Fluffy Waffles with Cinnamon Cream Syrup

This was a wonderful way to start the day! The Cinnamon Cream Syrup was amazing! You can make your waffles whatever way you want- but be sure to top it with that! Yum!!!

Fluffy Waffles with Cinnamon Cream Syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, divided (I just noticed that, meaning I didn't divide and they were fine, but now I understand why these were called "Fluffy" Waffles. :)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup oil

In a bowl. combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg yolks, mile and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron.

Cinnamon Cream Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 can (5 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Serve with waffles.

Stuffed Squash for Two

This was a delicious fall dish... but I was not about to go to all this trouble without doubling the recipe. "Stuffed Squash for Two.... my foot!" :) Who measures their onions and celery in tablespoons anyway? I just cut up a whole one and probably added a lot more veggies than it called for, but it tasted great. Also- this is a long cooking time recipe- and to prove that I get really impatient- I completely spaced the whole buttering and sugaring stage and just loaded those puppies right up with the stuffing after 30 minutes of cooking on one side. Then I found out while they were cooking up. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just ended up cooking them about 20-30 minutes longer so mine were a little over cooked and I didn't butter and sugar the squash and I forgot the cheese, but they STILL tasted good and I am STILL recommending the recipe... so that should say something, along with my need to follow directions a little closer. :)

Stuffed Squash for Two
1 medium acorn squash
1 T butter, melted
2 T brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 lb ground beef
3 T chopped celery
3 T chopped onion
2 T flour
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
3/4 cup milk
1 cup salad croutons
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut squash in halt; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in an 9x13 baking dish; add 1/2 in of water. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Brush with butter; sprinkle with brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Bake 30-40 minutes longer or until squash is tender.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the beef, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in flour, sage and remaining salt. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from the heat; stir in croutons. Spoon into squash halves. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Glazed Pork Chops

This was an amazing, simple recipe! I was able to cook it up sooo fast, and it had such a delicious flavor! Probably one of the best pork chop recipes I have ever had! Since it requites a single pan, cleanup is quick, too! Hope you enjoy the yummy flavor as much as I did!

Glazed Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick)
1/3 cup plus 1 T cider vinegar, divided
3 T soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minces
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown pork chops on both sides. In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup vinegar, soy sauce and garlic; pour over the chops. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and remaining vinegar until smooth; stir into the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.

Tortellini with Garlic Sage Butter Sauce

I tried this recipe from my friend Alise, and it was very good! I have kind of been exploring tortellini lately- good stuff!

Tortellini with Garlic Sage Butter Sauce
"I made this for the first time a couple nights ago, and oh man, is it good! It's basically garlic-infused butter sauce with a little spike of sage and pepper at the end. Oh! And the garlic gets crispy! Yummmm!"

6 T (yes T!) butter
6 cloves garlic, very roughly chopped
pepper, ground
(teaspoon or so)or fresh sage (6 leaves)
tortellini (the Winco bulk kind is really good)

*Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and gently simmer the garlic until golden. Meanwhile, cook tortellini in salted water until done. Add sage and pepper to butter sauce, sautee for a couple minutes, then serve over cooked tortellini. Eat lots and lots.

Tin Foil Dinner... In the oven

Here is an easy idea I got from my old room-mate Tali. She made these all the time and it seemed like we waited for eternity at the oven door for them to cook... but oh when we pulled them out! Heavenly! Too speed things up a bit- I actually cooked my meat in some chopped onions first, but it tastes really good cooked in the oven if you are willing to wait.

Tali's Tin Foil Dinners (Oven Style)
ground Beef
Onions
Potatoes
Carrots
Salt and Pepper
Whatever else you want to throw in.
*Literally chop and throw into some tin foil. (The thinner you cut the faster it cooks) Wrap in up and throw it in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes if you previously cooked the meat and about 1 hour if you haven't. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Carrot Soup

Most of all, I just thought it was such a pretty dish- orange is one of my favorite colors and it just seems perfect for fall! I was really trying something new and different, and it really was that! I was excited to find something I could use my "fancy" spices in it. (It called for a lot that I don't typically use. :) Doug really liked it, he had two bowls. I would recommend leaving some carrot chunks though- unless you really go for the baby food texture. Also... I guess I am becoming more and more like a man, but I think if I made it again I would have to throw in some bits of cut up ham. :) What is it with me and meat in a meal? All in all though, this was a fun new soup for me. I enjoyed the blend of spices, and as I said before, the pretty color! :) Happy Fall!

