Sweet Potato Pancakes

My family loves sweet potatoes, including these delicious pancakes.-Sarah

1 1/2 cups flour
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cardamom
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup chopped pecans

• Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together wet ingredients including egg yolks. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold egg whites into batter. Batter will be very thick, spoon onto greased pan and spread batter out into shape of pancake. Brown lightly and flip,cooking both side.

Pizza Dip

This is a combination of a couple of recipes. We used tortilla chips to dip it with, but pita chips would be great too. This dip has tons of great flavor.-Sarah

8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup mayo
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1/4 t. garlic powder

1 cup shredded mozzarella

6 oz. chopped pepperoni

3/4 cup pizza sauce

• Mix cream cheese and mayo until smooth, mix in seasonings. Stir in cheese and pepperoni.
• In a deep dish pie plate spread pizza sauce.
• Spoon dip over sauce and spread. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes until melted. 

Oven-Fried Chicken

I've held onto this recipe that I cut from a magazine for quite some time. I believe it's from a Martha Steward magazine, but I could be wrong. I've never made the real deal fried chicken before, the oil kind of scares me, and it just sounds like a big mess. This recipe was great. We all loved the flavor of the chicken and thought the skin was super crispy, it's a recipe I'll use again for sure! -Sarah

2 eggs, beaten
3 T. hot sauce of your choice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
About 10 pieces of chicken (I used legs and thighs)
1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. cayenne
oil for brushing

• Mix eggs, hot sauce and garlic. Marinade chicken in mixture for about 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a rimmed baking sheet on center rack in oven to preheat.
• Mix the flour and remaining dry ingredients.
• Remove chicken from marinade and roll each piece in the flour mixture. Place chicken on preheated baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes, lightly brush each piece of chicken with oil. Bake, brushing tops every 10 minutes until chicken juices run clear. About 30 minutes more. (I moved mine to a lower rack in the oven to keep from over browning) 

Java Cream Drops

These cookies are soooo yummy! -Sarah

2 T. instant coffee granules
1 T. half and half
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour, divided
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

• Combine coffee and cream. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and coffee cream.
• Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
• Divide dough in half. To one portion add baking cocoa and pecans. To the other portion add remaining 1/4 cup flour and chocolate chips.
• Lightly press 2 lump of dough together and bake at 375 degrees about 8 min.

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

I've made this wonderful sauce recipe a few times and it turns out great every time. So nice have a hot meal without much work. And it makes a lot and freezes well. -Sarah

2 pounds ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
3, 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2, 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
2, 6 oz. cans tomato paste
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

• Cook and drain beef.
• Place all ingredients in a 4 quart slow cooker. Mix well.
• Cook on low for 8 hours.
• Serve over pasta.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These moist peanut butter flavored bars are so delicious, who can resist peanut butter and chocolate anyway? If you don't want to use sucanat, which is a less refined sugar, brown sugar would work perfectly as an equal substitute. -Sarah

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sucanat

1 egg

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

• With a mixer blend butter and sucanat, add egg and peanut butter. 
• Mix in flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Stir in half of chocolate chips.
• Press mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
• Bake at 350 degrees about 18 minutes, just till edges are lightly browned, careful not to over bake.

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

This is a recipe I got from my friend Sarah...it is the best chocolate ice cream EVER!!!  This recipe is for a 4 quart ice cream maker.  -Kristin

2 2/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
6 c. whole milk (you can use 2%)
4 eggs, beaten
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 c. half and half
2 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
2 t. vanilla

Ice Cream Salt
lots of ice (I used 2 7# bags of ice)

• Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• Gradually stir in the milk and cook and stir over medium heat.  Simmer and stir constantly.
• Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
• Whisk the eggs while gradually and slowly pouring in 1 c. of the hot milk mixture.  After well incorporated pour the egg and milk mixture into a strainer to get out of any harden egg pieces that might have formed.
• Add the egg and milk mixture into the regular milk mixture.  Stir constantly and continue cooking over low until thickened.
• Melt the chocolate and stir into milk.  Use a whisk and whisk until it is smooth.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Place into the ice cream maker.  And make as directed by the manufacture.
• Layer the ice and salt around the sides of the maker as directed for your maker.