Stephen's Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cups (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.  Beat sugar and butter in a large mixer bowl until well blended.  Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded spoon onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake in preheated 350* oven for 15-18 minutes or until edges are firm.  Cool on sheets for 2 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Best if served while still warm. 

Hearty Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) dark or light red kidney beans
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt

Brown ground beef with onion and bell pepper in a large saucepan.  Drain.  Add tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chili powder, and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer 1 hour.

Makes about 6 cups.

**Add 1 can of whole kernel corn, drained if desired 

Mom's Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (very lean)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. minced onion
3/4 C. oatmeal
3/4 C. tomato juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix together thoroughly and pack into a loaf pan.  Spread ketchup on top if desired.  Bake at 350* for 1 1/2 hour.  Let set 5 minutes before taking out of the pan and slicing. 
**Freezes well.

Ground Beef Macaroni Casserole

1 lb. ground beef -- fry in skillet with 1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 C. dry macaroni -- cook by pkg. directions
1 can of cream of celery, cream of mushroom, or cream of tomato soup
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients.  Put in baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Souper Chicken Casserole

In a 1 1/2 quart casserole, blend 1 can of cream of chicken soup with 1/3 C. milk.  Add 1 C. cubed, cooked chicken, 1 C. medium noodles, 1 C. cooked green beans, and 1 Tbsp. minced onion ( or 3/4 tsp. water soaked); top with buttered bread crumbs.  Bake in 400* oven for 25 minutes uncovered. 

Makes 4 servings. 

Low-fat Key Lime Pie

1 pkg. of lime flavored Jello
2 containers of lime flavored yogurt (individual serving containers)
1/4 C. boiling water
8 oz. container of Cool Whip
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Dissolve Jello with water.  Stir in yogurt with whisk.  Fold in Cool Whip with a wooden spoon.  Pour mixture into graham crust.  Refrigerate overnight for best results.  Serve with additional Cool Whip or lime garnishes if desired. 

Mom's Cherry Cobbler

1/4 C. margarine, shortening or oil
3/4 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 C. milk
2 C. (1 lb. 5 oz. can) cherry pie filling

Oven - 350*; Makes 6 servings
Melt margarine in 8" round or 9" pie pan.  In mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients except pie filling, mix until smooth.  Pour over margarine but don't mix.  Spoon pie filling over top.  Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.  Serve warm or cool.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

8 buttermilk biscuits
3/4 pound of sausage (fatty sausage works best for this)
4 cups of milk
4-8 tablespoons flour

Prepare biscuits as instructed on package. Brown sausage in skillet. As soon as sausage is completely brown, turn to medium heat. Add flour by the tablespoon, stirring constantly. Let the flour turn BROWN before adding another tablespoon (if you don't, your gravy will taste like flour). After you have added enough flour to make the gravy as thick as you like, add milk and stir with whisk.Serve over biscuits.

Bisquick Chicken Fingers

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (cut into 1/2 inch strips)
• 2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons margarine, melted

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
3. In a plastic resealable bag, mix Bisquick mix, cheese, garlic, and paprika.
4. Dip half the chicken strips in egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag and shake to coat.
5. Place chicken on cookie sheet.
6. Repeat using remaining chicken.
7. Drizzle butter over chicken.
8.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through bake time.

Iron Skillet Corn Bread

1 coffee mug cup of self rising flour,
3/4 cup self rising corn meal, 
Enough milk to stir easy,
pour in hot greased iron skillet, leave on top of stove for a minute or so, put in 425 oven until top gets brown.

*Delicious with pinto beans 


Recipe courtesy of Lana Isaacs Boyd

Mom's Lasagna

1 lb. browned hamburger (again, we like ground buffalo)
1 tbsp. minced onion
2 lg. cans of tomato sauce
½ carton cottage cheese
1 egg
2 pkg. mozzarella slices or 2 c. shredded mozzarella
Oregano
Garlic/garlic salt

Brown hamburger/buffalo with 1 tbsp. minced onion. Add tomato sauce. Add oregano, garlic/garlic salt or spaghetti sauce seasoning. Simmer 15 minutes.
Boil ½ box noodles and stir egg into cottage cheese
Layer in 13 x 9” pan:
*meat/sauce mixture
*noodles
*cottage cheese
*mozzarella cheese
Repeat until all ingredients are used. Bake in 350* oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Slickers

*This is a recipe that my grandfather used to make for the entire family. This is his version of the recipe, as told to me:

10-12 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. Chicken base
Flour

Knead until real doughy. Roll out on table and let dry 2-4 hours.
Cut into slickes and let dry even longer
**Cannot get too dry

5 to 6 Tbsp. chicken base in pot of water
Boil pkg chicken breast on medium low
Add slickers and turn on low

Serve over mashed potatoes

Twisted Mac Chicken & Cheese

HARD ROCK CAFE'S TWISTED MAC CHICKEN & CHEESE

2 cups cavatappi pasta (any pasta works)
1/3 cup whole milk
4 oz Velveeta
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey jack
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell pepper
2 tsp seasoned breadcrumbs (Italian style)
2 tsp grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp finely minced parsley
1. Use a large saucepan to cook pasta following the directions on the package, then drain
2. Combine milk, Velveeta, cheddar cheese, jack cheese, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in the same saucepan, and heat over low heat for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Add pasta and roasted pepper to the pan, and then toss to coat pasta.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley in small bowl.
4. Pour pasta into a serving bowl and then sprinkle Parmesan breadcrumbs over the top.
Serves 4

Southwest White Chili

1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cubed
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 C. chicken broth
4 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp oregano leaves
1/2 tsp cilantro
1/8-1/4 tsp ground red pepper
19 oz. can White Kidney Beans or Cannellini, undrained (can use Great Northern Beans)
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese for garnish
Sliced green onions for garnish

Heat olive oil in a 3 qt. saucepan over med-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, cover and keep warm. Add chopped onion to saucepan; cook 2 minutes. Stir in broth, green chilies, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro and red pepper; simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in cooked chicken and kidney beans. Simmer 10 minutes. garnish. Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4 servings, 35 g. protein, 37 carbs.