Roasted Red Pepper Carrot Soup
1 medium sweet red pepper
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons uncooked long grain rice
2 tablespoons butter
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
2 cups water
1/3 orange juice (Its funny but I subbed pineapple juice)
4 1/2 tsp snipped fresh dill or dry
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each dried marjoram, thyme, crushed rosemary, and rubbed sage (There is our sage Leslie! :)
1/4 tsp pepper

Broil red pepper 4 in from the heat until the skin is blistered, about 6 minutes. With tongs, rotate pepper a quart turn. Broil and rotate until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place pepper in a bowl; cover and let stand for 15-20 minutes. Peel and discard charred skin. Remove stems and seeds; set pepper aside.

In a large saucepan, cook the carrots, onion and rice in butter until onion is tender. Stir in the broth, water, orange juice, dill, orange peel, salt, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until carrots and rice are tender. Cool for 10 minutes.

In a blender, puree carrot mixture and roasted pepper in small batches. Return to the pan; heat through.

*Note from cook: Ok... so the whole broiling the red pepper was way to tedious for me. I just microwaved it, covered and peeled it. Then I just threw it in with everything else and it worked great. Also, rather then have to put everything carefully in the blender, if you have one of those hand-held puree things, (we got one for our wedding that I have maybe used once, so I was excited :)) that worked awesome and very little mess. Just some practical tips. :) I hate to get too fancy! :)

Creamy Tomato Sauce over Tortellini

This is a recipe I got from my good friend, Jessica. She made it for a baby shower and it was so amazing, I had to get the recipe. This recipe is actually for fondue, but I don't have a fondue pot- I'm sure you could just use a small crock pot, but I was ready to serve it up and make a meal of it. :) The fondue just keeps it warm for dipping. Also, I bought my tortellini noodles in the bulk section at Winco. I just boiled them up with a bit of salt and olive oil and they tasted great! (You could probably use any kind of noodle though.) If I were going to serve it again as a meal over noodles, I think I would add a little bit more liquid to the sauce- maybe apple juice or a bit of cream or milk. It is very rich and this makes a big batch, but it is SO delicous! Hope you try this one out!

Creamy Tomato Sauce (Originally for Fondue)

1 T Olive Oil

1 med Onion, chopped

2 tsp Garlic, minced

1 28oz can Diced Italian Tomatoes with Oregano, Basil and Garlic

1 c. Apple Juice

2 8oz Cream Cheese, cut in 1” cubes

1 c. Monterey Jack Cheese – shredded (I used mozerella)

Dip ideas:

French Bread, Cubed Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Tortellini, Green Peppers, Bagel Chips

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is very soft. Add the tomatoes, and apple juice. Simmer 10 min, until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add the cheese and heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Pour into a fondue pot, over medium heat.

"Spooky" Brownies

I had some fun making "spooky" Brownies with my girls. I just cut out some fun Halloween characters, put them on top of a brownie, sprinkled powdered sugar on top, and carefully removed the character. It's a fun Halloween treat! :) I remember making them with my Grandma.

Shelly Hegsted's Pumpkin Squares

Ok- so I need to get more recipes from this gal, because she knows how to cook! Shelly is one of my mom's really good friends and she just walked right out of the "Little House on the Prairie" Books. She is just a down-to-earth "pioneer stock" gal and she knows how to make a meal. I did get this recipe from her that I love though, and I thought it was fitting for the time fo year! (You should see the recipe card- it is totally covered in Pumpkin!) :)

Shelly Hegsted's Pumpkin Squares
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 tsp salt
2 cups pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda

*Combine and mix ingredients and spread in (jelly roll) baking sheet. Optional: sprinkle chocolate chips over batter (or just mix it in). Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cube butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

*Mix... if too dry add 2 or 3 tsp water.

Jenster's Yummy Brownies

In college, I had an awesome room-mate that made incredible brownies... pretty much whenever we requested them... which was very frequent. (Hence... freshman 15!) The most she asked for was an occasional stick of butter or scoop of cocoa. She was so good about it and they always tasted amazing. It is almost not fair to post this, because she always put this amazing chocolate frosting on top... but I started making these due to a serious pregnancy craving I was having at 11:30pm and frosting just seemed like too much at midnight, :)... it really did take me back to the good old days! :) I like this because they aren't too dark chocolate- I know some people like that, but these are perfect to me... almost more like an amazing cake. Anyway- thanks for the standby recipe, Jenster... and thanks Momma Mullis, where I think the recipe originated! :) Hope you all enjoy!

