Susan Walker of Prim and Proper Folks

Ingredients
12 oz uncooked lean ground beef (7% fat)
1 med onion chopped
14 ½ oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style, unstrained
1 ¼ c canned tomato sauce
2 tbsp canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 c dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed or you can use black beans
½ c grated parmesan cheese
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat. Stir in untrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil.
Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes.
To serve, spoon into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Yields about 1 ¼ cups of chili and 1 1/3 tablespoons of topping per serving.

Blondie Spence of Vintage Primitives

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken, dark and/or white meat, 1/2-inch dice
Canola oil, to cook
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 onions, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled, 1/8-inch slices
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 large potatoes, washed, squared off, 1/2-inch dice (or 3 cups leftover cooked rice)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ginger powder
8 sprays Fire Roasted Garlic Juice (Garlic Valley Farms 800-424-7990)
1 tablespoon coarse ground fennel
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
1 quart chicken stock
In a bowl, mix together the flour and paprika and dredge the chicken in the flour. Shake off excess flour.
In a stock pot on high heat, coat with canola oil and brown the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and remove the chicken.
In the same pot, brown the onions, carrots and celery. Season.
Add the potatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, ginger, garlic, fennel, soy and stock. Bring to a simmer.

Blondie Spence of Vintage Primitives
Blondie says: This sounds harder than it is; it is a real keeper! I always keep one in the freezer!!
Ingredients
2 (3-pound) whole chickens
1 cup water
1 cup dry sherry
2 celery stalks
1 onion, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (6-ounce) packages long-grain and wild rice mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 (6-ounce) can French-fried onions, crushed
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation
Bring first 9 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Let chicken cool. Pour broth through a fine wire mesh strainer into an 8-cup liquid measuring cup; discard solids. Cook rice according to package directions, substituting 4 1/4 cups reserved chicken broth for water and omitting butter. (Add water to broth to equal 4 1/4 cups, if necessary.) Skin, bone, and coarsely chop or shred chicken.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add mushrooms and green onions, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, chicken, sour cream, and soup. Spoon mixture into 8 (2-cup) casserole dishes, 8 (5 1/2- x 3 1/2- x 2-inch) mini-loaf pans, 3 (8-inch or 9-inch) square baking dishes, or 1 (4-quart or 15- x 10-inch) casserole dish. Stir together crushed crackers and fried onions. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, paprika, and garlic powder. Sprinkle casserole evenly with cracker mixture. Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until bubbly.

To make ahead: Cover casseroles tightly with foil, and freeze unbaked up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake as directed. (Casserole may also be baked frozen. Plan to double the baking times.) To microwave one frozen, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Casserole must be in a microwave-safe dish. Cover dish with wax paper. Microwave at HIGH 15 to 16 minutes or until casserole is bubbly, giving dish a half-turn once. To microwave one thawed, unbaked 8-inch square casserole: Follow directions to microwave a frozen, unbaked casserole, reducing microwave time to 7 to 8 minutes.
Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

Hot Cross Buns are traditionally served on Good Friday (the Friday before Easter)and during the Lenten season, but they are good anytime. This recipe will make 2 1/2 dozen buns.

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup dried currents
1/2 cup raisins
----------
2 Tablespoons water
1 egg yolk
----------
1 recipe Icing (below)

Have the water and milk at 110-115 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the warm milk sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well after each addition. Stir in the dried fruit and enough flour to make a soft dough.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and turn over to grease the top. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Punch the dough down and shape into 30 balls. Place on greased baking sheets. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross (or X) on the top of each roll. Cover again and let rise until doubled (about 30 minutes). Beat the water and egg yolk together and brush over the rolls. Bake at 375-degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle icing over the top of each roll following the lines of the cut cross.
ICING: Combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 4 teaspoons milk or cream, a dash of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Adjust sugar and milk to make a mixture which flows easily.

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

You will need two mixing bowls.
One small
One large.
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combined the first five ingredients; stir in pecans.
Combined remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2- x 4 1/2- x 3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool on wire racks.

Sourdough for the Chuckwagon (or your oven)

Starter:
2 c. flour
1 T. yeast
2 c. warm water
3 T. sugar
Mix water, sugar, and yeast. Stir in the flour, but don't fuss over the lumps. Use ceramic or plastic containers without airtight lids. I use a ceramic flour canister with the rubber ring removed from the lid. Use only wooden or stainless steel utensils to work sourdough. Keep in a warm place for 3 to 4 days, then stir well. The day before using, add up to 2 cups water, 2 cups of flour, and 3 tablespoons of sugar for each cup of starter. Starter may be increased indefinitely. I keep 3 to 4 cups on hand in the refrigerator. Warm to room temperature before using.

To make the bread:
1 c. starter
1 c. milk
2 1/2 to 3 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2/3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
Mix the starter, milk, and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Let rise all day or overnight. Pour onto 1 cup of flour on your dough board. Mix sugar, soda, baking powder, and 1/2 cup of flour together. Then mix into dough with your hands. Knead until stickiness disappears. Lightly oil your dutch oven. Pinch off balls of dough and put them into oven. Let rise for 1/2 hour. Bake with 8 to 10 coals on the bottom and 14 to 18 coals on the top. Those that don't feel like sweatin' outdoors can bake for 25 to 40 minutes at 375.

Ingredients
6 large bananas, unpeeled, stems removed
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10.5 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
Directions
Preheat the grill for high heat.
Spray 4 sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap bananas, with cooking spray.

Slice the peel of the banana from stem to bottom, while slicing the banana inside lengthwise. The bananas can be cut into slices instead if you like, (while still in the peel) for easier handling later.
Carefully open the banana just wide enough to place the chocolate chips and marshmallows inside the peel with the banana. Stuff with as much of the chocolate chips and marshmallows as desired.
Wrap the bananas with the aluminum foil and place on the grill or directly in the coals of a fire. Leave in long enough to melt the chips and the marshmallows, about 5 minutes. Unwrap bananas, open the peels wide, and eat with a spoon.

Cool Cucumber Salad
submitted by Mandy of Fiddlestix Studios

Ingredients
3 cucumbers
1 onion, cut into very thin slices
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fat free sour cream
Directions
Peel cucumbers, but leave a little on for color and slice by hand as thin as possible. Dry slices with paper towels.
Place dried cucumber slices in a large bowl with onion slices. Generously season with salt and pepper. Toss well and let sit 10 minuets, drain any excess liquids.
Toss cucumbers and onions in with enough sour cream to coat. Refrigerate until well chilled. Stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Okra, Corn and Tomatoes

Ingredients
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen cut okra
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (20 ounce) package frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
Directions

Place bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir to release some of the juices, then add the onion and okra. Fry until tender and browned, stirring constantly. Be careful, as this tends to brown quickly.
Pour in the tomatoes, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Mix in the corn, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

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