Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Submitted by: Michelle Caplan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 4 eggs
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup all-bran cereal
• 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice together. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs in a seperate bowl. Add pumpkin, oil, and cereal. Add dry ingredients and beat with a mixer. (It's okay if there are still peices of cereal. They will melt when the cake is in the oven.)
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into greased and floured pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Enjoy!

Fall Veggie Pasta

Submitted by: Pam Shurkin **I made this recipe up so it's not a science. Just adjust to your liking!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 2 cans of your favorite pasta sauce
• 3 small zucchini
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 package of mixed Italian cheeses (mozzarella, Parmesan, asaigo...) (about 16 oz?)
• salt
• pepper
• melted butter (about 3 T)

Directions:

1. Dice butternut squash and zucchini.
2. Coat vegetables in melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil until veggies are tender and soft in the middle.
3. Cook Pasta as directed on the package.
4. Combine cooked pasta and veggies in a large bowl. Mix in the 2 cans of sauce and 3/4 of the cheese.
5. Pour pasta mixture into a glass baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cheese on top.
6. Bake pasta at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted and slightly brown and the sauce is bubbly.

EAT!

Soda

Submitted by: Lindsay Bernstein

Ingredients:

• 2 liters of diet coke
• 1 liter of coke
• 1 liter of sprite
• 1 bag of ice (optional)

Directions:

1. Set out liters on table.
2. Pour into cup (ice is optional)
3. Drink and enjoy!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Note from Elissa: Everyone needs to post or else I'll continue to post crazy recipes like this! :) I check in a lot for recipes because I like having everyone's recipes so I can make them, too!

Wine Punch

Submitted by: Jennifer Sklar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups white zinfandel ("cheapest of the cheap")
• 4 cups orange juice
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 bag of frozen strawberries, sliced (soften in microwave to slice)
• 1 liter bottle club soda

Directions:

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan
2. Bring to a boil stirring
3. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes
4. Let mixture cool (for about 20 minutes)
5. Combine sugar/water mixture with wine, orange juice, lemon juice and strawberries
6. Refrigerate until very well chilled, about 2 hours (I've omitted this step in the past)
7. Add club soda and ice

Yellow Tomato Salsa

Submitted by Lizzy Goldner

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Large Yellow Tomatoes diced
  
• 2 Spring Onions diced
  
• a bunch of Cilantro chopped finely
  
• Juice of one lime
  
• 1 jalapeno with seeds removed diced
  
• salt and pepper to taste.
  

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients in bowl, best if sits to marinate over night

Fruit Pizza

Submitted by Katie Artes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 rolls of pre-made Pillsbury sugar cookie dough
  
• Cream Cheese
  
• Sugar
  
• Array of fruits ( completely up to you ) - I generally stick with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.... but it can be done with peaches, and kiwi, star fruit, bananas, etc. etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. Make a giant cookie ( this will be your pizza crust)
2. Mix Cream Cheese and sugar - the amount of sugar can vary... how strong is your sweet tooth?
3. Cut up your fruit
4. When the cookie is finished baking, be sure to let it cool completely. Spread your sauce ( aka sugary cream cheese ) and sprinkle or very carefully arrange the fruit, dependent upon you level of OCD. 
5. Enjoy

Corn Muffins

Submitted by Melissa Marmer

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Pineapple Upsidini

Submitted by Heather Giustiniani

INGREDIENTS

3 cans of sliced pineapple in JUICE
1 bottle of Vanilla vodka
3 can's of sprite
1 gallon pitcher

DIRECTIONS

Cut 1-2 cans into quarters and put a small slice in each piece to sit on the rim of the glass
cut remaing pineapple however you like and dump it into pitcher
 
combine sprite vodka and remaining pineapple into pitcher.  serve chilled.

Dirt Cake/Sand Cake

Submitted by Michelle

DIRECTIONS

1.  Cream together these 4 ingredients: 

•  2- 8 oz packages of cream cheese 
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• Small kool whip (I think it is 8 oz)  It's easier to do if you let this sit out for about 10 - 20 minutes. You don't want iT completly thawed, but you don't want it frozen either. 

