Pie Crust

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup crisco

1/4 cup ice water

1/2 tsp. salt

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add crisco and cut into flour with a pastry cutter until finely chopped. Add ice water and mix with as little stirring as possible. Roll very thin and place in pie plate. Cut off excess dough around edges and pinches edges. Poke bottom of pie pan with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees until slightly brown, about 10 minutes.

Cranberry Salsa

3 c. fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained (pick out any that are bruised or mushy)
1/4 cup green onions
2 small jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1 T. finely grated fresh ginger
the juice of 1/2 a lemon

8 oz cream cheese
Ritz crackers

Place all ingredients except the lemon juice into a food processor and mix until well blended. Stir the lemon juice into the salsa. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Serve by placing the softened cream cheese on a serving bowl then pour 1/2 the salsa over the top. Have plenty of Ritz crackers on hand for dipping!

Tips:
This looks so beautiful when served on a white or cream colored dish.
You want to blend it very well. Not exactly a puree, but definitely not too chunky!

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Line pie pan with your favorite pie crust.

Combine:

2/3 cup chopped pecan

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. butter

*Mix together all above ingredients and layer bottom of pie shell

Combine:

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup brown sugar

15 oz. can pumpkin

1/4 cup evaporated milk

*Mix together and pour over pecan layer

Bake Pie for 15 mins. on 425 degrees. Then turn down to 350 degrees for 40 mins.

Creamy Cheesy Potatoes

(original recipe source)
These potatoes will rock your world!

CREAMY CHEESY POTATOES

About 5 – large potatoes

*enough to fill a 9×13 glass baking dish

1 pint whipping cream- 2 cups

Salt and Pepper

2 tsp. Parsley flakes

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cut your potatoes into thin french fry strips, and lay the fries, in a 9×13″ glass pan. (Arctic circle type of thin!)

Pour all of the cream over the top of the fries. Salt and pepper them generously. Sprinkle at least 2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese over the top. Sprinkle Parsley flakes on top of the cheese. Cover with foil, and poke a fork through the top of the foil, 2 or 3 times to allow a little steam to escape. This way, your cream doesn’t boil over into your oven!

Cook at 400 degrees for about 1 hour, 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Place your oven rack in the middle of the oven. During the last 15 or 20 minutes of baking lower your rack one more step. This makes the bottom of your potatoes, brown and crispy.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

(image and recipe source)

Ingredients

1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup water

Glaze
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions
Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Shelly's Homemade Granola

4 c. rolled oats
1 c. whole almonds
1 c. pecan pieces
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. shredded coconut
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c. vegetable or olive oil
1/3 c. good honey
1/3 c. apple juice or apple cider
1 c. dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350º. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, nuts, wheat germ, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk the oil, honey, and apple juice in a small bowl.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Spread onto a large sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, around 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove granola from the oven and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries. Store cooled granola in an airtight container.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken...

Adapted from Allrecipes

• Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
  • 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

  Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
  3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Saturday Chicken

Words and recipe from:

All you need is about 6 Boneless Skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 pint of whipping cream, paprika, 2 family size cans of Cream of Mushroom soup, garlic salt, dried parsley, and that's all! Along with the chicken, it makes a gravy (and enough of it that you put it on top of mashed potatoes). Oh, oh, oh baby. 

Cut anything ugly off of the chicken and place it in a casserole dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with lots of garlic salt and lots of paprika. Optional: sprinkle the top side with a little bit of dried parsley flakes.



In another bowl, stir together the Cream of Mushroom soups and about half a pint of cream. Pour this mixture on top of chicken.  I just add the cream until the condensed soup isn't so thick and is more like a thick gravy.  Aren't you thinking, "this cannot be good"??  You are so wrong.  You will literally want to drink this gravy with a straw.  Pour the sauce over the chicken.  I'm a salt lover, so sometimes I can't help adding more shakes of salt and paprika on top.



Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.



Slightly whisk the gravy around the dish to mix up the flavors. Taste it.  I almost always add even more salt, garlic salt, paprika until I'm super happy.  Serve the extra gravy over mashed potatoes! This is a hundred times yummier than it looks! My husband and I always joke about how ugly this dish is, but how much we both love it!  I will make it until the day I die.

