Cornbread Stuffing

 This recipe is from my mother-in-law Joan. For many, many years we have alternated going to Thanksgiving in Pocatello with Robert's parents and Orem with my mom. This Cornbread Stuffing is one of the things I look forward to when it is our turn to go to Pocatello. It is delicious! When I ask for a recipe from Joan she rarely gives me a standard recipe. :)  This is the recipe in her own words. I am writing this recipe here so I don't forget it and can make it as the years go by. It has now been 5 or more years since we have been to Thanksgiving dinner in Pocatello. I don't know if we will go back again because of Russ and Joan's age and our family extending in new directions. But I treasure the times we spent there and love Russ and Joan so much!

Mix: 

1 pkg. Marie Calendar cornbread mix according to directions on box; add 1 pkg. Lipton soup mix, then bake according to cornbread package directions. Let cool completely. 

When ready to make stuffing:

1. Crumble cornbread into a large bowl. Add six cups soft bread crumbs; cut up or torn. 

(Joan would sometimes use store bought bread and sometimes use her homemade wheat bread)

2. Saute 1 cup celery with 1/2 cup margarine or butter and 1 tsp sage. Add to bread crumbs.

3. Moisten bread crumbs and celery with 2 eggs, beaten and 1-1 1/2 cups warm milk.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min to 1 hour.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

From: Everyday Reading blog. 

Our neighbor Holly Grierson gave this to us one Christmas. She put all the dry ingredients in a bag along with a can of green chilies. All we had to do was add the chicken and dairy products. I thought it was such a great gift to have dinner planned for us during the busy holiday season. Holly gives the best neighbor gifts! One year she gave us a "chocolate box" of different flavored Oreos. It was such a fun and creative idea. 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts or thighs

1/2 onion chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

1 pound dry white beans

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 can 4 oz chopped green chilies

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Rinse dried beans thoroughly and toss them in the crockpot. Add everything else except the sour cream and whipping cream. Stir a little bit and cook on low for 7-10 hours.

2. Shred the chicken a little bit with two forks. Stir in the sour cream and then the cream. Let sit for another 15 minutes or so to warm through. Serve with chips and cheese and cilantro for garnish.

Quick-cooking method:

Use 3 cans of beans instead of dry beans. Rinse beans thoroughly before adding to crockpot and decrease broth to 3 cups. Cook for about 4 hours. 

Mom's Potato Salad

 From my mom, Karen Thompson.

12 potatoes, cubed

9 eggs, hardboiled

1 bunch green onions

1 cup mayo

1 cup Miracle Whip

2 T Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish or to taste

1 T lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika

Boil potatoes until soft, with 1 tsp salt and 1 T apple cider vinegar. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix with remaining ingredients. Garnish with 1 or 2 hardboiled eggs and a sprinkling of paprika. Cool in refrigerator overnight for best taste.