Hamburger Soup

1 lb hamburger
1 large diced onion
3 or 4 sliced carrots
3 or 4 stalks sliced celery
2 cups canned tomatoes
1 small bay leaf
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t basil
1 T salt
1/2 t pepper
6 cups water
1/4 cup rice (white or brown)
4 peeled, diced potatoes
1/2 small head cabbage, sliced

Brown hamburger and onion in large kettle. Drain off fat, if there is any. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, spices and water. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Simmer about 30 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until the potatoes are done--about 30 to 45 minutes on simmer. Add cabbage about five minutes before serving.

If not enough broth, you can add vegetable broth, beef broth, a little water, or tomato juice. If you add too much more water, it does dilute the taste.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 t lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
powdered sugar

Beat eggs at high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. STIR in pumpkin and lemon juice. In separate bowl, mix or sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Fold into the pumpkin mixture. Spread into greased & floured (or line with parchment paper or waxed paper) 15x10x1 jelly roll pan. Top with chopped nuts.

Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Turn out on a tea towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll cake and towel together, starting with a short end. Cool (takes at least an hour) and unroll.

Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 T butter
1/2 t vanilla
Cool Whip or whipped cream

Combine the p. sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add 2 cups (or more, as desired) Cool Whip.

Spread filling to within 1/2-inch of edges of cake. Roll up again and chill until serving time. Cut in 1/2-inch slices. If you have extra filling, serve as topping on cut slices, or save for later on graham crackers!

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger
1 cup chopped onion
16 oz can corn (with liquid)
16 oz can diced tomatoes (with liquid)
16 oz can kidney beans (with liquid)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1.25 oz pkg taco seasoning

Garnishes, as desired: Avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, corn chips, chopped or sliced olives.

Brown the hamburger. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with garnishes. Also good for a hot chip dip if you cook down the liquid, or drain.

Soft Molasses Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup white flour
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. soda
1/2 cup hot coffee
1/2 t. vinegar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

Blend sugar and butter. Mix coffee, egg, molasses, spices and soda, and add to sugar mixture. Then add vinegar, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen small cookies.

Mixed Nut Biscotti

2 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 t salt
2 cups mixed, coarsely chopped nuts*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat eggs and cane sugar together. Add salt, flour, and nuts, stirring until completely mixed. Spread evenly in an oiled bread loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 50 minutes.

Turn oven up to 425 degrees.

Remove biscotti from pan onto a cutting board. Carefully cut into 1/2" slices, and lay cut side up on a baking sheet. If desired, spray tops with olive oil. Bake for 4 minutes on each side for a crunchy texture, or only one side for a little softer bar.

* I used a mixture of pastachio, cashew, peanuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans etc would be good, too.

Yummy High Fiber Orange Muffins

1½ cups oat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup wheat bran (or wheat germ works too)
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup buttemilk
2 eggs
2-3 oranges
1/4 cup canola oil
1½ cup dried fruit (i.e. raisins, cranberries, dates, pineapple, apricots)--try combinations
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Use muffin liners or spray oil in 24 cups. Combine all dry ingredients except sugars and soda. Peel oranges and puree in blender or food processor. Mix oranges, sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs and soda together. Blend the two mixtures together and stir in the raisins/dried fruit and nuts.

Divide into the 24 cups. Bake 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Mom's Vegetable Chowder

1 cup chopped celery
6 cups chopped carrots
8 cups diced potatoes
2 quarts milk
1/2 lb salt pork or bacon, chopped
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup flour

Cook celery in boiled, salted water until partially tender. Add carrots, potatoes, and enough water to cover them. Continue cooking vegetables until tender. Add the milk and let it heat slowly. Fry salt pork or bacon until crisp. Add the salt pork to the vegetables, reserving drippings. Brown the onions lightly in the drippings. Blend flour into the drippings, and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add to the vegetable-milk mixture and heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until at serving temperature.

