Amish Haystacks

feeds 12-14 people

4 C steamed rice

2 sleeves saltines, crushed

1 bag Doritos, crushed

1 head lettuce, chopped

3 lbs ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 soup can milk

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

2 small cans sliced black olives, drained

2 medium onions, chopped

Cook rice, place in warming dish. Crush crackers and chips and place in separate serving bowls. Tear lettuce and place in big serving bowl. For meat, brown meat in large skillet. Add spaghetti sauce and heat thru. Place meat in warming dish. Cook cheese soup and milk in pan over medium heat. (Or can place in crockpot a few hours ahead of time.) Keep warm in crockpot. Dice remaining veggies and place in serving bowls.

Set ingredients out on serving table in order listed. Let guests serve themselves buffet style, layering all ingredients (omitting the stuff they don't care for). Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Choclate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix
eggs, oil & water according to mix directions
1 egg
1/3 C sugar
1 - 8oz pkg cream cheese softened
1 C milk chocolate chips
Chocolate Frosting - click here for recipe


Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour into prepared 9x13 pan; set aside. In small mixing bowl beat egg with sugar. Add cream cheese and beat till smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread over chocolate cake mix; swirl with knife. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let cake cool slightly. Microwave chocolate frosting about 10 seconds. Stir well. Pour warmed frosting over warm cake. Spread frosting slowly over cake. Let cool before cutting.

Very moist! Very good!!!

Chocolate Frosting

1 Stick Butter (1/2 C)
2 C powdered sugar
4 tbsp cocoa
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Whip butter till smooth and creamy. Add sugar a little at a time. Add cocoa, milk and vanilla. Beat till creamy. Frost on cooled cake. Can refrigerate for later use. Let sit at room temperature before frosting.

Apple Cream Pie (No-Bake)

This is a favorite No-Bake pie of mine and my kids. The combination of the cream cheese with apples gives this pie a light refreshing flavor! It is so simple anyone can do it, promise!

1 graham cracker pie crust
4-5 medium apples
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice (I just squeezed the juice from half of a good sized lemon)
1/4 C Butter (1/2 stick)
1 - 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 C milk
1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 C raspberry or strawberry preserves

Core, peel and slice apples into thin slices; set aside. In skillet melt margarine with sugar and lemon juice over MED heat; stir often to dissolve sugar. Place slices in pan, and stir often. Cook apples till tender, about 10-15 min. Let cool. In mixing bowl beat cream cheese till fluffy. Gradually add milk 1/2 C at a time and continue beating till smooth. Try to get as many lumps out as possible. Add in pudding mix and beat well. Pour cream mixture into pie crust. Then starting on the outside edge of the pie, arrange apple slices. I like to overlap the apples, making a pretty pinwheel design as you get closer to the center. Melt the preserves in the microwave and brush entire top of pie. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Note: The original recipe called for apricot preserves, which will work just fine. We prefer the flavor or the berry, plus it is so much prettier for the holidays. Oh, and if you don't have a graham cracker pie crust, you can use a pre-baked regular pie shell too.

Tater Tot Casserole

This is a Favorite Dish around our house. One that my boys ask for frequently.

{{Tater Tot Casserole Printable PDF Here}}

1 lb ground beef

seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, etc.)

2 C shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby jack, etc)

frozen tater tots (small bag)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 C milk

8 oz sour cream

salt and pepper, to taste

3 C corn flakes

1/4 C butter, melted

Brown ground beef and add salt, pepper, chopped onions, minced garlic or other desired seasonings. Drain fat and spread meat on bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle cheese over warm meat. Make a bed of tater tots on top of cheese. In small mixing bowl combine soup, milk and sour cream. Pour sauce over tater tots. Add salt and pepper to taste (or I use seasoned salt). Place corn flakes in Ziploc freezer bag and crush with rolling pin. Pour melted butter in bag and reseal. Work bag to mix melted butter with flakes. Sprinkle flakes on top of casserole. Bake @ 350 for about 45 minutes.

Very Creamy. Very Good!!!

Sticky Halloween Crunch

Yesterday I remembered that tonight is our neighborhood recipe group. This month the theme is "Fall Favorites". I was like - "Crap! (yes - it's one of my fav words) What do I have on hand that I can whip up???" Viola! My "Sticky Halloween Crunch". Boo-ware...it's Verrrrrry Sticky!!! You may need to wash it down with some Ghoul-Aid......hahaha! (ok - bad joke)

1 box Corn Chex cereal
1 Box Corn Pops cereal
2 bags candy corn
1 C coconut
1 C nuts (optional)
2 C Sugar
2 C Karo light corn syrup
3 Tbsp Butter

In large stock pot or paper grocery sack, combine cereal, candy, coconut and nuts; set aside. In saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and butter. Bring to boil, turn heat down to med-low and continue to boil 5 minutes stirring frequently. Pour over cereal mixture and toss well (if using paper sack, roll shut and shake vigorously). Spread on waxed paper to cool. Break apart into pieces. Store in airtight container.

*can also substitutes M&Ms or raisins for the candy corn or coconut or nuts.

Chili Verde Nachos

So, this was another one of those "Crap! What do I have on hand that I can turn into dinner?" moments. I decided that Nachos were acceptable for dinner if they had meat in them. So, this is what I came up with:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 C (more or less) Chili Verde salsa

2 cans condensed cheddar cheese soup

refried beans

sour cream

tortilla chips (we made our own by frying quartered corn tortillas)

Brown chicken in skillet. Add salsa and mix well. Add both cans of condensed cheese soup. Mix well and heat through. Turn heat to low. Cover and simmer until ready to eat. Fill plate with nachos. Top with Chili Verde Nacho sauce, Refried beans, sour cream, and anything else you might have, i.e., salsa, onions, black olives, etc. Ole!

*The only complaint that we had at our house was that I couldn't keep the chip basket filled; the kids were eating them as fast as I was making them.