7.31.2011

Aunt Maria's Pudding Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup cream sherry
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 10 inch tube or bundt pan.
Mix together the yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding, vegetable oil, cream sherry, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, and poppy seeds, beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for approximately 7 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes.
Variations: Poppy seeds may not work with these variations: 1) chocolate cake mix with chocolate pudding, 2) white cake mix with pistachio pudding and a dash of green food coloring (nice for St. Patrick's Day or Christmas), 3) yellow cake mix with lemon pudding, and 4) 3/4 cup oil and 3/4 cup beer (not everyone's first choice!)

Baked Pork Chimichangas recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans
1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast, trimmed
3 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup chili powder
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
30 (6 inch) flour tortillas
4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 cups picante sauce
1 egg white
2 teaspoons water

Directions
Place beans in a soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.
Place roast in a Dutch oven. In a bowl, combine chillies, onion, chili powder and beans. Spoon over roast. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours. Stir in broth; cover and bake 30-45 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Remove meat and shred with two forks; set aside. Mash bean mixture; stir in shredded pork. Spoon 1/3 cup mixture down the center of each tortilla; top with picante sauce. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Place seam side down on two 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, whisk egg white and water; brush over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately or cool, wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Apple Pie Bread recipe.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups diced apples

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. In a separate bowl, mix together milk, egg and oil until well blended. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Fold in apple. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, until loaf springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Amazing Brown Rice Salad recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1 tablespoon sugar

Directions
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, or until done.
Transfer rice to a serving bowl, and stir in onion, celery, cranberries, salad dressing and sugar. Cover, refrigerate, and serve cold.

Apple Raisin Cobbler Pie recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups apple pie filling
1 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions
Combine apple pie filling, raisins, and nutmeg in a bowl. Pour into crust.
In another bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in melted butter until mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle mixture over the top of the pie filling.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes, or until top has browned.

Blizzard Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 (20 ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
Soften ice cream. Crush cookies by placing them in a large zip lock bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin. Mix softened ice cream and crushed cookies together. Fold in the whipped topping and pour into one 9x13 inch glass pan. Freeze for 2 hours then serve.

Apple Crumb Pie recipe.

Ingredients
Pastry for a single-crust 9-inch pie
6 cups chopped, peeled tart apples
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cold butter

Directions
Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; flute edges. In a large bowl, combine the apples, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into pastry shell. For topping, combine flour and sugar in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack.

Almond Bars II recipe.

Ingredients
12 graham crackers
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan.
Break graham crackers into 4 pieces and arrange them touching on the prepared jelly roll pan. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the crackers. In a small saucepan, melt butter. When butter is melted, stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until smooth and remove from heat. Pour the butter mixture evenly over the graham crackers in the pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Watch carefully so that the edges do not burn. Cut bars while still warm and remove from pan. If the bars are stuck, put the pan into the warm oven for a minute to loosen.

Arangini (Italian Rice Balls) recipe.

Ingredients
3 3/4 cups water
1 1/3 cups uncooked brown rice
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
5 egg whites, divided
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice, and add the garlic, bay leaf and salt. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, discard garlic and bay leaf, and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Pour 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over, and toss to coat.
Stir 3 egg whites and the Parmesan cheese into the rice until well blended. Stir the resulting rice mixture into the mozzarella and basil mixture until ingredients are evenly distributed.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place bread crumbs in one shallow bowl, and whisk together 2 remaining egg whites and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in another shallow bowl.
Wet hands, and shape the rice mixture into 24 balls. Dip each ball in the egg whites, then coat with bread crumbs. Deep fry the rice balls a few at a time until golden brown, about 30 seconds per batch. Drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

Amber's Zucchini Bread recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup egg substitute
2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 - 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, egg substitute, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder. Gradually mix dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes.

Bundle of Veggies recipe.

Ingredients
8 ounces whole fresh mushrooms
8 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 cup sliced zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash pepper

Directions
Place mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchini on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Combine the remaining ingredients; drizzle over vegetables. Fold the foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound Brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, cut into tiny pieces

Directions
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook uncovered until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the Brussels sprouts are cold, drain well, and cut in halves or quarters, depending on size. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until limp and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in the Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper then toss for about 1 minutes to evenly distribute the seasonings. Arrange bacon and Brussels sprouts on the prepared baking dish. Pour cream evenly over the Brussels sprouts, then sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top. Distribute pieces of butter over the bread crumbs.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Acorn Squash Butter recipe.

Ingredients
3 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

Directions
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Fill two 9x13-inch baking dishes with 1-inch of water each. Place three acorn squash halves cut-side-down into each baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until the squash is very tender and the skin begins to separate from the meat, about 1 hour. Remove, discard the water, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Scoop the acorn squash flesh from the skins and into a blender. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Puree until thick and smooth. Scrape the squash into a heavy-bottom pot, and stir in the brown sugar and apple juice concentrate. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely before packing into freezer-safe containers. Store in the freezer up to 6 months.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions
In a saucepan, saute the onion, celery and garlic in butter until tender. stir in the salsa, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken; stir to coat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on each bun.

Berry Crumb Bars recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
4 cups raspberries
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease one 13x9 inch pan.
Combine 1 cup of the sugar, the flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, shortening, and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and berries. Place mixture over dough in pan. Crumble the remaining dough over the tops of the berries.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until the top is slightly brown.

Apple Roll-Ups recipe.

Ingredients
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
12 (7 inch square) egg roll wrappers
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon white sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheet.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. On a clean dry surface, lay out egg roll wrappers. Brush each one lightly with butter to within 1/2 inch of the sides. spread about 1/4 cup of the apple mixture onto the buttered area. Combine the cornstarch and water, brush top edge with the mixture. Fold the wrapper around the filling, and roll up to seal. Place onto the prepared cookie sheet, seam side down. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden and crisp.

Bourbon-Mango Pulled Pork recipe.

Ingredients
1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
2 teaspoons honey
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger bourbon whiskey
2 (12 ounce) bottles barbeque sauce

Directions
Peel the mangos and remove the pits. Place the pits into a slow cooker, then roughly chop the mango and set aside. Place the pork shoulder into the slow cooker, and season with the black pepper, kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon chipotle powder; pour in the balsamic vinegar and water.
Cover, and cook on Low 5 to 8 hours until the meat is very tender. Once done, drain the pork, discarding the cooking liquid and mango pits, and shred with two forks.
While the pork is cooking, puree the chopped mango in a blender until smooth, then pour into a saucepan along with the honey, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, and whiskey. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring frequently until the mango has reduced and darkened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the barbeque sauce, and remove from the heat.
Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir in the mango barbeque sauce. Cover, and cook on High 1 to 2 hours until the pork absorbs the barbeque sauce.

Almond Orange Chicken recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup sliced almonds
6 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the almonds, and cook until light brown and toasted, about 4 minutes.
Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper; flatten using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium meat; add the chicken breasts, and cook 1 minute on each side. Combine 1/2 cup almonds, cream, Dijon mustard, marmalade, and red pepper flakes with chicken, stirring to blend. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Serve chicken topped with sauce and remaining almonds.

Bertha's Pecan Cream Pie recipe.

Ingredients
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ground pecans
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup ground pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.)
In the top of a double boiler, combine yolks, milk, 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup pecans. Pour filling into baked pie shell.
In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and gradually add 6 tablespoons white sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, covering completely. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ground pecans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until meringue is delicately browned.

Anise Icebox Cookies recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon aniseed

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans and aniseed. Shape into two 10-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
Unwrap; cut 1/4 in. off the ends of each roll. Cut dough into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Banana Trifle recipe.

Ingredients
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant banana pudding mix
1 quart cold milk
2 bananas, chopped
4 cups heavy cream
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (12 ounce) package prepared pound cake, cubed
1/2 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers (such as Nilla�), crushed

Directions
Whisk pudding mix with milk until smooth. Stir in chopped bananas; set aside.
In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, or cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
Layer half the pound cake cubes, half the pudding, half the whipped cream, and half the crushed vanilla wafers in a trifle bowl. Repeat with the remaining cake, pudding, and whipped cream, and top with the remaining crushed wafers. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

All-Bran's Best Blueberry Muffins recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Kellogg's* All-Bran* Original cereal
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)

Directions
In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, stir together cereal, milk and juice. Let stand 5 minutes or until cereal softens. Add eggs, oil and brown sugar; mix well.
Add flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in blueberries.
Spoon batter into lightly greased or paper-lined muffin pan cups. Bake at 200 degrees C (400 degrees F) for 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and tops of muffins spring back when lightly touches.

Bean & Pasta Soup recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 envelope dry vegetable soup mix
1 cup water
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup uncooked star-shaped pasta

Directions
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Crumble ground beef into pot and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned. Remove meat, leaving excess oil in pot.
Cook onion and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, vegetable soup mix, and water. Reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
Add pasta stars, cover, and simmer 20 minutes more, or until pasta is tender. You may add more water at any time to adjust consistency.

A Fuzzy Thing recipe.

Ingredients
2 fluid ounces vodka
1 fluid ounce triple sec liqueur
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger peach schnapps
2 fluid ounces orange juice
2 fluid ounces pineapple juice
2 tablespoons sweet and sour mix

Directions
In a cocktail mixer full of ice, combine vodka, triple sec, schnapps, orange juice, pineapple juice and sour mix. Shake vigorously and strain into glasses.

Acorn Squash Butter recipe.

Ingredients
3 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

Directions
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Fill two 9x13-inch baking dishes with 1-inch of water each. Place three acorn squash halves cut-side-down into each baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until the squash is very tender and the skin begins to separate from the meat, about 1 hour. Remove, discard the water, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Scoop the acorn squash flesh from the skins and into a blender. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Puree until thick and smooth. Scrape the squash into a heavy-bottom pot, and stir in the brown sugar and apple juice concentrate. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely before packing into freezer-safe containers. Store in the freezer up to 6 months.

Bolas de Mani (Peanut and Plantain Balls) recipe.

Ingredients
4 green plantains, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chunky peanut butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Place plantain chunks and salt into a saucepan, and add water to cover plantains. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer until a fork will easily pierce the plantains, about 20 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the plantains. Allow to steam for a few minutes.
Mash the plantain with the peanut butter and reserved water until fine. Allow to cool until you can handle it, then roll into 24 golf ball-sized pieces. Place onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until the balls firm up, and turn golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Apple Lasagna recipe.

Ingredients
8 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 (20 ounce) cans apple pie filling
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3 teaspoons margarine
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, and rinse noodles, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the Cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, white sugar, and almond extract. Spread one can of apple pie filling in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the noodles to cover the filling. Spread the cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with the remaining noodles, and spread the remaining can of apple pie filling over the top of those.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, 6 tablespoons brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in margarine until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the pie filling.
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool for 15 minutes. While the lasagna cools, stir together the sour cream and 1/3 cup brown sugar. To serve, cut into squares and top with sour cream as a garnish.

