Southern-style Recipes Ramsey and Dowling Recipes

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Ramsey Recipes

 
Angie's Taters

Asparagus Casserole

Aunt Cassie's Milk Punch

Bean Salad

Black Russian Cake

Bob's Favorite Cookies

Broiled Scallops

Broccoli-Rice Casserole

Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Cora Dowling Ramsey's Angel Food Cake

Cucumber mix for Cucumber Sandwiches

Earthquake Cake

Family Pie.


Forgotten Cookies

Frozen Fruit Salad


Georgia Caviar

Grandmother's Chocolate Cake

Grandmother Ramsey's Other Chocolate Cake

Grandmother Ramsey's Chocolate Pie


Hilda’s Blonde Brownies

Hilda Ramsey’s Charlotte

Julia's French Coconut Pie

Julia's Chicken

Just the Best Cookies

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Mama E.'s Pecan Pie

Mama E.'s Pound Cake

Marinated Carrots or Copper Coins

Oatmeal Cookies

 
Peanut Butter Pie

Sherried Fruit

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp in Lemon Butter

Squash Casserole

The Best Cornbread Dressing

Tuna Casserole

Wedding Punch










Cora Dowling Ramsey's Angel Food Cake

11 Egg Whites

1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

2 Cups Sugar

1 1/2 Cups Flour

1 Teaspoon Bee Brand Vanilla

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Beat eggs to a stiff froth. Add cream of tartar and sugar. Continuing the beating.. Then fold in flour, salt and vanilla. Bake in unbuttered Angel cake pan 30 to 35 minutes. Test with broom straw. If it doesn't stick it's done.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

1 can Eagle brand milk (sweetened)

Grated rind of 1 lemon

½ cup lemon juice

2 Tablespoons of sugar

3 egg yolks

Blend together condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks. Beat until stiff enough to stand in peaks. Beat meringue to be added to the filling till stiff enough to stand in peaks and then add 3 tablespoons of sugar. Pour into a pie shell.

Meringue: 4 egg whites, 8 Tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat egg whites until stiff and dry. Add cream of tartar. Add sugar slowly. Spread on the pie filling. Bake in a very slow oven 10 minutes without coloring; then increase heat so that meringue may color delicately in the next 6 or 8 minutes. Be sure to GRADUALLY beat in the sugar, one teaspoon at a time, and beat extremely well after each addition. Continue to beat until meringue is very thick and glossy and the peaks stand up well when the beater is withdrawn.

 

Hilda’s Blonde Brownies

Recipe By :Hilda Ramsey

1 box light brown sugar

2/3 cup shortening or Crisco

3 eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup coconut or pecans

1 6 oz package chocolate bits

teaspoon lemon

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Cook for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Use long flat pan with slight ridge. Hilda Ramsey had these waiting for her boys when they came home from college.

 

Just the Best Cookies

Recipe By :Rosa Thomas

2 sticks Oleo

1 cup white sugar

cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup oil, or less

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup cornflakes -- crushed

1 cup nuts -- chopped

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together Oleo, sugars, egg and oil.

Add oatmeal, cornflakes and nuts.

Sift together, flour, salt, and soda.

Add vanilla and blend together.

On greased sheet, drop mixture by teaspoonfuls.

Bake 300 to 325 degrees until slightly brown.

 

Shrimp Salad

2 cups cooked shrimp

1 cup celery (coarsely chopped)

2 hard-cooked eggs (coarsely chopped)

2 tablespoons dill pickles, minced

Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon ketchup

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper

If shrimp are large, cut them into halves or quarters. Mix shrimp, celery, eggs and pickles together lightly with Mayonnaise to which has been added the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with sliced tomatoes.

 

Hilda Ramsey’s Charlotte

4 egg whites

Scant cup sugar

1 pint cream, whipped

1 tablespoonful Knox gelatin

3 ounces sherry wine

Beat the cream and whites of eggs separately (real stiff). Dissolve gelatin in ¼ cup cold water, add to ¼ cup boiling water. Let this cool. Add ½ cup sugar to stiffly beaten whites and other half to whipped cream. Fold together and add the gelatin and wine. Cube the angel food cake and place in a trifle dish. Pour mixture over cake. Set in refrigerator for about 2 hours before serving. Garnish with cherries or some other fruit.

