Recipes by Arlene

• 4 English muffins
• 1 4½-oz. can deviled ham
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup finely-chopped celery
• Butter
• 1 7½-oz. can crabmeat or fresh crab
• ½ cup sour cream
• Paprika

Split muffins; butter and toast. Spread with deviled ham and toast slightly. Combine remaining ingredients except paprika. Mound mixture on muffins and bake at 400° or broil. Sprinkle with paprika. Serves 4.

• 1 3-oz. box cherry Jell-O
• 1 3-oz. package cream cheese
• 15 marshmallows
• 1 4½-oz. tub Cool Whip
• 1 small can crush pineapple
• 2 cups water

Make Jell-O as directed on package with water. Add marshmallows and melt in hot Jell-O; add to softened cream cheese. Refrigerate until just before it congeals. Whip in mixture; add well-drained pineapple and fold in Cool Whip. Chill until sets in 8-inch square pan or dish. Serves 9-12 people. Holds up great for a buffet.

• ½ lb. macaroni
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 3 cups grated cheese, sharp
• 1 cup milk

Boil macaroni in water until tender and drain thoroughly. Stir in butter and egg. Mix mustard and salt with 1 tablespoon hot water and add to milk. Add cheese leaving enough to sprinkle on top. Pour into buttered casserole, add milk and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until custard is set and top is crusty.

• 2 or 2½ lbs. frying chicken, cut up and dried with paper towels
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 2 to 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. instant onion flakes

Combine melted butter and lemon juice. Place dry ingredients in paper bag and shake well. Dip chicken pieces into melted butter and lemon mixture, then shake one piece at a time in bag to coat with flour and spice mixture. Place each coated piece into a good size glass baking dish. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until chicken is golden brown and tender. More lemon juice may be used if desired.

A lot of my recipes call for butter or margarine. I have always preferred the taste of butter, but margarine has been shown to be much better for you. Butter contains cholesterol and saturated fat…both of which are bad for you. Margarine does not contain cholesterol and does contain “good” fats (although the solid or “stick” margarines have more trans fat than “tub” margarines).

Butter or margarine are interchangeable in my recipes and is simply a personal choice.

• 1 lb. pork chops
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 tsp. McCormick Season-All Salt
• 1 package onion gravy mix
• ¼ tsp. ginger
• ¼ tsp. thyme
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup red wine

Combine flour and Season-All and coat pork chops with mixture. Brown in hot skillet on high heat, 8 minutes per side. Drain off excess fat. Combine onion gravy mix, ginger and thyme. Stir in water. Pour over chops and simmer 30 minutes. Add wine and cook 15 minutes more. Place chops on platter and pour small amount of gravy mix over them.

This isn’t my name for it!!

• 2 lbs. beef stew meat
• 2 cans golden mushroom soup
• 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
• ¾ cup sweet vermouth

Put stew meat, soups and sweet vermouth in pot or Dutch oven. Cover and bake at 350° for 2½ – 3 hours. Serve over noodles. Serves 6.

• 1 17-oz. can Libby peas (chill and drain)
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup cubed American cheese
• ½ cup chopped sweet pickle
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Ham cubes (optional)

Toss peas, celery, cheese, pickles, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Serve on crisp greens.

• 4 boneless thighs, halved
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. coriander
• ½ tsp. ginger
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 can chicken broth
• 2 onions, thinly sliced

Season thighs; melt butter in large skillet and brown chicken on both sides over medium heat. Lower heat and add spices, lemon juice and half the broth. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add onions and turn chicken, cover and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Add reserved broth as needed for gravy.

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed and divided
• 3 tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk

Grease a 1½-quart casserole. Cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until done; peel and mash. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Turn mixture into prepared casserole and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes.