Maple Squash with Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Cranberries

 Maple Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries, and Bacon

1 small butternut, cubed (or 12-16oz precubed fresh or frozen)

1 lb Brussels Sprouts, stems trimmed and cut in half

5 slices bacon of choice, I recommend peppered bacon, cut up in pieces

1 C cranberries, if desired

3 cloves minced or 1 spoonful from the minced garlic jar

1/4 maple syrup

2 TBSP dijon mustard, whole grain. 1 TBSP if ground

3 TBSP olive oil

1 1/2 tsp smoke paprika

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

1/2 tsp salt, if you must

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix veggies + bacon, minus cranberries in large bowl
3. Mix garlic through pepper together, pour over veggies and stir
4. Spread out on baking pan lined with parchment paper
5. Put in oven with 15 min timer
6. Stir gently, add cranberries
7. Set timer for another 15 mins

Old Fashioned Fluffy Pancakes

 Old Fashioned Fluffy Pancakes

3 TBSP butter, melted

1 egg

1 1/4 C milk

1 TBSP white sugar

1 1/2 C all purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1. Melt butter.
2. Add egg; whisk until frothy.
3. Add 1/2 C of flour, whisk.
4. Start heating griddle.
5. Add milk; whisk.
6. Add flour and baking powder (salt if desired, I never do); whisk until combined.
7. Ladle 1/2 C sized pancakes, cook until golden brown.

Makes 6 medium pancakes

Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger Soup

3-4 frozen burger patties, thawed, cut into cubes
or 1lb ground beef1/2 white or yellow onion, sliced

1 large/2 small peeled potatoes, diced smallish

1 large/2 small peeled carrots, diced small
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
4-5 drops liquid smoke (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
1/4c heavy whipping cream or 1/2 milk + 2 tbsp corn starch n cold water slurry
1/2c shredded cheese of choice

1/2 brick cubed cream cheese (optional)
Minced garlic
Ground pepper

Fox Point from Penzey's works well in this one.

salt if you must

1. Brown ground beef and onions.
2. Add potatoes, tomatoes,chicken broth, garlic and pepper/spices
3. Bring to a light boil and simmer until potatoes are tender.*
4. Add the optional liquid smoke.
5. Stir in dairy and or corn starch slurry.
6. Add cheese and let sit a few minutes before stirring again.
7. Can sprinkle on extra cheese or bacon bits when serving.

If using instapot, do steps 1-2, set for 8 mins, release, then steps 4-6.

Beef and Noodles or Stroganoff

3-4 C beef broth

2 - 2.5lb beef roast (recommend cutting in half)

1 french onion soup base packet

1 small or medium diced onion

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Garlic, pepper, seasonings as desired. 

1+/- C sour cream (opt)

Place roast, 1 C broth, onion soup, onion, Worcestershire, and seasonings into slow cooker for 6+ hours or instapot for 50 mins. 

Once tender and can shred beef, shred and add 2 C broth plus bag of noodles. Can set to saute on instapot or high for slow cooker. Once noodles just tender, can add more broth if needed OR, add sour cream for stroganoff.

Creamed Eggs on Toast

 Creamed Eggs on Toast

4-6 servings    30-40 mins

1 doz hardboiled eggs; chopped

sliced sandwich bread; toasted

1 lb sausage links

1/4 C or 1/2 stick butter

1/4 C flour

2-3 Cups Milk

Cook sausage in large skillet. Once cooked, remove sausage, leaving drippings.

Turn heat to medium and add the butter; melting it and stirring up the little sausage bits in pan.

Turn heat down and add flour- stirring/whisking- it will get thick and scary; brown it a little.

Add 1/2 C milk and whisk until smooth; it will thicken again.

Keep adding milk in 1/2 C increments and whisking smooth

Once gravy is desired consistency (can be a TAD on the runny side, but still gravy); add the chopped, hard boiled eggs. Serve on buttered toast.

(can use bacon instead of sausage)

Root Beer Cookies

 Root Beer Cookies

6dz     375`    10-12 mins

Cookie Dough

1 C butter

2 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 C buttermilk

3/4 tsp root beer concentrate

4 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 t salt

optional 1-1/2 C chopped pecans

Frosting

3 1/2 C powdered sugar

3/4 C butter

3 TBSP water

1 1/4tsp root beer concentrate

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in buttermilk and root beer flavor. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to mixer. Optional- stir in nuts

Drop by TBSP 3" apart on parchment lined baking sheets- these spread. Bake 10-12 mins until lightly browned. Remove to cooling racks.

Combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth, fluffly, and spreading consistency.

Frost cooled cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

 4dz    375`     8mins + 2 mins

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 C butter

3/4 C creamy peanut butter

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 TSPB milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Additional sugar for rolling and Hershey's kisses, unwrapped

Cream butter and peanut butter together.  Add sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, vanilla and beat well. Combing dry ingredients and add gradually to mixing bowl until well blended.

Shape dough into 1" balls; roll in sugar and place on parchment paper lined baking sheets with space between. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven, press kisses onto middles and place back in oven for 1-2 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely before storing.