Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients...and this is usually my first pumpkin recipe I make each fall. They are perfect!

4 c flour

2 c quick oats

2 tsp bkg. soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3 sticks margerine or butter

2 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 c pumpkin
1 c chocolate chips

1: Combine dry ingredients, except oats & Choc. chips
2: Add quick oats
3: Add wet ingredients
4: Add Chocolate Chips

Bake and 325 for 17-19 min (I do 19) and enjoy!

Yields: about 3 1/2 dozen

Thickened Peaches

This is not used as a topping for ice-cream, instead it is used as the main dish of the dessert, topped with ice-cream.

1 lg can peaches (with syrup)
4 oz OJ concentrate, thawed
2 Tbsp+ Brown sugar

Mash peaches with potato masher. Put in saucepan. Add OJ concentrate and sugar, combine.

In separate bowl mix:
1 c water
1 heaping Tbsp cornstarch

Bring peach mixture to boil. Add into peach mixture (in a small stream) water/constarch mix. Stir continually. Turn heat down and stir till thickens. Sprinkle with cloves and cinnamon (start with 1/2 tsp each and go from there).

So Good!!!

Courtesy of : Kathy Coppin

Mexican Chicken Salad

4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c mayo
1 1/2 c sour cream
2 cans potatoes
2 cans carrots
4 "embasa" jalepenos (take seeds out for less kick)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Valentina hot sauce (opt)
chips or tostadas

Cook chicken in crock pot. Then shred chicken. Add mayo & sourcream, mix. Add potatoes, carrots, jalepenos, salt and pepper. Serve with chips or tostadas or with hot sauce

Note: Keeps 2-3 days

Parmesan Chicken

20 Ritz crackers, crushed
2/3 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp parsley flakes
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
1/3 c melted butter
1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts or tenders

Mix all dry ingredients. Dip chicken in melted butter, then in dry mixture. Put in a 9x13 pan. Bake 40-50 min at 350.

Courtesy of: Carla Hansen

Meatloaf

My husband has always hated meatloaf...until this one! He doesn't just tolerate it because it is a recipe I love, he actually enjoys it :)

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (or Onion Mushroom)
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 c quick oats
2 eggs
3/4 c water
1/3 c ketchup

Mix together and put in loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hr or so.

Stir Fry for Egg Rolls

Okay, this is one of those dishes that reminds me of when I was little...My mom, sister and I in the kitchen rolling egg rolls (and eating more of the Stir-fry than was actually put into them). I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Egg Rolls
Egg roll wrappers
egg whites

Stir Fry
1 sm onion, chopped
3 c celery, chopped
4 c bean sprouts, chopped (not too small)
1 can sliced water chestnuts, reserve juice
2 lbs ground pork (not sausage)

Stir Fry Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 chicken bullion cubes, crushed
1 Tbsp juice from water chestnuts

1: Cook pork. Cook other ing. of stir fry, with juice with the cooked pork.
2: Wrap, using eggwhites w/ a little water to seal the egg rolls. Make sure to seal well, so that oil doesn't seap in.)
3: Fat-fry till golden brown (or bake-see below) (I prefer fat-frying)

Eat right away, or cool & freeze, Bake frozen egg rolls at 450 for 15-20 min

To bake
1: Coat cookie sheet with cooking spray
2: Lay out egg rolls
3: Coat egg rolls with cooking spray, heavily
4: Bake at 425 for 5-10 min until ends are hard, crusty and golden brown.

Optional Ingredients
Rice Noodles, carrots, cabbage, green beans, snowpeas, banboo shouts (I stay with the original ingredients...this is my all-time favorite dinner!)

Courtesy of: The Parkin Family

Lime Chip Salsa

1 can corn (or 1/2 bag, frozen)
1 can black beans
fresh salsa (1 container)
2 tomatoes
4 avacados
1/2 pkg frozen peas
1 can chick peas (opt)
squirt of lime juice

Drain corn and beans. Add remaining ingredients. Mix. Serve with lime totilla chips

Makes a med/sm bowl

Courtesy of: Angie Burton

Pea Salad

1 16 oz bag frozen peas, cook with salt, drain
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c green onions
1/2 c light mayo

Combine all ing. Serve warm.

