Taco Seasoning

4.5 tsp chili powder
0.5 tsp onion powder
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp paprika
0.25 tsp cumin
0.5 tsp garlic salt
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp dry minced onion

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

3 tbsp. salt
Water
2 c. fresh pumpkin seeds, washed

Place water, salt and pumpkin seeds into a bowl that has a cover. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or if you know you can't get to them the next day place in refridgerator for up to 5 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain seeds and spread thinly on a large baking sheet. Roast until seeds are dry, turning and stirring every 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Banana Bread/Muffins

2-3 ripe bananas
1 - 30 oz. can Pumpkin Pie Mix
4 large eggs

4 cups flour
1.5 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Mix bananas, pumpkin pie mix, and eggs well.
Add flour, sugar, and baking soda slowly to the wet ingredients until all is moistened.

Grease the pan or spray with cooking spray.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 30 minutes for muffins or 60 minutes for bread.

This recipe also works for just pumpkin bread omitting the bananas.
Or if you want just banana bread eliminate the pumpkin pie mix and either double the bananas or half all the other ingredients.

Mint Chocolate Chip Chocolate Muffins

2 cups unbleached flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
1.25 cups sugar
0.25 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

0.75 cups oil
1 cup Lactaid milk
1 cup Tofutti milk-free sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
0.75 tsp peppermint extract

1 bag of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Combine wet ingredients until smooth
Add to dry ingredients until moistened but slightly lumpy
Add chocolate chips

Spoon mixture into muffin tins (spray with cooking spray or use liners)

Bake 25-35 minutes

I typically get 24 muffins but I fill the cups of the pans so that they are almost full.

Enjoy

Honey Nut Granola

1.5 Cups of Old-Fashioned Oats
2.5 Cups of Quick Oats
1.5 Cups Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Coarsely Chopped Pecans
1 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
1/3 Cup Canola Oil
1 Cup Honey
1.5 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix Oats and Nuts in a large bowl.

Mix Oil, Honey, Vanilla, and Cinnamon in another bowl; add to dry ingredients, mixing well.


Spread mixture onto two parchment (I used non-stick Reynold's wrap) lined baking sheets.


Bake in oven for 10 minutes, remove and stir. Bake for another 7 minutes, remove and stir. (I did this last step 3 times).


Remove from oven and let cool completely before eating.

This is yummy on top of vanilla ice cream with a little Hershey's syrup. Reminded me of Chi-Chi's fried ice cream.

Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups Peanut Butter
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 & 2/3 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup melted butter (we use Earth Balance soy butter)

Mix peanut butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar and butter together; mixing well. (Sometimes it helps to warm the pb as well.)

Put mixture on a cookie sheet, placing wax paper over mixture and roll out with a rolling pin.

Spread chocolate frosting over top.

Place in freezer.

Remove just before you are ready to serve and cut into bars.


Another option is to form mixture into balls.

Melt dairyfree chocolate chips (we use Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips) and dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate coating well.

Place on a lined cookie sheet and allow chocolate covered peanut butter balls to cool in refrigerator.

Pull them out when ready to serve.

Baked Potato Salad

3 potatoes
1 1/3 teaspoons salt (divided)
2 tablespoons salad oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup carrot, shredded
Cheese, to taste (omit if lactose intolerant)


Put potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water and 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender, drain and cool. Peel potatoes and slice 1/4-inch thick, set aside.

Heat oil in a medium-size skillet, saute onion until soft. Stir in flour, mustard, celery seed and remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt. Gradually add 1/2 cup water and vinegar, cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.

Combine potatoes, green pepper and carrots in a bowl, add sauce, mixing well. Spoon half the mixture into a shallow 8x8-inch baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with remaining potato mixture and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 350 degree F. oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables are hot.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 cups celery, diced
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons onion, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise


Combine chicken, eggs, celery, almonds, salt, onion, and lemon juice in bowl; fold in mayonnaise.

Serve on your favorite type of bread or rolled in a leaf of yoir favorite lettuce.

Make-Ahead Egg Casserole

6 slices bread, cut in cubes
6 slices cooked, crumbled turkey bacon
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
6 eggs
3 cups milk Lactose free


1.Mix bread, turkey bacon, spinach, bell pepper, and onion; spread in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, treated with nonstick spray.

2.Whisk eggs and milk, and pour over top.

3.Cover dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

4.To prepare for serving, bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven until eggs are set.

Chicken Noodle Soup

64 oz of chicken broth or stock
up to 4 cups of water
1-2 lbs of chicken baked and seasoned to your liking
1 large bag of egg noodles
3-4 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium bunch of celery, sliced
1 tbsp onion salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Bake chicken to internal temp of 170 degrees. I season mine with black pepper and garlic salt.

Mix spices and liquid together in crock pot. Put on high while chicken is baking.


Saute celery and carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes (if you desire a speedier cooking time otherwise you can skip this step)

When chicken is finished baking cut it up into approximately 1 inch chunks; add to soup.



Add egg noodles to hot soup about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve soup.

Hamburger Soup Updated

1.5 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 tbsp. pepper
1/2 tbsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 medium onion chopped
3 cups Beef Stock
3 cups boiling water
12 oz. can tomato sauce
3-4 medium carrots sliced
3-4 medium stalks of celery sliced
Optional: 1 cup macaroni, cooked and drained; Parmesan Cheese

Brown beef and drain; crumble into crock pot. Add the spices and onion. Stir in beef stock, water, and tomato sauce. Add celery and carrots. Cover, and cook on LOW about 6 hours. If desired, stir in cooked macaroni, and cover and cook on high another 20 minutes until heated through. Serve, and if desired top with Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs - Updated

This is a recipe that I came up with based on some I had that were made by one of my good friend's mother.

I start with about 6lbs. of ground chuck. Mix in 3 cups of brown rice along with 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning, and 1 tsp each of onion salt, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. After mixing is done form into balls place on a lined (I usually use tin foil) cookie sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.


We usually do them in a tomato sauce. It works great for spaghetti, meatball subs, or just as the main dish.

For the sauce, combine 24 oz. of tomato paste, 32 oz. of chicken broth, 1 cup water, and one package of chili seasoning (not mild chili seasoning though because it contains milk) in a large crockpot. Start the sauce while the meatballs are cooking. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook on high for at least 2 hours. The longer they cook the better they are.



(Not the most photographic)


To recap the ingredients are as follows:
6 lb. ground chuck
3 cups brown rice
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

24 ounces of tomato paste
32 ounces of chicken broth
1 cup water
1 package of chili seasoning

Udate- I no longer use the chili seasoning packet for the sauce. I now make my own chili seasoning.

Chili Seasoning

4.5 tsp chili powder
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.5 tsp onion powder
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp cumin