Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup margarine or butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix I've made that mistake!)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Toppings
peanut butter(This topping is to die for!)
colored frosting (orange and green)
m&m's
reeces pieces
colored sugar crystals (green and orange)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350
In one bowl combine: flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt
In another bowl combine: cream margarine with mixer and gradually add sugar
Add egg and vanilla with the butter and sugar and mix well
alternate adding all dry ingredients, choc chips and pumpkin to the margarine mixture and mix all together
Drop 1/4 cup dough on lightly greased cookie sheets, shape them in to pumpkins with a stem up top
Bake 20-25 minutes

From my friend, Tanya. She grew up making these with her mom. They shaped them into pumpkins for Halloween. 

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups yogurt  (or sour cream works)

1c cranberries, I like dried

1 orange zested

1/2-1orange freshly squeezed

 

  

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375°F Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

2 Mix eggs and yogurt. Add to the dry indgredients until just mixed with a spatula.

3. Add butter, cranberries, orange zest, and juice. Mix with spatula

4.Spray twelve-cup muffin tin (or more) with vegetable cooking spray with flour 

5.Use large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin.

I like to use mini muffin tins too and bake about 20min.

Can be frozen too.

Crockpot Minestrone

1lb ground turkey, cooked (or sausage)

1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (14.5oz oz) diced tomatoes with the juice
4 cups of chicken broth
1 jar (16.5oz) pasta sauce
2 tsp oregano
1 T Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time


Brown the meat on the stove top and drain well. Chop up the carrots and celery and place in crock pot. Add the rinsed beans, both cans of tomatoes, pasta sauce, and broth to crock pot. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Stir in your meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta. Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.

Tips-
Freeze extra as this makes a lot of minestrone.
Make the pasta separately to avoid mushy pasta

Recipe is from my friend, Maleah.

Meal-on-the-Run Pork Loin

1 3.5lb pork loin
5 oz soy sauce
1/4c light brown sugar
1/2c red cooking wine (its ok if you don't add)
1T lemon juice
1t Worcestershire sauce
1.5c water

To freeze:
Trim fat off pork loin. Place all ingredients in a bag and seal well. Freeze.

To serve:
Thaw and place in slow cooker. Cover an set on low for 6-8 hours. If possible turn several times to coat meat with sauce. When done, shred meat and return to sauce.

Good on hamburger buns.

Recipe is from Once-A-Month Cooking cookbook.

Notes: Leftovers are good in Mexican dishes such as the Leftover  Quesadilla or omelets.

Pork Loin with Garlic Rub

3lbs boneless pork loin
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2t salt (or less - to taste)
2T fresh parsley (or dried, tastes fine without it too)
1T paprika (use sweet Spanish paprika if you happen to have it)
1/2t dried oregano
1/4c olive oil

Pound the garlic and salt together with mortal and pestle or a knife to form a smooth paste. Add parsley and mix. Stir in rest to form a thick, oily mixture. Rub over pork loin. Place in freezer bag to freeze.

Thaw. Bring meat to room temperature. Place pork and marinade in roasting pan. Roast for 15min at 450. Then lower to 350 for 45min, until juices run clear.

Recipe is from Don't Panic More Dinner's in the freezer cookbook.

Notes: I usually buy a 6+lb pork loin when they are on sale and make this and another pork loin freezer recipe.  You could also slice the pork up in the marinade to grill.

Persimmon Bread

1 cup persimmon pulp

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2/3 cup water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (opt)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 6x3 inch loaf pans. (or equilvalent)
1. In a small bowl, stir together the persimmon pulp and baking soda. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken the pulp.
2. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, oil, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until smooth. Mix in persimmon pulp and water alternately with flour. Fold in nuts. Divide batter into the prepared pans, filling each pan 2/3 full.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Chili

Adapted from American Test Kitchen

2T oil
1-3 medium onions, minced
6 minced garlic cloves
1/4c chili powder
1 - 6oz can tomato paste
1T ground cumin
1/2t red pepper flakes
Salt
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes (I prefer to use ones with chilis in it to give the chili more heat)
2lb ground beef (I prefer 1lb beef and 1lb sausage)
1-2 (15.5 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
1 (28oz) can tomato puree
2-4T minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3T soy sauce
1T fresh oregano leaves or 1t dried
1T brown sugar
Lime wedges for serving

Heat everything from oil to pepper flakes until onions are soft (10-15min)
Stir in diced tomates with their juice.
Transfer to slow cooker.
Brown the meat and drain the grease.
Transfer to slow cooker and add rest of ingredients.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
Serve with lime wedges, fritos, sour cream, cheese.
Can freeze.

