Braised Beef and Onions

The original recipe is from Land O' Lakes, but I made a few minor changes that I listed below.

2 Tbs butter

1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (I am sure you could use any cut of meat, the recipe calls for chuck roast, you cook it for a long time, so it will be nice and tender when you eat it)

2 medium onions, quartered

1/2 c beef broth

1/4 c hoisin sauce (found in the asian food section)

2 Tbs flour

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1 1/2 c baby-cut carrots

4 medium potatoes, cut in half

(you could add other veggies too)

egg noodles

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a ovenproof pan (I used my dutch oven), add beef. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until browned (5-8 minutes). Add onions, beef broth, and hoisin sauce. Cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Stir flour and spices into tomato sauce. Add carrots, potatoes, and tomato sauce too beef. Continue baking, covered, for another 45 minutes, or until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve over cooked noodles.

Pumpkin Cake

This cake has just the right amount of pumpkin. It tastes a lot like a homemade spice cake.

4 eggs

1 c. oil (I like to use half applesauce, it makes it a little healthier and fluffier)

2 c. sugar

15 oz. can of pumpkin

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Mix eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin. Sift all dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix into wet ingredients in thirds, mixing just enough to blend. Pour batter into a greased and floured baking sheet (12x18x1). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool and frost.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened slightly (do not melt)

3/4 stick butter, softened slightly (do not melt)

1 tsp. milk or cream

1 tsp. vanilla

4 c. powdered sugar

from Jenna McGowan

Apple Roll

6 apples, peeled and grated

2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. shortening

1/2 c. milk

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening. Add milk. Stir until evenly moist. Roll out into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Spread apples over the dough then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up (starting and long end) like a jellyroll.

(You can wrap it in foil at this point and freeze it for later.)

Pour syrup over top before baking:

Syrup:

2 c. sugar

2 c. water

1/4 c. butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together in a saucepan, bring to a boil.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until top begins to brown.

Serve with ice cream.

from Linda Keisel

Country Pork Ribs

(I usually half the sauce and don't use quite as much pork, it is too much for our little fam!)

2 lbs. boneless country style pork ribs

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. water

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

Combine all ingredients except the pork in a small saucepan. Heat, but do not boil. Pour over the ribs and let them soak in the refrigerator over night. (I usually don't do this because I forget and they still taste great!) Cook in crock pot for at least 3 hours on high. (I usually do 6 hours on low so they are more tender). Serve over rice.

Favorite Sugar Cookies

These really are the best sugar cookies, they are thick and soft and are fabulous with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting!

1/4 c. butter 
1/4 c. crisco

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. lemon extract *original recipe calls for more, so add more if you like, or just leave it out!

3 1/4 c. flour

Mix all the ingredients together in order listed. 

Chill for 30 minutes (this is important, it allows the dough to "thicken" without too much flour, so they will be nice and soft when you eat them!) 

 Roll out 1/2 inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters or just a simple round cup. 

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, do not allow to brown on top or they have cooked too long. 

Frost with your favorite frosting. We love cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 c. butter (softened)
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2-4 c. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbs. milk/cream

Cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Add almond extract.  Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time until you like the taste.  Add milk/cream as needed.

Cheesy Italian Tortellini

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. italian sausage

15 oz. marinara sauce

14.5 oz. can italian style tomatoes, diced (undrained)

9 oz. cheese tortellini (boil first if frozen)

1 c. mozzarella cheese

Break beef and sausage into large pieces in skillet. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until brown. Spray inside of a 4-5 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix beef mixture with marinara and tomatoes in cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in tortellini, sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook on low for about 15 more minutes.

Cheesy Italian Tortellini

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. italian sausage

15 oz. marinara sauce

14.5 oz. can italian style tomatoes, diced (undrained)

9 oz. cheese tortellini (boil first if frozen)

1 c. mozzarella cheese

Break beef and sausage into large pieces in skillet. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until brown. Spray inside of a 4-5 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix beef mixture with marinara and tomatoes in cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in tortellini, sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook on low for about 15 more minutes.

Crock Pot Angel Chicken

This recipe is a staple at our house. So yummy and easy!

4 bonless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 c. butter 

1 package dry Italian salad dressing mix

1 can Campbell's golden mushroom soup

1/2 c. apple juice

4 oz. onion and chive cream cheese

pkg. angel hair pasta

Place chicken in crock pot. In sauce pan melt butter. Stir in Italian salad dressing mix, soup, cream cheese, and apple juice. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Pour over cooked pasta or rice.

from Michelle Wright

Tres Leches

Tres Leches

1 Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix (this mix has pudding in it)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

2 c. whipping cream

1 Tbs. vanilla

Bake cake as directions say. Let it cool. Poke holes in cake with a fork (lots over the entire cake). Mix the 3 milks and the vanilla together. Pour slowly over the entire cake. Cover and set in the fridge overnight. Cut and serve with fresh strawberries.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

1 pkg white cake mix

4 squares bakers semi-sweet chocolate, divided

1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

½ c. sour cream

1 c. cool whip whipped topping, thawed

Prepare cake batter and bake in a 9x13 pan as directed on package. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Pierce cake with a large fork at 1/2” intervals. Melt 3 chocolate squares as directed on pkg, set aside. Blend milks and sour cream in blender until smooth. Add melted chocolate; blend well. Pour over cake, re-piercing cake as necessary until milk mixture is absorbed. Refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, make curls from remaining chocolate square. Frost cake with cool whip; top with chocolate curls. Keep refrigerated.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

1 lb. ground beef, browned

3/4 c. frozen corn (thawed) *I just use 1 can of corn

1/2 c. BBQ sauce

1 can tomato sauce

Mix all ingredients together. Pour mixture onto prepared pizza crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 c. chicken broth

2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed

Combine soup and chicken broth in saucepan. Add chicken and simmer 8-10 minutes until heated through.

Serve over rice and top with whatever you like:

chow mein noodles

tomatoes

celery

green pepper

green onion

pineapple

cheese

almonds

coconut