Rice Crispy Brownie Bars

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 + 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/3 cups flour
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

For the toppings:
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 + 1/3 cups chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons butter
2 cups rice krispies cereal

Directions:
In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, coca, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15 x 10 x 1 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until the middle looks set. Sprinkle with marshmallows and bake 2-3 minutes longer, or until the marshmallows look melty. Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack. Spread the marshmallows evenly with a knife dipped in water. Cool pan completely.

Once the bars are cooled completely start the topping. In a medium sauce pan combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Heat slowly over medium heat and stir continuously until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies. Spread over the bars immediately. Chill until set. Makes about 36 bars.

Time to Make: about an hour with cooling time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Deluxe-Chocolate-Marshmallow-Bars

Canned Peaches

Ingredients:
Fresh and Ripe Peaches
Salt
Sugar
Clean Canning Jars with matching Lids, & Rings

Preparation:
Gather all your supplies in advance to make things run smoothly. You'll need a water bath for sealing the jars, a large bowl of salt water (the ratio is 1 + 1/2 tsp. of salt per 1 quart of water), a pot of sugar water for syrup (see the ratios below), a small pan or pot of hot water for softening the lids, a pot of clean boiling water and a bowl of ice water for blanching the peaches, and a sharp knife.

Directions:
To prepare your syrup, place water and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil. For LIGHT syrup use a ration or 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water. For MEDIUM syrup use a ratio of 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water. For HEAVY syrup use a ration of 3 cups sugar to 4 cups water.* Start preparing the lids by placing them in a small pot or pan of boiling water to soften them before using them. Start the boiling water for blanching the peaches. You only need enough water to fully cover the peaches.

Once your blanching water has reached boiling point and while the rest of the water (or syrup) is all heating up, blanch your peaches by placing them in clean boiling water for a few minutes and then in ice water for a few minutes. Peel the skins off the peaches, cut them down the crease and remove the pits. Using a spoon to help pry the peach open in half will sometimes help accomplish the task while not making a mess of the fruit. 

When you have enough peaches to do a batch place the peaches in HOT jars (dip the jars in boiling water) and fill the jars with syrup to within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Use a knife to remove air bubbles in jar by running the knife up and down the inside edge of the jar. Place a softened lid on the jar and screw it on with a ring. Fill the bottom of your water bath with 2 quarts of water and place the jars on the water bath.

Once the plate is filled with jars place the cover on the water bath and turn the heat to high. When steam is coming steadily out the hole on the cover start the timer. For quart jars start the timer for 25 minutes. For pint jars start the timer for 20 minutes. Once time is up, remove the lid and remove the jars with a jar lifter. (We always place our hot jars on a dry towel while they cool.) Allow jars to cool completely and check to make sure they all sealed. Wipe the outside of the jars with a clean wet rag and  label the lid with the current year.

Before doing another batch be sure you have more syrup heating if necessary and more lids softening. Also be sure there is still at least 2 quarts of water in the bottom pan of the water bath before using it again.

*Tip: We usually use a medium syrup for our peaches. Changing the salt water every 4 batches will help keep the peaches less messy. Mom's water bath will fit 7 quart jars at a time and 8 pint jars at a time. 1 bushel of peaches will generally yield between 20-25 quart jars depending on the size and condition of the fruit. If you choose to combine peaches and pears in the same jar you must time the jars in the water bath according to whichever fruit has the longest time, in this case the pears. Pears go for 30 minutes for a quart jar and 25 minutes for a pint jar.

Time to Make: depends on how many batches you do
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Origin: Mom

Canned Pears

Ingredients:
Fresh and Ripe Pears
Salt
Sugar
Clean Canning Jars with matching Lids, & Rings

Preparation:
Gather all your supplies in advance to make things run smoothly. You'll need a water bath for sealing the jars, a large bowl of salt water (the ratio is 1 + 1/2 tsp. of salt per 1 quart of water), a pot of sugar water for syrup (see the ratios below), a small pan or pot of hot water for softening the lids, a peeler, and a pear corer.

Directions:
To prepare your syrup, place water and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil. For LIGHT syrup use a ration of 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water. For MEDIUM syrup use a ratio of 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water. For HEAVY syrup use a ration of 3 cups sugar to 4 cups water.* Start preparing the lids by placing them in a small pot or pan of boiling water to soften them before using them.

While the water is all heating up, peel and core your pears and place them in the bowl of salt water. When you have enough pears to do a batch place the pears in HOT jars (dip the jars in boiling water) and fill the jars with syrup to within 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Use a knife to remove air bubbles in jar by running the knife up and down the inside edge of the jar. Place a softened lid on the jar and screw it on with a ring. Fill the bottom of your water bath with 2 quarts of water and place the jars on the water bath.

