Instant Hot Wassail

2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups powdered Country Time Lemonade
1 cup Tang powder
2 TBS cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
Mix until well blended and even in color.
Fill jars and label for gifting.

To serve, mix 2 - 3 teaspoonsful in a cup of hot water.
Stir and enjoy!

(similar to Russian Tea, but tea-less)
Makes enough to fill 5 8-oz canning jars

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

24-28 Oreo cookies
4 tbsp melted Butter

1 cup Peanut Butter
8 oz softened Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
8 oz package Cool Whip thawed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Place cookies in food processor and pulse until they're small crumbs.
Add the melted butter and stir with a fork to combine.
Press into a pie pan and bake 7 minutes or until set.
Allow to cool completely.
Combine peanut butter and cream cheese and beat until combined.
Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
Add in whipped topping and blend until completely incorporated.
Pour into the crust and smooth the top.
Chill before serving.

Doug's Chili Verde

2 - 3 large onions, diced medium
4 stalks celery, diced
2 TBS chopped garlic
3 LBS boneless pork chops, cut into bite-size pieces
3 small cans diced green chiles
2 16-oz cans diced tomatoes
2 16-oz cans tomato sauce
4 cups water
3 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS dried oregano
2 tsp Cavenders Greek seasoning
Olive oil for sauteing

In a large pot, place enough olive oil to coat the bottom...
Add onions, celery, and garlic - saute until onions are tender.
Add pork and cook and stir until pork is browned.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer at least 1 hour.
Serve with rice and/or flour tortillas.

Peanut Butter Fudge

3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1-2/3 cups creamy peanut butter
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Line a 13 X 9 baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Spray with cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and milk.
Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.

Add peanut butter and stir until well combined.
Add marshmallow creme and vanilla.
Beat until well blended.
Spread in prepared pan.  Cool.  Cut into pieces.

FLUFFY YEAST ROLLS (Makes 12 -16 rolls)

1 cup warm water
1 pkg (2 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast OR 2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 TBS softened butter
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour

Put water and yeast in mixer .
Add sugar, salt, butter, and egg.
Beat with dough hook until well blended.

Add 3 1/2 - 4 cups flour and mix in mixer for about 5 minutes
until a soft dough forms...
Should be soft but NOT sticky.
Place dough in a greased (or sprayed) bowl; cover with plastic wrap,
and allow to rise in a warm place 45 minutes.
Remove dough to a flat surface sprayed lightly with cooking spray.
Gently roll to form about a 12 inch log.
Cut log in half, then cut each half into 6-8 pieces.  (12 - 16 altogether)

(I prefer making larger rolls, so 12 pieces)
Shape each piece into a ball pinching closed at the bottom.

Place smooth side up in a greased (or sprayed) 13" X 9" baking dish.
Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 17 to 20 minutes.
Brush tops of rolls with butter.

Recipe is easily doubled.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS minced garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 large onion, finely chopped
*2 cans chicken broth PLUS enough water to make 6 cups
1 LB dry split peas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup carrots, diced small - optional
1 cup kielbasa or ham, diced - optional

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and saute onions and garlic until onion is translucent - careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the broth/water, salt, and peas; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and allow simmer about two hours...
Peas will cook down producing a thick soup - if too thick, add water.
If using carrots, add during last hour of cooking.
If using kielbasa or ham, add during last 1/2 hour.
Serves about 6 - Recipe is easily doubled
*If no broth is available, plain water may be substituted.

