2 T red wine vinegar
3/4 T oregano
3/4 t liquid smoke
salt and pepper to taste.

Put all ingredients in a pot and bring to boil. Cook until tomatoes begin to break down.
Serve over rice.

Chuck's Favorite Mac N Cheese

1-8oz package of large elbow macaroni

1-8oz package of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1-12oz container small curd cottage cheese

1-8oz container of sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1 c dry bread crumbs

1/3 c butter melted



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted and oiled water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until done. Combine noodles, and all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and butter. Pour mixture in a grease a 9X13" baking dish. In a bowl combine butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over noodle mixure in baking dish. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Cranberry Jello Salad

Mix 2 c hot water with 1 large pkg of raspberry jello. Let cool and add 1 small carton of sour cream and 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce. Then let it set overnight.

Topping:
1/2 pt cream
4 oz cream cheese
32 miniature marshmallows

Combine all topping ingredients in a bowl and whip and add sugar to taste.
Spread over jello mixture.

by Shirley Mangum