Egg Rolls (hamburger)

As a person who was a very picky eater growing up and until I was in my 30s, I didn't like traditional egg rolls. I didn't like cooked cabbage in any way, shape or form.

When our kids were younger, my husband's side of the family would all take a vacation and stay at the lake together for about a week. My sister-in-law, Kim (a very good cook), made her egg rolls one night for dinner. As you could imagine, I wasn't thrilled about it. Figured it would be a meal I wouldn't be eating.

I must tell you that they were delicious! The key is the hamburger as the main ingredient, and the other ingredients are shredded or grated. They are so small that you wouldn't know cabbage was in it if you didn't ask.


Egg Rolls

2 lbs hamburger

1/2 head cabbage - shredded

3-4 carrots - shredded/grated

garlic salt - be generous

soy sauce - dump it in

5 green onion - shredded

2-3 pkg egg roll wraps

Cook hamburger until mostly brown, drain. Add next 5 ingredients to hamburger and cook until done. You may need to do a taste test to see if you need more garlic salt or soy sauce.

Fill egg roll wrappers as directed on package, and fry in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with LaChoy Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Makes around 40-50.

Recipe from Kim Whitfield

Notes: If you have a food processor or blender attachment, it's fairly easy to grate your vegetables. Also, with the shredded carrots and shredded cabbage for cole slaw that's readily available now, it's a lot easier than before.

When filling your egg roll wraps (follow directions on package), I usually use a medium Pampered Chef scoop. I believe it measures out to about 2 Tablespoons. Make sure there isn't anything on the outside of your wrap or you will get big splatters while frying. Be careful not to fill too full. This will cause them to break which is bad news during frying.

I try to have at least an inch of oil in the electric skillet or skillet so it will go at least halfway up the egg roll. I usually drain them on 2 paper-towel thickness and then transfer again to a clean paper towel.

Since both segments of making this meal are time-consuming, you can make the filling ahead of time. Reheat the filling before stuffing the egg roll wraps, or the center will be cold.

The leftover egg rolls heat up well in the oven.

Peanut Butter Pie

I watched my sister-in-law make this pie back in the days before I really started cooking. It looked so easy, I knew I could make it. It was rich and delicious. For me, it became a standard to make for company.

When my daughter was in high school, she would raise money for church camps by participating in bake sales. She always made one of these pies and it was usually the first of her items to go.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Peanut Butter Pie

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz cool whip, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
oreo cookie pie crust (premade)
Extra cool whip for garnish if desired


Mix cream cheese until smooth. Add next three ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into the crust. Chill several hours before serving.


Recipe by Sonya Whitfield Young


Notes: The original recipe calls for 9 oz cool whip because that's the size Cool Whip used to be. I usually just use the 8 oz tub they make now. Make sure your cream cheese (I usually use name brand and the 1/3 less fat for this pie) is softened or you will have those unsightly white blobs in your pie. Sometimes, I will go ahead and put a layer of cool whip on top of the pie. You can add chocolate sprinkles just before serving. The sprinkles tend to melt after being in the refrigerator overnight. Not too pretty. Other than that, the pie tends to keep well.

Potatoes with Cheese Sauce

Whenever we would have a family get-together at my husband's granny's house, it seemed like these potatoes were always there. They are so good and go with just about anything. His granny, Elva Jessen, was a great cook and passed that on to her girls, Eula Faye and Betty Sue. Thank you, Grandma and Aunt Sue, for passing your love and talent for cooking down to your daughters, daughters-in-law and granddaughters.

Potatoes with Cheese Sauce

10 to 12 medium potatoes, peeled

1 stick margarine or butter

2 Tb flour

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 lb Velveeta, cubed

Cut potatoes in chunks and parboil; drain water off and pour potatoes in 9x13 inch baking dish. Salt to taste. Cook remaining four ingredients in microwave or double boiler until cheese melts. Pour sauce over potatoes and bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Recipe from Betty Sue Duncan/Faye Whitfield

Notes: For those of you new to cooking, parboiling is "partial boiling". Stop the cooking process before completely cooked. I have always brought the potatoes to a boil and boiled them for about 10 -15 minutes and drain. As far as the sauce, I usually set the microwave on high for 2 or 3 minutes, stir, and repeat that until sauce is smooth.

I have about decided to go through my recipes and write down the volume of product in a can, jar, etc. In order to save the consumer money, the manufacturers reduce the volume of their product. This in turn changes the flavor and consistency of your dish. So, I will try to put the volume in the recipes I post for you.

Creamed Tacos

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger, browned and drained (you may also rinse to reduce the fat)

1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can rotel
2 cans chili beans
8 oz. sour cream

Stir together in a dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Serve over tortilla chips and top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and anything else you like on your tacos.

Recipe from Kristin Donovan

Mother's Day

This is the first flower of this year from a rose bush that our daughter, Tiffany, and her husband, Brian, gave me last year for Mother's Day. They are the most fragrant roses we have ever smelled. They are some kind of a perfumed rose. It's like the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you, Tiffany and Brian!

My mother is a great example of what a mother should be. She always gave of herself for her children. I don't remember her playing games too much, having idle chat on the phone or watching TV or movies. Her first responsibilities were to her family and her God. She worked tirelessly making our clothes, making sure we were where we were supposed to be, and trying to make us behave. She worked as a nurse on the midnight shift, but it was very evident that her Lord and her church came first and sleep second. I remember on Sundays when she had to work weekends that she would come home from work in the morning, take a nap, get up and go to Sunday School and church, go home, fix lunch, go to sleep, wake up in time for choir practice and church, go home after evening service, take a nap, and go to work. That's dedication. Thank you, Mom.

Back in the early to mid-80s, I was in a ladies trio at High Street Baptist Church. Our piano player (our director) wanted to come up with a song for Mother's Day. I had an idea for the music, and she took it and ran with it. Here are the words to the song we wrote.

SHE IS TO BE PRAISED

by Janet O'Rear and Vicki Whitfield

Who in this world can give a home its warmth and security?

A woman who fears the Lord, she is to be praised.

Who in this world is given trust in raising tomorrow?

A woman who fears the Lord, she is to be praised.


Her children will rise up and call her blessed

When she speaks with wisdom from the Lord.


Who in this world can comfort hearts and then teach them how to grow?

A woman who fears the Lord, she is to be praised.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you with children here on earth and/or in Heaven.

Snicker Salad

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 c milk

12 oz cool whip

4 regular-sized Snickers bars, chopped

5-6 Granny Smith apples, chopped

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix pudding and milk together according to package instructions. Let set for 5 minutes. Fold in cool whip. Stir in remaining ingredients and refrigerate.

When we first read this recipe, we thought it sounded really good. Got to the Granny Smith apples, and thought, "Hmmm, maybe not so good." We decided to use our Sunday afternoon Small Group as guinea pigs. We tried it, and it was really good. What was surprising was the last of each bite tasted like a caramel apple. We were very pleased but thought it was missing something. We decided it needed pecans, so we added those after we got home. The result was very tasty.