Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and oil. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
4. To make cream cheese frosting: Cream together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled cake.

Maple Syrup

From: Grandma (Clarene Shantz)

2 1/2 C white sugar
1 C boiling water
1 pinch salt
1 C corn syrup
1/2 t maple flavoring
1/4 t vanilla

Mix boiling water and sugar. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add other ingredients.

Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 C Soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
1 cloved minced/crushed garlic
2 t ground ginger
1/2 t pepper

Mix. Marinade meat in sauce.

The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup

From: Paula Deen; makes 8-10 servings

1 (2 1/2-3lb) fryer, cut up
3.5 quarts water
1 onion, peeled
1 1/2-2 t italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 t lemon-pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
3 chicken bouillon cubes

Add all ingredients to a pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion. You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock left. When chicken is cool enough to touch , pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin and cartilage. Set chickend aside. For the step you need:

2 C sliced carrots
2 C sliced celery, with leafy parts
8oz egg noodles
3T fresh or 3t dry parsley
1/3 C grated parmesan cheese
3/4C heavy cream
1/3 C cooking sherry
salt and pepper to taste

Bring stock to a boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to package directions. When are done, add chicken, parsley, cheese, cream and sherry. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasonigs if needed by adding salt and pepper.

If you are watching calories, you may leave out the cheese and cream.

Cinnamon Buns

4 Eggs
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C Oil
1 t Salt
2 C Milk – Scalded
Yeast – 1/2 Cup warm water, 2 t sugar, 1 T yeast or 1 package of yeast.
8 Cups of Flour – or more if needed

ICING
4oz of cream cheese
1/3 cup butter
2 C icing sugar
1 t vanilla


First I scald the milk.  While that is cooling I put the 1/2 Cup of warm water in a 2 – 3 Cup glass bowl and mix in the 2 tsp. of sugar.  Then I sprinkle the yeast on top.  While that is rising I mix the 4 eggs, 1/2 Cup sugar, oil and salt in my Kitchen Aid mixer.  When the milk is cooled but still warm I add that the mixture.  When the yeast has risen (only takes about ten minutes) I add that and mix it up.  Then I add the Flour.  When it is all mixed I put it all into a large greased bowl.  Grease the top of the dough and put saran wrap on top.  Let it rise in a warm place.  When it is risen I cut it in half and roll each half – one at a time and spread butter and then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon.  Roll up and slice.  In the bottom of my pans I put melted butter, corn syrup and brown sugar to make it nice and gooey.  When they are all in the pans, let them rise again and then bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven.  These are time consuming but not difficult to make.  Make sure you have several hours to do them. Can be cooled, frozen, and reheated.

NOTES: I let the dough rise an hour and a half, and then once the buns were made I let them rise at least another hour. They got nice and big! Make sure to make them in a pan with high sides, so the filling doesn't bubble over.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles
1/2 C butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t salt
2 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C milk
4 C shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t ground black pepper
2 C ricotta cheese
2 C cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese for topping
  
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.   

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside. 

Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. 

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscana

 From: Chasity Tucker

Ingredients
1lb of ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 t crushed red peppers
1 large yellow onion
4 T bacon pieces
2 t garlic puree
10 C of water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 C of Heavy Cream
1lb of Russet potatoes or 3 large potatoes
1/4 of bunch of Kale

Steps
1. Saute Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, saute bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 min. or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour
5. add heavy cream and cook until throughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage
7. Add Kale just before serving.