Once the plate is filled with jars place the cover on the water bath and turn the heat to high. When steam is coming steadily out the hole on the cover start the timer. For quart jars start the timer for 30 minutes. For pint jars start the timer for 25 minutes. Once time is up, remove the lid and remove the jars with a jar lifter. (We always place our hot jars on a dry towel while they cool.) Allow jars to cool completely and check to make sure they all sealed. Wipe the outside of the jars with a clean wet rag and  label the lid with the current year.

Before doing another batch be sure you have more syrup heating if necessary and more lids softening. Also be sure there is still at least 2 quarts of water in the bottom pan of the water bath before using it again.

*Tip: We usually use a medium syrup for our pears. Changing the salt water every 4 batches will help keep the pears less messy. Mom's water bath will fit 7 quart jars at a time and 8 pint jars at a time. 1 bushel of pears will generally yield between 25-30 quart jars depending on the size and condition of the pears.

Time to Make: depends on how many batches you do
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Origin: Mom

Scratch Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 - 9" pie crust (recipe found here)

3 cups half & half
5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1 + 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 - 3 large ripe bananas
1 - 8 ounce tub of cool whip
vanilla wafers or sliced almonds for garnishing

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and half & half. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt and stir till well blended. Whisk the half & half mixture with the ingredients in the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until boiling, stirring CONSTANTLY with a rubber spatula. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile bake the pie crust till it is light brown and set aside till cool. Once the time is done on the custard, slice 1 banana into thin slices and line the bottom of the pie crust with the slices. Cover with half of the custard. Slice another 1 - 2 bananas and layer them on top of the custard layer. Cover with the remaining custard. Lightly cover the pie with plastic wrap and chill pie for 4-5 hours, (or overnight). After the pie is chilled, top it with the cool whip and decorate it with the vanilla wafers or sliced almonds. Refrigerate leftovers.

Difficulty: medium
Time to Make: about 45 minutes prep time
Recipe origin: online somewhere

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 cups zucchini, grated

2 + 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 + 1/3 cups chocolate chips (plus a few to sprinkle on the top of the loaf before baking)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredients with chocolate chips and add to zucchini mixture. Mix well. Pour into two greased bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Time to Make: about 20 minutes prep + 90 minutes for cooking and cooling
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: www.food.com

Ranch Pasta

Ingredients:
1 small package or box of bow tie pasta, cooked according to directions
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix

Directions:
Cook the box of pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse under cold water until pasta is cool. Add the diced cucumber, diced tomato, and sliced olives. Mix together the package of ranch mix and the mayonnaise. Add the ranch mix to the other ingredients and stir till well blended. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 25 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Tin Foil Dinner

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots, chopped into medium sized pieces.
4-5 cups chopped potatoes
1 family size can of cream of mushroom soup
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the ground beef evenly across the bottom of 9x13 pan. Top the ground beef with the chopped onion. Then layer the chopped carrots over the onions. Top with the chopped potatoes. Spread the can of cream of mushroom soup over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees for 70-90 minutes (or until the potatoes are cooked through and tender).

*You can also prepare this into individual dinners. Simply add the ingredients in the same order onto a medium square of tin foil. Top with another piece of tin foil and cook until the ingredients are done.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes prep time plus cooking time
Recipe Origin: Mom

Brown Sugar Muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Molten Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
6 oz semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. butter
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 + 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
additional powdered sugar for dusting
baking cocoa for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 2 muffin tins (enough for 24 cupcakes) and then dust each with baking cocoa (just like you would dust a cake pan with flour). You can also use cupcake papers to line each muffin spot. In a small saucepan, melt the baking chocolate with the butter over medium heat, stirring continuously. Once smooth, remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, wisk the whole eggs and the egg yolks together until they are well beaten. Add the powdered sugar and the flour and beat until smooth. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until smooth again. Divide batter evenly among the muffin tins (this recipe should make about 16). Bake at 425 degrees for 9 minutes. Be sure to watch them carefully. They are done when the edges look set and the middle is still soft. Although they taste just fine if they are cooked all the way through. Remove from pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar. These are really good served warm with a little ice cream.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to make: 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/molten-chocolate-cakes/be3b3ba1-f88e-4da1-9c89-75f4f1a08bba?sc=Warm%20Dessert%20Recipes&term=Comfort-Food-Warm-Desserts&itemId=eccb1270-e38a-4f54-9e6c-2bcc22d181ea

