Special Syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk (If no buttermilk - 1/2 cup milk to 1.5 tsp lemon juice(or vinegar))
1 cube butter
1 cup sugar

Combine above ingredients, bring to a boil.  Once boiled, remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda

Stir and serve.

Stephanie's Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Heat oven to 350
Bake 2 8x8 pans for 20-25 minutes

2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar

Mix

3 eggs

Mix

1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Mix

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 cups flour

Mix

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans

Mom's Funeral Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, grated
1/4 cup butter
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1 tsp. salt

Boil, grate potatoes.  In medium saucepan, combine the butter and cheese, stir until almost melted.  Remove from heat and blend in the sour cream, onions, and salt.  Pour sauce mix over potatoes, and stir until combined.  Pour into pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Jen's Chicken Chili

1 cup onion (you can mix 1/2 green onion and 1/2 regular onion)
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1 (16-oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or 1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup chicken stock
dash hot pepper sauce or cayenne pepper
4 chicken breasts, cooked
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.  Heat through and (if time) simmer 30-45 minutes to combine flavors.  This is good served over rice.  Top with cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, cottage cheese, or diced onions.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

from http://www.busyinbrooklyn.com/minestrone-soup/

Minestrone Soup
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
3 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1  russet potato, diced
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
6-8 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 box ditalini pasta, cooked according to package directions
Method:
Saute onion in olive oil until translucent and add garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Add celery, carrots and zucchini and continue to saute. Add tomato paste and stir into the vegetables, continuing to saute until the vegetables are well coated. Add potato, beans, tomatoes, basil, oregano, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes-1 hour, until all the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Stir in in baby spinach and cook until wilted. You may also add the pasta or serve individually in each bowl.*
*I prefer to add the pasta to each bowl as I’m serving the soup because I like my pasta to have a “bite” to it. Leaving it in the soup with make it extremely soft, and it will lose it’s texture.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Adrienne.  It is one of Brett's favorite cookies.

Oven:  375 degrees
Time:  8-10 minutes

1 1/2 cups soft shortening
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
6 cups oats (3 quick, 3 old-fashioned)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 bags chocolate chips

Mixn in large mixing bowl in given order.  Drop onto greased cookie sheet.

(If doubling the recipe, you will get close to 100 cookies.)

Mom's Stew

1 Tbsp. Shortening
1 lb. beef, cubed in 1 inch squares
1 large onion, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup water
4 small potatoes
1 cup green beans
4 small carrots
1 cup tomatoes
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. worcestershire sauce

This is typically made in a pressure cooker, but may be made in a regular pot.  These are the directions for my mom's old Presto pressure cooker:

Heat pressure cooker; add shortening.  Brown meat.  Add onion, salt, pepper, and water.  Place small potatoes, green beans, carrots, and tomatoes over meat.  Close cover securely.  Place pressure regulator on vent pipe and cook 10 to 12 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly.  Cool pressure cooker at once. Make a paste of the flour and 1/4 cup water and stir into stew to thicken.

Another method of preparing stew is to cook the meat separately 8-10 minutes, then add the vegetabels and cook 5 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly.