Spiced Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

1 box angel food cake mix
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 t. pumpkin pie spice

Cream cheese topping:
8 T. butter, room temperature
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1 t. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix with pumpkin pie spice. Add pumpkin and stir until well combined. Pour into sprayed 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and center springs back to the touch. Allow to cool completely before placing icing on top.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add in vanilla. Slowly add confectioners sugar and cinnamon/spice mix. Continue to beat until well mixed and fluffy. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate in covered pan. This is a light airy cake with delicious icing.

*If you want a heavier cake you may use spice or carrot cake mixes instead. (I've never tried it this way, but someone told me they did)

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

32 oz. bag mini tater tots (original size may be used too)
3 oz. pouch Oscar Meyer real bacon bits
5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks
3 c. 4 cheese Mexican Blend cheese
3/4 c. milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Line the crockpot. Layer 1/2 the tater tots on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 of bacon bits. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese on top. Add chicken chunks. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Top with 1/3 of cheese and remaining bacon bits. Add remaining tots. Top with remaining cheese. Pour milk over top. Place lid on crockpot. Set on high and cook for 4 hours.

*May substitute chicken with 1 lb. of cooked ground beef and add any vegetables desired.

S'Mores Muffins

Muffins:
2 c. SR flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. crushed graham crackers
1 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg, beaten
2 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips

Topping:
1/3 c. SR flour
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. crushed graham crackers
1 t. cinnamon
4 T. butter, melted
1/3 c. marshmallow bits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line muffin cups. Combine topping ingredients and set aside. Combine flour, graham crackers and sugar in large bowl. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir chocolate chips into batter. Spoon batter into muffin tins (About 1/2 full). Place a spoonful of topping on each muffin.Bake for 16-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from tin. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
pepper
paprika, optional
20 oz can pineapple chunks, with juice
2 T. mustard
2 T. soy sauce
1 clove garlic

Place chicken in bottom of lined or sprayed crockpot. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika. Pour pineapple over chicken. Add garlic. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Serve over rice.

*you may also cut the chicken into chunks before placing in crockpot.

Chewy Butterscotch Brownies

2 1/2 c. SR flour
2 sticks margarine, melted
1 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 eggs
11 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips, divided
1 c. chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, stirring in half the butterscotch chips. Spread in sprayed 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining chips. Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake! Cool.

Jean's Pea Salad for a Crowd

1 c. sugar
1/3 c. olive oil
3/4 c. vinegar
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt

Boil above ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.

12 oz. can white shoepeg corn, drained (any white corn will do)
17 oz. small sweet peas, drained
16 oz. french-style green beans, drained
4 oz. diced pimentos, drained
1 c. chopped celery, optional
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped green pepper

Combine all ingredients. Pour cooled oil mixture over vegetable mixture and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir before serving.

*This will keep for 2+ weeks in the refrigerator. (I double this recipe for church potlucks) Tastes a lot like the 5 bean salad.

Crockpot Jambalaya

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken tenders, cut into 1" cubes
28 oz. chili style tomatoes, including liquid (I used Del Monte)
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped (optional)
1 c. chicken broth
2 t. Tony's creole seasoning
3 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 lb. frozen shrimp without tails (optional)
1 garlic clove, chopped
cooked rice or quinoa

Place a liner in crockpot and add all ingredients, except shrimp. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Stir in shrimp during last 30 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa.

*This smelled so good while cooking, it was hard waiting for everyone else to get home!!

**I have also made this on the stovetop. Saute garlic, peppers, and onions in 2 T. butter in a large skillet. Add chopped chicken and sausage to brown. Combine all other ingredients. (I didn't add the chicken broth to the stovetop version.) Simmer for 30 minutes until flavors are melded. Serve over rice or quinoa. Yummy!

Reuben Casserole

2 tubes refrigerated crescent sheets
1 lb. sliced Swiss cheese
1 1/4 lb. sliced deli corned beef
14 oz. can sauerkraut, drained
2/3 c. 1000 island dressing
3 t. caraway seeds, optional

Unroll one crescent sheet and press into bottom of sprayed 9x13 dish.(If you can't find the sheets, use the crescent rolls and pinch seams together) Bake at 375 degrees 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Layer with half of cheese. Add all the beef. Combine sauerkraut and dressing. Spread over beef. Top with remaining cheese. Place last crescent sheet on top and sprinkle with seeds. Bake for 12-16 minutes until heated through and crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. I served this with roasted potatoes.

Outside casserole

Inside casserole   

Roasted Red Potatoes

1/4 c. oil
1 1/2-2 lbs small red potatoes, washed
1 1/2-2 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes in half, then half again. Combine oil with seasonings. Toss potatoes in to coat. Place potatoes in a single layer on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet, coated with oil or spray. Roast the potatoes for 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes, until fork tender and crispy. Just before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

These are my dad's favorite!

Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole

16 oz. sausage
30 oz. frozen shredded hashbrowns
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
2 c. shredded cheese
fresh bacon bits, optional

Brown the sausage and mix in the soup. Place liner in crockpot. Place hashbrowns and broth in crockpot. Add sausage mixture. Top with cheese. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serves 6-8 people.

Crockpot French Toast

16 oz. loaf bread
1 dz. eggs
2 t. vanilla
4 c. milk
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. chopped nuts, optional

Place liner in crockpot. Place bread slices inside. Whisk all the remaining ingredients. Pour over bread. Cover. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the lid for the last 20-30 minutes. This will help the bread toast evenly. Serve with fresh fruit or syrup.

*The toast is done when the bread has soaked up all the liquid and the eggs are cooked.

Crockpot Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 box pineapple cake mix, prepare according to box
2-3 eggs (based on box)
oil ( refer to box)
milk (use instead of the water listed on box)*
2 8 oz. cans pineapple rings, drained
1 jar red maraschino cherries
1 c. brown sugar

Line or spray crockpot. If using liner, spray it as well. Place brown sugar in bottom of crockpot. Place pineapple rings on top. Insert one cherry in middle of each ring. Pour prepared cake mix on top. Cook on high 2 1/2-3 hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove crockpot from the base and cool 15 minutes.Place a platter over top and turn the crockpot over. Serve with fresh pineapple and cool whip or ice cream.

*I used the drained pineapple juice and added water to make amount required on box.

**Mine turned out a little burned because I couldn't get to the crockpot in time..but it was delicious!

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

1 T. oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2, 26 oz. jars four cheese pasta sauce
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 t. Italian seasoning
2, 25 oz. pkgs. frozen beef filled ravioli
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
fresh shredded Parmesan, optional

Spray or line crockpot. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Place 1 c. of mixture in bottom of crockpot. Add 1 pkg frozen ravioli. Top with 1 c. cheese. Add other ravioli package and remaining cheese. Pour remaining sauce over top. Cover. Cook on low for 5-6 hours until cheese is melted and ravioli is hot. Top with fresh Parmesan before serving. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Pumpkin Pie Crunch

30 oz. can pure pumpkin
12 oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 yellow cake mix, dry
3/4 c. chopped pecans, optional
3/4 c. melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 dish. Combine milk, pumpkin, eggs, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour into dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top. Sprinkle pecans on top. Drizzle butter on top. Bake 50-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm with redi whip or vanilla ice cream. OR cool completely and cut into squares.

*Deanne didn't like the bottom of it being so soft, not firm like a pie, or that it didn't have a crust. I thought it was delicious, but would be good with a crust, too.

**possible option: place 1 crescent roll sheet on bottom of dish, Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees then follow directions the rest of the way. This would make a plain crust for the dessert.