 

Family Pie.
1 handful of Forgiveness
1 heaping cup of Love
a full pound of Unselfishness
Mix together smoothly with Complete Faith in God.
Add - 2 tablespoons of Wisdom
1 teaspoon of Good Nature for flavor. Sprinkle generously with Thoughtfulness.

 

Shrimp in Lemon Butter
1 cup butter

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 pounds large shrimp-peeled and deveined 

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add next 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. 
Add shrimp, stirring occasionally. Yield 4 to 6 servings.
Great over rice or pasta!

 

Angie's Taters
Red Potatoes (1 large for each person)

purple onion
Lowry's seasoned salt

freshly ground pepper
melted butter

Parmesan cheese (ground)
Slice potatoes (medium slices). Cover with generous amount of remaining ingredients. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.
Great with steak or baked chicken - anything.

Broiled Scallops
Angie Farrell
3/4 pound shrimp (for 2 people) fresh lemon
butter (salted)

3 to 4 shallots
(small/medium)
Paprika (Hungarian is better)

Dry, white Vermouth (optional)

Bread crumbs (plain, not Italian)

fresh parsley (for garnish) 
Preheat broiler. Wash scallops. Drain. Split in half, if large variety. (Small Bay scallops are best.) Melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute 3 to 4
shallots (thinly minced). When tender, add tablespoon of lemon juice, salt and pepper and 1/4 teaspoon or less of paprika to this mixture and mix with scallops. Put in a shallow broiling pan (without rack). Broil on second rack from top of oven about 4 minutes. Stir often. Pour a little Vermouth in at last if desired. 
This is great with wild rice.

 

Broccoli-Rice Casserole
2 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 package frozen chopped broccoli (drained) cheeze whiz
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can water chestnuts (chopped fine)
1/2 cups chopped celery

3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk

Saute onion, butter and celery. Add soup, milk, cheeze whiz and chestnuts. Add rice and broccoli. Bake at 340 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

 

Asparagus Casserole

2 cans asparagus (drained)

2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup water
2 cans onion rings
slivered almonds
Place alternate layers of asparagus, soup and cheese and almonds in casserole
dish. Season to taste. Add water. Top with onion rings.

 

Earthquake Cake
Wannelle Hedgepath

1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix (check mix for ingredients needed)
1 cup chopped pecans 
1 cup coconut
1stick margarine
1 (8 ounce) package of cream
cheese
1 (16 ounce) box of powdered sugar

Spray a 13x9x2" pan with cooking spray. Spread nuts and coconut in the pan. 
Mix cake mix as directed on package and pour over nuts and coconut. Melt
margarine and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar. Spoon or dollop
the mixture evenly over the cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 
Don't overbake. The cake cracks open as it bakes and the cream cheese
mixture sinks in; hence earthquake cake.

 

Black Russian Cake
1 yellow cake mix (not butter recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
1 large box (6 oz.) chocolate pudding
1 cup oil
4 eggs 
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup Kahlua
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt pan with cooking spray. Mix together dry ingredients. Add liquids and eggs. Beat for 4 minutes. Bake 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert pan on wax paper. 
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar 
1/4 cup Kahlua
Poke holes in cake with toothpick and pour glaze over cake. When cool, dust
with powdered sugar. May garnish with cool whip and strawberries.

 

Cucumber mix for Cucumber Sandwiches

 

3 cucumbers (peeled and finely grated)
(get out seeds - best to core out)
2 teaspoons grated onion 
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese 
3/4 tablespoons Worchestshire sauce
3 or 4 drops of Tabasco Sauce
Generous pinch of Lawry's seasoned salt
Grate the cucumber. Drain. Mix all together. I serve on rounds of white, fresh bread.
Here is a great marinade for ribs, steak, pretty much any meats.

