Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

pie crust

3 large Fugi apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick coking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add apple slices; toss gently to coat. Transfer filling to pastry-lined pie plate. In separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, oats and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle crumb topping over the filling. Cover the edges of pie with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes more or until apple is tender and top is golden. Sprinkle pie with pecans, then drizzle with caramel topping. Cool on wire rack.

Fudge Pie

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 stick melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Mix ingredients and bake in an unbaked pie shell at 325 degrees, 25-30 minutes.

Strudel Topped Muffins

Muffins
1/2 cup vanilla or blueberry yogurt
3T oil
1T lemon juice
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2t baking powder
1t lemon zest (always left out)
1/4t salt
1 cup frozen blueberries, raspberries, etc. (not in syrup)

Strudel Topping
1/4 cup sugar
2T flour
1T butter


Mix together wet ingredients (first 4). Mix together dry ingredients (next 5). Add wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix. Add berries and mix; set aside. Make strudel topping by combining ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Line or grease muffin tin and spoon evenly into cups. Spoon strudel on top. Bake at 400 for 16-20 min.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 2/3 cup flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1T pumpkin pie spice
1t baking soda
1/4t baking powder
1/4t salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup pumpkin (1/2 can)
2 eggs
milk chocolate chips

Mix all dry ingredients (first 6). Mix wet ingredients (last 3). Add wet ingredients to dry ones. Mix in 1/2 cup to 1 cup milk chocolate chips (these are so good you might not want to put in too many chocolate chips). Grease or line muffin pan and bake @ 350 for ~20 min. Take out immediately and cool on wire rack.

Ham and Potatoes

3T butter
3T flour
1t salt
1c shredded cheddar cheese
2c milk
2 med. onion, chopped
6 med. potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 lb ham (diced- the kind you can buy to make omelets)
breadcrumbs

Note: Basically this is a good recipe for leftover ham; nice and hearty. We halved this recipe (and cooked in a smaller dish) and it made plenty for us. We also used sliced deli ham and it worked quite well. Also, the onion wasn't part of the original recipe, but we really like onion.

Boil potatoes until soft and set aside. Cook onions in microwave until soft (~2 min) and set aside. Melt butter and add flour, stir constantly to make a roux; let it bubble a min. or two while still stirring. Add milk and cook until the mixture thickens. Add cheese and ham, stir until cheese is melted. Stir in potatoes and onions and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and bake @ 375 for 20 min.

Mexican Cornbread

2 cups self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup bell pepper chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup cream style corn
3/4 cup wesson oil *
3 eggs

Mix in order given.
*Put 1/2 of oil in baking dish and remainder in mix.
Bake 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Chicken Pot Pie

1/4 cup butter (split)
2T flour
1 cup chicken broth, warmed
1/4 cup whipping cream or milk
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery sticks, coarsely chopped
2 med potatoes, chopped, cooked
2 chicken breasts, cooked, chopped
1/2 cup peas (I used frozen)
2 Pillsbury pie crusts

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt 2T butter in a heavy pan, Whisk in the flour and cook until bubbling, whisking constantly. Add the warm stock and cook over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture boils. Cook for 2-3 min. more. Whisk in the cream or milk. Season with salt and pepper. Put to one side.

Heat the remaining butter in a large pan until foamy. Add the onions and carrots and cook until softened (~5min). Add the celery and cook for 5min more. Stir in the chicken, peas and potatoes.

Add the chicken mixture and sauce; then combine. Add salt and pepper if necessary.

Roll out one pie crust and line the bottom of a pan (I use a 9x13 or sometimes the one that is just smaller than that one). Add the chicken mixture. Roll out the other pie crust and lay on top of the chicken mixture. Seal the edges to the pan or bottom pie crust (if you can- you can't always with a 9x13 pan). Cut several vents in the top crust.

Bake until the top crust is browned, about 30 min.

This makes a lot; we eat it for days, but we like it.

(The original recipe calls for mushroom to be cooked with the celery, instead of potatoes. We hate mushrooms.)