Turkey Treats

Ingredients

Canned vanilla frosting
Round cracker...like Ritz
Candy corns
Chocolate kisses
Caramel

Directions

1. Spread some canned vanilla frosting on a round cracker.
2. Place a chocolate kiss near the bottom of the cracker.
3. Add candy corns above the kiss to make feathers; place one candy corn on the kiss for the head.
4. Let the frosting dry.
5. To make the turkey stand up, attach a caramel to the back with more frosting.
6. Make-Ahead Tip: make these edible decorations up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container.

Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inch)
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup

whipped topping, optional

Directions

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin, syrup, sugar cream, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth; pour into pastry. Combine the eggs, pecans, sugar and syrup; spoon over top.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 40-45 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and top of pie is set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight or until set. Serve with whipped topping, if desired.

Yields 8 servings

**This recipe comes from the Nov/Dec 2009 Simple & Delicious magazine.**

Italian Sausage Strata

Ingredients

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 loaf (1 lb.) sourdough bread, cubed
1 jar (4 1/2 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
10 eggs
3 cups half-and-half cream
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Italian cheese blend

Directions

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Place bread cubes in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Layer with mushrooms, onions and sausage. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, mustard and salt. Pour over top; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly.) Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yields 12 servings

**This recipe comes from the Nov/Dec 2009 Simple & Delicious magazine.**

Peaches & Cream French Toast

Ingredients

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 can (29 oz.) sliced peaches, drained
1 loaf (1 lb.) day-old French bread, cubed
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
12 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Arrange peaches in dish. Place half of the bread cubes over peaches. Layer with cream cheese and remaining bread. Place the eggs, cream and vanilla in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yields 12 servings

Pineapple Cranberry Ham

Ingredients

4 boneless fully cooked ham steaks (6 oz. each)
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup undrained crushed pineapple
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Directions

Cut each ham steak in half. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ham in oil in batches for 3-5 minutes on each side or until heated through. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mash the cranberry sauce; stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve with ham.

Yields 4 servings

**This recipe came from the Nov/Dec 2009 Simple & Delicious magazine.**

Chili

Ingredients

hamburger, browned
onion, chopped and cooked with the hamburger
1 jar Pace chunky salsa
1 can tomato juice
2 cans kidney beans (dark, light, or 1 of each)


Directions

Combine the ingredients and let simmer. Top with cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions, if desired.

Notes: This recipe is super simple and super tasty!

Pumpkin Pear Bread Pudding

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 can solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup sliced pears, drained and chopped
1 can (14-ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 loaf Rhodes Bread Dough, baked and cubed

Streusel:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

whipped cream

Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add pumpkin, pears, milk, sugar and spices; mix well. Fold in bread cubes. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking dish or springform pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight.

Just before baking, combine streusel ingredients; mix well. Sprinkle over bread pudding. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Yields 8 servings

Dried Beef Cheese Ball

Ingredients

5 ounces dried beef, chopped
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
6 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt or garlic powder

Directions

Reserve about a half cup of chopped dried beef.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining beef, cream cheese, green onions, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt or garlic powder. Mix well and roll into a ball.

Roll the ball in the reserved beef, coating the entire outside of the ball.

Spread on crackers. Yummy!!

Scotcharoos

Ingredients

1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 pkg. chocolate chips
1/2 pkg. butterscotch chips

Directions

Bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter. Mix well. Add this to the Rice Krispies and mix well. Press this mixture into a buttered 9 x 13 pan.

Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together. Mix and pour over the Rice Krispies in the pan. Cool until the topping hardens.

Potato Patties

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes
1 small onion
1 tbsp. flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. salt

Directions

Grate potatoes and onions. Add other ingredients. Mix well. Shape into patties. Fry in skillet.

Noodle Heaven

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1 (8 ounce) pkg. noodles of your choice
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Brown beef in a large skillet. Add garlic, salt, sugar and tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes or until meat is lightly browned. In a small bowl blend cream cheese, onion powder and sour cream. Boil noodles, undercooking a minute or two; drain. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer noodles, the cream cheese mixture and meat sauce. Repeat layers. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.

To freeze: Cover with foil, label and freeze.

To serve: Transfer to fridge the night before. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

*This recipe is adapted from Frozen Assets.*

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds package ground beef
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of onion soup, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped onion, thawed and divided
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon steak sauce, divided, Heinz 57
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 3/4 cup onion, bread crumbs, 1/3 cup steak sauce, egg, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Shape meat into 5 patties.

In a large skillet, cook patties over medium-high heat, flipping once, until desired degree of doneness, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove patties from skillet; set aside, and keep warm. Add remaining 3/4 cup onion and mushrooms to skillet, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup soup, remaining 1 tablespoon steak sauce, and water; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce over steaks.

