Applesauce

zest and juice of 1oranges
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 pounds of apples (6-8 apples)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Peel, quarter and core the apples and put them in a dutch oven pot. Put juice and zest over apples. Add the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and allspice and cover the pot. Cook on stove medium low to medium for 1 1/2 hours or until all the apples are soft. Mix with a whisk until smooth.

Makes about 1 quart.

Pork Chops with Stuffing

Recipe from my Aunt Jeannie

4 pork chops (about 1 pound)
3 cups soft bread cubes
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon poultry season
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup water

Brown chops on both sides. Place in shallow baking dish.

Lightly mix together bread cubes, onion, butter, 1/4 cup watter, and poultry seasoning. Place a mound of stuffing on each chop.

Mix soup and 1/3 cup water and pour over the chops and stuffing.

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Serves 2
(I doubled this recipe for our family.)

Pumpkin Bars

Crust:
! package yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 can pumpkin
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk

Topping:
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine crust mixture and press into greased 13x9 pan. Combine filling and pour over crust. Combine topping until crumbly and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

{This is a favorite dessert that my mom made when I was growing up and is now a favorite of my boys!}

Beef Stew

4 potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 bag of mini carrots
1 onion, cut in chunks
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut in chunks
1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine (or cooking red wine)

Mix meat and vegetables in crock pot or large casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Cook in crockpot on high for 7 hours or longer or bake covered in casserole dish for 5 hours at 275 degrees.

{This recipe is from my mother-in law, Barb Anderson.}

Chili

This is our family's very favorite chili! I usually triple or quadruple this recipe so that we have enough for leftovers for another day or two.

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce
16 ounce can whole tomatoes, undrained
16 ounce can kidney beans

Brown beef, onion and garlic. Stir in remaining ingredients except for the beans. Heat to boiling  and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in beans and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with all your favorite fixings: cheese, Frito's, chopped onion, sour cream, oyster crackers... and enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

12 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
8 oz (1 cup) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint blueberries

Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in on low speed, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and milk. Then still on low speed, mix in dry ingredients and beat until just mixed. Fold in blueberries.

Scoop batter into muffin tins that have been lined with paper liners.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and center is done.

Blueberry Pie

5 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter

favorite pie crust recipe

Prepare pastry for 9 inch pie. Mix sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon and stir in blueberries. Pour into pastry lined pie plate. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with butter. Cover with pastry and cut slits into it. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 45o degrees for 10 minutes and then reduce temperature to 350 degrees for an additional 50 minutes.

Blueberry Sauce

1 quart blueberries
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place all ingredients in pan and cook over medium low heat, Mash blueberries as the sauce cooks and cook for about 20 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

*This is amazing over cheesecake or vanilla ice cream.

Granite Steps Country Blueberry Coffee Cake

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 -12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar

Grease 9x9 baking pan. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well with a fork. Separate biscuit dough and cut each biscuit into quarters. Dip each piece in brown sugar mixture to coat. Arrange in baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the oats.

Combine blueberries and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat. Spoon over oats and sprinkle with remaining oats. Drizzle melted butter over top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and center is done. Cool for 20 minutes and serve warm.

Cookies and Creme Cake

1 package white cake mix
3 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups Oreo's, coarsely chopped
(plus additional cookies to garnish)
Butter cream frosting {recipe here}

Grease and flour two 9 inch round or bundt pan.

Combine cake mix, egg whites, and oil in large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in 1 1/2 cups oreos. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 28-31 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.
Frost cake and garnish with additional cookies.

Pancakes

1 egg
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Lots of chocolate chips - {added by Jake on my recipe card}

Beat egg and then add remaining ingredients.



1 batch makes about 6 pancakes.

Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed {about 3-4 medium}
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Grease bottom of loaf pan. Mix sugar and butter. Stir in eggs. Add bananas and water. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until center is cooked through.

Jello Poke Cake

1 package white cake mix
2 - 3 oz. package jello (can use any flavor, I have used strawberry, raspberry or lime)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

Topping:
1 cup cold milk
1 - 3 oz. vanilla instant pudding
1 - 8 oz. cool whip

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions.
(I usually make this in 8 or 9 inch rounds lined with parchment paper but this would be even easier in 13x9 pan unlined.) Cool for 1 hour.

In small bowl, dissolve jello in boiling water, stir in cold water and set aside.

With a wooden skewer, poke holes about 2 inches apart in cooled cake. Slowly pour jello over cake, refrigerate until set.

In a bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip and spread over cake.

Raspberry Jello Salad

1 1/2 cup water
6 oz. raspberry jello
2 - 8 oz. raspberry yogurt
15 oz. crushed pineapple
12 oz. bag of frozen raspberries



Retain juice from drained pineapple. Add juice and water to jello, heat on low until dissolved. Stir in berries, yogurt, and pineapple.

Chill until set.

Gruyere Fennel Potatoes

3 small fennel bulbs
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
4 pounds Russet potatoes
5 cups of heavy cream
1 pound of Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper

Remove stalks and core from fennel bulb. Thinly slice the fennel and onions and saute in the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and thinly slice. Mix the sliced potatoes in a bowl with cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the sauteed onion and fennel.

Pour the potatoes into a buttered baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium bananas
1 large egg
12 ounces mini chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.
Mix in bananas and egg.
Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
Spread in greased 15x10 pan.
Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons brandy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together. Sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients slowly to butter mixture and mix well. Add egg, brandy, and vanilla. Chill dough at least one hour in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough 1/8 inch thick and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges slightly golden.

Cool completely before decorating.

{Shiny Cookie Icing recipe can be found here.}

Shiny Cookie Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons milk
4 teaspoons light corn syrup

Place sugar, milk and corn syrup in bowl and mix thoroughly. Use as is for outlining. Thin with additional corn syrup for coating or filling large areas.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons milk

Beat butter, shortening and vanilla until creamy. Add one cup powdered sugar and mix. Add 1 T milk and mix. Keep alternating sugar and milk until all is mixed.

Super Bowl Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Line cupcake pans (foil liners make moister cupcakes). Fill cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Mix cream cheese and sugar until blended. Beat in egg and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop 1 rounded teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each cupcake. Bake according to package directions. No need to frost. Makes 24 cupcakes.

{After baking these look like a plain chocolate cupcake- but after taking a bite you find the surprise cream cheese center.}

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
3 cups flour
12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in mixer bowl.
Gradually add baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

For the sauce:
1- 32 oz can whole tomatoes
2- 32 oz cans tomato sauce
1 -12 oz can tomato paste
4 T parsley
2 T onion flakes
1 T oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mild italian sausage (either ground or links)

For the meatballs:
2 punds ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal
2 T parsley
1 T onion flakes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 t garlic salt

Combine all sauce ingredients in a large pot. Brown italian sausage and add to sauce.
Combine all meatball ingredients and form into 1-2 inch size meatballs. Place on greased baking sheet and cook in oven at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (Meatballs will continue to cook in sauce.) Add meatballs to sauce and simmer for 3 hours or more.

Super Easy Cherry Cheesecake

1 graham cracker crust
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 can of condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can cherry pie filling

Mix cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust. Top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate several hours before serving.