From the Kitchen of Marie Wathen

This recipe is one of my mother's that I truly enjoyed when I was young and even today! It is fast and easy to make. If I am not mistaking, my mom told me that Grandpa use to make this...or he learned how to make this when he was in the Army. Either way, this recipe is right up there with spaghetti dinner!

Hamburger Chop Suey

1 lb. ground hamburger meat
1 can (14 oz.) bean sprouts DRAINED
1 can chicken noodle soup
1 can cream of chicken soup soy sauce
1 can of water (of your liking)

Brown hamburger meat and drain any fat. In a separate pot heat on medium, add chicken noodle soup, cream of chicken soup, and bean sprouts. Mix together, add UP TO 1 can of water (depending on the thickness you like). Add hamburger meat and mix. Heat until everything is nice and hot to your likeness. Add a few dashes of soy sauce into the mixture, again to your likeness, and mix.

Mom would make rice on the side, I have in the past put it into the pot or had open face chop suey by placing 2 pieces of bread on the plate, a few scoops of rice on top of that and then the chop suey over that.



This next recipe is a favorite by many people. When Nathan and I started to date, I made it one year for Thanksgiving and his mom, Karen, and family raved on it. Then a few weeks later we had another BIG family reunion for Christmas...meeting his grandparents, aunts, uncles...the whole crew. I was really nervous, not sure what they would say about Nathan dating someone with a kid. Karen asked me to bring a side dish for this event and kind of hinted around about the key lime pie. So, I made two of these and boy did I make some good brownie points with the extended family. Everyone was in love with my dessert and my daughter! So, to this recipe it was a good conversation opener with his family members and relieved the stress of meeting everyone.


Key Lime Pie


1 (8 or 9 in.) baked pastry shell or graham cracker crumb crust
3 egg yolks
1 ( 14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. Lime juice from concentrate
yellow or green food coloring, optional
whipped cream or whipped topping

Preheat oven 325 degrees. In large mixer bowl, beat egg yolks with sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and food coloring if desired. Pour into shell; bake 30 minutes. Cool. Chill. Top with cream.

I use a graham cracker crust and Cool Whip. Enjoy!