Pumpkin Squares

This is a little late for Halloween but it will be great for Thanksgiving

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup oil
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin approx. 16 oz *I like to add a little more pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients. Then add eggs, pumpkin, and oil. Grease (Oil) and flour jelly roll pan. Cook for 25 minutes at 360 degrees

Frosting
8 oz cream cheese
1 box of powder sugar (16 oz)
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla

Beat well and spread

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan

1 medium eggplant
1 beaten egg or 1/4 cup egg beaters
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbls canola oil
Parmesan Cheese (I use about 4 oz)
1 26 oz jar meatless spaghetti sauce (I like Prego Heart Healthy)
Mozzarella Cheese (I use about 6 oz)

Wash and peel eggplant. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Dip eggplant into egg, then into flour on both sides. In large skillet cook eggplant slices in hot oil for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Place eggplant slices in single layer in rectangular baking dish. (I usually use a square pan as well; pieces can be cut to fit). Sprinkle w/ Parmesan cheese. Top w/ spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake in 400 oven for 10-12 minutes or till heated through.


You can use as much or as little cheese and/or sauce as you like in this recipe.

I finally remembered to take a picture before we devoured it all.

Buy a Knorr Garlic & Herb sauce mix and follow the recipe on the back. Lame I know. I don't really like olives so I just don't add them. It is delicious and we eat it a lot.

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

I know this won't help anybody make dinner, but these are the BEST sugar cookies ever. I made them today and had to share it. This recipe comes from the mom of my best friend growing up.



Mix:

2 c sugar
1 c shortening
1 c buttermilk (I just make buttermilk by adding 1 Tbsp of vinegar to regular milk)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla



Then add:
5 1/2 c flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt



Bake them at 375 for 8-10 minutes.Roll the dough out about 1/4 an inch thick. This recipe makes around 4 dozen cookies.



PS I think the best way to top these cookies is with cream cheese frosting. I buy a can of it and can frost the whole batch.

Potato Corn Chowder

POTATO CORN CHOWDER

3 cups frozen whole kernal corn, thawed
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped green or red sweet pepper
1 tbls flaxseed oil (can use canola or olive)
1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth
1 cup cubed, peeled potato
1 cup milk
1 tbls all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
shredded cheese and/or parsley for garnish

In large saucepan cook onion and sweet pepper in hot oil till onion is tender but not brown. Stir in chicken broth and potato. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 min. Stir in corn. Cook, uncovered, about 10 min. more or till potato and corn and tender, stirring the mixture occasionally.

In small bowl combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper; stir into corn mixture. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Top with desired garnish. I served with green salad and cheese bread.


I was proud of myself. This is the first meal I've cooked in a LONG time!

Navajo Tacos

2 c flour (I use half white and half wheat flour)
1 c milk or water (I use 1/2 c milk, 1/2 water)
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp. baking powder

Mix the above together. I divide the dough in half and then half again to make 4 fry breads. Roll the dough out about 1/4 inch thick. I use this pan because it's the smallest one I have and it's just the right size to to fry one at a time.

I put about 1/4 cup olive oil in and heat it up on medium heat. Put one rolled out dough in and flip it when one side is done. Once it is cooked I put it on paper towels to soak up any extra oil and then fry the next one.

Then all that's left to do is top it with whatever you want. Here's what we usually have:

1/2 lb of ground beef cooked with a little bit of taco seasoning

shredded cheddar cheese

lettuce

diced tomatoes

sliced olives

Ranch dressing (I think this is a must)

Chicken Marsala

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breast halves without skin (I just use frozen chicken strips)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil, dried
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (1/2 to 1 cup sliced)
1/2 cup Marsala wine (Most expensive ingredient $7 to $12 a bottle but you can save and make a few more batches. I prefer the sweet marsala wine don't let them talk you into a drier cooking wine, it does not go as well.)

Preparation: Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and basil; mix well. Heat oil and butter in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour mixture. Cook chicken until lightly browned on first side (about 2 to 3 minutes). Turn chicken and add mushrooms around the chicken pieces. Cook about 2 minutes longer, until lightly browned; stir the mushrooms. Add Marsala wine to pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with hot cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.