6 limes
a bottle of terraki sauce
1/2 cup of olive oil

1 package of Good Seasons salad mix
1/3 cup vinegar
Mix together then marinate meat, chicken, or ribs for at least an hour.

OK, those are recipes from friends. Now comes family ones. I thought my Grandmother, Mama E., was the best of the best cooks in the whole world. I still can't get over that she cooked without recipes. When the church did a cookbook one year they asked her for some of hers. We had to watch her and write them down as she cooked.

Mama E.'s Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white Karo syrup
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 unbaked pie shell
Mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in eggs, syrup, vanilla, butter and pecans. 
Pour into pie shell and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until set.

 

Julia's French Coconut Pie
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar 
3 eggs
1 small can of flake coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup buttermilk

1 unbaked pie shell

Combine butter, sugar, eggs, coconut and vanilla. Add buttermilk and pour
into pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees to 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until firm and brown. (This is sensational!!!)

 

Marinated Carrots or Copper Coins
1 bunch carrots-scrape, cut round, cook until tender with salt.
Sauce:
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 large onion
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tablespoon Worstershire sauce
1/2 cup sugar

 

Cook all ingredients together for 10 minutes. Pour over cooked carrots. Let stand 4 to 8 hours or overnight. Refrigerate. Serve hot or cold. Can keep for weeks.

 

Squash Casserole
Mama E. and Aunt Julia
Boil squash and chopped onions until done. While still warm add butter and mash. Add salt, eggs, and grated cheese. Pour into greased casserole and top with toasted bread crumbs. Bake in moderate oven until brown. (No amount of ingredients were given. I always just use about 4 or 5 yellow squash and 1 medium onion, 2 eggs and a lot of cheese. My Aunt Julia would sometimes crush up and add melted butter to Ritz crackers and top the mixture.)

 

Julia's Chicken
1 jar of chipped beef
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 large carton of sour cream
Chicken breasts (any amount)
1/2 bacon strip for each breast

Grease pan lightly. Line with chipped beef. Place breast (with half bacon strip around each) on chipped beef. Mix soup and sour cream. Pour over chicken. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Bake for one and one half hours at 350 degrees.

Mama E.'s Pound Cake
3 sticks butter
2 & 1/2 cups sugar 
7 eggs
6 tablespoons Pet evaporated milk
3 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk, flour and flavoring. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

 

Georgia Caviar
Source: Ava Harris
1 pound dry black-eyed peas
2 ounces chopped pimento
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
(finely chopped)
2 jalapeno peppers (or to taste/optional)

1 large bottle of Italian Dressing
Soak and cook the black-eyed peas in salted water. Cook for 45 minutes (don't let them get mushy). Rinse in cold water, add pimento, bell pepper and onion in food processor. Mix all together with Italian Dressing. Salt and peper to taste. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with large (dippers) corn chips. This is really great! People come here Christmas Eve just to eat the Georgia
Caviar!

The Best Cornbread Dressing
2 cups corn meal (self-rising)
1 cup flour (self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons cooking oil
2 eggs
little buttermilk*
Mix all and enough buttermilk* to make consistency of cornbread. Bake at 450
degrees until lightly browned. 
Next part:
chicken broth (4 to 6 cups)
4 raw eggs 
1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped onions (saute these in some butter first)
Break up cornbread and add broth to make "soupy". Add raw eggs and beat all
up. Add the sauted celery and onions. Mix up. Cook for one hour at 400 degrees in a glass Pyrex dish that has been greased generously.
This takes a lot of time to cook but is totally worth it!!

Forgotten Cookies
Source: Vicki Cochran
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2 egg whites beaten to soft peaks.
Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar. Beat until firm peaks form. Add 3-4 drops food
coloring and 2/3 cups mini-chocolate chips-fold in. Drop by teaspoon onto
wax paper covered cookie sheet. Turn off oven and leave in 4 to 5 hours or
overnight. You can put these close together. My cousin uses green food
coloring and brings them at Christmas time. They never last very long!!

