Dinner in a Pumpkin

I love to make this in the Fall. It's easy, inexpensive, filling, and very, very good!

1 med pumpkin (or 2 small)

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbsp oil

1-2 lbs hamburger (depending on how much meat you like)

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. cooked rice ( To make: 3/4 uncooked rice-not instant-, with 1 1/2 c. water)

Optional:

1 small can mushrooms

8 oz. water chestnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Sauté onion & garlic in oil. Add hamburger and brown, draining the fat. Meanwhile, cook the rice and goop out the pumpkin, saving the top to use as a lid while baking. Try to get out all the strings! (I like to save the seeds to bake later.) Combine hamburger mixture, cooked rice, and all other ingredients. Add to the pumpkin, replace the top. Bake on foil-lined baking sheet for 1 hour or until pumpkin is tender. Serve right out of the pumpkin. Can serve with rolls/cornbread and green salad.

To make it fun, you can paint or use sharpies to draw a face on the pumpkin before baking!

~ Aubree Clark

PF Chang Lettuce Wrap Recipe

This recipe is soooo yummy and easy to make. It does require some prep time but it is so worth it!

16 Boston, bib lettuce
1 lb. ground chicken breast
1 lg onion, chopped
2 T. garlic, minced
1 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 T. rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 T. Asian chili pepper sauce
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped
1 bunch of green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil

Rinse lettuce leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to drain. Cook chicken in a large skillet or wok over medium heat stirring often to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chili sauce. Cook until meat is crumbled and brown. dd water chestnuts and green onions. Cook until onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer edge of platter. Spoon meat mixture in center. Allow diners to spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco. Asian chili pepper sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. You can use 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp. dried red chili flakes instead.

Recipe by Terry Pogue in the Lewistion City Cookbook.

Enjoy~Alison Lindhardt

Peanut Butter Pie

Okay, this has got to be one of the simplest desserts and for those peanut butter lovers!

PEANUT BUTTER PIE RECIPE

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
Graham cracker crust

Mix peanut butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Beat well until smooth. Add Cool Whip and continue to mix until smooth. Pour in crust and chill. If desired, top with Cool Whip or drizzle with chocolate!

Yummy Thai Lettuce Chicken Wraps

My brother made this recipe for us a few months ago and we've had it multiple times since. It is SO easy and SO, SO delicious. Enjoy!


2 Large chicken breasts (cut into small pieces)
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tsp. fish sauce
4 tsp. sugar
2 cups chopped veggies (broccoli, carrots, peppers, cauliflower, etc)

1 head of lettuce (iceburg is great)

PEANUT SAUCE
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky is good)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. minced garlic

Heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and chicken.While the chicken is cooking, mix together (in a pot) the salt, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved and the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce over the chicken. Add the veggies and cook for a few more minutes while you make the peanut sauce (heat all the ingredients in a pan). Once the sugar is dissolved you are finished!

Serve by placing a little of the chicken mixture onto a lettuce leaf and then add some peanut sauce. YUM!

Shelly Hurst

Chocolate Mint Brownies

BYU has a famous mint brownie that I have been trying to recreate for years. Even when BYU released the recipe, I still couldn't match it. Finally, I have found a recipe that's even better than BYU's. Yay! Several steps but definitely worth the work!

Best Ever Mint Chocolate Brownies

(From Family Fun Magazine)

Ingredients

• BROWNIES
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• MINT FROSTING
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring
• CHOCOLATE TOPPING
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350º and grease a 9-inch square baking pan. For the brownies, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1 minute more. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the chocolate and the vanilla extract. Finally, stir in the flour and salt until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pan, then bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the mint frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until it is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the peppermint extract and tint to the desired shade with green food coloring. Frost the cooled brownies, cover, and chill for 1 hour.

3. To make the chocolate topping, pour the chips into a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the brownies and smooth it with a knife. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the coating hardens.

4. Bring the brownies to room temperature, then cut into 16 to 32 pieces. Layer them on a piece of cellophane (place waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking), wrap up the brownie package, and tie with a red ribbon. Makes 16 to 32 brownies.

   
   

   Amy Ellis

   
   

   
   

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

This is one of our family's favorites--gotta love crockpots!

