Lentil Soup

Lentil Soup, Gypsy style from my cookbook Managing your Meals by Winnifred Jardine.
I love this recipe! My kids will eat it now but it is not their favorite! They are missing out!!! Hope you enjoy it.

1 cup dried lentils
5 cups water
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup finely diced carrots ( I just cut them up and put them in without dicing--tastes just as good)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups ham scraps or pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram
Dairy sour cream (optional)
Ground nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except sour cream and nutmeg in 3-quart kettle. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 2 hours or until lentils are very tender. Top each serving with dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of nutmeg, if desired. makes 8 servings.

Peanut Butter Fingers

This is a recipe that I made around Christmas time. I can't make this for awhile because I will eat the whole pan because they are so good and get fat!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

1 cube butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 c peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 c flour
1 1/8 c white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Mix butter, sugars, eggs, peanut butter, soda, salt and vanilla well. Add flour and oats. Mix well. Spread into a buttered cookie sheet (about 1/8th inch thick.)
Bake at 325 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

When slightly cooled, spread top with 1 cup whipped peanut butter (I put the peanut butter in a bowl and got my mixer and beat it for a few minutes until it is smooth.) Cool completely or freeze. Then top with chocolate frosting. You can make your own frosting or use store bought. I tried to put the frosting on without freezing the peanut butter and although it is possible, it is very messy and difficult. Cut into bars and ENJOY!

Garlic Penne noodles

I just threw this one together after seeing this as a menu suggestion in my Parents magazine. I don't know the exact amounts sorry.

minced garlic (I did two cloves of garlic)
butter (I did 1/2 cube because I did a lot of noodles)
1 package Penne noodles (this was a lot of fun because my family usually just eats macaroni so it was different)
parsley seasoning

I put the minced garlic in the pan with the butter and sauted it. In another pan, I cooked up the penne noodles. After they were cooked, I added the noodles to the garlic and butter and coated them really well. Then I added the parsley seasoning to that. You could probably add what seasonings you like. This turned out pretty tasty. Even my daughter that doesn't really like noodles ate this. Sorry I don't have a picture. I'll try next time to add a picture.

Breakfast casserole

This is a fun recipe that is pretty easy. I hope you enjoy it!

1/2 bag of hashbrowns
1/2 c cheese (cheddar)
Ham or bacon pieces
6 eggs
2T milk
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Use an 8 x 8 pan and place frozen potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Cut meat into small chunks and sprinkle meat and cheese over the potatoes.
Whip the eggs and milk lightly and pour evenly over the potatoes.
Place in oven uncovered and cook for about about 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies

These cookies are so moist and delicious if I do say so myself!! I needed something easy for dessert for an Activity Days dinner a couple weeks ago and this is the result. The girls loved them. My family loves them too. I bake them and they are gone within a day. Anyway, hope you get a chance to try them.

1 Spice cake mix

1 small can of pumpkin pie filling (I actually opened a 30 oz can and just used a little bit and saved the rest of the pumpkin for the next batch. Use as much or as little as you want)

2 eggs

1/2 cup shortening

1 bag of chocolate chips.

Basically, stir all the ingredients together and spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. I just watched them so they didn't look raw but they weren't burned either. You might want to time the first batch to see how long it takes for the rest of the batches.

I'm sorry this is so vague but I literally threw these cookies together and they came out fine (lucky for me). But it was so easy I couldn't believe it. And they smell so good!

Beef Gravy over Rice

1 lb stew meat
1 packet of onion soup mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

combine all ingredients. Put in crockpot. You can put this gravy over noodles, potatoes or rice. It is so easy and so good!! Shelly-this is the recipe I was making when you brought the frames over the other day. It is so delicious!

Homemade Bread

This is my mother-in-law's recipe for homemade bread. I can never get it to turn out as well as she makes it but it still is pretty good!

2-3 T yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 T sugar to go faster
Let this site for 10-15 minutes

5 c very warm water
2 T salt ( I use 1 1/2 T)
1/2 (2/3) c oil
2/3 c sugar
12 c flour

Mix with yeast and 1/2 cup flour. Knead for 10 minutes then add remaining flour. (I usually add about half the flour then a little at a time) Remove from bowl and divide into 4 large loaves Mold dough into shape place in greased pans Let raise about 30 minutes or till double in size.
Bake about 45 min 350 Remove from oven and pans and put butter on tops and cool on cooling rack.