Baked Spaghetti

1 lb hamburger

One medium onion

2 – 3 small cloves of garlic to taste

Fry up these ingredients.  Drain any fat. 

Mix browned meat with one jar of Ragu (Green Pepper and Mushroom)

Simmer

Make spaghetti, about one pound.

Mix sauce and spaghetti together, cover with 1-2 cups of mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 for 45 minutes until it is warmed through and cheese is melted.  

Jammin' Chicken

3 1/2 lbs. Chicken
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup fruit jam
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp salt

Place chicken in bag and mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken.
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
To serve: Thaw and bake at 350 for one hour.

Many different jams or preserves will work with this recipe. Blackberry, apricot, plum, or current are good places to start.

6 servings per recipe.
Per serving: 544 calories; 30g fat; 34g protein, 174mg cholesterol, 566mg sodium.

White Chili

White Chicken Chili

2 14oz cans chicken broth
3 16oz cans (or 1 lg 48oz jar) white beans, drained
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp. fresh minced garlic
1 4oz can chopped green chilies with liquid
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
Dash cayenne pepper
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are clear. (Saute chicken with onions and garlic if not using cooked chicken).
Add chilies.
Put mixture in large pot (Dutch Oven) with beans and broth.
Add cooked chicken and spices.
Heat to bubbly, about 10 minutes.
Simmer for a while (until thickens).

This recipe makes a pretty mild chili, it’s easy to kick it up by adding more cayenne pepper, but we usually supplement with hot sauce separately.
Also yummy to serve with cornbread.

Punky Crazy Bread (Pumpkin Craisin)

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 btsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

+ 1 cup craisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour three 7X3 inch loaf pans (or 6 minis)
In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, sugar, until blended.
In separate bowl blend rest of dry ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin until just blended. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake about 50 minutes. Insert toothpick, if comes out clean out clean, then done.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Squares

Ingredients for the Filling:

4 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg

Ingredients for the Batter:

1 c. canned solid-pack pumpkin

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 c. flour

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (optional)

Preheat your oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 pan. For the filling, whisk together cream cheese, sugar and egg until well blended; set aside. For the batter, combine the pumpkin, sugar, egg, and oil; mix well. Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Pour into prepared pan.

Drizzle cream cheese mixture over batter. Cut through batter with knife several times for marbled effect. Sprinkle with chocolate morsels, if desired. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool; cut into squares.

Yield: 18 squares

Approximately 150 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving.

SOURCE: Pampered Chef Stoneware Sensations.

Crock Pot Chili

Crockpot Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 lg onion

2 cloves garlic

1 lg can (15oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 can water

2 Tbs. chili powder

salt

pepper

1 can (16oz) chili beans

1 c. macaroni

Brown meat and drain. Combine all ingredients except last 2 in slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours. Add beans and pasta. Cook on high 20 minutes*.

*When preparing for freezer, undercook pasta (12-15 minutes) allow to cool completely and store in zip lock bags of freezer containers. To serve: defrost and heat in microwave or on stove top.

Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce

Serves 5
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
salt to taste
lots of freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS butter

Place the pumpkin puree (please note: not the same thing as pumpkin pie filling!), mustard, sage, chicken broth in a saucepan. Wisk to meld together.

Cover and heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. When you uncover, the sauce should pass the ‘drag’ test–if you drag a spatual across the pan, the area should not immediately refill with liquid.

With the heat still on low, add the Parmesan cheese, the butter and the cream.

Cook for 10 minutes over medium-low, stirring frequently, and let it thicken.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. I happen to like tons of black pepper in mine. I also recommend adding a solid amount of salt, since once the sauce coats the pasta, the levels of saltiness will need to carry the whole dish through.
Pour the sauce into cooked pasta . . .

Stolen from: www.jennaseverythingblog.com

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend. Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart. Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Freeze cookies in freezer bag.  Thaw individual cookies on counter when ready to eat.

Source:  Annie's Eats

Black Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients:
For the bean filling:
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup corn kernels
1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup salsa
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. lime juice

For the enchiladas:
3 cups black bean filling (above)
8-10 medium flour tortillas
shredded Mexican cheese (about 2 cups)
1 can enchilada sauce

Directions:
To make the black bean filling, place the black beans in a medium sized mixing bowl. Partially mash the beans. In a medium sized skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Mix beans, corn, tomato, salsa, cumin, and chili powder into the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat, mix in cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Stir until cheese is melted.

Grease a 9×13” baking dish or two 8x8" dishes. To make the enchiladas, spoon some of the black bean mixture down the center of a tortilla. Top with some cheese, fold sides over the filling and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour sauce over the tops of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and place in freezer bag.  Freeze.

To bake:  Thaw in fridge.  Remove from freezer bag.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes with foil on. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese and bake 2-3 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Source:  Annie's Eats

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
16 oz bag frozen corn
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1  Tbsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
2 cups nonfat milk
cooking spray

*Note: Recipe makes one 13 x 9 " baking dish, or two 8 x 8" baking dishes.

Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Put the rice, corn, cheese, chicken & onions in a large bowl & mix together.  Divide the rice mixture evenly between two 8 x 8" dishes.  Combine the sugar, salt, & chili powder.  Sprinkle half of chili powder mixture over each dish.  Sprinkle paprika on top.  Pour 1 cup of milk into each of two resealable freezer bags & seal.  Place one bag of milk on top of each baking dish.  Cover the dishes with plastic wrap & heavy duty aluminim foil.  Label, date & freeze for up to 3 months. 

To serve: 
Thaw in refrigerator.  Pour the milk into the baking dish.  Replace foil cover (discard plastic wrap) & bake, covered, for 90 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble.

Buttermillk Herb Chicken Breasts

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 T Dijon mustard
1/2 T honey
1/2 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Mix together buttermilk with mustard, honey & seasonings.  Place chicken breasts in a freezer bag.  Pour marinade over chicken breasts.  Squeeze air from bag & seal.  Label & freeze. 

To serve: 
Thaw completely & discard marinade.  Grill over medium heat until chicken is tender & juices run clear.  For a kid-friendly version, after grilling, cut chicken breasts into strips & serve with ranch dressing.

Pumpkin Fudge

2 cups sugar

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 (12 ounce) packages white chocolate chips

1 (7 ounce) jars marshmallow creme

1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients; heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Continue heating until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling until candy thermometer reaches soft-ball stage (234-243 degrees). Remove pan from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Add in remaining ingredients; stir to mix well. Pour into a buttered 13x9 inch baking pan; cool to room temperature. Cut into squares.  Flash freeze & place in a labeled ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible.