Mostaccioli Salad

Serves 6

1 pound mostaccioli noodles

12 slices bacon, cut into 1’ pieces

1 tsp garlic salt

½  cup sugar

5  carrots , shredded

3 large green peppers, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 ½ cups  Miracle Whip (not mayonnaise)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook noodles until al dente, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles, blanch with warm water. Set aside.

Fry bacon pieces until crisp, remove and drain on paper towels. In the bacon drippings, add all other ingredients and stir.

Mix noodles with dressings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle bacon on top.  Serve at room temperature

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Special Occasion Fruit Salad

Ahh, Grandma’s fruit salad.  This dish is a constant at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, wedding and baby showers, and countless other special gatherings. Built by combining a variety of canned and fresh fruit, this is a great salad to make during winter months when fresh fruit isn’t at its best. During the rest of the year, other berries can be added to dress it up.

Serves 6

Any combination of canned/fresh fruit will do.

1 – 15 oz can fruit cocktail (or peaches or pears)

1 – 15 oz can pineapple chunks

1 – 15 oz can peach slices

1 – 15 oz can Mandarin orange slices

1 small package Jell-O Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding (not instant)

1 tablespoon butter

2 bananas

1-2 cups seedless grapes (any kind)

Drain canned fruit and save the juices  to make the pudding. You should have 2 cups liquid (add orange juice or other fruit juice if you do not have 2 cups).

Combine juice, butter and pudding  mix. Follow cooking instructions and cook until the pudding thickens and becomes slightly opaque.

Refrigerate sauce and fruit separately until ready to serve. When ready to serve, drain fruit again and add banana cut into chunks and grapes. Pour sauce over, stir and serve.

Potato Casserole

These are the best, cheesy, crunchy, wonderful potatoes in the world.  Grandma Haines would make these when family came for dinner and she was serving ham or beef.

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 350º

2 ½ pounds fresh or frozen, thawed hash brown potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cream of chicken soup

¼ cup butter, melted

1-1/2  cups sour cream

½  teaspoon pepper

3 green onions, chopped (green and whites)

1 cup grated cheese (divided)

½ cup corn flakes.

Toss potatoes with salt in a large microwaveable bowl. Cover and microwave 5 minutes or until potatoes are softened.

Mix melted butter and soup with potatoes. Add, pepper, sour cream, onions and half the cheese. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 45 -50 minutes. Remove foil, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and cornflakes.  Broil for 5 minutes.

Brisket with homemade BBQ Sauce, Pantry coleslaw and these potatoes makes for a fantastic “company is coming” dinner. Take a hint from Grandma and finish this meal off with her chocolate surprise cake and vanilla ice cream.

The Pantry Coleslaw

Grandma Haines’ brother-in-law, Uncle Lou got this recipe directly from the Original Pantry, a Los Angeles Restaurant Icon that has been there…forever (he delivered meat to them). Grandpops White used to go there when he was in downtown Los Angeles on business for General Electric.

Serves 10

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons white wine or cider vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

Dash black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup half & half

½ teaspoon salt

Large bag shredded coleslaw mix

3 – 4 chopped green onions

Blend together mayo, sugar, vinegar, and oil in a bowl. Add garlic, onion powder, dry mustard, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, half and half, and salt.  Stir until smooth. Pour over shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onions, until well coated.  Serve immediately.

Family Fact: Aunt Sandy and Uncle Neil made 1 gallon of this dressing for Grammy and Grandpops White’s 50^th anniversary party to serve 75 people.