Baked Beans

Here is a recipe for baked beans:

-  1 (28 ounce) can pork and beans

-  1/4 cup light brown sugar

-  1 tablespoon mustard

-  2 tablespoons ketchup

-  1 tablespoon maple syrup

-  1 tablespoon Worcester sauce

-  4 slices of bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Preheat oven o 350 degrees.

Mix pork and beans, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, maple syrup, and Worcester sauce together in a medium size casserole dish.  Place bacon pieces on top.  Cook in preheated oven for 1 hour.  Enjoy!

Macaroni Salad

Here is a recipe for macaroni salad:

-  2 cups elbow macaroni, coked and drained

-  2 tablespoons diced carrot

-  1/3 cup diced celery

-  1/4 cup diced red onion

-  3/4 cup mayonnaise

-  1 tablespoon mustard

-  2 tablespoons sour cream

-  1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

-  1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

-  1/2 teaspoon dill weed

-  salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, dill weed, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Add in cooked macaroni, carrot, celery, and onion.  Mix well.  Refrigerate to cool and serve.  Enjoy!

Simple Stuffing

Here is a recipe for stuffing 8 to 10 servings):

-  5 cups cubed bread

-  1/2 teaspoon dried sage

-  1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

-   salt and pepper to taste 

-  1/2 cup chopped celery

-  2 tablespoons chopped onion

-  2 tablespoons butter

-  1 egg (beatened)

-  3/4 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut bread into cubes, season with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage and set aside in a large mixing boil.  Cook celery and onion with butter in a skillet until soft.  Mix in beatened egg, chicken broth and celery/onion mixture into bread cubes until well coated.  Place into a 2 quart casserole dish and bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes or until bread is golden brown.  Enjoy!

Swiss Chard Pancakes

Here is a recipe for Swiss chard pancakes (makes approximately 8):

-  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

-  3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

-  1/4 teaspoon salt

-  1 tablespoon granulated sugar

-  1 egg

-  1 1/4 cup milk

-  3 tablespoons melted butter

-  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-  2 cups chopped Swiss Chard (stems removed)

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Mix in egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.  Fold in chopped Swiss Chard.  Heat skillet and spray with cooking spray so the pancakes won't stick.  Spoon/pour approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture into skillet and brown on both sides.  Repeat to make approximately 8 pancakes.  Serve as a side dish to any dinner.  Enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes

Here is a recipe for mashed potatoes (4 to 6 servings):

-  5 potatoes peeled and cut into cubes (leave some skin on)

-  3 tablespoons butter

-  1/4 cup milk

-  1 tablespoon dried oregano

-  1 table spoon garlic powder

-  1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

-  salt and pepper to taste

Place cubed potatoes in a medium saucepan filled with water and bring to a boil.  Let simmer until potatoes are tender (should be done when you stick a fork in them and they break apart).  Mask potatoes with butter and milk.  Mix in oregano, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.  Serve warm as a side dish.  Enjoy!

Easy Vanilla Pudding

Here is a recipe for easy vanilla pudding:

-  2 cups whole milk

-  1/2 cup granulated sugar

-  3 tablespoons corn starch

-  1/4 teaspoon salt

-  1 tablespoon butter

-  2 teaspoons pure vanilla (vanilla extract works too)

In a small saucepan, bring milk to a light boil over medium to high heat.  While milk is heating, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl.  Add dry ingredients once milk starts to bubble around the edge of the saucepan.  Whisk frequently, over a light boil until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.  Let cool and serve or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Stuffing

Here is a recipe for stuffing (makes approximately 12 to 14 servings):

-  1 cup butter

-  2 cups chopped onion

-  3 cups chopped celery

-  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

-  12 cups dry bread cubes (I used my own homemade bread)

-  1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

-  1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

-  1 teaspoon dried thyme

-  1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

-  1 1/2 teaspoon salt

-  1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (depends on your taste....I like pepper so I used 1 teaspoon)

-  3 cups chicken broth, or as needed

-  2 eggs, lightly beaten

Melt butter in saucepan/skillet over medium heat.  Cook onion, celery, and parsley, stirring so it doesn't burn, until tender.

Spoon celery, onion, and butter mixture over bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.  Add poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper.  Pour in chicken broth a little at a time to moisten the bread and seasoning.  Remember, you still have to add the eggs, so don't over moisten the bread cube mixture.  Then add eggs and mix well with a large spoon or spatula (you might need to use your hands at this point).  If bread cubes don't seem as moist as you like add more of the 3 cups of chicken broth, or if you already added all of it, add more.  Take the mixture and put it into a crock pot/slow cooker and cover.  Cook on high for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 to 8 hours.  You don't need to stir it once it is in the crock pot/slow cooker; however, you can if you would like.  It should be done when the top and/or sides start to brown.

This is a pretty moist stuffing, so if you like it more dry, cook for close to 8 hours.  Or cook the day before in the crock pot/slow cooker, store in the refrigerator overnight, and cook it in the oven (in a casserole dish) the next day to dry it up a bit.  It makes great leftovers as well!  Enjoy!

