Best Baked Beans

I got this recipe from Glenn's cousin Renee Peterson.  I like baked beans but I want them to be good, I was at a family reunion on year and I looking at several pots of beans and thinking to my self, "I wonder which one's are the best?"  Then came a voice beside me and a finger pointing, "THESE ARE THE BEST BAKED BEANS!"  It was as if she had heard me.  She gave me the recipe right on the spot and I have used it ever since.

3 28 ounce cans of pork and beans (I use Van Camps)

1 pound lean bacon sliced and cooked
1 onion chopped and sautéed
1 green pepper chopped and sautéed with the onion

1 cup catsup
1 cup brown sugar (a little packed)
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

Mix all the ingredients together, cover


Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for three hours,
Stir occasionally.
Take the lid off the last 1/2 hour.

OR bake in the crock pot on low about 5-6 hours.

I like the crock pot, much less hassle.

100% Whole Wheat Rolls

I just made the best whole wheat rolls I have ever made!

I couldn't find my recipe, so I did my best to remember it.  This is what I came up with:

In the bottom of the bread mixer put:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 TBSP salt

Then add:
4 cups very warm water
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 eggs
2 TBSP yeast

Mix together and then start adding more whole wheat flour, 1 cup at a time.

Add 6 to 9 more cups.  The dough will still be a little sticky.

Let rise until double or even more.
The dough will still be sticky, but you can handle it by spraying Pam on your hands
and on the cupboard and on the rolling pin.

Form Rolls.  (I divided the batch in thirds and rolled out long rectangles and
basted them with butter.   Then I cut out triangles with my pizza cutter, then
rolled them out starting at the wide end.)  Use you own method if you like.

Put them on a cookie sheet sprayed with pam and let rise again.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until done.

Spagehtti Pie (Heather's)

Cook 3/4 of a 16 oz package of regular spaghetti (angle hair doesn't work as well).

Add to cooked noodles: 2 eggs, 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup crated Parmesan cheese.

Add noodle mixture to bottom of a 9x13 pan.  

Top with layer of cottage cheese.

Then top with a jar of Traditional Prego mixed with 1/2 pound cooked hamburger.

Then top with mozzarella cheese

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Grandma Lounsbury' Best Apple Pie

Pie Crust (The Best):

3/4 cup Shortening (crisco)
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1/3 cup ice water

Blend first three ingredients with a pastry blender
stir in the ice water and knead on a floured surface until well blended

This is for a double crust pie.

Apple pie mixture:
Use 5-6 apples
stir in:
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1 cup sugar (brown or white)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cover edges with foil if desired so they don't burn.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil.  Bake 20-25 minutes more or until crust is golden brown.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Made this pumpkin dessert yesterday.  It was pretty good so I thought I'd share!

1 box yellow cake mix (or spice cake mix)
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan.  Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Pour mixture into greased pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over pecans.  Bake 50-60 minutes.

http://www.thepickyapple.com/blog/2008/11/22/pumpkin-crunch-cake/

Spaghetti Pie

This has become a new staple at our house! Easy and yummy!

2/3 of a 16 oz pk of Spaghetti (original recipe I got calls for the whole package but I
             think it's way too many noodles for the sauce, and angel hair doesn't work
             quite as well... try to stick to spaghetti)

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 Tbs butter melted
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I prefer Prego)
1 lb hamburger (I think 1/2 is better :)
a sprinkle of dried onion
1 small carton of cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti and drain. Add butter, eggs, and parmesan cheese. Mix well.  While you are cooking spaghetti, simmer your sauce, hamburger and onions. (don't boil too hot or water starts to separate).

Layer spaghetti noodle mixture on bottom, then cottage cheese next, then sauce and finally top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Homemade Re-fried Pinto Beans

Super easy to make your own refried beans!

Cooking Beans:
1 lb. dry pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
8 cups hot water
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 onion, rough chop
1-2 cloves of garlic, mashed

Put beans on the bottom of crockpot, add water. Mix in salt, oil, onion and garlic. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Add more water while cooking if needed. Discard onion and garlic when beans are cooked.

Refried Beans:
1 lb. cooked pinto beans
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup oil
Salt to taste
Garlic, minced (optional)

Saute onions in oil until soft and clear (don't burn). On med-high heat, add drained beans a little at a time. Smash them while you add them. Add liquid from the beans until desired consistency is reached. If you prefer a smooth texture, you can blend the beans with an immersion blender (hand blender) or hand mixer. Add salt and garlic to taste. Heat until bubbling. Serve hot with cheese!

Salsa

28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes
1/4 to 1/3 small onion
1/3 bunch of cilantro, washed and ends trimmed off
1/2 to 1 jalapeno, seeded and de-veined (leave some seed for heat)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin (optional, but adds a nice smokey undertone)
Juice from 1/2 to 1 lime

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.  Blend for a few seconds to incorporate.  Do not over blend.  If possible refrigerate before serving so ingredients have a chance to meld!

Basic Buttercream Frosting

3 sticks butter, softened

2 lbs. powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 – enough to thin frosting to desired consistency

Beat butter in mixer on medium high  for 2-3 minutes or until pale and creamy.  Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.  Beat well after each addition increasing speed to high after all sugar is added. 

Add vanilla and food coloring if desired.  Beat until buttercream is smooth.  Can be refrigerated for several days if covered.  If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using and beat on low until smooth.

Ginger's Toco Salad

Mexican Hash (Taco Salad)

1 lb. ground beef -  browned with chopped onion

1 pkg. Zatarains's Black Beans and Rice- prepared

Mix together and add 1 small can Mexican stewed tomatoes

(cut smaller if desired)

1 can green chilies (about 4 oz.)

½ C. Salsa

(when making for a large group you can add 1 can black beans with juice)



Serve over chips with:

Chopped lettuce

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Avocado

Sliced olives

Sour Cream

Chopped tomatoes

(can also serve in a tortilla wrap)