APPLE PIE IN A BAG

6-7 apples peeled and sliced thin

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 C sugar

1/4 C flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 tbsp butter cut into chunks

1. Place butter chunks in freezer.

2. In a gallon freezer bag mix all ingredients except apples, butter and lemon juice and shake until combined.

3. Coat apples in lemon juice. Discard extra lemon juice.

4. Add apples to bag and shake to coat.

5. Add butter.

6. Remove air and lay flat and freeze.

TO USE:

Remove bag from freezer and lay on counter for about an hour to 45 minutes to defrost or in refrigerator overnight. Squish bag to mix well and dump into pie shell. Either cover with top crust or add a crumb topping.

CRUMB TOPPING:

¾ cup rolled oats

½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

6 TBL butter

BAKE:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake with edges covered for 25 minutes. Uncover edges and return to oven for 20 minutes.

FREEZER APPLESAUCE

Makes 3 ½ - 4 cups (1 quart)

Doubles & Triples very good.

8 cups of washed, peeled & chopped & cored apples

2/3 c. water

2 TBL lemon juice or Fresh Fruit

CROCK POT INSTRUCTIONS

Fill 6 quart crock pot to the top with peeled, sliced and cored apples

Add 2/3 cup water, mixed with 2 TBL of lemon juice

Cook on low 4-5 hours, stirring about every 90 minutes. Once apples are falling apart, use stick blender to puree. Can add Brown sugar or cinnamon if desired.

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS

Put everything into large pot. Cook on medium heat until soft enough to puree, about could be anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending how soft your apples were to start. Puree up with stick blender, traditional blender or food processer.

Place in freezer containers. Let cool before placing in freezer, or you can just eat it right away. Oh, and no need for sugar, but if you like really sweet applesauce add 1/4 cup of brown sugar after you get it all mashed and pureed up. Can add ½-1 tsp. cinnamon also.

BEAN WITH BACON SOUP

2 cups of dried navy, great north American or cannellini beans

10 strips of bacon, cut into tiny pieces
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp. (or more) of fresh rosemary, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 tsp. liquid smoke (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Soak your beans overnight covered in water. Drain the next day and set aside.

2. In a large stockpot, add bacon to the pan and cook until bacon pieces are brown and crispy. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

3. If there's a lot of bacon grease in the pan, dump out all but 3 tbsp. of it.

4. Saute onion, garlic, and carrots in the bacon grease until vegetables start to get tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and cook for an addition 1 minute.

5. Gently pour in the chicken stock, drained beans and 5 strips of the bacon, crumbled. Whisk the tomato paste in until all has dispersed and incorporated into the soup. Add liquid smoke if using.

6. Bring mixture up to a boil then cover and let simmer gently for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

7. When the soup is ready, carefully use your immersion blender and gently pulse the bean mixture until a desired creamy texture is achieved. If you're worried about blending too much, you can always ladle out a few scoopfuls of beans, blend the soup, then add the beans back in. Really, it's all up to preference!

8. Serve hot with remaining bacon pieces on top.

BEEFY SOUR CREAM NOODLE CASSEROLE

1-1/4 pound Ground Beef

1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce

3/4 t Salt

1/2 t freshly ground Black Pepper

1/4 t Seasoning Salt (I love Johnny's)

1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/4 t Dried Minced Onion

8 ounces Egg Noodles (1/2 of a package)

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1-1/4 cup small curd Cottage Cheese

1/4 t Dried Minced Onion

1/4 t Seasoning Salt
1/4 t Garlic Powder

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked, drain fat from pan.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic powder & minced onion.

4. Simmer on low until ready to use in casserole.

5. Cook egg noodles according to just under al-dente according to  package directions, drain.

6. In large bowl stir to combine: sour cream, cottage cheese, minced onions, garlic powder, seasoning salt & pepper. Add in cooked egg noodles, stir together.

7. In greased 13x9 assemble in layers. 1st layer 1/2 of noodle mixture, followed by 1/2 of meat mixture, and then 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar. Repeat all layers.

8. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and heated through.

9. Serves 6

You can bake half now in an 8x8 pan and freeze half the meat mix, cheese, cream mix before you add noodles.

When ready to cook, prepare noodles, thaw frozen mixtures, assemble in an 8x8 and cook.

LUNCH LADY HAMBURGER GRAVY

Feeds 3-4

1 lb of beef 80/20 fat content

1 medium onion diced

1 10 oz. container Swanson’s beef stock

All Purpose Flour 3-4 Tablespoons

1/4 Cup milk

Salt, Pepper

Brown hamburger with onion in skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT drain fat. Add 3-4 tablespoons flour until all juices are absorbed. Then add milk and beef stock. You can add stock to your liking until you get the consistency of gravy you want. Then turn on low and let simmer for half hour.

Serve over mashed potatoes!

EASY STOVE-TOP TASTY MAC 'N' CHEESE

Use equal parts of small noodles, milk and grated cheese (ie: 2 cups noodles, 2 cups milk, 2 cups cheese)

1. Put noodles & milk along with salt and pepper to taste into a pot. (I also use a little dehydrated onion and pinch of nutmeg)

2. Simmer (do not boil) until noodles are done, stirring often. (takes about 15 minutes)

3. Without draining add in grated cheese. Stir until melted.

When I make this for 2 people I use 1 cup of each!

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, grated

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey-Dijon mustard

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper