Carrots

Buy a large bag of those baby carrots already cleaned and peeled. STEAM them on top of stove until tender, but not mushy. (do you have a metal steamer to put in a pan with some water on bottom?) After done, drain off water, and toss with about 1/4 cup brown sugar and some butter in pan withOUT the steamer (take out steamer when you drain off the water) They will be especially tasty!

Pulled Pork

Buy a pork SHOULDER roast. If you get one with bone IN it, it will most likely be cheaper and also more flavorful. I would figure about a pound for every 1.5-2 people. Take a fork and punch holes in it. Rub some salt and pepper on it (not much) I also pour some Worchester sauce on both sides and rub gently so it absorbs. Place meat in crock pot. Cover completely with apple juice. If you are home for 1-2 hours, or however long when you start it--start on HIGH. If you are not going to be home just let it cook all day on LOW. If I cook 2 hours on high, then turn to low, it will take AT LEAST 6 hours, 8 is better, so more tender. Cooking on low keeps it tender--and always leave on low when you leave your house. KEEP COVERED at all times. Don't peek at it, unless you need to add more liquid. I turn it over ONCE after about 4 hours, but you don't have to. Pull apart with two forks. I would probably then put it back in the crock pot OR put at least half of it stovetop in a pan and put some BBQ sauce in it. You can put BBQ sauce in crock pot too, but didn't know if you wanted to sauce all of it.

Grandma Grover's Cranberry Salad

1 pound fresh cranberries 1 ½ c. sugar orange 1 can crushed pineapple chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) 2 -3 oz. pkg. cherry jello ½ c. sugar Crush cranberries in blender with 2 cups water Cook with 1 ½ c. sugar until dark red and beginning to thicken. Add juice of ½ orange and grated orange rind. Add pineapple and nuts if desired. (use less water -below if you also want to use the liquid from the pineapple) Mix cherry jello with 2 cups boiling water and ½ cup sugar. Let cool about 10 minutes then add to above mixture. Prepare at least 24 hours in advance so it will set.

Apple Butter Pork Loin

Apple Butter Pork Loin

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours

Ready In: 3 Hours 15 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Roasted pork loin, seasoned with spiced apple butter and roasted in apple juice, makes a great Sunday dish."

Ingredients:
2 (2 pound) boneless pork loin roast
seasoning salt to taste
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup apple butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season the pork loins with seasoning salt, and place them in a 9x13 inch baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour apple juice over the pork, and cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. While the pork is roasting, mix together the apple butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, and cloves. Remove pork roasts from the oven, and spread with apple butter mixture.
4. Cover, and return to the oven for 2 hours, or until fork-tender.

Aunt Linda's Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
1 c. macaroni noodles
4 TBSP butter
Flour
salt and pepper
1/3 cup Grated cheese
2 1/4 Milk.


Stir 1 cup macaroni in boiling water for 3 minutes
Remove from heat, put lid on pan and let set 10 min. in the water.
Is done at end of 10 min. Remove lid; stir. DRAIN


SEPARATELY: Melt 4 TBLSP. butter and stir in:
4 TBLSP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Cook til bubbly.

Then add 2 1/4 cups milk (whole milk)
1/3 cups grated cheeses (I think we used a variety of flavors--cheddar, etc.)
Bring to boil.

Add above to macaroni.

My Mom's Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 package lasagna noodles
Mozzarella cheese--either sliced or shredded
1 carton of cottage cheese, small curd
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Stir above 3 ingredients together for the "liquid" layer.

Sauce: (if make from scratch-see below, otherwise I get canned sauce (at least 2 jars-probably 3)and just add some browned burger, sausage, mushrooms, or whatever you want! that's the easier/faster way)
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb. ground sausage
1 med. onion
garlic salt or garlic clove, crushed
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
splash of sugar (about a teaspoon)
salt, pepper, italian spices (basil, oregano, parsley, etc. if you don't have Italian spice mix)
Cook sauce. If making from scratch, call me

Not from scratch - bertolli vineyard Marinara or traditional marinara 
Boil the noodles until almost done---if overdone, they will tear easily. If underdone, they don't bake well
. Mix the cottage cheese mixture.
Shred the mozzarella cheese.

TO LAYER (in a 9x13" baking pan)
Start with a very light layer of sauce on the bottom, so nothing will stick. Can also spray with cooking oil if you wish.
1.NOODLES (3 per layer)
2.SAUCE
3.MOZZARELLA CHEESE
4. COTTAGE CHEESE mixture--drizzle on top of mozza and spread some with a fork so it is even.
REPEAT above 3 times.
On TOP: put meat sauce on top of noodles, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and/or parmesan cheese.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake UNcovered about 45 minutes. If you want moister lasagna, I cover the pan with foil for about 1/2 of this time. It will probably take 1 hour to bake if the lasagna was refrigerated before baking.

Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups package powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
5 to 7 Tbsp. milk



1. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa. Gradually add powdered sugar mixture alternately with 3 Tbsp. milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in up to 4 Tbsp. additional milk for desired consistency.