Courtesy of: Monica Smith

Smashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes

4 lbs sweet potatoes (or yams) (4-5 lg)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Pierce each potato in several places with fork. Place directly on oven rack and roast until soft in a 350 oven (about 1 hr). Let cool enough to handle, about 10 min. Slip off the skins, cut potatoes into rounds and transfer to a large bowl. Add butter. Smash the potatoes with potato masher or fork until fluffy, but some lumps remain. Add syrup and spices. Stir to combine and enjoy.

Applesauce

20 apples, peeled and sliced
1.3 c water
1 c sugar
1.4 tsp lemon juice
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon

Cook all ingredients till apples are soft. Mash with potatoes masher to desired consistency.

Cranberry Salad

Start recipe the night prior to serving...

1 pkg cranberries (pick out soft/bad ones)
3/4 c sugar
3 c mini marshmallows
2 c unpeeled Gala apples, chopped
3/4 c red grapes, cut in half
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 c heavy whipping cream
powdered sugar
vanilla

Rinse cranberries, drain & dry completely. Blend in blender (there can still be some pieces that aren't blended completely). Combine cranberries with marshmallows and sugar in a large airtight container. Place in refrigerator overnight (this helps to take the bitter out of the berries.)

The next day: Whip cream until stiff, add a little powdered sugar and vanilla to sweeten. Combine all ing. and serve

Courtesy of : Pierco Cockerham & Mandy Archibald

Frozen Fruit Muffin Cups

1 c canned apricots or peaches, peeled & drained
1 c crushed pineapple (packed & drained)
1 lg bag frozen strawberries, thawed-reserve juice! - (If you cut strawberries while still frozen, they cut a little easier)
3 bananas
2 c sugar
1 c water

In small saucepan boil sugar and water will clear in color. Set aside to cool. While syrup is cooling, cut apricots and strawberries in halves or fourths. In a og bowl mix all fruit, but bananas. Pour cooled syrup over fruit. Combine. Slice bananas into the mixture. Pour into non-greased muffin tins. Cover with plastic wrap (pressed directly over each cup) and freeze until ready to serve (at least 1-2 hours.) Let thaw for a FEW minutes before trying to get out of cups...also a wet spoon helps loosen from tin.

Note: You can freeze 4-5 days ahead

Baked Tomato Pasta

10 Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 c Italian Parsley, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
olive oil (about 3 Tbsp+)
salt & pepper
1 box pasta, cooked
parmesan cheese

Cut tomatoes in half. Spread them, cut-side up, in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with salt and papper. Combine in seperate bowl parsley, garlic and 3 Tbsp oil. Sprinkle over tomatoes and drizzle with a little more olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Bake 1 hr till tomatoes start to turn brown. Cool slightly and smash tomatoes with fork. Toss with pasta (pan juices included). Can serve warm. Best at room temperature. Garnish with cheese.

Courtesy of: Teresa Skabelund

Fruit Salsa

1 c finely chopped strawberries
1 med orange, peeled and finely chopped (about 1/3 c)
2 lg or 3 sm kiwi, peeled and finely chopped (about 2/3 c)
1/2 c finely chopped fresh pineapple (or 1 8oz ca crushed pineapple, drained)
2 thinly sliced green onions (1/4 c)
1/4 c finely chopped yellow or green sweet pepper
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded & chopped (opt)

Stir together and chill 6-24 hrs. (If you are going to keep in frige longer than 6 hours, add strawberries just a few hours before serving.)

Courtesy of: Monica Smith

Barbeque Baked Beans

These are the only baked beans I like...uh hum...I mean love!

1/2 lb sausage
2 med onions
2 c fresh apples (cut up)
28 oz baked beans
1/3 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp prepared or dry mustard

Brown sausage & onions. Add apples and beans. In a seperate bowl combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Add to bean mixture. Put in casserols dish for 30 minutes at 350.

Serves 6-8

Coutesy of: Kathy Coppin

Lime Rice

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 bunch green onions
1 1/2 c rice
3 c chicken broth
1 lime
1 tsp lime zest
Cilantro or cumin (opt)

Melt butter in sauce pan and saute onions. Add rice and cook until light brown. Add broth and cook about 20 min. Squeeze juice of one lime over rice and addzest (and cumin or cilantro if desired). Stir well and serve.

This is great served with chicken