Bread Machine Rolls

Ingredients:
1 tsp salt
4 T. sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
4 T. butter (or margarine)
3 cups bread flour (good flour like the turkey flour from Lehi Mills)
1 heaping tsp. yeast (I use quick rise)

Directions:
Put loaf container in bread machine and put on the kneading attachment. Add salt, sugar, and egg to the container. In a small bowl microwave the milk and butter for 1 minute. (The milk will be hot and the butter soft, but not melted.) Carefully pour the milk into the container. Add the flour and spread it around to cover the liquid ingredients. Then add the yeast. Set bread machine for 1st rise cycle only. (In my bread machine there is a dough setting - #7. Set it to that and let it knead. Watch it after  few minutes to make sure all the ingredients are kneading properly and not getting stuck in the corner. If they are stuck, use a bread knife to scrape them off into the middle of the container so they can be kneaded as well.

Once the bread cycle is done, dump the dough out onto the counter and divide it into 16 balls. Place the rolled balls into a greased 9x13 pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until they have doubled in size (about 2 hours). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes (until the rolls are golden brown over most of the top surfaces).

Remove rolls from pan and let them cool on top of a cooling rack or clean towel.

*This dough can also be used to make cinnamon rolls. Simply follow the same directions for the rolls until the dough is done in the bread maker. Roll out the dough into a rectangle and spread with cinnamon & sugar filling:

1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Roll up dough and cut into slices. Let rise for 90 minutes (or until doubled in size) and then bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes. Frost while warm.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 3 + 1/2 hours
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner (although I don't know where she got it)

Chicken and Rice Dinner

Ingredients:
4-6 Chicken Breasts, skinless and boneless
2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Cheddar Soup
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp. garlic powder
6 cups cooked rice

Directions:
Wash the chicken and trim the fat from the breasts. In the slow cooker, combine the chicken, chicken soup, cheddar soup, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Cook over low heat for 4-6 hours. Cook your rice according to the directions on the package. Once cooked, place the chicken mix over the rice and serve warm.

Tip: You can also cook vegetables to add to the chicken dish just before serving such as broccoli, carrots, or any other vegetable you want to try.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 6 hours
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com

German Scones

Ingredients:
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
4 + 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup warm water. Add the 1 T. sugar and set aside. In a large bowl add the 1/2 cup sugar, boiling water, butter, and salt. Stir till blended then add the eggs and mix well. Then add the yeast mixture and 2 cups of flour. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 + 1/2 cups of flour and mix by hand until blended. Let rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour place the dough in the refrigerator until it is chilled. Once chilled, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it is thin (about 1/4 inch). Cut dough into 3-inch squares and fry in hot oil. Serve warm with honey or cinnamon butter.

Tip: Once the dough is cut into squares you can freeze them to use for the future. Just unthaw the dough at room temperature until it is completely thawed and then fry it in hot oil.

Time to Make: about 3 hours from start to finish
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Dad's Salmon

Ingredients:

4-6 Salmon Fillets (medium sized)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil (vegetable oil works too)

Dash of garlic powder

Dash of lemon pepper

Directions:

Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and oil in a ziploc bag. Mix the ingredients around in the bag until the sugar feels more dissolved. Sprinkle the fish fillets with garlic powder, lemon pepper, and any other spices you may want. Add the fish to the marinade and place in the refrigerator for at least 1-3 hours (or longer). Heat your grill to medium high. Spray the grill with non-stick spray (don't spray the flame or you'll catch the oil on fire). Cook the fish 6-8 minutes each side until the fish is flaky and no longer raw looking. Tip: Sprinkle a little brown sugar on the fish when it is first put on the grill to get a yummy crust.

Time to Make: a few hours marinating plus 15 minutes on the grill.

Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Origin: Dad

Cheescake Bars

Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup honey (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until smooth and sugar isn't grainy. Spread out one of the rolls of crescents across the bottom (not the sides) of the pan. Press the seams together so that it looks like a crust. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the rolled out rolls. Roll out the other package of crescent rolls and lay on top of the cream cheese layer (so that it looks like a crust on top of the dessert).

In a small bowl, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until well blended. Using a spoon, drop small dots of the butter mixture all across the top of the dessert until all the butter mixture is gone. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (until the top is golden brown and no longer doughy looking). Remove from oven and drizzle with honey (optional). Cool completely and cut into bars.

Time to Make: about 45 minutes plus cooling time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sopapilla-cheesecake-pie/

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 cup minced onion
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup ham, cubed
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper (black is okay too)
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Directions:
In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, potatoes, onion, celery, and spices. Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Combine the cream cheese with some of the soup broth and blend till smooth. Reduce the heat and add the cream cheese mixture to the soup. (You could also chunk up the cream cheese to small cubes and stir them in the soup until they are melted - just be sure the heat is reduced so you don't curdle the cheese.) If desired, thicken the soup a little with cornstarch. Serve warm.

To Freeze:
Prepare soup as directed above. Chill until cool in the refrigerator and then divide into labeled freezer bags. If you double this recipe you will get 4-5 quart sized freezer bags of 4 cups of soup in each. To reheat, thaw over night in the fridge or thaw under warm water. Then reheat over low-medium heat until hot.

Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: adapted from the recipe posted here.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Ingredients:
One Pumpkin - 12-14 inches, cleaned well
6 cups rice, cooked
2 lbs. ground beef, browned
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 - 4 ounce cans sliced mushrooms
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
3 cups celery, chopped
2 cups onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Gut and clean the pumpkin and set it on a baking sheet lined with foil. In a large skillet combine the cooked rice, browned hamburger, soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom soup. Stir over low heat until combined. Meanwhile, saute the celery and onion in the butter until tender. Combine all the ingredients and pour the mixture into the cleaned pumpkin. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes (with the lid OFF the pumpkin). Serve warm.

Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time and 90 minutes cooking time
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

Jello Worms

Ingredients:
2 - 3 ounce packages of Raspberry Jello
1 pkg unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups boiling water
15 drops green food coloring
Tall container
100 flexible straws (or enough to fill your container)

Directions:
Combine gelatin packages in a bowl and add the boiling water. Let it cool to a lukewarm temperature and then add the drops of green food coloring and the whipping cream. Stretch out all your straws and place them flex-side down in your tall container. It is important that the straws fit tightly so that the jello stays in the straws. Pour the gelatin mixture over the straws so that each straw fills up and place in the refrigerator to set until firm.

To remove the jello from the straws, either run each straw under lukewarm water and squeeze the jello out with your fingers; or use a rolling pin to roll the jello out of the straws. Experiment and see which works best for you. Keep chilled until serving.

Time to Make: a few hours
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Origin: http://www.instructables.com/id/Bowl-of-Worms-Anyone/

Easy Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
2 tubes of Pillsbury Rolls
1/4 cup of melted butter (more if needed)
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl melt the butter in the microwave. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl and stir till blended. Coat each roll first in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Stand the rolls up in a bread ban (or bundt pan) so that they are stacked together and wont fall over.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rolls can be pulled apart and aren't gooey in the middle.

Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

Fresh Veggies in Vinegar Marinade

Ingredients:
1 tomato, sliced into strips or wedges
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 onion, sliced into thin strips
1 cucumber, sliced

Marinade:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan and on low, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let cool before adding to the vegetables. Chop or slice all the vegetables and combine them in a bowl with the cooled marinade. Stir until everything is coated and store in the refrigerator until serving.

Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: Mom

German Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/3 cup flaked coconut (I added a little extra)
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions:
In a large skillet add all ingredients expect the coconut and pecans. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Let cool until room temperature before using.

Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/german-chocolate-cake-frosting/

Fresh Cooked Green Beans

Ingredients:
Fresh Green Beans
Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
To prepare the green beans for cooking, snap the ends off of each bean. Wash green beans thoroughly with cold water. Place beans in a pressure cooker on top of a steaming rack. Fill the pressure cooker with hot water just to the level off the rack. Sprinkle the beans with a little bit of salt.  Place the uncovered pressure cooker on the stove over high heat and heat until the water is boiling. Once the water is boiling place the lid on the pressure cooker tightening it to make sure it is secure and place the bobber on the top. Keep the heat on high. Once the steam causes the bobber to bob back and forth start a timer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, cool the pressure cooker under cold water until all the pressure is released and you can easily open the lid. (Tip: Open the lid on the back side of the cooker so that the steam doesn't burn your hands or your face.) Check that the beans are fully cooked and tender by poking them with a fork. If they aren't all the way tender, put the pressure cooker back on the stove until they do come out tender. (Sometimes I will let the timer go for a little longer than 2 minutes just to be sure the beans are done.) Butter and add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm!

Tip: For variety, thinly slice a small amount of onion and add to the beans before cooking.

Time to Make: about 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: unknown

Scratch Fruit Cobbler

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup milk

ground cinnamon (for sprinkling on top if desired)

Fruit filling (see below for some options)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the butter in a 9x13 glass pan and place pan in the oven while it preheats. Remove the pan once the butter is melted. Meanwhile mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add the milk and stir until ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over the butter (do not stir). Then pour your fruit filling over the batter layer (again, do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm or cold with ice cream.

For peach cobbler:

In a large skillet, combine 1 cup sugar, 4 cups fresh peach slices (about 6-8 medium peaches), and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Bring ingredients to a boil over high heat stirring constantly. Use for the fruit filling.

