Pasta Salsa

Pasta is very big in my house. So I am always trying to come up with news ideas for meals.
And this is what I came up with.
You can use any salsa. Either make a double batch of the fresh salsa recipe or just use some from the store.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
2-3 cups pasta of your choice
32 oz. salsa

In a large pan brown the ground meat, seasoning to taste. Drain, if desired.
To the meat in pan, add the salsa and heat to boiling. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is done. Since different shapes cook faster go by the directions for an idea of how long to cook.
Stir occasionally.
Once pasta is done, if the dish is not as thick as you'd like turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes longer.
Serves 4-6.
Very quick, simple, and tasty.
I hope you enjoy it.

Corn Bread

I love corn bread. I grew up on it. Many people just have it with ham and bean soup, but my mom made it just whenever.
So, in my opinion, no recipe blog would be complete without a good 'ol fashioned corn bread recipe.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a 8x8 or 9x9 square pan.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt( optional)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter
2 beaten eggs

Combine, flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, egg and oil all at once and stir til moistened.
Pour into baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until it is golden and tests done.
Cut into squares and serve warm.
Great also if you are going to make corn bread stuffing.

Cocoa Mints

If you are fond of chocolate and mint together, you are going to love these candies.
They are great to make with younger children. They will love using cookie cutters to cut them out and you don't use the stove or oven at all.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Aluminum foil will work too.
You will also need cookie cutters and a rolling pin.

Ingredients:

1 cup processed cocoa powder- Dutch cocoa is preferred but any kind is yummy.
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon creme de menthe or peppermint extract
1/2 cup water
2 pounds powdered sugar- you would need 7-1/2 cups

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and knead until well blended. If it is too thick, add some water, a 1/4 teaspoon at a time.
On a counter, place the dough and roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
Using cookie cutters, cut out and place on waxed paper. Chill for 1 hour til firm.
Store in an airtight container.

You will get 2-1/4 pounds of candy.

Pumpkin Bread

This recipe makes two 9x5 loaves or three 8x4 loaves.
This bread is nice and moist.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottoms of your loaf pans.
Don't grease the sides.

Ingredients:

2-2/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup shortening or cooking oil
16 oz pureed pumpkin- if you can just find a 15 oz. can that will work
2/3 cup water
4 eggs
3-1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup chopped nuts(optional)
2/3 cup raisins(optional)

Mix sugar and oil or shortening. Add the pumpkin, water, and eggs. To that mix in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves,and baking powder. Add your raisins and nuts if you are using.
Evenly pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when you check it.
Cool in the pans for 5 minutes and than remove to cool.

Fast and Easy Chocolate Fudge

This fudge is the easiest I have ever made. To make it even faster you can make it in the microwave.

Ingredients:

1 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped- 2-2/3 cups of semisweet chocolate chips will work perfect.

(1) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon chocolate or vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups chopped pecans- optional

Butter an 8" square pan.

In the top of a double boiler melt the chocolate and milk together, stirring until very smooth. Or add the chocolate and milk to a glass bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth.

Add to that the vanilla extract along with the pecans- if using.

Pour into the pan and cool until set.

Cut into bite size pieces.

Enjoy!

Snickers Salad

This is a really good dessert. Kids and adults alike love the stuff.

Ingredients:

(1) 3.8 oz. box instant vanilla pudding

1 c. milk

8 oz. Cool Whip

3 apples

3 Snickers regular size candy bars

Mix the pudding mix and the milk and blend in the Cool Whip.

Core and chop the apples. Chop the candy bars. Add both to the Cool Whip/pudding mixture.

There you have it. Very simple.

Store any leftovers in fridge.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Cookies

 This is a simple drop cookie that is big on cinnamon flavor. If you love cinnamon, you will love these cookies.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

You will need a couple cookie sheets.
 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 Tablespoon molasses
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and the molasses. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
Drop by teaspoon or a small size cookie scoop onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Take off cookie sheets immediately.
Cool cookies on a wire rack.
Enjoy!

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.