Beefburger Parcels recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 cup red grape juice
1 cube beef bouillon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water

Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1 chopped onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add egg, and mix well. Shape into 4 thick patties, not too large in diameter. Cook burgers on grill until brown.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute 1 chopped onion, and chopped mushrooms until brown and caramelized.
Cut puff pastry into 4 squares, and roll pieces large enough to wrap burgers. Divide mushroom mixture into the center of each pastry, then top with burgers. Wrap pastry around burgers, and seal edges. Place parcels seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Serve with Red Grape Sauce.
Meanwhile, make Red Grape Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine grape juice, Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon. Mix the cornstarch with water, and stir into sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Black-Eyed Peas and Gumbo recipe.

Ingredients
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped okra
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound cooked ham, cubed
1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas

Directions
Heat 1/3 cup oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat, and whisk in flour. Whisking constantly, cook 5 to 7 minutes, until a golden brown roux has formed.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in okra, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 10 minutes, or until tender.
Thoroughly blend roux into the vegetable mixture. Stir in water, tomatoes, parsley, salt, thyme, cayenne pepper, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix in ham, and continue cooking 15 minutes, until tender.
Stir in black-eyed peas, and continue cooking until heated through.

Absolutely Delicious Stuffed Calamari recipe.

Ingredients
12 calamari tubes
2 green onions, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound chopped cooked shrimp meat
1/2 pound cooked crabmeat, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup butter
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups milk
10 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch ground black pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 (8 ounce) package linguine pasta

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse the calamari tubes and pat dry.
In a large bowl, stir together the onions, 6 cloves of the garlic, shrimp, crabmeat and lemon juice. Spoon some of this mixture into each squid tube and seal the ends by 'sewing' with a toothpick. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese and 2 cloves of garlic. Cook and stir until cream cheese has melted. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until heated through and then remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Pour over all of the calamari tubes in the baking dish. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese on top of each one.
Bake uncovered until the cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly. While the calamari is baking, Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Serve the stuffed calamari and sauce over a bed of linguine.

Best No-Bake Cheesecake recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup white sugar
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions
In a small bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of an 8 or 10 inch springform pan. Chill until firm.
In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and lemon juice until soft. Add whipping cream and beat with an electric mixer until batter becomes thick. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff. Pour into chilled crust, and top with pie filling. Chill several hours or overnight. Just before serving, remove the sides of the springform pan.

Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon recipe.

Ingredients
Irish Stew:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 slices bacon
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 cup milk, warmed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.
Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.
Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.
To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

Bacon Onion Breadsticks recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F), divided
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
coarse salt

Directions
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm milk. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add butter, 1 teaspoon salt and remaining milk; mix well. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute bacon and onion until bacon is crisp; drain. Add pepper and remaining salt. Cool completely. Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; knead bacon mixture into dough. Roll dough into a 14-in. square. Brush with egg; sprinkle with coarse salt. Cut dough in half lengthwise and in thirds crosswise. But each section into six strips. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Banana Pudding III recipe.

Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups heavy cream
3 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
36 vanilla wafers

Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together condensed milk and water. Beat in pudding mix until smooth. Chill in refrigerator 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chilled pudding mixture.
Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice. Shake off excess.
In a 2 1/2 quart serving bowl, spoon 1 cup pudding mixture. Top with one-third each of the wafers, bananas and remaining pudding. Repeat layers twice. Chill until serving.

Banh-Mi Style Vietnamese Baguette recipe.

Ingredients
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot, sliced into sticks
1 daikon (white) radish, sliced into sticks
1 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup chilled lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cold water
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh cilantro with stems
1 medium cucumber, sliced into thin strips
2 sprigs fresh Thai basil
2 (7 inch) French bread baguettes, split lengthwise

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Cool slightly, then slice into strips.
While the mushrooms are roasting, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Plunge the carrot and radish sticks into the boiling water and after a few seconds, remove them and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. In a separate bowl, stir together the rice vinegar, 1/2 cup of lime juice and 1/2 cup cold water. Transfer the carrot and radish to the vinegar and lime marinade and let them soak for at least 15 minutes, longer if it's convenient.
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. This is the sandwich sauce.
To assemble sandwiches, sprinkle a little of the sandwich sauce onto each half of the French loaves. Place the roasted mushrooms onto the bottom half of each roll and sprinkle with a little more sauce. Top with a few slices of jalapeno, a few sticks of carrot and radish (minus the marinade), cucumber, basil and cilantro. Close with the tops of the bread and serve.

Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 pound butternut squash - peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies
2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15.5 ounce) can white hominy, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes, then add the turkey, and stir until crumbly and no longer pink.
Add the butternut squash, chicken broth, green chilies, tomatoes, kidney beans, hominy, and tomato sauce; season with chili powder, cumin, and garlic salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

Banana Walnut Cornbread recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons honey
2 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 banana, sliced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 8x8 inch baking pan.
Place the honey, mashed bananas, canola oil, milk and vanilla into a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.
Sift together cornmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, soda and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture until blended. Fold in walnuts and sliced bananas. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until brown on top.

Apple Gouda Quesadillas recipe.

Ingredients
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 green onions, chopped
2 red apples, cored and thinly sliced
2 cups shredded Gouda cheese

Directions
Preheat a grill for high heat.
Brush oil onto one side of a tortilla, and place on a plate oil side down. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of mustard on the top side, and top with green onion, apple slices and about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Place a second tortilla on top, and brush the top with olive oil. Repeat with remaining ingredients, stacking the quesadillas on the plate.
Brush the grilling surface with oil, and place the quesadillas carefully on the grill. Grill for about 3 minutes, or until the bottom is crisp. Flip, and grill on the other side until crisp. Remove from the grill to serving plates and cut into quarters. Serve warm.

