Stuffed Pepper Cups

Cut off tops of 6 medium green peppers; remove seeds and membrane. Precook green pepper cups in boiling salted water about 5 min. Drain. Sprinkle inside of peppers with salt.
Cook 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 chopped onion. season with 1/2 tsp salt and dash pepper. Add 1 can tomatoes with juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup uncooked rice and 1 tsp worchestershire sauce. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 min.  Stir in 1 cup grated or cubed cheese.  Stand pepper cups in baking dish. Fill with meat mixture. Top with additional cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 to 25 min.

Tamale Pie

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes, cut smaller
1 can corn drained
1 can olives halved
1 clove garlic minced
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
dash pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
Topping:
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cold water
1 Tbsp butter

Cook meat, onion and green pepper until meat is brown and veggies are tender. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and topping.  Simmer about 20 min.  Meanwhile make topping. Stir salt and cornmeal into cold water.  Cook and stir constantly until it boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter.  Add cheese to meat mixture and stir to melt.  Pour into casserole and spread topping over meat.  Bake in 375 oven about 30 to 40 min.

Italian Meatballs

I'm trying to get rid of a lot of STUFF.  I have several cookbooks from which I use 1 or 2 recipes, and I can never remember which recipe is in which book, so I waste a lot of time looking for things.  I am posting them here so I can find them more easily and get rid of the books.

Italian Meatballs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup water

2 eggs

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Dash of pepper

Mix ingredients together in medium bowl.  With wet hands form mixture into small balls.  Place on cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or put in glass pan and microwave for 10 minutes. 

Note:  Use 5 lbs. of hamburger and proportionately add other ingredients and freeze in small bags.  

Stir Fry

Nicole asked for my Stir fry recipe.  It is more of a suggestion than a recipe, but I will try.  I usually use:
   carrots (either large sliced or julienned , or baby whole or cut in half)
   onion cut in large slices or chunks, regular, sweet or green onions all work
   green, red or any other color of pepper
   broccoli florets                                                            
   mushrooms sliced thick                                            
Use any other vegetables you want:                              
   zucchini or yellow squash or both                                        
   bean sprouts
   snow peas
   water chestnuts
Use any vegetables you like or any  leftover vegetables you have in the fridge. You can use as many or as few as you want.
Choose your meat:
   Thin sliced chicken breast or beef or pork
   or
   any leftover meat sliced, cubed or shredded

In a large skillet or wok heat a little oil and cook meat quickly if it is raw.  Remove from pan and add vegetables that need to cook the longest, carrots and onions. Then add about 1 cup of water or broth, and put a lid on and let it steam for a few minutes (maybe 5) until they are almost soft.  Then add mushroom, peppers and broccoli (all soft vegetables) and let cook about 3 more minutes or until they are as done as you like them.  Mix together 1 or 2 Tbsp Soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. corn starch.  Push vegetables to the edges and stir into liquid in pan.  Add more thickening or more liquid if necessary.  Add meat. Heat through and serve over rice.

Pineapple Pecan Cheeseball

For a lot of years we had the same cheeseball every holiday.  One year we decided to try something different and this is one of my favorites.  It should be made at least a day in advance so the flavors can blend.

2 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 C crushed pineapple drained
1/2 C chopped green pepper
1/2 C chopped green onion
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 C chopped pecans

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Stir in other ingredients. Serve with crackers.

Pumpkin Pancakes

We got together for breakfast for dinner and I had leftover pumpkin so I tried this recipe. Yum!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter and egg in a separate bowl. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and cook approximately 3 minutes per side.
5. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

This recipe came from Grandpa Piercy (GGRay's Dad). Although it is delicious it is not beautiful and I remember one of my brothers being very disappointed when Grandpa helped him make it for a cub scout cake decorating contest and they didn't win.

1 1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup quick oats

Pour water over oats and let stand 20 min.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

Cream oil and sugars, add eggs and oatmeal and mix well.

1 1/2 cup flour (add an extra 1/2 cup at high altitude)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together in separate bowl and then mix into other ingredients.

Add nuts or raisins if desired. I don't.

Pour into prepared 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 min.

Frost with coconut pecan frosting or cinnamon cream cheese frosting or

caramel frosting out of a can or whatever.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup sugar (white or brown or half of each)

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup butter (one cube)

3 eggs, beaten slightly

Combine in saucepan and cook stirring until boiling. Remove from heat and stir in:

1 1/3 cup coconut (or more)

1 cup chopped (not too fine) pecans (or more)

1 tsp vanilla

Let cool slightly and pour over cake. It makes a lot of frosting and we thought it would be really good on french toast, but it didn't last that long. It is also really good on a spoon or a finger.

This cake makes a more justifiable breakfast than chocolate cake. And a healthy option for a birthday cake.