For apple cobbler:

in a large skillet combine 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 6-7 jonathon apples (peeled and sliced), and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Cook over medium high heat until apple are softened (about 10 minutes) stirring constantly. Use for the fruit filling.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 quarts Half and Half

1 + 1/2 cups whipping cream

2 cups sugar

5 Tbsp. Vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Put in an electric ice maker and and make according to the manufacturers directions. Once complete in the ice cream maker, put in a freezer container and freeze for a few hours until it is hardened.

Time to Make: about 4 hours (including ice cream maker and freezing time)

Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Origin: cousin Renae who got it from an old family friend (Mimi)

Layered Jello

Ingredients:

For Red, White, and Blue Jello (in above picture):
2 large boxes blue jello - 6 ounce size
1 large box of lemon jello - 6 ounce size
1 large box of red jello - 6 ounce size
1 large tub of cool whip - 16 ounce size
20 clear plastic cups (smaller in size)
cookies for decoration (optional)

Directions:
First mix the red jello according to the directions on the box. Put 1/3 cup of jello in each cup. Refrigerate until set. Then mix up the lemon jello according to the directions on the box. Chill until the jello is cool and set slightly (about the consistency of egg whites). Add the cool whip to the cooled jello and stir till blended. Add 1/3 cup of the mixture on top of each red layer in the jello cups. Refrigerate until set. Mix up the 2 boxes of blue jello according to the directions. Add 1/2 cup of jello to each jello cup and refrigerate until set. Top with left over cool whip and a cookie or fruit.

*Tip: My measurements for adding jello to the cups may not be completely accurate for every cup. Just try to get the stripes even. If the cup is wider on the bottom than it is on the top, you'll need more red jello than this recipe calls for.

Difficulty: easy
Time to make: most of a day, but its all in the waiting for the jello to set
Recipe Origin: http://www.glorioustreats.com/2010/06/festive-4th-of-july-treats.html

BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. mustard powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer (stirring constantly). Remove from heat and allow sauce to cool slightly before using.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com (listed under Bar-B-Que Sauce by Debi K)

Churros

Ingredients:

Vegetable or Olive Oil (for frying)
1 cup water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs

For topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

Prepare to fry the churros by heating oil in a pan (1 to 1&1/2 inches) to 360 degrees F.  To make churro dough, heat water, margarine and salt to rolling boil in 3-quart saucepan; stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat. Beat in eggs slowly so you don’t cook the eggs and beat mixture until smooth.

Spoon mixture into cake decorators' tube with large star tip (like the kind use to decorate cakes). Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and roll the cooked churros in sugar mixture until they are coated.

Difficulty: Easy

Time to Make: about 30 minutes

Recipe Origin: online at http://user.xmission.com/~dderhak/recipe/churros.htm

Southern Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Shortening for the pans

2 + 1/2 cups flour

1 + 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. fine salt

1 tsp. cocoa powder

1 + 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 T. red food coloring (1/2 ounce)

1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

1 tsp.vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil,buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake at 350 degrees until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. 

Difficulty: Easy

Time to Make: about 45 minutes

Recipe Origin: Cakeman Raven, Cakeman Raven Confectionery, NYC

Roasted Potato Wedges

Ingredients:
potatoes (number and variety of your choosing: Russets work well)
1/4 cup (approximately) olive oil
salt, to taste
fresh herbs, to taste


Optional Ingredients:
2 T. butter, melted
garlic, minced
2 - 3 T. balsamic vinegar
cayenne pepper
paprika


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash potatoes.  Cut potatoes into wedges.  Toss with oil, butter, salt, pepper, and whatever else you’d like: garlic, balsamic, spices, etc.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Shake around. Stir.  Roast for another 20 minutes. Check them and if they aren't done keep them cooking till they are tender and soft. Add more seasoning if necessary.  Sprinkle with herbs.  Serve immediately.


Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 35 minutes
Recipe Origin: The Pioneer Woman
   found here at http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/roasted-potato-wedges/

Goolash

Ingredients:

2 cups macaroni, cooked and drained
1 lbs hamburger, browner and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 quart diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 medium green pepper, chopped
Ketchup
Chili powder

Directions:
In a large pot, cook the 2 cups of macaroni according to the directions on the package. While the macaroni is cooking, brown the hamburger in a large skillet. Drain the water from the macaroni and drain the grease off the hamburger. Add the green pepper to the hamburger and cook for a few minutes until the green pepper is tender. Add the macaroni, corn, and tomatoes. Stir until well mixed. Add enough ketchup to make the ingredients moist. Add chili powder to taste and serve hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 small-medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1 28-oz. bag shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 c. sour cream
1 10-oz. can cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom) soup
2 1/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: Crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz or saltine crackers

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat. Add the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper and combine well. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Spread the mixture into a 9×13″ (or similar) dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout. Makes 6-8 main dish or 10-12 side dish servings.

Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep time plus 1 hour for baking
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Origin: ourbestbites.com

Sour Cream Buns

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115° F)
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
3 T. granulated sugar
2 T. shortening
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 to 3 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Spread:
2 T. butter, nearly melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Icing:
1 - 2 cups powdered sugar
3 - 4 T. milk
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla


Directions:
In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. In a small saucepan combine sour cream, granulated sugar, shortening, and salt. Heat and stir over medium-low heat until warm (105°F to 115°F) and shortening is melted. Stir in baking soda. Stir sour cream mixture and egg into yeast. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with a wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough ( 3 to 5 minutes total). Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Grease a large baking pan. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon spread until well mixed. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle; Spread dough with cinnamon spread up to the edges. Roll up, starting from long side; seal seam. Slice into twelve 1-1/2-inch-wide pieces. Place each bun, cut side down, into the baking pan (OR in a prepared, greased, muffin cup). Cover and let rise in a warm place until 1/4 to 1/2 inch above tops of cups (45 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake buns in the preheated oven about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans. Combine ingredients for the icing and spread a little over the rolls while still warm. Serve warm.

Tip: If you use a baking pan to bake the rolls, pack the rolls a little so that they will bake touching each other. This will make them better.

Time to Make: about 90 minutes
Difficutly: Easy
Recipe Origin: Better Homes and Gardens

Brownies (Annette's Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
4 T. butter or margarine
1 + 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Icing:
3 T. powdered cocoa
2 dashes salt
3 cups unsifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
4-5 T. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwavable bowl, combine the shortening and butter and heat until melted in 30 second increments. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. In another bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Slowly add the 2 cups sugar, beating all the time until light and fluffy. Add 2 tsp. vanilla and melted shortening/butter mixture while beating. Add the flour mixture and combine. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a greased 9x13" pan.

While the brownies are baking, combine all the ingredients for the icing and mix until smooth. Once the brownies are done, spread the icing over them almost immediately after they come out of the oven so the icing melts into the brownies, then cool completely.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardener

BBQ pulled pork sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork roast (shoulder or butt works best)
2 medium onions
1 cup ginger ale
1 - 18 ounce bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Buns or rolls for sandwiches

Directions:
Dice or slice the onions. Put half the onions in a 4 quart crock pot and place the roast on top. Top with the remaining onions and the ginger ale. (add a little extra ginger ale if you need a bit more to cover the roast). Cook the meat on high for 4-7 hours (or until you can easily shred the pork). Shred the pork once it shreds easily and drain off and discard the liquid. Put the shredded pork in the crock pot and add the BBQ sauce (as much as you think it needs). Continue cooking for 2-3 hours. Serve as a sandwich inside your favorite rolls or buns.

Difficulty: easy
Time to make: at least 7 hours depending on your slow cooker.
Recipe origin: online somewhere

Chicken Taco Dish

Ingredients:
1 package Taco Seasoning
1 can black beans
1 can chili beans
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours (stirring occasionally). After 4 hours, shred the chicken, stir and continue cooking on low for 2 more hours. Serve hot over rice or chips.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 6 hours
Recipe Origin: Annette Gardner

Sugar Top Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
cinnamon + sugar (for sprinkling the muffins)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl and stir till well blended. Add the beaten egg, milk, and vegetable oil and stir till just blended. Add the walnuts and stir till mixed. Pour batter into a greased (or lined) muffin tin and sprinkle each muffin with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to make: about 30 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom's cookbook

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed (optional)
1 + 3/4 cup chicken broth (save the water you boil the chicken and veggies in)
2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
2/3 cup milk
2 - 9 inch unbaked pie crusts

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot, combine the chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add enough hot water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain (save the water) and set aside. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and saute the onions until they are translucent. Add the flour to the onions and mix well, then slowly add the chicken broth (using only 1 + 3/4 cup of the broth) and milk and chicken bouillon. Add the salt, pepper, and celery seed and heat until thick. Once thickened, pour the chicken and veggies into a pie dish lined with one of the pie crusts. Pour the onion/chicken broth mixture onto the top and cover with the top crust. Cut slits into the top crust to let out the steam and bake the pot pie for 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before eating.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com by Robbie Rice

Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1 small tub sour cream
1 small tub guacamole
2-3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 medium tomato, diced
1 can olives, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, diced

Directions:
In an 8x8 pan spread the refried beans in an even layer. Spread the guacamole on top of the refried beans. Spread the sour cream on top of the guacamole. Top the sour cream with half the cheese, the tomatoes, the olives, and the green onions. Then top with the remaining cheese. Serve with tortilla chips.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 15 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown

Alice Springs Chicken

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts
8 pieces of bacon
mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup monterey jack cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Chicken Marinade:
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 + 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Whip all ingredients for 30 seconds with an electric mixer and continue with the recipe below.