7.30.2011

Bacon Cheese Muffins recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a another bowl, beat the egg, milk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Bacon Cabbage Stir-Fry recipe.

Ingredients
6 bacon strips, diced
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Stir-fry cabbage in drippings for 5 minutes. Add garlic powder, salt, mustard and bacon; cook and stir until heated through.

Breakfast Bars recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Combine oats, flours and wheat germ; gradually add to creamed mixture. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. In a small bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Stir in pecans, coconut and chocolate chips. Spread evenly over crust.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Beef and Brew recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup water, divided
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound round steak - cut into 1 inch strips
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, or until they are dark brown and tender. Add the beer, 1/2 cup water, bay leaf, thyme, ground black pepper and salt.
Add the meat, onions, green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Simmer for another 20 minutes, or until beef is tender. Remove bay leaf.
In a separate small bowl, combine the flour and remaining 1/4 cup water. Mix well, making sure the flour is completely dissolved. Stir this mixture into the meat mixture. Cook until thickened and bubbly, then cook for 3 minutes more.

Baked Beer Can Chicken recipe.

Ingredients
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 (12 fluid ounce) can light-flavored beer (such as Bud Light�)
1 (3 pound) whole chicken
4 green onions, sliced
4 green onions, cut in half crosswise
1 (12 fluid ounce) can light-flavored beer (such as Bud Light�)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix the garlic powder, seasoned salt, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl; set aside. Pour 1/3 of one can of beer into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the open beer can in the center of the baking dish.
Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Fit whole chicken over the open beer can with the legs on the bottom. With the breast of the chicken facing you, use a paring knife to cut a small slit on each side and press the tip of each wing into the slit to encourage even cooking.
Rub the prepared seasoning mixture over the entire chicken. Pat the sliced green onions around the whole chicken evenly. Some will fall into the beer, that's fine. Press the halved green onions into the top cavity of the chicken. Open the remaining beer and pour 1/2 of it into the pan under then chicken. Reserve the remaining beer.
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven. After 45 minutes, pour remaining beer into the pan under the chicken. Continue baking until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 additional minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the oven and discard the beer can. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe.

Ingredients
4 cups water
2 cups uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon hot chile paste
1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated

Directions
In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm.
Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the tofu, carrot, Hoisin, and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and chile paste.
To serve: spoon a small amount of rice into each lettuce leaf, top with the stir-fry mixture, and drizzle with additional soy sauce or hoisin, if desired. Wrap the lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.

Bavarian Pot Roast recipe.

Ingredients
1 (4 pound) boneless beef top round roast, halved
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Directions
In a Dutch oven coated with nonstick cooking spray, brown roast on all sides over medium-high heat; drain. transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the juice, tomato sauce, onion, vinegar, salt, ginger and cinnamon; pour over roast. Cover and cook on high for 5-7 hours.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices until well combined. Cover and cook 1 hour longer or until the meat is tender and gravy begins to thicken.

Baked Fettucheesy recipe.

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, and cook the onion until tender. Stir in the fettuccine, heavy cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish. In a bowl, mix the remaining Parmesan, remaining Romano, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the fettuccine mixture.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and golden brow.

Best Basic Sweet Bread recipe.

Ingredients
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar and butter. Heat until slightly warm to the touch then remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Mix in the eggs, oil and the yeast mixture. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and continue to knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
Use remaining oil to grease a cookie sheet or 9x13 inch pan. For plain rolls, punch down dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place them into the greased pan side by side. Let dough rise for 20 to 25 minutes, or until almost double. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until rolls are golden brown.

Beth's Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

Ingredients
2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Use a measuring tablespoon to round dough into balls. Don't roll the balls, just make them rounded. Place onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until centers are set and very lightly browned. Don't overbake. Cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing from baking sheets. Make sure you have lots of ice cold milk!!!

Blondie Caramel Heaven recipe.

Ingredients
10 ounces individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter, melted
Chocolate layer
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan combine caramels and 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth; set aside. Grease an 8x10 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry cake mix, melted butter and remaining 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, reserving the rest.
Bake for 6 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the surface. Pour the caramel mixture over the chocolate chips, then top with the remaining cake mixture. The top should be swirled with caramel and cake mixture.
Return pan to the oven for an additional 18 to 20 minutes, until firm. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into bars.

All-Bran Mesclun Mix with Cranberries and Walnuts recipe.

Ingredients
8 cups Mesclun salad mix
1 cup sliced or chopped sweet yellow peppers
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
5 ounces soft chevre (goat's milk) cheese
1 cup All-Bran Buds* cereal
Balsamic or red wine vinaigrette dressing

Directions
Place salad mix on four serving plates or large bowl.
Add yellow peppers, walnuts and dried cranberries.
Crumble chevre over top.
Divide All-Bran Bran Buds* cereal among 4 plates or sprinkle over salad in salad bowl.
Drizzle with vinaigrette, to taste.

Apple, Beet and Avocado Salad recipe.

Ingredients
3 medium beets
4 cups mixed salad greens
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 apple - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
3/4 cup apple cider
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Wash beets, and place in a baking dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Whisk together the apple cider, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, mustard and celery seed.
Peel and slice the beets, combine with the vinaigrette and refrigerate at least half an hour.
Divide the greens among four salad plates. Drain beets, and reserve dressing. Decoratively arrange overlapping layers of beet, onion, apple, and avocado on the greens. Drizzle with reserved dressing. Sprinkle on the nuts, and serve at once.

Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheesecakes recipe.

Ingredients
1 (9.5 ounce) package Pepperidge Farm� Puff Pastry Shells
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped artichoke heart
1 tablespoon minced sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Cracked black pepper to taste

Directions
Bake, cool and remove the 'tops' of the pastry shells according to the package directions. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Stir the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Spoon 1 teaspoon of the artichoke mixture into each pastry shell. Place the filled shells onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until the filling is hot.

Baked Cod with Boursin Herb Cheese recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 pounds fresh cod fillets
1 (4 ounce) package Boursin cheese with herbs, room temperature
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic, onion, and peppers, drained
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter into baking dish to coat bottom. Arrange the cod fillets in the dish. Pat fillets dry using a paper towel. Spread the Boursin cheese evenly over the fillets. Pour the tomatoes over the tops. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Bacon Wrapped Duck Breasts recipe.

Ingredients
1/4 cup salt
8 cups water
12 duck breast halves
12 slices bacon
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
toothpicks

Directions
Mix together salt and water. Set aside 2/3 of the mixture, and pour the rest into a glass baking dish. Soak the duck in the salt water overnight to remove the gamey. Change the salt water twice, or until mostly clear.
The next morning, discard the salt water, and pour salad dressing over the duck breasts, and marinate for at least 8 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Wrap each breast half in one strip of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place the breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until bacon is crisp, and duck is cooked through.

Braided Almond-Herb Bread recipe.

Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water

Directions
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water; set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine butter, salt and milk. Stir in yeast mixture, 2 cups flour, herbs and 2 tablespoons almonds. Beat until well-mixed. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning once to grease dough surface. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and cut off 1/3 of dough; set aside. Divide remaining dough into three equal parts, shaping each into a 14-in. rope. Braid ropes and place on greased baking sheet. Divide set-aside dough into three ropes and braid. Place smaller braid on top of larger braid. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Combine egg and water. Brush over entire loaf; sprinkle with remaining almonds. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Amateur's Light Breeze Chicken Chili recipe.

Ingredients
2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, undrained
2 (16 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) jar sliced jalapeno peppers
1 large onion, chopped
2 large green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
10 cups water, or as needed
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
salt to taste

Directions
In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, chili beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and green bell pepper. Season with chili powder and cumin. Pour in the chicken broth, and enough water to cover the ingredients. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer for one hour. Season with salt to taste.

Almond Apricot Jam recipe.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups apple juice
1 cup diced dried apricots
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a saucepan, combine the apple juice and apricots; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until apricots are tender. Remove from heat. Mash until desired consistency. Stir in almond extract and cinnamon. Pour into a pint jar. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Apple Sheet Cake recipe.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
APPLE FILLING:
3 pounds apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 cup cold milk slowly until completely blended. Separate dough into two balls. Roll out one ball of dough to fit a 15 x 10 inch pan with some dough extending over the edge of the pan.
In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons flour. Place filling in an even layer over prepared crust. Thinly slice 1/2 cup butter and evenly distribute over the apples. Roll out the remaining dough and place over the apple filling. Seal edges and prick the top all over with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before frosting.
To make the frosting: In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1/3 cup butter and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Aunt Johnnie's Pound Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups cake flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
Cream shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy (for best results use an electric mixer). This will take a while. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract.
Combine baking powder and flour. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Baby Carrots And Brussels Sprouts Glazed With Brown Sugar and Pepper recipe.

Ingredients
2 pounds baby carrots
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and scored
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Directions
Blanch carrots in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer carrots to bowl of ice water using slotted spoon. Return water to boil. Add sprouts and blanch until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another bowl of ice water. Drain vegetables, and refrigerate if making ahead.
Bring stock, butter or margarine, and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy large skillet. Stir until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; return to boil before continuing. Add carrots. Cook until almost tender and sauce begins to coat, shaking pan occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and pepper. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

Apple-Cinnamon Syrup recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium apples, peeled, thinly sliced

Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring brown sugar, water, butter and cornstarch and cinnamon to a boil; boil for 2 minutes until thick. Reduce heat to medium. Add apples; cook for 10-12 minutes or until apples are tender.

Beer-Baked Irish Beef recipe.

Ingredients
6 slices bacon, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
4 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
4 large onions, cut into eighths
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer

Directions
Place the bacon in a large nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat until crisp and brown. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
Place the flour, salt, black pepper, and allspice in a large plastic zipper bag, and shake a few times to combine. Place the beef stew meat into the bag, and shake to coat the meat with flour mixture. Place the meat pieces in the skillet with the bacon drippings, and cook the meat until brown on all sides.
Remove the browned meat to a slow cooker, and add the carrots, onions, garlic, parsley, rosemary, marjoram, and bay leaf to the cooker.
Pour the beer into the skillet, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, scraping all the browned bits of flavor from the bottom of the skillet. Pour the beer into the slow cooker, over the meat and vegetables. Cover, and cook on Medium setting until the meat is very tender, 4 to 5 hours.
Before serving, remove the bay leaf, and sprinkle the stew with the reserved bacon pieces.

Brown Sugar Frosting recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon white corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
Cook all ingredients except confectioner's sugar in iron skillet until smooth. Remove and add sugar. Spoon/drizzle over cookies. Frosting will harden when cool!

