Crockpot Applesauce

6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into large chunks
1/4 c. water
1/8 c. brown sugar
Cinnamon

1. Put everything in the crockpot with lid on.
2. Cook on low all night (or all day), stirring occasionally, until it's the texture you prefer.

**Adjust this recipe to your liking and the size of your apples. If you find that it is getting too thick, add some water. Some types of apples are sweet enough that you don't have to add any sugar**

Bean Salsa

1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can black eyed peas
1 can white corn
1 cup green pepper
1 cup celery
1 cup onion
1 tomato
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
½ cup oil
1 tablespoon water


1. Drain and lightly rinse all caned goods, place in large bowl.

2. Dice green pepper, celery, onion and tomato into small bits, not much bigger then the beans, place in bowl.

3. In a saucepan combine salt, pepper, vinegar, sugar, oil and water. Bring to a boil stirring often.

4. Let cool, and then pour over beans, stirring to combine well.

5. Refrigerate 24 hours.

**Serve with scoop style tortilla or corn chips**

Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients:
1 large can (40 oz) sweet potatoes (yams), drained, mashed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/3 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix first 6 ingredients well. Pour into buttered 11x8 pan (double recipe for 13x9)
Mix topping ingredients and crumble over potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-45 min.

Baked Corn

Ingredients:
2 cans whole corn, drained
2 cans creamed corn-as is
2 sticks margarine, melted
2 eggs beaten
2 cups milk
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
2 boxes Jiffy corn mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 pan. Mix all ingredients (except cheese) in a large bowl. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 1 hour, top should be golden brown.

Broccoli Casserole

2 boxes frozen broccoli, or fresh broccoli cooked and cut up

1 small box velveeta cheese, about a pound (ok to use reduced fat)

Topping: 1 stick butter or margarine melted (1/2 cup)

1 stack (30) ritz crackers, crushed

Place broccoli in bottom of lightly greased casserole dish, cut cheese in cubes and place on top of broccoli

Mix butter and crackers together and sprinkle on the top

Bake 350 degrees until cheese is melted

Pasta Salad With Pepperoni

1 box of spiral pasta

Package of Ranch dressing (dry)
1/4 - 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing (to taste)
Package of cubed cheese (Colby/Monterey jack)
Pint of grape tomatoes
1 can of black olives
Pepperoni to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta per directions on box, after cooking run cold water over pasta and drain.
Add packet of ranch and Italian dressing
Mix dressings and pasta
Add rest of ingredients
Add more dressing if desired

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:
2 English Cucumbers
1 med onion
2 heaping tablespoons (from your silverware drawer, not measuring spoons) miracle whip or mayo
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and thinly slice cucumbers. Cut onion into thin rings. In a separate bowl mix last 4 ingredients. Taste before putting on cucumbers, add more vinegar if not sweet enough etc. Top with salt and pepper. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Hot 5 Bean Salad

1/2 lb. bacon, diced
2 onions, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced

1 can of kidney beans with liquid
1 can of green beans, drained
1 can of yellow (or wax) beans, drained
1 can of lima beans, drained
1 can of pork & beans with liquid

Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1 12 oz. bottle of chili sauce (found by the bbq sauce in the store)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. pepper
2 TBSP. vinegar
1 TBSP. worchestershire sauce

In a pan, fry up the bacon. When it starts to get crispy, add the onions, celery, and garlic. Saute until the veggies are softened. Then remove heat and add all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix well! In a large casserole dish, empty all the cans of beans and then mix in sauce.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Enjoy!
This makes a big portion so it is great to take to potlucks and family picnics!!!!

Summer Pasta Salad (from Kraftfoods.com)

Ingredients:
1 box Bowtie Pasta
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 red onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bottle Sun-Dried Tomato salad dressing (I use Kraft brand)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, place broccoli in boiling water. Drain, rinse and drain again.
Stir in onion, pepper, tomatoes and salad dressing.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese before serving.
*This salad tastes better the longer it is refrigerated.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels
4 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together the pretzels, 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Mix in frozen strawberries, and stir until thawed. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.

