Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

24 oz hash brown potatoes

16 oz. ham, cubed

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

12 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Mix potatoes, ham, and cheese in a large bowl. Put into greased 9x13 pan. Using the same bowl, whisk eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potato mixture. Bake at 350 for one hour or until center is set and edges are golden brown.

Cheese and Egg Breakfast Casserole

1/2 cup flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

8 T. butter

10 eggs

16 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

16 oz. cottage cheese

4 oz. can diced green chiles

2 oz. jar pimento, drained (optional, I leave them out)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter. Place eggs in a large bowl and beat until well blended.  Add the flour mixture to the eggs and beat until smooth. Stir in melted butter, Monterey Jack cheese, cottage cheese, green chiles, and pimentos. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

From Rachelle Schlauder

Aunt Kathy Bars

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

6 cups cornflakes

1 pkg. milk chocolate chips

Mix sugars and syrup. Add peanut butter (and peanuts if you're adding them). Mix in cornflakes a little at a time. With buttered fingers, press mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Melt milk chocolate chips in a small glass bowl using the microwave. Spread melted chocolate over the bars and let harden. Cut into bars.

From Aunt Kathy McCormack

*For Christmas, I decorate with red and green M&Ms and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

6 cups flour

3/4 t. salt

2 1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

3 t. vanilla

Plan ahead: set out butter to soften. 

In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined. Slowly add flour a cup at a time. Don't overmix. 

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 for 13-15 minutes or until edges are just starting to get golden. Let cool on cookie sheet for a couple minutes before moving to wire rack to cool.

Frost and decorate as desired.

Makes 7-8 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Recipe adapted over time. Original from Shirley Ditsworth.

*For my oven, I increase temp to 340 and bake two trays at a time for 13 minutes total, switching at the six minute mark.

Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar

3 - 4 T. butter, melted or very soft

2 t. vanilla (or 1 t. vanilla and 1 t. almond extract)

milk as needed for consistency

Mix all ingredients well with mixer. Add milk until spreadable, but not runny. Add food coloring, if desired.

Frosting recipe adapted over time. Original from Carol Sullivan.