Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 c. sugar
1 cup+ of pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
*Cream shortening & sugar together.
*Add 1 cup pumpkin & 1 tsp vanilla.
*Mix dry ingredients together: flour, soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon (can add a pinch of clove, nutmeg & ginger if desired).
*Combine with wet ingredients and mix well.
*Bake at 350F or 200C for 8-10 minutes.
*Cool on wire rack completely and frost with cream cheese frosting. (Can sprinkle/decorate if desired)

***Personal Notes:  This is my childhood neighbor Robin’s recipe. My sisters and I always crossed our fingers during the fall season in hopes that she’d bring some over!

Submitted by: Annie Lehmann

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients:
1 container Fat Free Cream Cheese (can substitute regular or onion chive)

1/2 Tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning (McCormick) or 2 garlic cloves finely diced & 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 to 2 tsp. cumin
1 to 1 1/2 cups Smoked Salmon - broken with fingers into small pieces. Make sure to look for any small ones that might be hiding within and discard!
1 bell pepper - any color - chopped into small pieces
1 small red onion - chopped small
1 Tablespoon - chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion - optional

Directions:
*Mix all ingredients together & chill in refrigerator until ready to serve
*Serve with crackers (is also fabulous as a sandwich spread!)

Submitted by: Annie Berdahl Lehmann

Tammy’s Monster Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (mom substitutes smart balance or uses part yogurt)
1 cup sugar (or substitute Splenda)
2 cups brown sugar
6 eggs
3 cups natural peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs vanilla
9 cups oatmeal (whole are better than quick)
1 bag choc. chips
1 bag M&M’s
1 bag butterscotch chips
1 - 2 cups coconut (optional)

Directions:
*Heat oven to 350 F (or 200 C)
*Cream butter with sugars.
*Mix peanut butter, vanilla, eggs into sugar mixture
*Mix in baking soda and oatmeal
*Add in choc. chips, butterscotch chips and M&M’s
*Make cookies big or small, flatten a little on a cookie sheet.
*Bake for approx. 10 min (don’t over cook)
*Remove from oven and let set for a minute or two before removing from pan.

*Makes 6 to 12 doz. depending on the size of your cookies


Submitted by:Annie Berdahl


*Personal Notes: My little sister makes these with her summer camp kidos (1st-6th graders) every summer and they LOVE this recipe. They make all of it themselves minus putting them in the oven.

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 to 2 French bread loaves torn into pieces
1 quart milk scalded (heat milk until bubbles form on the edges of the pot
1 cup light cream
4 eggs - beaten
1 cup sugar (I use brown...but use what you have)....I usually use less than a cup maybe around 3/4th
1 to 2 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup dark raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract.....or a dash of dark rum if you don't have the extract....or both if you want ;-)

Directions:
*Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
*Spray your baking dish (around a 2 quart)
*Combine bread, scalded milk & cream in a large bowl & stir until well blended.
*In another bowl mix the eggs and sugar together (with the vanilla or rum) & then stir them into the bread mixture.
*Add the cinnamon & nutmeg.
*Mix well & then stir in the raisins
*Put the mixture in a baking dish & bake for about an hour...until a tester (toothpick/cake tester) comes out clean. If it seems too moist leave it a little longer. (I often times take a piece of aluminum foil - spray it with a little pam and lightly cover the bread pudding for the 2nd half of the cooking time with it (so the top doesn't burn)

Serve with bourbon sauce

Bourbon Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter cut into sm. pieces
1 lg egg
1 cup sugar (I use brown)
1/4 cup bourbon

Directions:
Mix together your sugar & egg in a sauce pan. Stir to combine & gently heat (on a low setting) until the sugar is dissolved and the egg is cooked. Remove from the heat & stir in the bourbon. Cover and put in the refrigerator if your not using it right away. (I usually make mine the day before just b/c it saves time... then I just slowly warm it back up in the microwave)
*I usually double this, since people seem to like it so much, but I wouldn't double the bourbon though ...it gets strong quick!
Submitted by:  Annie Berdahl

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 lb shredded chicken meat
1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can kidney beans drained (15.5)(can substitute a can of black beans)
1 can (15.5 oz) corn kernels drained
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups prepared salsa or green chile sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 Tb minced garlic (2 cloves)
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 oz. grated Pepper Jack Cheese
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Garnishes:
2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
sour cream
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/200 C.
*Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish and then scatter the crushed tortilla chips evenly on the bottom.
*Saute the onions lightly to bring out more flavor.(optional)
*Combine the chicken, beans, corn, tomato sauce, salsa, onions, bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.
*Place half the mixture on top of the crushed tortilla chips evenly in the baking dish.
*Combine the cheese and sprinkle half of the cheese over the mixture.
*Cover with the remainder of the chicken/bean/veggie mixture & sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
*Bake for 30 minutes.
*Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
*Serve with garnishes.

Submitted by Annie Berdahl

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
Dry:
2 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 C. Whole Oats
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash nutmeg/ginger/cloves (optional)
Wet:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs or 4 egg whites
Dash of vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt or applesauce
3 to 4 ripe/mashed bananas
1/2 to 1 cup skim/low fat milk or buttermilk

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350*F (200*C)
*Mix dry ingredients together
*In a separate bowl mix together wet ingredients
*Mix both sets of ingredients together just enough to combine. Do not beat.
*Fold in chopped nuts (walnuts are wonderful) &/or choc. chips (1/2 cup) if desired.
*Spray 3 bread loaf pans
*Bake in oven for 45min to 1 hr. Toothpick should come out clean when checking loaves.
*Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then cool completely on wire baking rack.
*Store lightly covered (towel on counter) or in refrigerator.
*Can also be frozen for up to 1 month. (If freezing, cool completely, wrap in foil and then place in airtight plastic bag in freezer)

Submitted by Annie Berdahl

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Roll Ingredients:
2 ounces rice vermicelli(noodles)
8 rice wrappers
8 lg cooked shrimp - peeled, deveined & cut in half lengthwise
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (Thai basil if you can find it)
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 leaves red leaf lettuce (or any lettuce you have) chopped
Directions:
**** Is a GOOD idea to do all of the prep before you start making the rolls. (chop everything before you start!)******
*Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil.
*Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 min, or until al dente, and drain.
*Set aside for use in a minute.
*Fill a large bowl with warm water.
*Dip one rice wrapper into the water for about 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat.  In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, a sprinkling of basil, cilantro, mint & lettuce, leaving about 2 inches on each side uncovered. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat until finished!!

Spicy Peanut Sauce Ingredients :
3/4 cup water
3 TBS Brown or Cane Sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 TBS thick soy sauce
1 1/2 TBS Rice Vinegar
Thickener: 2 tsp cornstarch + 1 TBS water
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or dried/fresh Thai peppers
4 TBS chopped roasted peanuts

Directions:
*Combine water and sugar in pan and cook over medium heat to make a syrup.
*Add in the rest of the ingredients & cook over simmer for around a minute. Thicken the mixture slowly with cornstarch. Remove from heat.
*Add in peanuts and peppers!!

Makes 8 rolls

Submitted by: Annie Berdahl