Mexican Rice

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice (you can use brown too, but it may take longer)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 16oz can chicken broth (or 2 cups water and 2 TBS chicken soup base)
5-6 pieces of garlic finely chopped- add more or less on how much garlic flavor you want (or garlic salt- sorry I don’t measure it, it just sprinkle a few shakes in- depending on how much garlic taste you want. We like a lot so I shake a lot)
1 TBS cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray

In frying pan, brown rice and garlic (or mix in garlic salt with rice as it is browning) in oil or cooking spray.
Once rice is “browned,” add tomato sauce and chicken broth (or water and soup base). Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once at a boil cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 tsp evoo or spray pan with cooking spray
1/2 c chopped celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1 can 98% Fat Free cream of anything soup
1/4 c skim milk
1/2 c 2% milk velveeta cubed
1 10 oz package frozen chopped broccoli
Paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 cups cooked white rice
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Saute onion and celery in saucepan with evoo or cooking spray until tender
3. Stir in soup and milk
4. Place broccoli, cheese and rice in a casserole dish stir in soup mixture season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the top with paprika
5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly
1/2 cup is only 3 pts

Italian Spinach Spread

1 C sour cream
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad dressing mix
1 pkg(10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1C shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 c red pepper(chopped)
Ritz crackers

Directions:
Mix sour cream and envelope of Italian dressing mix in medium bowl until well blended.
Add package of spinach, mozzarella cheese, and red pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Holiday option: spread each Ritz cracker with spread in a circular pattern to resemble a wreath. Decorate each with additional pepper pieces to resemble bows. Or in a round serving bowl/platter, use extra pepper pieces to form a large bow to resemble a wreath.

Asian Coleslaw

Ramen Noodle Salad by Allie Wilkinson
16 oz. Dole Slaw mix
4-5 oz. toasted slivered almonds
3-4 oz. sunflower seeds
1-2 bundles chopped green onion
2 packs Chicken flavored ramen noodles crushed
2 Tbsp. butter

Dressing:
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¾ cup oil
2 packs chicken flavor ramen noodle seasoning

Melt butter and combine with crushed noodles and nuts. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 6 minutes. Let cool then combine with veggies. Mix/shake dressing thoroughly until well combined. Add to top ingredients, stir well.

Home Baked Macaroni & Cheese

1 pkg. (14 oz) Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese Dinner

1 c Kraft shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c Breakstone's sour cream

1/4 tsp. cayenne ground red pepper

6 Ritz Crackers, crushed

1 Tbsp. melted butter

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Prepare dinner as directed. 

Stir in 1/2 c of cheese, sour cream & pepper.

Spoon in greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish; sprinkle 1/2 c cheese & cracker crumbs & butter.

Bake 20 minutes. Let Stand 5 minutes.

Dressing (Southern style)

6 slices of bacon

3/4 c finely chopped onion

1/2 c finely chopped celery

2 1/2 c crumbled cornbread (cook day before - about 6 pieces)

2 1/2 c crumbled biscuits (cook day before - about 6 pieces)

3/4 c chicken broth

3/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/3 c melted butter or margarine

Cook bacon & crumble. Add onion & celery. 

Crumble cornbread & biscuits in a separate bowl. Add seasonings.

Add bacon mixture. Mix well. 

Drizzle butter. Add broth. Mix well.

Cover with foil. 

Bake 325 degrees for 45 minutes. 

Bacon N Cheese Stuffed Potatoes

Baked Potatoes

1 c Sharp Shredded Cheese

1 Tbsp.  Milk

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/4 tsp. salt & pepper

1 Tbsp. Chopped fresh chives

2 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled

Cook 350 degrees. Bake Potatoes for 1 hour.

Cut Potatoes lengthwise; scoop out centers, leaving shells.

Mash potatoes in bowl. Add cheese, milk, butter, salt & pepper; beat with electric mixer until fluffy. (Add milk if dry.)

Stir in chives & bacon; spoon into shells. 

Place in shallow dish.

Bake 30 minutes. Garnish with chives.