Jenster's Yummy Brownies
2 cups sugar
2 cubes melted butter (I was feeling guilty so I substituted 1 cup applesauce and it turned out great. :)
5-6 T cocoa
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour

*Mix well in order. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Top with yummy chocolate frosting... and devour with a nice swig of milk!

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Ok... who doesn't know how to make spaghetti? It is everyone's standby right? Well, I had some fresh basil and I have been trying to find some fun things to do with it, and I found this recipe on cooks.com and it just turned out really fresh and nice. So if you are making spaghetti tonight, add a few new fun things to it to spice it up.

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE
1/3 c. olive oil
1 sm. red serrano chili,
sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs. plum tomatoes, seeded & chopped (If you don't have fresh tomatoes use two cans of diced tomatoes)
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
Salt & pepper 16 oz. spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese
(I also like to add some ground beef and sauteed onions because everyone needs their meat. :)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chili and garlic and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer until soft, about 2 minutes. Add basil,salt and pepper. Cook until pink, about 10 minutes. Pour over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4.

Easy Italian Stew

I found this easy, yummy recipe on the Kraft website. It really was fast and it turned out really tasty- the Italian Dressing gave it a good flavor!

Easy Italian Stew
2 Tbsp. Zesty Italian Dressing

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables (white onions and sliced green, red and yellow peppers)

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed (I used kidney beans)

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

HEAT dressing in large saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage; cook 8 to 10 min. or until done, stirring occasionally to break sausage into small pieces.

ADD broth, stir-fry vegetables, beans and tomatoes; bring to boil. Stir in macaroni; simmer on medium heat 8 to 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.

SERVE topped with cheese. Serve with RITZ Crackers.

Crockpot Chicken and Glazed Carrots

This is one of my easiest favorite recipes. I love to throw this into the Crockpot when I'm in a hurry. It always tastes great and it takes me no time to prepare!

Crockpot Chicken and Glazed Carrots
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of celery soup (I never have that so I use cream of chicken)
1 bag baby carrots, or a bunch of peeled cut carrots
1/4 cup butter, melted butter (if you're feeling healthy, don't even throw it in)
1/4 cup brown sugar

*Lay chicken breast of bottom with cream of chicken spread over top. Throw in the rest, spreading evenly and cook for 5-6 hours on low. I usually serve over rice.

Momma Stew's Crepes and Filling

"Heaven... I'm in Heaven..." When I eat Momma Stewart's crepes that is the song that reels in my head. Basically, she is amazing at this. It is like an art/science. She even has a special little crepe maker. It is amazing and this is probably my very favorite treat/tradition at the Stewart household. I especially love the filling. Oh so good! I love all the different things you can put in a crepe- from every sweet kind of fruit, syrup, or jam, to just a yummy ham and cheese melt. Fabulous creation! Thanks for the recipe Momma!

Momma Stewart's Crepes and Filling:
Crepe Batter:
3 eggs
1/4 t. salt
2 cups flour
2 cups mild
1/4 cup melted butter or oil ( I prefer the butter)
*Just mix together well.

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
This is creamy and smooth if you use the blender to mix it, but if you
like to taste the bites of cottage cheese etc. just use a beater.

Toppings...what ever you can imagine!!! (We usually do strawberries, bananas, peaches or some kind of fruit. I love Natella and mom always finds an amazing fancy syrup to put on it, and don't forget whipped cream!)

Chicken Divan

I came across this recipe in one of my husbands mission cookbooks. I thought it tasted pretty delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Chicken Divan
1 package frozen broccoli, chopped (or fresh)
1 cup cooked chicken, cut into cubes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayo
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 c bread crumbs
2 T butter or margarine, melted (I left this out)
1 c shredded cheese
(I also added a T of mustard just for kicks :)

*Cook broccoli according to package directions, drain. Arrange in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Arrange chicken on top of broccoli. In a large bowl, combine soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry powder. Mix well. Pour over chicken. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly hot. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese; return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Crockpot Beans

This recipe was given to me by my sister- she got it from a cousin who grew up in the "colonies", so this is the real Mexican deal. I was thrilled that it turned out. I have a ton of dry beans and the saoking method and pretty much anything else I have tried just hasn't turned out, but this worked great. I also did it with my black beans and it worked well. Then I used them in soup and other things. It was nice to do a big batch like that. Hope it works well for you!