Makes 5 servings

**Thoughts~I couldn't find cream of onion soup so I used cream of mushroom. It was quite tasty!**

Crunchy Onion Chicken

Ingredients

2 cups (4 ounces) French's Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions
2 tbsp. flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Crush French Fried Onions with flour in plastic bag.
Dip chicken into egg, then coat in onion crumbs.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes until cooked through.

Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen cut green beans
1 cup frozen chopped onion
3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Directions

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine green beans and onion. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on High for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain bean mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar and vinegar. Pour over green beans, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings

**Thoughts~I made this with canned green beans, fresh onions, and on the stove not the microwave. Delicious!**

Penne with Vegetables and Kielbasa

Ingredients

6 oz. (2 cups) uncooked penne pasta (tube-shaped pasta)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 (9 oz.) pkg. frozen sugar snap peas
1/2 lb. kielbasa, sliced
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. Velveeta, cubed

Directions

Cook penne as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onion and sugar snap peas; cook 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Drain, if necessary.

Reduce heat to medium. Add kielbasa, milk and cheese to vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth, stirring constantly.

Add cooked penne; stir gently to coat. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

Makes 4 servings

**This recipe comes from the February 2004 Pillsbury One-Dish Meals cookbook magazine.**

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 zucchini, about 6 inches long
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat the sugars, butter, and oil. Add the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. Add to the batter. Grate the zucchini into the batter and stir. Pour into a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 15 servings

**This recipe comes from The Red Hat Society Cookbook.**

Tamale Pie

Beef Filling Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2-4 teaspoons chili powder
1 dash pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans or refried beans
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Cornmeal Topping

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Cook meat, onion, and green pepper in a large skillet until meat is browned; drain fat. Stir in tomato sauce, corn, olives, garlic, seasonings, and beans; simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until thick; stir in cheese then remove from heat.

Meanwhile, stir cornmeal, salt, and cold water together in a saucepan; cook over medium-high heat (please be careful as hot cornmeal mixture may splatter) for a minute or two, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Turn meat filling into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon cornmeal topping evenly over entire top of beef filling.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or until cornmeal topping is set and beef filling is bubbly. Serve topped with salsa and sour cream.

NOTE: Family-sized portions of the cooked beef filling freeze excellently in Ziploc freezer bags - To serve: Just thaw, turn meat filling into a prepared baking dish, quickly make and spoon on a proportional amount (for a frozen half-batch to be baked in an 8x8" pan, prepare topping using 1/2 cup cornmeal and 1 1/3 cup water) of cornmeal topping, bake and enjoy!

Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups slightly cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 pound chopped Velveeta cheese
3 diced hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 onion chopped
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1 3/4 to 2 cups of milk
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup frozen vegetable mix

Directions

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a 2 quart greased dish and refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

**Thoughts~A lady from our church named Maria made this for a VBS decorating night. It was yummy!**

Mix-n-Match Pasta Salad

This recipe came from my friend, Mariellen. She is fabulous, and I think this recipe is pretty darn fabulous too. I never would have thought to put some of these ingredients in my pasta salad.

16 oz pasta (you choose)
3 from list one totaling 2 lbs
1-2 from list two (1/4-1/2 cup each)
1-4 from list three
1 from list four (1 cup)

List One:
Bite size broccoli florets added to pasta one minute before draining
Bite size cauliflower florets added to pasta one minute before draining
Bite size asparagus spears added to pasta one minute before draining
¼” carrot coins added to pasta one minute before draining
Bite size green bean pieces added to pasta one minute before draining
Snow peas added to pasta one minute before draining
Sugar snap peas added to pasta one minute before draining
¼” zucchini pieces added to pasta one minute before draining
Canned artichoke hearts
Bean sprouts
¼” celery slices
Bite size pieces of cucumber
Thinly sliced fennel
Bite size pieces of avocado
Thinly sliced zucchini
Halved cherry or grape tomatoes
Bite size strips of bell pepper
Diced tomato
Thawed frozen green peas
½” thick rounds of broiled eggplant cut into bite-size pieces
Large whole mushrooms, sliced after broiling
Grilled bell pepper strips
Grilled zucchini pieces
Sauteed celery pieces
Sauteed bell pepper pieces
Canned beans
Chicken breast pieces
Turkey pieces
Ham pieces
Italian sausage pieces
Cooked lobster
Cooked and peeled shrimp
Canned tuna
Crab meat
Mild cheeses (swiss, Monterey jack, mozzarella, cheddar)

List Two:
Crumbled feta cheese
Sliced parmesan cheese
Crumbled goat cheese
Capers
Coarsely chopped pitted olives
Peperoncini
Pepperoni
Roasted peppers
Sun dried tomatoes
Crumbled bacon
Prosciutto
Smoked salmon or other smoked fish
Toasted pine nuts
Roasted cashews
Roasted or honey roasted peanuts
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds

List Three:
3 large green onions, sliced
½ red onion, chopped
2 tsp orange or lemon zest
2 T. cilantro
2 T. basil
2 T. dill
2 T. parsley
2 T. mint
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp tarragon
other herbs of your choice

List Four:
Ranch dressing
Italian dressing
Caesar dressing
Thousand island dressing
Russian dressing
French dressing
Rice wine vinegar
Lemon juice
Soy sauce and sesame oil
Other dressing of your choice

It's so easy. If you're in the mood for Asian food you might do chicken breast, broccoli, and sugar snap peas with roasted cashews or sesame seeds, green onion, and parsley and a soy and sesame oil sauce. If you're in the mood for Greek you can do ham, artichoke hearts and fennel, feta crumbles, red onion and tarragon with a yogurt and lemon sauce. You never have to have the same thing twice.

