Sweet Potato Hashbrowns

(Taken from foodnetwork.com's Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound diced bacon
• 1 cup chopped onions
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and grated (or chunked in some way as we did)

Directions

In a large skillet, render the bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Add the onions. Saute the onions until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

Note: This made quite a bit for the two of us, but leftovers tasted great the day after!

Apple Cheese Quiche

1 pie shell - uncooked
6 oz. sliced swiss cheese
1 Tbls flour
1 1/2 c applesauce
1 1/4 c light cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs

Cut cheese slices in halves and line sides and bottom of pi shell.  In small bowl, combine applesauce, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Pour over cheese.  Beat together eggs and cream; pour evenly over applesauce.  Bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes.  Cool completely before serving.

*I didn't let it cool completely and it was still delicious!

Canadian Cheese Soup - (2-1/2 quarts)

Cook in microwave (or on stovetop), and set aside:

3/4 cup diced carrots, (or more to 1 cup)

3/4 cup diced celery, (or more to 1 cup)

Saute in soup pot until onion is transparent, but not brown:

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup butter

Add and cook on low heat for 5 - 10 minutes:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

(Note: the above mixture is REALLY thick, so I don't usually let it cook for more than a minute or two before I begin adding the liquid)

Add, stirring constantly, until thickened (I usually stir regularly, and keep a close eye):

1 quart half-and-half or milk

1 quart chicken stock (water and boullion)

Add:

Cooked Veggies

Adjust seasonings to taste

Just before serving, stir in:

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Christmas Punch Base

5 packages Orange Koolaid, unsweetened (package size makes 2 quarts)

5 packages Cherry Koolaid, unsweetened (package size makes 2 quarts)

10 cups sugar

2 cups pineapple juice

2 cups orange juice

Water to make 1 gallon

Mix well. [I use HOT for some of the water so that it mixes easier]

To dilute: Add 3-1/4 cups base, 3-1/4 cups 7-Up, water to make 1 gallon

or in other words - 3 parts water, 1 part base, 1 part 7-Up

Amounts for smaller batch: 2 packages each of the Koolaid, 4 cups sugar, 3/4 cup each of the juices, and water to make 50 ounces (just over 6 cups)

New Year's Day Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients

1 pound dry black-eyed peas

5 cups water or broth (we used chicken broth)

2 cups chopped cooked ham

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced

1/2 cup bell pepper

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse and soak beans according to package directions. We did a quick soak which took just over an hour.

Place black-eyed peas in a slow cooker. Add water, ham, diced onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours, or until black-eyed peas are tender.

Turkey Seasoning

1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. paprika

1 cube softened butter

Combine all ingredients and put under the skin of your turkey. When we did it a lot of it was in globs under the skin. The cook the turkey like normal. We also cooked the turkey on a cookie sheet covered with foil, both the pan and the turkey.

Cream Cheese Apple Muffins

Beat together:

3 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

1/4 c butter, melted

1 Tbls Lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Add:

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Fold in:

1 c diced peeled tart apples

1/2 c bran flakes

Fill greased or lined muffin tins two-thirds full.  

Combine:

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle over filled muffin tins.  

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Baked Apple Pancake

1 c milk
3/4 c flour
2 egg whites
1 egg
1/2 baking powder
2 Tbls sugar
2 Tbls butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Preheat oven to 400.

Spray a 10-inch ovenproof skillet with nonstick pan spray.

Combine all the ingredients in blender or food processor;  blend until smooth.  Pour into the skillet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and browned.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, combine:

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbls brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Saute over low heat until the apples are softened and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Spoon over pancake.  Cut the pancake into 6 servings and serve immediately.

*I double the topping.  I like having more apples on top.

Ann's Crazy Bread

1 Tbls yeast

1 Tbls sugar

1 1/2 c warm water

1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2 c flour

Add sugar to warm water, add yeast.  Mix remaining ingredients and knead for 3 minutes.  Let rise 20 minutes.  Melt 1/4 c butter in 9x13 pan.  Spread dough into buttered pan.  Turning over to coat both sides.  Let rise another minutes.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese and Season salt (or cinnamon and sugar).  Score lengthwise and then across the pan in 1-2 inch strips.  Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

*Start 1 - 1 1/2 hours before ready to eat.*

Peanut Butter & Banana Shake

2 cups milk

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 bananas (broken into chunks)

1/2 cup oatmeal

8 ice cubes

In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

For a chocolate version, add 4 tablespoons of Nesquik, or even chocolate slim fast type stuff. It's good, too.

I've also tried tossing in 1/3 cup extra peanuts. That's good, too!

Frozen Lemonade Slush

3 1/2 cups ice

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or not)

Put it all in a blender and process until ice is finely blended. Makes 2 servings.

For Strawberry Lemonade Slush, add 5 large strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Peanut Butter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

Combine in a pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 min (or until tender).

• 8 C Chicken broth
• 2 C Cooked Chicken
• 1 C Peeled cubed potato (we used sweet potato which was tasty)
• 1 C diced carrots

Add and simmer an additional 8 min.

• 1 C diced zucchini (Frozen works great)
• 1 C Broccoli florets
• 1 C whole canned tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 C chopped celery
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 1/2 C chopped green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer 3 more min. and enjoy the meal.

• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1/2 Tbsn dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Giada's Fusilli with Spinach and Asiago Cheese

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time:20 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (9-ounce) bag fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 ounces (1/2 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup (about 3 1/2-ounces) grated Asiago
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 more minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper, and the pasta cooking liquid and stir to combine.

Transfer the pasta to a serving plate and serve.

Found on www.foodnetwork.com