CRANBERRIES

Fresh cranberries are generally available in Virginia only in the fall. I try to buy a bag almost every time I go to the grocery store and just throw them in the freezer for use all year round.

CRANBERRY PEACH PIE

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 (21 oz) can peach fruit pie filling

Use prepared or make your own pie crusts.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine cranberries, sugar, and cornstarch.  Mix well.  Add pie filling and stir gently.  Pour into pie crust-lined pie plate.

Unfold second pie crust.  Using a cookie cutter, cut out two small shapes .  Place the two shapes next to the cut outs.  Seal top crust to the bottom crust.

Using a basting brush, "paint" the top crust with milk and then sprinkle sugar over it.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cover edge of pie crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

SOUP IN A PAN

3 (14.5) cans of chicken broth
ramen seasoning
2 pkgs ramen chicken soup
1/4 cup onion slivers
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 deli rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup peas, frozen
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves, chopped

Pour chicken broth in pan and bring to boil. Add dry seasoning, mix well.  Add ramen noodles, onion, and black pepper.  When noodles are tender, add chicken, mushrooms, peas, and spinach.  Heat through and serve.

MUFFINS (that taste like donuts)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk


TOPPING FOR MUFFINS:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin pans (spray with PAM or use paper liners.)  Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  In another bowl, combine thoroughly oil, sugar, egg, and milk.  Add to dry mixture and stir just to combine.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove muffins immediately while hot, dip in melted butter, then sugar and cinnamon that was previously combined.

CROCK POT MACARONI & CHEESE

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (i use sharp)
2 cups milk
1 can evaporated milk

spray crockpot with pam.  mix all ingredients in crockpot.  cook on low for 2 hours.

INSTANT CHOCOLATE CAKE

just for fun....

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine's cookbook: Great Easy Meals

Whisk 1/4 cup flour, 5 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa
powder, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons milk, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and
a dash of vanilla extract and salt in a large mug until smooth. Microwave
until puffed, about 2 minutes.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

1 lb shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth (2 cups)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn
1 T chopped cilantro

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chile peppers, and garlic into a slow cooker.  Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.  Stir in corn and cilantro.  Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

***I poach the chicken breasts in water for about 20 minutes and then shred them with two forks.

***Since everything is already cooked when you assemble this, it's more about letting the flavors meld than the cooking time so if you need to serve it early, you can as soon as it is heated through.  For this reason, it's also good the 2nd day.

TACO SOUP

1 lb hamburger
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing
2 cans of beans (kidney, great northern, black, whatever)
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of tomatoes (diced, petite diced, crushed, whatever)
1 onion, chopped
1 beer

Brown hamburger and drain. Stir in both packages of seasoning. Add beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, and beer. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn down to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

If you want this to be a soup-ier (technical cooking term) dish, add 1 cup of chicken broth.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

3 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
15 ounces of crushed tomatoes
6 ounce can of tomato paste
1 cup of chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup dry, red wine
1-2 cups of fresh, sliced mushrooms
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Layer ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

For a thicker sauce, mix 2 T of cornstarch with 3 T of water. Stir until smooth. Remove the chicken from the crockpot. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 15 more minutes.

MARYLAND CRAB SOUP

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
3 cups water
1 cup fresh lima beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup sliced carrots
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning TM
2 cups beef broth
1 pound blue crab crabmeat

Place whole tomatoes, water, lima beans, corn, sliced carrots, chopped onion, Old Bay seasoning, and beef broth, in a 4 quart pot. Heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.Stir crabmeat  into tomato and vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer. Serve hot.