Spicy Goulash, Easy Broccoli and Yummy Orange Cake!

It's Tuesday and I always look forward to it-partly because Monday is over! No, the real reason is that it gives me an excuse to dig through my box of family favorites and share them. Today I've got three that I think you will love.

The first recipe is my mom's Broccoli Casserole. It is so quick to fix ahead and if you want to add a can of white meat chicken (or your leftover chicken) to it, you have a full meal, This might even get your kids to eat broccoli because it has Cheez Whiz in it! Here it is:

Mom (Shirley's) Broccoli Casserole

1 large onion, minced
1 pkg. chopped, thawed, broccoli (I think you could use par-boiled fresh instead)
1 C cooked rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
One 8 oz. jar of Cheez Whiz

Saute' the onion in butter, then add the remaining ingredients; mix together and bake for 30 min. in a 350 degree oven. Top w/bread crumbs if you desire (onion rings are good, too).



My sister-in-law, Mona, had a roommate named, Lori, when she was in law school several years ago. When we were there to visit one time, Lori made a delicious concoction of noodles and a spicy beef sauce for dinner. That's how I captured this recipe for Hungarian Goulash! I like to use up leftover roast beef this way.


Lori's Hungarian Goulash

1/4 C shortening (I use olive oil)
2 lbs. beef cut into one inch cubes (or leftover beef, cut-up or shredded)
1 C sliced onions
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 C ketchup
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash cayenne red pepper
2 TBSP flour
1/4 C water
3 C hot, cooked egg noodles

Melt shortening in large skillet. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook and stir until meat is brown and onion is tender. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire, sugar, salt, paprika, mustard, cayenne and 1 1/2 C water. Cover and simmer for 2-2 1/2 hrs.

Blend flour and 1/4 C water; sir gradually into meat mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 min. Serve over hot noodles (sour cream on top, optional).


My final offering today is a light, creamy dessert that's great in hot weather. I got this from my friend and walking buddy, Karol Simpson. We met when our kids were in high school band together. We were involved in Band Boosters and suffered...I mean, enjoyed many stints as parents who accompanied the band on the bus and at competitions. So, you know that she's a person who has endured! She's a good cook, too. Since I've moved, I really miss our walks through the neighborhood, and our shopping expeditions...we don't hunt "big game", we hunt bargains and, as walkers, we could beat any woman across a Kohl's store if we saw a sale sign.


Karol's Orange-Pineapple Cake

1 Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/3 C oil
1 small can mandarin oranges and juice

Mix cake ingredients in bowl; beat 300 strokes (break up the mandarin oranges)
Lightly grease cake pans (any size)
Bake according to pkg. directions. Turn out to cool on racks.

Icing:
1 med. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 large box instant vanilla pudding
One 12 oz. Cool Whip (I use fat-free)

Mix all together and set in refrigerator for 1 1/2 hrs. When cake is cool frost and store in fridge. I refrigerate my cake and get it cold before I ice it.


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Finally today, I want to, again, thank Mr. Tom Jackson for mentioning my blog yesterday in his newspaper column "On The Web". I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but I've always enjoyed reading his column. He makes useful information about websites and other bits of technology advice easy to understand for those of us who did not grow up with a computer mouse in our hands. Please take a look at his writing on Mondays in the Constitution, or you can reach him at tom.jackson@gmail.com.

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I'm joining BalancingBeautyandBedlam and BlessedwithGrace today for their recipe swaps!