Family favorites: fruit salads, mac & cheese

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following are holiday recipes collected from Nevada Appeal readers. The favorites of those submitted were chosen by each of the Nevada Appeal's regular food columnists and will run weekly in November.

Cheryl Manning

A family story about the broccoli soufflé (as told to me by my sister). "It was added to our family get -together after we moved here to Nevada. I remember the first time I had it was at a church function Ð Thanksgiving dinner with the church family. But since that time, we all loved it so much we've made it ever since. We make it at any time of the year but mostly at the holidays. Whenever my husband Mark would come home from his deployments - four in all - or even when he went our for short 6-week trips, that is one of the main things he asks me to make as a "Welcome Home" dinner. And I can never make a small batch, it always has to be the regular size because he would eat and eat until he couldn't eat another bite. His famous saying Ð "Leftovers are wonderful!" If I make it to take somewhere for a potluck, I always have to take some out for Mark before I take it Ð he has to make sure it tastes okay before I take it anywhere! It's one of his favorite foods.

Broccoli Soufflé

2 packages frozen broccoli

1 egg, well beaten

1 package cheddar grated

1 package croutons

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 cans mushroom soup

1 small onion, chopped

Cook broccoli per instructions; drain. Mix broccoli and remaining ingredients. Cook 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serves 8.

Eve Tlachac

7th Grade Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School

This recipe was one that I grew up with and brought to the Tlachac family after Jeff and I got married. So for 23 years this is the addition that I bring to both Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. This adds a lighter touch to the meal.

Tlachac Waldorf Salad

2 red delicious apples

2 Granny Smith apples

1 stock of celery

1 box golden raisins

1 small bag of walnuts

1 head of lettuce

2 T. of mayonnaise

1 cup of milk (could be whole, 1 or 2 percent)

Select a salad-size bowl

Wash, core and chop all apples (do not peel) into bite size pieces and put into bowl. Do the same with the celery and walnuts. Add a couple handfuls of raisins. Being a Southern California person we always added lettuce to fill the bowl. (This makes the salad go further with a large family. (Traditionally, a Waldorf salad doesn't have lettuce.)

Take large measuring cup, measure out 1 cup of milk. To the milk add the two tablespoons of mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Pour over contents of salad bowl and stir gently. Make sure to cover all apples as this will stop the apples from turning. If needed add more milk and mayo. Cover and store the salad in the refrigerator until dinner. (I usually prepare it a couple of hours before dinner.)

Illiana Brown

7th Grade Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School

The foods that we make that are our family tradition are the Fruit Cocktail Salad. It is passed down for family generations from Great-Grandma Casey and the Candied Yams are a tradition from Great-Grandma Koehler

Fruit Cocktail Salad

1 8-ounce cream cheese

1 large can fruit cocktail in heavy syrup

1 sliced banana (optional)

1 small can of mandarin oranges (optional)

Let cream cheese soften at room temperature 30-60 minutes.

Drain fruit cocktail (keep juice).

Using mixer beat cream cheese until smooth, slowly add about half of the fruit cocktail juice.

Mix in fruit.

Serve.

Candied Yams

2 large yams

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 T. butter

3 T. water

1/2 tsp. salt

Cook yams in salted boiling water for 35 minutes

Cool yams, peel, slice 1 inch thick, place side by side in a baking dish.

Make sauce by melting butter in a pan, then adding brown sugar, water, and salt.

Bring to boil and pour over yams.

Bake yams at 350¼ for 30 minutes.

Serve.

Makayla Mattison

7th Grade Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School

The reason why I chose this recipe was because I have this every year on Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, Easter, and almost every special event when my family gets together. This recipe was my great-grandmother's and she gave it to my Grandma so it was pretty much passed on for generations of the Mattison family because my grandma passed it on to my Aunt and I called my Grandma to give it to me.

I call it Bobo's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole because I got it from my Bobo who is my Grandma.

It is a terrific recipe and it is delicious too.

Another great thing about it is that it is good for any holiday even just for a good little family get together. So that you can get every there together.

So I recommend it because it is a family tradition and a great little treat to eat.

Bobo's Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

1-1/2 cups of milk

Ritz Crackers

1 beaten egg

Macaroni

Shredded sharp Cheddar

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Cook macaroni

While macaroni is cooking start shredding your cheese.

When macaroni is done cooking layer it into a slightly greased or buttered pan. On top of the first layer put a layer of cheese and then do that until the whole thing is filled to the top.

Mix your beaten egg, salt, pepper, and your milk together.

When you are done mixing, pour it over the macaroni and cheese layers until it is to the top. (If you need more to fill it to the top then just add more milk. Don't add more eggs or salt and pepper.)

Crumble up your Ritz Crackers and smother them on the top.

Put the casserole into the oven and let it cook for 55 minutes or until bubbly on top.

Take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Enjoy.