Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 lb round beef

1 diced onion

1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes

1 ½ -2 cups cooked rice

Garlic salt

Pepper

1 tbl Worcestershire sauce

4 bell peppers cored and seeded

Shredded cheese

Boil bell peppers in cough water to cover for 5 minutes.  Remove from water and invert on paper towels.  Brown hamburger and onion.  Add tomatoes and juices, rice, garlic salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Grease a casserole dish to fit peppers.  Place peppers in dish and fill to top with ground beef mixture.  Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove cover and top with shredded cheese.  Return to oven for additional 10 minutes.  (I usually layer more shredded cheese in with the filling in the bell peppers, but I like lots of cheese.)

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

2 tbl white sugar ½ cup raisins

1 egg beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tbl butter melted

In medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and sugar together.  Make a well in the middle and add buttermilk, egg and butter.  Stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed.  Mix in raisins.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for a few times just to even out the dough.  Handle the dough as little as possible.  Pat into a flat circle.  Place in a greased cake or pie tin.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until edges are golden.

Coffee Cake

1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tbl oil
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbl flour
1 tbl melted butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Mix egg, sugar, milk and oil.  Add flour, salt and baking powder.  Pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan.  Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over cake batter.  Make at 375 for 20-25 minutes

Slush Punch

This is a recipe from Lane's family that they always have at family gatherings.

4 cups sugar
6 cups water
46 oz can pineapple juice
3 cups orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cans 7-up or Sprite, refriderated

Combine water and sugar in large pot, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Cool and mix in juices.  Place in gallon sized ziploc bags and freeze laying bags flat.  When ready to make punch, thaw bags slightly then place in large bowl, mash with potato masher and add soda to make slushy.

Pie Crust

I love pie crust.  Like a lot.  At least when it's a good one, and this is one I always enjoy.  You have to be careful with it because it is very tender and falls apart easily.  I've found the best way to get it in the pie tin is to roll it out on a silicon baking sheet and the put the pie tin on it and flip the whole thing over.


1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup shortening
1 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbl nonfat dry milk
3 cups flour
1/2 cup very cold water

In mixer cream together the fats.  Add sugar, baking powder, salt and dry milk.  Add half the flour and mix well.  Add water and remaining flour mix until just combined.  You may need to add another tablespoon of water if the dough looks too dry. 

Roll our half the pastry very thin (start with a flatened ball and roll from the middle out) and place in bottom of pie tin.  Roll our remaining half of dough and and use to top filled pie.  Seal edges and cut several slits to allow for air escaping.  Bake according to individual recipe.

Marinara Sauce

My mother almost always made marinara sauce from scratch when I was little, so it's pretty much the only way I will eat it.  Here's my best approximation of her recipe.

Marinara Sauce

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion minced
2-4 cloves minced garlic
8 ounces mushrooms
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 - 3 teaspoons oregano
2 1/2 - 3 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Brown ground beef, drain.  Put olive oil in pan, saute onions until translucent, add garlic and mushrooms and saute a few more minutes, being careful not to burn garlic.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, spices and ground beef.  Simmer for at least ten minutes for flavors to mingle.

I use about half of this and freeze the rest, but my little penguins still don't eat a whole lot.  I think this covers about 2 one pound boxes of pasta, but depending on how saucy you like your pasta, it could be less or more.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet potato Soufflé

4 medium sweet potatoes            

5 beaten egg yolks

¼ c melted butter

1 c half and half

1 c brown sugar

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp nutmeg

5 egg whites

¼ c melted butter

Pecan halves

Cut sweet potatoes into chunks, place in microwave safe dish with water, cover, and microwave until very tender.  Remove skins when cool enough to handle.  Beat potatoes together with egg yolks, ¼ c butter, half and half, brown sugar, cloves and nutmeg until smooth.  In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold egg whites into potato mixture.  Pour into casserole dish.  Top with melted butter and pecan halves. 

Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until bubbly and crusty on edges.