'Tis Another Season!

Sharing my cooked creations is an ongoing joy for me. Call it showing off if you will, but it does my heart good to hear the “oohs” and the “ahhs” and I betcha it is heart-warming for you too. 'Tis the season for Pot Lucks - the most wonderful way to share homemade foods without having to “slave” over the whole meal. The host has a little more work, but the rewards are great and everybody wins.

My best Pot Luck formula is this: the host provides all dishes, cutlery and beverages – usually coffee,tea. bottled waters, sodas, and ice. The host can provide the main dish as well, which ideally is an entree fresh out of the oven and can set the party theme. Ask a few close friends to prepare specific hardy dishes: chicken, beef, bean, pasta, etc - these will depend upon what else is being served. Ask the other guests to bring complimentary side dishes: veggies, potatoes, salads, fruit salads, rolls with butter, and of-coarse THE dessert (one or more depending upon your guest count).

Here are two Pot Luck winners:

CROCK POT MAC 'N CHEESE

1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
one stick butter
5 C grated Cheddar cheese
4-6 eggs, beaten
8 oz. sour cream
2 can condensed Cheddar Cheese soup
1 tsp salt
2 C milk
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp pepper

Boil macaroni, drain, set aside. In pan, mix butter and cheese – add some milk to keep it from thickening. Stir until cheese melts. In your crock pot, combine the cheese and butter mixture. Add the beaten eggs to a tiny bit of sour cream, mix, then add the rest of the sour cream, mix well. Add to crock pot stirring well; add the soup, salt, pepper, milk and mustard, stir well. Finally, add the drained macaroni, stir again. Cook in crock pot - high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The result is a creamy, smooth delish dish!



SWEDISH MEATBALLS

38 oz package frozen cooked meatballs (without a sauce!)
one onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/ 26 oz can cream of mushroom soup
2/ 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
16 oz sour cream
1 can chicken or beef broth
¼ tsp pepper

Place meatballs, onion, garlic and soup into crock pot. Cook on high for one hour then on low for 3 hours. After 3 hours, add the *chicken broth, stir until smooth. Cook for another 1-2 hours then add some of the hot liquid from the pot to the sour cream, stir so that when you add the sour cream it is mixed with about ½ cup of the liquid. Add to crock pot, stir until smooth with a whisk. Cook for another 30 – 40 minutes. Add pepper to taste. *If you want to leave pot unattended, add the broth at the start then just leave pot on low for 4-6 hours. Then follow sour cream instructions above.

ENJOY!