Bolognese Sauce

I made this sauce for a spaghetti pie, but I liked it so much I thought I'd post it again by itself. I think it would be really yummy in lasagna, sloppy joes, spaghetti, or by itself! It makes a big batch, so plan on freezing half of it for later use!

* 2 lbs. Hot Italian Sausage (I used mild)
* 2 lbs. ground beef (from freezer)
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 lg. yellow onion, diced (from freezer)
* 1 green pepper, diced
* 2 stalks celery, diced
* 2 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 T. dried oregano
* 2 T. dried basil
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. pepper
* 1 cup dry red wine (optional)
* 2 cans tomato paste (6 oz. each)
* 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Remove sausage from casing. Place in pan with 1/4 cup water and crumble with spoon while browning. When cooked, drain in colander and rinse with very hot water (this washes the extra grease off); set aside.

Brown ground beef, drain, rinse as above, and set aside.

Heat olive oil in dutch oven. Saute celery, onion, and pepper until tender. Add sausage, beef, tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for an hour. Add wine, tomato paste and cinnamon. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.


***Bobbi's Note: When I made this, I completely forgot to add the tomato paste and the cinnamon. I thought it was very delicious without it!! I'm anxious to see if it's even better with all the ingredients! (not likely)

Cinna-Spin Cookies

Cookies

1 Pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg slightly beaten

1 T ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T milk

1/4 tsp vanilla

1- Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in butter and egg until soft dough forms. On piece of waxed paper, shape 1 tablespoon cinnamon into a line about 5 inches long.

2- Using floured fingers, shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a rope 5 inches long. Press one side of dough rope into cinnamon. On ungreased cookie sheet, coil dough rope tightly, cinnamon side facing center, into cinnamon-roll shape.

3- Press end of rope into roll to seal. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4- Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

5- In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup.

Freestyle Apple Tart

1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15 oz pkg.)

4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz pkg.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

3 red and/or green apples (1 1/4 lb), thinly sliced

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp. cinnamon sugar

1 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

1 - Heat oven to 450. Line 9 Inch pie plate with crust. Carefully spread cream cheese in 6-inch circle in center.

2- Toss apples with sugar and flour; spoon over cream cheese.

3- Fold crust partially over apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 25 min., covering loosely with foil for last 5 in. Cool. Serve with whipped topping. Refrigerat leftovers.

Pinwheel Cookies

These are not as hard as they look and they are really cute and yummy. If I can make them, anyone can. Mine aren't as pretty as the 1st picture, but mine did turn out somewhat like it.



3/4 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
assorted colors of paste food coloring
24 lollipop sticks

DIRECTIONS

• In a bowl cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir till soft dough forms. Divide dough into fourths. Tint each with a different food color. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Working with half of each color, shape dough into 3/4 inch balls and for each cookie place 1 pink, 1 green, 1 blue and 1 orange ball together to make 1 large ball. Shape into a 12 inch long roll (like a snake), starting at one end, coil roll to make a 2 3/4 inch round cookie. Place cookies 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Carefully insert lollipop sticks into bottoms of cookies.
• Bake cookies for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container

Chicken Ring

This is my sister-in-laws kids favorite Recipe (as long as you make it right). That's why I had to add pictures, because otherwise I had no clue how to make it into a ring. It's really yummy and fast to do.

¾ c diced chicken
1 c. cheese (Colby or Jack)
1 can cream of chicken
½ c. broccoli
½ c. red pepper
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 pkg crescent rolls

Layout crescent rolls in a circle, overlapping each other so it looks like a sun. Mix all ingredients together and spread on top of dough. Pull triangle over and tuck under. Bake 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Pistachio Pudding

1 sm. Pistachio Pudding Mix (w/ sugar)
1 lg. can Crushed Pineapple – Drained
8 oz cool whip
1 cup mini marshmallows
Nuts – opt.
Banana – opt.

Put the powder mix into bowl, and mix with remaining ingredients. Serve or refrigerate.

Potato Wedges

These are so yummy and I make these as a appetizer or when I'm in the mood for french fries. You can also just cut up potatoes and spray with olive oil and bake!

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Paprika
3 large baking potatoes
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, divided

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese and paprika. Cut each potato into eight wedges; dip in milk. Place in the bag, a few at a time, and shake to coat.
2. Place potatoes on a greased baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
3. Turn wedges; drizzle with remaining butter. Bake 20-25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

Picnic Brownies

My sister says these are the best brownies ever! I think they are really good, but the symphony bars are still my favorite. If you are wanting something different, these are definitely worth a try. She got this recipe out of the Lion House cookbook! Yum

- 4 ounces baking chocolate (or 3 T baking cocoa & 1 T veg shortening/oil = 1 oz baking chocolate)
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
-1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2/3 cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds, chopped
-1 cup chocolate chips

Grease two 9-inch round pans. In top of double boiler or microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and butter. In medium bowl, mix sugar, vanilla, and salt; add to melted chocolate mixture and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and mix well. Divide batter equally into prepared pans. Spread evenly and sprinkle top of each with chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. (Do not overbake.) Allow to cool completely before cutting. Run a think knife between pan and brownies and turn upside down. You may need to shake hard to release brownies from pan. With knife that is longer than brownies are wide, cut brownies by pressing knife straight down through brownies; cut into 8 pie-shaped pieces. Makes 16- 24 brownies.

