Linda's Layered Taco Dip (Can Be Vegan)

16-oz can refried beans, blended with:

1/2 pkg. taco seasoning (or 1-2 Tbsp, if you buy it in bulk like I do)

1/4 - 1/2 C. salsa (not in the original recipe, but makes it spreadable)

8 oz. sour cream or Greek yogurt (use cashew yogurt for vegan)

6-oz avocado dip (or 2 ripe avocados, mashed and seasoned with SPG and lemon juice)

4-oz can diced black olives (I do not like them so I do not put this)

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 small sweet onion, chopped fine

4-oz can chopped chiles

1 1/2 C. shredded jack cheese (omit if vegan)

Stir the beans together with the taco seasoning and the salsa. Spread into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Layer the sour cream/yogurt, guacamole dip, tomatoes, sweet onion, chopped chiles, and cheese. Serve with 2 iced tea spoons in the corners for dipping, with large corn chips or tortilla chips on the side.

Nanny's Hamburger Stew

This soup has been a staple in our home because it is fast and easy, and I almost always have all the ingredients on hand. This was my Nanny Sibley's recipe, which my mom (own kids' "Nanny" as well) loved as a kid and served to us growing up—and it's now been passed down to a fourth generation of married cooks! There are few measurements... you just have to "feel" it and make it to your own liking!

For one Dutch oven-sized batch:

Boil 1-2 pounds hamburger in a few inches of water. (Choose leaner beef, as the fat will simply boil out and flavor the soup.)

Add diced potatoes and finely chopped onion, to taste.

Add 1-2 cans undrained tomatoes (either whole—pinched into pieces—or petite diced) AND 1 large can tomato sauce.

Season with SPG.

This is delicious served with a hearty, crusty bread and a side salad... or just crudités in a pinch.

Coconut Tarts

My Mom made these delicious gems for my birthday, but her original recipe (see end of this post) used boxed pudding mix and canned whipped cream, and it was also a bit sweeter than we like. Here is a modified version, made from scratch and with less sugar. Still yummy!

Ingredients for tart shells

Pre-made, packaged tart cups (made of phyllo dough)
OR
24 sheets of phyllo dough, defrosted
6 Tbsp. butter, melted

Procedure for homemade tart shells

1) Either purchase mini tart shells pre-made, and bake according to package directions, or follow the procedure below to make your own.

2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan.

3) Liberally brush 12 muffin cups in a muffin tin with melted butter.

4) On a clean counter, unroll the first 4 sheets of phyllo dough and leave them stacked on top of each other. Work quickly, as phyllo dough dries out fast. Use a 5" circle to cut out 2 circles of dough.

5) Move the 2 circles to two of the cups you brushed with butter in the muffin tin. Press them gently down into the cups and brush with melted butter again.

6) Repeat the process with the remaining sheets of phyllo dough until you have 12 muffin tins filled.

7) Bake the shells for 8 minutes or until lightly brown.

8) Gently remove from pan as soon they come out of the oven. Cool on a wire rack.


Ingredients for tarts

1 recipe Coconut Cream Pudding (already prepared, but without the meringue)
1 C.+ heavy whipping cream
1/4 C. powdered sugar
1/4 C. coconut flakes, toasted, for garnish

Procedure for tarts

1) Prepare Coconut Cream Pudding recipe as filling. Spoon into cooled tart cups.

2) Whip cream together with powdered sugar (can also use granulated sugar) to desired sweetness and stiffness.

3) Toast coconut flakes until lightly browned and crisp (for garnish).

4) Top filled tarts with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.


The original recipe from my mom:

The original recipe from dessertfortwo.com, which describes the procedure for making the shells, appears at the link. There is also yet another version of the coconut filling there, if you want to try out something different.

Nanny's Deviled Eggs

1) Hard-boil however many eggs you want to serve.

2) While still hot, carefully peel the eggs.

3) Cut the eggs in half and carefully remove the cooked yolks.

4) Melt a pat of butter into the hot yolks, then stir in just enough mayonnaise and homemade sweet pickle juice to make the right "stuffing" texture. Add salt to taste.

5) Sprinkle deviled eggs with paprika before serving.

