Cooking with Susie Q

    I can’t believe Summer has arrived! Already the 4th of July is here, and because I know that most of you are headed over to the park for our Houlton Fair celebration, or to the lake for the day, you will need food to be ready when you are. Most of us are having family and friends into our homes or we are traveling and will need to show up with a dessert or a side dish. I’ve come up with these I thought you might like to try. Let me know what you think. These were all submitted to me as “family favorites” throughout these past few months. So, with that kind of recommendation, how can we go wrong? Have a wonderful holiday and I hope to see you at the Fair!

Barbeque Beans
1 pound ground beef
4 (16 ounce) cans baked
beans with pork
1 (4 ounce) can canned
chopped green chili peppers
1 small onion, peeled
and chopped
1 cup barbeque sauce
(your own favorite-
If sweet, cut back on the
sugar-taste as you go)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
(I like Uncle Frank‘s
Red Hot Sauce), or to taste

Directions:    In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no longer pink; drain fat, and set aside. In a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker, combine the ground beef, baked beans, green chili peppers, onion and barbeque sauce. Season with brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and hot pepper sauce. Cook on High for 2 hours, or low for 4 to 5 hours

 Directions:   Press crushed cookies onto bottom of 9-inch square pan lined with foil. Beat cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk and chocolate, mixing well after each addition. Add whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon over crust. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Cut into squares to serve. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Directions:  Melt 1 cup morsels in small, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat. When morsels begin to melt, remove from heat; stir. Return to heat for a few seconds at a time, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes. Combine coffee granules and water in medium bowl. Add sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in melted chocolate until smooth. Spread into crust; chill. Beat cream, powdered sugar and cocoa in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with mini morsels. Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm.
Most requested recipe this year: Cindy from Washburn and Manny from Patten said they made this recipe last year for the 4th of July and they were the most popular people in their neighborhood! Although Manny said he used caramel topping on one and half fudge and half Caramel on the other.
I changed the name of this next one to protect the innocent. While it makes a unrealistic claim, it is truly worthy of a quiet moment.

  Directions:  Bake German chocolate cake mix according to package directions. While cake is still very warm poke holes in top of cake with the end of a wooden spoon, poor sweetened condensed milk over top. Let cake cool. Pour hot fudge topping over top of cake and let set. Spread on whipped topping and garnish with crushed Heath Bars (toffee crumbles).
I’m looking forward to hearing from you with any suggestions or recipes you like. I can be reached at susieqcooking@ainop.com or c/o Pioneer Times, PO Box 456, Houlton, Maine 04730.