PLUM/ PEACH BBQ SAUCE- WATER BATH CANNED

 This has been a hit at our house so I thought I would share it with the rest of you.

PLUM or PEACH BBQ SAUCE

128 ounces Ketchup

4 lb Brown Sugar

1/2 C Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 C Molasses

3/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 C Liquid Smoke

6 C Blended Plumbs or Peaches (about 18 peaches or 25 plums)

1 tsp Tabasco or more if you want it spicy

1T Garlic Powder

1/2 T Black Pepper

* Cut fruit in half and remove pit.  Take skin off peaches (you can remove the skin from the plum but it isn't necessary)

* Add all ingredients to a large pot and boil for 3-5 minutes until all sugars have melted.

* Place in warm jars

*Process in water bath canner for 35 minutes (once the canner has come to a boil)

CREAMY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

I didn't take a picture, so I will need to make this one again soon.  But here is the story.  Last night I tried to make a Panera knock-off soup recipe that has been circling the internet.  Well, I quickly noticed a few things.  #1, the soup is meant to only serve 3 people and #2, it was super thick.  So I had to quickly improvise.  My family LOVED this and slurped it right down.

Broccoli Cheese Soup (feeds 5-6 people)

½ Chopped Onion

½ C Butter (plus a small amount for the onion)

½ C Flour

5 C water

5 Chicken Bullion Cubes

4 C Half and Half

1 C Shredded Carrots

2 ½ C Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

3 C Chopped Broccoli

Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg to taste

• Saute onion in a small amount of melted butter until transparent, set aside.
• In a large pot, make a roux using butter and flour.  Melt butter first and then add flour while stirring.
• Add in half and half, continue stirring. It helps to use a wisk so you can easily dissolve the roux with the liquid.
• Add water and bullion cubes, salt, pepper and nutmeg, simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add in carrots, onions and broccoli.  Simmer on low for 20 min or until all vegetables are tender.
• Stir in cheese until melted and serve

PESTO CAVATAPPI PORK PASTA

My cousin made an awesome knock-off of a Cavatappi Pesto Pasta that she found online.  I loved it but after making the recipe several times I find it rather dry, so I came up with my own version.... which my family loves so very much.

In a crock pot 
1.5 Lb Pork Loin Roast
2 Cups Water

• Sprinkle with a "butt rub" or meat rub.  I will list one on here in the next week or so, but we bought one at the store.
• Cook the meat on Low for 8 hours

Ingredients
16 oz package of Cavatappi or Campanelle pasta (you can really use any pasta you like)
1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Pint Mushrooms
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/3 Cup Whipping Cream
7-8 oz bottle of Pesto
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
1 Cup of liquid from the roast

Directions

• Cook Pasta as directed on package
• Shred the roast with two forks
• Chop mushrooms and cut tomatoes in half
• Saute mushrooms in a little olive oil for about 2 minutes.  
• Add white wine and tomatoes.  Cook for 2 minutes
• Add cream and pesto, stir well.
• Add the liquid from the roast and the shredded roast.
• Pour over pasta, add cheese and serve.

FRESH HARVARD BEETS -ROWBERRY STYLE

 

HARVARD BEETS -MADE WITH FRESH BEETS

My husbands family use to make these. They are quite yummy.

5 Medium Beets
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
4 tsp Corn Starch
3 Tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Petter
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

• Cut the top and tail off of the beets.
• In a medium sauce pan, cover beets with water and bring to boil
• Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until beets have softened when poked with a fork.
• Remove skins by rubbing them between your hands under cold water.  The skins fall off.
• Cut beets into small bite-sized squares
• In a medium sauce pan add all ingredients except beets.  Stir until combined.  Add beets and cook for 20-30 minutes over low.

EASY WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Charity's White Chicken Enchiladas

2 Lg Cans   Chunk Chicken (save the liquid)
2 Cups        Chicken Broth (or use chicken liquid + water and a bullion cube)
10               Small Flour or White Corn Tortillas
1  Sm Can   Green Chilies
4 Tbsp        Butter
4 Tbsp        Flour
1 Cup         Sour Cream
2 Cups        Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

Directions

• Open cans of chicken, drain the liquid into a measuring cup.  This should give you almost a cup and a half of liquid.  I then add enough water to make a full 2 cups and add a bullion cube.  If you don't want to do this, just use chicken broth for the full 2 cups.
• Mix chicken chunks with 1 cup of the cheese.  Stir until it is broken up a bit
• Grease a large casserole dish with cooking spray
• Put a small handful of the chicken and cheese mixture into each tortilla shell and roll them.  Place in the casserole dish.  They stay together better if you put the folded ends of the tortilla on the bottom.
• In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour.  Stir until smooth. Pour in the chicken broth and stir.  Bring to a bubble and cook for a couple of minutes.  The sauce should thicken.  Add the chili's and sour cram and stir until smooth.
• Remove from the heat and pour over the rolled tortillas. 
• Top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
• Turn the oven to broil and brown the top  (optional)

This is a great meal for the family.... my kids sure love it.  
BTW.... I have used both flour and corn tortillas.  The flour are easier to roll and don't break as easily, but I actually like the white corn shells better.  But really, it doesn't matter what you use.

GARY'S HALLOWEEN SPUD DOUGHNUTS

Makes 6.5 Dozen

1 Quart Milk
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Shortning
5 Tbsp Yeast
1 Cup Warm Water
1 Cup Mashed Potatoes
4 Eggs, Beaten
1 Tbsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
12-14 Cups Flour
Vegetable Oil for frying

Glaze
3 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Approx 1/2 Cup Hot Water

• In a sauce pan, scald Milk, Sugar and Shortening, allow to cool.  
• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Add potatoes, yeast mixture, eggs, salt, and vanilla to the milk mixture
• Add flour gradually and mix very well
• Let rise til double, punch down, rise again.
• Roll out and cut doughnuts, set on floured trays to rise again.
• Fry in oil

Glaze and eat

SAUSAGE STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Our family found this on the Taste of Home website and tried it... Everyone loved it.  But it took a bit too much time to make the way they had it, so we altered the recipe a bit.

