Mexican Soup

Ingredients
1 lb Hamburger
1 Large Onion diced
1 ½ cups Celery chopped
2 cups Frozen Corn
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 Tbsp Beef Boullion (powder)
*dash Salt
6 cups Water
1 cup Salsa
1 cup Penne Pasta (or other macaroni)

• Fry hamburger in large pot, drain off fat.
• Add celery and onion, cook over medium/low heat until tender.
• Add corn and seasonings, cook 10 minutes.
• Add salsa and water, heat to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in penne, cook until tender.

• Ladle into soup bowl and top with shredded cheese.

* note: I use very little salt when cooking, add enough salt to your liking.
Serves 4-6

Apple Pie Oatmeal Bar

Ingredients
2 Eggs
1 cup shortening
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Salt
4 cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal
1 can Apple Pie Filling

• Preheat oven 350º
• In a large bowl cream eggs, shortening, sugar and vanilla together.
• Stir in cinnamon and flour.
• Add oatmeal, making sure all ingredients are mixed well.
  
• Divide the dough in half, put ½ into a greased 9x11 pan. Press firmly on dough.
• Pour the pie filling onto bottom layer, spreading evenly.
• Pat remaining mixture over top of the pie filling. (this step can be very messy and sticky, I use my hands to pat top layer).
• Bake at 350º for 25 minutes.


• Cool and cut into bars/squares. (I cooled mine in the fridge)
  

Granola Bars

Ingredients
5 cups Granola (I used mixed 5 grain granola)
2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup honey
4 Tbsp Margarine
2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Raisins (optional)

Preheat oven 400º
Bake granola for 10-12 minutes stirring often to avoid burning.

Line 9"x11" baking dish with waxed paper, you want an excess amount of wax paper on each end of the dish.
Place brown sugar, honey, margarine, vanilla and salt into a saucepan bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. (I do this while granola is baking)

Remove granola from oven and place in a large bowl.
Add the liquid mixture.

If using raisin add them now and stir really well.
Ensure all of the granola is covered with liquid mixture.
Pour granola into baking dish, spread out with wooden spoon.
Using excess wax paper press down hard on granola.

Wait 2-3 hours, I place mine in the fridge once it is cooled.
Open wax paper, turn granola over and slice into bars.
Cut and wrap.


Comments:
The first batch I baked the granola with raisins...do not do this as raisins will swell and they burn very easily.

French Loaves

Ingredients
2 cups Warm Water
2 Tbsp Yeast
4 Tbsp Oil
2 tsp Sugar
2 tsp Salt
4 ½ cups Flour (all purpose)

• Preheat oven 375º
• In a large bowl add yeast to water, mix well.
• Add oil, sugar and salt to yeast mixture. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add 2 cups of flour to yeast mixture, stir gently until moistened.
• Add the remaider of the flour (2 1/2 cups).
• Stir until dough forms a ball.
• Knead the dough, then divide into 2 balls.
• Roll each ball into a 18x9 rectangle.
• Roll each rectangle into a log, pinch edges together and tuck ends under.
• Place onto a greased pan (or sprinkle with cornmeal).
• Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 375º

Yeild: 2 loaves

Comment: I used one loave to make garlic toast.