Lora C. Mercado - Tasteful Memories: A Collection of Family Comfort Food Recipes

I also dedicate this book to my mother for keeping many of these recipes alive throughout the years. There are so many memories tied to the flavors of these dishes, it makes me feel like a child again when I taste them. I dedicate this book also to my sister, who contributed several of her famous recipes to this collection. And last but not least, I dedicate this book to my daughter. I hope that you will carry on these cherished recipes, and keep them in your traditions when you are grown and have your own family to cook for. Introduction This book is a collection of recipes from my family that are near and dear to my heart.

Many of my relatives featured in this collection have passed away. It gives me great pleasure to let their spirit live on when others make these delicious concoctions. These recipes have come straight out of the old recipe box of my mothers. You will find an assortment of desserts, entrees, side dishes and a lot of love within these pages. I grew up on these recipes and I hope that it brings a little taste of my home into yours. ~ Lora Mercado Best Ever Baked Beans Nothing screams backyard barbeque like a killer pot of baked beans.

There will be nothing left if you serve these beans at your next gathering or pot luck dinner. 1 lb ground sirloin cup chopped onion 1 (15 oz) can Northern beans (drained) 1 (15 oz) can light red kidney beans (drained) 1 (26 oz) can Bush's baked beans cup brown sugar 2 TB vinegar 2 TB honey 1 TB mustard 2 TB Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup ketchup 2-3 slices crisp cooked bacon Brown meat and onion, drain. Add all other ingredients, except the beans. Heat through. Add beans and mix well. Place in Pyrex dish (spray with Pam).

Heat in a 325 degree oven for 30-40 min. Cheese Wafers I will never forget raiding my maternal grandmother's pantry to sneak handfuls of these mouth watering cheese crackers. Go-Go always made these when we came to visit her. These are great by themselves, or can be crumbed onto salad or top a bowl of tomato soup. lb sharp cheddar cheese lb butter 2 cups flour tsp salt dash red pepper (very little) Grate cheese, add butter, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Roll with rolling pin until very thin. Cut into small squares. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cinnamon Apples My mother has made me these cinnamon apples for Christmas ever since I can remember. This recipe is from her maternal aunt Thelma. They are bright festive red in color and taste like Red Hot candies.

It wouldn't be Christmas without these yummy apples! Pare and core 4-6 tart apples (Winesap or McIntosh are the best) Slice to '-1/3 thick Stir and boil in saucepan until dissolved: cup sugar 1 cup water cup cinnamon drops Add apples slowly. Simmer gently until tender. Test with a vegetable tester for softness. Remove apples from syrup. Boil the syrup until it falls heavily from the spoon. Chill. Chill.

Hon's Fried Zucchini My paternal grandmother, otherwise known as Hon didn't like to cook much, but she did make this zucchini dish. It takes a while to fry, so she always said it was a Labor of Love. Slice zucchini into very thin pieces. Fry in skillet with olive oil until brown. Lay cooked zucchini in shallow baking dish, sprinkle with red wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer.

Chill in refrigerator and serve as a snack or side dish. Hash Brown Casserole This is a cheesy potato recipe that I love to serve. It is easy to prepare and is great for pot luck dinners or holiday meals that require a lot of side dishes. 2 lb frozen hash brown potatoes (thawed) lb butter cup chopped onion 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese tsp pepper 2 cups crushed cornflakes 1 pint sour cream 1 tsp salt 1 can cream of chicken soup Melt 1/8 lb butter and mix through potatoes. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, onion, soup, cheese, salt and pepper, then mix with potatoes. Melt other 1/8 lb of butter, and mix with corn flakes.

Pour potato mixture in greased 9x13 pan. Spread corn flake mixture on top. Bake at 325 degrees, uncovered for 45 minutes. Seven Layer Pea Salad This refreshing salad is always a favorite at our family gatherings. My sister has been making this for years and we all look forward to it. It looks beautiful at Christmas time with the green of the peas and the red of the tomatoes.

This salad also makes a beautiful presentation for pot luck barbeque parties. 1 head lettuce 1 green pepper (chopped) 1 red pepper (chopped) 1 small onion (chopped0 1 thawed bag of frozen peas 2 TB sugar 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sour cream 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 8-10 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon Layer half the lettuce in a glass trifle dish. Add layers of red and green peppers, then onions, and peas. Mix together sugar, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Spread over pea layer. Add remaining lettuce.

Add a layer of cheese, then a layer of bacon. Slice a tomato into triangle and fan out into a circle on top of bacon. Place a black olive in the middle. Refrigerate and serve. Sweet Potato Casserole This has been one of my favorite holiday dishes for over twenty years. Everyone in the family insists I make this every Thanksgiving.

Beware if you make this once, you will be making it forever! 3 cups canned or fresh cooked sweet potatoes cup sugar 2 eggs (beaten) 2 tsp vanilla cup milk cup butter tsp cinnamon Combine the above ingredients and bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Topping: 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup flour 1/3 cup butter tsp cinnamon Mix together and crumble over top of potato mixture. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Cheesy Baked Chicken My mother made this chicken recipe almost every week when we were growing up. It is still one of my favorites to this day. 6 slices fresh bread 4 oz. cheddar cheese (cubed) 2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper tsp garlic powder tsp basil cup butter (melted) 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. cheddar cheese (cubed) 2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper tsp garlic powder tsp basil cup butter (melted) 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break bread into pieces and put into blender, add cheese and blend on low speed until fine texture. Add seasonings to crumb mixture and mix well. Dip chicken into butter, then into crumb mixture. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle any remaining butter over chicken. Bake uncovered, one hour until tender.

Chicken and Noodles This is one of my all time favorite recipes that I have made since I moved out on my own, many moons ago. It is a true comfort food, easy and inexpensive to make. I like to pair this hearty dish with freshly baked cornbread or Texas toast. 3-4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup 1 bag Kluski egg noodles stick butter 3-4 chicken bouillon cubes Pepper and garlic powder to taste Place chicken breasts in a large soup pot. Cover with water, add bouillon cubes and boil until no longer pink. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.

Meanwhile, boil noodles in the same water you boiled the chicken in. When noodles are done, add shredded chicken, seasonings, butter and Campbell's soup to the pot. Let simmer for 30 minutes or so. The longer you simmer without the lid, the thicker it will get. Italian Chicken and Potatoes This was one of the dishes I used to get to the heart of my husband when we were dating. The wine adds such a delicious flavor to this meal.