Fourth of July Trifle (Layered Dessert)

Linda's Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. cold milk
• 1 package (4-serving) Vanilla or Cheesecake Jello Instant Pudding
• 1 tub (8oz.) Cool Whip
• 1 pound cake (10- 12 oz.) (can also use angel food cake), cut or torn into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup blueberries

Instructions

1. Combine milk and pudding mix in a bowl and whisk for 1-2 minutes until well blended and slightly thick.  Gently stir in cool whip.
2. Layer cake, fruit and then pudding mix into trifle; repeat layers ending with pudding.
3. Garnish
4. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

German Potato Salad

Dad's Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 pounds red potatoes
• 1 pound bacon, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 T. sugar
• 4 T. flour
• 2 t. instant beef bouillon
• Salt to taste (Last time I used about 1 1/2 - 2 t.)
• 1/4 t. ground allspice
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 c. cider vinegar
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 c. chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Wash potatoes. Place in large pot and cover with cold water.  Add a generous amount of salt.  Boil until tender.  Test for tenderness by inserting a fork or paring knife into one of the larger potatoes.  When it slices in and out easily the potatoes are done.  Start checking after they have boiled for 15 minutes or so. Drain and cool.
2. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel and slice.
3. In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp.  Remove bacon from skillet, leaving the grease.
4. Saute chopped onions in the bacon grease until soft and slightly brown.  Add flour to the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Mix together the sugar, beef bouillon, salt, allspice, pepper, vinegar, and water.  Add mixture to the skillet with the onions and flour.  Cook over medium hear,stirring constantly until bubbly.  Remove from heat.
6. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, bacon and dressing.  Add parsley and toss well.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  
7. This is best made the day before and then warmed in a crockpot for serving.  Allow several hours for the potato salad to warm on the day it's needed.

Cucumbers and Sour Cream

Recipe from Ted Sidor
Great side dish for curried chicken!

Ingredients:

• Cucumbers
• Salt
• Sour Cream

Instructions:

1. Peel and thinly slice cucumbers
2. Layer them into a bowl
3. Sprinkle salt over every 50 or so slices
4. Allow to sit in the refrigerator several hours or overnight
5. Drain and squeeze out moisture.
6. Cover with sour cream and mix thouroughly

Kielbasa and Pretzel Overnight Breakfast Bake

Kielbasa and Pretzel Overnight Breakfast Bake

Adapted from Cuisine at Home

*If you don't have time to let the bread sit out overnight, just place the pieces on a cookie sheet in a 200* oven for an hour to dry them out.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pretzel bread, cubed
• 1 (14.5 oz.) package kielbasa, halved lengthwise, and sliced
• 1 Tbsp. canola oil or olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onions (2 large sweet onions)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 eggs
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
• ½ cup spicy brown mustard
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or 1 Tbsp dried chives
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh Thyme
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 8 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded, divided oe Cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Cut up the bread and lay it out on a cookie sheet. Allow to sit out overnight to dry out.
2. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Brown the kielbasa in a skillet on the stove top, in the oil, over high heat, 3-5 minutes. Drain the kielbasa on a plate lined with paper towels. Leave drippings in the pan.
4. Add the onions and garlic to the pan, and cook until the onions have softened a bit, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
5. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, broth, mustard, chives, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the dried bread, and toss to coat. (I used my hands.)
6. Add the kielbasa, onion mixture, and half of the shredded cheese to the egg-bread mixture. Toss thoroughly, and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight.
8. In the morning, preheat the oven to 375*. Take the casserole out of the fridge and allow to sit on the counter as the oven heats. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over the top of the casserole.
9. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the casserole is set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, and the internal temperature reaches 160*F.
10. Allow the casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
11. ENJOY!