Frozen Fruit Salad
1 small container sour cream 
1/2 cup chopped marishino (sp) cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 diced banana
1 small can crushed pineapple and juice
1/2 cup sugar
mini marshmallows
Mix all together. Pour in muffin cups that you have in a muffin tin and freeze. This is great for a luncheon.

Sherried Fruit
Source: Julia Burch
1 #2 can pineapple chunks
1 #2 can pear halves
1 #2 can peach halves
1 #2 can apricot halves
1 #2 can apple rings
Drain well, pour in baking dish. Mix 1/2 cup sugan, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 cup sherry. Cook until thick. Pour over fruit. Place in refrigerator
overnight. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Bean Salad

3 - 4 T olive oil
3 - 4 yellow onions
6 - 7 stalks celery
2 cans Goya small white beans
2 cans Goya pink beans
1/3 to 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Chop onions into small (about 1/4 to 1/3 inch) pieces and sauté over medium low heat in olive oil for about 3 or 4 minutes. 
2. Add the celery, which has been chopped into 1/3-inch dice. Stir and let simmer while you
3. Open cans of beans, rinse them well and drain in colander. 
4. Put well-drained beans in large bowl and add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix.
5. Add onion and celery mixture and stir to mix well.
6. Transfer salad from bowl to a container (at least two quart size) and refrigerate.

This recipe makes about two quarts of salad and lasts more than a week in the refrigerator. It's a favorite at my garden club. I developed this recipe when I decided to eat healthy and lose weight. It's filling, healthy and
relatively low calorie (less than 100 calories per 1/2 cup serving). For variations you can add sliced green or black olives or chopped sweet pickles. Also try it with diced cheese, diced ham, and diced Italian salami. All good even though they add calories.

 
Cabbage and Sausage Soup

3 Tbs Olive Oil
6 - 8 cloves garlic chopped
3 or 4 medium onions sliced
4 large or 5 small zucchini sliced into rounds
1 1/2 or 2 cups sliced carrots
1 large can tomato puree
1 large bag shredded cabbage
10 - 12 links hot Italian sausage
Hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

1. Start browning the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. As the links cook, turn them and pierce them liberally to allow fat to drain out.
2. In a large soup pot, sauté the garlic (which can be either chopped or sliced) in the olive oil over low heat for a minute or two. (You don't want to burn the olive oil or brown the garlic too much since it will make the whole thing bitter.)
3. Add onions and sauté with garlic until translucent.
4. Add can of tomato puree and two or three cans of water to pot with about 1 t of salt, several grinds of fresh black pepper and 1/4 to 1/2 t hot pepper flakes.
5. Add cabbage, carrots and zucchini and let come to a boil over medium high heat. If liquid doesn't cover the vegetables add more water.
6. When the sausage is cooked, remove to plate and drain excess fat from skillet. Drain fat off carefully because you want to save the good browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
7. Deglase the skillet by transferring two to three cups of the soup liquid (not vegetables) to the skillet and placing skillet back on burner. Stir
contents of skillet to remove the good brown bits and reduce soup liquid.
8. When soup liquid is reduced by about half transfer it back to soup pot.
9. Sausage should be cooled enough to handle by now so slice each link into thin (10 to 14) slices per link. This can be done while you wait for liquid in skillet to reduce.
10. Stir sausage slices into soup.
11. Enjoy

Grandmother's Chocolate Cake

1 stick oleo
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 pint size can chocolate syrup (Hershey)
1 cup self rising flour
1 t vanilla

Blend together oleo and sugar. Mix together with other ingredients and pour
into two 9 inch pans that have been waxed papered and greased. Bake at 325
degrees for 35 minutes. Leave in pan until cold.
Icing
1 stick oleo
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
14 large marshmallows
1 box confectioners sugar
2 t vanilla
1 cup pecans
Melt oleo, cocoa, and milk in top of double boiler. Mix with other ingredients and beat until fudgy. Put in refrigerator.
This was one of Grandmother Ramsey's famous chocolate cakes. Whenever we came down from New York she had a chocolate cake waiting. They were all so good that I can't tell which was the best. So I'll have to give another. 
Pat Ramsey

