Wassail

1 Qt. water
2 1/4 cup sugar
10 whole cloves
8 allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of ginger root (medium size)
2 Qt apple cider or juice
1 Qt orange juice
1 cup lemon juice

bring water and sugar to a boil for 5 min., remove from heat and stir in cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and ginger. let it stand 1 hour or more and then strain it. stir in the apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice. heat on low and serve warm.

Serves 16

Enjoy! This is a holiday favorite at our house, I hope you can get the ingredients down here!

Easy Italian Pasta Bake

1 lb. ground beef
3 cups penne pasta or rotini pasta, cooked, drained
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup parmesan and romano cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown meat; drain. Add pasta, sauce and half of the parmesan and romano cheese; mix well. Put into 13x9 baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan and romano cheese. Bake 20 minutes at 375 F or until heated through.

Cinnamon Syrup

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water

DIRECTIONS
Stir together the white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Stir in vanilla extract and water. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Continue to boil and stir until mixture thickens to syrup consistency. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Bread/Navajo Tacos

2 c flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c milk

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and mix until dough comes together. Knead until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Fry in oil until lightly golden.

Top with chili, olives, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream.

Taco Soup

I think this might be Sara J's recipe, but I love it.

1 lb. ground beef
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 c chopped onions
1 8 oz can tomato soup
3 c water
1 env taco season
2 cans stewed tomato
2 cans kidney beans
sour cream
chips
shredded cheese

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Top with sour cream, cheese, and chips.

Cake Mix Cookies

Snickerdoodles

1 pkg yellow or white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c oil
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together and roll into balls. Dough is pretty sticky and may need to refrigerate for a bit. Roll into cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sugar Cookies

1 pkg white cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c oil

Mix together and roll into balls or flatten and cut into shapes. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1/2 c butter softened
2 eggs
1 c white choc chips

Mix together and roll into balls. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lemon Chicken Tenders

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a bowl, stir together paprika, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle seasoning over chicken pieces. Dip pieces in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer in an aluminum foil-lined 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, turning once.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together sugar, lemon juice, and curry powder, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle lemon sauce over chicken, return to oven, and bake 5 minutes more.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic.
Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Baked French Fries

1 large baking potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Cut potato into wedges. Mix olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder together. Coat potatoes with oil/spice mixture and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, 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.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cups shortening
1/2 cube margarine
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar for coating


Cream shortening, margarine, sugar, and eggs together. Then add the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. mix well. Form into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly (we use the bottom of a cup or something else that is completely flat)
Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 min or until the edge is slightly brown.
This makes quite a few cookies, you can freeze the balls of cookie dough you just have to thaw completely before cooking.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. softened butter
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. almond extract

Cream powdered sugar and butter. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract. combine flour, baking soda and cream of tarter and add to mixture. Add cream cheese and thoroughly incorporate it into the dough mixture. Place dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Flour and roll out 1/2" thickness. Bake for 10 minutes.

Frosting
3 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. softened butter
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Mix all ingredients.

Play Dough

Play Dough
(to be played with not eaten)

1 C. flour
1/2 C. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. alum
1 C. boiling water
food coloring

Bring water to boil. Remove from heat. Add food coloring and remainder of ingredients. Begin stirring w/spoon, eventually knead with hands.

*I wait and put the food coloring in after the play dough is done. I divide it into 4-5 pieces, make a cave in each piece, drop some food coloring in each, and let the kiddos knead in the color and create their own.
I have been able to store it for a few months in Ziploc bags.

Easy Taco Salad

Easy Taco Salad



Ren & I love making this when we don't know what to have for dinner. It is pretty easy and tasty!

Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground beef
1 can of corn
1 can black beans
16 oz. jar of Salsa- (I use the Mild Pace Picante and I use a little more than 3/4.)
Garlic Salt (I just put in however much I want. Not too much though.)
Frito's or Tortilla chips or Scone bread.
- You will also need adequate cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and lettuce to put on top.

Brown ground beef in large saucepan. Season with garlic salt and salt and pepper. Drain then add corn and black beans and salsa. Bring to a good simmer and let sit for about 5 min. We like to eat ours over Frito's, but any of the above things are yummy.
Serve in bowls. Put Fritos in first, then top with meat, then put on the cheese, etc. Enjoy and eat a ton.

(Ok, so yours might not look just like the picture posted, but it will still be really yummy. I just liked that taco salad picture.)

Two Requests?

Hey Gals,
I have two request that I would love posted on here! The first one is Mrs. Hill's sugar cookies. They are SOOOOO good. Please post them for me. Please. ha. And the 2nd one is also addressed to the one and only Mrs. Hill,...it is for her pliable play-dough. She has claimed to have found a good recipe that doesn't dry out and is of good consistency, so please do share!
Thanks!
Case-a-roo.

Kid Friendly!

Check out THIS cute site for fun kid foods!!

I added it to the links on the right if you want to check it out...

Easy Pork Chops

6 pork chops (we just used a package of Stew Pork from IGA)
Seasoning salt
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I only used one)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Season the pork and brown on both sides. Remove the chops to a 9x13 pan. Put the soup and wocestershire sauce in the frying pan to heat and absorb flavors of the meat. Pour over the pork chops, cover with foil and bake at 300 for 2-3 hours. (This would work great in a slow cooker as well!) The longer they bake, the more tender they are. Serve over potatoes or rice.

*Both Dustin and I could hardly believe how delicious these were and it made a lot of food! It's almost a crime to have something this easy taste so good. We had them over the Weir's baked potatoes: scrub and poke the taters, coat in olive oil then salt, bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 min. HEAVENLY!! (Did I get the potatoes right, Sara?)*

Hamburger buns, sub rolls, heck even cinammon rolls

prepare: 1/4 cup warm water, 1 1/2 tbsp active yeast, a pinch of sugar....let it foam

in a microwave safe bowl, add 1 1/2 cup milk, 1 cube margarine or butter (1/2 if you want)and microwave till the butter is melting/melted. Set aside.