Rocky Mountain Cookies

These cookies are Fabulous!!!

1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups Rice Crispies cereal
1 (12 oz) bag chocolate chips

In a large bowl cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Add to mixture. Fold in oats, cereal, and chocolate chips. Drop by table spoons onto a greased baking sheet. Bake a 350 for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Makes 6 dozen.

Funfetti Cookies

1 pkg. Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
1/3 c oil
2 eggs
½ (15.6 oz) can Pillsbury Funfetti Vanilla Frosting

Directions: Heat oven 350. In Large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs; stir with spoon until thoroughly moistened. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With bottom of glass dipped in flour, flatten to ¼-inch thickness. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

Spread frosting over warm cookies. Immediately sprinkle each with candy bits from frosting. Let frosting set before storing. Store in tightly covered container.

Yield – 3 dozen

Chocolate Cherry Drop Cookies

My mom makes these during X-mas time and their one of my favorites!

1 pkg Cherry Chip Supreme Cake Mix
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
½ cup oil
1 egg
Mix, then add:
1 cup chocolate chips

Drop from a teaspoon onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Cool on cookie sheet for about 1 minute. Remove to rack to cool.

Reeces Peanut Butter Bars

This tastes better then Reeces!

2 sticks of Butter – melted
1 ¾ c. Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 C. Peanut Butter (you can use smooth or crunchy)
2 1/3c. posdered sugar

Mix and pat into a 9x13 pan
11.5 oz bag of milk chocolate chips – melted
Frost over top and let sit or put in fridge

Lemon Bars

Crust: 1 c butter
½ c powdered sugar
2 c flour
Mix well and press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and cool.

Filling: 4 eggs
2 c sugar
¼ c. flour
6 Tbs. lemon juice or the juice of two large lemons
Mix well and pour over cooled crust. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cake

1 chocolate cake mix
1 (3 oz) pkg. chocolate instant pudding
1-3/4 Cup milk
2 eggs

Mix then add:
2 cups chocolate chips

Bake 50 minutes in bundt pan at 350 degrees. Cool 20 minutes. Invert cake. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.

Easy Cheescake

1 Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz cream cheese
¼ c sugar
8 oz cool whip
1 can pie filling - optional (strawberry/cherry/blueberry/Peach) - Refrigerate Overnight

Beat Sugar & Cream. Add Cool whip. Beat till Smooth. Pour in Crust. Let sit in fridge.

Banana Pudding

If you or the kids love bananas, you will love this!

For a 9X13 pan:
1 lg pkg Sugar Free – Fat Free – Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 Cups Cold Fat Free Milk
1 t. vanilla
3 Cups Cool Whip (12oz) Divided – 2 for pudding and 1 for top
1 Box Vanilla wafers (you can also use the mini ones)
6 Bananas Sliced (3 for each layer)
½ cup caramel topping (OR 4 T chocolate topping) – ½ small Smuckers bottle

In bowl, combine pudding mix, milk and vanilla. With electric mixer, beat 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add 2 C whipped topping.

In 9x13 pan, layer wafers on bottom of pan, then top with 3 sliced bananas and ½ the pudding. Drizzle with ½ cup caramel topping. Then layer wafers, 3 more sliced bananas and other ½ of the pudding. Top with remaining 1 cup of cool whip.

Top with 6 crushed cookies. Sprinkle on top of cool whip. Refrigerate

Pear Jello

This make a lot 9x13 pan so either half it or make it for a bigger group.

2 c. (1 lg can pears)
1 lg. lime jello
1 – 8 oz cream cheese
1 cool whip

Drain juice – add water to make 2 cups. Boil. Dissolve jello. Put pears & cream cheese in blender. Mix everything. Partially set. Whip in cool whip. Put in 9x13 pan

Apricot Jello Salad

8 oz can crushed pineapple
13 oz package apricot Jell-O
¾ c sugar
1 jr. size jar of apricot baby food
8 oz pkg. cream cheese (let it set out to soften)
8 oz. cool whip
Chopped pecans

Combine pineapple, Jell-O, and sugar in a pan over low heat: stir until dissolved remove from heat and add cream cheese and baby food
Chill until thick then fold in cool whip
Sprinkle with pecans and chill until set
(I cut the cream cheese into small pieces so it will melt easier)

Cabbage Soup

This is my all time favorite soup. It gets better each day after you make it too, so it makes awesome left overs!

1 lb Hamburger Browned
½ head Cabbage sliced thin
1 small onion, diced
½ c. celery (2 sticks) – or Sometimes I use 1-2 cups of Frozen mixed vegetables
- Brown Everything
- Add 2 C water and Simmer everything for 15 minutes
- Add everything to soup pot on stove & Add:
2 Cans Ranch Style Beans
1 Bottle Stewed Tomatoes – blended barely (or you can use diced)
1 t. salt & pepper ¼ tsp
- Cook on low for 30 minutes

Cornbread Cake

I still can't decide if this is more like cake or cornbread, but it is GOOD!!!

1 pkg yellow cake mix
2 Jiffy Cornbread mixes
4-5 eggs
1-1/2 cup milk
½ cup water

Put all 3 mixes in a bowl. Make a hole in the center. Put milk & eggs in hole. Stir with fork ‘til moistened. Pour in greased 9 x 13” pan. Bake 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Don’t over bake. Brush top with real butter.