Bourbon or Rum Pecan Pie ~ by D'Lynn

Ingredients: 
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon or rum
1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, eggs, pecans, and bourbon (I used Capt Morgan's Rum), and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell (I used premade, frozen, Marie Callendar's) and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. Place a guard over the pastry edges, or use foil to prevent them from overcooking. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes, uncover the pastry edges and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Congo Bars ~ by Sarah

Aunt Janet made these for a family reunion last weekend and they were amazing!  Kind of like a chocolate chip cookie, but in a bar form.  She used chocolate chips and mint green chips, but I couldn't find any, so I used butterscotch with the chocolate.  Still delicious!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c. flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2/3 c. butter-flavored Crisco, melted

2 1/3 c. brown sugar

3 eggs

1/2 bag chocolate chips

1/2 bag peanut butter, butterscotch, or mint chips

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.  Set aside.  In large bowl, cream melted Crisco and brown sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add in chips and stir gently.  Bake in a 9x13-inch pan at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool completely before cutting.

Tips: These will dry out quickly, so don't make them too far in advance and don't cut them until it's time to serve them.  Also, watch them carefully as they bake--you don't want them overdone!

Mom's Meatloaf ~ by Sarah

Wes and I had a hankering for meatloaf, so I called Mom and she gave me the rundown on how she makes her delicious version.  Very easy and very delicious!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1 c. oatmeal
5 or so butter crackers, crumbled
1 can cream of mushroom soup
a few dashes of Worcester sauce
a long squirt of ketchup
salt, pepper, seasoned salt, garlic salt
1 packet dry onion soup
barbecue sauce

Directions:
Combine all of the above ingredients except the barbecue sauce and mix well.  Pat into a 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish.  Top with barbecue sauce in a pretty design.  (The barbecue sauce was my idea.  Mom tops hers with ketchup, but Granddad tops his with barbecue sauce and I like that topping better!)  Bake at 350 degrees for a good hour.  Delish!

Parmesan Zucchini Crisps~by Kelsey

My new addiction.

Ingredients:
a couple zucchinis or yellow squash
about 1/3 cup bread crumbs
about 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
a little olive oil

Slice the zucchini/squash.  I make them pretty thin so they will cook quickly.  Put them in a bowl with a little olive oil to coat them.  Mix the bread crumbs and cheese.  Mix in to squash.  Line a cookie sheet with foil for easy clean-up.  Line the squash up on the sheet.  Sprinkle whatever crumbs are left in the bowl on top of the squash.  Bake at 350 degrees until cooked as desired.  You can also broil them if you cut them thin enough, or bake first, then end with a little broiling.

Cooked Corn~by Kelsey

Easy, different, and good.

Ingredients:
Bag of frozen corn (around 14-16 oz)
2 tablespoons of butter
Parmesan Cheese (around 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Add the frozen corn.  Stir and cook for about 6-7 minutes.  Add the seasonings.  Mix.  Add the cheese, stir to melt a little.  Serve warm.

Roasted Veggie Sticks ~ by Sarah

This is a Pinterest recipe and Wes and I are addicted!  I wish the kids loved them as much as we do, but it doesn't stop me from making them.  I eat these sticks like candy!  I'm copying and pasting the recipe exactly as the Pinterest person wrote it.  But I always use seasoning salt, freshly cracked pepper, sea salt, and smoked paprika.  Don't be stingy with the seasonings!  They absorb!

Ingredients:
carrots (not peeled)
**zucchini

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Cut your veggies into 3-inch sticks, making sure they are even in thickness.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper (I don't do this) and a light layer of olive oil.
4. SEASON – go with the usual salt and pepper and branch out to one or two of the following (Choose Your Own Adventure-style): paprika, cumin, cayenne, crushed red peppers, thyme, rosemary, sage – really, whatever takes your fancy and suits your meal. Using premixed spice blends is a great option too – Italian, Mexican, Old Bay – you know, just not all at once. Lightly toss your vegetable batons with a tablespoon or so of olive oil (not too much) and the herbs and spices.
5. Spread your seasoned veggies over your lined tray and roast, tossing halfway through, for about 20 minutes or until golden and slightly browned at the edges.

**She mentions that any veggies will work with this method...

Make sure you let them cook until they start to caramelize.  You will not be disappointed!

Pulled Pork~by Kelsey

I found this recipe in a magazine.  It really tenderizes the meat fast, I cooked a couple-pound pork loin that was still frozen for about 5-6 hours on a combination of low and high and it was almost over-tenderized.

2 pound pork tenderloin (or really any cut would work)
12 oz root beer

All you do is put the meat in there, and then dump in the root beer.  After it cooked, I took the meat out of the root beer and I shredded it and mixed in bbq sauce and served it on hoagies or hamburger buns with coleslaw.  An easy way to feed a crowd!