Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Ingredients

- Around 20 to 30 meatballs (just depends on how many you want)

- 1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle of chili sauce (you can find it in the isle where the bbq sauce is)

- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

- 1 cup of grape jelly

- Pineapple tidbits (however many you want)

Directions

- Place meatballs in crock pot and put the rest of the ingredients on top of the meatballs.

After an hour stir all the ingredients and let it sit the rest of the time. Last hour add in pineapple. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.

- Serve over rice.

Way EASY and YUMMY!

*Nikki Anderson

Tortilla Soup

Saute over med. heat in 1/4 c. oil, butter or combination of the two:

1 large onion
1 jalepeno

6 ribs celery
4 cloves minced garlic
1 lb (about 6-8) sliced carrots
2 lbs cubed uncooked chicken (you could use pre-cooked chicken too, and just throw it in with the tomatoes)

add and thicken: 1 tsp; cumin, chili powder, salt, lemon pepper
3 tsp tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
1/2 c. flour (optional, this just gives the soup a little more body)

add: 1 quart diced tomatoes
2-3 quarts chicken broth
1 can black beans (optional)

1 can or 1-2 c. corn (optional)

simmer 1 hour (I usually don't simmer it this long, just until all the veggies are cooked)

Top with baked tortilla strips, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheese

Tortilla strips

Slice tortillas (I prefer corn) into strips directly on cookie sheet (easiest with a pizza cutter). Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt. Broil 3-4 minutes. Flip and broil again, about 2 minutes. Sometimes I am too lazy to flip them :)

Cinnamon Rolls

4 c. hot water

2 T. instant yeast (I'm sure you could use regular yeast too, just proof it)

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbsp salt

3 eggs

1 stick softened butter (or margarine)

2 c. potato flakes

4 c. flour

Combine all ingredients above and mix 10 min. Add 4-5 cups additional flour (I always end up having to add a little more than this, maybe because it is more humid in NE?). Knead until smooth and springy. The dough will be a little sticky, so just add whatever it takes to be able to handle it. Cover, rise until doubled (about 1 hour). Punch dough down. Divide into two (at least). Roll out into a large rectangle. Spread with additional melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture, and nuts if desired.

I don't usually measure exactly at this part but I've included my best guess of how much I use. And this is for the full recipe, so only use half on each rectangle.

1/2 c. melted butter (more butter is yummy though :) )

1 c. sugar (I usually do half white granulated, half brown)

2 T. cinnamon

1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (I like walnuts. You could reduce the amount of nuts, or leave them out entirely. I think adding raisins would be a sin)

Roll dough up. Pinch at seam. Cut using floss, or a sharp serated knife about 3/4 in thick. Repeat entire process for remaining dough. Let rise again until almost double. Bake at 405 degrees. for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool slightly and top with glaze (I also never measure this part but, about 2 c. powdered sugar + 1/4 c. milk). Or you could use a cream cheese frosting.

This recipe makes a TON of cinnamon rolls, two baking sheets full or 48-60 rolls (or even more if you made them smaller). I have halfed the recipe before, and just used one egg and it worked just fine. If I know I am going to be delivering them, it's super convenient to bake them in those aluminum cake or pie pans and that way you don't have to worry about taking them out of the pan to deliver them, a trick my momma would sometimes use.

Homemade Granola Bars

2 C Rolled oats
1 C chopped nuts (your choosing)
1 1/2 C any puffed grains (brown rice, millet, wheat, etc)
2/3 C brown sugar
½ C honey
4 Tbsp butter (or peanut butter!)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 tsp vanilla (or something different if you’re playing with flavors)
1 Cup dried fruit (your choosing)
1 Cup chocolate chips (optional)

Line a cookie sheet or 8 x 8 pan (size doesn't matter too much-- just depends on how thick or thin you'd like your bars) with parchment paper (not waxed paper). Spread the chocolate chips over the parchment paper.

Toast the oats and nuts on a baking sheet in the oven until golden. Once toasted, toss them together with the puffed grains and dried fruit in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, melt the butter, sugar, honey, salt and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until all the sugar is dissolved but don’t boil. Remove from heat and add in vanilla. Pour over the granola mixture and toss to coat evenly.

Press firmly into the prepared dish over the chocolate chips. (I use another piece of parchment on top and use my hands or a flat bottomed dish to press it firmly). The chocolate chips will melt and create a layer on the bottom of the pan.

Allow to cool completely before turning out of pan and cutting with a large knife. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.

Store bars between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Possible Flavor Combinations:
Walnut and Raisin (use maple syrup instead of honey!)
Pecan and Cranberry with white chocolate chips
Macadamia, Coconut and Pineapple with white chocolate chips
Almond and Dried Apricot

*Because Olivia can't have nuts, we just increase the amount of dried fruit. We use dried cranberries, raisins, coconut, and dried bananas. I also add wheat germ and flaxseed. You can play with the different flavor combinations-- just make sure you keep the dry to wet ratio the same. I generally make a double batch, in two 13 x 9 cookie sheets, and send Jonathan with a large tupperware container to work that lasts him a few weeks! YUM!

Tiffeny

Mac and Cheese

Noodles (I like bow-tie and spiral)
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. of flour
2 cups milk
Cheese (a cup will do)

Optional extras: add to taste salt, pepper, cut up hot dogs or other form of meat, broccoli, peas and carrots, and etc.

Cook as many noodles as you want. Drain and in the same pot as you just cooked your noodles in, melt butter. Add flour once melted (this is called a roux - equal parts fat and flour). Add milk and bring to boil. Allow to boil until thick. Add cheese. Mix in the noodles and serve with a sprinkle of basil or oregano on top.

Variations: Just add your vegetables or meat into the noodles for cooking and drain w/ the noodles. Stir it into the sauce when done.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Oil
2 Eggs
1 C.  Mashed Bananas
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt

Mix oil and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just moistened. Pour into a greased and floured large bread pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Missy Thompson

Fudgy Homemade Brownies

4 Eggs
2 C. Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 C. Melted Butter
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Cocoa

Cream eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter. Add salt, flour and cocoa. Bake in a 9x13 greased pan at 350 for 18-20 minutes.Do not over bake.  Frost right away for a yummy, gooey glazed frosting!

Frosting
2 C. Powder Sugar
1/4 C. Cocoa
1/4 C. Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
Beat butter, powder sugar, cocoa and vanills. Add tiny bits of Milk until you have a good frosting consistency.Spread over warm brownies. Let set until cooled. These are to die for!!

Missy Thompson