Pesto Sauce

3 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons walnuts
1 dash salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Add the garlic to the blender and mince. Next, add the basil leaves, walnuts, a dash of salt and pepper, and the Parmesan cheese to the blender and mix.  Add olive oil and mix until all the ingredients are pureed.  This can be frozen in ice cube containers for later use.  1-2 cubes per serving depending on how strong you like your pesto.  This is really good with some angel hair pasta, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms, and chicken.

Overnight Wheat Rolls

I found this recipe here and it is great!  I can't believe how easy it was and the finished product is sooooo good!

1 and 1/2 cups room temperature water

1 and 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 and 1/2 cups wheat flour

1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for shaping

Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. An hour before ready to bake, take dough out of the refrigerator. Let rest for one hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a floured surface, pat dough into rectangle. Roll into cylinder. Cut into 9 rolls. Place in greased nine inch baking dish. Let rise, covered for twenty minutes. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops and bottoms are golden brown. Let rest for one minute and remove from pan.

Eggnog Cream Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup eggnog
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
cool whip

Mix the pudding mix, milk, eggnog, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and 2 big spoonfuls of cool whip in a bowl until smooth.  Pour into pie crust and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Top with cool whip and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup LIBBY's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in medium bowl.
Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended.  Beat pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract
until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to cool completely.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups Reeses Pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter with mixer on medium speed until creamy.  Beat in peanut butter, vanilla and egg.  Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Stir in candies.(I usually add 1 cup of candy to dough and reserve the rest to add on top so they look pretty!)

Carne Asada Burrito with Guacamole and Pico De Gallo

I found this recipe here and it is awesome!

Ingredients: Meat

2lbs. flap meat or tri tip

1 small onion ( small dice )

1/2 lemon ( just the juice )
1/4 cup cilantro

pepper to taste

Method:
Cut meat into about 1/4 inch cubes. Season with pepper ( the easy way to know how much pepper is to spread out the meat into one layer, like a big hamburger patty and season liberally). Add lemon
juice, cilantro and onion. Put meat mixture into a ziplock bag and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Ingredients: Pico De Gallo

2 tomatoes ( small dice )

1/2 onion ( small dice ) ( red or white is best )

1 small jalapeño pepper ( fine dice )

1/4 cup fresh cilantro ( small chop )

1/2 lemon ( just the juice )

1/3 teas. salt

1/4 teas. pepper

1/4 teas. garlic powder

1 pinch dry oregano

1 pinch chili powder

1 pinch cumin

Method:
Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
Note: The salt will begin to extract the liquid out of the vegetables which is exactly what you want, just be sure
to stir occasionally.
Another note: The heat in a jalepeno pepper comes from the membranes around the seeds so if you like it hot
don’t remove the seeds. Caution, do not touch your face or eyes after cutting your jalepeno, it can burn you.


Ingredients: Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

1/4 cup pico de gallo

1/4 teas. pepper

1/2 lemon ( just the juice )

Method:
Scoop avocado into large bowl.  Add salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Mash until you have the consistency of
chunky mashed potatoes. Stir in your pico de gallo and refrigerate.
Great tip for storing guacamole:
Put it in a clean bowl and flatten it to a smooth surface. Pour a thin layer of lemon juice or water over the top.
When you are ready to use it again, pour all of the liquid off of the top and give it a stir. You will be able to
keep the guacamole for at least 3 to 4 days.

Ingredients: Carne Asada Burritos

Carne Asada Meat

Pico De Gallo

Guacamole

Large flour tortillas

cooking oil ( I like olive oil for this )

Method:
Warm tortillas by microwaving them one at a time, or, heating on a griddle, or wrapping a few in foil and
heating them for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
On high heat add about a teaspoon of olive oil to a medium size skillet, wait for it to start smoking. Add about
1/4 to 1/3 pound of the carne asada meat. Sear the meat until browned on all sides. Pour onto a warm tortilla
just below the center of it and away from the sides ( you do not have to add olive oil between every batch,
only when the pan starts to dry out ). Add guacamole and pico de gallo. Fold sides of the tortilla in and roll it
up.
Note: It is better to batch cook the meat to get the desired sear.

Hot sauce

For a simple hot sauce you could try about a cup of your pico de gallo, add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, a 

little salt and an extra 1/2 jalapeño… run it all through a blender until liquefied and that should give you a nice 

little “fresh” hot sauce.

Dutch Apple Pie

This recipe is amazing!  The key is using tart apples, like granny smiths or pink ladies. Don't worry, the paper bag will not catch on fire, you will not open the oven to find flames.  You just get a perfectly cooked, delicious apple pie.

 For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. milk
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well and pat into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. (Don't roll the dough out.)

For the Apple Filling:
5-6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. almond extract
Combine all ingredients except the apples in a bowl.  Mix well, then toss the apples in the mixture.  Put the apple filling into the unbaked pie crust.

For the Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the four and sugar, mix until crumbly.  Cover the apple filling with the crumb topping.

Yes, you really do put the pie inside a brown paper bag.  Once the pie is inside, roll up the the top of the bag and close it together with either staples or large paper clips.  Place the bag on the lowest shelf in the oven.  Bake at 350 for 90 minutes.  Don't open the bag until the time is up and you have let it cool outside the oven for about 5 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  So good!