Joan's Fruit Tea

2 c. sugar*
1/2 c. instant unsweet tea
1 1/2 c. orange or pineapple orange juice (not concentrate)
1 c. lemon concentrate
water

Blend first 4 ingredients together. Pour in a 1 gallon container and add enough water to make 1 gallon. Chill before serving.

*2 c. Splenda may be used instead of sugar if desired.

Cherry Limeade

1 c. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 c. sugar or splenda
2 liter bottle Sprite or 7-up
5 oz. jar maraschino cherries, undrained

Chill all ingredients overnite before combining. Place lime juice in a large pitcher. Add sugar/splenda. Add Sprite. Add all the cherries, including the juice. Serve immediately over ice. Garnish with lime slices if desired.

Anne's Grandmother's Fudge Cake

2 c. sugar
4 T. dutch processed cocoa
1 c. butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. SR flour*
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and cocoa thoroughly. Cream butter, add sugar mixture, and beat until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time. Beat thoroughly. Add vanilla. Add flour. Add nuts. Pour in a sprayed or parchment paper lined 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Check it at 45 minutes to determine if it needs to bake longer. It should be crusty on top and the center should be somewhat gooey, but not runny. A toothpick inserted would come out almost completely clean. Do not overbake.

Recipe may be doubled. Divide evenly into 2 pans, or use a 9x13 pan. *Doubling the SR flour made it more cake-like, instead of brownie. (The original recipe used plain flour and baking powder. But I didn't have any on hand.)

These are very good, and my dad who doesn't like chocolate, would eat them like brownies.

Snowball Cookies

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. SR flour
1 c. pecan cookie pieces (I use Fisher brand), divided
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, divided
1 t. vanilla
1 c. mini chocolate chips, optional

Place butter, flour, 1/2 c. pecans, 1/2 c. powdered sugar & vanilla in bowl. Blend until smooth. Stir in remaining pecans & chocolate chips if using. Refrigerate dough until it becomes firm, Preheat oven to 325. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 1" apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes until set and lightly brown. Cool 10 minutes, then roll in additional powdered sugar. Cool completely before serving with additional powdered sugar if needed, (Reminds me of wedding cookies.) 

Pecan Bread with Butter Sauce

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 c. olive oil

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 t. vanilla

2 c. chopped pecans*, divided (I use cookie pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, eggs and oil until smooth. Gently stir in flour and vanilla. Finally, mix in 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans. (or 3/4 c. each pecans and toffee bits) Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining pecans (& toffee). Bake for 35-40 minutes until pick comes out clean. Top warm cake slices with butter sauce.

Butter sauce:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

2 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped pecans* (I use cookie pieces)

Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Pour in condensed milk & stir. Continue to stir until heated thoroughly, add pecans. Stir again then remove from heat. Spoon this delicious sauce over individual slices of warm cake.

*I have also used 1/2 pecans and 1/2 toffee bits..Yum!

Sour Cherry Pie

2 unbaked pie crusts, (I use frozen ones-- follow directions on pkg.)
5 c. pitted sour cherries
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. brandy (optional), or rum extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1 c. sugar or splenda
1/4 c. cornstarch
butter
milk
sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cherries, lemon juice, brandy (if using) and almond extract. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Pour over cherries. Pour mixture into pie crust. Dot top with butter. Make a lattice pattern over top of filling with 2nd crust, if desired. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place pie on parchment paper covered baking sheets to catch any spillage. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Blueberry Streusel Cheesecake Bread

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. milk + 2 T.
2 eggs
4 c. SR flour
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla
4-5 c. fresh blueberries
1 t. lemon zest (optional)

Filling:
2, 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. lemon juice

Topping:
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 c, SR flour
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 large and 6 small loaf pans with cooking spray. Beat soft butter and sugar together. Add eggs. Beat well. Add milk on low speed. Add vanilla, Mix. Add flour and cinnamon. Blend on low. Gently fold in blueberries and zest. Divide batter evenly among all pans. Allow room for filling and topping. Combine all filling ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread on top of bread batter in pans. Place all topping ingredients in food processor except nuts, or combine by using 2 forks, if processor not available. Pulse until crumbly. Add in nuts. Divide & top batter in pans. Place pans in oven. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until pick comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto plates to cool completely. Do not overbake or bread will be very dry! (I made 2 large heart shaped loaves, and 6 small loaves* with this recipe.) *may use muffin tins instead, if desired. Tastes delicious with coffee or hot cocoa in the mornings.

The first 2 pictures are before baking, the others are after baking. The streusel topping can not be seen, as the bread is inverted onto plate:

Crockpot Pepper Steak Soup

2.5 lbs. sirloin tip steak, cut into strips (can also use flank or london broil)
1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. oil
1 pkg onion soup mix
4 c. beef broth (2 cans)
1 T. tomato paste
1 T. worcestershire sauce or teriyaki sauce
1 T. A-1 sauce
1 green pepper, cut in strips
1/2 onion, sliced
1 t. cumin
2 c. uncooked egg noodles*, optional

Combine flour, salt, & pepper in a ziploc bag. Add steak strips. Seal bag and toss until coated. Brown in oil, about 6 minutes. Place in crockpot. Sprinkle with soup mix. Combine broth, paste, and sauce. Pour over beef. Add other seasonings. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Add noodles. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Serve with sour cream if desired.

*This recipe can also be served over rice or as a wrap. We had them as a wrap and they were delicious! Just place meat, cheese, lettuce, chopped tomato, salsa, sour cream, etc...inside a flour tortilla. Fold over one side, then the bottom, then the other side. Serve with chips and fresh fruit. Yum!

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 c. SR flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk (I had to add a little more for consistency)
1 c. blueberries (I used fresh, but frozen will work too)

Crumb Topping

2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. SR flour
2 T. butter, cubed
1/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400. Thoroughly spray muffin tins. Combine flour and sugar. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix well. Fold in blueberries, do not beat. Fill muffin tins to the top.(Be sure you spray around the tops too, they will overflow!) Make crumb topping and sprinkle on top of each muffin before baking. Bake 20-25 minutes until wooden pick comes out clean. (These muffins were huge! & delicious!)

Crumb Topping Directions:

Combine all ingredients with a fork. Sprinkle over tops of muffins before baking.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Whipped Cream

1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. SR flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5x3 loaf pan. In a large bowl, beat sugar & butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add flour gradually to rest of ingredients. Pour batter into pan. Bake 1 hour or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then invert onto plate or tray. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped topping and fruit.

Whipped Topping

1 c. heavy cream
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Combine a;; ingredients in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks appear. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.