Note- Jessica says to throw in a halved potato- it is supposed to help absorb the "gas". I did it because, even if it is a wives tale- I could use all the help I can get in that department. :)

Crockpot Beans
A very tasty and easy way to cook fresh beans.

Ingredients:
pinto beans
water
dried minced garlic
salt & pepper

Directions:
The size of your Crock Pot depends on how many beans you can cook. Just experiment with your pot. I have a 4qt pot and I usually cook 2-3cups of dried beans. Once you have your beans measured, sort through them on you kitchen counter to sort out undesirable beans (if they look like you wouldn't want to eat them pick them out) and small rocks. Sometimes rocks do make it past the bean sorters. Rinse the beans just to clean off any dirt or other things that may be on them. Put the beans in your pot, and fill your crock pot full with water. Add at least 1/4 tsp minced garlic and as much black peper as you desire. Put the lid on and turn your crock pot on high. They take at least 4-5 hours to cook on high. I let mine cook overnight most of the time. The water will change to a brown color and beans will look kind of pink. Just taste one and make sure it is soft. When done cooking, salt the pot to taste. Do not over salt. It is better to under salt and let people salt to taste on their own plates. Now they are ready to eat! Enjoy a nice beans and rice dinner with your fresh cooked beans. To store, divvy up into plastic leftover containers (what ever size you want). Do not discard the juice, that is were the flavor is. You can freeze the beans if you are not going to eat them within a week or so. Just defrost them the next time you want them.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

This is an easy tasty dish. It feeds a lot of people and always tastes fresh and yummy! It is nice, because you can just throw in what you have and more. :) It's also a great way to get in your fruits and veggies.

Chicken Salad Sandwich
1/2-3/4 cup Mayo
2 tbs Mustard
Salt / Pepper to taste
2-3 cups Shredded or cubed Cooked Chicken (I like to slow cook chicken with Italian Dressing in crockpot. It gives it a good flavor with very little effort on my part. :))
1 cup Grapes, halved
1 (or more) sliced Apple
Nuts (Cashews taste best!)
2 Green Onions stalks, sliced
3-4 Celery Stalks
1 T or so of curry powder (optional) My sister said she added this to the mayo and it gave it a really good flavor. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I will the next time I make it!

*Stir Mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and stir well, making sure everything is well coated. Serve on Crescent Rolls, regular rolls, or hearty bread with lettuce.

"Perfect" Peach Pie and Crust

Oh heaven!!! This peach pie truly is perfect! I got this recipe from my husbands old neighbor growing up. Bliss! You must try this. It is really quite simple, perfect if you are trying to make a nice pie in a hurry. You can use cool whip, but I definitely recommend the old fashion whipping cream method. It taste so much better. Good luck restraining yourself from eating the whole pie by single-handedly! I know I could! :)

Perfect Peach Pie and Crust
Crust:
1/2 c butter
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1 c flour
*Cut together with pastry cutter. Press into pie dish and bake 350 for 12 minutes.

--After the "perfect" crust has baked and cooled:

Cream together:
1/4 c solf butter
1 c powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
Add:
2 tsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
*Pour into pie shell on top of cooled crust. Top with fresh sliced peaches and whipped cream. (I used about 3 good sized peaches and real whipping cream. I also crumbled a little bit of gram-cracker on top for texture.) Refrigerate until serving.

Asian Beef Stir-Fry

Hey- I tried this out and it turned out pretty good. I wish I had had more vegetables to add. The cabbage was especially good in this. It is a variation from my Betty Crocker cookbook.

Asian Beef Stir-Fry
1 lb beef stew meat or sirloin cut into strips
1 tbs olive oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 tsp soy sauce (teriyaki sauce was a good substitute)
1 tsp ginger
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 bag frozen vegetables
or fresh cut vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)
1 tbs olive oil
1 cube or tablespoon beef bullion
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 tbs soy sauce (or teriyaki)
4 medium green onions, sliced
sesame seeds

1. Toss beef, 1 tbs olive oil, corn starch, and soy sauce in bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Heat skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add and coat with oil. Add ginger, garlic and heat for 30 sec. Add marinated beef; stir-fry about 5 minutes or until brown. Add vegetables; stir fry until crisp and tender.
3. In small bowl stir together bullion, honey, vinegar, and soy sauce. Pour over stir-fry. Add remaining ingredients and serve over rice.