PICANTE SALSA

1 tbl. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 fresh Ancho chile pepper, seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbl. garlic powder
3 tbl. Balsamic vinegar
3 tbl. lime juice
1 tbl. dried cilantro
1 tbl. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add
remaining ingredients except cilantro; stir then check for salt; add more
if desired. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat and add cilantro and stir. Chill salsa overnight
before using.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN STEW

Yield: 10 servings
2 lb Chicken breasts/skinless Boneless/ cut in 1″ cubes
2 c Fat-free chicken broth
3 c Potatoes; peel, cube
1 c Onion; chop
1 c Celery; sliced
1 c Carrots; sliced thin
1 ts Paprika
1/2 ts Pepper
1/2 ts Rubbed sage
1/2 ts Dried thyme
6 oz No-salt-added tomato paste
1/4 c Cold water
3 tb Cornstarch

In a slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients; cover and cook on
HIGH for 4 hours. Mix water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into
stew. Cook, covered, 30 minutes more or until the vegetables are
tender.

CROCKPOT CHILI I

2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic (I use the minced kind that comes in a jar)
1 lb. lean hamburger
2 Tbs. chili powder
cumin to taste (I leave this out)
2 cans (16 oz. ea.) tomatoes
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans kidney beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
optional: shredded cheese and/or sour cream for topping

Cook onions and garlic in 2 Tbs. oil till onions are yellow. Add hamburger and cook till browned. Stir in chili powder and optional cumin; cook 2 minutes more. Meanwhile, in crockpot, combine remaining ingredients. Stir in browned meat mixture. Cover and cook on Low setting for 8-10 hours. To serve: ladle chili into bowls. Top with optional shredded cheese and/or sour cream, if desired. Note: This can be made on top of the stove, too. Let it cook for 1 hour, but stir, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Peach Cobbler

1 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
1/3 cup milk (or enough to hold mixture together)
4 to 5 cups fresh sliced peaches
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter

For Topping:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut shortening into flour until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Add milk until mixture holds together.
Place mixture onto lightly floured surface. Pat with hand until it will fit on top of prepared fruit in a 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan.

For Fruit Mixture:
In a bowl, place pealed and sliced fresh peaches, add sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until flour and sugar are well blended with peaches. Place peach mixture in an ungreased 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan; dot top of peaches with the 4 tablespoons of butter. Cover the fruit with prepared topping.  Sprinkle topping with 2 tablespoons sugar and dot with the 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.

Christmas Wassail

A gallon of apple cider
20 cloves
12 sticks of cinnamon
10 party type mints
4 cups of pineapple juice
1 and 1/2 cups orange juice

Take a very big pot and pour the cider, pineapple juice, and orange juice.
Stir it good. Next put in the cloves and cinnamon. Simmer for 2 hours.
Serve warm

Christmas Pepper Relish

red peppers (sweet)
12 green peppers
6 large onions
1 1/2 pt. Vinegar
3 tbsp. salt
2 c. sugar

Grind peppers and onions as coarse as possible, pour boiling water to cover. Let stand 5 minutes. Let it drain a while. Dissolve salt and sugar in vinegar.
Boil all ingredients for 20 minutes. Place in sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 5 pints.

Pecan Puffs

1 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Additional white sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Soften butter to room temperature.
Cream butter, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and stir until combined. Mix in the chopped pecans. Roll into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 ? 20 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. Put some white sugar in a small bowl. While hot, roll each cookie in the sugar to coat, and set on a rack or plate to cool.

Divinity Candy

3 cups sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold water

Place sugar, syrup and water in pan over low heat, stir only until sugar is dissolved. Cook mixture until a little tried in cold water forms a soft ball (234°). Beat egg whites until stiff at No. 8 speed; continue beating and pour one?half the syrup slowly over the beaten egg whites. Continue beating while cooking the rest of the syrup until it forms a hard ball (280°) when tried in a cup of cold water and cracks when hit against side of the cup. Add this syrup gradually to the syrup and egg mixture you are beating. Add vanilla and continue beating at No. 9 speed until candy is thick enough to drop from a spoon. Place by spoonful on a buttered platter.

Makes 35?40 pieces.

Granny’s Chocolate Icing

1 stick margarine
4 T. cocoa
6 T. milk
1 box powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla 1 c. chopped pecans

About 5 minutes before cake is done, melt butter in medium sauce pan, add cocoa, vanilla, & milk. Mix well & bring to a boil. Add powdered sugar slowly, stirring constantly until whole box is used (if it seems too thick, add a little more milk slowly?don’t get to thin). Add pecans & stir until mixed. Pour over warm cake.

Granny’s Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 T. cocoa
2 sticks margarine
1 cup water
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda
1 t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix flour & sugar.
In a med sauce pan, melt margarine,
Then add water & cocoa; bring to a boil.
Pour this into flour & sugar mixture.
Stir in buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, soda, & cinnamon.
Pour this into a 9×13x1 pan.
Bake 20 minutes or until done in center.