Cheesy Baked Ravioli

1 lb. ravioli
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. sausage
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. ricotta cheese (part skim works well)
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
3 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender.  Add ground beef and sausage, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Cook until meat is no longer pink.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli according to package directions, drain.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, ricotta cheese, basil, and oregano.

In a greased 9x13 inch pan, layer half of the ravioli.  Top with half of the meat sauce, all of the sour cream/ricotta mixture, and half the mozzarella.  Repeat with the remainder of the ravioli, meat sauce, and remaining mozzarella.  Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

adapted from Let's Dish Recipes.com

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

*this makes the best dough...and the cookies are pretty darn good too!

1 c. butter, softened
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbs. milk
1-2 c. chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter.  Add the sugars, baking soda, and baking powder.  Beat until combined.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour then the milk and then the chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Allow to cool on pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

from www.theidearoom.net

Multigrain Bread

1 1/4 cups (6.25 oz) seven-grain hot cereal mix
2 1/2 c. boiling water
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. honey
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 Tbs. salt
1/2 c. oats
optional: 3/4 c. pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds (I don't put these in)

Place cereal mix in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour.  Whisk flours together in a separate bowl.

Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, butter, and yeast and mix on low speed until combined.  Add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until cohesive mass starts to form (you may not need quite all of the flour).  Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes.  Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, 3-4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2-3 tablespoons additional all purpose flour and knead until it does) continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes.  Add seeds if using.  Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl; cover tightly with plastic and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.

Grease two loaf pans.  Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide in half.  Form into loaves ( go here to see how).  Spray loafs lightly with cooking spray and roll in oats to coat evenly and place seam side down in prepared pans, pressing gently into corners.  Cover loaves loosely with greased plastic and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size.

Bake at 375 degrees 35-40 minutes, until loaves register 200 degrees.  Let cool for 5 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

from ourbestbites.com  there are great pictures on their site 

Baked Beans

3-4 cans of pork and beans 
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces
1/4 c. diced yellow onion

1/4 c. diced peppers
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 packages beef lil' smokies

OR

beef hot dogs cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, onion, and peppers for 10-15 minutes, until the onions are translucent, and bacon is crispy.

In a large baking dish, coated with non-stick cooking spray, mix the beans, bacon & onions, brown sugar, and lil' smokies.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes- 1 hour.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. flour (I usually end up adding a spoonful or two more)
1 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. peanut butter chips (or butterscotch, chocolate, or nuts)

In a medium-sized microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter together.  Stir in the brown and white sugars.

Wait for the mixture to come to room temperature (or put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes, you just don't want to add the eggs when it is still hot).  Add the egg + yolk and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour, oats, and baking soda.  If the dough is really sticky, add a tiny bit more flour, if it is dry add a little peanut butter.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Let the cookies sit on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes about 24 cookies

from www.loveveggiesandyoga.com 

Sanpete Style Turkey

Anyone who has lived in Sanpete county, Utah, knows how good this turkey is!

2 c. Sprite or 7up
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. horseradish sauce (I don't use this)

5 lbs. fresh turkey breasts
(it is good with chicken too, but something about the turkey makes it extra special!)

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl (a clean ice cream bucket works well).  Add the meat and marinade at least 12 hours in the refrigerator.  Pull the meat out and grill it on your barbecue until cooked through.

Salsa for canning

* Do not change the amounts of peppers, onions, tomatoes or vinegar.  Doing this will alter the acidity and may result is botulism.  You can adjust the amount of spices and sugar.  The sugar helps to offset the vinegar taste.

8 c. chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 c. chopped onion (any kind will work)
1 1/2 c. chopped bell peppers
8 jalepenos (I have reduced this to 6 if they are large)
1 - 6 oz can of tomato paste
3/4 c. white vinegar (5% acidity) (do not leave this out)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar

Add everything to a large pot.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat and gently boil for at least 30 minutes. (I usually do longer, upwards of 2 hours because I like it thick and my veggies soft.)  Stir often to prevent sticking.

Process in a water bath for 30 minutes.

Makes 5 pints

Blueberry Buckle

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. blueberries

Topping:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. butter
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream the sugar and the butter in a mixer.  Add the egg and mix well.  Sift the dry ingredients and add them to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and sour cream.  Mix well.  Fold in the blueberries and pour the batter into a greased/floured 9x13 inch pan.

Topping:  Combine all of the ingredients using a pastry blender, fork, or in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.  Sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

from Michelle Wright

Sonoma Chicken Salad

*This is my favorite chicken salad!

Salad Ingredients:
3 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken (cooled) (I like to cook
mine in the crock pot, about 3-4 hours on high)
1 c. diced celery
2/3 c. slivered almonds (original recipe calls for pecans)
1/2 c. crasins
1 c. diced apples
2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese (I have left this out and it is still delish)

Dressing:
2/3 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. apple juice
3 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
1 Tbs. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

 In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until well blended.  Pour dressing over chicken mixture and toss to coat evenly.  Serve with bread, pitas, or croissants.  Store in refrigerator.

from: cooking classy

Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

1 1/2 c. steel cut oats
4 1/2 c. water*
2 apples, peeled and chopped
6 oz. applesauce
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. salt

Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients and pour into slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.  *You can use more water if you like your oatmeal more on the runny side.

We like to eat it with fresh chopped apples and non-fat half-n-half on top.

Adapted from goodlifeeats.com

Oatmeal Wheat Bread

1 c. oatmeal
2 c. boiling water
1/3 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbs. yeast
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. honey
1 Tbs. salt
3 c. wheat flour
1 3/4 c. white flour

Pour boiling water over oatmeal.  Let cool (it needs to be down to at least 110 degrees before mixing in other ingredients).

Soak yeast in warm water.

In a large bowl mix flours.

In your mixer, mix oatmeal, oil, honey, and salt.  Add yeast and 2 cups of flour mixture.  Mix until the flour is incorporated.  Continue adding flour 1 cup at a time.  Knead for 10 minutes in the mixer.  Transfer the dough to a clean, greased bowl.  Cover and let rise unit double.  Punch down and divide into 2 pieces.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Form into 2 loaves and put into greased loaf pans.  Let rise until pans are full.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove from pans, cool some before serving.

from Lisa Sheffield