Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
1 T. paprika
1 t. cumin
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. pepper
1/8 t. cayenne
3 Tilapia Filets
Juice of 1 lime

Directions:
1. Rinse the fish & pat dry.
2. Mix paprika, cumin, sugar, salt, onion & garlic powders, pepper & cayenne together in a small bowl.
3. Season the fish generously on both sides.
4. Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
5. Cook fish for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
6. Remove from skillet, break apart & squeeze the juice from one lime.
7. Serve with cabbage, onions, tomatoes, salsa & guacamole.

Chocolate Trifle

This dessert is requested for just about every birthday in my extended family. It's also nice that I can make a reduced sugar version for my diabetic mother. I'll put the diabetic conversions in parenthesis.

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix (reduced-sugar cake mix)
2 boxes chocolate pudding (sugar-free pudding)
2 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
Chocolate syrup (sugar-free chocolate syrup)
1 container cool whip (sugar-free cool whip)
2 skor bars (Russell Stover's sugar-free chocolate toffee)

Directions:
1. Prepare one box of pudding with two cups of milk & refrigerate.
2. Whip one box of pudding with two cups of heavy cream until stiff & refrigerate.
3. Bake cake mix according to directions on box. Let cool before cutting into 2-inch cubes.
4. Crush skor/toffee in a plastic baggie.
5. In a glass trifle dish, layer the cake, chocolate cream, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
6. Next, layer more cake, chocolate pudding, cool whip, and top with crushed toffee.

**You can use nuts if you don't like toffee or in addition**

Famous Whole Wheat Bread

I know that many of you already have this recipe...but this is for those of you who don't. It's my mother-in-law's famous whole wheat bread. I just made some today (first time since summer began). It's oh so yummy!!!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 T. yeast
1/4 c. honey
1 T. lecithin
3/4 T. dough enhancer
1/4 c. vital wheat gluten
5-6 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 T. salt

Directions:
1. Combine water, yeast, honey, lecithin, dough enhancer & wheat gluten in a stand mixer. Let sit for a couple minutes.
2. Add two cups of flour and beat with cookie dough attachment for 5 minutes.
3. Switch to dough hook and slowly add the rest of the flour. Let knead for 5 minutes. Add salt with a little more flour. Let knead for 5 additional minutes.
4. Turn out dough onto a greased surface. Cut in half and form into loaves.
5. Let rise in well greased bread pans for 30 minutes.
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
7. Cool on a rack & spray bread with cooking spray.

**For a multi-grain bread, substitute 1 c. of flour for 1 c. of oatmeal or seven grain cereal**

Beef Stew

This is another recipe from America's Test Kitchen, but I have modified it for crock pot use.

Ingredients:
3-5 lb. chuck roast (1 inch cubes)
3 T. canola oil
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. tomato paste
3 T. flour
2 c. chicken stock
1 t. thyme
2 bay leaves
1 can tomatoes (15 oz.)
5 medium potatoes (1 inch cubes)
4 carrots, sliced
1 c. frozen peas

1. Season beef with salt & pepper and brown in oil for 10 minutes. Remove & set aside.
2. Cook onions for 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic & tomato paste. Cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add stock & herbs. Cook for 1 more minute.
5. Transfer everything to a crock pot. Add beef, tomatoes, potatoes & carrots. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs.
6. Stir in peas after done cooking.

Apple Crumble

I made this tonight for my in-laws & everyone loved it! It reminds me of a cobbler mixed with a crisp. A super easy, quick dessert to whip up.

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. oats
1 stick butter, melted
6 c. cooking apples

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel, core & dice the apples.
3. Combine cake mix, oats & butter in a gallon ziploc bag. Shake until incorporated. Add apples.
4. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 45 min.
5. Drizzle with caramel syrup & serve with vanilla ice cream.

Spaghetti for a Crowd

We eat a lot of Italian food. This is a staple in our household. I make one of these batches of sauce once or twice a month. It's good for a week, and you can use it for countless other things (lasagna, stuffed peppers, stew/soup, etc.) You can make it meatless for even more uses (pizza, eggplant or chicken parm, etc.) Basically, add it to any recipe that has a tomato base.

Ingredients:
1 large can (102 oz.) of diced tomatoes
1 small can (6 oz.) of tomato paste
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 head garlic, sliced
1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 t. salt
1/4 c. dried basil
1/3 c. dried parsley
1 T. granulated garlic
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
6 oz. sweet potato puree (baby food)

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 6-7 hrs.

**If you want a sauce with deep, long-cooked taste, cook on low for 12 hrs.**

Giant Ginger Cookies

I love making these when autumn days come. My neighbor got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens 1998 and passed it on to my mom before she died of cancer.

Cream:
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup shortening
2 cups sugar (I use some brown sugar)

Add and beat:
2 eggs
Add and cream:
1/2 cup molasses

Sift together and stir in:
4 1/2 cups flour ( I use 1-2 cups whole wheat)
4 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

Scoop by Tablespoonfuls, roll in granulated sugar or sprinkle with sugar and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes at 350F, OR 10-12 minutes at 325F in convection oven. Makes 2-3 doz cookies.