Joe & Michelle's Marinade

This makes absolutely killer steaks. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder and toss in the steaks. Marinate them as long as possible - thirty minutes will do, but overnight is better. That's all. After that the only trick is to make sure that you have a good person tending the grill. Also it doesn't hurt to add a splash of cooking sherry.

Quick White Cake

This is a good, simple Mennonite recipe that makes a very delicious little cake. Quickly. It's rather dense and coarse, which aren't qualities you usually look for in a cake, but everybody loves it.

Combine:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

and the add:

1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat for two minutes and add one egg, then beat for two more minutes. Bake at 350 for about half an hour, and then frost or ice with your favorite frosting or icing.

Chewy Butterscotch Brownies

The second time that I made these brownies, I accidentally put in all of the butterscotch chips at once, instead of saving 2/3 cup to sprinkle on top. The result was a denser brownie with almost a candy-bar consistency. We liked them so much that I have been making them that way ever since. (But you will need to shorten the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes if you do it my way.)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 2/3 cup (11 oz. pkg) butterscotch baking chips, divided
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup of the butterscotch chips. Mix in nuts, if desired. Spread into ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining butterscotch chips. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen brownies.

Lemon Meltaways

These pretty cookies are bursting with fresh lemon flavor. This recipe comes from Land O Lakes.


Cookies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened (use real butter, not margarine)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Frosting:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In large mixer bowl combine all cookie ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes). Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into 8" by 1" roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 to 2 hours. Heat oven to 350. With sharp knife, cut each roll of dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until set. (These cookies will not brown.) Cool completely. For frosting, combine all ingredients in a small mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until fluffy (1 to 2 minutes). Frost cooled cookies. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

These are incredibly moist and delicious. Try sprinkling the cupcakes with nutmeg after frosting them.


1 box spice cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Blend dry cake mix with pumpkin, eggs, oil, and water. Beat for two minutes with electric mixer. Fill paper baking cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Frost with cream cheese icing.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

John found this fabulous recipe on the Internet several years ago. It tastes just like the Stuffed Pepper Soup we have all enjoyed at the Mason Jar restaurant in Manitou Springs, Colorado.


1 pound ground beef
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup finely diced onion
1 can (29 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked white rice
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a large pot, brown meat. Drain fat and add pepper and onion. Cook until onion is translucent, not letting it brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, thyme, sage, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until peppers are tender. Add cooked rice to soup, heat through and serve, sprinkled with shredded cheese, if desired. Makes six servings.

Chocolate Crinkles

An old favorite, and oh-so-good! I think this is my favorite cookie... well, definitely in the top three!






1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl combine oil, melted chocolate, and sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together, then stir into chocolate mixture a little at a time. Chill dough for several hours or overnight. When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough by heaping teaspoonful into balls; roll in powdered sugar. Place 2" apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 6 dozen.