 2.  Make pudding according to package - 1 large instant vanilla pudding 

3.  Mix pudding into cream mixture 

4.  1 package oreo cookies (either chocolate or vanilla) in blender or food processor (put a few in at a time) if you don't have a blender, you want to crush the cookies 

5.  Layer the cookies and cream (start with the cookies, and then the cream.... end with the cookies) 

6.  If you want you can put gummy worms on the top 

Deviled Eggs

Submitted by Carla Fazi 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Put 12 eggs in a pot of water and hard-boil them.  

2.  Run them under tap water to be able to touch them.

3. Peel the eggs and slice them lengthwise.

4.  Pop the yolk out into a bowl.

5.  Crumble up all of the yolk with a fork.

6.  Start with 2-3 tablespoons of mayo and a teaspoon of French’s yellow mustard, 1 capful of the red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and blend it all up.  It should be creamy but thick – not lumpy so add more mayo a little at a time if you need more.

7.  When it is blended, use a teaspoon to fill each whole.

8.  Dust lightly with paprika.

Lemon Bars

Submitted by Lauren Madow

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.

4. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.

Danielle's Thanksgiving Corn Casserole

Submitted by Danielle Strein

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cans cream corn
  
• 1 can eagle brand (sweetened condenced milk)
  
• 3 or 4 eggs
  

DIRECTIONS

Mix together. Bake at 350 for an hour.

Pasta Salad

Submitted by Sara Fidler

INGREDIENTS:

•   pasta
  
•   corn
  
•   yellow pepper(s)
  
•   yellow (heirloom) tomato
  
•   boursin cheese
  

 DIRECTIONS

1.  Peel tomato - chop.

2.  Chop pepper(s).

3.  Cook corn - chop.

4.  Cook pasta and add peppers to the boilng water during the last five minutes.  Strain, do not rinse.  

5.  Add boursin cheese while pasta/pepper(s) is still super hot.  Add tomatoes and cooked corn.  Stir.  Serve hot or cold.

Pizza Dip

Submitted by Melissa Zaba

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick of cream chesse
• 2 small cans of pizza sauce
• 1 bag of pizza chesse

 DIRECTIONS

Spread the cream chesse in a casarolle dish. Then spread the pizza sauce. Lastley sprinkle the chesse till no sause is showing. Put in the microwave for 5 min.

Dirty Bannana

Submitted by Melissa Zaba

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz Banana Liqueur
• 1.5 oz Dark Creme de Cacao
• 1 oz Milk

DIRECTIONS

Mix together with crushed ice in a glass

Fresh Corn Salad

Submitted by Robin McKinney 

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Pep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 3 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 5 ears of corn, shucked
  
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
  
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
  

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature

 

Lemonade with Watermelon Ice Cubs

Recipe Courtesy of Paula Dean (lemonade) and Pamela Shurkin (watermelon ice cubes)

2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 gallon cold water
1 lemon, sliced

Watermelon

Use a melon baller (it looks like a mini ice cream scoop and you can get one at most food stores) to create little balls of watermelon. Place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer until frozen.

In a 1 gallon container, place sugar and hot water, and stir until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and cold water to render 1 gallon. Stir until well mixed. Pour lemonade over glasses of watermelon ice cubes.

Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients:

• kosher salt (to taste)
• vegetable oil (if desired)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 12 ounces greyere cheese (grated 4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Drizzle oil (optional) into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6-8 minutes. Drain well.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4 qt.) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minutes or two more, until thickened and smooth. Take put off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoons salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3 quart baking dish.
   
4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine butter with bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and macaroni is browned on the top.

Sara's Fruit Tarts

Submitted by Sara Fidler

INGREDIENTS

• pears
• kiwi
• raspberries
• sugar in the raw
• cinnamon
• mini chocolate chips (frozen)
• puff pastry

DIRECTIONS

Thaw puff pastry (30 minutes); preheat oven to 400; spray muffin tins; cut puff pastry into circles to form outer tartlet; mix diced pears, 2 tsp sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less?); put pastry circles in muffin tin; put pear mixture in pastry circles; bake 10 - 15 minutes; put raspberries and kiwi pieces on top.

Heather G's Special Appetizer

Submitted by Heather Giustiniani

INGREDIENTS

• 1 loaf Whole Wheat Baguette sliced thin
• crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• honey
• pecan chips (can also use chopped pecans/walnuts)

DIRECTIONS

* toast baguettes in oven
* Once slightly toasted add cheese to each slice
* put back into oven and remove once cheese is melted
* once out of oven sprinkle pecans over melted cheese and drizzle honey over cheese and nuts.