Sarrah P’s Pumpkin Bars

Talbot Family Donuts

Volga German Potato Donuts

1/2 c Butter, melted

3 c Milk, warmed to 120-130 degrees F

1/2 c Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

4 tsp Yeast (follow yeast directions)

6 c Flour (ish)

3/4 c Potato Flakes

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

Makes about 3 dozen?

Combine wet ingredients, add half the flour and the dry ingredients and mix. Allow it to rest for 10 min. Then add flour a bit at a time until it forms a dough. Will be a bit on the sticky side. Might need to add more than 6 c, that is just a starting point. Knead it a bit, then cover and let it rise until doubled.

Roll it out on floured surface to about 1/2” thick, as even as you can. Cut out donut shapes with a round cookie cutter or a cup and something smaller, or whatever you can find. You can make donut holes or just combine the holes with the scrap dough and roll out more donuts.

Let the donuts rise for 15-60 min while you are prepping the oil. You can fry in whatever, but I’ve found vegetable shortening to get the best texture. Fill a skillet with enough oil that they can float without touching the bottom and heat to 325-350 degrees. I use a digital thermometer to try and keep it close to that. Place the donuts in the oil carefully. Wait til the bottom side is golden brown then flip it over and cook the other side. I use the back of a wooden spoon to flip them.

Pull them out and onto paper towels. Immediately coat in granulated sugar, then let them cool for a couple min. You can try glaze or frosting or filling or anything. But the sugar is the easiest and that’s how they were done by my grandma. I’ll add a little cinnamon sometimes.

Brian Talbot says: Recipe is from my GG grandmother Metzler who was Volga German (Germans who moved to Russia during Catherine the Great’s rule) and immigrated to the US during the communist revolution post WWI.

Kelsie’s Fruit Dip

 Yummy Fruit Dip

Prep Time: 0 hr 0 min | Cook Time: 0 hr 0 min | Makes: 1 serving | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg cream cheese
• 1 medium jar mellow cream
• 1 md/lg tub cool whip
• 1 instant pudding mix (lemon is best or cheesecake)
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

Cream together cheese and mellow cream. mix in pudding and then milk. Fold in cool whip.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

A friend of mine recommended following Diane Morrisey on Instagram when I saw her making these pancakes for her family. They are amazing! I think you will all love them!

Carrot Cake Pancakes
2 cups flour (she does one cup all purpose and one cup whole wheat)
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (just add 1 tsp lemon juice per cup of milk and let it sit for a bit)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in wet ingredients, including carrots. Don't overmix. Let sit for 10 minutes, then cook on skillet.

Cream Cheese Syrup
4 oz. cream cheese
4 Tablespoons powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Best cream cheese until smooth. Add in other ingredients. Add more milk if you want it thinner.

Becky's Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Salad

This is one of my all-time favorite things that I will always associate with Becky! Kaela and I are usually trying to find the balance between eating the whole bowl and feeling sick!

1 cup crushed pretzels
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
3 cups diced strawberries
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups whipped cream
Mix together pretzels, pecans, brown sugar, and butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cool and crumble.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Before serving, stir all ingredients together.

Submitted by: Gina

Becky's Honey Corn Bread

Becky made this corn bread when we went up to visit and it is SO good! Figured I'd just post the recipe for her. ;)

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups whole milk

Stir cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add in the rest. Don't over-mix. Pout into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Submitted by: Gina

Val's Sugar Cookies and Icing

For cookies:
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover and chill dough for at least an hour (or overnight). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out and cut into shapes. Bake 6-8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.

For icing:
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 package (8oz) cream cheese
3/4 cup light corn syrup
Beat together and ice cookies.

Submitted by: Gina

Linnea's Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef (I do half and half)
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. beef bouillon
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook sausage/ground beef with onion and garlic. Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over hot spaghetti. May make ahead and freeze. Makes 6-8 servings.
Submitted by: Gina

Candy Syrup

Ok, technically this is called Buttermilk Syrup, but we call it candy syrup and it's the only kind of syrup that some of my kids will eat. It is so yummy!

Buttermilk Syrup

• Author: Our Best Bites

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Description

Your newest go-to sauce and syrup for…well, everything.

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SCALE 

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. buttermilk
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 stick real butter
• 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

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Instructions

1. Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE pot. Like one you’d make soup in. Yes, you’ll have way more pot than ingredients (and I’m not referring to the green leafy stuff), but this will boil all over your newly-cleaned stove if you put it in a smaller saucepan.
2. Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it’s still bubbling, you’re okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes. You’re basically making candy here and candy-making requires constant vigilance.
3. When it’s done, it should take on a golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. There will be foam on top. It tastes just as good, but it’s not super pretty. If you’re into aesthetics, you can skim it off; otherwise, just give it a good stir.

French bread

Made this for Nana’s birthday. After the first rise I punched it down ...shaped and scored it. After the 2nd rise I made a topping using 2T softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Yummy!
-Mandy

Mexican Chicken Chowder

From: Sharlyn

Cranberry Fluff

1 bag fresh cranberries, process through processor

2 c. Sugar

Refrigerate overnight.

Add:

20 oz. drained pineapple

16 oz. cool whip

-Mandy

This is a recipe from my mom, Karen Bair. We love to eat this at Thanksgiving.