Angel Food Cupcakes recipe.

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package angel food cake mix

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper bake cups.
Prepare batter as directed on the box. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done.

Baked Mushrooms recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 dash pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons melted butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a 1 quart casserole dish combine mushrooms, onion, garlic, green pepper, Italian seasoning, seasoning salt, pepper and parsley. Pour water and butter over mixture and cover.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Brown Rice and Black Bean Salad recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14.5 ounce) can collard greens, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can green peas, rinsed and drained
1 (15.25 ounce) can corn kernels, drained
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, undrained and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Bring the brown rice, water, olive oil, and 1//2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Scrape into a mixing bowl, fluff with a fork, and refrigerate to room temperature.
Stir the collard greens, black beans, green peas, corn, green chiles, olives, and tomatoes into the cooled rice until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Broccoli Chicken recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken breasts until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Combine the milk and cream of broccoli soup; pour over the chicken. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in Cheddar cheese until well blended, and remove from heat. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.

Basic Fondue recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
In a medium saucepan over low heat, mix together milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground dry mustard, garlic and flour. Heat until almost boiling. Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese. Continue heating until all the cheese has melted. Keep the mixture warm and melted in a fondue dish.

Butter Rich Spritz Butter Cookies recipe.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If you like, decorate with sugar or sprinkles at this time.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven.

Banana Pudding III recipe.

Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups heavy cream
3 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
36 vanilla wafers

Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together condensed milk and water. Beat in pudding mix until smooth. Chill in refrigerator 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chilled pudding mixture.
Dip sliced bananas in lemon juice. Shake off excess.
In a 2 1/2 quart serving bowl, spoon 1 cup pudding mixture. Top with one-third each of the wafers, bananas and remaining pudding. Repeat layers twice. Chill until serving.

Banana Nut Bread III recipe.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans. Set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Stir in nuts, eggs, bananas, oil, and vanilla extract.
Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Brown Rice Roll-Ups with Vegetables recipe.

Ingredients
1/3 cup UNCLE BEN'S� Natural Whole Grain Brown Rice
1/8 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/8 cup green bell pepper, diced
3 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons green onions, diced
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup poblano peppers, diced
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons sour cream (low fat)

Directions
Cook rice according to package directions.
Combine red and green peppers, tomato, green onions, poblano peppers, olive oil, lime juice and sour cream. Mix well. Add cooked rice and stir in.
To prepare roll-ups, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese and 3 tablespoons of vegetable rice mixture inside flour tortilla and roll firmly.

Bourbon Balls II recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup bourbon
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions
Combine wafer crumbs, finely chopped pecans, 1 cup confectioners' sugar and cocoa.
Blend the bourbon and the corn syrup together. Add the crumb mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate.

Apple Crunch a la Mode recipe.

Ingredients
6 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Scatter sliced apples in the prepared baking dish. Whisk together the white sugar, cold water, cornstarch, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until syrup is clear, and all sugar had dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour hot syrup over the fruit.
Stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, melted butter, walnuts, and cinnamon until crumbly. Scatter crumble over fruit mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until the top is brown and the crunch is bubbly, about 1 hour.

Apple Beet Salad recipe.

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can diced beets, drained
2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip ™

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the beets, apples, walnuts and salad dressing. Mix together and chill before serving.

Bread Pudding II recipe.

Ingredients
6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Aunt Carol's Apple Pie recipe.

Ingredients
2 pounds Granny Smith apples
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

Directions
Peel and slice apples. Toss with sugars, cinnamon and flour. Set aside.
Roll crust to make slightly larger to fit 10-inch glass pie pan. Fit bottom crust in pie pan. Turn in apple mixture and dot with butter. Put crust on top and crimp edges of crust together.
Wet hands with water and dampen top of pie. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Puncture top of pie with fork so pie will vent.
Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for about 45 minutes more, until crust is golden brown. It's a good practice to place a piece of aluminum foil slightly larger than the pie under the pie plate to catch overflows. Serve warm.

Apricot-Filled Empanaditas recipe.

Ingredients
4 cups chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup shortening or lard
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

Directions
Place the dried apricots and 1 1/2 cups of water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
In the container of a blender or large food processor, combine the apricots with any remaining water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Cover, and puree until smooth. Set aside.
Pour 1 cup of water into a large bowl, and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let stand for about 5 minutes to dissolve the yeast. Mix in the shortening and salt. Gradually mix in the flour using a sturdy spoon until the dough is stiff enough to knead on a floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Do not set aside the dough to rise.
Roll out the dough to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into circles with a large biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter. Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling in the center of the circles, and fold over. Seal the edges by pressing with your fingers.
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a deep heavy skillet over medium-high heat, or to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Fry the pastries in the hot oil, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Broccoli Hamburger Casserole recipe.

Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) packages frozen broccoli
2 pounds ground beef
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of celery soup
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare the broccoli according to package directions.
In a skillet over medium heat, mix the ground beef, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until beef is evenly brown; drain grease. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in cream of celery soup and sour cream. Continue cooking until heated through. Transfer to a medium baking dish, and evenly layer with broccoli. Top with cheese.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly brown.

Broken Thermostat Curry recipe.

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 medium yam, peeled and diced
7 small red potatoes, cubed
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions
Puree the onion and carrots in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic until fragrant and lightly browned. Pour in the carrot puree, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in diced tomatoes, water, yam, red potatoes, and cauliflower. Season with turmeric, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, cayenne, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.

Apricot Pineapple Jam recipe.

