Applesauce

10 lrg cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced or cut into chunks
1/2 C water
1 t cinnamon
1/2 to 1 C sugar

Put all ingredients into crock pot. Should be about 3/4 full. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (3 to 4 hours on high)

Taco Soup

From: Pauline Beange

1 1/2lb ground beef
1/2 C onion, chopped
1 cn (28oz) tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 cn kidney beans with juice
2 C frozen corn
1 C tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 C water
salt & pepper to taste
grated cheese & nacho chips for serving

Brown beef and drain. Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese. If using whole tomatoes, can whir them in a blender to disguise:-) Simmer 15-30 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with grated cheese and serve with nacho chips and salad.

NOTE: Different kinds of beans can be used (black turtle, navy, pinto), and ground turkey can be used.

Coffee Cake

From: Marg Amos

3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs

1 cup sour cream
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts; chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoon brown sugar

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream. Add flour, baking powder and soda to creamed mixture and beat at low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat.

Combine nuts, cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Spoon half the batter into a greased and floured 9" tube or bundt pan, or 9x9. Sprinkle half the nut mix over the batter. Top with remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining nut
mix. Cut through batter several times with a knife to distribute the nut mix. Bake in a 350 oven for 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in top comes out clean.

While cake bakes, combine orange juice and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Brush top and sides of cake with orange-sugar mix. Cool. Completely.

To freeze: Place cake on stiff cardboard cut to fit. Wrap, label and freeze. Maximum recommended freezer storage is 5 months.

To serve: Defrost at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.

NOTE: The cake is still really nice without the orange juice topping.

Lemongrass Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-3T canola oil, divided
4 green onions, trimmed and cut into large pieces on diagonal
4 baby or shanghai Bok Choy, trimmed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3C finely chopped lemongrass
1t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
1t ground turmeric
3T Asian fish sauce
3T honey
1/2C low sodium chicken stock or broth
1/2 - 1 t curry paste (or red pepper flakes)

Defrost chick breasts. Pat breasts dry with paper towel and cut crosswise into thin strips. In a large heavy skillet heat 1T of canola oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, rapidly sear the chicken strips on both sides until they are nicely browned and only partially cooked, about 1 minute per side. In the same skillet add canola oil and sauté green onions until they start to brown and are crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Remove onions to plate with chicken. Add a bit more oil and rapidly sauté Bok Choy until leaves are wilted, about 1 minute. Remove to plate with chicken. In same skillet , add remaining oil and sauté garlic and lemongrass for 1-2 minutes. Add spices and stir for 1 minute. Add fish sauce, honey chicken stock and curry paste, and stir to blend.

Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce the sauce, about 1 minute. Add chicken, vegetables, and any accumulated juices to the skillet and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened – about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with rice.

Pina Colada Shake

1 ½ C pineapple juice
1/3 C coconut milk
5 ½ oz vanilla ice cream
5 oz frozen pineapple chunks

Pour the pineapple juice and coconut milk into a food processor. Add the ice cream and blend until smooth.

Add the pineapple chunks and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into scooped out coconut shells, or tall glasses and decorate with grated coconut to serve.

Homemade Lemonade

2/3 C water
6 T sugar
1 t grated lemon zest
½ C lemon juice
6 ice cubes
Sparkling water

Put the water, sugar, and lemon zest into a small pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, stirring for 5 min.

Remove from the heat and let to room temp. Stir in the lemon juice then transfer to a pitcher and cover. Chill in fridge at least 2 hours.

When the lemon mixture has almost finished chilling, take two glasses and fill with ice.

Remove lemon mixture from the fridge, pour it over ice and top up with sparkling water. The ratio should be one part lemon mixture to three parts sparkling water. Stir well to mix. Decorate with lemon wedges to serve.

Orange & Lime Iced Tea

Servings: 2

1 ¼ C water
2 tea bags
scant ½ C orange juice
4 T lime juice
1-2 T brown sugar
8 ice cubes

Pour the water into a pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the tea bags and let stand for 5 min to infuse. Remove the tea bags and let the tea cool to room temp. (about 30 min). Transfer to pitcher, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.

When tea has chilled, pour in the orange juice and lime juice. Add sugar to taste.

Serve with wedges or lime, orange, or lemon.