(Mom sometimes froze this ahead of time, before adding the milk and flour. Thaw completely and heat slowly. Mix the flour into a cup of the milk. Add the rest of the milk and the milk-flour mixture to the soup. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally.)

Swiss Enchiladas

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4.5-oz) cans diced green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 T flour
1/4 t salt
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups (8-oz) shredded Swiss cheese, divided (Mozzarella also worked fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, garlic, chiles, and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer about 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

Combine milk and flour in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in salt.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture and about 2 1/2 T cheese down center of each tortilla; roll up. Arrange filled tortillas in the bottom of a 13x9 pan coated with cooking spray. Pour milk mixture over tortillas, and top evenly with remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

(Original recipe from Cooking Light, May 2006)

Irish Soda Bread

4½ c whole wheat flour (separated)
2½ t baking soda
1 t salt, if desired
1½ T sugar or honey
2 T canola oil
1 c raisins, optional
2 T caraway seeds
1½ c buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Melted butter or oil for brushing loaf, if desired

In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of the flour with the soda & salt. Add the oil and honey and work in with a pastry blender or fork. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and eggs. Stir this into the flour mixture, beating with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and work in as much of the remaining ½ cup flour as needed to make a soft, but not sticky, dough. Knead the dough 1 or 2 minutes or until it is smooth.

Shape the dough into a fat 8" pancake. Place the dough on a greased baking sheet. Using a floured knife, cut an "X" ¼" deep across the top.

Bake the bread in the center of a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove the bread from the oven to a board, and brush the top with melted butter or oil, if desired. Serve the bread warm, at room temperature, or toasted.

Honey-Glazed Snack Mix

8 cups Crispix cereal
3 cups miniature pretzels
2 cups pecan halves (or mixed nuts)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey

In large bowl combine cereal, pretzels & nuts. Melt butter in saucepan (or microwave). Stir in honey. Stir until well blended. Pour over dry mixture and stir to coat.

Bake at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool in pan 3 minutes; spread on waxed paper to cool completely. Store in air-tight container.

Crockpot Ajiaco (Soup)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 c. water
4 tsp minced garlic
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 TBSP onion flakes (or fresh or frozen diced onions to taste)
2-3 diced unpeeled potatoes

Cook on high for about 2 ½ hours, then remove chicken and mix in with a whisk:

4 c. water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 1/3 c. instant mashed potatoes flakes

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, return to crockpot, and add:
1 can of green beans (drained)
1 can of corn (drained)
1 ½ tsp basil
¾ tsp pepper
¾ tsp paprika

Cook until potatoes and chicken are cooked through--up to 2 hours more. Add ½ c. fresh cilantro just before serving.

Optional toppings per individual serving: capers, sliced avocados, sour cream

Blueberry Muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Stir egg, milk, and oil together. Mix in flour, sugar, baking powder & salt just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.

Spoon into 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Society Cabbage

1 lb hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 ½ cups canned tomatoes (or mixture of fresh tomatoes and tomato juice)
2 t. salt
½ t. pepper
4 cups coarsely shredded cabbage

Brown ground beef, onion and celery. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Place alternate layers of cabbage and meat in a casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Zucchini Soup

6 cups chopped zucchini
1 chopped onion
1 cup water
2 cups chicken stock
1 T parsley flakes
½ t pepper
½ t salt

Cook until the zucchini is tender, then add 1/4 cup margarine and 1/4 cup flour to thicken. If desired, put finished mixture thru blender.

Makes 2 quarts. The blended soup freezes well. If refrigerated soup thickens, add chicken broth to thin before serving.

Cashew-Pea Salad

16 oz pkg frozen peas
6 slices crisp cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
½ cup chopped celery
1/4 c chopped green onion
½ cup sour cream
2 T mayonnaise
1 cup cashews

Mix ingredients except cashews. Just before serving, stir in 1 cup cashews, whole or broken. Enjoy!