Chicken Croquettes

-Mandy

Karen Bair’s recipe. Nana and I made this recipe with leftover turkey and excluded the sherry. We sprayed the tops with Pam and baked it in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. We turned them over half way.

 * for the sauce - use 1 cup broth and 1 cup milk & a very tiny squirt of mustard 

Tres Leches Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix

2 pkg. (4 oz. each) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Prepare cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package. Cool cake in pan 10 min; pierce with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

Melt 7 oz. chocolate as directed on package. Blend milks and sour cream in blender until smooth. Add melted chocolate; blend well. Pour over cake, re-piercing cake if necessary until milk mixture is absorbed. Refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, make curls from remaining chocolate.

Stir cocoa powder into COOL WHIP; spread onto cake. Top with chocolate curls. Keep refrigerated.

- Mandy

Angel Food Cake- GF

Ingredients

3/4 cup sifted gluten free flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cups superfine sugar

14 large egg whites (1 3/4 cups), room temperature

1 tablespoon warm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Fresh berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a fine sieve, sift together flour, cornstarch and 3/4 cup sugar four times into a small bowl. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together egg whites and warm water on medium speed until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and sprinkle in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff but not dry.

3. In six additions, sift dry ingredients over meringue, folding in quickly but gently. Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom. Run a knife through the batter to release air bubbles. Smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, 40 to 45 minutes. Invert pan on its legs and let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Carefully run a long offset spatula or knife around the inner and outer perimeter of the pan to loosen. Arrange cake on a plate bottom-side up. Use a serrated knife to slice cake. Serve with berries and whipped cream. Store cake at room temperature up to 2 days in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic.

-Mandy

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

Rub Ingredients for the Chicken

4 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Crockpot

1 cup chopped onion, approx 1 medium to large onion

4 to 5 carrots, scrubbed, no need to peel, chopped in halves or thirds

4 celery stalks, cut in thirds

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 whole lemon quartered

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs roasting or fryer chicken

Directions:

Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Prep the vegetables and place inside the slow cooker (I use a 7 quart oval one like this one.

Remove chicken from packaging and remove neck and pouch with organs. Discard or reserve for later use in another recipe. Rinse chicken with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Rub garlic all over outside of the chicken. Put garlic inside the chicken. Put the rub all over the outside and inside the chicken. Add quartered lemon to the inside of the chicken.

Place chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover slow cooker and cook chicken on low for 4-8 hours. (When I used a 4 lb chicken, it took about 6 hours. The time will depend on the size of the chicken and your slow cooker.) Cook until the internal temperature of the leg is at 160 degrees F or use a pop-up thermometer as the original recipe calls for.

Remove chicken and place in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes. Allow chicken to rest after removing it from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

-Mandy

Crockpot Bacon Pork Loin

INGREDIENTS 

3 pound pork loin, trimmed of excess fat

 1 tablespoon canola oil 

salt and pepper, to taste 

4 garlic cloves, minced 

⅓ cup light brown sugar 

8 slices thick cut bacon 

Rub the tablespoon of canola oil and add Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Add the garlic and brown sugar to the top of the pork. Wrap the pork with the bacon (I wrapped all the way around, if you want to drape them over the top you can as well.) Place carefully into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours. If you finish the cooking time and for some reason the bacon is not as crispy as you would like, remove the pork and put it on a baking sheet in the oven on broil for 2-3 minutes (keep the pork in the middle of the oven, not too close to the top).

-Mandy

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 T. Vegetable oil

1 pound chicken breast

1/2 c. Diced onion

Minced garlic

4 c. Chicken broth

1 c. Masa harina

3 c. Water

1 c. Red enchilada sauce

16 ounces velvetta 

1 t. Salt

1 t. Chili powder 

1/2 t. Cumin

Boil chicken and shred. Fry onion and garlic in oil until onions are translucent. Add ingredients to a pot. Add broth. Combine masa with 2 cups of the water. Whisk until blended. Add remaining water, enchilada sauce, cheese & spices. Simmer 30-40 minutes. Garnish with tortilla chips and fresh pico de gallo.

Pico: 2 medium diced tomatoes 

1/2 c. Diced onion

2 t. Fresh jalapeño 

2 t. Fresh cilantro

Pinch of salt

-Mandy

Tater tot Breakfast Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb hot breakfast sausage

• 1 (30-32oz) bag frozen tater tots
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat. In a large bowl, toss together tater tots, cooked sausage and cheeses. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and milk. Pour over tater tot mixture. Bake uncovered for 60 - 70 minutes, or until eggs are set.
*usually takes 2 hours to bake
- Emmy’s college recipe

Janet's "Best Bread Ever"

1 pkg. or 2 Tb dry yeast                        1/3 C oil

½ C lukewarm water                        2 eggs, slightly beaten

2/3 C honey                                    3 7/8 C hot water

2/3 C powdered milk                        2 Tb salt

12 C flour        

                           

Dissolve yeast in water. In a large bowl, blend honey with the hot water.  Add milk, oil, eggs, and yeast.  Stir in 6 cups flour and salt.  Knead in remaining flour.  Knead until elastic, 5 - 10 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.  Punch down.  Separate into 4 or 5 loaves.  Shape, place in greased 9 X 5 (4) or smaller (5) loaf pans and let rise until double.  Bake at 350  35 - 50 minutes or until sides are a very light brown.  Baste top with butter to give a soft crust.

Submitted by: Gina