Pot of Gold

Serves 4-6

This recipe is my long time favorite from Girl Scout camp. My family loves it too. I’m not sure which company created this recipe. It was either Campbell’s, Bisquick or Kraft. My research found versions of this recipe still floating around, but not the original. The original was made with water instead of milk and used Bisquick and water for the dough (we were camping). Use yellow sharp cheddar instead of white and you will have big fluffy dumplings leaking golden cheese in tomato soup.

1 large (26 oz.) or 3 small (10.5 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup

2 cups 1% milk (or water)

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Dash salt

1/2 cup of milk

2 Tbsp. canola oil

4 oz. extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, cut into 8 cubes

Put soup in large kettle with lid. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring just to boil and immediately turn heat down to simmer. Don’t let it boil or milk curdles!

In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk and oil in a cup. With a fork, vigorously stir milk mixture into flour mixture.

Grease hands and scoop up about 1/8 of dough. Set the cheese cube in the middle and wrap the sides up and around it, sealing the cheese inside the dough. Drop gently on top of simmering soup. Repeat until all cheese and dough is used.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Quick Dumplings

2 cups Home Made Biscuit Mix
2/3 cup of milk

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk and oil in a cup.  

With a fork, vigorously stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Drop by spoonfuls on top of simmering soup or stew. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Additions: ½ cup grated or shredded cheese and/or 1 tsp. various dried herbs added to the flour mixture.

Home Made Quick Biscuit Mix

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

Dash salt

3 Tbsp. canola oil

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in oil with fork.

Use immediately in place of 2 cups of Bisquick in your favorite recipe.

Easter Egg Pie

Have you wondered what to do with all those Easter eggs? When our children were small, it seemed we always had lots of hard boiled eggs to use up after Easter. There is only so much deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches and potato salad we could eat. I created this recipe to use up some of those eggs, necessity being the mother of invention. :-) .

For safety, only use eggs that are clean, have been dyed with food coloring, have no cracks and have been out of the refrigerator for less than two hours.

Serves: 8

1/2 lb. Bulk sausage, sage flavored

1 Medium diced onion

6 - 8 Hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

1 cup (4 oz) Shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cups Milk (1%, OR non-fat Half & Half OR low-fat buttermilk, etc.)

2 Eggs

1 cup Home Made Biscuit Mix OR (1 cup flour and 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder)

1 tsp. Ground yellow mustard seed

1/2 tsp. Ground celery seed (or whole seed)

1/2 tsp. Ground paprika

1/2 tsp. Ground sage

1/4 tsp. Granulated garlic

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat an 11" deep dish pie plate or 8”x 8” baking dish with canola oil spray.

Brown and crumble sausage and onion in seasoned skillet over medium heat. Pour off excess grease. Drain sausage on paper towel. Spread sausage on bottom of prepared pie plate.

Layer eggs on top of sausage and sprinkle cheese over eggs.

Whisk remaining ingredients together in blender or medium mixing bowl until just blended and pour evenly over pie plate.

Bake 30 minutes or until edges are just golden brown and pie is set. A knife inserted in center should come out clean. Remove from oven and let stand five minutes before cutting into wedges.

Serve for breakfast, brunch or dinner accompanied by fruit: orange and grapefruit wedges, sliced bananas and strawberries, or a wedge of melon.