Ice Box Bran Muffins

2 cups boiling water
2 cups Nabisco 100% bran
1 cup margarine or butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk
5 cups flour
5 teaspoons soda
1 Tablespoon salt
4 cups Kellogg’s All Bran

Pour boiling water over 100% Bran–set aside to cool. Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk and soaked bran. Add flour, soda and All Bran. Fold until well moistened.
Store in frig. Will keep 6 weeks. Makes 7 dozen. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Variations: Add raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, berries, dried cranberries, etc as desired. You can add whatever you want to the amount you are cooking in a day, leaving the rest of the batter plain for trying something else another day.

Bonnie Butter Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Cream together until fluffy:
2/3 cup soft butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ t. vanilla

Sift together:
3 cups flour
2 ½ t baking powder
1 t. salt

1 1/2 cups milk

Mix alternately the dry ingredients and the milk into the first mixture. Pour into greased and floured pans – one 9x13 or two 9" rounds. Bake at 350 degrees–layers for 35-40 minutes, oblong for 45-50 minutes. Cool and frost with:

Fluffy Frosting
3/4 cup milk
2 T flour
½ cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
½ t vanilla

Thicken milk with flour in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cool in frig. Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add milk mixture and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Frost cooled cake. Top with coconut, if desired.

Golden Fruit Whip Cake

Yellow cake mix
11 oz can mandarin oranges (drain, saving liquid)
½ cup oil
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour 9x13" pan (or 2 8" square pans). Combine and beat cake mix, oil, eggs and juice from the oranges. When beaten, fold in orange segments. Pour into pan and bake until done. (Follow cake mix directions.) Let the cake cool. Invert pan on cake serving platter. "Frost" sides and top with the topping:

Topping:
8 oz Cool Whip
20 oz can crushed pineapple
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding

Beat the pudding and pineapple with a mixer and then fold in the cool whip.

Variations: If you leave the cake in the pan, there will be extra topping, or a layer almost as thick as the cake. Another way to do it is to leave the cake unfrosted and add the topping as you would ice cream when serving.

Oven Omelet

8 eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon seasoned or regular salt
½ - 1 cup finely chopped, cooked meat (ham, sausage, bacon)
--or try without any meat as there's plenty of other protein
1-2 cups shredded cheese--cheddar or mozarella
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced or chopped fresh mushrooms

Beat eggs, milk and salt. Add meat. Stir in cheese and onion. Pour into a greased 8x8" baking dish. Bake uncovered 40-45 minutes or until set and top is golden brown in 325 degree oven. Makes 4-6 servings.

Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Main Dish)

1 lb beef tenderloin, cut in small pieces
1-2 T oil
2 sliced onions
2 tomatoes, peeled and cut
1 sweet pepper, cut in strips
salt
pepper
1 lb French Fries
Steamed white rice

Brown meat in oil; add onions, tomatoes, sweet pepper, salt & pepper. Cook until meat is tender. Mix with one lb french-fried potatoes. Serve over steamed rice.

Meat-Potato Quiche

3 Tablespoons oil
3 cups shredded raw potatoes

Stir together in 9" pie pan. Press down evenly into pan. Bake at 475 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until slightly brown. Remove from oven and layer on:

1 cup grated cheese
1 cup diced cooked meat (chicken, ham, sausage, etc.)
1/2 cup chopped onion

In small bowl, beat together:
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
dash of pepper

Pour over mixture in pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool five minutes before cutting.

Ham and Cheese Roll-ups

1 recipe biscuit dough
Mustard
1 cup finely chopped ham
1 cup shredded cheese

Roll biscuit dough into a 15x9" rectangle; spread with mustard. Sprinkle ham and cheese on the dough. Roll up tightly, beginning on 15" side. Seal ends shut. Cut into 12 slices. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

(Before cutting into slices, the roll can be refrigerated up to 24 hours and baked when needed.)

