Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Quickbread (smaller container)

1)  In a large bowl, mix the contents of this 3 cup bottle:  1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (omitted), and 1/2 cup miniature chacolate chips.

2)  In a small bowl, beat 1/4 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter.

3)  Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients just until evenly moistened (batter will be lumpy).

4)  Scrape into a buttered and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (w/ a 9 cup capacity), and bake in a 350 oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Celebration Potato Salad

2 lbs. red potatoes (6 med.) - cool

Mix:
2 hard boiled eggs (cool)
2 Green onions
1 - 2 ou. jar pimentos (drained)
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup trappey's peppers

Mix
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3 T. vinegar from peppers
1 T. prepared dijon mustard
1/2 t. salt

Corn and Black Bean Salad

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, optional
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, cilantro, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and chili powder.  Pour over corn mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.  Serve with a slotted spoon.

6-8 servings

Spooky Witches' Fingers

This is a traditional Christmas cookie recipe.  Just the shape is changed. (It's a fat witch. I couldn't make them skinnier.)

1 cup butter softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole almonds
1 (.75 ounce) tube red decorating gel
Add all ingredients to list

1)  Combine the butter, sugar, eff, almond estract, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.  Beat together with an electric mixer; gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, continually beating; refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.

2)  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

3)  Remove dough from refrigerator in small amounts.  Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon at a time onto a piece of waxed papger.  Use the waxed paper to roll the dough into a thin finger-shaped cookie.  Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give the appearance of a long fingernail.  Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles.  You can also cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance.  Arrange the shaped cookies on the baking sheets.

4)  Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are slightly golden in color, 20 to 25 minutes.

5)  Remove the almond from the end of each cookie, squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel into the cavity; replace the almond to cause the gel to ooze out around the tip ot the cookie.

Stuffed Peppers

Basic Beef Starter

You can prepare this savory combination of ground beef, onions and garlic, then store it in the freezer.  This meaty mixture can save many hours in the kitchen.  It gives one a convenient head start on a wide variety of easy entrees.

5 pounds ground beef
4 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 teaspoon salt

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onions and garlic over medium heat until meat is no loger pink; drain.  Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through. Cool.  Place about 2 3/4 cups each in four freezer containers. May be frozen for up to 3 months. Yield 4 portions (11-1/2 cups).

Beef Stuffed Peppers (Pictured Above)

Use a container of the Basic Beef Starter and your microwave oven to make this main dish.  Peppers are stuffed with the ground beef blend, tomato sauce, rice, and seasonings.

1 portion Basic Beef Starter, thawed
1 1/4 cups cooked rice
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 medium green peppers
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a bowl, combine the beef starter, rice, tomato sauce, basil, and pepper. Cut tops off green peppers and remove seeds.  Spoon 1 cup of beef mixture into each pepper. Place in a 10 inch round microwave-safe dish.  Cover loosely; cook on high for 10-12 minutes or until peppers are tender, rotating a half turn once. Let stand, covered, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Chocolate Chip & Oatmeal Quick Bread

Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Quick Bread

1)  In a large bowl, mix the contents of this 2 Quart bottle:  2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. salt, ½ cup chopped walnuts, and ½ cup miniature chocolate chips.

2)  In a small bowl, beat 1 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 large eggs, ¼ melted butter.

3)  Stir wet mixture into dry ingredients just until evenly moistened (batter will be lumpy).

4)  Scrape into a buttered and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (w/ a 9 cup capacity), and bake in a 350 oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Awesome Thanksgiving Stuffing

Sourdough Stuffing with Pears and Sausage

8 cups (1/2 inch) cubed sourdough bread (about 12 ounces)

1 pound turkey Italian sausage

Cooking spray

5 cups onions (about 2 pounds)

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chapped carrot

1 (8 ounce) package presliced mushrooms (or omit)

2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled Bartlett pear (about 2 medium)

1 1/2 tablespoons chapped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chapped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



1.)  Preheat oven to 425.

2.)  Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425 for 9 minutes or until golden.  Place in a large bowl.

3.)  Remove casings from sausage.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add sausage, and cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. (Ground sausage works well too.)  Add sausage to bread cubes, tossing to combine.  Set aside.

