Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour (or sub whole wheat flour)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup Milk

Directions:

1. Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium low heat.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix quick cooking oats, flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cream of tartar.
   
3. In a small bowl, beat together vegetable oil and eggs. Pour into the oats mixture, alternating with milk, and mix thoroughly, creating a batter.
   
4. Pour batter, 1/8 cup at a time (or 1/4 if you like large pancakes), onto the prepared griddle. Cook on both sides until golden brown, flipping when the surface begins to bubble.

Freezing Corn from the Cob

What to do with 3 bags corn on the cobs? If you are like our family... there is no way you are going to finish that corn before it goes bad! So, why not save it for later? We don't like canned corn as much as we like frozen corn, so here are the directions for freezing corn.

1st Boil the corn in a large pot (make sure the corn is completely submerged), for 10 minutes.

2nd cool the corn is a large ice water bath for 10 minutes. (You want the corn completely cooled.)
3rd With a sharp knife, cut the corn off the cob.
4th Break all the corn pieces apart. This next part is optional but it keeps from having all the corn freeze together in a large corn ice cube. Lay all the kernels on a large cookie sheet in a thin layer. Put in the freezer (on the cookie sheet).

5th After the corn is completely frozen (or after you separate all the kernels if you choose not to pre-freeze), put corn into freezer bags. I prefer the kind that you can seal air tight because they keep things fresh longer.

And into the freezer it all goes!

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1/2 box Penne
1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
1 Bell Pepper, Cored, Sliced
2 Small Zucchini, Cut Into Strips, Halved
Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Yellow Onion, Peeled, Sliced
1/8 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
1/2 Tbs Dried Italian Herb
Mozzarella Cheese, Grated
Grilled Chicken or Prochuttio
1Tbs Butter

Directions:

PREHEAT the oven to 450°F.
TOSS peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.
BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
ADD the pasta and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander.
COMBINE the pasta with the vegetables, Marinara Sauce, cheese, and meat in a large bowl. Mix well, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and all the ingredients are combined.
POUR the pasta into a greased 7x11 inch pan. Top with butter pieces.
BAKE until top is golden and cheese melts, about 20 minutes.

Marinara Sauce made with fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups (about 3 large) peeled, chopped tomatoes {If you shock the tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds then in ice water) they will be must earier to peel}
1 can(6 oz.)no-salt-added tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tomatoes are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes; stir occasionally.

Cool 5 minutes.

Place cooled mixture in blender jar 1 or more cups at a time. Cover and blend at stir about 30 seconds after each addition. Blend at puree about 30 seconds. Return mixture to saucepan. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over pasta

Peanut Butter Frosting

This recipe was gifted to me from a friend... a really nice friend! It's a really good recipe!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup softened butter {3 sticks}
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 t vanilla
5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix the butter and peanut butter together well. Add remaining ingredients and mix.

Yields a LOT of yummy frosting (enough to fill 24 cupcakes and to fill and frost a 9" round cake.)

Thank you Jennifer for sharing this with me (and my closest million friends)

Canning: Cherry Pie Filling

Ingredients:

5 1/2 Cups Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
3/4 Cup Cornstarch or 1 1/4 Cup Ultra Gel

2 Tbs Lemon Juice
5 1/2 Cups Water
Pie Cherries to fill eleven pint jars (PITTED!)

Directions:

Boil together first five ingredients. If you are using the Ultra Gel, read the directions on the container. It should tell you to add it slowly and mix between. The Ultra Gel will thicken up like pudding, and if you don't add it slowly, it can lump and be a pain. Red food coloring can be added if desired. Pour over cherries, seal in jars, and process 20 - 25 minutes in water bath canner.

Canning: Hard Beans!

Put 1/2 cup beans/pint
Fill with hot water
Let them soak over night (or for at least 10 hours)

Rinse 3 times (I do this in my hand).

Add ½ tsp of salt per jar
Fill 1 inch from the top w/ boiling water

Pressure Cook for 75 min with 10 lbs of pressure

For Quarts, double the recipe, but the cook time and pressure are the same. You can use these directions for any hard bean.