Zesty 3-Bean Salad

2 cups frozen sweet soybeans (edamame)
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 15-oz can garbonzo beans, rinsed & drained
½ cup thinly sliced red onions
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 t. finely shredded lime peel
1/4 cup lime juice
½ t. salt

Prepare soybeans according to pkg directions. Drain & rinse in cold water. Combine first 5 ingredients. In small bowl, whisk oil, lime juice, and salt. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Stir well before serving.

Note: Any combination of beans (white, black, lima, green, and wax beans are other suggestions) can be used in this salad, but this is my favorite!

Festive Pineapple-Cranberry Salad

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple
2 pkg (4-serving size) raspberry jello – regular or sugar-free
1 16-oz can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 chopped apple
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Remove 1 T pineapple; set aside. Add enough cold water to juice to measure 3 cups; pour into saucepan. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Add jello mixes; stir 2 minutes. Stir in cranberry sauce. Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate 1 ½ hours or until slightly thickened.

Stir in pineapple, apples and walnuts. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with reserved pineapple, slices of apple and some fresh mint, as desired.

14 servings, ½ cup each.

Sopa a la Criolla (Peruvian soup of the Region)

1 lb beef, cut small
1 T olive oil
2 t salt
1 T cumin
1 T pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oregano
1 tomato, diced
2 chopped onions
3/4 cup tomato paste (6 oz can)
10 cups boiling water
4 medium potatoes, cut in strips
4 eggs, beaten
6-8 oz pkg angel hair noodles
5 oz can evaporated milk

Brown meat in olive oil; add the salt, cumin, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Simmer 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tomato, onions, tomato paste, boiling water, and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are done. Add the beaten eggs and angel hair. Cook 2 or 3 minutes and then slowly add the milk. Serve with triangles of toast on top, if desired.

Never Fail Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup hot water
1 t vanilla

Mix dry cake ingredients. Add buttermilk, oil and eggs. Blend together. Add hot water and vanilla. Stir thoroughly. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Poke holes in the cake while still hot.

Cooked Fudge Icing
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter
dash salt
1/4 cup milk
1 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Then add vanilla, stir, and pour 1/3 of icing over the cake. Beat the rest of the icing until it is thickened, and spread over the cake.

A half recipe is baked in an 8x8 pan. Not so much temptation around the house!

Honey-Garlic Chicken

6 chicken breasts
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 egg yolk
2 TBSP honey
4 TBSP melted butter

Rub garlic powder, salt and pepper into both sides of each chicken breast. Mix together egg yolk, honey, and butter and brush onto the tops. Place on racks on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with PAM. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes, then turn breasts over and brush with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 400˚ for 10 more minutes, or until done.

Yam Casserole (and Cloud Variation)

6-8 cups cooked, mashed yams (sweet potatoes will give a yellow color instead of orange)
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1/3 cup soft butter

Mix all ingredients together and pour into casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.


Optional Toppings:

Nuts: 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar. Mix together and sprinkle on yams BEFORE baking.

Marshmellows: AFTER baking, top casserole with miniature marshmellows and broil about 2 minutes--until marshmellows turn golden.


Cloud Variation:
After mixing the casserole, make Clouds (mounds) of 1/2 cup of mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. When cooled, freeze the Clouds. When frozen solid, remove to a ziploc bag or plastic container and return to freezer.

To serve, remove the desired number of Clouds and bake on a cookie sheet 25 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees. You can try adding a topping if you wish, but we prefer them plain.

Hearty Chicken Soup

8 cups chicken broth
2-4 cups cooked, chopped chicken pieces
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1-2 cups diced onion
2 teaspoons salt (if not using bouillion as part of broth)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1/4 cup pearl barley

Combine all ingredients except rice and barley in a large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to a high simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. Add rice and barley and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer until rice and barley are cooked to your taste (30-60 minutes more).

Serve and enjoy!

Fried Oats

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

10 cups oatmeal

Melt butter and brown sugar in large skillet.  Add oatmeal and continue stirring over medium heat until lightly browned.  Stir occasionally as it cools.  Store in an airtight container and use as dry cereal.