Notes: Make the same week as Chiptole Barbeque Chicken to use up the can of chiptole chilies in adobe sauce. Also can make pork tacos that use 1-2 chiptole chilies.

Rio Rancho Taco Meat

A great alternative to the normal tacos:

1 med. onion, diced
1-1 1/2lbs ground beef
1c salsa
1pkg taco seasoning (or make your own HERE.)
1 1/2t brown sugar
1 - 4oz diced green chiles
1t garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper
1/4t red pepper, ground or flakes
3/4c water

Brown onion, beef until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add salsa, taco seasoning, brown sugar, green chiles, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Stir until well mixed. If you like your meat hotter, add more red pepper. Add the water and simmer on low for 30-45min until mixture has thickened. If too thick add some more water and adjust seasonings. Cool. Freeze in a freezer bag.

Serving day:
Thaw meat mixture. Heat through and serve in taco shells, tortillas, etc. Top with cheese, lettuce, sour cream etc.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook.

Meatloaf

Adapted from Don't Panic Dinner's in the freezer cookbook

1T oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1t thyme
1/3c milk
1 egg
1/4c ketchup
1/2c bread crumbs
1/2t salt
1/2t pepper
1lb ground beef
1lb ground sausage

Heat oil and cook onion until soft, ~5min. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more; set aside. Combine milk, egg, and ketchup. Stir in bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Crumble in meats and add onion mixture. Stir unitl well combined. Freeze meat into 2 loaves, using foil and plastic wrap.

Serving Day:
Thaw loaf and place in baking dish. Bake at 350 for ~1hour to 1 1/2hours. Mix 1/2c ketchup and 2T brown sugar to create sauce and pour over meatloaf for last 1/2 hour of baking time.

Notes: Orginal recipe calls for 1/2lb each of beef, pork and veal. Since I rarely have the latter two on hand I just use beef and sausage.  I used to not be a fan of meatloaf, but this recipe has changed that!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

godfather cookies

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
From The New Best Recipe (America’s Test Kitchen)
Makes about 18-24 large cookies.

These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra egg yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the baking sheet. Oversized baking sheets allow you to get all the dough into the oven at one time. If you’re using smaller baking sheets, put fewer cookies on each sheet and bake them in batches.

Ingredients
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks, or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light- or dark-brown sugar (NB: dark-brown is better!)
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 – 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (bittersweet chocolate is recommended)


Directions
1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray  or use a non-stick silicon mat, e.g., Silpat.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.
4. Roll a  golf-ball size of the dough into a ball (or use a two-tablespoon ice cream scoop), for standard-sized cookies, or use a scant 1/4 cup amount of dough for larger cookies. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough’s uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy (and look a little bit wet in the middle), 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula.


Notes: First had these from our friend, Adrian who is Ian's godfather. I think we may rename them the godfather cookies. They freeze well too.

Unbelievable Chicken

Ingredients

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons prepared coarse-ground mustard

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

ground black pepper to taste

6 tablespoons olive oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a large glass bowl, mix the cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the prepared grill, and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Discard marinade.

Notes: This recipe can be frozen and then thawed for later.

Recipe is from Allrecipes.

Cream Cheese Brownies

1 white or yellow box cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter, melted.
Beat these 3 together and then press into 13x9 greased pan.

Topping:
1 8oz cream cheese
4 eggs
2t vanilla
3 3/4c powdered sugar
Mix these together and pour over cake.
Bake at 325F for about an hour until lightly brown.

Notes: Another one my mom's famous recipes. These are real rich and real good. They do freeze, but taste much better fresh! We often asked for these on our birthdays.

