Cinnamon Raisin Bread for the Bread Machine

1 cup water
2 tablespoons margarine
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 or 2 teaspoons cinnamon depending on taste (I used 2 tsp.)
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup raisins


Add all the ingredients in order given except the raisins. Add raisins in on the "add in" beep. Bake on "sweet bread" setting.

Slow Cooker Provencal Beef Stew

1 lb. boneless stewing beef
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb. sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 zucchini cut into 1" slices
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup sun dried tomato and oregano dressing (I used the epicure homemade sun dried tomato and herb dressing)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 1-2 tsp. dried basil)

Toss meat with flour in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except fresh basil (I added the dried basil at this point). Stir in basil before serving. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Cheesy Italian Sausage Bake

2 cups penne pasta uncooked
3/4 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed (I used mild Italian sausage)
2 cups halved zucchini slices
1 red pepper chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Brown sausage, stir to break up sausage. Drain fat. Stir in veggies and sauce. Cook 5-6 minutes until veggies are tender-crisp. Add cooked pasta and cheddar cheese. Mix well. Spoon into greased 9 x 13 pan and top with parmesan cheese. Bake 15- 20 minutes in 350 degree oven.

Carrot Sunflower Cookies

3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. quick oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. sunflower seeds, hulled
4 tbsp. milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Mix flour, oats, cinnamon, and soda; set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat: cook and stir vegetables and beef , until beef is brown.
Stir in basil and parsley. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Melt the remainder of butter and stir in flour. Add the milk, stirring until smooth.
Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping tablespoons ground flax (optional)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I omitted this and used extra pumpkin)
2 tablespoons vinegar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional, but we didn't need syrup or toppings with the chocolate chips added)


In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, flax seed, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 cup Nilla Wafer crumbs ( I used Oreo baking crumbs and omitted the cocoa)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup icing sugar (I used less)
1/4 cup margarine melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine and press into springform pan. Bake 8 min at 350 degrees.

3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used 1 pkg. no name brand & 2 pkg. Philly. The no name brand did not mix as well, leaving some white cream cheese chunks. These chunks tasted good and made it look like I used white and chocolate chips in the cake!)
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1 cup canned plain pumpkin
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

Increase oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl beat all ingredients for the cake except chocolate chips. Beat well to blend. Stir in chocolate chips, pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 250 degrees. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes more.

For best results in cooling all cheesecakes: leave in oven with oven off and door open for 15-30 minutes, then move to wire rack. With knife, loosen from side of pan.

Cool completely, remove pan ring. Refrigerate for 24 hours or freeze for best flavour and texture. You can eat it before 24 hours if you want, will taste good the next day too!

Carrot Casserole

4 cups chopped carrots
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup sour cream

Cook carrots till almost done. Melt butter, stir in other ingredients, heat through. Stir in carrots, put in buttered 2L casserole.

2 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Mix crumbs and cheese with melted butter. Sprinkle over carrots. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used unsweetened apple sauce)
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Makes about 4 dozen.