Jill's favorite Christmas Morning Casserole


1 pound bulk pork sausage
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
6 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown and crumble sausage; drain and set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Stir in bread cubes, cheese and sausage. Pour into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

(We mix this all together, store it in a covered container in the fridge over night. Pour into a well greased 9x13" pan and bake in the morning)

Cheesy Potatoes

1-32 oz bag frozen hash browns, thawed *
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of milk
1 small onion, chopped fine
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted**

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking pan (or two 9x9 pans***).

In a large bowl mix milk and soup, stir in hashbrowns, onion and shredded cheese.

Pour into pan(s).
I season with black pepper at this point, but no salt, the soup is loaded with sodium.
Sprinkle corn flakes over top, drizzle with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. (if baking in two pans, stick with 45 minutes

* I have made these with the hashbrowns still frozen, just slam the bag on the floor a few times to break them up...and you may need to add a little more milk...and add another 15 minutes to the baking time. =)
** I skip the butter and give them a coating of butter flavor cooking spray=)

*** You can bake half in a 9x9 and dump the other half into a gallon ziplock back and freeze for up to a month. Thaw them completely before baking.

Best Cut out cookies
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Granulated sugar or colored sugar or frosting

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown.

* the powdered sugar is the trick to the yummiest cookies.
*I like this recipe because it doesn't make a big batch.
*AND the best tip I ever got was instead of flour when rolling out the dough, mix half flour and half granulated sugar. Your cookies won't get too much flour and get thick.

Allison's Winter Camp Chili Dip

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz can Hormel chili, no beans
1 cup shredded cheese (mozzerella, cheddar, or co jack work well)

Spread cream cheese in a 8x8 pan. Spoon chili over cream cheese. Sprinkle shredded over top. Bake in a 300 oven or microwave til it is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

*Double all ingredients and make in a 9x13 pan to serve more starving teenagers*

Serve hot with fritos or tositos.

Cherry Pecan Bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar



Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together flour, white sugar and butter . Mix until crumbly. Press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Beat eggs, sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Drain and chop cherries, reserving liquid. Stir cherries and pecans into egg mixture. Pour on top of crust.

Bake 25 min. Cool completely
Cream 1 teaspoon butter and 1 cup confectioner's sugar with enough liquid from cherries. Frost bars.

Andies Candies Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
2 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 boxes Andes candies **

In sauce pan over low heat, melt butter; add sugar and water. Then add chocolate chips. Stir until partially melted. Remove from heat; stir , then cool for 5 minutes. Add eggs and dry ingredients; mix with a mixer on low speed until blended. Chill 1 hour. Make into little balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. While still hot, put Andies candy mint on each cookie, let it get soft then swirl mint with spoon. Cool on baking rack.

** if you get your kids to unwrap the candies, buy an extra box!

Kit Kat Bars

Layer in a jelly roll pan
One sleeve of Club crackers, single layer.


Combine the following in a heavy sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter
1/3 cup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
pour over the cracker layer.

Then add another layer of crackers.

Melt together
1 cup choc chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter
spread over top.
(this is a lot, I usually halve this)

Let set.