Ingredients
12 ounces dried apricots
1 cup water
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
3 cups sugar

Directions
In a large saucepan, bring apricots and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until apricots are very tender. Mash. Add pineapple, grapefruit juice and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until thick and translucent, stirring frequently.
Pour into jars or freezer containers; cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.

Baked Rice and Vegetables in Broth recipe.

Ingredients
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 tablespoon uncooked wild rice
1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 chopped fresh broccoli
1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish combine white rice, wild rice, brown rice, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, onion, salt, onion flakes, paprika, black pepper and broth. Mix well; cover.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through; stir once during baking.

Black Forest Angel Food Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1 (9 inch) angel food cake
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip�), thawed
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 (20 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions
Use a long serrated knife to cut the angel food cake in half, width-wise. Hollow out each cake half; use the bits of cake to fill the hole in the center, making 2 cake bowls.
Whisk the pudding mix, whipped topping, milk, and almond extract in a large bowl; beat well. Pour pudding mixture evenly into the cake bowls.
Evenly spoon cherry pie filling around the top edge of each cake. Chill cakes in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Brandy Pecan Pie recipe.

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon molasses
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, beat eggs together with half-and-half. Mix in sugar, flour, salt, molasses, corn syrup, vanilla, and brandy. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done.

Bacon and Macaroni Salad recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound sliced bacon
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced green olives

Directions
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the bacon, pasta, tomato, cucumber, egg, and celery. Gently fold until the salad is evenly covered with the dressing. Sprinkle with the sliced olives to serve.

Barb's Famous Broccoli and Cheese recipe.

Ingredients
5 (10 ounce) packages frozen broccoli florets
2 (1 pound) loaves processed cheese (i.e. Velveeta�), cubed
1 pint sour cream
1 cup margarine, melted
2 1/2 cups coarsely crushed buttery round crackers

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place the broccoli into a large saucepan and fill with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, and cook just until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 4 quart casserole dish.
In a separate pan, combine the processed cheese and margarine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Pour evenly over the broccoli in the casserole. Stir together the crackers and margarine; spread over the top of everything.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned, about 25 minutes.

Bread Salad with Tofu recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup tomato juice
dried basil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 (1 pound) loaf day-old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (7.5 ounce) package smoked tofu, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with the cubed bread, tofu, tomatoes, and spinach just before serving.

Almond Sticks or Rings recipe.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups almonds, finely ground
1 small lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions
Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the confectioners' sugar, egg yolks, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer, and mix on Medium-Low until well combined. Stir in the the ground almonds, lemon zest, and enough lemon juice to make a thick, smooth batter.
Place the batter into a cookie press with a 1/4 inch star-shaped tip, and press out a 6 inch lines of batter. Cut the batter into 2-inch sticks,or form into rings or letters, and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are crisp and light brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool.
Place 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a fine mesh sieve, and lightly dust the cookies before serving.

Apple Citrus Pie recipe.

Ingredients
1 double crust ready-to-use pie crust (such as Pillsbury�)
3 cups water
1 cup honey
5 seedless oranges, thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
4 Macintosh apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions
Line a 9 inch pie pan with one of the pie crusts, and chill at least 20 minutes before baking to prevent shrinkage. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line pastry with a double layer of aluminum foil and a layer of pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and bake until the crust has set, about 5 minutes more. Let cool.
Bring the water and honey to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the orange slices, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the orange slices. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a mixing bowl. Toss the apples with the sugar mixture; set aside.
Spread 1/3 of the orange slices into the bottom of the pie crust, then top with 1/3 of the sweetened apples. Form 4 more layers with the apples and oranges, then place the second pie crust on top of the pie. Crimp the edges, then cut 3 slits into the top of the pie. Brush the crust with half of the melted butter.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top crust is flaky and golden, about 1 hour. Remove the pie from the oven, and brush with the remaining butter; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Aunt Edith's Baked Pancake recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
confectioners' sugar
Lemon wedges

Directions
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until very light. Add salt, flour and milk; beat well. Thoroughly rub bottom and sides of a 10-in. cast-iron or heavy skillet with butter. Pour batter into skillet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 5 minutes more or until set. Remove pancake from skillet and place on a large hot platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with lemon. Serve immediately.

7.29.2011

Broccoli Chicken Casserole I recipe.

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 pound broccoli florets, cooked
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup dry stuffing mix

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Boil chicken until tender and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, steam broccoli until crisp but tender.
In a small bowl mix together the soup and mayonnaise. Set aside. In a 9x13 inch baking dish layer the chicken, broccoli, soup mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Blueberry Loaf Cake recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Asian-Glazed 'Melt-in-Your-Mouth' Pork Tenderloin recipe.

Ingredients
1 gallon water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
1/4 cup grated onion
1 lemon, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloin
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions
To make the brine, mix together the water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons ginger, onion, lemon, 5 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce in a large container. Add the pork tenderloin, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
For the glaze, whisk together 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, sweet and sour sauce, hoisin sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons ginger, brown sugar, and orange juice.
Prepare an outdoor grill for high heat.
Cook the pork tenderloin on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center, 7 to 12 minutes per side. Remove the tenderloin from the grill and cover with foil; allow to rest for 10 minutes. To serve, brush with glaze, and cut into thin slices.

Annie's Turkey Salad recipe.

Ingredients
6 cups cooked turkey meat
1 (16 ounce) jar sweet pickles, chopped
1 1/2 (10 ounce) jars mustard-mayonnaise blend
3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions
Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the eggs, turkey, pickles, prepared sandwich and salad sauce and mayonnaise. Chill in the refrigerator approximately 3 hours before serving.

