P.E.O. International

Chocolate Party Dessert

First Layer

• ¾ cup butter
• 1 ½ cup flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ cup chopped pecans

Mix these four ingredients together as pie crust and pat into a 9 x 13” greased pan. Bake at 375 °F for 15 min

Second layer

• One 8 oz. and one 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ cups Cool Whip

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar then fold in the Cool Whip. Now pour over first layer.

Third layer

• 3 sm. Pkgs. Jell-O chocolate instant pudding
• 4 ½ cups milk

Beat together until thick. Pour over second layer

Fourth layer

• Spread a layer of Cool Whip on top of it all

Note: One large carton of Cool Whip is enough for entire recipe. Refrigerate. Best when prepared one day prior to serving.

Margie Allen, J, Birmingham, Michigan 

Oriental Frosty Mold

• 1—6 oz. pkg. orange-pineapple gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1—11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)
• 1 cup reserved mandarin orange juice plus cold water (to make 1 cup)
• 1 pint orange sherbet

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add mandarin orange juice and water and chill till slightly thickened. Fold in orange sherbet and oranges. Pour into mold and chill.

Joyce Emmert, DM, Hayward, Wisconsin 

Dry Rub Beef Ribs

• 1 or 2 racks of short ribs (beef)—4 to 5 pounds. Select meaty ribs

Basic barbeque rub

• ¼ cup coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup paprika
• 3 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds

Mix and rub ribs. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Set barbeque on high until smoking. Reduce to low. Put ribs on high rack, meat side up. After 2 hours, serve hot and enjoy.

Betty M. Pyper, X, Centralia, Washington 

Supper (Shrimp) Salad

• 1 small pkg. lemon Jell-O
• 1 cup boiling water

Dissolve Jell-O in water and add 1 T vinegar, ½ tsp salt, 1 T onion. Mix and set aside.

Combine: ½ cup mayo, ½ cup cream

Beat into Jell-O, and then add:

• ½ cup walnuts
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 1 tablespoon green pepper
• 1 can shrimp
• 1/4 lb. pimento cheese, cubed

The above make a delicious jellied salad, to be served any time of the year.

Geneva K. Richarson, Y, Victoria, British Columbia 

Baked Cocktail Chicken Drumettes

Ingredients:
2 packages chicken drumettes (about 2 pounds)
1-2 sticks butter or butter substitute
Condiments/seasonings of choice: garlic powder, pepper, cayenne, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, dry mustard, liquid smoke, soy sauce—whatever!

I usually use a generous amount of garlic powder, pepper, a few dashes of hot sauce and liquid smoke.

Directions:
Rinse and drain drumettes
Melt butter
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Coat casserole dish with non-stick spray
Add condiments to butter and stir
Cover bottom of casserole with one half butter-condiment mixture add drumettes (do not “stack” drumettes on top of each other!)
Add remaining butter-condiment mixture, making certain poultry is well coated.
Cover
Bake 1 ½ hours

Mary Pierson, IW, Mason City, Iowa 

Garden Tomato Soup

• 4 large tomatoes
• 1 cup canned chicken broth (low sodium)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• ½ cup diced green pepper
• 1 cup tomato juice or low sodium V-8 juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Peel and chop tomatoes. In a large saucepan, simmer onions, cucumber, green pepper, and tomatoes in chicken broth for five minutes. Add tomato juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve chilled. Garnish with fresh chopped chives, if desired.

Joy Smith, E, Charlotte, North Carolina 

Punch

• 2—fifths champagne (Cold Duck)
• 2—1 liter-size bottles club soda
• 2—fifths dry Rhine wine
• 3 cans or bottle Fanta Red Cream soda

Have all ingredients well-chilled. Add champagne at very last, just before serving. For a pretty punch, float whole fresh strawberries in punch bowl. Approximately 50 servings.