4.)  Return pan to medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, and carrot; saute 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown.  Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 minutes.  Stir in pear, basil, tarragon, and salt; cook until pear begins to soften stirring occasionally.  Add pear mixture to bread mixture, tossing gently to combine.  Stir in broth and pepper.

5.)  Place bread mixture in a 13 x 9 baking dish coated with cooking spray and cover with foil.  Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.  Uncover; bake stuffing an additional 15 minutes or until top of stuffing is crisp.  Yield:  12 servings (serving size about 3/4 cup).

Easy Stew Recipe

1)  Brown cut up stew meat coated with flour in pot.

2)  Chop up some onions to put in with the meat.

3)  Fill water up to the level of stew meat.

4)  Put in 1 to 2 Beef Boullion Cubes

5)  Cover and Cook in oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

6)  Cut up desired amount of potatoes to put in and desired amount of frozen vegetables.  (You may need to add water but not too much.

7)  Cover and Cook in oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

Yam Bake for Thanksgiving

3 large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. melted margarine
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Cook potatoes.  I boil them.  Cut potatoes in half length wise.  Place half of cooked sliced potatoes in 1/2 quart casserole.  Layer half of the marshmallow (3/4 cup) over potatoes.  Then layer second half of potatoes over marshmallows.

Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes (except marshmallows).  Bake 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove and top with remaining marshmallows.  Return to oven and brown 10 minutes.

Grandma Bette's Thanksgiving Stuffing

Last night I made my mom's Thanksgiving stuffing ahead of time.  It is very easy but takes time because you have to chop a lot of celery and onions up.  This is what I did:

1)  Put 2 large frying pans on the stove to brown 2 lbs. of sage ground sausage in each pan.  1 lb. sausage in one pan and 1 lb. sausage in the other pan.  (Turn burner off when browned)

2)  While that was browning, I washed to bunches of celery in the sink and then proceeded to chop it up and put it in a large bowl.

3)  Afterwards, I chopped 5 medium onions up and put that into the bowl and mixed the celery and onions up.

4)  Then I divided the celery and onion in half - putting each half into one of the frying pans with the ground up sausage.

5)  I turned the frying pans back on to cook and soften the onions and celery also adding some poultry seasoning to taste.  Remember to put a good amount of margarine on top of the mixtures to melt and help cook.

6)  Once the onions and celery shrink down, it simmers for an hour or so.

7)  Immediately after it was done simmering, I added the desired amount of breadcrumbs.

8)  All the flavors are melding together in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving day.  You can reheat this stuffing in the bird, on the stove, a double boiler, or gradual heat in the microwave.

This is a very tasty recipe.  Later, I will try to post a picture of it.

Oreo Truffles

1 package of Oreos (take out a few and crush the rest)
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1 package of semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Mix the crushed cookies and cream cheese, roll into 1" balls, dip in the chocolate.  You can lay out a sheet of parchment paper for them to cool on and take one of the cookies I didn't crush and with a cheese grater - shave some cookie crumbs over the truffles.  Then place them in the fridge to harden.  This will make a little over 3 dozen.

Grandma Bette's Apple Pie

7 to 8 peeled and sliced apples
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Four (optional)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients.  Put a small amount of butter on apples to brown.  Place in pie shell (pre-made dough) and cover with top of shell.  Vent pie shell with fork.  Bake 20 minutes and 400 F.  Change temperature to 350 F and continue baking for 30 minutes.

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

This is very good slow cooker recipe.  Just put everything in and the chicken is so moist that it just breaks up itself when stirred at the end of cooking.  I doubled this recipe and brought it to our Maryland tailgating in the fall last year.  It was a big hit.

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 cans (15.8 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 envelope (1.25 ounces) Old El Paso 40% less-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso chopped green chilies
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
Sour cream, if desired
Chopped green onions, if desired

1.)  Place chicken in 3 - to 4 - quart slow cooker.  Top with remaining ingredients except sour cream and onions.

2.)  Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

3.)  Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken pieces.  Serve topped with sour cream and onions.  6 servings (1 1/3 cups each).