Hamburger Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounces water

frozen lima beans

frozen corn

frozen green beans

frozen okra

chopped potatoes

any other veggies you might have lying around

Brown the beef and onion.  Drain.  Put in a large pot with tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and water.  Put on medium heat.  Add limas to tomato mixture.  Let simmer 10-15 minutes.  Add other frozen veggies.  Add potatoes last and let boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.  This is the yummiest soup ever!

*You can also put this in the crock pot and just let it simmer all day!

Knot Rolls

1 3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup oil

3/8 cup sugar

3 tbsp yeast

Mix these ingredients together and let rest for 15 minutes.

1/2 tbsp salt

2 beaten eggs

5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Add the second set of ingredients to the mixture and stir.  Knead until dough is able to be handled.  Roll into ropes and then tie them into knots.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.  Yum!

Yummy Pancakes

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix it all up with a whisk.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup pumpkin

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup nuts (if you must ruin it)

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp margarine, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Beat eggs; add sugar.  Add pumpkin, mixing well.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Add gradually to pumpkin mixture.  Grease a jelly roll pan.  Line with wax or parchment paper and grease again.  Pour in batter and sprinkle with the dang nuts.  Bake for 15 minutes ONLY at 375 degrees.  (Don't over-bake it.  It's not pretty!)  Turn onto dishtowel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Remove wax paper.  Start lengthwise and roll in the towel.  Let it cool.  Unroll from towel and spread with filling.  Reroll and chill. 

Filling: Sift sugar into bowl.  Add other ingredients and blend with a mixer.

**Notes:  Some things I thought of while making pumpkin roll tonight.  First off, make it the night before you want to eat it so it's nice and chill.  Second, I think it will work better to sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the cake itself and then cover with a towel before flipping it over, thus allowing you to avoid the powdered sugar cloud that sometimes ensues if you flip it too fast.  Third, lengthwise means start rolling with the skinny end.  I think I roll it up wrong every Thanksgiving and then I finally get it right at Christmas.  Parchment paper will make your life a little easier, though it is expensive.  Also, if you don't have a sifter, a little strainer works great, maybe better.  Who knew?  Hey Adam, that thing's good for more than just straining the pulp out of your orange juice!

And I Don't Even Like Almonds Shortbread

1 3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds with skins

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 10 inch cast-iron skillet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.  Alternatively, place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom of the skillet, then lightly grease or oil the paper.

In a large mixing bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the sugar into the melted butter.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Sift the flour and salt onto the batter.  Add the flavoring and stir well.  Pour the batter into the skillet.  Top with the sliced almonds and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Bake for 34 minutes, or until slightly brown on top.  Cool the shortbread in the skillet.  When cool, use the foil to lift the shortbread from the skillet; remove the foil before serving.  If you have used the parchment liner instead, run a sharp knife around the sides of the shortbread and invert the pan to remove it; peel off the parchment paper.

Banana Bread even Julie will Eat!

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

4 ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken  (would anyone like a martini?)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 2 9 x 5 loaf pans.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the bananas and vanilla.  Sift the flour together with the baking soda and salt and add to the banana mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.  

Pour into loaf pans and bake for 55 minutes.  Cool slightly in pan before turning the loaves onto wire racks to cool completely.

Sweet Potato Souffle

5 medium sweet potatoes

2 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

pinch of salt

Topping

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 2 1/2 quart baking dish.  Wash the potatoes and prick them with a fork.  Place them on a microwave safe plate and bake them, 2 or 3 at a time, for 10 minutes.  Turn them over and cook for 5 more minutes.  Take out of microwave and cover with a bowl for five more minutes.  {Do this as far ahead of time as possible so the potatoes can cool before peeling.  Otherwise you will burn your finger tips.}  Using a knife, peel the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl.  Mash them until they are smooth.  Add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, milk, and salt.  Combine well with electric mixer.  Turn the mixture into the baking dish.  

In a medium bowl, stir together pecans, brown sugar, flour, and butter until thoroughly combined.  Spoon the mixture over the sweet potatoes, making an even layer.  Bake the casserole for 30 minutes or until slightly browned.  Let sit five minutes before serving.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

2 cups cooked rice (this does not equal two cups of uncooked rice - learned that the hard way)

3 cups cooked, chopped broccoli

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayo

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

10 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish.  Spread the rice in an even layer.  Make a second layer with the broccoli.  In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, soup, half the cheese, salt, pepper, and chicken.  Pour this mixture over the broccoli.  Top with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Let stand five minutes before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie, Hold the Veggies

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

2 cups chicken broth

1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk, well shaken

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Put the chicken in a 2 quart casserole dish.  Combine the broth and soup in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Pour the broth mixture over the chicken.  

In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour with the pepper.  Stir in the melted butter and buttermilk.  Pour mixture over the casserole.  Smooth the top but do not stir.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is brown and filling is hot and bubbly.