Charlotte Hubbard also writing as Naomi King
Charlotte Hubbard also writing as Naomi King

Recipes

Dilly Potato Salad

I’ve never been a fan of potato salad with goopy dressing, so this recipe with chopped slices of dill pickle is now my go-to recipe! Rather than boiling the potatoes, I prefer to bake them directly on the oven rack, let them cool, and then peel them.

1 ½ pounds red potatoes, baked or boiled, then peeled and cubed
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
¾ cup dill pickle slices, drained and cut in half
½ cup celery, diced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. Dijon or yellow mustard
2 T. pickle juice
2 T. fresh lemon juice or cider vinegar
2 tsp. dillweed
Salt and pepper to taste

Either bake or boil the potatoes until firm but not overdone—timing on this depends on the size of the potatoes. Let cool, peel, and then cut into bite-sized cubes. (If you like the peel, leave it on.)

In a large bowl, combine the potato cubes, diced eggs, pickles, celery, and onions. In a smaller bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and then pour this dressing over the potato mixture. Mix well and place in a serving bowl. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Serves 4-6.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

A luscious pan of bars without heating up the kitchen! These disappear fast!

1 ½ sticks melted butter
1 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
1 sleeve of round, buttery crackers, crushed into coarse crumbs
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
1 10-12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, peanuts, crackers, powdered sugar, and crunchy peanut butter. Spread on the bottom of an ungreased 9×13” pan. In another bowl, melt the chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter (double boiler, or microwave in 1-minute intervals) and stir until smooth. Pour this topping over the peanut butter/cracker mixture, spreading to cover it evenly. Chill 15 minutes and cut into squares (if you wait too long, the topping will crack!) Freezes well, or store with waxed paper between layers.
Kitchen Hint: put the crackers in a sealable quart bag and crush with a rolling pin.

Easy Fudge

Chocolate candy doesn’t get any faster or easier! Amish folks would melt the chocolate and condensed milk in a double boiler, but a microwave works well, too.

2 12-oz. bags semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups)
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 T. water
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9×9” pan with waxed paper; set aside. On the stove: melt the chocolate chips, milk, and water in a double boiler over boiling water, stirring until completely blended. In a microwave: use a large microwave-safe bowl to melt the chips, milk, and water, and cook on High one minute at a time, stirring after each interval, until melted and blended. Add the vanilla and nuts, if desired, and pour into the lined pan. Chill about 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Store in an air-tight container with waxed paper between layers.
Kitchen Hint: for thinner pieces, use a larger pan

Ruby’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

The secret to these cookies is to remove them from the oven while they’re puffy and underdone, so they firm up on the baking sheet. These freeze well, so you can always have some on hand!

2 ½ cups packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups butter-flavored vegetable shortening
¼ cup milk
2 T. vanilla
2 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
2 10-12 oz. bags of semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cream the brown sugar, shortening, milk, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, salt, and soda, and gradually mix into the batter until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake about 8-9 minutes, or until just lightly browned—don’t overbake! Remove from oven and allow cookies to sink and set on the cookie sheet before removing to a rack to cool completely. About 6 dozen.
Kitchen Hint: You can replace one bag of the chocolate chips with either peanut butter or butterscotch chips.

Pistachio Pudding Salad

Here’s a throw-back to the era when we made a lot of “salads” that were really desserts! Always a hit at a potluck gathering.

1 3.4-oz. box instant pistachio pudding
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 8-oz. tub of whipped topping, thawed
2 cups miniature marshmallows
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the pudding mix and the pineapple, stirring until the pudding is dissolved. Add the whipped topping, then fold in the marshmallows and pecans, if using them. Pour into a serving bowl. Cover and chill 3-4 hours or overnight.
Kitchen Hint: for more fun and flavor, use multi-colored fruit-flavored mini marshmallows!

Seven Layer Bars

I’ve come to enjoy this versatile recipe so much that I don’t need to look at it anymore! These cookies not only taste amazing, but they require little measuring, and you make them right in the pan! Rather than measure the coconut, chips, and peanuts, I usually sprinkle on enough to nearly cover the previous layer. For variety, you can also switch out the flavors of chips you use.