Nanny's Strawberry Crunch

To make the CRUST, combine:
1 C. butter, melted
1 C. chopped nuts
2 C. self-rising flour (OR 2 C. flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt)

Press into 9x13 pan. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

To make the FILLING:
2 C. sugar (I use less!)
2 C. water
1/3 C. cornstarch
dash salt
1 (3-oz.) box strawberry Jello
1 T. lemon juice
1 quart strawberries, sliced

1) Cook sugar, water, cornstarch, and salt until clear and thick.

2) Add gelatin and lemon juice.

3) Cool filling and crust.

4) Cover crust with sliced berries.

5) Pour filling over berries.

6) Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

7) Serve each slice with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, if desired.

Nanny's Easy Lasagna

1) Brown 1/2-1 pound ground beef. (I've also used cooked lentils.)

2) Add 4 C. marinara sauce (canned or homemade) and simmer.

3) Layer uncooked noodles, half of cottage cheese mixture (see below), half of grated mozzarella, half of sauce. Repeat.

4) Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 1-1 1/2 hours.

5) Let stand to set up for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Cottage cheese mixture: 2-3 C. small curd cottage cheese mixed with 2 Tbsp. parsley, 1/2-1 C. parmesan, 2 eggs

Nanny's Lazy Peach Cobbler

1 C. flour
1 C. sugar (I use 1/2 C.)
1 C. milk
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 stick butter (I use 1/2 stick)
1 large can sliced peaches (in heavy syrup)

1. Melt butter in the 8x10 pan you plan to cook the cobbler in, by placing it in the oven as it preheats to 400 degrees.

2. Make a batter of the first four ingredients.

3. Drizzle batter into melted butter. Do not stir!

4. Slowly and evenly add undrained peaches and syrup. Do not stir!

5. Bake for 40 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Nanny's New Orleans Red Beans & Rice

1 lb. dried kidney beans
2 quarts water
1 large onion
2 ribs celery
2-3 cloves garlic
2 slices bacon
1 crumbled bay leaf
1  tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. sugar (I omit this.)
1/2-1 lb. spicy sausage (Andouille or similar)

I double this for our family of 6 so we can have guests or leftovers.

Soak beans overnight or follow quick-soak method.  Cook beans in 2 quarts of salted water (but not too salty!) until just barely done (45 minutes or so—if you overcook them, they'll fall apart later). Reserving cooking water, drain beans and rinse in cold water.

Fry bacon in Dutch oven, then remove. Using bacon drippings, sauté onion and celery.  Add garlic and parsley as onion gets clear and soft (maybe after 10 minutes).

Add 1 qt. (or more) reserved boiling liquid, cooked beans, and other spices/ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer lightly for 45 minutes.  (I've reduced this step to as little as 15 minutes in a pinch or if I've accidentally overcooked the beans in the first place.)  Mash 1/4 cup beans and return to pot for thickening. (I usually omit this step.)

Serve over cooked rice with a crusty bread and salad.

Nanny's Cranberry Salad

1 package raspberry jello
1 cup water
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 chopped apple
chopped nuts
chopped celery

Dissolve the jello in the water. Add other ingredients, stir, and pour into square glass pan. Chill until set.

How Nanny Cooks the Turkey

And here's one small example of the millions of ways my sweet husband makes me laugh and smile every single day...

I asked him one year, very early in our marriage, to find out from my mother how she cooks a turkey.  He called her and jotted it down for me in a loose notebook lying around.  This is what I found lying on the counter when I got ready to prepare the bird:

Nanny's Blackberry Pie

Pastry for 2 crust 9 inch pie
4 C. berries
1 C. sugar
4 T. flour
1 T. butter

Line 9 inch pie plate with pastry; fill with berries. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and dash salt, sprinkle over. Dot with butter. Add top crust. Bake at 400 hundred degrees 40-50 minutes.

Nanny's Cheese Grits

6 C. water
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C. quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 sticks butter (I use only 1)
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. Tabasco
1 lb. Velveeta, cubed

Cook grits according to package. Add butter and cheese. Stir until melted. Add seasoned salt, Tabasco, and eggs. Bake uncovered 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Nanny's Ambrosia

Iivo's mother requested this recipe from my mother. (She makes it every year at Thanksgiving. My kids love it. It is almost more like dessert than a fruit salad.)

1 cup mandarin oranges (1 small can, drained)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pineapple (not crushed, but yes drained)
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup sour cream (I use half plain yogurt.)

Mix all together and serve chilled.