Joyce Emmert, DM, Hayward, Wisconsin 

Summer Linguini with Tomatoes and Basil

• 4 large ripe tomatoes (cubed, squeeze out juice)
• ¾ lb. Brie cheese (rind removed)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 cup fresh basil (cleaned, cut in strips—about 1 ½ oz.)
• 1 ½ lb. linguini
• Fresh parmesan cheese

Mix all except pasta. Set in room temperature at least 2 hours. Cook pasta, drain. Add sauce. Serve lukewarm, with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

May try ½ Brie and ½ Neuchatel. The original recipe calls for 1 lb. Brie—rather strong taste.

Amy Nicholson, JF, Iowa City, Iowa 

Portuguese Chicken

• 6-8 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large pay leaf, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon crushed dried red chili peppers
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all ingredients together except the chicken. It will be in paste form. At least 2-3 hours before cooking time, brush both sides of chicken with the paste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes before cooking.

Author Unknown 

Easy Lemon Pie

In blender combine:

• 1 lemon, quartered (remove seeds)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 4 eggs

Mix until well blended. Put in pie shell. Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Put Cool Whip or ice cream on top. Splenda can be used instead of sugar.

Virginia Miller, DG, Sun City West, Arizona 

Cracker Meringue Pie Crust

• 16 single soda crackers
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 3 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Crush soda crackers, chop nuts fine. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the following into the egg white: crackers, nuts, baking powder, sugar

Put into greased 10” pie pan. Vaguely shape in the pan but do not press into shape.

Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees. When done, the shell looks dried out.

Just before serving, add drained fruit (strawberries, peaches, etc.) My favorite is strawberries mixed with whipped cream.

Julie Albrecht, GT, Austin, Texas 

Sheri’s Chicken Salad

• 2 cups grilled chicken breast, cut up
• 1 cup green grapes, halved
• 1 cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• ¼ cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve on a lettuce leaf-lined plate

Joyce Emmert, DM, Hayward, Wisconsin 

Cashew-Chicken Pasta Salad

• 1 box 12 oz. rotini or spiral pasta
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken or 3 cans (12.5 oz. each) chicken breast
• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 ¼ cups sliced celery
• 1/3 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup green grapes, seedless, halved
• ¾ cup red grapes, seedless, halved
• 4 oz. dried cranberries

Dressing:

• 1 cup fat free ranch salad dressing
• ¾ cup fat free mayonnaise
• 1 ½ cups salted cashews

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine chicken, (drained, if canned), pineapple, celery, onions, grapes and cranberries.

Drain pasta. Rinse in cold water; stir into chicken mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk the ranch dressing and mayo. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Just before serving, stir in cashews.

Shirlee Hansen, CN, Beaverton, Oregon 

Pepperoni Salad

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup diced sweet onion (Vidalia, e.g.)
• ½ cup pepperoni, diced
• Italian dressing to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until serving. Calorie and fat content may be lowered by using turkey pepperoni and low fat dressing.

Combined with grilled meat/chicken/fish and crusty garlic bread, this is a quick, easy and delicious summer meal.

Michel Larson, AF, Chandler, Arizona 

Easy Key Lime Pie

• Graham cracker crust
• 1 small pkg. lime Jell-O
• 2—8 oz. cartons of key lime yogurt
• 8 oz. carton Cool Whip
• Juice of one lime or 3 T bottled lime juice
• Fruit for garnish (peaches or strawberries)

Add Jell-O to ¼ cup boiling water. Stir ‘til Jell-O melts. Stir in yogurt and whisk ‘til smooth. Add ½ carton Cool Whip and whisk again ‘til smooth. Stir in lime juice.

Pour into pie crust and place in refrigerator ‘til set. Before serving I put dollops of Cool Whip all around the edge of the pie and place sliced peaches or strawberry halves in center.

Polly Nane, FI, Sherman, Texas  

Chicken Salad Deluxe

• 2 ½ cups chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup celery, finely sliced
• 1 cup green grapes (seedless), sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 oz. mayo

Combine all ingredients and toss gently. May garnish with bunches of grapes for a great dish for your friends at a buffet.

Virginia Cole, AY, Grove City, Pennsylvania