Awesome Chicken and Yellow Rice Casserole recipe.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken
salt and pepper to taste
seasoning salt to taste
1 (10 ounce) package yellow rice
1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a Dutch oven, toss the onion, green bell pepper, and water chestnuts with olive oil to coat. Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, and seasoning salt, and place on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven.
Cover, and cook the chicken 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Remove from heat. Leaving the vegetables in the Dutch oven, remove the cooked chicken, cool, skin, debone, and shred meat.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the yellow rice according to package directions.
Mix the shredded chicken and cooked rice into the Dutch oven with the vegetables. Return to the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven, and continue cooking 15 minutes before serving.

Blenty of Blintzes recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese, creamed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and milk. In a separate medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, butter, egg, sour cream and salt.
Place 1/2 the flour mixture in the baking dish. Cover with the cottage cheese mixture, and top with remaining flour mixture.
Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, and cut into squares to serve.

Better than Sex Cookies recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups vanilla baking chips
4 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture.
Stir in vanilla chips, and macadamia nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking; flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Brie and Mushroom Phyllo Puffs recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, divided
8 crimini mushrooms, sliced
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (8 ounce) wedge Brie cheese
1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo pastry, thawed

Directions
Melt 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute crimini and shiitake mushrooms with garlic until tender. Remove from heat, and set aside. Melt remaining butter in a dish in the microwave.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Unroll the phyllo dough, and cut into three equal strips, about 3x12 inches. I like to use kitchen shears for this. Place two sheets of the phyllo onto a cutting board or other work surface, and cover the stack of remaining sheets with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.
Brush the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter, and place a raspberry sized dab of brie on one end. Top with a small amount of the mushroom mixture. Fold phyllo dough over the filling to make a triangle. Continue folding back and forth in a triangle shape, brushing the exposed side of the dough as you go. Seal the end closed with a little water or butter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, and repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Bake the triangles for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, turning over once during baking, until golden brown.

Breakfast Burritos recipe.

Ingredients
12 slices bacon, diced
12 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
10 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Directions
In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels. Drain, reserving 1-2 tablespoons drippings. Add eggs, salt and pepper to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until the eggs are completely set.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of egg mixture down the center of each tortilla; sprinkle with cheese, onions and bacon. Fold bottom and sides of tortilla over filling. Wrap each in waxed paper and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
To use frozen burritos: Remove foil. Place waxed paper-wrapped burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave at 60% power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 20 seconds.

Beef Marinade I recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ground dry mustard
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons ground cloves

Directions
In a quart jar, combine oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Season with mustard, salt, pepper, parsley and ground cloves. Shake well until it is mixed.
Put meat in a large bowl. Pour marinade over meat and let stand covered 3 days in refrigerator, basting every day.

Breakfast Burritos with Green Salsa recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 small red potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 pound bulk chorizo sausage
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1 tablespoon butter
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup green salsa

Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the potato slices in the skillet and season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to a baking sheet and put in the warm oven.
Stir chorizo into skillet and cook until browned and crumbly, stirring frequently to break apart. Pour off the grease, then place the chorizo in the oven with the potatoes. Wipe the skillet dry with paper towels.
Wrap the tortillas with aluminum foil and place in the warm oven.
Melt butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the eggs and continually stir while cooking. When the eggs are nearly set, mix in the chorizo and potatoes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted; just before serving, fold in the cilantro.
Place the tortillas onto individual plates and spoon the eggs onto the lower half of each. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll the tortillas into a tight cylinder; top with green salsa to serve.

Aniseed Yeast Roll recipe.

Ingredients
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
4 teaspoons aniseed, divided
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
6 eggs

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour, brown sugar, salt, yeast and 3 teaspoons aniseed. In a saucepan, heat water and butter to 120 degrees F-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add five eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 22 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place 2 in. apart on grease baking sheets. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Beat remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with remaining aniseed. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks.

Beef with Green Onion recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
6 green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions
In a small bowl, mix the sherry, oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch.
Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the flank steak about 3 minutes. Stir in sherry sauce mixture. Add the green onions, and continue cooking 10 minutes, or until the flank steak is evenly brown and the green onions are tender.

Almond French Toast recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 thick slices French bread
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons butter
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions
Place almonds in a small saucepan over low heat. Tossing frequently, toast until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, salt, baking powder, almond extract and vanilla extract. Soak bread slices in the mixture until saturated. Place slices in a shallow pan. Refrigerate slices approximately 1 hour.
Heat canola oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. One at a time, press one side of soaked bread slices in the almonds to coat. Fry bread slices on both sides until golden brown. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving,

Bumbleberry Pie I recipe.

Ingredients
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups thinly sliced apples
1 cup raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 cup fresh rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Stir sugar and flour together in large bowl. Add apples, raspberries, blackberries, and rhubarb. Toss together, and turn into pie shell. Cover with pastry top. Trim and seal edges. Cut vents in top.
Bake at 350 degree F (175 degrees C) for approximately 45 minutes, until crust is brown and apple is cooked.

Banana and Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting recipe.

Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
2 large bananas, chopped
Buttercream Frosting:
2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 drops yellow food coloring, or as desired

Directions
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup butter and the white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped bananas, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared cups.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream by beating 2/3 cup of butter in a bowl until smooth and glossy. Beat in the vanilla, followed by the confectioners' sugar. Once no dry lumps of sugar remain, add the cream and food coloring. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream frosting.