Grandmother Ramsey's Other Chocolate Cake

1 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa
2 cups boiling water
2 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/ t baking powder
1 cup butter softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1. Combine cocoa with boiling water and mix with wisk until smooth. Cool
completely.
2. Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. Grease well and lightly flour three 9" round (at least 1 1/2 inches deep)
cake pans.
5. In large bowl, beat at high speed - butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until
light (about 5 minutes).
6. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternating with cocoa
mixture (in thirds ) beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not over
beat.
7. Divide evenly in pans and smooth tops.
8. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or till surface springs back to touch.
9. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove from pans to cool on racks.
Frosting
1 package (6 oz) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup light cream
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups unsifted confectioners sugar
1 Combine in saucepan, chocolate pieces, cream, and butter. Stir over medium heat until smooth.
2. Remove from heat. With wisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar.
3. In bowl over ice, beat until it holds shape.
Filling

1 t vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream well chilled
1/4 c unsifted confectioners sugar

 

1. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla.
2. Refrigerate.

To assemble cake
1. Place layer on plate top side down.
2. Spread with 1/2 of the cream filling.
3. Place second layer on first ( again with top side down) and spread with
the rest of the cream. 4. Place third layer on first two top side up.
5. Frost top and sides or just top and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
6. To serve slice with thin edged knife and use sawing motion.

 
Grandmother Ramsey's Chocolate Pie

Shell:
1 cup flour
1 stick oleo
1/2 cup nuts (chopped)

Mix and press into pie pan. Use two round or one square. Bake at 325 degrees
for 25 minutes.

 

Layer 1

1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese

Mix and spread on cooled shell

Layer 2
1 large instant Jello chocolate pudding
3 1/2 cups milk

Make chocolate pudding and spread on first layer. Refridgerate

Eat as is when cooled or spread whipped cream

Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups sifted flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar 3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 t baking powder 1 cup raisins
1 t salt 1 cup corn oil
1-2 t cinnamon 2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (1/2 cup wheat germ)
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda together. Stir in oats, (wheat germ) and raisins. Add in order, corn oil, eggs and milk. Beat until blended. 
Drop by teaspoon or tablespoonfuls, 1 and 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 10 to 12 minutes.The wheat germ is optional but is the secret ingredient that makes you feel better. Maybe not terrific, but at least you don't want to have someone take you out to the backyard and shoot you.

 

Bob's Favorite Cookies

This recipe was given to me when Bob was an infant and I've been making it ever since. The entire family enjoyed them but Bob loves them. They are
interesting because they use no flour and are good for children with wheat restricted diets. They are a great way to use up egg whites when other
recipes call only for yolks and can be frozen or stored in a tin for several weeks. I've never found out how many weeks because if I don't hide the tin
they are gone in a day or two. Even hiding the tin is futile because Phil or Bob always manage to sniff them out. Pat Ramsey

4 egg whites
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup peanut butter (either creamy or chunky)

10. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.
11. Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff peaks form.
12. Beat in peanut butter.
13. Drop by teaspoon 1 inch apart on a well greased cookie sheet..
14. Bake at 325 degrees about 20 minutes.
15. Cool before removing from pan.

Peanut Butter Pie
From: Grandmother Hilda Ramsey

Two Graham Cracker pie Crusts
8 oz cream cheese softened
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup milk
1 9 oz carton Cool Whip

Let cheese get soft. Cream together with peanut butter. Add other
ingredients. Freeze. It's good right out of the freezer. This was always a favorite with the children. To me it brings back memories
of our summer visits in Dothan. Pat Ramsey

 

Aunt Cassie's Milk Punch

1 1/2 oz Brandy
1 t vanilla flavoring
2 t sugar
Stir and mix, then add ice and fill glass with milk. (A glass of milk or as
much as desired. We had this punch at Cousin Richard Ramsey's after Cassie told us about it and insisted Richard make us all some. Our friends the Barths had flown from Daytona into Dothan to visit us while we were there and we all went to Richard's home for lunch. I don't remember what all we ate but sure remember
the punch and the new bulldog puppies they had that summer. Pat Ramsey

Wedding Punch

1 package frozen strawberries
1/2 to 1 cup rye whiskey
two quarts of white Rhine wine
two quarts of ginger ale

Place strawberries in punch bowl and cover with rye whiskey to soak and thaw.
Just before party, pour in wine and ginger ale. Extra fresh strawberries
can be floated on top or frozen into ice ring as garnish.

