Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Pie a' la Easy

1 1/4 c. All Purpose Flour
3/4 c. Quick or Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 c Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 c. Pecans, chopped
2/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
4 eggs
2 cans (15 oz. ea.) solid pack pumpkin
2 cans (14 oz. ea.) sweetened condensed milk--not evaporated milk!
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt

Whipping cream or frozen whipped topping
Pecan halves (optional, but you'd be a fool not to)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar and chopped pecans. Add melted butter and mix well. Press this mixture onto bottom of a bar pan. Bake 15 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs in bowl; add pumpkin, condensed milk, spices and salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour over crust. Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature. Cut into squares, garnish and serve. Makes 24 servings. Refrigerate leftover squares.

If you cut the recipe in half you can use a 9 inch square pan and bake as directed. You may also substitute 3 1/2 tsps. pumpkin pie spice for the ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Easy English Toffee

1/2 pound of butter
1 cup sugar
2 TB water
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 to 1 cup milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
one 9 x 13 buttered glass pan

Cut up butter in small sauce pan and pour in sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir constantly the entire time. Boil and stir until the mixture turns a medium to light golden brown color (real butter does not ever get very dark). Immediately take off heat and pour over chopped walnuts and chocolate chips in the glass pan. Place pan in freezer and break into pieces after it has cooled, hardened, and changed to a lighter color. This candy is best served cold and can be stored in the freezer for several weeks.

Million Dollar Fudge

4 1/2 c. sugar
1 can evaporated milk
6 large (4.25 oz each) of Hershey chocolate almond bars
1 1/2 jars of marshmallow creme
1/2 pound of butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chopped walnuts

1. Bring sugar and evaporated milk to a boil and boil for 9 minutes stirring constantly
2. Take off burner and stir in marshmallow creme, butter, and chocolate bars
3. Stir in vanilla (be generous with the vanilla) and walnuts (be generous with those also)
4. In a large buttered pan, spread fudge out and place in freezer.

It is best to cut when it has been kept in the refrigerator or freezer. May serve cold or room temperature.

Olsen Stress Cookies

I wish Stephen and I had thought to keep a tally of how many times we have made these cookies. I am betting it would be in the triple digits (I don't know if I should say that with pride or shame). We have also added ingredients as time and stress have compounded. We think they have reached their peak of perfection at this point.

1 stick butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour
1 c. oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Chocolate Chips
Butterscotch Chips

Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium sized bowl cream butter and sugar, add peanut butter then stir. Add egg and vanilla. Stir.

In a small bowl mix dry ingredients. Add to wet. Add chips. Mix together until barely combined. Mound them on cookie sheet. They do not spread out. Eat half immediately. Feel sick and promise to eat healthier. Eat the rest for breakfast the next morning.

Shredded Pork and Beans

This is my latest creation. I've eaten it at almost every meal for the last three days. Even Madeleine likes it, which is saying a lot. I like to cook a big pork tenderloin in the crock pot for Alex's lunches, but I'm always at a loss for how to use it for dinner. So, I shredded it and fried it up with a can of (drained) black beans and some green salsa (you could also use a can of diced green chilies). I added salt and pepper, and in the future I will either add onion powder or fry some chopped onions with it. I've been eating it on Roti (Indian tortillas), but regular tortillas work fine too (I really like the flavor of Roti, plus they're made with whole wheat and no lard, so they must be healthier, right?). Add grated cheese and sour cream. It's kind of like a healthy chimichanga. If you're really adventurous, you can add a fried egg on top of the bean mixture (I totally would, if I could eat eggs).

Best Ever Lemon Cake

1 pkg. lemon cake mix
3-6 lemons (depending on size)
powdered sugar
1 stick butter (I use less)
Optional: Kool Whip, cream cheese, and lemon juice for topping.

Make cake mix as directed and bake in 9x13 pan. Start making the glaze while it bakes. Squeeze several lemons into bowl, melt butter and mix together with powdered sugar until it is "glaze" consistency. While the cake is hot, poke holes all over cake and pour lemon glaze all over.
For extra YUM, beat 1/2 carton Kool Whip with 4 oz. softnened cream cheese and lemon juice to taste. Frost top and store in the refrigerator. Eat for breakfast, lunch , snack, and dinner.

crockpot dressing

Note: I usually just make 1/2 this recipe.
1 cup butter or margarine melted (or a little less)
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup parsley (fresh or dried)
2 cups canned (drained) or fresh mushrooms
8 Morningstar light sausage links, sliced
2 eggs beaten
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or enough to moisten well.
13 cups cubed dry bread. Note: if you buy seasoned bread crumbs you can delete or go easy on the seasonings.
1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. marjoram.
Optional: delete mushrooms and add chopped tart apples or dried chopped apricots or dried cranberries.

Melt butter or margarine in large fry pan and saute onion and celery until soft. Mix with remaining ingredients and toss well. Pack in large crock pot. Cover. Cook on high for 45 minutes, then turn to low and continue cooking for 4-6 hours. (For 1/2 recipe, cut down cooking time).

Marinara Sauce

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. I added Costco brand frozen meatballs about 15 minutes into the cooking, and served them on toasted hoagie rolls with mozzarella cheese as meatball sandwiches. Pretty yummy.

