Chewy Granola Bars

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup margarine, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
3 cups oatmeal
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup chocolate chips

Blend the sugar, peanut butter, syrup and margarine. Add vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix until blended. Press into a 10x15 cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes at 350. Cool and cut into bars.

Often I don't have all the ingredients listed but this recipe is very flexible and you can just about put in anything you want.

Pizza Sauce

 Kind of homemade, kind of not.

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato soup (I like no name the best in this recipe)

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. basil

sprinkle of black pepper

Mix well and store in the fridge. Use whatever spices you like (oregano, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, etc.). It thickens quite a bit sitting in the fridge so if I want to use it when it's thick, I add a wee bit of water.

Stewed Tomatoes

8 tomatoes

1 medium onion

1/2 cup green pepper

1 small bay leaf

2 T. margarine

1/2 cup celery (optional - I usually leave this out)

3 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Chop the veggies and put everything in a slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours, then remove the bay leaf. I put this in pint jars and freeze them, then I use them in chili and other recipes that call for stewed tomatoes.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1/2 an onion, chopped

oil

1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I use Tony)

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 can diced tomatoes (540 ml)

2.5 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cream

400 g pasta (penne or rotini)

 

Cook the chicken and onion in the oil and spices. Once browned, add the tomatoes, broth and cream. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cover and simmer until the pasta is done, uncover for the last few minutes to thicken it up if needed.

Variation: This also works to leave out the chicken and just make it as pasta. Then I make chicken fingers on the side and serve them together, almost like a chicken parmesan idea.

Caramel Apple Jam

 6 cups chopped apples

1 cup water

1/2 tsp butter

1 box Certo crystals

3 cups sugar

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Cook the apples with the water and the butter in a large pot until quite soft and most of the water is boiled away. Add the Certo. When it comes back to a boil, add all the sugar and cinnamon. Stir well and boil for 1 minute while stirring, then take off the heat and pour into jars.

Makes about 6 tiny jars, or 3 pint jars. I keep it in the freezer.

Green Beans for the Freezer

1. Wash green beans, chop the ends off, and cut into pieces.

2. Steam the beans for 5 minutes in a steamer, about half a pail at a time, then spread onto a cookie sheet and freeze immediately.

3. When frozen, put them in ziploc bags. 

To cook them for a meal, I microwave them in a dish uncovered for about 2 minutes, then stir, then another 2 minutes. I also add a wee bit of salt. You could also boil them.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

 Fill slow cooker with chopped apples. Add:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Cook on low for 4 hours, then stir well until nice and mushy. Fill jars and put them in the freezer once they're cool.