Apple Crumble- A fall favorite

3 large apples (Granny Smith, Champagne, Braeburn, Fuji & Pink Lady apples are all wonderful) peeled & chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

Crumble Ingredients:
1 pouch oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish.

In same large bowl, stir cookie mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Oatmeal carrot cake cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
1 pouch of oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup grated carrots
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg

Frosting Ingredients:
4oz (half of an 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie ingredients until stiff dough forms.

On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, the vanilla and powdered sugar with spoon until smooth. Spread frosting over cookies. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Nameless Dinner

*** Please remember I cook for a large family, so you may need to scale down some of my recipes ***

Again, this is another one of my made-up recipes and it's a favorite around my house. Quick, easy and very tasty. My stepsons do not like chile, but Martin LOVES this meal. It is now his favorite. It's a running joke around Casa de Chino: "Hey can you make that stuff without a name?"

Ingredients:
5 cups of small elbow macaroni
1 family size can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (do not use the generic stuff)
1-2 lbs of lean (93/7) ground beef
1/4 c. to 1 cup of chopped green chile (hot is so good)
Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink. In a large pot boil water and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Return the noodles to the pot adding the ground beef, green chile, can of cream of chicken soup and 1 can of milk. Cook over medium heat stirring occationally as not to burn on the bottom. The sauce will thicken. Serve with shredded cheese on top.

Manly Meatloaf

Another made-up recipe

Ingredients: 2 lbs of lean (93/7) ground beef

2 eggs

1 cup plain bread crumbs

salt & pepper to taste

Italian seasoning

Topping: 1 14 oz can of tomato sauce

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with your hands. Your meat should be firm to stiff. Form into a loaf and place on a cookie sheet that has been covered in tin foil & sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray such as Crisco or Pam. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Check the center for doneness, add minutes until no longer pink. Top with 1 can of tomato sauce and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Slice & serve with your favorite sides!

Ribs

These are the best ribs I have ever made! AND I made up the recipe. I received so many compliments, it was wonderful*

I purchased 3 racks of ribs (I have a LARGE family) from Sam's Club.

I covered them in a rub of corriander, sage, basil, paprika, kosher salt & cracked peppercorn.

I placed then in a non stick deep dish roasting pan and covered them tightly with tin foil. I baked them in the oven set at 200 degrees for 4 hours. Then they went on the grill for 45 minutes adding BBQ sauce only 20 minutes prior to serving. They were moist, tender & favorful. They create a hearty meal and fed everyone at my table and even those who stopped by for a visit.

Mondo's French Toast Breakfast

As a kid, I remember my Dad making us French toast for breakfast every Saturday (cartoon morning!). This was his way of doing it!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French bread (Albertson's carries the best- by far) it needs to be a day old or it will crush when you slice it.

3 eggs

1 cup of milk

Cinnamon

Slice the bread 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. Sprinkle both sides with cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and slowly add milk. The mixture should be creamy and on the yellow side. If it's too white, you added too much milk and your French toast will be soggy. Heat a non-stick skillet, pancake griddle, or flat cast iron pan over medium heat until warm. Dip the bread in your liquid, then place in the pan. Cook uncovered, turning once it no longer sticks until golden brown and no longer soft. Serve with berries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, real butter, syrup or plain. However you like them!

Dad would always serve this with warm sliced cinnamon apples.

Orange Beef Stir-fry

I'm not going to lie, I made this recipe up. It's the best!

Ingredients:

1-3 lbs boneless beef sirloin that has been sliced

2 heaping Tbsp of frozen orange juice concentrate

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1-2 tsp corn starch

1 orange peel for zest

2 cups steamed rice (white or brown)

3 green scallions

Optional: a veggie side & chow mein noodles for topping

Directions:

In a nonstick pan set on medium, heat 1 tsp of oil until hot. Stir fry the beef until no longer pink. In a separate bowl , stir the orange juice concentrate until gently thawed, add sugar stiring to taste, then adding the soy sauce & corn starch. Mix until smooth. Poor over beef and stir fry approx. 2 mins. Add your orange zest just prior to serving over the scallions & hot steamed rice. Delicious!

Grilled Pork Chops

My Dad used to make this pork chops on the grill. They hold a very special place in my heart. Bone-in pork chops are best. Grill on a coal or gas grill on each side until no longer pink. Prior to removing from the grill, baste with teriyaki sauce. Turn once. This is served with a baked potato with butter, sour cream & cheese. I thought it was funny that my pork chop looks like the USA. LOL.

Old Fashioned Fudge

This is my Grandmother's Recipe. My mom tells the story that Nana tried different recipes for fudge and she never quite found one she liked. One day she came across this old recipe in a magazine and it was the best fudge ever. Don't be fooled by immitations & don't spend your hard earned money on something you can make yourself for less than $5.00! This recipe will create an entire cookie sheet of fudge. This recipe dates back to 1950!

Ingredients:
2 sticks of margarine
18 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 lrg 14 oz can of evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (or nut of your choice)

Cut margarine into small pieces and place in a bowl with the chocolate chips.

Combine sugar, tartar and milk in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly for 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour over margarine and chips.

Pour into a buttered pan and let stand until it is room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until set upto overnight. Cut into 1x1 inch squares and wrap individually with tin foil so they don't dry out.

Enjoy!!!