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and white wine.

Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Healthy banana bread

Hi Glori--I am finally a contributing member (to society?)! I tried the Bolonese spaghetti recipe (Catherine's?) and we really liked it. I would love to make the lava cakes--unfortunately, I feel like I am expanding exponentially, so I am afraid to go there. Also, on a sad note, I tried to make bread using the food processer and burned out the motor. The machine was still under warranty, so they shipped me a brand new one and I returned the burned one. Evidently, I tried processing it too long and the dough was pretty stiff, then I made another batch right on top of the first one and the motor didn't cool enough in between. I was hoping this machine would be practical for bread-making, but I think this is not its best function.

Healthy Banana Bread (This is not dry)

1/2 cup sugar
5 T butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 (6-oz) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 1 &1/2 bananas)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Lightly spoon flourinto dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. Add flourmixtrue and yogurt alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in bananas and vanilla Pour batter into an 8X4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack, remove from pan.

This makes one large loaf or two small loaves. I like to make the small ones and freeze them, and then I have something to take for a v.t. visit once in awhile. Glorianne

Recipes from Rachel

Stephen's cousin Rachel was kind enough to send me these links and ideas. I can't wait to try them!

This is a mushroom pasta that my family demands that I make all the time. I like to use a mix of cremini (baby portabellas) and button (the common white) mushrooms and the wine is just really cheap cooking wine that you find next to the vinegars and oils in the grocery store.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/thimbles-with-mushrooms-and-artichokes-recipe/index.html

This is a really easy tart that looks super fancy, the only hard part is peeling and cutting the apples thin enough. Just make sure that the apples go all the way to the edge of the crust or you will get burnt crust.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=592298

and for Easter we tried all new recipes; we had Greek lamb, rolls, and these two new vegetable recipes that were really great

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1723321
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=257693

Cold Rice Salad

I'm going to call this a French recipe because my dad learned it in France. It's really easy, and pretty healthy (except for the rice). It's one of my favorites when we go to Utah.

2 cups minute rice, cooked

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

½ pckg frozen peas

Cauliflower, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

Approx. ½ bottle zesty Italian dressing

Mix it all together and chill.

Molten Lava Cakes

We have been on a quest to discover the best chocolate dessert.  Stephen, being the noble scientist suggested that we try a new chocolate dessert every day to collect data in an organized manner.  He also volunteered to be the taste analyzer.  After varied and relentless experimentation we have narrowed the data field down to two recipes.  Molten Lava Cakes and Raspberry Death Cake.

Molten Lava Cakes

Ingredients:
4 pieces (squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
2 whole egg yolks
6 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 425
Spray 4 custard cups with pam and place on cookie sheet
microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl for 1 minute, until butter is melted.  Whisk until chocolate is smooth
stir in sugar until well blended.  Whisk eggs and egg yolks.  Stir in flour.
Divide batter between cups
bake 13 minutes until sides are firm and center is soft.  Let stand 1 minute.

These cakes are intended to look and be underbaked, we know they're done when the sides are pulling away from the glass.  We have also made these in muffin tins baked for 9 minutes.

Caution--the road to obesity is paved with lava cakes

Bolognese Tomato Sauce

This is an authentic Italian sauce (or so says my friend who served a mission in Italy). I usually serve it with penne or rigatoni pasta.

Ingredients:

Olive oil or butter

Milk

1 medium carrot

1 stick of celery

1 large yellow onion

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp thyme

1 large can peeled tomatoes (28 oz) + 1 normal-size can peeled tomatoes (14.5 oz) [puree these in a food processor]

Salt to taste- about 1 spoonful

Pepper to taste

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 lb ground beef

Directions:

1. Brown beef, leaving it a little raw. Divide into very fine pieces. Drain the excess grease.

2. Chop the carrot, celery, and onion very fine.

3. In a large pot on medium heat, cook carrot, celery, and onion with olive oil or butter until onion becomes transparent (about 5-10 minutes).

4. Add ground beef and cover with a thin layer of milk and let cook on medium heat for about 5 more minutes.

5. Add tomato sauce, spices, and parmesan cheese. Mix well.

6. Simmer for 45 minutes on a low heat without a lid.

Recipe share...pretty, please!

I thought that this would be a great way to share some recipes.  I cannot claim to have great recipes, but I want yours so--if you would like to contribute please email me at glorianne.o@gmail.com and I will add you as a contributing editor, then you can update when you have time. 

I thought I would share one of our current favorites that uses the food processor really efficiently.  It also looks like it has a zillion ingredients, but I use Catherine's crockpot shredded chicken and frozen spinach--it is really pretty quick, plus it is fairly low cal for a pasta dish. 

Chicken Penne Florentine 
bake at 425 for 25 min.

3 c.  mushroom
1 c. yellow bell pepper
3 c. spinach
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
16 oz. light cottage cheese
4 c. cooked penne
2 c. shredded chicken
1 c. sharp cheddar
1/2 c. parmesan
1/2 c. milk
1 can cream o' chicken

1. Sautee mush, bell pepper for 4 min.  add spinach and spices for 3 min.
2. Food process cottage cheese until it is smooth and creamy
3. Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl--reserve 1/2 c. cheddar to put on top
4. Bake away