Wash 3-4 chicken breast and trip off the fat. Marinade the chicken with 2/3 of the marinade for about 2 hours. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Heat a frying pan with a few tablespoons of oil until hot. Sear both sides of the chicken in the frying pan and then place the chicken in a baking dish. Saute some mushrooms in a pan with butter. Brush the chicken with some of the marinade (but save some for serving). Sprinkle the chicken with some salt, pepper, and paprika. Stack 2 pieces of cooked bacon on each chicken breast. Spoon mushrooms on chicken, spread 1/4 cup of monterey jack cheese and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on each chicken breast. Bake chicken for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked completely. Serve with the remaining marinade.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time + 10 minutes cooking time
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Salt Dough

Ingredients:
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup flour

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and roll the dough into a ball. Flatten with a rolling pin and imprint with whatever design you want. Bake at 250 degrees for several hours (or until firm). Once the dough is cooled, paint and decorate however you want.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep time + several hours bake time
Recipe Origin: online somewhere

Scratch Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 + 1/2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks (if you want, keep the egg whites for spreading over the crust before baking)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 + 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 + 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted (for garnishing the top of the pie)
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, half-and-half, and egg yolks. Whisk together till smooth. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the cream and egg mixture into the saucepan and whisk till smooth. Over medium heat, gradually bring mixture to a boil, stirring CONSTANTLY with a rubber spatula. (Mixture should be thicker once it reaches boiling point.) Remove from heat, and stir in the butter and vanilla till smooth. Add the 1 + 1/2 cups of coconut and mix well. Pour into pie shell cover the custard portion with plastic wrap. Chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm. Top with whipped topping and toasted coconut.

Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes plus a few hours chill time
Recipe Origin: http://addapinch.com/cooking/2013/04/18/coconut-cream-pie-recipe/#.UiOWeYI5mc1

Blackberry Cheese Streusel Pie

Ingredients:

Crust: (makes 2 pie crusts)
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup + 1 Tbsp. shortening
1/3 cup ice water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 egg, beaten

Cheese Filling:
1 - 8 ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice

Topping:
6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
6 tablespoons whole almonds
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 1/2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
4 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Directions:
To prepare your crust combine the flour, salt, sugar, and shortening in a medium bowl and mix with a pastry tool (or fork) until the shortening is cut into the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the water, vinegar, and egg and mix well. Then combine the wet ingredients with the other ingredients and mix till just blended. Divide dough in half and wrap the two halves in plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes. Once chilled, roll the crusts out on a floured surface and line 2 - 9 inch pie tins with the dough. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and set aside.

To make the cheese layer, first preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the cheese is fluffy. Add the sugar, salt, egg, and lemon juice and mix well. Pour the cheese filling into the pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While the cheese layer is baking, prepare your streusel topping. Place the brown sugar, almonds, butter, oats, and flour in a food processor and process them to your desired consistency. (Note: Instead of using a processor, I placed the almonds and oats into a nut chopper and chopped them until they were small pieces. Then I added that to the other ingredients and used a pastry tool to cut in the butter).

After the cheese layer has finished baking for 20 minutes, remove the pie from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees and top the cheese layer with a can of blackberry pie filling. Top the pie filling with the streusel topping and continue to bake it at 400 degrees for another 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is over, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

Note: This pie can be made 1 day in advance, but should be stored in the refrigerator once it is cooled.

Difficulty: medium
Time to Make: about an hour
Recipe Origin: combination of several recipes

Pear Puree

Ingredients:
6 Pears, ripened, peeled, and cored

Directions:
Place cored and peeled pears in a food blender. Blend till smooth and then pour into ice cube trays. Cover with plastic wrap and place in trays in the freezer. Once frozen, remove pear cubes and place in a freezer bag or container. Thaw in a plastic bag under hot water just before serving and mix with baby cereal. Add water if necessary to get the desired consistency that you want.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 10 minutes
Recipe Origin: unknown
Introduce to Baby: Makes a good beginner food.

