November 16: Pumpkin Bread

This is a wonderful recipe for pumpkin bread that comes from a fabulous cook in my church, Sherrie, and is in our church cookbook.

1/3 c oil

5 eggs

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 c flour

2 c sugar (reg or instant)

2 (3 oz) pkg vanilla pudding mix

1 c chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix oil, eggs, and pumpkin in mixing bowl Sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend well. Stir in pudding mix and nuts. (I often add ½ pkg of chocolate chips as well.) Bake for 1 hour. Makes two large loaves, or approximately 5 mini loaves.

November 15: Barbecue Ribs

From one of my many cookbooks "Celebrate the Seasons" comes this loved rib recipe. Its unique ingredient, peaches or apricots, adds so much to its yummy rich favor and tenderness.

2 jars (4 ½ ounces each) strained peaches or apricots (baby food or pureed canned or bottled)

2 tsp ginger

1/3 c catsup

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c vinegar

2 TB soy sauce

1/2 c brown sugar

Dash pepper, salt

4 pounds boneless spareribs

Boil ribs in water for about 20 minutes. This removes some of the fat and makes them extra tender. Mix fruit, catsup, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic; set aside. Rub ribs on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cooking the ribs can be done one of two ways.

1- Put them in the crock pot and pour sauce over them. Let them cook for about 6 hours.

2- Place ribs, meat side up, in a foil-lined shallow pan. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. Pour sauce over ribs. Continue baking at 350 for 1 ½ hours, basting with sauce frequently.

November 14: Sour Cream Banana Bars

Of all the recipes I have made and shared at parties and gatherings, this one is the most requested. These bars are so tasty and moist and delicious! This recipe is one I got from my church cookbook.

1 ½ c sugar

1 c sour cream

½ c butter, softened

2 eggs

1 ½ c mashed banana (about 3 large)

2 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ c chopped nuts, opt

Vanilla Glaze (following)

Heat oven to 375. Mix sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs in large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Beat in bananas and vanilla on low speed 30 seconds. Beat in flour, salt and baking soda on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Spread in greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake until light brown, 20-25 minutes; cool. Frost with Vanilla Glaze. Cut into bars.

Vanilla Glaze

2 c powdered sugar

¼ c butter, softened

1 ½ tsp vanilla

2 TB hot water

Stir in 1 to 2 tsp additional hot water until smooth and of desired consistency.

November 13: Crock Pot Chicken

Today is Sunday and I love to come home from church to a crock pot meal. This one has been a family favorite for many years. It came to us by way of the Boogert family. We were almost next door neighbors for about 15 years and many recipes exchanged over those years.

In a crock pot, place 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Combine:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 pkg. Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

1 pt. sour cream

Pour over chicken. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours until tender. Serve over rice or noodles.

November 12: German Pancakes/Buttermilk Syrup

It is a Saturday morning and often on a Saturday or Sunday morning we dine on German Pancakes. There are many names for this type of pancake but what it is is a egg, flour, and milk mixture that bakes and puffs up as it bakes. My recipe comes from one of my cookbooks "Company Best."

Pancake

6 TB butter

6 eggs

1 c milk

1 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 TB sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in 9 x 13 pan in the oven. This warms the up pan and melts the butter at the same time. Watch it carefully, it can burn. Wire whisk the eggs, milk, flour, salt and sugar together. Pour egg mixture over melted butter in 9 x 13 pan. Cook 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown and bubbly.

Serve immediately with suggested toppings.

Buttermilk syrup. This is the best syrup ever! You will want to eat it by the spoonfuls. This recipe comes from my church cookbook. I love church cookbooks!

Or fresh fruit with whipped cream.

Or regular maple syrup is great also.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 c buttermilk

1/2 c butter

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp vanilla

Bring sugar, buttermilk and butter to a boil over medium heat. Take off heat and add soda and vanilla. (When adding soda, it will double in size.)

November 11: Wendy's Like Chili

Happy Veteran's Day! I will post a recipe that reminds me of my dad, a veteran of the Korean War. He loved beans. Maybe he didn't love them, but he loved that they provided a hearty,economical meal for a family of 9. He was a barber and had Mondays off. Every Monday we would come home from school to a big pot of some kind of bean dinner. It was often chili. He never used a recipe and would just add things to taste. So I am posting one of my favorite chili recipes and it comes from my mother in law, Barbara. It gets this name because it tastes very much like the restaurant Wendy's chili.

2 lb ground beef

1 29 oz can tomato sauce

1 29 oz can kidney beans (with liquid)

1 c diced onions

1/4 c diced green chilies

1/4 c diced celery

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 TB cumin

3 TB chili powder

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

2 c water

Brown beef. Drain. Add all other ingredients. Simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally.

November 10: Taco Soup

It is starting to be soup season. Soups are generally easy to make, filling and a lower calorie meal. This recipe came from one of my church cookbooks. It was submitted by Bradley. There are many versions of taco soup out there. I love this one!

1 lb lean ground beef

1 can corn, undrained

1 biggest can tomato juice or V-8

1 can tomato soup

1 can kidney beans, undrained

1 can pinto beans, undrained

1 can black-eyed peas, undrained

or 1 can black beans, undrained

1 to 2 TB sugar

1 squirt ketchup

1/2 envelope taco seasoning

Cheddar cheese, grated

Fritos

Brown the beef in a large kettle. Add the next 10 ingredients; bring to a slow simmer. Place Fritos in the bottom of each bowl. Add soup. Top each bowl with grated cheese.