Mother always made "snack" food for Christmas Eve. There was always one of these cheese balls/logs around with crackers. Both are very good and very easy to make.

Chili Cheese Log:

1/2 pound Velveeta Cheese

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 pods garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion juice

1/4 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

3/4 cup chopped pecans

chili powder

Have cheeses at room temperature before mixing. Mix all ingredients. Roll into logs and roll logs in chili powder. May also be rolled in parsley flakes for a "green" log. Serve with assorted crackers.

I don't recall Mother ever making these, but they sound really good. This recipe comes from a very dear, sweet lady that I remember Mother talking very highly about from time to time. She was always very kind.

Betty Mead's Cookies:

In a double boiler:

1 can Eagle Brand Milk

12 oz. Nestle's chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter

Let this all melt. Remove from heat and add:

1 full cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

Drop onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 300 for 5 minutes.

This is a recipe I got from a friend while teaching at Central High School in 2000. However, I cannot recall her name (I know, I'm terrible...) I do remember that she loved to cook and bake like Mother. She brought this cake one day and it is a GREAT chocolate cake.

Black Magic Cake:

1 3/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup black coffee

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Add dry ingredients gradually and beat 2 minutes more. Bake in buttered and floured 9 x 13 pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until done.

Mocha Chocolate Frosting:

6 tablespoons cocoa

6 tablespoons hot coffee

6 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 - 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

Combine cocoa and coffee. Add buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add sugar gradually until of spreading consistency. Spread on colled cake.

I'm not sure where I got this recipe. This is one that Mother never made. I made them a few times for my brother, Craig. He LOVED these. He could almost eat all 10 in one sitting. However, they are a little on the difficult side to complete.

Napoleons:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup Dairy sour cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 square (1 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 box French Vanilla instant pudding, mixed according to directions. (Or chocolate fudge if you prefer.)

Cut butter into flour with pastry blender unitl completely mixed. (The dough will form a soft ball.) With a fork, stir in sour cream until thoroughly blended. Divide dough in half and wrap in foil. Chill at least 8 hours.  After dough has chilled, heat oven to 350. Roll 1/2 the pastry dough on a well floured cloth covered board into a rectangle 12 x 10 inches. Cut into 15 rectangles each 4 x 2 inches. Mix granualted sugar and water and brush on top of these rectangles. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15-18 minutes until lightly brown. Cool completely and repeat with other 1/2 of pastry dough. Mix confectioner's sugar and milk until smooth and spread on top of 10 rectangles. Stack 3 rectangles together with 1 tablespoon of pudding in between each rectangle. A frosted rectangle (with confectioner's sugar/milk mixture) should be on top.  Drizzle melted chocolate on top of frosting. Yields: 10 Napoleons.

This was one of my favorite school recipes. Mother would also get a bowl to bring home on the days they served this at lunch.

Apple Goodie:

1 1/2 quarts apples, peeled and sliced, 1 1/2 cups sugar mixed with 4 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix with apples and place in bottom of 10 x 14 pan.

Mix the following: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup melted butter. Pat firmly over apples and bake 30-40 minutes in a moderate oven (??? I'm guessing 350???)

My dad LOVED peanut brittle. Mom made this often for him during the Christmas holidays.

Peanut Brittle:

1 cup ganulated sugar

1/2 cup white corn syrup

1 cup roasted, salted peanuts

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

In 1 1/2 quart casserole stir together sugar and syrup. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. (If peanuts are raw, add them here with 1/8 teaspoon salt, before cooking.) Stir in peanuts, microwave on high 3-5 minutes until light brown. Add butter and vanilla to syrup, blending well. Cook on high 1-2 minutes. Peanuts will be lightly browned and syrup very hot. Add baking soda and gently stir in until light and foamy. Pour mixture into lightly greased cookie sheet. Let cool 30 minutes to an hour. When cool, break into small pieces.

No story here...just another cookie made for showers.

Pecan Drop Cookies:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons light cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour with salt, set aside. In a large bowl beat butter, Crisco, sugar, cream, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture until well combined. Stir in nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Another favorite Mother made for showers. ANOTHER one that had to be rolled into balls...haha!!!

Frosted Date Balls:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix well and form into balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 300.

Mother always made this with one of her Mexican main dishes (Mexican Chicken or Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas). It's a good sauce. However, I learned after Mother died, there IS a difference in home canned tomatoes and store bought tomatoes. I had never recalled buying canned tomatoes until AFTER Mother died. She and Daddy ALWAYS put up tomatoes every year from Daddy's garden. I noticed a HUGE difference in taste. Those are the things I miss, sometimes the most, about the past.

Mother's Hot Sauce:

1 quart tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)

1 teaspoon onion flakes (or to taste)

salt (that's all it says....salt....no measurement...haha)

1 tablespoon Wesson oil

small amount of sugar (once again...no measurement)

small amount of vinegar

garlic powder, to taste

Prepare in blender and refrigerate.

One thing I know for sure....my daddy LOVED to eat and my mother LOVED to cook for him (except when he made a comment about his mother doing it better or a different way....haha...she was VERY QUICK to tell him to go to his mother's house to eat then....and he would just grin that grin he had...) These were two of Daddy's favorites and Mother made it often on Sunday afternoons. We would then have it for a couple days after that and I think it got better each day.

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas:

3 cups white meat chicken, cooked and deboned (mother always used a whole chicken)

2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 - 16 oz. carton sour cream

1 - 4 oz. can green chilies, mild ot hot, drained

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

10-12 flour tortillas

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix chicken with soups, sour cream, green chilies, and 1 cup cheese. Spoon mixture onto center of tortilla, then roll up. Place in a greased 13 x 9 dish. Spread remaining mixture on top of rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cook at 375 for 25 minutes. The pan of tortillas can be made ahead of time and frozen. Remove from freezer and cook as usual.