Sweet Potato Delight

As you can see, it disappeared before I could take a picture of the whole bubbling sweetness!

This recipe comes from the sister of my friend Lori Weston. Lori says, "I don't like sweet potatoes, but even I like these!"

Sweet Potato Delight

6 C. cooked and mashed sweet potatoes (I used half sweet potatoes, half yams)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 C. butter, very soft
2 beaten eggs
1/2 C sugar (I used 2 TB splenda)

Mix and spread into greased 9x13 pan.

Topping:
1 C coconut
1/2 C. melted butter
1 C brown sugar
1 C chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix and spread over top of sweet potatoes. Bake 375 degrees until brown and bubbly, 20-30 minutes. Can easily be made a day ahead and refrigerated until needed. Also, if it looks like it may bubble over the top of the pan, put foil underneath to prevent sugary overflow into your oven--ick.

FYI--I didn't know this but when you boil yams/sweet potatoes, you boil them with the skin on, and then it peels right off after they are cooked!

Potato Soup

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes 1/3 cup diced celery 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 3 1/4 cups water 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste 5 tablespoons butter 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups evaporated milk

	Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
	In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
	Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated from one of my favorite recipe sites, allrecipes.com. We adjusted the recipe slightly taking out the ham and using evaporated milk. The recipe above is what we used.

Eggnog Scones

(Big Thanks to my sister LeAnne for this yummy)
These are a family favorite we enjoy during "eggnog" season, but it is hard to keep the kids from drinking the eggnog before I make the scones! Now they ask, "Is this for scones?"

When you serve these warm with a glass of milk or Hot Chocolate you will be Feelin' the season, trust me.

3 C. Flour
1/4 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 C. Butter, cut into pieces
1 C. Eggnog

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Make a well in center and add eggnog. Stir with a fork until moistened. (You may have to add a bit more eggnog, but do not make it sticky) Divide in 2 pieces. Pat or roll gently into a 1" circle (approximate shape). Cut in 6 wedges. Repeat with second piece of dough. Put on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. For variety, you can add 1/2 C. craisins and/or nuts.

Sweet Shredded Pork

3lb. pork roast
5 oz. salsa
20 oz Dr. Pepper (or caffeine free coke if you don't drink caffeine and can't find caffeine free dr. pepper)
1 c. brown sugar

Place pork in crock pot and fill it 1/2 way up (the pork) with water. Cook on high for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork into thirds. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks and leave it on low until ready to serve.

Serve as a burrito, taco or salad.

PF Chang's Mongolian Beef

This dish takes some time, but it is well worth it.

INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the sauce by heating 2 teaspoons of vegetable in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get a major spatter when adding the other liquids. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

2. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.

3. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

4. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon or a spider to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. Cook for one more minute, then serve over rice.

Croissant Chicken Sandwiches

This is like the chicken sandwiches at Arby's, so you don't really have to put them on croissants, but it sure does taste good!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C Mayonnaise
1 C Miracle Whip
1/2 C Ranch
4 C Chicken cooked, chopped

Following to taste:
Apple peeled, chopped (any sweet apple)
Celery sliced
Almond Slivers
Grapes (seedless) cut in half (either red or green, red tends to be sweeter)
salt and pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together and serve on croissants. May add a leaf of lettuce.

Pesto and Roasted Eggplant Pizza

I was skeptical about this combination, until I tried it. Yumm! It is even better as leftovers. Also, note my pizza crust recipe--I use this weekly, it is my absolute favorite!

1 sm eggplant 3 Tbl olive oil 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 2/3 cup prepared pesto (see recipe below) 1 12 inch pizza base (see recipe below) 1 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese or cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup diced plum tomato

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices; cut each in half crosswise. Brush baking sheet with 2 teaspoons of the oil; arrange eggplant in single layer on top. Brush with 1 tablespoon more of the oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning halfway through, for about 30 minutes or until dark and tender. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of the pesto over pizza base; sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Arrange eggplant over top, then tomatoes. Combine remaining oil and pesto; drizzle over tomatoes. Bake in bottom third of oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden and slightly puffed.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients

* 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
* 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001329fresh_basil_pesto.php


The Best & Fastest Pizza Crust Recipe in the WHOLE World!!!

2-3 c. flour (I prefer a mixture of half white and wheat)
1 T. yeast
1/2 t. salt
1 T. sugar
2 T. oil
1 c. very warm water

Preheat oven to Bake 500 degrees. Mix 2 c. flour with dry ingredients. Add oil. Add water. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Add small amounts of flour until workable in hands without being too sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour or crust will be heavy. Grease warm pan and roll out dough. I like to put cooking spray on a glass cup and roll dough. Cook crust for 2-3 minutes, no longer! Put toppings on and cook till cheese melts (8-12 min. depending on amount of toppings). Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

apple pie filling

It is time to be thinking about the fall apple crop. Nearly 30 years ago, a friend told me about this recipe for home-processed apple pie filling but said she had tried it and it turned out horribly so she was reluctant to share it with me. I talked her into giving it to me anyway and I have used it all these years with wonderful results. I make several batches each year to have plenty on hand. It is wonderful for a quick, easy dessert; many claim it is the best apple pie they’ve ever had. Make it with the traditional double crust (I’ve included my own recipe for pie crust) or try it with the Apple Crumb topping in place of the top crust (that’s the way my family likes it). . A jar of the filling makes a beautiful gift, too.


BOTTLED APPLE PIE FILLING
Mix together in a large pot:
4 ½ Cups sugar
1 Cup cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
Add 10 Cups water and cook over medium heat until bubbly.
Add 3 Tbsp. lemon juice. Remove from heat.
Prepare 7 quarts of apples*, peeled, and thinly sliced. Pour syrup over apples, using a skewer to work out air pockets. Fill bottles to ½” from top. Cap and process in a cold water bath or steamer for 20 minutes.
*I use either golden delicious or granny smith, but any tart apple works well.


APPLE CRUMB PIE
Empty one jar apple pie filling (see previous recipe) into unbaked pie shell.
In a small bowl combine:
¾ Cup flour
½ Cup sugar
With a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 Cup butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake 40 minutes at 400 .


PIE CRUST
2 Cups flour
½ tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. shortening
¼ Cup ice water
Mix four and salt. Cut shortening and butter in until mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in water slowly, adding a little more if needed just until mixture will stick to itself. Makes enough for two crusts. *Roll out scraps, cut into squares, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for a delicious pie crust cookie.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

I am submitting this recipe as my first installment, Julie actually gave me this recipe about a month ago, since then I have made it 5 times and the masses are still begging for it!INGREDIENTS

• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini (on smallest setting)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease well two 9x5 inch loaf pans or single serve bread pans. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate; beat well. Stir in the flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes in large bread pan or 30 minutes in single serve bread pans, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.
4. I recommend adding the chocolate chips to the dry ingredients first to prevent the sinking to the bottom of the pan.
   

Quick Snack for Kids, and me too

So, yes I know this really isn't a superior recipe, but I thought I would share because my kids request this snack all the time. I am a little embarrassed that this is my first post, and it is such a silly one, oh well, I will have to put up so real recipes later.

Cinnamon Yogurt and Apples
1/2 C Plain Yogurt Low Fat or Fat Free
TT Cinnamon
TT Sugar or Splenda
Apple Slices

Mix the first three ingredients together in a small bowl, like a cereal bowl. Slice up an apple and let you kiddos dip to their hearts content in the yogurt mixture.