Saturday Chicken

6 BS Chicken Breasts
Paprika
Garlic Salt
2 cans Family Size Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 pint cream
Dried Parsley Flakes

Directions: Place chicken in glass casserole dish, sprinkle both sides with lots of paprika and garlic salt. Sprinkle some parsley flakes on the top side of the chicken. In another bowl, stir together the Mushroom soup and heavy cream. Pour on the top of the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Whisk around the gravy to mix flavors. Serve the extra gravy on top of mashed potatoes!

Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup

3 cans chicken broth

1 package frozen broccoli

2 pints half and half

6 TBS. flour

1/2 brick velvetta (small brick)*

6 TBS. butter

Cook broccoli in chicken broth until tender. Separate and reserve broth.

Melt butter and add flour. Stir, add 1 pint half and half. Whisk, add rest of ingredients. Add broccoli last and salt and pepper to taste.

You can opt out of using velvetta and top each both with lots of shredded Colby Jack cheese.

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1.5 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (we used Tostidos Hint of Pepperjack for extra flavor)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 hamburger buns
ranch dressing
lettuce
tomato slices

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, 1 cup of cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chips, green onions, chili powder and garlic salt. Shape into 4 patties. Cook on the preheated grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through as desired. Sprinkle a handful of cheese on each burger during the last minute or so of cooking. Place on buns and top with ranch dressing and salsa. Serve with lettuce and tomato slices.

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from Allrecipes

1/2+ tsp. kosher salt
1/2+ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive or cooking oil
3 lb. beef roast, trimmed of excess fat
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 16-oz. jar sliced pepperoncinis, undrained
Crusty sandwich rolls (for sandwiches)
Sliced provolone cheese (for sandwiches)

Heat oil in a pot or high-sided skillet over high heat. While the oil is heating, combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the meat. Add more if necessary. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and add the minced garlic and the entire jar of pepperoncinis. If possible, cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours. If not possible, cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the beef is fork tender.

For sandwiches, slice the rolls and spread lightly with mayonnaise and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Makes 12 large sandwiches.

Blueberry French Toast

Blueberry French Toast

12 slices bread or french bread
12 eggs
2 pkgs cream cheese
1 C blueberries
2 C milk
1/3 C syrup or honey
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut bread and cream cheese into cubes. Place in greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle blueberries over top. Beat eggs then beat in milk syrup and cinnamon. Pour over the top. Cover and refrigerate over night. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 min. uncover and bake another 30 min.

Blueberry Syrup

1 C sugar
1 C blueberries
2 T. cornstarch
1 C water
1 T butter
1 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Add water & cook over medium heat until boiling stirring constantly. Add blueberries and cook another 3 mins. Add butter and vanilla and serve.

Pioneer Womens Best Ever Coffee Cake

I made this and now am a firm believer in homemade coffee cake goodness....all I can say is WOW!

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1-½ stick Butter, Softened
• 2 cups Scant Sugar
• 3 cups Flour, Sifted
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-¼ cup Whole Milk
• 3 whole Egg Whites, Beaten Until Stiff
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1-½ stick Butter, Softened
• ¾ cups Flour
• 1-½ cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 1-½ cup Pecans, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don’t overbeat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 (or LARGER!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm—delicious!

Posted by Ree on June 17 2010

Texas Sheet Cake

1 C. butter softened
4 T. cocoa
1 C. water
2 C. flour
2 C. sugar
1/2 C buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs beaten
dash of salt

Heat butter, cocoa, and water. Bring to a boil. Pour over flour and sugar. Mix well. Add buttermilk, soda, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, and salt. Mix well. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes in a greased jelly roll pan.

Frosting
1/2 C. butter
4 T. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
6 T. milk
4 C. powdered sugar

Melt butter. Add cocoa, vanilla, and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar. Mix well. Frost cake while hot.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

2 pounds cubed stew meat
2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 largish onion diced
2-3-4 tabls of Worcestershire
1/2 water
8 oz of cream cheese
couple of dashes of Garlic Salt (1 tsp?)
couple dashes of Hot Paprika optional

In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles Or mashed potatoes