Impossibly Easy Pumpkin Pie

This is one of the easiest pumpkin pies that you can make and bake. It even forms its own crust, so you don't have to do that either.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 c. sugar
3 Tbs. butter
3/4 c. Bisquick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9 -inch glass pie dish. 

Combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, butter, Bisquick, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and evaporated milk in a blender. If you don't have a blender, you can use one of those handheld immersion blenders. Mix at low speed for 3 minutes. Check to make sure everything is incorporated into the mixture. 

Pour into the glass pie pan.  Bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

May use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of the ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Savory Meatball Casserole with Chili Cheese Biscuits

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. pork sausage
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 c. water

Biscuits

1 1/3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening
1 egg
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. shredded American cheese
1 Tbs. dried parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°

Combine beef, sausage, bread crumbs, onion, chili powder and pepper with 1/3 cup evaporated milk.  Mix well.  Shape into meat balls.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook the meatballs until nicely browned. Turn the heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup and 1 cup evaporated milk until steaming, but do not boil.  Pour over meatballs. 

Prepare the biscuits. 

In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, chili powder and salt. Mix together. 

Cut in shortening until particles are fine.  

Combine egg and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg and milk mixture. Stir until the dough clings together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 10 times. 

Roll dough out to a 12 inch square. Sprinkle cheese and parsley over the top. Roll up like a jellyroll and then cut into 8 slices.  Place the biscuits on top of casserole.  

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are nicely brownedd.

Easy Baked Beans 

 Ingredients

1/2 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled (optional)
2 cans pork and beans
1 onion, chopped fine
1/3 c. ketchup
1/4 to 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 to 3 Tbs. molasses
1 Tbs. mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Hot pepper sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

 

In a medium saucepan, add the bacon, pork and beans, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. 

Place over low heat and continue to cook low and slow so the flavors have a chance to mingle and be absorbed by the beans. Remember to stir the beans to keep them from sticking on the bottom of the pot. 

 

Tips

If you don't want to cook the beans on top of the stove, you can also bake them. Preheat the oven to 

325°. Bake until thick and rich. 

 

Some of the ingredients are approximate because some people like their baked beans sweeter and some like the taste of molasses. Play around with the amounts to make it the way you like it best. 

Hamburger Pie

Ingredients

3 to 4 potatoes

3 Tbs. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. cubed cheese (sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or any cheese you prefer)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)

1 lb. ground beef

1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained

1 egg

1 onion, chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. ketchup
2 tsp. Worcestershire

1/2 to 1-tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°Fahrenheit.

 

Wash and peel potatoes. Fill a pot with cold water and add the potatoes. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. You may cover the pot if you like. Cook the potatoes until they are tender. If you want to, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, so they will cook faster. When the potatoes are done, drain off the water.  

Put the potatoes into a bowl and mash them. Add the milk, salt, cheese, and corn. Stir to combine. The cheese does not need to melt. It will do that in the oven.  

Cover the potatoes and set aside while you prepare the meat mixture.

 

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, mushrooms, egg, onion, garlic, bell pepper, bread crumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Don’t mix them too much or the meat mixture will be tough

Press the meat mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan, or baking dish. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the meat from the oven. Drain away the grease by tipping the pan, being careful to not have the meat fall out.  A handy tip is to place an empty pie pan or baking dish inside, so it rests on the meat. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit.

Fill the meat shell with the potato mixture. Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and cut into servings.  Serves about 6 people.

 

 Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins

These muffins not only taste great, they are super easy to make. They are perfect for lunching on during the day. Or, if you are short on time, they are wonderful as a grab and go breakfast.

Ingredients

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. applesauce
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. cloves
4 c. flour
1 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease the muffin cups pan. Or you can use the little papers in the muffin cups for easy clean up.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Mix in the vanilla and applesauce until thoroughly combined.

Stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, all spice, and cloves. Add the flour, stirring until combined.

Add the nuts.

Fill each muffin cup so it is three-fourths full. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar mix if desired. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack.

 

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 

Ingredients

4 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 c. flour
1 (4.5 oz.) pkg wild rice or 1 c. wild rice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
4 c. chicken broth or 4 tsp. chicken bouillon with 4 c. water
2 c. water
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 c. heavy cream (or use evaporated milk)

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. 

Stirring continuously, sprinkle the flour over the vegetables to evenly coat the vegetables. Cook for about 3 minutes as this takes away the flour taste. 

Add the wild rice.  Stirring continuously, gradually pour in the chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes. 

Add the chicken. Continue to simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender. This can take about 15 minutes more or less.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in the heavy cream and add the mushrooms. Heat until contents are warmed, but do not boil. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Easy Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

 Easy Chocolate Cake

Are you looking for a quick and easy chocolate cake recipe?  This one is a breeze to make and it stays moist.  My mother got the recipe from someone who lived next door to them when my dad was doing road construction. It is good with or without frosting. It is an old recipe and I copied it just as it was written on the piece of paper in my mother's recipe box. The frosting recipe is below.

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk, sour milk, or sour half and half
1/2 tsp. salt
2 rounding Tbs. lard or shortening
2 rounding Tbs. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. flour

Directions

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. 

Add the egg and vanilla.  Beat well.

Add butter milk, soda and dry ingredients.

Pour in a 9 x 12 inch cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool. Frost if desired.

Ingredients for Buttercream Frosting

1 c. softened butter
1/2 c. cocoa
5 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 to 4 Tbs. milk

Directions

In a large bowl, combine butter and cocoa together. Beat until smooth. 

Stir in vanilla. Add the powdered sugar.

Slowly add the milk, beating as you pour in the milk. continue beating until frosting reaches desired consistency.