English Muffin Bread

This has become a favorite. It is fast and easy. If you like English muffins, you will love this bread. It is yummy toasted with butter and jam or peanut butter. It is a great food storage recipe.

5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup warm water (120° to 130°)
1 T. oil
Cornmeal

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda. Add warm milk, water and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour (batter will be stiff). Do not knead.
Grease two 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle pans with cornmeal. Spoon batter into the pans and sprinkle cornmeal on top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately to cool on wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

Bean Taco Soup

This is a great food storage recipe that is really fast. It freezes well too. Lauren loves to take it to school for lunch.

1 pound chopped chicken, roast beef or ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz.) can white beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans, with liquid
1 (16 oz.) can corn, with liquid
2 (16 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes (I use the ones with Mexican seasoning), with liquid
1 package taco mix
1 package Ranch dressing mix

Saute ground beef and onion. Drain. (I use a pint of home-canned chicken and saute the onion in a little oil.) Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 mionutes. Top with sour cream, tortilla chips and grated cheese.

Pico de Gallo**

NOTE: I don't really follow a set recipe for pico de gallo. It is one of those things that I believe you can't really mess up. You can adjust the heat or flavor to your liking. I usually base my recipe with what I have on hand. Here is a general recipe of quantities, but like I said you can really use more or less of everything and it will still be delicious with garden fresh tomatoes. I put it on top of everything, great garnish.

Ingredients
6 medium Tomatoes diced
1 medium Onion finely diced (Red, Yellow, or use a bunch of green onions, or any combination of the three)
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro chopped (I usually put a lot)
2 to 4 Fresh serrano or jalapeño seeded and minced (I leave these out for the kids or add a little bit of El Tapatio Mexican Hot Sauce)
garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Juice from one lime (sometimes I just don't have one and use a little bit of lemon juice concentrate or nothing).

Directions
Put all ingredients in a bowl and chill to allow flavors to blend.

Red Potato Medley

2 tablespoons butter
3 cups cubed red potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds)
1-1/2 cups diagonally sliced carrots (I use whole baby carrots)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add potatoes and carrots; toss to coat. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

One of our favorites. I have made this using sweet potatoes in place of some or all of the red potatoes.

Crisp Graham Cookies

1/2 C butter-flavored shortening
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3 T creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 C flour
1 C graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C plain M&M's
1/2 C chopped pecans

In a mixling bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar; beat in egg. Add vanilla and milk. Blend in peanut butter. Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the M&M's and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Yield: 7 dozen (2 inch cookies).

We had these cookies at the Jensen's during the family reunion 2009.

Fresh Raspberry Breakfast Cake

2 C fresh raspberries
6 T brown sugar
2 C flour
2/3 C white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C sour cream
1/4 C butter,melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 C toasted, chopped pecans

Glaze:
2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C confectioners'sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10 inch bundt cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Stir together raspberries and brown sugar; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a third bowl, cream together sour cream, butter and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour mixture just until moist.
4. Sprinkle 1/2 C of berries and 1 C pecans in pan, pour in half of the batter. Pour on the remaining berries and remaining cup of pecans. Spread the remaining batter over the berries.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean. While cake bakes, mix the frosting. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 C confectioners' sugar. Let cake cool for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan and let cool an additional 20 minutes before frosting.

Campbell's Beef & Macaroni Skillet *

From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
2 stalk celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 can (about 8 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained (I used 1 c. of frozen corn)
2 cup cooked elbow pasta
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook the beef, celery and oregano in a 10-inch skillet until the beef is well browned, stirring to separate meat. Pour off any fat.

Stir the soup, Picante sauce, corn and pasta into the skillet. Cook and stir until hot and bubbling. Top with cheese and heat until the cheese is melted.

***This was a very easy dish I found on the back of the soup label when I was trying to think of a quick dinner. Everyone loved it.***

Apple Dip

15 Mother's brand coconut macaroon cookies crushed into crumbs

3/4 C brown sugar

1 pint of sour cream

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and serve with apples or other fruit.

I made this for the family reunion.

Parslied Potatoes

2 lbs small red potatoes

1 tsp seasoned salt

2 cloves garlic minced

pepper to taste

1/2 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tb olive oil

1 Tb parsley

Cut unpeeled potatoes in small chunks. Mix potatoes with other ingredients in a large bowl to coat well. These can be cooked in heavy duty tinfoil on a medium heat grill until tender. Or bake on a cookie sheet at 450 30 minutes until tender.

Lemon-Basil Potatoes

16 baby new potatoes, halved

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 C fresh lemon juice

2 Tb olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 C chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil

Place the potatoes, chicken broth, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and place in a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and add the olive oil. Toss.

I wasn't sure about the lemon with the potatoes, but they are really yummy.

Baked New Potatoes

New potatoes or small red potatoes cut into bite size pieces.

One green bell pepper, and or red or yellow pepper cut into bite sized pieces.

One yellow onion thinly sliced.

Toss all together in an oven proof container with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, turning occasionally. Raise temperature near end of cooking time to brown.

Apple Dumplings

1 can refrigerator crescent rolls

3/4 stick of margarine (do not use butter)

3/4 C sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 -1 can of Sprite

2 apples peeled and quartered

Roll up apple pieces into the crescent roll dough starting at the big end of the roll.  Place each one in a 9x9 baking dish. Melt margarine, sugar and cinnamon together and pour over rolls. Pour sprite over the whole thing and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

These are so easy and are delicious!  They taste like apple pie and are great with whipping cream or ice cream.  

Fresh Corn Salad

2 C blanched fresh corn cut from the cob

3/4 C chopped tomato

1/2 C Chopped cucumber

2 T chopped green bell pepper

3 T white wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tsp olive oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 Tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl: toss.

Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a jar. Cover, shake vigorously. Pour over corn mixture and toss well.  

I have brought this to a family gathering at the Dodson's.