Gaffin's Way

I wish I could cook like my mom or my grandmother. They were such excellent cooks. Mom rarely measured anything. She just added it and it always turned out perfect. However, she was raised in West Virginia so they cooked by taste. Further, she was a pizza and popcorn addict when she got older! Here are a few of Mom’s Favorite Recipes that you can try.

Indeed, Food Food Food! Love that Good Food! We love Bar-B-Que chicken, beef, and all kinds of food. We love to share with our families and friends. Moreover, that trait came from our mom.

Mom’s Favorite Recipes for Casseroles:

American Cheese Fondue Cassarole

It uses ingredients that are almost always in the house, and it can be thrown together into a simple, satisfying supper very quickly.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup scalded milk
• 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs (Or just crumble-up bread)
• 1 cup shredded store cheese (Cheddar)
• 1 tablespoon sweet butter
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon salt (Optional)
• 3 egg yolks, beaten until they are thick
• 3 egg whites, beaten until they are stiff

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1- or 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
• In a saucepan, combine the milk, bread crumbs, cheese, butter, and seasoning. Cook, stirring, over low heat until the cheese and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the egg yolks; then gently fold in the egg whites.
• So, Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serves 4 (as a light meal).

Tuna Fish Casserole (so simple)

INGREDIENTS

• Medium to large Bag of Plain Potato Chips
• 2 cans of Cream of Celery soup
• 1 can of Green Peas (drain)
• 2 cans of White Tuna packed in Water (drain)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix Cream of Celery Soup, Green Peas, and White Tuna in a bowl.
• Crush a medium to large bag of plain potato chips and some on the bottom of the pan.
• Pour half of the mixture on top of the chips into the bowl.
• Put another layer of chips on top of that.
• Then pour the rest of your mixture on top of that layer of chips.
• Then put the rest of your crushed chips on the top.
• Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until brown.

There are many variations but this is the best way to get kids to eat it.

Mom’s Favorite Recipes for Cookies:

Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 stick salted or unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar 
• 1 egg bring it to room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ⅛ cup all-purpose flour 
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ c. chopped nuts optional but a good choice!
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or bittersweet

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat oven to 375 and grease cookie sheets. I will tell you now, I never grease cookie sheets for chocolate chip cookies, but this recipe says to do so. Instead I usually just use parchment or nothing.
• Beat the butter until creamy, then gradually add sugars, beating until light and smooth. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. So, Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together and add it to the first mixture, blending well. Stir in nuts or oats, if using, and chocolate chips.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 1 inch apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. You may also use a small cookie scoop, in which case you’ll probably get about 40 cookies rather than 50.

NOTES

• Hints: Using a rounded teaspoon or a small cookie scoop, drop dough onto dinner plates lined with plastic wrap. Cover for an hour and bake as needed.  Dough improves over time, so cookies baked on Day 2 will be better and Day 3 even better.  After Day 3, Put the dough rounds in a freezer bag and freeze.
• Large Cookies: The large cookies work best with dough that has been chilled for at least 24 hours.  Take two or three of your small, chilled cookie portions and smash them together. Press into ½-inch thick rounds. Bake at 300 for 18-20 minutes or until brown and set.  Let cool completely.  Baking at a low temperature like 300 should give you cookies that have a more uniform crispness.  Not to mention, if you raise the heat and cut the bake time slightly. As a result, you get cookies with crisp edges and chewy centers.