Pumpkin Nutbread

• 3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 4 eggs
• 2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 c. cooked pumpkin
• 1-1/4 c. melted butter
• 1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease and flour 2(9X5) loaf pans.

Sift together dry ingredients; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until thick; gradually add in sugar. Whip in the pumpkin and melted butter. Gradually add the dry ingredients into mixture. Fold in nuts, then pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake until well-risen, golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve either warm or cold.

Split Pea Sausage Soup

• 1 lb. dried split peas
• 7 c. water (or add more for a thinner soup)
• 1 lb. kielbasa or smoked sausage, cubed
• 5 cubes chicken bullion
• 1-1/2 c. chopped carrot
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves

Look over the peas for debris or small stones. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 5 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before ladling into bowls.

Makes a lot, but freezes well. Cool completely before ladling into freezer bags or rigid containers.

Ruby Cranberry Sauce

The amount of pectin in the cranberries varies from year-to-year, so sometimes this will turn out a little runny, or quite thick. Serve in little ramekin dishes on the side of the dinner plate. Make extra because it freezes very well.

• 3-1/4 c. sugar
• 2 c. hot water
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 (12 oz.) bags cranberries, washed & looked over
• 3 T. grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the sugar, water and cinnamon in a 9 X 13-inch glass dish. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the cranberries and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes without stirring.

Remove from the oven and stir in the orange zest. Let the mixture stand until cooled, without stirring. If you think the sauce is too thick, add a bit of orange juice. Keep refrigerated.

Hearty Beef Barley Soup

• 2 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1" cubes
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 lg. onion, chopped
• 64 oz. beef stock
• 16 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 c. chopped carrots
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1 c. chopped green pepper
• 2/3 c. quick-cooking barley
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 c. finely chopped, fresh parsley

In a large stockpot, braise the beef in the hot oil for 10 minutes; add in the onion, and continue browning for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Stir in the stock and tomatoes; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.

Add the rest of ingredients, except for the fresh parsley; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add in the parsley, stir and serve.

To freeze: allow to cool completely. Ladle into plastic freezer bags, or rigid containers making sure to leave at least 1/4" head space.

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c. milk or cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. seedless raspberry preserves
• 3/4 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 400. Grease a 13 X 9-inch baking pan.

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well blended.

Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture for topping. Press the rest into the bottom of baking dish (there should be a very thin layer). Spread preserves evenly over dough, then scatter chocolate chips over top. Drop reserved dough by half teaspoons over chips.

Bake 20-25 minutes; until golden. Cool completely; then cut into 24 bars.

To freeze: Place the cooled bars in freezer bags (remove as much air as possible), or rigid plastic containers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when needed.

Classic Sugar Cookies

I've tried many sugar cookie recipes, but this is the one I keep coming back to.

• 1 c. Crisco butter shortening
• 1-1/2 c. white sugar
• 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 T. milk
• 3 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 c. flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. salt

Combine shortening and sugars in large bowl; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add milk. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Continue beating at medium speed until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture looks light and fluffy.

Whisk together the dry ingredients (start with 4-1/2 cups flour). Mix into shortening mixture until well blended. Add more flour if necessary. The dough should just start to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling out on a floured board.  I have found these taste best when cut a little thicker; a little more than 1/4".

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or just until they start to turn just a little golden around the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, before cooling completely on a wire rack.  Frosting recipe follows.

The baked cookies freeze very, very well. 

FROSTING:
4 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. Crisco butter shortening
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 T. cold milk

Blend together the sugar and shortening. Slowly add in the milk; using more or less as necessary to reach a desired consistency. Beat for at least 5 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Add in food colorings as desired.

Spoon Burgers

• 3 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 16 oz. stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz. can chopped green chilies
• 2 T. chili powder
• salt, pepper & paprika, to taste

Mix all ingredients together in the crock pot, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of the spoon. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Spoon over buns or pasta.

Freezes very well.

Adjust spices/seasonings to your family's liking.

Since the beef isn't pre-cooked, it really is necessary to use extra-lean. If you'd rather, however, buy fattier beef, pre-cook and drain it first.  Adjust cooking times.

Italian Shredded Beef

• 5 lb. chuck roast
• 3 c. water
• 1 tsp. each : salt, pepper, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder
• 1 env. Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

Place roast in crock pot. Mix water with seasonings and pour over roast. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Shred meat. Use a slotted spoon to serve meat on toasted rolls, au jus on the side, if desired.  Great plain, or with cheeses, lettuce, tomato, etc.

Freezes very well. Freeze juices with the meat.

Chicken and Bean Soup

• 16 oz. bag 15-bean mix dry beans
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 lg. onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, chopped
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 29 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 8 c. chicken broth, more, if needed
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Place the veggies and sausage into the bottom of a large crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients, and cook on low for 10 hours. After the cooking cycle has completed, remove chicken breasts; shred them with a fork and return to pot. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Leftovers freeze very well. Allow to cool completely and pack into freezer bags or plastic containers.  After re-heating from frozen, you may need to add some additional broth, water or tomato juice.

Beef & Black Bean Chili

• 2 lb. beef chuck roast, cut into small chunks
• 2 (15 oz.) cans tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-Tel), undrained
• 2 c. dried black beans, rinsed
• 4 c. water
• 2 medium red onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 T. chili powder
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Sour cream & chopped red onion for garnish

In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or high for 7 hours. Serve garnished with sour cream and chopped red onion.  Serves 8-10. Freezes well.

To Die For Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 3 lg. onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 4 qts. fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 2 T. dried oregano
• 2 T. dried basil
• 1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. honey
• 2 T. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. pepper
• 6 oz. tomato paste (more or less)

Saute the following in a slow cooker set on high until the onion is transparent: green peppers, onions, garlic and oil. Then, add the following and allow it to cook on low for 5 hours: chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, salt & pepper and the honey. Stir once or twice during cooking time.

Allow the sauce to cool before ladling it into freezer containers. When ready to use, after thawing, stir in some tomato paste and simmer for a few minutes.  The amount of tomato paste will depend upon how much sauce you divide among your freezer containers, and how thick you like your sauce. Use a few tablespoons full, up to a full 6 oz. can.

Turkey Meatloaf

• 2 eggs (or 3 egg whites)
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 heaping teas. Dijon mustard
• 1 c. bread crumbs
• 1 c. finely chopped red pepper
• 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teas. poultry seasoning
• pepper, to taste
• 2.5 lb. ground turkey

Combine all ingredients well. (I just throw everything together in my stand mixer) Shape into a loaf in a greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1-1/2 hours. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

To freeze: After mixing ingredients, shape into a loaf and flash freeze before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Store up to a month in freezer. When ready to bake, add another 30 minutes to cooking time.
I have found that the cooked loaf also freezes well. Allow to cool completely, then wrap and freeze. When ready to serve, warm in microwave or a slow oven.

Pepperoni Pizza Chili

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 c. chopped green pepper
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) jar pizza sauce
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1+1/2 c. water
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) sliced turkey pepperoni
• 1 teas. Italian seasoning
• 1 teas. salt
• 1 teas. black pepper
• shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Combine the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic in a large pot.  Brown beef over medium heat. Drain grease.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except for the Parmesan cheese).
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Lower heat and simmer for at least 1/2 hour.
4. Serve with the shredded cheese on top.

Note: Freezes very well. Allow to cool, then put into Ziploc bags.