It's icy cold in Las Vegas today, so here are some recipes from Minnesota, where they are probably used to it.

Meat Ball Chop Suey

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup raw rice
1 egg, beaten
1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 can cream of celery soup
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Pour boiling water over the rice in a 2 quart casserole and let stand while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Mix egg with ground beef, salt, pepper, and 1/4 of the chopped onion. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and brown in a small amount of fat (you can bake them in the oven). Drain and add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining onion, to the rice. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes.

This next one is like tuna noodle casserole without the tuna. You could sure add some if you wanted.

Mushroom Cheese Casserole

1 tablespoon salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 small onion
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 pound (or more) cheese
Salt and pepper
4 graham crackers

Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for about 9 minutes or until tender. While macaroni is cooking, mince onion fine. Put in a sauce pan with butter, dry mustard, mushroom soup, milk, and cheese. Heat on low flame , stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted and mixture is creamy.

When macaroni is cooked, drain and turn into a buttered casserole dish. Pour sauce over the macaroni, salt and pepper according to your taste, then toss lightly with a fork so all macaroni is nicely covered.

Top with strips of cheese and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Chopped green pepper may be added. Also, if more mushrooms are desired, a small can of button mushrooms may be added.

No, these cookies are not a hot dish, they are a change of pace.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup raisins
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons raisin juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup nuts, cut fine


Cook the raisins in 1 cup water; boil down so you have 5 tablespoons of raisin juice. Let this cool. Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between, then stir in the raisin juice and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients together, including the oatmeal. Add to the creamed mixture with the nuts and raisins. Drop the dough by teaspoons on greased cookie sheets and bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and frost.

Frosting
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
Pinch salt
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Little cream

Beat well and spread on the cooled cookies. (I don't know how you feel about raw eggs. I think you could leave it out.)