Woodland Park Italian Beef

2-3lb roast
1-2 large onions, sliced, chopped, diced - whatever your preference
1-2 green peppers, diced or sliced
2-16oz jars Pepperoncini peppers with juice, sliced
1/2-1c water
1t ground pepper, sprinkled on top of roast

Place everything in slow cooker on low for ~6-7 hours until meat shreds easily.
Once done shred and mix everything. Serve on french rolls or other type of bread with provolone cheeses.

Notes: Can be frozen and thawed later. The pepperoncini peppers give a good heat/spice to the dish.

Recipe is adapted from Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer Cookbook.

Hawaiian Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1 16oz pineapple slices, drained
1 15oz mandarin oranges, drained
1/4c cornstarch
1/2cbrown sugar
1/4c soy sauce
1/4c lemon juice
1t salt
1t ground ginger
1/2t ground red pepper (or more/less to your tasting)

Cooking Day:
Mix everything together. Place in freezer bag. Freeze

Serving Day:
Thaw. Place in slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours. Can add green peppers one hour before serving if desire. Serve over rice.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer Cookbook.

Cranberry Chicken

8oz Catalina Dressing
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1lb can whole berry cranberry sauce
4 chicken breasts (can use a few more)

Cooking Day:
Mix everything together. Place in freezer bag. Freeze

Serving Day:
Thaw in greased baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for about an hour or so.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer Cookbook.

Chicken Cacciatore

1-2 med. Onions chopped or sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
15oz diced tomatoes
8oz tomato sauce
1t salt
1/4t pepper
2t oregano
1/2t basil
1/2tcelery seed
1 bay leaf
1/4c white wine (opt)
6 chicken breasts

Cooking Day:
Mix everything together. Place in a freezer bag. Freeze.

Serving Day:
Place in crock-pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 2-4 hours. Serve over pasta.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner is in the Freezer Cookbook.

Cheesy Chicken Bundles

1c bread crumbs (I like the Italian bread crumbs)
½ c cheddar cheese, grated,
1/2c parmesan cheese grated
1t salt
1/4t pepper
6+ chicken breasts
1/2c melted butter or milk works too

Cooking Day instructions:
Mix together crumbs, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in butter or milk. Then in cheese mixture. Tuck sides of chicken under to from a bundle. To freeze, wrap each bundle in plastic wrap, and then place in freezer bags.

Serving Day:
Thaw. Place in shallow baking dish. Optional: Melt some butter over the bundles and sprinkle some parmesan cheese over them.


Bake at 350 for about a 1 hour.

Recipe is from Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer Cookbook.

German Butter Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter, gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Chill for ease in handling. Roll out dough to 1/8" thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with floured cookie cutters into desired shapes or roll into balls and flatten with a fork.

Bake on a cookie sheet in preheated 350°F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Notes: These are a favorite during Christmas tree season. I'd make a batch or two to freeze ahead just for the occasion.

Recipe was used in a school project many years ago.

Slow Cooked Apple Butter

5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Notes: Great use of those apples you pick in the Fall.

Recipe is from Allrecipes.com.

Slice and Bake Chocolate Chip (peanut butter) Cookies

2c butter/margarine
1 1/3c granulated sugar
1 2/3c brown sugar, packed
1T vanilla extract
4 eggs
5 1/2c flour
2t salt
2t baking soda
2c chips (chocolate, peanut butter)
1c nuts (opt.)

Cut four 14x12" pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap. In a bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla and eggs unitl light and fluffy. In a bowl combinge flour, salt and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture until blended. Add chips and nuts.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. Shape each into an 8-10in roll. Wrap rolls in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Place in a plastic freeze containter or wrap in aluminum foil. Labe wl with date and contents. Store in freezer. Use within 6 mths. Makes 4 rolls of dough or about 12-dozen cookies.

To Bake:
Thaw a roll for about 10min or so. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut dough into 1/4in slices. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake ~10min - until browned around edges.

Tips:

• I usually divided into 6 logs instead. So I had ~24 cookies at time instead of 36 cookies.
• It helps to have your hands wet or greased while working the dough.
• Can be dairy free - just use dairy free chocolate chips and butter.

Recipe from Make-A-Mix cookbook.