2 Medium to Large Zucchini

1.5 lbs of Italian sausage (cooked and drained)

8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 small green pepper

2 T chopped onion

2 tsp Italian seasoning

Salt

Sauce

2 T butter

2 T Flour

1 1/4 Cups Milk

1 tsp Mustard (Dijon is the best)

1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese (the real stuff)

1.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and center section where the seeds are.  Keep the pulp and small seeds.  Put 1/8th cup of water into the center of each zucchini half and put in microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until tender.  Remove from microwave and drain water

2.  Place zucchini pulp into a saucepan, add cooked sausage, tomato sauce, onion, peppers, and italian seasoning.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.  

3.  Place zucchini in a greased baking dish.  Spoon the filling into the center of the zucchini.

4.  To make the sauce.  Melt butter in a saucepan. whisk in flour and salt until smooth.  Slowly add milk.  Bring to a low simmer and cook for 2 min or until it thickens.  Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.and mustard.  Pour sauce over zucchini.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese

5.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Serves 4-5

BACON HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

BACON HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN (Alice Springs Chicken)


6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Lowry's Seasoning Salt
8 strips of bacon
1 cup sliced fresh mushroom
2 cups shredded cheese

Honey Mustard Sauce
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes


• Either cut or pound chicken so that it is the same thickness and is about a half inch thick.
• Make honey mustard sauce by mixing mustard, honey, onion flakes and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts with Lowry's seasoning salt (both sides).
• Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, break into pieces and set aside.
• Do not discard grease.
• Cook chicken in the bacon grease for 5 minutes per side, or until browned.
• Place chicken in a 9" × 13" casserole dish.
• Spread honey mustard sauce over each piece of chicken
• Sprinkle with bacon
• Add chopped mushrooms and cheese to each chicken breast.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is done.

Mint Surprise Cookies

• 
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 3 cups Flour
• 1 package (9.5 Oz. Package) Andes Chocolate Mints

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Unwrap Andes mints and cut mint rectangles in half, making squares.

Soften butter, add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix with electric mixer until smooth. Add flour and stir until mixed. Chill for an hour in the fridge (you don’t have to do this but it makes it easier to form balls).

Spoon dough and roll around a mint square (i.e. wrap the mint with dough). Cookie balls should be about 1 inch to 1.5 inch balls. The mint should not be showing.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

MOON FAMILY- RAINBOW BRITE JELLO

 

My mom used to make this for us kids when we were little.  It is super fun to eat, even as an adult

• 8 cups Boiling Water, Divided
• 2 cups Cold Water, Divided
• 2 cups Evaporated Milk, Divided
• 2 packages Green Jello (3 Oz Size)
• 2 packages Red Jello (3 Oz Size)
• 2 packages Orange Jello (3 Oz Size)
• 2 packages Yellow Jello (3 Oz Size)
• 12 ounces, weight Cool Whip

Each package makes one layer. There are 8 layers in all, two of each color. There is a clear layer, meaning you can see through the jello and a milky layer that uses the milk.

Before you begin, here are a few pointers. The first layer takes the longest to set up—after that, the next layers firm up faster. You CAN mix up the next layer while the previous one is setting up, but be careful not to mix it too soon or it will set up before you are ready.

FOR EACH CLEAR LAYER:
Boil 1 cup of water in a small pan. Pour water into a bowl and mix in one package of jello. Stir until jello is dissolved.

Add 1/2 cup of cold water. Stir and then pour into an 8×11 glass casserole dish. Place into the fridge until the jello is set.

FOR EACH MILKY LAYER:
Boil 1 cup of water in a small pan. Pour water into a bowl and mix in one package of jello. Stir until jello is dissolved.

Add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk. Stir and then CAREFULLY pour into the 8×11 glass casserole dish on top of the previous layer. Place into the fridge until jello is set.

Alternate the layers so that the same colors are on top of each other. (Clear Green, Milky Green, Clear Red, Milky Red, Clear Orange, Milky Orange, Clear Yellow, Milky Yellow).

Top with Cool Whip.

Chicken Enchiladas

• 3 pieces Large Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 8 ounces, fluid Can Tomato Sauce
• ¼ cups Green Onions, Chopped
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• ½ teaspoons Cumin
• 1-½ teaspoon Chili Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 10 pieces Corn Tortillas
• 10 ounces, fluid Can Mild Enchilada Sauce (red)
• 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Oil (For Cooking Tortillas)
• Lettuce (to Top)
• Sour Cream (to Top)
• Chopped Tomatoes (To Top)

Boil chicken breasts until fully cooked. Then shred with two forks.

While chicken is cooking, in a large bowl add the following ingredients and stir until well mixed:

Tomato sauce
Onion
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic powder
Oregano
Cumin
Chili Powder
Pepper

Add shredded chicken to the mixture.

In a skillet, pour a small amount of oil and cook tortilla shells on both sides. Only cook them for a short time on each side so the shell stays soft and doesn’t harden.

(Placing the shells on paper towels after they have cooked will get the excess grease off.)

Fill each shell with some chicken and roll. Place in a glass casserole dish. Repeat until all 10 shells are filled, rolled and in the casserole dish.

Pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with cheese.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Top with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream and then gobble them up.

*To make these spicier, add more chili powder and use medium or hot enchilada sauce.