Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
1 c. oil
2 c. sugar
1 c. pumpkin
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Mix all ingredients together. Spread in a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)
1 cube margarine or butter (room temp.)
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 to 1 lb. powdered sugar.

Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer. Spread on cooled cake.

Peasant Pasta

1 lb. sausage
1-2 cloves minced garlic
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 30 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I usually buy the Italian with the basil)
1/2 bag of frozen peas
sprinkle of dried basil
1 c. cream
1 16 oz. bag rigatoni

Drizzle skillet with extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and sausage and brown. Cook rigatoni in a pot of boiling water with salt. When sausage is browned, drain and add crushed tomatoes and chicken bouillon. Cook on med-low heat until tomatoes bubble. Add frozen peas and dried basil. Let simmer until peas are cooked. Stir in cream. Stir in drained pasta and serve. You can sprinkle cheese (any kind) on top of each indivual serving. I have also made this with hamburger instead of the sausage. My family likes the sausage better though.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 pound thick deli sliced chicken breast cut into cubes (I usually have them slice it into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices)
3 medium potatoes diced
1 medium onion diced (or 2-3 Tbls. dried minced onion)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
salt
pepper
granulated garlic (I'm sure garlic powder would work... or any other spices you want to try)

1-2 pkg. biscuits

Mix all ingredients except for biscuits. I just sprinkle salt and pepper over everything and then sprinkle a little of the granulated garlic and stir. Then spread into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and arrange biscuits on top. Return to oven and bake (without foil) approx 10 min. more or until biscuits are golden brown.

You can substitute any kind of frozen vegetables for the mixed ones if you would like. Our favorite is the peas/carrots mix and then added frozen corn.

Tasty 2-Step Chicken

4-5 Chicken breasts or 8-10 Tenders
Lemon Pepper to taste
1 T. Oil
1 Can of Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom...whichever you like
1/2 c. water

Heat oil in skillet. Sprinkle bottom of skillet with lemon pepper, add chicken, then sprinkle lemon pepper over top. Brown the chicken. Mix soup and water then add to chicken. Cover and simmer till chicken is done.

Caramel Brownies

Melt:
1/3 cup evaporated milk
50 caramels (1package of Kraft)


2 chocolate cake mixes
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 cubes butter
1 cup chocolate chips
Chopped nuts

Mix cake mixes, butter and 2/3 cup milk. Press half cake mixture into ungreased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350° for about 8 minutes.

Pour melted caramels over botton layer. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over caramel. Layer remaining cake mixture over nutes. Sprinkle again with nuts.

Bake for another 25 minutes.

1 1/2 cake mixes works perfect. So if I double it, I’ll use 3 cake mixes, 3 cubes butter and 1 cup evaporated milk. Then 2 pkgs Kraft caramels and 2/3 cup evaporated milk!

Homemade Limeade

1 c. lime juice (about 9 medium limes)
1 and 1/2 c. sugar
8 c. water

Squeeze limes. Mix all ingredients together in a 2 quart pitcher. Stir well,
chill & serve.

Chewy Rice Krispie Treats

1 cube margarine
2 16 oz. bags mini marshmallows
12-13 c. rice krispies

Use the cube of margarine to lightly grease an 11x14 jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet). Melt margarine and add mini marshmallows. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in rice krispies until well coated. Pour into greased pan and pat down. Cool and cut into squares.

Maple Bars - variation
Melt 1 bag of milk chocolate chips and 1 bag of butterscotch chips together in microwave. Stir and spread over rice krispie treats before cutting. These are really rich so you will probably want to cut them into small squares.

This recipe came from my sister-in-law Kathy Berlin (yes, there really are 2 of us:)). You add more marshmallows but not more margarine. I have several friends who call me every time they make them to get the recipe. The maple part came from our own little family:)

Yummy Fruity Pebble Squares

This is a yummy alternative to just plain rice krispie treats.

1/4 c. butter
1 pkg (10 oz) Marshmallows
5-6 c. Fruity Pebbles Cereal

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add marshmallows, stir until they are completely melted. Add the F.P.Cereal, stir until well coated. Pour into a 9x13" buttered pan, cool & Cut into squares.
* I like to add a few more marshmallows for extra chewy squares.
**Variation;use Cocoa Pebbles in place of the Fruity Pebbles.

This is one of my kids' very favorite treats! Enjoy!!

Lemon Sherbet

grated rind of 3 lemons
2/3 c. lemon juice
2 & 1/2 c. sugar

Add 3 cups milk; mix. put into a loaf pan, and freeze until firm.
Whip 1 cup whipping cream. Fold into frozen mix. Return to Freezer.

Mini Cheesecakes

24 vanilla wafers
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon juice
cherry pie filling
3/4 c. sugar
2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla

Use cupcake liner in cupcake tins. Put one wafer in the bottom of each (round side up). Combine sugar, eggs, cream cheese, lemon juice & vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spoon filling on the wafers in cupcake tins about halfway full. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before removing papers carefully. They will sink a little in the center. Top with the pie filling of your choice. Fresh fruit may also be used. Makes 24 mini cheesecakes.

