Pumpkin Bars

bars:
4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
16 oz canned pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ginger
1 t. clover
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder

frosting:
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar

beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until fluffy. mix dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture. pour into ungreased pan (15x10). bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. beat frosting ingredients together, spread on cooled bars and top with candy pumpkins.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 c. pureed pumpkin (can be canned)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 T. molasses
12 oz. chocolate chips

preheat oven to 400 degrees. lightly grease or line a 12 muffin tin. sift (or just stir together) flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. in a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, milk, oil and molasses. pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix. fold in chocolate chips. fill the muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

easy peach cobbler

3/4 c. flour
1 stick margarine or butter
1 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. milk
4 c. fresh or frozen fruit

melt butter in 2 quart baking dish. combine flour, baking powder and 1 cup sugar (save the other 1/2 c. sugar) and salt. the add dry ingredients to melted butter. add milk and stir well.

boil fruit and the remaining 1/2 c. sugar in a saucepan. pour fruit into baking dish, do not stir. the hot fruit will sink to the bottom.

bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes

serve with ice cream

Melting Pot Stew

1 t. oil
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. ground cumin
1 garlic clove
6 c.3-16 oz. cans) chicken broth
1 1/3 c. cubed, peeled baking potatoes (or sweet potatoes)
1 can garbanzo beans
2 c. corn
3/4 t. salt
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 c. diced tomato
1/3 c. fresh cilantro

boil chicken broth, then cook all vegetables until soft (15 mins) in broth. add spices, boil on med for approx. 15 mins. let simmer. can serve in hollowed out pumpkin for parties, etc.

toppings: cilantro, cheese, sour cream, fresh squeezed lime, tomato

Shauna's House Salad

2 Heads of Romaine
2 c. cherry tomatoes
1 c. coarsely grated swiss or provolone
parmesan
1/4 pound crisp bacon
croutons

Dressing:
juice of one lemon
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 t. pepper
Combine all of the above and slowly add:
3/4 c. vegetable or olive oil
Let stand for at least 3 hours.

Shauna gave me this recipe years ago. I always go the extra five miles and make my own croutons for this salad because I adore homemade croutons and they are great with this recipe. I don't have an exact recipe (because I am not a big recipe follower) but I can give you basic instructions.

CROUTONS: cube up some french bread - a few cups full at least. put in a big bowl and drizzle with melted butter or olive oil. Maybe 1/4-1/2 cup. Stir until lightly coated. Season with basil, garlic salt, parsley (whatever you want) until desired flavor. Spread out on cookie sheet and place under low broiler. watch closely. When bread is slightly browned, remove from oven and stir around with spatula - return to oven to brown more.

They can burn really easily, so be careful.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

My sister in law, Sarah, is hosting a salad week, where participants are sharing a week's worth of salad recipes.

This first salad is a salad my mom makes for almost every wedding she caters. It is almost ALWAYS requested by brides.

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

The base of the salad is baby spinach and then a smattering of fresh fruits: (any combination of)sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, halved grapes, mandarin oranges, sliced pears or apples. In the summer, it is always berries, in the winter it is fresh oranges or apples.

On top of the salad is sugared pecans, which my mom does differently than I do. She puts 1 cup of pecans in a teflon pan with 1/2 cup of sugar and cooks on medium heat until the sugar melts and the nuts are coated. Then she pours them on a cookie sheet. I do it a simpler way because I mess up the sugared pecans frequently (can't get right temp for sugar to melt without burning nuts). My way is to put the nuts in the pan heat up the nuts and they are slightly roasted. Then I drizzle honey on them (no worrying about melting sugar) and stir until coated. Pour on cookie sheet to harden. Let completely cool before adding them to salad.

DRESSING:

1/2 c. Girard's fat free raspberry dressing (you could use other brand, this is what we use)

1/4 cup sugar
3/4 t grated onion
3/4 t. salt
1/3 t. dry mustard
1 c. olive or canola oil
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T poppyseeds

Mix very well (blender works great)

Optional items:
red onion (I don't add)
feta (yes!)
craisins (yes again!)

Wait to put the dressing and nuts on until right before you serve it.

**Cheaters tip: If you don't have the time to make the fancy schmancy dressing, use the regular Girard's Raspberry (not fat free) or Brianna's Poppyseed Dressing. Both are delicious.

Crockpot!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

This blog is awesome. I have tried several things. All good. I love my crockpot. It's such an easy way to cook.