Pumpkin Chili

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 (8 oz each) can tomato sauce
2 (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 oz can spicy V8
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, fritos -- for topping

Put all in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Serves 10

Monkey Bread

3/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 (12 oz each) pkgs refrigerated biscuit dough, cut into smaller pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a bundt pan.  Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a large plastic bag.  Place cut biscuits in bag in 10-15 pieces at a time and shake.  Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan.  Continue this process until all pieces have been used.  Sprinkle nuts among pieces as they are added.  If there is extra cinnamon sugar mix, pour over top of biscuit pieces.  In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar.  Boil for 1 minute.  Pour over the biscuits.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover with foil to keep top from getting too crispy.  Bake an additional 20 minutes.  Let bread cook in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto plate. 

Pineapple Bake

1 can (20 oz) chunk pineapples
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz sour cream
1/2 sleeve crushed ritz crackers (if you like crunch...I will omit if I make again)

Drain pineapples, saving 3 Tbsp juice.  Combine sugar and flour; add juice.  Add melted butter.  Stir in cheese, pineapples and sour cream.  Place in medium sized loaf pan.  Top with crackers (if you are using).  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until brown.

Minestrone Pasta Salad

3 cups uncooked small pasta shells
2/3 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
2 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

Cook pasta and drain.  Toss all together.  Serve warm or cold.  Flavor is best after being refrigerated at least 4-8 hours.

Cornbread

2 (8.5 oz each) packages of Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 box yellow cake mix
5 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350.  Stir corn muffin and cake mix together in a large bowl.  Add eggs, milk and oil.  Stir.  Transfer batter to a greased 13x9 dish.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves 10

Quick & Easy Brunch Eggs

3 cans stewed tomatoes, well drained
2 tsp dried basil
8 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 English muffins, split and toasted
1 Tbsp parsley

Combine tomatoes and basil in a 13x9 pan.  Form 8 wells in tomato mix.  Add a broken egg to each well.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until eggs are set.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 5 minutes longer.  Serve over muffin halves.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 8

Banana Cake

2 cups banana, mashed
2 tsp lemon juice
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/8 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 275.  Grease and flour a 13x9 pan.  In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with lemon juice; set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; set aside.  In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Then add in 2 tsp vanilla.  On low, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Stir in banana mixture.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Chopped nuts or peanut butter chips

Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until combined.  Don't over beat.  Sprinkle chopped nuts or peanut butter chips over top of frosting.

Turkey Pho (Cheater style)

 2 yellow onions, halved (if removing from broth later) or wedged (if leaving in)

2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp ginger paste or 4 inch piece of fresh unpeeled ginger

96 oz chicken stock

1/3 cup fish sauce, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 pound dried rice vermicelli

12 oz mung bean sprouts

1 small bunch Thai basil sprigs (important to use Thai basil, fresh only!)

3 jalapenos, stemmed and thinly sliced

3 limes, quartered

2 pounds shredded cooked turkey

salt, to taste

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves (fresh only!)

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

Broil onions, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes or until charred.  If you are using fresh ginger, char this with the onions and when cooled, sliced into 1/2 inch coins.  In a large pot, combine onions, ginger paste or sliced fresh ginger, chicken stock, fish sauce, Chinese five spice powder, and brown sugar.  If you like it a little spicy, add one of the jalapenos to the broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.  In the meantime, cook rice noodles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  If you used fresh ginger, remove from broth.  If desired, remove onions also.  Add shredded turkey and return it to a simmer.  Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce and/or salt, as desired.  Divide the rice noodles, cilantro and scallions evenly among bowls, then ladle hot stock and turkey over the top.  Top with mung bean sprouts, sprigs of Thai basil, jalapeno slices and lime. 

For leftovers, keep noodles and broth in separate containers.

Serves 6-8

Veggie Soup with Parmesan Toast

EVOO
1 pound new potatoes, quartered
1 red onion, diced
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
6 oz baby spinach
1/2 loaf Italian bread, sliced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp refrigerated pesto

In a large pot, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium.  Add potatoes and onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the green beans and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more.  Off heat, stir in the spinach to wilt.  Meanwhile preheat the broiler.  Place the sliced Italian bread on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with the parmesan; season with pepper.  Broil on low until golden, about 3 minutes.  Stir pesto into soup.  Serve soup with parmesan toasts.

Serves 4

Sunrise Breakfast Casserole

24 oz breakfast sausage links
9 eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
30 oz frozen hash browns, thawed
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup sliced green onions

Arrange sausages on an ungreased shallow baking pan.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, turning links over halfway through cooking.  Place cooked sausage on plate covered in several layers of paper towels to soak up grease.  Allow sausages to cool slightly and then cut into 1/4 inch coins.  In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and seasonings.  Add sausage, hash browns, cheese, bell pepper and onions.  Pour into a greased 13x9 pan.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake uncovered at 350 for 65-75 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 16