Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

I have never been a big fan of Cranberries. Maybe I'm getting older and my tastes have changed or I actually found a cranberry recipe that is absolutely heavenly. This recipe came from a Best of Betty Crocker Cookbook from years ago. I found it while looking for an alternative to the regular cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving at my in-laws house a few years ago. Now it is a staple for Turkey and pork dinners. The sweet taste of Raspberries and the tart cranberry mix is fantastic.

Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

10 oz pkg frozen raspberries
(thaw, drain & keep liquid)

set aside

In sauce pan mix together

1/3 cup brown sugar
1TBS corn starch
1/4 tsp ground allspice

add

raspberry liquid
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups fresh cranberries

cook on medium at low boil for 2 minutes.

Take off heat and mash lightly with potato masher to break up cranberries.

add

raspberries
1/2 cup crushed pecans

cool 5 minutes and serve

Can be made ahead of time and stored up to a week in refrigerator in airtight container.

Tater Tot Casserole

You know how you have those dishes that you make all the time and you don't even think about the recipe because there really isn't one. Tater tot casserole is one of those. I have been making this dish about as long as I remember. Recently I had a neighbor ask, "Can I get your recipe for that tater tot thing? My daughter Loves it!" (Of course. It has tater tots, what kid wouldn't?) I had to think a minute and then wrote down the 5 ingredients. So, for an easy dish that requires mostly no memory, has very few ingredients and is a snap to make, This is the dish for you.. and your tater tot loving children.

Tater Tot Casserole

Brown 1 lb hamburger. Add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup. Fill soup can halfway with milk and add to mixture. Stir until mixed through. Open 2 cans cut green beans. drain. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with hamburger mixture. Top this with 1 bag tater tots. (16 oz). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until tater tots are brown and cooked through.

* Just a note: You can easily cut this recipe in half or better yet, make the entire thing and freeze half. Also, some people add onions to the hamburger or cheese to the top before baking.

Yesterday my good friend sherri came down to hang out with me at the Bakery. (Thanks Sherri!) We made these spooky cupcakes and a fantastic graveyard cake for the kids for school. They were super easy and so much fun. When the kids bite into these they'll see red; Red velvet that is. Nothing special about the recipe, just made Red velvet box cake from Duncan Hines.

Pasta Fagioli with Sausage

This is a great ol stand by for our family. Quick and easy to make and down home yummy we can whip this up in about half an hour. You can play with the ingredients a bit using sweet or breakfast sausage or even chicken or hamburger. Always a crowd pleaser, it's definetly a tried and true at our house.

Pasta Fagioli with Sausage

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 large chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in 6 cups hot water
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound ditalini pasta
• 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute.

Add dissolved bouillon cubes, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, onion salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in pasta. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 11 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Stir in beans; cook about 1 minute or until beans are heated through. Serve immediately with cheese.

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Every other year I make this pie filling and can it for use throughout the year. It is excellent for pies, crisps and just as a topping for ice cream. It is a pretty quick recipe if you have a little help with peeling the apples.

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

27 1/2 cup sliced apples
5 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Clear Jell A
3 1/2 tsp cinnamin
3 1/2 cups cold water
5 1/4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
7/8 tsp nutmeg

Put all ingredients except apples and lemon juice into a large pot. Cook until it boils, add apples and boil for 1 full minute. Add lemon juice and stir. Fill prepared quart jars and waterbath for 20 minutes.

note*- Clear Jell A can usually be found at kitchen stores. Corn Starch can not be substituted

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

I'm still out my ears with Zuchinni so I have been looking for new recipes to use it up. Here is one I found just yesterday and have discovered a new favorite! We love these new cookies. My kids decided that I should call them Chocolate Zucchini Muffin Tops because they soft and yummy like muffins but in a cookie form. We opted out of chocolate chips but decided that extra chocolate never hurts so we're doubling up next time. Give these a try and you'll be in for a real treat.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the grated zucchini. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

With the nights getting cooler we have soup on the brain. Josh loves anything that is thick and creamy and always asks for Broccoli Cheese Soup. I finally found a recipe that is souper easy and doesn't call for processed cheese. I like to make this and let it sit overnight in the fridge then heat it up and serve with some of those yummy Dinner Rolls.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 Can (family size) Cream of Chicken Soup

3 TBS Grated Onion

2 TBS Butter

2 Cups Shredded Chedder Cheese

3 Cups Milk

2 1/2 cups Broccoli Florets, steamed until tender

In large pot saute onion in butter. Over Low heat add can of soup (undiluted) to pot and stir. Add cheese and stir until thouroughly melted. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add broccoli and stir. Simmer until bubbly.