1 sleeve graham crackers (8 or 9 crackers)
1 stick butter
1 cup (or more) coconut
1 cup (or more) chocolate chips
1 cup (or more) butterscotch chips
1 cup (or more) dry roasted peanuts
1 cup miniature candy-coated chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Crush the graham crackers in the unopened sleeve by first breaking them with your fingers and then gently crushing them with a rolling pin. Meanwhile, spray a 9”x13” pan, cut the butter into chunks in the pan, and put the pan in the oven while it preheats to 350º.

When the butter is melted, remove pan from oven and place on a heat-safe surface. Sprinkle the crushed graham crackers over the butter, forming the “crust” on the bottom. Then sprinkle on the coconut, the chips, the peanuts, and the coated chips in layers and press down slightly. Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the entire top of the pan, using a metal spatula to help spread it around. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges and most of the top is bubbling. Cool in the pan. Makes 3-4 dozen, depending on how you cut them. These freeze well.

Baked Banana-Oatmeal Cups

These moist, chewy “muffins” contain nearly the amount of rolled oats in a bowl of oatmeal—but they’re portable! This is also a great way to use up very ripe bananas, and because they freeze well, they make great snacks and easy breakfast treats any time you want them.

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 ½ cups milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about ¾ cup)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350º and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients until blended. Place about 1/3 cup of the batter in each muffin cup until all batter is used. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then carefully turn the muffins out onto a wire rack.
Kitchen Tip: Frozen muffins may be wrapped in foil and warmed in a low oven for about 15 minutes or covered and microwaved for about 40 seconds.

Cheesy Muffin Tin Omelets

Here’s a different “format” for your morning eggs—and these cheesy little gems are easy to take out of the freezer, reheat in the microwave, and enjoy in a matter of moments! The added veggies are a colorful plus! Makes 12.

2 T olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
8 large eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ tsp. each of salt and paprika
½ cup shredded cheese (your choice; I like cheddar)

Preheat oven to 325º and liberally coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion, stir to coat, and about a minute later add in the spinach. Cook for a few minutes and then add in the red bell pepper. When vegetables are soft, remove from heat and cool a few minutes. Squeeze them in paper towels or a sieve to remove excess water.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan, milk and seasonings until well combined. Stir in the vegetables. Divide this mixture into the prepared muffin tins and top each omelet with shredded cheese. Bake until firm, about 20-25 minutes. Let them stand in the tin about 5 minutes before removing. Serve warm or store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer.

Chunky Cream Cheese and Fruit Coffeecake

This recipe is so good I’m giving you the doubled version that makes a 9”x13” pan, because once you’ve made this versatile breakfast treat, you’ll want every bit of it! Feel free to substitute other fruit, or to use two fruits—my favorite combination is fresh peaches with frozen blueberries!

½ cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ cups flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
Dash of salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup milk or flavored yogurt
3 cups fresh or frozen fruit
8 oz. brick of cream cheese, cut into small pieces

Topping:
½ cup flour
6 T. brown sugar
4 T. butter

Spray a 9”x13” baking pan and preheat oven to 350º. For the batter, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then beat in the eggs. Combine 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk/yogurt. Stir the remaining ½ cup flour in with the fruit. Stir the fruit and chunks of cream cheese into the mixture—it’ll be thick and lumpy.

Make the topping by combining the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture, then sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for around 35 minutes, or until a pick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Pineapple Macaroni Salad

The pineapple juice and cider vinegar add real zing to this unusual pasta salad. Add diced ham and/or shredded cheese (increase the dressing) to make this an entrée.

½ pound elbow or small shell macaroni, cooked and cooled
½ cup pineapple tidbits
½ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup pineapple juice
1T cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried minced onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni according to package directions, adding oil to the water to keep it from sticking. Drain and cool. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, pineapple, and vegetables.
To make the dressing, stir together all the remaining ingredients, and then stir the dressing into the salad. Chill for several hours. Serves 6-8.

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