In a blender, or just a bowl, add 2 eggs 2-3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp salt. Mix this with the milk, and blend (super soft fluffy rolls) or just whip together, best you can.

In a large bowl, or mixing bowl, add the yeast mixture, 4-5 cups of flour, and then the liquid ingredients. Mix well, and when able to handle, knead (you made have to add flour). Knead until velvety and smooth, not worrying if it is slightly sticky - the wetter the better with bread. Form into a ball, and place into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Punch down and:

roll out, add butter and cinammon sugar, and make cinammon rolls
roll out, cut out circles (with the mouth of a mug, brush with milk and add sesame seeds (hamburger buns)
form into balls and make rolls, or form into balls, roll them into small strips and make hotdog/subway rolls.

Let rise again till double and then bake at about 375 for 20 minutes, until they smell done. Try to use a lighter colored pan to eliminate burnt bottoms. CKs also has rolls of cheap parchment paper, so you can prepare all the rolls on the sheets and just transfer them when the pan is ready. Hope this works.

oh, if you want them wheat or whole grain just substitute 2 cups or wheat/whole grain flour for some of the white flour. 100% wheat will be disappointing, and if you look it up in the scientific journals there isn't that much better about it anyway (for more on that story just ask Sara Weir)

Spice Chiffon Cake

Everything is better with cool whip...


separate 4 eggs, set whites aside with a bit of cream of tartar or lemon juice

sift together 4.5 oz flour, 1/2 tbsp baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice (about 1 tsp each)

in a bowl/mixer add egg yolks, and 2 oz brown sugar, 3 oz white sugar. Mix these until the ribbon stage is reached. (about five minutes with a mixer) Add 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla, and the flour mixture until smooth.

in a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, then add 1 oz sugar, beat for about 2 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

Fold egg whites into rest of the mixture in stages, taking care not to mix too much. Pour into cake pan, or loaf pan that is not non-stick, and bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take out the spices above, and use all white sugar and you have a low-fat shortcake, or any other kind of cake you want to make (we like lemon, strawberry rum, etc, according to the filling)

When cooling, turn upside down immediately and let cool in the pan. The cake needs to stick to the pan, so no greasing is needed, or you will have a thick pancake at the end.

PBP

its easy, you just mix 1 cup of PB, cream cheese (8oz), 1/2 cup sugar. After mixed, fold in half a thing of cool whip, and it is ready to fill into a pie-crust/graham cracker crust/my favorite oreo cookie crust. You can also top it with a ganache, which is just half of a large cadbury bar, and about 1/4 cup milk melted in the microwave.

This recipe is disgusting....try it

Dry:
12 oz flour (maybe a cup and a half)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 tsp cinammon, or allspice, or whatever you want

sift these together, set aside

Wet:
1 cup yogurt (plain)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup oil

mix these together

add dry to wet, stir 10-12 times (will be somewhat lumpy), then pour into a greased 9X13

pour about 1/2 C brown sugar in a line down the middle (hot-dog style) and then drage a butter knife through it to spread the BS.

You can also add your favorite strudel topping to this, or maybe put in a can of peaches for a cobbler type of feel (cut down on some of the oil in that case)

we usually eat it with cool whip after baking for about 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven, but you can also drizzle it with whatever frosting you want.

Oatmeal Muffins

1 c oatmeal
1 c buttermilk (just add 1 Tbsp vinegar to 1 c milk)
1 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 c sugar
*Optional: raisins, chocolate chips or coconut.*

Combine oats and buttermilk. Sift flour with salt, baking powder and soda into oatmeal mixture. Add oil, sugar and egg mixing only enough to moisten. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash
3-4 cups chicken broth
3 Tbs. finely chopped onion
Milk
Sour Cream
Salt
Pepper
Pinch of cumin

Make chicken stock with bullion ( I use Better Than Bullion brand, but you can use whatever). While chicken broth is coming to a boil, peel the squash with a potato peeler. Cut the ends off, cut it in half, scoop out the guts and seeds. Slice the squash into about 1” x 1” cubes ( about what you would slice if you were making mashed potatoes). Chop up the onion. Place onion and chopped squash into boiling chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of cumin. Boil for 20-30 minutes or until squash is soft. Remove from heat for a few minutes, then puree. I use a stick blender, but you can use a regular blender or food processor. If the soup is too thick you can add milk and/or sour cream. I like to add a little of both to make it the right consistency and the sour cream makes it a little creamier. Makes about 6-8 servings.

*My friend (who is an excellent cook) just posted this recipe. It looks delicious, easy and cheap. Let us know if you try it!*

Bean Pie

2 frozen pie crusts (or homemade if you are ambitious)
1 large onion
1 large Green pepper
1 small red pepper
1 can Black beans, drained
1/2 can corn, drained
2 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Chili powder or fajita seasoning
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups cheese

Saute green and red peppers then add everything else (minus the cheese) in a pot for 20 minutes.
Line bottom of crust with 1 cup cheese, add bean filling, add 1 cup cheese on top. Put crust on and cut slits in the top.

Bake 350 for 30-40 min or golden brown.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
4-5 chicken breasts- cooked and cut up
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. sour cream
2 T Poppy Seeds
6 T melted butter
2 Tubes Ritz crackers- crushed

Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppy seed. Crush crackers and add melted butter. Layer pan with 1/2 of cracker mixture. Add chicken mixture. Top with remaining cracker mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.