Pork Steak

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil
4 pork steaks
salt and pepper
garlic powder
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced or 2 (4 1/2 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 3/4 cups water
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown steaks on each side. While browning, season steaks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Transfer steaks to a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.

Saute the onions and mushrooms in the same skillet. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, dry soup mix, and mushroom soup; mix together until sauce forms. Pour sauce over steaks.

Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes.

Serves 4

**Thoughts~This is great served over rice.**

Applesauce Meatballs

Meatball Ingredients

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground beef

Sauce Ingredients

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
3 to 5 drops Worcestershire sauce
3 to 5 drops hot pepper sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-1/2 inch balls. In a large skillet, gently brown meatballs over medium heat; drain. Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish.

Combine sauce ingredients; pour over meatballs. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Serve over egg noodles.

Makes 4 servings

**Thoughts~Jeff loved these!**

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) bag of egg noodles
meatballs
vegetable oil for frying
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup (1/2 pint) dairy sour cream, room temperature

Directions

Start noodles cooking according to package directions. If using cooked meatballs, reheat in oil for a few minutes or fry uncooked meatballs until done. Drain on paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients sour cream sauce. Fold meatballs into sour cream sauce. Drain noodles when cooked and serve meatballs on cooked noodles.

**I found this recipe on menus4moms.com.**

Crockpot Cordon Blue

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves--skinless, boneless
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 oz. ham sliced
4 oz. Swiss cheese-sliced
1 package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a crockpot to cover the bottom. Leyer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers. Sprinkle stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours.

Serves 6

Grandma's Meatballs

Ingredients

2 lbs. hamburger
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/4 pint olive oil

Directions

Mix all ingredients. Spray broiler pan with Pam. Cook at 350 degree for 30 minutes.

**This recipe comes from my college roommate, Angie. Well, it actually comes from her grandma. I haven't had it in years, but I am looking forward to making it soon. I wonder if they will taste as good as I remember.**

Cashew Chicken Hot Dish

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 10-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup uncooked long grain regular white rice
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules, mixed with 1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups broccoli pieces
1 cup cashew nuts
Pinch ground black pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce, or as desired
Parsley sprigs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir and cook chicken in butter until done, about 5 minutes; spoon mixture into a 2-1/2 quart round glass baking dish. Add onion, mushrooms, rice, boiling water and ginger; mix well. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Stir in broccoli; bake 10 minutes or until vegetables are done. Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cashews, pepper and soy sauce. Sprinkle remaining cashews on top. Place under broiler, (without the cover) to brown. Remove from oven. Garnish with parsley

Serves 4

**This recipe comes from The Great Minnesota Hot Dish by Theresa Millang.

Reuben Hot Dish

Ingredients

1 8-ounce package wide noodles, cooked according to package directions, drained, then mixed with 3 tablespoons soft butter
1 pound sauerkraut, drained
2 cups chopped corned beef
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, sliced (I am thinking about omitting this.)
1/4 cup thousand island salad dressing
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
4 crisp rye crackers, crushed
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, more if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a greased 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish, layer noodles, sauerkraut, corned beef and tomaotes. Dot with salad dressing and sprinkle with cheese. Top with cracker crumbs and caraway seeds. Bake covered 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serves 6 to 8

**This recipe comes from The Great Minnesota Hot Dish by Theresa Millang.

Dried Beef Hot Dish

Ingredients

2 cups large size elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions, less 3 minutes cooking
time, set aside
2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup salad dressing (mayonnaise)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 2-ounce packages dried beef, cut up

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together soup, milk, and salad dressing until well blended. Add cheese, eggs, beef and macaroni; mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart glass baking dish. Bake uncovered about 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serves 6

**This recipe comes from The Great Minnesota Hot Dish by Theresa Millang.

Cake Icing

This recipe is from my friend Karen.

Mix together:

1 (2 lb.) bag of powdered sugar
3/4 cup Crisco
1/2 to 2/3 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 tsp. almond flavoring
1/4 tsp. butter flavoring

**Thoughts~I love this recipe! I usually use right betwee 1/2 and 2/3 cup milk. I also use slightly less almond flavoring. It's really all up to your personal preference.**