Tuna Casserole

1 can or package frozen green beans (French cut or whole)
1 large can tuna
2 T flour
2 slices American cheese
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1/2 soup can milk
4 drops hot sauce like Tabasco
2 T flour
1 can onion rings

1. Place drained green beans at bottom of casserole dish. 
2. Drain tuna well and spread over green beans.
3. Sprinkle 2T flour over tuna.
4. Mix can of soup with 1/2 can of milk, hot sauce and 2T of flour and pour over tuna.
5. Put the two slices cheese over everything (tear into pieces and spread
around).
6. Put onion rings on top of cheese.
7. Bake in a 475 degree oven until it bubbles and cheese melts.

Note: Other green vegetables can be used instead of green beans. I've used
spinach and peas and they seemed to like it just as well.

 

Pat Ramsey's Bean Salad

3 - 4 T olive oil
3 - 4 yellow onions
6 - 7 stalks celery
2 cans Goya small white beans
2 cans Goya pink beans
1/3 to 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Chop onions into small (about 1/4 to 1/3 inch) pieces and sauté over medium low heat in olive oil for about 3 or 4 minutes. 
2. Add the celery, which has been chopped into 1/3-inch dice. Stir and let simmer while you
3. Open cans of beans, rinse them well and drain in colander. 
4. Put well-drained beans in large bowl and add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix.
5. Add onion and celery mixture and stir to mix well.
6. Transfer salad from bowl to a container (at least two quart size) and refrigerate.

This recipe makes about two quarts of salad and lasts more than a week in the refrigerator. It's a favorite at my garden club. I developed this recipe when I decided to eat healthy and lose weight. It's filling, healthy and
relatively low calorie (less than 100 calories per 1/2 cup serving) so it's become a staple of my diet program. Phil likes it hot so he warms it in the microwave. For variations you can add sliced green or black olives or chopped sweet pickles. I've also tried it with diced cheese, diced ham, and diced Italian salami. All good even though they add calories.

 

Pat Ramsey's Cabbage and Sausage Soup

This is another recipe I developed for my healthy eating weight loss plan. It calls for hot sausage, but sweet sausage can be substituted for those who prefer less spicy fare. Pat Ramsey

3 Tbs Olive Oil
6 - 8 cloves garlic chopped

3 or 4 medium onions sliced
4 large or 5 small zucchini sliced into rounds
1 1/2 or 2 cups sliced carrots
1 large can tomato puree
1 large bag shredded cabbage
10 - 12 links hot Italian sausage
Hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

1. Start browning the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. As the links cook, turn them and pierce them liberally to allow fat to drain out.
2. In a large soup pot, sauté the garlic (which can be either chopped or sliced) in the olive oil over low heat for a minute or two. (You don't want to burn the olive oil or brown the garlic too much since it will make the whole thing bitter.)
3. Add onions and sauté with garlic until translucent.
4. Add can of tomato puree and two or three cans of water to pot with about 1 t of salt, several grinds of fresh black pepper and 1/4 to 1/2 t hot pepper flakes.
5. Add cabbage, carrots and zucchini and let come to a boil over medium high heat. If liquid doesn't cover the vegetables add more water.
6. When the sausage is cooked, remove to plate and drain excess fat from skillet. Drain fat off carefully because you want to save the good browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
7. Deglase the skillet by transferring two to three cups of the soup liquid (not vegetables) to the skillet and placing skillet back on burner. Stir
contents of skillet to remove the good brown bits and reduce soup liquid.
8. When soup liquid is reduced by about half transfer it back to soup pot.
9. Sausage should be cooled enough to handle by now so slice each link into thin (10 to 14) slices per link. This can be done while you wait for liquid in skillet to reduce.
10. Stir sausage slices into soup.