Refried Beans

 3 cups dry pinto beans

1 tsp. Cumin

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp chicken boullion

chopped onion or dried onion to taste

3 cups shredded cheddar, colby or montery jack

Place beans in crock pot, cover with water and soak over night. In the morning, add cumin, salt, boullion and onions. Cook till beans are soft, adding additional water as needed. Depending on your crock pot this will take anywhere from all day on low to 6 hours or so on high. 

Drain beans, saving the broth. Mash the beans adding broth as needed to make them a little bit soupy. Add 3 cups shredded cheese and mix in till cheese is melted. 

Taco Quiche

 2 lbs. ground beef

2 envelopes taco seasoning (or just season the ground beef with your own combination of spices)

4 eggs

3/4 cups milk

1 1/4 cups biscuit baking mix (or see below for homemade mix)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 to 3 cups chopped lettuce

3/4 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or colby jack)

Brown beef, drain. Add seasoning according to package directions. Spoon meat into greased 9 by 13 inch baking pan.  Beat eggs and milk in bowl. Add biscuit mix and mix well (or throw all that in a blender and mix that way). Pour over meat and back at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes till set and golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Spread sour cream over the top, sprinkle with remaining ingredients and serve immediately. 8 serving.

Biscuit mix: 1 cup and 2 Tbsp flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 Tbsp oil or shortening

Cheesy Potato Vegetable Soup

4 medium potatoes
6 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
2 tsp seasoned salt (Lawry's)
1/4 tsp. paprika if desired
pepper to taste
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
2-3 cups cheese (cheddar, pepperjack, montery jack etc.)

Bake or steam the potatoes (I use my rice cooker and steam them so I don't have to poke holes in them or heat up my oven). Cook broccoli and carrots (stove top or microwave) in a cup or two of the water along with the bouillon cubes till tender (the vegetables will be tender, bouillon cubes will dissolve...).

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the flour and stir to mix. Cook this mixture for a minute or two and then add the milk, stirring till blended and thickened. Add the remaining water and the salt, paprika and pepper. Stir till well mixed, then add vegetables and broth (water they cooked in). Grate or finely chop the baked potatoes and add them to the soup. Let everything simmer for a few minutes while you grate the cheese, then add the cheese and stir till melted. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup  vegetable oil (or coconut oil, shortening, butter etc.)

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

1/3 cup milk

1 1/2 cup quick oatmeal

Cream oil and sugar, add vanilla and eggs and beat till blended. Mix in cocoa powder, baking powder and salt till thoroughly blended. Stir in 1 cup flour. Add milk and mix well then add remaining cup of flour. Add oatmeal and stir till completely mixed in. 

Heat oven to 350, drop dough by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or till just set. Let cool on pan for a few minutes, then finish cooling on wire rack. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies depending on size.

Banana Split Cheesecake

20 Oreo Cookies 
3 tablespoons butter ( melted ) 
3 package(s) cream cheese ( 8 oz each, light or regular divided ) 
2 bananas 
1/2 cup pineapple juice 
2 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar 
1/3 cup frozen strawberries ( thawed, drained or fresh and chopped, 1/2 cup pureed ) 
1/3 cup pineapple ( chopped, drained or 1/4 cup pureed ) 
5 1/2 cups whipped cream ( or whipped topping ) 
to taste chocolate syrup 
to taste sprinkles 
to taste maraschino cherries 


Crush oreos then mix with melted butter and press in bottom of 9 inch spring bottom pan. Beat cream softened cream cheese with mixer then add powdered sugar. Fold in whipped cream (or whipped topping). Divide mixture evenly between three bowls. Slice bananas and toss with pineapple juice. Drain and mix into 1 bowl of cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly on the crust. Mix crushed strawberries with another bowl of cream cheese mix and then spread on top of banana layer. Mix crushed pineapple with remaining cream cheese mix and spread over strawberry layer. Chill for several hours or over night. If desired, before serving, top with chocolate syrup, sprinkles and maraschino cherries. 

Pudding Cake

1

cup  flour

3/4

cup sugar

2

tablespoons cocoa

2

teaspoons baking powder

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/2

cup milk

2

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

cup packed brown sugar

1/4

cup baking cocoa

1 3/4

cups hot water

Mix first 8 ingredients together in a nine by thirteen pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top. Pour hot water over whole cake.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Wheat Bread

7 cups very warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup wheat gluten
10-14 cups whole wheat flour (this really varies depending on the day)
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Pour water in large bowl (or bowl of your mixer like kitchen aid or Bosch), add yeast and brown sugar.  When yeast has foamed, add gluten and 6 cups wheat flour. Mix by hand or in mixer till for about 2 minutes.  Add 2 more cups wheat flour, the vegetable oil, salt and lemon juice. Stir or continue mixing in mixer (using kneading arm). Continue adding wheat flour, about 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is slightly stiff (it will pull away from the side of the bowl if using a mixer).  Knead either by hand or with mixer (by hand about 10 minutes). Turn dough out onto oiled counter and let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into 6 parts (if using 8X4 inch loaf pans) or 5 parts (if using 9X5 inch loaf pans), punch down and shape into loaves, sealing the seams. Place in greased loaf pans. Warm your oven slightly (in my electric oven I turn it on for 2 minutes). Turn the oven off, then place the loaves in the oven. Let rise for 30 minutes. Leaving bread in the oven, turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 40 minutes (set the timer as soon as you turn the oven on, don't wait till it reaches 350).  Remove immediately from pans and place on cooling racks.