Turkey Gravy

Here is a recipe for turkey gravy (makes approximately 10 servings):

Roux:

-  4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

-  4 tablespoons turkey drippings

Gravy:

-  roux

-  4 cups turkey drippings

Place 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons turkey drippings in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir with a wooden spoon to make a roux.  Once flour and turkey drippings are combined and form a ball, add in 2 cups turkey drippings, and whisk.  Turn up heat to a light boil, whisking constantly, until roux is mixed in thoroughly.  The gravy should start to thicken.  Remove from heat and serve hot over mashed potatoes, a pot turkey, stuffing, biscuits, or whatever you choose.  Enjoy!

*If gravy becomes to thick, you can thin it by gradually adding in more turkey drippings, a little at a time, to get the appropriate consistency you desire.

Brown (Beef) Gravy

Here is a recipe for brown gravy (makes approximately 6 servings):

Roux:

-  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

-  2 tablespoons beef drippings

Gravy:

-  roux

-  2 cups beef drippings

Place 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons beef drippings in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir with a wooden spoon to make a roux.  Once flour and beef drippings are combined and form a ball, add in 2 cups beef drippings, and whisk.  Turn up heat to a light boil, whisking constantly, until roux is mixed in thoroughly.  The gravy should start to thicken.  Remove from heat and serve hot over mashed potatoes, a pot roast, biscuits, or whatever you choose.  Enjoy!

*If gravy becomes to thick, you can thin it by gradually adding in more beef drippings a little at a time, to get the appropriate consistency you desire.

Rosemary Carrots (in honey sauce)

Here is a recipe for rosemary carrots (in a honey sauce):

-  8 large carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1/4 inch slices

-  1/4 cup butter

-  1/4 cup water

-  1/3 cup honey

-  1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Place water, butter, and carrots into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and then let simmer for approximately 10 minutes.  Add in honey and fresh rosemary and simmer for approximately 5 minutes until carrots are tender.  Place into a small bowl and serve as a side dish.  This recipe is for approximately 4 servings, so double or even triple for larger parties.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

Here is a recipe for homemade cranberry sauce (makes about 6 to 8 servings):

-  1 cup orange juice (I used freshly squeezed)

-  3/4 cup granulated sugar

-  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) cranberries

-  1/8 teaspoon all spice

In a medium saucepan dissolve the sugar in the orange juice over medium heat.  Once the sugar is dissolved, add in cranberries, cover, and cook until the cranberries start to pop (approximately 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir in all spice.  Keep in the saucepan or place the sauce into a bowl to cool.  The cranberry sauce should start to thicken as it cools (approximately 20 minutes or so).  Serve or place in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  You can also freeze the sauce if you would like.  Enjoy!

*You can also purée the sauce, using a stick blender, after it has thickened and cooled (as shown below).

White Rice (with chicken and herb flavoring)

Here is a recipe for whit rice with chicken and herb flavors that you can find in your cabinet at home:

-  1 1/2 cups filtered water

-  1/2 cube chicken bouillon

-  1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

-  1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

-  1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, diced

-  2 teaspoons onion powder

-  3/4 cup jasmine rice

In a saucepan bring water, chicken bouillon, dried marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and onion powder to a boil.  Reduce heat and stir in white rice.  Simmer for about 15 minutes until most of the water mixture/broth is absorbed.  Serve preferably with some chicken and vegetables if you choose.  Enjoy!

Flour Tortillas

Here is a recipe for flour tortillas I got from allrecipes.com:

-  1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

-  1/4 teaspoon salt

-  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

-  1/4 cup vegetable shortening 

-  1/2 cup hot water

Mix all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) in a medium size bowl.  Cut in shortening (I used a large fork because I font have a pastry cutter).  Once shortening is cut into flour mixture and resembles small crumbs, make a well and pour in hot water.  Mix well, you will probably need to use your hands.  Set aside and cover for approximately 15 minutes.  Divide dough into 8 to 10 equal parts (depending on the size you want your tortillas).  Roll out eat one on a lightly floured surface.  Make into circles ( or close to) when rolling.  One at a time, brown each tortilla in a frying pan (turning once to brown each side).  Sore in the fridge or serve warm.  Enjoy!

Very good, easy to make, and very affordable!  Makes great tacos and/or burritos.

Mexican Rice

Here is a recipe for Mexican rice:

-  1 cup white rice

-  2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive)

-  2 cups chicken broth

-  1/4 jar or 1/3 cup tomato sauce

Place 2 tablespoons oil and 1 cup white rice in sauce pan and brown the rice.  Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add in tomato sauce.  Cook over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is light and fluffy and the tomato sauce and chicken broth are absorbed into the rice.  Serve warm.

This is really an easy recipe and doesn't aka long to make.  The family enjoys it with some tacos or burritos!