24-Hour Fruit Salad~by Kelsey

I got this recipe from Grandma Jessie.

Ingredients:
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 apple
3-4 bananas
1 can pineapple chunks
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 can fruit cocktail
2 cups mini-marshmallows
1/2 pint whipping cream

Mix cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Add all ingredients except the marshmallows and whipping cream.  Whip cream, fold in marshmallows.  Fold marshmallow/cream mixture into the fruit.  Let sit in the fridge overnight.

Killer Brownies ~ by Sarah

I found these brownies in my Pioneer Cookbook.  I decided to give them a try and I only have one thing to say: Where have you been all my life?!?

Seriously, you must make them.  I have two theories on how these got their name.  They are so incredibly delicious when people eat them they say, "Wow!  These are some killer brownies!"

-or-

People eat them, realize they contain 4 1/2 cubes of butter (yes, you read that right), and they say, "Wow!  These are some killer brownies!  I think I might be having a heart attack!  Please call 911!"

Regardless of their name's origin, they are insanely delicious.  I took them to school yesterday and had people hunting me down all day asking for the recipe.


Ingredients:
4 1/2 cubes butter, melted (I read that applesauce can be a successful alternative to butter when baking.  If you can't get past the butter, try half applesauce and half butter.)
1/2 t. salt
3 c. oatmeal
3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
3 c. packed brown sugar
1 (about 21-oz.) bottle butterscotch/caramel sauce (I have never found them together, so I always buy one jar of each and mix them.)
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl.  Spread half of the mixture evenly on the bottom of a 15x10 3/4-inch pan.  (Make sure it's at least 1/2-inch deep.)  Pat down.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Drizzle caramel sauce over the baked mixture.  Use rubber spatula to spread to within 1/2 inch of the edges.  Sprinkle chocolate chips on caramel sauce, then sprinkle remaining dry mix on top.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cut into squares when completely cool.

Tip: Because of the copious amounts of butter in these, I highly recommend that you keep these in the refrigerator.  If the room is at all warm they really start to get gooey and are hard to hold.  Still delicious, but messy!

Three Packets and a Roast ~ by Sarah

This is a Mary Hunt from Everyday Cheapskate recipe.  It is the best pot roast you'll ever make.  I guarantee it!

Ingredients:
1 beef roast (chuck, London broil, round...the cheaper the better--mine was only six bucks!)
Three packets of dry mix:
   brown gravy dry mix
   Italian dressing dry mix
   ranch dressing dry mix

Directions:
Place beef in the slow cooker.  Tear open the packets and pour them on the raw meat.  Add one cup of water.  Cover and cook on low 8 hours for a large roast or on high for 5 hours.  Check after a few hours to make sure it's not getting too done.  The gravy this creates is incredible and even the cheapest cut of meat will be so tender! 

Variations:

If you have a pork roast, substitute the brown gravy mix with pork gravy mix.  If you have a whole chicken, substitute it with chicken gravy.

Peach Crisp ~ by Sarah

Another Pioneer Cookbook recipe!  I could eat just the topping and be happy!

Ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. butter, melted
4 c. sliced fresh peaches
1 T. lemon juice

Directions:
Sift together flour, sugars, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  Blend in oatmeal.  Mix in melted butter using a fork until course crumbs are formed.  Place peaches in a 13x9-inch pan.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.  Cover peaches with crumb mixture; pat down.  Cover dish and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Uncover, then bake 30 more minutes.  Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Sky-High Biscuits ~ by Sarah

These came from my Pioneer Cookbook.  They are really good and I like how they have whole wheat flour in them.

Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
4 1/2 t. baking powder
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. cream of tarter
3/4 c. margarine
1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk

Directions:
Combine flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tarter.  Cut in margarine until crumbly.  Add egg and milk, stirring quickly and briefly.  Knead lightly on floured board.  Roll or pat gently to 1-inch thickness.  Cut into biscuits.  Bake at 450 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Caramel-Apple Streusel Pie ~ by Sarah

This recipe was in my latest issue of Ruralite Magazine. I hadn't seen any pie like it, so I wanted to give it a try. It was amazing!

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups sliced peeled ripe apples (about 6 regular-sized apples--I used Granny Smith)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pie crust--enough for top and bottom
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
18 caramels, unwrapped
5 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional--and I opted not to add them!)

DIRECTIONS:
*Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, mix apples and lemon juice. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the tapioca, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to apples; stir gently. Let stand 15 minutes. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Pour apple mixture into pastry-lined pie plate.
*In small bowl, mix oats, flour and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Cut second crust into wedges; arrange wedges in an alternate pattern across the mixture. (I wasn't exactly sure what they meant by this, so I did a lattice top...)
*Bake 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels and milk over low heat until caramels are melted. Stir until smooth; add pecans. Drizzle over pie. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 2 hours.

Vegetable Lasagna (With Meat) ~ by Sarah

It's lasagna--without the carbs! I got most of this recipe from my ground beef cookbook, but I changed it quite a bit to more closely resemble the regular lasagna I make. You can add or subtract vegetables as you wish. My kids don't usually eat spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms, and they ate them in this. They had no clue they were in there! It was really, really good!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 jar marinara sauce
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 zucchini or 2 zucchini and 2 yellow squashes, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
2 T flour
1 to 2 cups fresh spinach
2 T chopped fresh basil
16 oz. small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
shredded mozzarella cheese  (I used reduced-fat and it was fine)
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat.  Season as desired.  If you have Italian Seasoning, dump some in!  Drain.  Add marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, and mushrooms.  Mix well (I used the spatula to chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces) and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

 While the meat is simmering, grease a baking dish and layer the bottom with zucchini and yellow squash.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese with beaten eggs.  Add 1 tablespoon fresh basil.  Pour half of the mixture over the zucchini and squash and spread evenly.  Add a layer of half of the meat sauce, then another layer of zucchini and squash with 1 tablespoon flour.  Spread the second half of the cottage cheese mixture over that.  Sprinkle with as much spinach as desired.

Spread with the last of the meat mixture.  Add as much Parmesan and mozzarella cheese as desired.  Sprinkle with remaining basil.  Bake at 375 degrees about 40 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

As you can see, it's pretty watery due to all the vegetables.  The flour is to help that, but the more veggies you use, the watery it will be.  It didn't bother us, though!  This is nice because it doesn't require a side dish.  I baked some garlic bread, but that was it!  A meal in one!