Easy Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 quart strawberries, washed and sliced
1 pkg. strawberry glaze
1 8-9" pie crust, baked and ready to fill
whip cream (for garnishing)

Directions:
Prepare your pie crust according to the directions on the package (or use this recipe). While pie crust bakes, wash and slice the strawberries. Mix the strawberries with the strawberry glaze. Once the pie crust is cooled, fill it with the strawberry filling. Garnish it with whip cream just before serving. Store pie in refrigerator before and after serving.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Nancy Drury

Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan and set aside. In a large skillet, melt the butter over low/med heat. Once melted, remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Quickly add the eggs and beat till well blended (quickly so they don't cook). Combine the buttermilk and the baking soda in a large cup and add to the other ingredients. Stir till smooth. Stir in the cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended (leaving a few lumps). Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 15 minutes prep plus 40 minutes cook time
Recipe Origin: allrecipes.com (by Bethany Weathersby)

Superfoods Puree

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tsp. olive oil
1 small shallot, or small piece of onion, minced
1⁄2 cup ground turkey
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed but not dried

Directions:
Put the sweet potato in a steamer and steam until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the steamer and reserve the steaming water. While the sweet potato is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the shallot and turkey, and stir-fry until the turkey is browned and crumbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked sweet potato and 4 Tbs. of the steaming water. Cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Put the contents of the frying pan in a blender and blend to a puree. Thin with a little of the steaming water, if necessary. Cool quickly, then refrigerate. Freeze in individual portions; when needed, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. To serve, heat the puree in the microwave or a saucepan until piping hot. Let cool slightly and check the temperature before serving.

Makes about 23 ice cubes.

Difficulty: Medium
Time to Make: about 25 minutes
Recipe Origin: Annabel Karmel (baby food book author)
Introduce to Baby: Makes a good food for more experienced eaters.

Peach Jam

Ingredients:
3 Cups Finely Chopped Peaches (about 10 ripe peaches, peeled & pitted)
4 + 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon will get you at least this much)
1 Box Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Peel, pit, and finely chop the peaches and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and sugar and stir till well blended. In a small sauce pan, mix the water and sure jell. Heat (stirring constantly) until the mixture is boiling and boil for 1 minute. After 1 minute is up, add the contents of the saucepan to the rest of the ingredients. Stir the ingredients for about 3 minutes, or until the sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. Pour jam into containers and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours to set. After 24 hours is up, place the jam in the freezer and store for up to 1 year.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Sure Jell recipe on the package

Farfalle with Zucchini

Ingredients:
4 whole (to 5) Regular-sized Zucchini
1 whole Medium Onion
Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes
3 cloves Garlic
Farfalle (bowtie) Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
⅔ cups White Wine (or Chicken Broth)
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
½ cups (to 3/4 Cup) Cream
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Herbs (lemon Thyme, Fresh Basil, Chives, Etc.)
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil.
Dice 1 medium onion and the zucchini into small slices. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Next dice up the garlic.
Once the water is boiling, go ahead and cook the pasta according to directions on the package, on the al dente side so it has a nice “bite” to it.

While the pasta is boiling, heat a couple tablespoons olive oil over medium high to high heat in a saucepan. When the oil is hot, throw in half the zucchini and let it brown. Once brown, toss it onto a plate and repeat with the 2nd half of zucchini and repeat the process. Once the zucchini is cooked, throw in the onions and garlic. Next throw in the halved grape tomatoes on top and toss around a bit, keeping the heat at medium low to medium.

Pour in 1/3 cup white wine (or chicken broth) and with a whisk or spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the flavorful bits will be released. Pour another 1/3 cup wine (or chicken broth) into a dish and sprinkle the Arrowroot in and stir. Pour this into the pan with the onions and tomatoes, and now add in ½ to ¾ cup cream. Next, turn the heat off and add in the zucchini and stir gently to combine. Grab a cup or two of the cooking liquid from the pasta and pour into the saucepan if the sauce needs to be thinned out a bit. Salt and pepper to taste. Or thicken with a little cornstarch if the sauce needs to be a little thicker.

To serve, pour the drained pasta into a large serving bowl or platter. Add your choice of fresh herbs, and pour the contents of the pan over the top. Add some Parmesan and a final sprinkling of fresh basil. Eat warm. Serves 8.

Difficutly: Easy
Time to Make: about 30 minutes prep time plus 30 minutes cook time
Recipe Origin: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Tuna Cheese Melt

Ingredients:
1 can tuna fish
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
cheddar cheese, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
whole wheat bread slices

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the tuna fish and the mayonnaise. Mix well. Spread some tuna on top of a slice of bread and place cheddar cheese slices across the bread. Top with the slices of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 400 degrees and bake until the cheese is melted and the tuna fish is hot.

Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 20 minutes
Recipe Origin: Mom