Apple Crisp from Jessica Sargent

Filling
3 large apples, peeled, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 to 2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 c cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

Topping
1 pouch (1lb. 1.5oz) Betty Crocker Oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 c butter or margarine melted
1/2 c chopped pecans (optional)

1. Heat oven to 300. Spray bottom and sides of 8 inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish. In same bowl, stir cooking mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.
3. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 min. longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temp.

Makes 9 servings.

Corn and Squash Soup from Vanessa Powers

Disclaimer: Photo does not do justice. This stuff is amazing; 4 out of 4 cooking club members agree!

8 Servings

Ingredients

12 bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Chicken Broth6 cups mashed cooked butternut squash
2 cans (8-3/4 ounces each) cream-style corn
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Sour cream, optional

Directions

To mash the squash:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds using a spoon. (Discard seeds.) Brush the cut sides with some butter and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Place the squash in a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet and wrap pan well with aluminum foil. Cook until squash is fork tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and, using a large spoon, scoop the flesh from the skin and place squash in a heatproof mixing or serving bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the squash to the desired texture.

To make the Soup:

In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, saute onion and celery until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the half and half, squash, corn, cream, parsley, salt, pepper and bacon. Cook and stir until heated through. Garnish with sour cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1-1/4 cups) equals 381 calories, 26 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 53 mg cholesterol, 1,021 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 9 g protein.

And here is a handy print out, just click to enlarge and print!

Pumpkin Shortbread from Whitney Stephens

• FOR THE SHORTBREAD BASE:
• 1-¼ cup All-purpose Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar (heaping)
• ½ cups Softened Butter
• 1 dash Salt
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• _____
• FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING:
• 1-½ cup Pureed Pumpkin
• ½ cups Packed Light Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPINGS:
• ⅓ cups Chopped, Toasted Walnuts (or Any Other Nut)
• ⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ¼ cups Prepared Caramel Sauce

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 8×8 square dish with parchment paper or foil (if desired) and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for shortbread until moist. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.

In different large bowl, whisk together ingredients for pumpkin filling. Stir until smooth. Pour over shortbread and smooth the top. Sprinkle nuts and chocolate chips over top and press lightly into filling. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the entire dessert.

Bake 45 minutes-55 minutes or until pumpkin filling has set. Cool completely before removing. Cut into 12 equal squares and serve.

Recipe from http://www.laurenslatest.com/

Oh, and here is a nifty little print out, just click to enlarge and print it out for your records.

Meeting Recipes

Hi everyone! Rather than sending out emails all the time updating you all on the dishes that others are bringing I thought I'd just put it in this blog for you all to see and I'll update as people let me know what they're bringing. So far we have the following dishes being brought to our October 22 meeting:

Apple Crisp
Corn and Squash Soup
Hot spiced Cider and Harvest Beans
Pumpkin Shortbread



Also, if you are planning on bringing a friend please let me know so I can let our October host, Chrissy, know how many guests to expect. Just a reminder the meet up is on October 22nd at 11am and will be at Chrissy's house off base. I'll be sending the address via email a week prior to the meet up, if you want to come and you're not on the email list send me an email at whitney_sp@yahoo.com

Deli Wrap Appetizers From the Kitchen of Vanessa Powers

Deli Wrap Appetizers

 

3  Vegtable Garden Wraps

3 Tbsp. Chive & Onion 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese

12 slices of ham, turkry or chicken deli meat

2 leaves of lettuce

 

Spread tortillas with cream cheese; top with turkey, ham or chicken slices.

Next place lettuce on bottom halves of tortillas; roll up.

Then cut each into 4 slices.

Gooey Caramel Chocolate Chip Brownies From Jessica Sargent

Ingredients:

German chocolate cake mix

3/4 C of melted butter

1 Small can of evaporated milk

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bag of unwrapped caramels

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9X13 pan (glass works best). Mix in bowl german chocolate cake mix (only powder), 1/3 c of evaporated milk, and all of melted butter.  Spread about 1/2 to 1/3 of mix to form a crust in the bottom of 9X13 pan.  Bake for 6 minutes and remove from oven.  While crust is baking melt caramels and the rest of the evaporated milk in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  When you remove crust, sprinkle chocolate chips over it immediately.  Then pour caramel over chocolate chips but do not try to spread.  Last drop small bits of remaining batter over top.  The batter will be lumpy on top but will fill in while cooking.  Cook time varies from 25 to 35 minutes.  Brownies are done when they start to pull away from side and don't jiggle when shaken.

Chicken Enchiladas From the Kitchen of Stephanie Ray

• Soft flour tortillas
• can of refried beans
• Cheese (shredded)
• 28 oz Green Enchilada sauce
• Chicken
• taco seasoning packet

Boil chicken, shred it, then saute in taco seasonings. Pour half of enchilada sauce into the baking dish. Then layer refried beans, chicken, and cheese on tortillas. Roll the tortillas up, placing them in the baking dish as you go then top with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream or eat them just the way they are! Enjoy!