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda

2 tablespoons minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Throw everything in the crockpot on low 4-6 hours. You can thicken the sauce with a bit of cornstarch if you’d like. Serve over steamed rice with steamed veggies.

Amy Ellis

Italian Parmesan Chicken and Potato Bake

I'm into easy and inexpensive meals. This one is a favorite! Serve with your favorite steamed veggies or a salad. :-)

2-4 chicken breasts (if using more chicken, then just add a little more dressing and seasonings)

1-1/2 lb. potatoes (about 3), cut into thin wedges

1/4 cup Italian dressing

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

paprika

black pepper

PRE-HEAT oven to 400°F. Boil potato wedges until easily stabbed with a fork. In a skillet, brown chicken and sprinkle with paprika and black pepper to taste.

PLACE chicken and potatoes in 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with dressing; sprinkle with cheese and Italian seasoning. Cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min or until chicken is done (165ºF), removing foil after 15 min.

--Aubree Clark

Apple Berry Dip & Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

This is a really yummy snack!

Dip:

2 medium granny smith apples
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 kiwis
1 small orange
2 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS apple jelly

Mix apples, strawberries, and kiwi in a bowl (make sure they are all cut in small pieces). Zest the orange and add it to the bowl, then juice it (if you don't have a juicer, just cut the orange into small wedges and squeeze it in). Add the brown sugar and apple jelly. Mix it up and serve with delicious cinnamon tortilla chips!

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly coat the tortilla with one of the following - depending on how healthy you're feeling: Butter, pam, or water. Sprinkle - LIBERALLY - some cinnamon sugar mixture (really easy, just 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon - I always add more cinnamon though). Now cut your tortilla into wedges like a pizza, it's easy to use a pizza cutter for this. Place your wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet (if you use butter or pam on your tortillas you don't have to grease the pan, if you use water it's probably a good idea). I can usually fit 3 tortillas worth of wedges on a cookie sheet, they have to be very strategically arranged though! Bake 8-10 min. or until golden brown. Eat a few plain while they are still hot to make sure they are worth sharing - I always have to do that, then serve with yummy apple berry dip!

Jenny McFarland

Beef 'n' Biscuit Bake

This is a great quick recipe we found and tried it out for a couple friends, we had none left over. It is a really good meal all in one. I found it in the Taste of Home's Casserole Cookbook.

1 pound ground beef
1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn drained
1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
2 TBS dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cubed process cheese (Velveeta cheese)
1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2-3 TBS butter or margarine melted
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

~In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, corn. soup, milk, onion, chili powder, and salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted.

~Transfer to a greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 375 for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brush all sides of the biscuits with butter; roll in cornmeal. Place over hot meat mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes longer or until biscuits are lightly browned. Yield: 6-8 servings.


Heather Sorenson

Fiesta Casserole

3 cups shell macaroni
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (can also use garlic pwd. but I don't know what the measure is)

2 Tbsp. chile powder
1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt

1 can mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
3 cups sharp cheese (shredded)
1 cup water
1 can corn (drain off the water)

Cook and drain macaroni, set aside. In large skillet over medium heat cook hamburger, chopped onion, and garlic. Spoon off fat. (I usually cook the macaroni while I'm cooking the meat.)

Stir chile powder, worcestershire sauce, and salt into meat mixture. Cook 3 minutes.

Add mushroom soup, tomato soup, cheese, and water. Cook until bubbly.

Mix in noodles and corn. Pour into 2 casserole dishes (or whatever you can fit it in; this makes a lot of food). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


Hints, etc.

• This is fun to play around with on spices. My husband and I usually replace the salt with seasoning salt and add taco seasoning. If we want it more spicy we also add cayenne pepper or a minced serrano pepper.
• Doesn't have to be shell noodles. We use whatever we have on hand, i.e. elbow noodles instead of shell.
• We usually skip baking. Rather than waiting to add the noodles and corn; add them with the mushroom and tomato soup, water, and cheese. It's a little soupy and not as casseroley, but it is faster and as long as the cheese is melted, it still tastes good.
• I said this before, but this makes a ton of food. We usually cook the meat and spices in a skillet and then mix everything in our 5 qt pot.
• Finally, this does make a lot of food, but the leftovers are better than the firsts.

Enjoy! Sarah Wilcox