Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan

4-6 tbs butter (I used Brummel and Brown)
1 pound wheat spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
black pepper to taste

Cook pasta. Drain. Add butter and cheese. Serve immediately. This was so easy and filling.

Beef Stew

1 pound lean stew meat
5 red potatoes, peeled and cut (I didn't peel mine, though)
carrots (depending on how many you like)
1 bag frozen peas
water (to cover)
beef broth (we use low-sodium, of course)

Brown beef with garlic, pepper and onion (or, in my case, onion powder).

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cover with 1 cup beef broth and enough water to cover food. I added a little more garlic. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low 6-8. I added a tablespoon of corn starch mixed with a little cold water the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Jeff wanted me to make sure that I let you know this was a 10! More than a 10! If he could eat this every day he would.

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

This sounds so good and I am gonna have to try it!!

Cake
1box Betty Crocker® white angel food cake mix
1tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1cup cold water

Ginger-Cream Filling
1pint (2 cups) whipping cream
1/4cup powdered sugar
1tsp ground ginger

1.Move oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 350°F. In extra-large glass or metal bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.

2.Bake 37 to 47 minutes or until crust is dark golden brown and cracks are dry. Immediately turn pan upside down onto heatproof funnel or glass bottle. Let hang about 2 hours or until cake is completely cool. Loosen cake from side of pan with knife or long metal spatula. Turn cake upside down onto serving plate.

3.In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Fold in ginger. Cut cake horizontally in half to make 2 even layers. Spread half of the filling on bottom layer; replace top of cake. Spread remaining filling on top of cake. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 47 to 52 minutes(you utah ppl)

Good For You Cornbread

Jeff and I have both been given strict instruction to lower our cholesterol. UGH! We went out Wednesday night and bought this little ditty.

This book is great and has some pretty good recipes. Maybe lowering my cholesterol won't be so bland.

Now on to the cornbread I made today:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup 1% fat free buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup tub margarine (trans-fat free)

1 tsp vegetable oil (to grease the pan)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and egg. Beat lightly. Slowly add buttermilk and egg mixture to dry ingredients. Add margarine and mix for 1 minute. Bake for 20-25 minutes in an 8x8 greased baking dish. Cool.

We had this with chili in the crock pot. I might post that recipe after dinner, if it is any good.

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake

I made 3 of these this past weekend, one for the school carnival, one for home and one for work. It was so good. The 3rd one I made I left off the icing and just sprinkled powdered sugar and it was just as good. Also, left out the streusel step, we liked it better without it. Let's just say....all the cakes are gone already. And.....it makes your house smell wonderful.

A surprise filling of brown sugar streusel makes this pumpkin-flavored cake a special treat. Save a bit of icing for drizzling over each serving of this wonderful cake!

STREUSEL:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground allspice2 teaspoons butter

COMBINE brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly.

CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

4 large eggs

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 container (8 oz.) sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

TO ASSEMBLE: SPOON half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle Streusel over batter, not allowing Streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with Glaze.

GLAZE:
COMBINE 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice or milk in small bowl; stir until smooth.

Estimated Times: Preparation - 12 minutes; Cooking - 55 minutes.
Yields 12 to 16 servings.

Twix Squares

Crust:

2 cup flour
3/8 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter +3 tsp butter


Crumble ingredients well. Pack into ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


Caramel:

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 cup sweetened condensed milk


Combine ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes stirring constantly to prevent burning. Take off heat. Stir slowly until it shows signs of thickening. Pour over bottom layer. Cool.


Chocolate:


2 cups milk chocolate chips


Melt chocolate according to package instructions. Pour over caramel layer. Let set for bit.

Meat Loaf

2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup medium saltine cracker crumbs
2 beaten eggs
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onions (optional)
1 1/2 tsp salt
brown sugar to taste

Combine ingredients (only one can tomato sauce) and shape into loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours (line pan or spray it). While cooking, mix together 2nd can tomato sauce & brown sugar to taste. Pour over loaf and cook the last 15 minutes.