Easy Clam Chowder

2 (2 and 1/2 oz.) cans minced clams
1 c. diced celery
1. c onions, chopped fine
2 c. diced potatoes
3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. flour
1 qt. half & Half
1 and 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
a few dashes of pepper

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover, and simmer, covered, over medium heat until potatoes are tender-about 20 minutes. Melt the butter in a soup kettle, adding flour slowly and stirring with a whisk to make a white sauce. Add the cream slowly, stirring all the time until thick & smooth. Add UNDRAINED vegetables and clams, and heat through. Season with salt and sugar, and pepper to taste.
*This is the best clam chowder ever!
**Serves 8

Rosemary Garlic Beef

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 rosemary branches, leaves chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 pounds sirloin tips, in thin strips or 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix together olive oil, vinegar, rosemary leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a non-reactive 3-to 4-quart bowl. Immerse the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.

To cook, remove as much marinade as possible from the beef. Thread the beef on skewers, or on sturdy sprigs of rosemary. Sprinkle all sides with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning every 1 1/2 minutes, until beef is deeply browned on the outside and still rare on the inside, 8-10 minutes (or to personal preference).

This recipe is so good. I got it from a friend also...can you tell I'm bored of my recipes. She used steak instead of sirloin tips and marinated overnight and all day.

Grilled Bruschette Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.

4 T. Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Dressing, divided

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1 tsp dried basil, or you can use fresh (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Marinade the chicken with 2T. dressing for 10 minutes. (I dumped in way more dressing than that and marinated it all day) Cover 1/2 of grill with heavy duty foil. Heat grill and place chicken on the uncovered side of the grill. Throw away the marinade. Cook for 6 minutes. In the mean time, mix the tomatoes, remaining dressing, basil, and cheese. Turn chicken over and place on foil. Top with tomato mixture and grill for 8 minutes, until chicken is done and cheese is melted.

I actually cook the chicken completely, then place on the foil side of the grill and top with tomato, basil, cheese and dressing mix. Then I heat until cheese is melted. I got this recipe from a friend and it is a new favorite.

Oriental Ramen Salad

2 Tbsp.oil
1 c. sliced almonds
1 c. raw sunflower seeds

Toast in the oven on broil about 8 minutes or until golden brown.
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped fine
1/2 head of napa cabbage (Japanese)
8 green onions chopped
2 pkg. chicken Ramen noodles, broken into pieces

Mix all of the above together.

Dressing:
1 c. oil
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
flavor packets from the Ramen noodles

Beat very well, and mix with the rest of the salad. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

This is for you Michael Berlin:)

Bacon & Tomato Soup

3 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 c cubed French bread
1 pound bacon, cooked & crumbled
2 c finely chopped celery
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp All purpose flour
5 c chicken broth
1 jar (16 oz) picante sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
sour cream(optional)

In a large saucepan over medium, heat butter and oil. Add the bread cubes; stir until crisp and golden brown. Remove and set aside. In the same pan cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1/4 c drippings; set bacon aside. Saute celery and onions in the drippings until tender. Add sugar; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add broth, picante sauce, tomato sauce and pepper; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Just before serving garnish with the croutons, bacon crumbles, and sour cream if desired.

Tropical Peach Cobbler

2- (30 oz.) cans sliced peaches; drained
1- French Vanilla cake mix; dry
2- (8 oz.) cans mandarin oranges; drained
1- can Orange soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick of butter; cut into slices
3/4 cup brown sugar

Line a 12" Dutch oven with heavy duty foil. Add peaches, oranges, and cinnamon. Stir to mix. Sprinkle brown sugar over fruit. Dump cake mix in a large pile over center of fruit. Make a well in the center of the cake mix. Pour orange soda into the well then stir cake mix in to moisten. Spread mixture evenly over fruit. Dot top with butter.
Place lid on Dutch oven and bake using 8-10 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 45-60 minutes.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Serves: 8-10

Dutch Oven Chicken & Rice

2 boxes chicken flavored Rice-a-Roni
3 1/2 cups water
12 chicken tenders (or 6 chicken breasts)
lemon pepper

Combine both boxes of rice-a-roni (including flavor packets) and water in a 12 inch dutch oven. Layer chicken on top and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cover and cook using 10 coals on bottom and 14 coals on top, until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through... usually about 1 hour if chicken is frozen or partially frozen, about 45 minutes if chicken is thawed.

Variation: Add chunks of fresh brocolli and stir in with the rice and water before cooking.

Note: You can add more rice and/or chicken depending on how many people you are feeding. You can also adapt this for baking in a regular oven. Bake at 350 in a covered greased casserole dish. The times should be about the same.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

Cream:
1/2 c butter
1/2 c peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 sugar

Blend in:
1 and 3/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Add:
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Shape into balls; roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350* for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place a solid milk chocolate kiss on each cookie; press down firmly until cookie cracks. Return to oven for another 2 to 5 minutes.

Southwestern Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 and 1/4 c. chunky salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
2 c. water
2 c. minute rice(uncooked)
1 can black beans, drained
cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream
guacamole(optional)

Bring the chicken, salsa, taco seasoning & water to a boil in a large covered pan. Simmer for 12 minutes. Stir in the rice & beans; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook on low for 5 minutes. Top with sour cream & guacamole if desired. Serves 4