ALFREDO SAUCE - Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Fettuccini noodles or spaghetti
Cooked chicken, cut into chunks - optional

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter;
Add cream cheese, cream. and parmesan cheese.
Add garlic powder and salt.
Stir with whisk over medium low heat until melted and smooth.
If too thick, thin with milk.
Add chicken chunks if desired, and warm through.
Serve over Fettuccini noodles or spaghetti

(Karen Steinhour's recipe)

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

2 LBS stew meat, cut into chunks
2 14-oz cans beef broth or stock (may use a 32-oz carton)
2 cans water (about 4 cups)
1-1/2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup barley (uncooked)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large pot, using a little oil, brown beef chunks.
Add liquids, seasonings, and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and Simmer 30 - 60 minutes until meat is tender.
Add vegetables and barley.
Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat, simmer 60 minutes until barley is tender.
NOTE: One recipe makes 2 - 32oz containers full.

Green Smoothie

2 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach
2 bananas
1 cup frozen pineapple (1/2 10-oz bag)
1 cup frozen mango (1/2 10-oz bag)

Blend & serve
Makes 2 large smoothies

(Makes 5  8-oz servings)

Pot Roast

1 2-3 LB (approx) boneless beef chuck
roast
1 large onion, diced
1 lb whole baby carrots
3 stalks celery, cut into chunks

In a large frying pan, heat about 2 TBS vegetable or olive oil.  Season meat well with salt, pepper and Santa Maria seasoning.
Brown the roast well on the front, back, and all sides.
Transfer meat to a large crockpot.  Include drippings and as much of the browned bits as possible.
Add 1/2 cup water.
add vegetables - scoot as many down the sides of the roast as possible... some may be left on top.
Cook on high for 4 - 6 hours** as needed until meat is tender & can easily be pulled apart.
A combination of 4 hours on high and 1 or 2 hours on low may be used.
**If possible, rearrange vegetables during cooking time to ensure doneness.

For Gravy:
When roast is done, remove meat and vegetables to a 9 X 13 dish and cover to keep warm. Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan.
Taste the cooking liquid - if it tastes weak and not rich enough, boil in saucepan until it reduces down some, tasting as you go.
When liquid is at the desired richness, whisk together 2 TBS flour and enough cold water to make a runny paste.
Gradually add the flour paste to lightly boiling liquid and cook until desired gravy thickness... You may not need all the flour mixture, or you may have to make more depending on how much liquid you had.  I sometimes strain the gravy if it's not very smooth.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

My mom made pot roast nearly every Sunday.  She cooked it in our electric frying pan and would brown it and get it ready so that it cooked while we were at church.  We'd come home and the whole house smelled heavenly of roast and vegetables.  Then she would prepare the potatoes... Either baked or mashed.  Either method took WAY too long while we were waiting to dig into that roast!  She said she made the roast exactly how her mom had made it when she was growing up except that her mom cooked it in the oven.  So three generations, three cooking methods, same wonderful taste!

Ham and Potatoes "2" (Large Casserole)

4 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced large, and cooked until just tender - do not overcook
3 - 4 cups leftover ham, diced
1 large onion, diced

For Sauce:
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 can cream of chicken soup - undiluted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and cook together about 2 minutes to form a roux.
Add salt and pepper.
Stir in milk and cook & stir until mixture thickens.
Add soup and cook until smooth.
Add cheese and stir until melted.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together potatoes, ham, and onions.
Pour sauce over all and mix until well combined.
Bake at 350 about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Crock Pot Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box Betty Crocker Butter Yellow Cake Mix (15.25 oz.)
• 2 cans Apple Pie Filling (21 oz. each)
• 1 stick Butter, melted
• ½ cup Smucker's Caramel Sundae Syrup

Instructions

1. Spray inside of Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Dump cans of Apple Pie Filling into bottom of Crock Pot, and spread evenly.
3. Evenly drizzle ½ cup Caramel Syrup over apple pie filling.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry Cake Mix and melted Butter, and stir until crumbly. (break up large chunks into small crumbles using a spoon)
5. Pour butter/cake crumble mixture over the Caramel/Apple Pie Filling layer in the Crock Pot, spread out evenly, and cover Crock Pot with lid.
6. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours, or LOW for 4 hours.
7. Serve up with some Whip Cream or a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream and enjoy!